Chapter Twelve – DINNER & A MOVIE

"Well, I'm stuffed" Ron exclaimed, having just finished off the last of the Vindaloo at the small Indian restaurant he and Hermione visited that night.

"I'm not surprised. You've just eaten enough to feed a battalion of Aurors" Hermione said, laughter brimming her words.

"I didn't eat THAT much." Ron protested.

"It never ceases to amaze me how much you Weasley men can put away" Hermione said, almost in awe.

"It's not just the men. You've seen Ginny demolish a meal or two, especially when blueberry pancakes are on the menu." Ron replied, smiling.

"Must be genetic" Hermione pondered, suppressing laughter.

Ron insisted on paying the bill, much to Hermione's chagrin, and they left the restaurant. "You tired?" Ron asked, trying to ascertain what Hermione was thinking.

"Not at all. I could do with a walk actually." Hermione said, feeling rather full herself.

"Then we walk" Ron said.

They walked through the city for almost an hour, looking in the windows of shops open for late night trading. They laughed at the latest muggle appliances, and thanked Merlin for the fact that they lived in the magical world. When they walked past a muggle fashion store, Ron looked at an outfit in the shop window and then looked at Hermione and asked "So, if you never came to Hogwarts, you'd be wearing ... well THAT?"

Hermione glanced at the outfit that Ron was referring to, and Hermione let out a laugh. "Heavens no, Ron. That's awful," and then taking Ron's hand and dragging him away from the shop said, "Come on, let's go."

Ron had to battle himself to let go of Hermione's hand as they began walking again. She has a boyfriend, she has a boyfriend Ron tried to remind himself through constant repetition. She has a bloody boyfriend he said to himself again, and must have looked rather upset because Hermione said "Ron, what's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Ron said, "Nothing at all, Mione. Let's keep going." Hermione stood still and didn't say a word. Ron stopped and turned to look at her. "What?"

"I know we watch muggle movies all the time at home, but have you ever been to a muggle cinema?" Hermione asked.

"Never." Ron replied.

"Then tonight is your lucky night" Hermione said, once again taking Ron's hand, and leading him into the cinema complex.

"Mione, what are you talking about?" Ron asked, still totally confused by what Hermione was going on about.

"You bought dinner, so I'm buying movie tickets. Come on, it'll be fun." Hermione replied, walking over to the wall to have a look at what was showing. "What do you feel like watching? An action/thriller? Romantic comedy? Historical drama?"

"I like that movie we watched the other night at home" Ron said, "Can we watch that one?"

"Ron, films come out at the cinema months before we can get them at home." Hermione said, smiling.

"Well, I don't know. You just pick one." Ron said, looking more confused than ever.

"Ok then," Hermione said, "What about this one ... Meet Joe Black. A friend of mine saw it last week and said it was an excellent movie. What do you think?"

"Whatever you reckon, Mione. I'm hopeless when it comes to this kinda stuff. But I trust you" Ron replied, smiling at Hermione.

"Meet Joe Black it is, then" Hermione said, before standing in line to purchase their tickets.

"I know why you liked it" Ron said, turning to Hermione as they walked towards the taxi rank.

"Why's that, Ron?" Hermione replied.

"Two words: Brad Pitt." Ron answered, smiling at his friend.

"Ok, I'll admit he's a VERY good looking man, but that's not the reason I liked the film. I liked the way that he was experiencing everything for the first time. I really loved the story, the acting was good, and the music was just beautiful." Hermione answered.

"Yeah, it was a great story, wasn't it? And that girl was pretty hot, too." Ron replied, and Hermione rolled her eyes. "What? You just said Brad Pitt was good looking, why aren't I allowed to say that she was?"

Hermione laughed and said "I didn't say you couldn't, Ron."

"No, but you rolled your eyes at me" Ron answered.

Hermione and Ron arrived home just before midnight. "No sign of Harry and Ginny" Ron said, having only just remembered that there were, in fact, more people in the world other than him and Hermione.

"Good on them. Making a night of it, I guess. I'm going to make coffee, you want some?" Hermione asked as she headed towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, Mione, I'd love some." Ron said as he followed her into the kitchen. "I'll get the ice cream too."

"Excellent idea" Hermione replied as she prepared their coffee.

They said at the kitchen table, drinking their coffee, sharing ice cream straight from the tub.

"So, tomorrow's the big night, huh?" Ron said.

"Yeah, can't wait. Although I'm not sure ice cream is the best way to ensure my dress still fits." Hermione said, laughing as she took another spoon of ice cream.

