Stripped Bare- Chapter 26

Ron Figures It All Out

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter.

Ron noticed a certain scent that he knew he'd smelled before, but couldn't place it. It seemed to be coming from the hallway and he got up from his chair to locate it's origin. It got stronger as he reached the end of the hall and Hermione's room. In fact, it seemed to be coming from Hermione's room. Ron walked through the door and looked around for the source of the scent. He noticed a few glass bottles on Hermione's dresser and moved over to them. He picked up the first and read the name of the perfume inside- Tribe. He sniffed it and shook his head. That was the perfume that she wore each day, but certainly not what he was smelling. When he traded it for the next bottle- Sand And Sable, but found that wasn't it, either. He picked up the third and knew he had finally found the source. He read the bottle- A Little Sexy, but still couldn't place where he'd smelled it before now.

He carried the bottle around the room with him, sniffing it every few steps, trying to think. He moved past Hermione's bed, looked down to make sure he'd skirted her laundry basket and was about to head back over to the dresser when he froze. Spinning around, he bent over and drew a piece of blue lace out of the basket. Now he had another mystery. He knew he'd seen this bra before, but where?

"Oh my God!" Ron exclaimed as he started to put two and two together. This was the bra that he'd found underneath Harry's bed the morning that he'd woken him up to tell him about Oliver's letter. Then it had only been the scent that had intrigued him, but now he knew where he'd smelled the perfume before. Hermione wore this scent on occasions when she was going out for the night with her friends.

"But how did the bra get... in... her... basket?" He smacked himself on the forehead. "Duh, Weasley! It was Hermione that... Harry... slept... with." His jaw fell open. "OH MY GOD! Harry slept with Hermione!" He returned the items clumsily to their locations and bolted from the room to run to the kitchen.

"What is the big emergency, Ron?" Ginny asked when she'd arrived at the flat less than ten minutes later. "You call my house and tell me to get over here, now, and I find you pacing up and down the living room."

"I found out something huge about Harry and Hermione," he said, spinning to face her as soon as he heard her voice.

"What?" she asked, concerned now.

"They've slept together. Hermione was Harry's first."

"They told you this?" Ginny asked, relieved that it was nothing more serious.

"Told me? No, I was trying locate this scent, and found it in Hermione's room. Then when I was trying to place it, I found the same thing that I confronted Harry with the morning after he slept with this girl. It was a blue bra, and it smelled just like that perfume!"

"So how does this prove that Harry slept with Hermione?"

"Gin, come on! How many women are going to have that particular perfume and a blue bra? And then what are the chances that both of them are going to either know or have met Harry?"

"Well, actually, pretty good. Maureen, Andrea, Kailah, Hermione and I all have the same dress, just in different colors. Of course, we don't wear it at the same time, that would look ridiculous, but the concept is still the same, isn't it?"

"I guess so," he admitted unwillingly. "I was just so sure!" Ron flopped down in a chair, disappointed.

"Well, it was a good guess," Ginny said, sitting across from him. She started laughing. "But can you picture that? Harry and Hermione?" Ron leveled his gaze on his sister and nodded. She choked on her giggles.

"Gin, Harry told me that he's in love with Hermione. I've been trying to get the two of them together ever since that day." He smacked the arm of the chair in frustration. "I just don't get it! He sleeps with some random girl when he's in love with Hermione? What the hell is wrong with him?"

"Maybe he didn't know that he was in love then. Maybe he didn't feel that way about her yet?"

"Maybe, but, Ginny, if he didn't sleep with Hermione, then why wouldn't he tell me the truth about the girl?"

"Excuse me?"

"He hesitated when he told me that the girl he'd hooked up with lived with her parents."

"Maybe she does," Ginny said, wishing her brother would drop this conversation.

"I don't think so. Harry wasn't even absolutely definite when he told me she was a female stripper. In fact," He got to his feet and began to pace the room once more. "He sounded like he was asking me about it, and..." Something clicked in his memory. "Hermione was starting to ask Harry about finding something of hers when she noticed I was in the room... and then she blushed when I showed her the bra! Ginny, it all fits!" He turned to his sister, who was now wearing an expression of defeat.

"What? What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, you look like you're upset that I've figured it out before you." Her eyes fluttered closed. "Oh, my GOD!"

"Ronald, must you keep saying that? Everytime you think you're sure of something..."

"You knew!" He flopped back down in the chair, staring at his sister. She looked at him dejectedly, and nodded.

"Yes, Harry and Hermione have slept together. Happy now? Hermione didn't want me to tell you because Harry probably thought that you would tease him to no end if you found out."

"Well, technically you didn't tell me, you just confirmed what I'd figured out." A huge grin formed on Ron's face. "I knew it. Harry and Hermione are going to get together."

"They've already been together, Ron," Ginny reminded him.

"I meant in a relationship. You know, as boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"I do hope so. Hermione loves Harry. And you said that Harry told you he loves her. But, Ron," She stood up and got ready to leave. "Remember, Hermione was hurt by Stephen only five months ago, and Harry's extremely shy. Please don't do anything that's going to put them off starting a relationship. Don't even let them know that you know anything. Let them take it at their own pace and not be forced into decisions that they may not be ready to make, please?"

"I promise, Gin. I won't say or do anything. But you do remember what day it is don't you?"

"Yes, I do. It's Valentine's Day, and I want to get home to my husband before the end of it, so good-night." She Disapparated. Ron got up from his chair to head into the kitchen, singing softly with delight to himself.