Kiss Me
Hermione's POV
"Hermione. Eat your dinner", her father told her rather sternly. But Hermione was too busy with her nose stuck in the Daily Prophet.
'The Weasley's pay tribute to their dearly departed, shop owner, Fred Weasley as the week of Hogwarts' Fallen Heroes begins.
Also this issue; The Brightest Witch of Her Age gets violent defending Harry Potter.'
The front page of that morning's Prophet made Hermione's blood boil as she stared at the moving picture of herself storming towards Rita Skeeter angrily.
"Hermione Granger - the current girlfriend of Potter's ginger haired best friend and brother of the deceased, Ronald Weasley, lashed out at me when I wholeheartedly asked them how they were coping with things. I, however, do not blame Ms Granger for her outburst. It must be very confusing to, not only be caught up in a war, but, to have been dumped by The Chosen one himself and to have to settle for his infamous best friend!", Hermione read a paragraph out loud. "That woman is infuriating!", she said through gritted teeth.
"That is terrible, love, but, please finish your dinner", her mother asked as her father shook his head, clearing his and her mother's plates and taking them into the kitchen.
"This is just the icing on the top of the cake isn't it? I mean, its bad enough that I-", Hermione stopped herself from finishing her sentence.
"Miss Ron?", her mother suddenly said, making sure her father was out of ear shot.
"Pardon?", Hermione blushed. Her mother gave her a cheeky smirk as she raised her eyebrow.
"Its perfectly normal to miss him, you know? He is your first real boyfriend after all. You've been touchy since the moment you walked through that door this morning", she smiled. Hermione gave in to her feelings and decided to talk to her mum.
"I only saw him this morning. I feel as if its been a week!", she admitted. Hermione's mother chuckled as she took her daughter's hand within her own.
"Why don't you surprise him and go back?", she suggested.
"Oh no, I couldn't. I cant stay over there all the time", Hermione fought.
"I'm sure Molly wouldn't mind, and I know Ron wouldn't. You spend most of your time there anyway", her mother said. Hermione suddenly felt guilty, which her mother soon spotted. "Your father and I don't mind either, you know? Its wonderful seeing you so happy after bickering with the boy for so long", she chuckled. Hermione laughed with her before getting up and giving her a kiss on the cheek. She then wandered off to gather her things. Afterward, she returned downstairs to say goodbye to her parents before disapparating to the Orchard.
"Hermione! What a lovely surprise", Molly smiled as she opened the door. "Come in, dear". Hermione walked into The Burrow, which was empty at present. "Ron and Harry have just gone for a butterbeer with Arthur, they shouldn't be long. You can wait in his room if you like", Molly smiled. Hermione nodded, smiling before heading upstairs to Ron's room. She got herself comfortable on his bed, admiring the posters on his wall as she counted the seconds. This was all very new to her, this feeling of missing someone so much although she had only seen them mere hours before. She had taken a genuine liking to Viktor Krum in her fourth year, and she knew that she was attracted to him, but he didn't make her feel this way. She did not miss him the moment he was gone. Hermione had fallen for Ron a long time ago, she knew that full well, but this feeling of need and longing was brand new and strange and exciting and irritating all at once. She twiddled her thumbs as she watched the clock on his wall, wondering when he would walk through the door.
"I thought I heard your voice", she suddenly heard Ginny as she turned to see her standing in the doorway.
"Hi", Hermione said.
"Back again so soon?", Ginny smirked. Hermione nodded.
"How did it go with Andromeda and Teddy today?", Hermione asked.
"It was brilliant. Teddy's so cute! And Harry was amazing with him", Ginny smiled sweetly.
"Good", Hermione sighed contently.
"Well, I'm playing Quidditch with George so I better be going. Just wanted to stop and say hey", she grinned before waltzing off down the stairs. Only mere minutes later, Ron walked into his room to find Hermione sitting on his bed.
"Hey", she smiled brightly.
"Well- this is a nice surprise", Ron half laughed as he walked over and sat down beside her. "What are you doing here?", he asked.
"I just- I wanted to see you", she admitted shyly, her voice small. Ron smiled sweetly as he wrapped his arm around her, kissing her bushy brunette locks. Ron suddenly noticed that she had her beaded bag with her. Hermione knew that he knew she only brought this particular bag with her if she planned on spending the night.
"Going somewhere?", he smirked.
"I was- I was wondering if I could spend the night? If you want me to that is", she stumbled over her words as she blushed nervously.
"'Mione. You can stay here whenever you like. I'd have you here all the time if it was up to me", he tightened his arm around her. Hermione lifted her head up so she could give him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Do you fancy a game of Quidditch?", he suddenly asked.
"Ron, you know I don't like flying", she chuckled nervously.
"Okay; do you fancy watching a game of Quidditch?", he smirked. Hermione laughed as she nodded before the pair of them made their way downstairs and out into the Orchard where Ginny, Harry and George were preparing for their quick game.
"Ah good. You can be on my team", Harry smiled. "Hey, Hermione", he said, walking towards her to give her a hug. Ron gave Hermione a quick peck on the cheek before saddling his broom and setting off into the sky. Hermione felt quite content as she sat there watching them. It was wonderful to see the four of them enjoying themselves. An hour passed by and the match was finally over as Ginny and George jumped in victory as they reached the ground.
