Prompt: Hi! I've got Completely Mental still on my mind, and I'm really, really interested in the conversation that Ron and Hermione have following Ron's breakup with Lavender.

Era: Half Blood Prince
Rating: K+

Worth The Wait

A missing moment from Chapter 9 of Completely Mental

Like older times, Ron and Hermione were sitting by the fire in the common room. They had been studying together like this almost every night since the breakup.

It was nice to return to an old normal between them— sitting by the fire, doing homework, making casual conversation— but Ron couldn't help but want more. Breaking up with Lavender— or rather, Lavender breaking up with him— was just part one of the daunting task that had been causing him anxiety for the last few months.

Ron glanced over at Hermione. Her head was bowed over her books, leaving her bushy hair billowing around her face like a parachute, and under it, he could see she was biting her quill in that way that drove him absolutely insane.

She snapped her head up at the sound of the portrait hole door opening, and Ron turned his gaze back to his books, so she wouldn't catch him looking at her. He didn't have to look at the door to see who it was, an indignant huff told him that much. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Hermione shift uncomfortably as Lavender Brown stormed by, and Ron kept his gaze intent on his homework to avoid attracting any unwelcome conversation.

Clearly, Lavender already thought there was something beyond friendship between Ron and Hermione, which only made him wish there was, even more than he already did.

Her abrupt entrance and exit seemed to bring Hermione onto a similar line of thinking. "Are you glad you two broke up?" she asked, after Lavender stormed up the stairs.

Ron turned to look at her smiling sheepishly at him. Maybe this was his opportunity. He took a deep breath. "Yeah. I am actually."

"Good," she said. "You seemed unhappy."

Ron nodded. "I was." His words left an expectant silence between them. Why was this so hard?

"Are you happy now?" she asked, carrying the conversation forward for him.

Ron knew it was a perfect segue, and a better opportunity for this conversation wouldn't arise so naturally anytime soon. Still, he felt his palms sweat and his face heat up. He just got Hermione back as a friend and didn't want to do anything to risk it.

But he wasn't satisfied. "Not entirely, no," he answered her.

She nodded, but said nothing. Her raised eyebrows encouraged him to continue.

"I would be happier if something happened between us." He exhaled relief, but the pit in his stomach tightened. He knew he was blushing like a tomato. What would she say?

He thought he could see a flash of satisfaction in her eyes. "Me too," she said.

"Really—?" he started excitedly.

"But," she interrupted. "I...I don't think it's the right time."

Ron's stomach dropped to the floor. "It isn't?"

Hermione's eyes were watering, and he suddenly felt equally guilty as he was hurt. "Don't hate me for saying this but, I need more time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…," she bit her lip, as she searched for the right words. Ron hated how crazy it made him. "You know how she implied you were cheating on her with me?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't true…"

She shrugged, but continued to explain. "People haven't exactly been nice about that. To me, I mean They think it true, and it would just confirm it for them if we were to get together now."

Ron's heart sank. He hadn't thought of that. In fact, he hadn't thought of what any of this might be like for Hermione. "We could be secretive—"

"Do you really want that?"

Although there was something enticing about the idea of sneaking around, Ron knew the allure wouldn't last very long. "No, I don't want to hide anything."

"Neither do I. And it's not just that. I think...we need to get used to being friends again."

"What do you mean?" he asked, the hurt evident in the tone of his voice.

"Isn't this kind of awkward," she said, motioning to the space between them. "I feel like we're walking on eggshells around one another. Don't you?"

It became clearer to Ron as soon as she acknowledged it. Deep down there was still a wound between them. They had both hurt each other this year, and broken one another's trust, and that doesn't just change overnight with an apology. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He wanted her now, but more importantly, he wanted to give them a chance, and that meant rebuilding their friendship first. He hated the idea, but he knew it was the best thing to do.

"You're right," he said. "I'm sorry I hurt you this year."

"And I'm sorry I hurt you back."

This time the silence between them felt like a resolution, or at least the start of one. There was an understanding in their eye contact.

"We should go to sleep," she said eventually, and Ron nodded.

They packed up their books Ron walked with her to the base of the stairs to the girls' dormitory. He opened his arms for a hug. She leaned into him and he embraced her.

The hug lasted just a few minutes, but Ron could have stayed there for much longer, enjoying this new space between friends and more. It wasn't enough, but he'd take it.

"Thank you," she said against his chest. "For giving this time."

He tightened his arms around her. "You're worth the wait."