Chapter Once: Secrets
Hermione was not feeling that well. Well, she wasn't completely sure what was wrong, she just felt off. But seeing as N.E. were soon there was no time to be coming down with something, though Madam Pomfrey would have other wise to say. So, head crammed in a book, Hermione curled up on the sofa in the Gryffindor common room and studied. She'd been down there nearly an hour when she heard scuffling coming from the boys sixth year dormitories. That was later followed, concluding her suspicions, by the loud guffaw of Ronald Weasley, followed closely by none other than, Harry Potter, of course.
"Then the bloke trips spilling everything! What a bloody-" Ron stopped mid sentence, now having reached the common room and noticing Hermione.
"Hermione! We wondered where you where, fancy some dinner?"
"Well, I've been down here an hour studying, which you two should be doing," she said pointedly. "anyway, yes dinner sounds rather lovely right now."
"Leave it to Hermione to have her nose in a book bigger than she is." Ron chuckled and Hermione scowled, aiming a pillow in his direction. They headed for the Great Hall and made their way to there seats just in time to see the food appear on the platters. Hermione picked up some chicken and rice with a side of jello. She watched, rather unsurprised, as Ron piled on chicken, pork chops, mashed potatoes, peas and rice along with other fixings, onto his plate.
"Do you ever stop eating?" She questioned, eyeing his teetering plate.
"I'm hungry." He answered simply and Harry snickered. Hermione absentmindedly chewed on her chicken, throwing quick glances over at the red-headed boy across from her. She couldn't help noticing how his hair shined in the candle light making it even more brilliantly red and adding streaks of golden. How his cheeks were rosy and how his eyelashes brushed his cheeks when he looked down. She flushed as Ron looked up, catching her mid stare. She was definitely sick. Yes, most definitely; friends don't think of their best like that. She must be mad, completely mental. Though…she knew she wasn't. She realized she had feelings for the quirky boy seated across from her. She didn't know how it happened it just had and she certainly didn't know how to deal with it. Hermione needed to talk to someone; perhaps Harry. No, no matter how good of a friend Harry is he'd end up letting something slip to his other best friend. Ginny, she though. Granted it might be a bit odd, it being her brother and all but Ginny was, in fact, her best girl friend and she'd most definitely understand and help. After dinner Hermione decided to go look for Ginny and had excused herself from the table. If she was going to get anywhere with these feelings she needed to clear her head and talk to someone.
Ginny was reading a book in the common room, sitting in a big cushioned chair by the fire. Dean Thomas lingered on the opposite side of the room eyeing her. They had recently broken up and he was slightly torn and very jealous, as Ginny had taken a fancy to Harry and the same of Harry unto her. Though it was quite obvious they had, had these feelings well before this year. Hermione approached Ginny and she looked up from her book and smiled.
"Hey, Hermione!" She greeted cheerfully; Dean sulked off to the boys dormitories.
"Hey, Ginny. Mind if I have a word…in private?"
"Of course! What's on your mind?" Ginny asked.
"Well, it's a rather touchy subject…I- I don't exactly know how to come about this…" Ginny sat patiently, offering an encouraging smile.
"Well, call me loony, but I might, slightly, like a certain brother of yours and I, oh Ginny! I just need to talk to someone and you're one of my best friends and I don't know if I'm going completely insane, he drives me bonkers and he's a prat at times but-" Ginny interrupted, "Hermione! Relax, its okay, I kind of had a hunch. Besides there's nothing to worry about. Ron's a bloody brute at times but he does care for you. More than you may know." Ginny winked and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Did Ron share the same feelings? She was about to start saying something when none other than Ron stepped through the portrait entrance.
Chapter Two: Common Room, Common Feelings
Ron watched as Hermione left the Great Hall. She had excused herself to go do some more studying. Just like her to do that, he thought and smiled a little. Harry caught him staring off at where Hermione disappeared.