"When did you get so good?", Ron sulked.
"Ron, I've always been good. You just don't take notice", she smirked back at him. Hermione chuckled as she comforted Ron for losing.
"Its got a lot to do with me being on her team as well", George inked and he and Ginny high fived.
"On a serious note; I don't know if I can go out with someone who's better at Quidditch than I am", Harry joked as Ginny playfully punched him in the arm. The rest of the night consisted of funny stories from the past, reminiscing old memories and playing wizard's chess before Ron and Hermione decided to call it a night. Ron was already upstairs getting ready for bed as Hermione pottered around the living room, tidying up so Molly wouldn't have to.
"Get yourself to bed, dear. I'll deal with it in the morning", Molly smiled as she shuffled into the living in her slippers and her dressing gown.
"Oh its okay. I don't mind", Hermione smiled as she finished clearing up.
"Hermione, dear", Molly spoke, a serious tone in her voice. Hermione stopped what she was doing to turn and face her. "I haven't had the chance to thank you", she said. Hermione gave a confused look.
"Thank me? For what?", she asked.
"I know Ron and Harry are brave, smart and perfectly capable of looking after themselves but- I don't know what they would have done without you. Especially Ron", she smiled warmly. "Its so wonderful to see you both so happy together after all these years". Hermione felt her eyes beginning to fill with tears, overwhelmed by Molly's comment.
"There's no need to thank me", she said, smiling warmly.
"But, thank you anyway", Molly said, wrapping her arms around her in a gentle hug. Hermione made her way upstairs after saying goodnight to Molly, stopping at the bathroom so she could get changed into her pyjamas. She walked into Ron's bedroom to find him laid across his bed in nothing but his boxers again. He smiled at her as she closed the door behind her and joined him on the bed, the pair of them getting comfortable under the covers. As Hermione got comfortable by Ron's side with his arm wrapped firmly around her, Ron used his free arm to click his deluminator, getting rid of the lights.
"Goodnight, Hermione", he sighed contently, kissing her on the top of the head.
"Goodnight, Ron", she smiled warmly, her eyes closing slowly.
…
She used every ounce of energy she had to try and shake off Bellatrix but she was simply too weak. Surges of pain coursed through her body and she shrieked in pain.
"I haven't taken anything! Its a fake!", she screamed, floods of tears streaming down her face, her whole body trembling with fear and agony.
"LIAR!", Bellatrix roared as she cast the cruciatus curse once again. Mere moments before she had been mad at him. Mad at him for leaving her and Harry when they needed him. But right in that very moment, she wanted Ron there more than anything. And she knew in her heart that he wanted to be there. He had begged Bellatrix to let him take her place and she had refused. But in a strange twist of events; neither Ron nor Harry showed up.
"Please- please, I- I didn't take anything. You- you have to believe me", she pleaded, her voice small and weak.
"If there's one thing I hate more than mudbloods-", Bellatrix said, kneeling down so her face was mere inches away from Hermione's. "Its liars!", she roared once more. Bellatrix stood back up, performing the curse one final time. Hermione screamed. Her voice echoing through the empty mansion. But nobody was coming. There wasn't going to be a daring rescue.
"PLEASE! I DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING! PLEASE- STOP! PLEASE!", she cried out in excruciating pain.
"Hermione! Hermione, wake up!", she heard his comforting voice as he shook her gently to wake up. Her eyes snapped open as she jumped up in bed, gasping for air as she shook from head to toe. Ron wrapped his arm around her tightly. She hadn't quite taken in her surroundings as she fought for her breath, running her fingers through her hair as tears streamed down her face. "'Mione, its okay. You're okay", Ron forced her into him, holding her close as he shushed her soothingly. Hermione's heart began to beat as normal as she laid against him, her scars tingling under his touch. 10 minutes passed and Ron had used his deluminator to return the light to the room as Hermione laid in his arms, holding on to him, terrified that he might slip away. "Do- do you have dreams like that often?", Ron finally spoke. Hermione only nodded as she sighed.
"I never really thought- I never wanted you to see me like that", she admitted.
"Hermione- I really don't care. I mean- obviously I care but; I don't mind seeing you like that. I want to see you like that so I can help you! I want to protect you. Please, let me", he said, taking her chin in his hand and making her look up at him. Hermione could have sworn he looked like he was about to say something else, a nervous glint in his eyes that she couldn't quite ignore. He unmistakably swallowed a lump in his throat and she grew curious.
"What?", she asked. Ron cracked a smile, wiping away a single tear that fell from her eye as he scanned her face.
"I- I love you, Hermione", he said, his cheeks flushing a bright shade of red. Hermione suddenly became aware of her heart as it pounded in her chest. Butterflies swarmed her stomach as her previous feelings of embarrassment and fear quickly faded.
"I love you too, Ron", she smiled up at him. Ron grinned down at her before crashing his lips in to hers. She ran her fingers helplessly through his messy red hair as he wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing their bodies closer together. Their passionate kissing came to a slow stop as their foreheads met, Hermione feeling completely content as she looked into his eyes, those deep pools of blue that she loved so much. She soon got herself comfy by his side once again, drawing lazy circles on his chest as he played with her hair. She soon fell sound asleep, without a care in the world. Her dreams consisting of she and Ron and nothing more.