A/N: This is the final chapter. Took me longer than I thought it would, but the story is now complete! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below :)
"Wait," Ron said, gasping for air. Wiping tears from the corner of his eyes, he straightened up, taking a deep breath. "Wait, Hermione!" he called, louder this time.
Hermione neither paused nor slowed down. However, Ron had the advantage over her as his legs were nearly twice as long as hers. Even with her head start, he overtook her in no time.
"Hey," he said as he caught up to her.
She didn't acknowledge him at all, head held high as she continued marching along the corridor.
He contemplated his options as he matched his stride to hers. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he snuck a glance at her face, taking in the furrowed brow and the firm set of her lips. Better give her time to cool off, he thought.
For some minutes, their walk was a silent one. Then Ron began to whistle.
It began as a low tune, Ron scarcely even noticing he was doing it. But then the tune picked up in tempo as well as in volume. Finally, Hermione could stand it no longer.
She halted suddenly and turned on him. Startled, he stopped walking also, turning to her as she snapped, "Do you have to do that?"
"Do what?" he asked, honestly confused. He wondered if she was still upset about him laughing earlier.
She huffed, crossing her arms as she glared up at him. Her hair was getting dangerously frizzy. He swore he could see tiny bolts of lightning zapping out from the ends of her wild curls.
He swallowed, waiting for the explosion he was sure would come at any moment. Scratching at the back of his neck, he suddenly found it hard to meet her eyes. They had that fiery look they sometimes got when Ron knew he was really in trouble with her.
When the explosion did finally come, it nearly knocked him off his feet. Mostly because he wasn't expecting it. What he was expecting was for Hermione to start yelling. What took him off guard was when she instead threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, her mouth pressing eagerly to his.
I could get used to this Angry Hermione, was his last coherent thought as he enthusiastically returned the embrace, lifting her feet off the ground as he pulled her closer.
After a moment, she broke away, releasing her arms from around his neck. She pushed at his chest, gasping, as he gently dropped her back onto her feet. For a second, she looked as though she still wanted to tell him off. Then she surprised him again by bursting into laughter.
Ron, still recovering from the previous assault, was momentarily stunned. Then, quite involuntarily, he felt his face stretching into a wide smile and the laughter rising up through him, as though she was pulling it out of him by magic.
When their laughter subsided, Hermione looked up at him with a strange gleam in her eye. He thought she wanted to tell him something. "What is it?" he asked, curious.
She shook her head slowly. "Nothing." But the look remained.
Ron waited, but she didn't elaborate. Finally, he just shrugged. Some things were unfathomable. Taking her hand, he led them back through the halls and stairways of the castle, heading back towards the Gryffindor tower.
The whole time they were walking, Ron tried to get his thoughts straight. He knew he should say something to her about what had just happened between them. She would expect him to, he was sure. But he couldn't seem to find the right words.
Listen, Hermione, he began in his mind, about that kiss. No, that didn't sound right. It was more than just one kiss, anyway. But, he couldn't very well say, Listen, Hermione, about those three very hot snogging sessions we just had.
He tried again. So, Hermione, does this mean you're my girlfriend now? He made a face. That was even worse.
Maybe he should lead with a joke. Erm –
"Ron?"
He was startled to find that she was still beside him, her small hand still clutched in his much larger one, fingers entwined. "Er, yeah?" he asked stupidly.
"You're awfully quiet," she said.
"Oh," he said. After a moment, he realized he should say something more than this. "Erm, sorry," he added.
"What are you thinking about?" she persisted.
He looked down into her bright, eager eyes, then let his gaze roam down to her full lips. Your mouth, he almost said, but caught himself in time.
"Teeth," he offered up instead, then immediately cursed himself. What was he on about?
She looked as bewildered as he felt, and a little disappointed. "Oh," was all she said.
A slightly awkward silence followed.
They were nearing the Gryffindor common room now. Ron could see the portrait of the Fat Lady at the end of the hall. Hermione slowed her steps, then stopped. Ron felt a tug on his hand and stopped also, looking down at her questioningly.
"Ron," she said, looking suddenly nervous.
Oh, god, he thought. She's going to tell me this was all a mistake.
"I, erm—well," she stammered.
Ron ceased breathing, his heart frozen in his chest as he waited for her next words.
"I had a really good time tonight," she finally blurted.
Surprise, then elation, filled his entire being. His heartbeat returned with a start, and he suddenly felt lighter than air. Ron felt like he did when he was soaring through the sky, high up in the air on his broomstick. Only this feeling was a thousand times better. If she had told him she loved him, he didn't think he could feel any happier.
Well, maybe a little.
Ron could feel the goofy smile plastered all over his face. He must look like such an idiot right now. He realized also that he hadn't responded.
"I had," he began, his voice breaking. He paused, cleared his throat, and tried again. "I had a really good time tonight, too, Hermione," he said, in the deepest tone he could manage.
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and Ron was sure he had never seen anything as beautiful. He wanted to kiss her, but somehow, even after all the snogging they had just done, he felt unaccountably shy all of a sudden.
He leaned in, slightly awkwardly, and pressed his lips to her cheek. Her blush deepened, but before he could completely pull away, she turned her face to his and softly brushed his mouth with hers.
Their eyes met and he held her gaze for a few moments. Her eyes were warm and bright, and she was regarding him as though his face was her favorite thing to look at. He didn't know how he looked in that moment, but he hoped she could read in his eyes all of the things he couldn't find words to say.
Then, the moment passed, and they continued into the common room, giving the password to the Fat Lady and stepping in through the portrait hole.
There were a few students strewn about on couches and chairs around the fire. Some of them teased when they saw their joined hands, throwing comments at the two of them.
"So, Granger and Weasley are a couple now."
"I see you two have had an interesting evening."
"Weasley finally closed the deal, eh?"
Ron could feel his ears burning. Embarrassment mingled with pride as Hermione only grasped his hand more firmly, lifting her chin in haughty defiance without giving the other students a second glance.
Ron followed as she walked towards the girls' dormitory, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Goodnight, Ron," she said softly, lifting herself onto her toes to place a kiss on his cheek.
The room erupted in catcalls and whistles. Hermione ignored them all and retreated to her dorm room.
Ron grinned, his whole face on fire now, and shortly after escaped to his own room.
As he settled into the privacy of his four-poster bed, the curtains drawn around him, he breathed a sigh. This was the best night of his life, he thought, playing the events of the last few hours over in his mind. Hermione's face lingered in his mind's eye, the last thing he saw as he drifted off to sleep.