"Ron? Something on your mind? Someone…," Harry snickered "Anything, anyone you'd like to discuss?" Ron sighed, "How'd you know?"
"Ron, you're practically trying to run out after her. When she's around you can't take your eyes off of her, it's like you gravitate to her." Harry explained. Ron sighed again. He undoubtedly had feelings for Hermione Granger. When she came around, his body felt like jelly and his heart pounded like it wanted to break free of his chest. His head swam and he felt utterly lost for words when his eyes finally found the courage to look at her face. Her face…so perfectly flawless and beautiful. She was so smart and funny-
"Ron! You're doing it right now! C'mon, I think it's time for bed for you." Ron sighed for a third time and got up and followed Harry to the common room. As they entered through the portrait of the fat lady, Ron saw Hermione sitting with Ginny, he felt like he had interrupted something they were discussing.
"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Hermione, I though you were studying?"
"Yes, well I was but-"
"But I needed to talk to her for a bit but we're all finished up." Ginny offered and gave Hermione what looked like a wink. He also noticed the way Harry and Ginny were looking at each other, in a way he didn't particularly like; he made a mental not to talk to Harry about it later.
"Well, I think I'll turn in for the night." Ginny said and Harry murmured an agreement whish left him and Hermione alone except for a few lingering people sitting around the room.
"So…what were you and Ginny talking about?" He cursed himself inwardly; she would've told him if it pertained to him!
"Oh," She jumped seeming to be caught off guard, "nothing, Ginny just had a question about Potions."
"Well, she went to the right person for that; smartest girl here." He said smiling. Was that a rosy colour forming on her cheeks?
"Well, thank you Ron." She gratified. He went over and sat next to her on the couch, accidentally brushing his thigh against hers.
"Sorry." He muttered, ears turning a bright crimson. She nodded, also turning red, confirming that before she did, in fact, blush. He couldn't help but admire how to light of the flames illuminated her and how beautiful she looked. She glanced up and saw him staring at her and hastily looked away.
"Ronald, tomorrow's Saturday, are we still going to Hogsmead with Harry?" She asked quickly.
"Er, actually Harry can't go, he said he needs to catch up on his studying."
"Oh…so it's just us then?" She inquired.
"Yeah, is that alright?" He asked wearily.
"Of course!" She exclaimed rather enthusiastically, "I mean that's perfectly fine."
"Okay, good." He replied, smiling at the thought of them being alone together. They sat there for a few more painfully awkward, silent moments until Hermione stirred. "I think I'm going to go to bed now."
"Hermione wait!" He blurted out. Taken aback, Hermione replied, "What is it?" Sounding a little alarmed.
"Uh, oh…it's, nothing." He finished, failing miserably.
"Are you sure, Ron?" She asked quizzically. He just nodded, afraid of what might slip out if he opened his mouth. He watched her slip off the couch and up the stairs to the girl's dormitories. He had wanted nothing more than to pour his heart out then and there but he held his tongue. Bloody hell, girls were difficult and love was mad than a hatter.
Chapter Three: Hogsmead
Hermione quickly made her way up the stairs, wanting nothing more than to curl up in her bed. What had Ron wanted to say? She shook her head and headed for her bed. Lavender and Parvati were, in what looked like, a 'deep', probably stupid, conversation that probably had to do with hair and boys. She passed them with a smile and drew her curtains around her bed and laid there. She wasn't tired at all, actually she was very jittery. All she wanted to know was what Ron had wanted to say. She was remembering how the fire light was reflecting off his flaming hair making it even more vibrant. That had tempted her to touch it; she also had noticed how when he was about to say whatever it was he was going to say, his ears turned bright red. She hoped with all her heart that Ginny was right and Ron shared her feelings. As she contemplated different things, Hermione slowly slipped into a slumber of dreamless sleep.
