Prompt: Ron and Hermione reminiscent on their years at Hogwarts and telling each other that fifth year was their best year as they spent most of the time together

Era: Post-War
Rating: T

Wasted Time

"Can I tell you a secret?"

Hermione and Ron were walking down the high street of Hogsmeade, hand in hand on a snowy December day. It had been an entire month since they'd last seen each other, and Hermione felt rather lucky that her Hogsmeade weekend lined up with a break in Ron's Auror training.

Of course!" he replied cheerfully.

Hermione nodded in the direction of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. "I've always wanted to go on a date there…"

Ron paused, and tugged gently at her arm as she kept walking. "You did?"

She turned around to see that he was looking down the road at the tea shop. "Well, kind of!"

"I thought you said it was stupid…"

"I know I said that," she shrugged nervously. "But I was just jealous of everyone who got to go. I never had anyone to go with.'

With a goofy grin, Ron guided her down the road to Madam Puddifoot's. "It's a right of passage. Let's go!"

With a smile and a blush, she followed him down the road...

"Harry told me about this place in fifth year," said Ron. They were now seated and a small heart-shaped table, awaiting their orders. "He said his date with Cho here was pretty awkward."

"It was on Valentine's day, I believe," said Hermione. "I told him to meet me at the Hog's Head for that Quibbler interview. I don't imagine that went over very well."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," laughed Ron.

Madam Puddifoot placed a teapot in the center of their table. "Here's your lovers' blend," she said as she gave Ron and Hermione both a pink heart shaped teacup.

"The handles are fluffy!" he whispered when Madam Puddifoot turned away.

"How are we supposed to drink out of heart shaped cups?" wondered Hermione as she poured herself some tea. "And I wonder what a 'lover's blend' tastes like, anyway."

"Yeah," said Ron "I could see how this might have been awkward back in fifth year."

"Right, especially considering the view," said Hermione nodding her head toward the back of the room where a couple was kissing passionately across the table.

"Yeah," said Ron, in response to the kissing couple. 'I don't think I was ready to date in fifth year."

"I know you weren't," smiled Hermione. "If you were, I think something might have happened between us back then. It was a good year for us."

"You do?" asked Ron. "I mean, I was definitely into you back then, I just didn't think you were."

"I thought it was pretty obvious!" said Hermione.

Ron laughed. I know better now, but back then I thought you still liked Krum."

Hermione shook her head. "No, I liked you, I even tried to hint at it. Constantly, actually."

"Really, when?" asked Ron skeptically.

"Mostly on prefect rounds," shrugged Hermione. "We spent so much time together doing those, remember?"

Ron smiled reminiscently. "I was always pretty disappointed when I was paired with someone else."

"Same!" said Hermione. "They were never as fun."

"I was uh.. pretty distracted for most of them."

Hermione smiled. "I kept thinking about holding your hand. I spent a lot of time wondering how you would react, but never plucked up enough courage to do it."

"Well I wish you would have," said Ron. "I most definitely would have reacted positively." His face was starting to turn crimson, and he added, "In fact, I spent a lot of time thinking about pulling you into a broom closet and snogging you senseless."

Hermione nearly choked on her tea as she laughed. "Ron! I thought you just said you wouldn't have been ready for that."

He smiled. "Oh, I would have been rubbish. That doesn't mean I wasn't tempted..."

"But...on prefect rounds?"

"I would have never had the courage to do it," he said. "After all, it took us two more years to admit our feelings for each other."

Hermione smiled coyly. "Even then, I had to make the first move..."

"That's true," said Ron. "So much wasted time. I wish I would have known you were into me back then. We really could have started up earlier...,"

"So you're saying you would have come here with me in fifth year?" asked Hermione. "You'd have been willing to be seen drinking tea out of a heart shaped cup with a fuzzy handle?"

"Only with you, yes," said Ron, as he reached across the table for her hand. "If it meant not wasting the last two years."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't know if I believe you. But I thank you."

"I'm really glad we're together now, Hermione."

"Me too," said Hermione, as she leaned across the table for a kiss.