"I'm sure you'll be beautiful, no matter how much ice cream you eat tonight" Ron said, his face growing redder each second.

"Is that a challenge?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I bet we can polish off the entire tub." Ron said, eager for her response.

"You're on" Hermione replied, and dug her spoon in for another serve of the decadent chocolate ice cream.

20 minutes later, the empty ice cream tub lay on the kitchen bench, and Ron and Hermione, laughing, were heaped on the couch.

"I'll make a Weasley out of you yet" Ron said, between laughs.

"Worthy praise, indeed" Hermione replied, enjoying the moment.

And they sat on the couch for almost an hour, laughing, and talking about nothing of consequence. When the clock chimed one, Hermione took that as her cue. "I don't know about you," she said, standing up from the couch, "but I need sleep. I'm off to bed."

"I'll join you" Ron replied, before realising exactly what he had said. "I mean ... not JOIN you ... but"

"I know what you meant, Ron." Hermione said, and the two of them walked up the stairs, as a feeling of apprehension grew between them.

Standing at her door, Hermione turned to Ron and said "I had a really great time tonight."

"Me too. We should do it again sometime," Ron replied, nervously running his hands through his hair before shoving them in his pockets.

"Sounds good. Well," Hermione said, "Good night then."

"Good night, Mione" Ron answered as he began walking down the hall way.

Hermione didn't go into her room, but rather watched Ron walk down the hall way towards her room. Just breathe she reminded herself, before walking down the hall towards Ron.

"Ron" she said as she was almost right beside him.

"Yeah?" Ron asked curiously.

I want to kiss her Ron thought to himself.

I want to kiss him Hermione was thinking, as she placed her hand on his forearm.

"Sleep well" Hermione blurted out, before turning and rushing back to her room.

"You too" Ron called out as she reached her door.

What the hell was I thinking? Hermione thought to herself as she lay on top of her bed, fully dressed. I practically just threw myself at my best friend. It's not like he would be interested in me, anyway. He's just broken up with Olivia, the girl EVERY guy wanted to be with. He's had a whole bunch of really stunning women after him, why in the world would he pick me?

Hermione agonised for a few moments, before getting up off the bed and throwing her pyjamas on. She picked the Chanel black satin singlet top and boxers that her parents had given her as part of her graduation gift the previous year. Walking to the bathroom, keen to wash off the day, and needing to brush her teeth, her thoughts continued. Honestly, Hermione, you've got to get over this ridiculous school girl crush. Boys like Ron do NOT like girls like you. They like girls like Olivia. And Ginny. And ... ... well, not girls that spend their free time in the library. Ron wants a girl that will laugh at his stupid jokes, and who will worship him, not someone who reminds him to do his school work.

Hermione opened the door to the bathroom and was greeted, for the second time in 12 hours, by a sight of Ron that she wasn't prepared for. He was standing at the sink, clad only in a pair of Chudley Cannon's boxer shorts, applying tooth paste to his tooth brush. "Mione!" he exclaimed, as surprised by the encounter as she was, and feeling suddenly very exposed in only his underwear. "I didn't expect to see you, otherwise I would have made sure I was wearing more than ... you know ... my underwear."

"Ron ... I ah ... that is, I didn't think ... ... ... ... um, I was just coming in to brush my teeth." Hermione replied, her face growing redder by the second.

"Great minds think alike, huh?" Ron suggested.

"Either that or fools seldom differ" Hermione said, trying to make a joke to lighten the situation. The two of them stood there, neither moving, for what seemed like an age, before Ron shifted over so that Hermione could use the sink as well. "Thank you" she muttered softly, half to herself.

They stood at the sink side by side, both brushing their teeth, both desperately trying to avoid the others gaze, and both blushing immensely. Ron tried not to let his eyes gaze over Hermione's petite body, tried not to notice the way the satin of her pyjamas clung to her subtle curves. And for her part, Hermione tried not to stare at Ron's toned torso, or at the way he packed out his boxers shorts.

Ron finished brushing first, and Hermione handed him some dental floss.

"You floss too?" Ron asked, amused.

Hermione finished brushing her teeth before answering "My parents are dentists, Ron, what do you think!" And the two of them stood at the sink flossing their teeth.

It was a strangely intimate interaction, and the intimacy was lost on neither Ron nor Hermione. Having wrapped her used floss in a tissue and placing it in the small rubbish bin, Hermione turned to Ron and said "Well, Good night. Again."

"Night, Mione." Ron replied, trying not to watch her walk out the door.