Waking with a start, Hermione remembered she was going to Hogsmead with Ron and decided to borrow some make-up from Lavender. She neatly dodged Lavender's suspicious questions of why she needed make-up and why she was waking up at an un-godly hour on a Saturday. It being early and all, she had some time to decide what she was going to wear. She pulled on a lilac tunic with a pair of her favourite jeans and put on a grey pea coat she had. Heading downstairs she decided to bring Hogwarts: A History with her to read while she waited for Ron to wake up. She had just finished reading a few chapters when Ron sauntered down the stairs; his hair was a bit disheveled and Hermione thought it looked absolutely adorable.
"There you are, were you about to sleep the whole day away? I almost thought you'd forgotten our plans." She teased. Ron looked slightly embarrassed.
"I most certainly did not forget our plans! How dare you think of me as a fool?" He joked with mock hurt on his face; his lower lip slightly protruding. Hermione thought he looked rather cute like that. She giggled and suggested they go down and get breakfast which Ron rapidly agreed to. As usual Ron piled his plate with mass amounts of food. Hermione, on the contrary, took very little. Between mouthfuls Ron managed to say, "You look very nice today." Clearly making Hermione blush and glance down. "Thank you, Ronald." Finishing breakfast promptly, they set off toward Hogsmead.
"Where to first?" Hermione asked.
"I dunno, actually maybe we could just walk for a bit and then maybe grad some butter beers at the Three Broomsticks on the way back." Ron suggested.
"Sounds lovely." She replied, smiling. Much to Hermione's shock, Ron offered his hand as they walked slowly. She tentatively took it and he gave her the quick, crooked smile she loved. They'd walked for a while in silence when Ron broke the tension.
"So…I mean, well, have you noticed how Ginny and Harry have been acting together?" He finished awkwardly. To her surprise she actually laughed.
"Hey, what's so funny?"
"Well Ronald, don't you realize what's happening?" Ron still looked a little miffed.
"Okay, clearly Harry and Ginny have taken a fancy upon each other." Hermione barely got that out when he practically growled, "He WHAT?"
"Ron, relax, it's not as if Harry's a stranger."
"Hermione! That's my little sister! And Harry's my best friend!" He had turned slightly red in the face. Hermione went out on a limb, "Suppose I took a fancy on you? Would you want Ginny telling you what to do because you're her brother?" At this Ron's face turned even more red and he muttered. "That's different."
"I don't think that's very different at all." She whispered. That sent them spiraling into another bought of awkward silence. As they walked by a table of what looked to be a group of fourth year Hufflepuff boys, Hermione noticed one of them, being painfully obvious, kind of staring at her. Ron had unquestionably seen him and protectively put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. The boy quickly glanced away, looking fairly frightened as Ron was now over six feet tall and was quite muscular from Quittich. Playing as if she hadn't noticed the boy she asked, "What was that for?"
"That little git over there was gawking at you."
"So?" Ron looked a little offended.
"So, I didn't like it."
"And why would you care?" She pressed.
"Because I don't want some bloody brute looking at you." Hermione's insides fluttered at the fact Ron cared about that, but she continued to play dumb.
"Well, what if I don't mind him looking?" His arm tightened around her shoulders.
"He doesn't deserve to look." He muttered.
"And you do?" She questioned only half joking. She only just realized they had stopped near a fence just skirting the village.
"I hope I do." He replied cautiously. Hermione toyed with him, pretending to debate it in her head; his eyes were looking at her a little expectantly.
"Hmm well, I guess you might." She was about to say more but all of a sudden Ron's lips were on hers, one hand behind her head and the other on the small of her back. At first she wasn't sure what to do then he quickly pulled away looking extremely embarrassed.
"Sor-" He was cut short because before Hermione could change her mind she pulled his face back down to hers and kissed him fiercely. Her arms shot up behind hi head and his hands snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to his own body. Her tongue slowly grazed his bottom lip until it gained entrance. They broke apart after a few moments, breathing heavily.
"What took you so long?" She asked with a smile. He just replied, "No idea." And pulled her in again.