Chapter Nine: The Christmas Ball
"Lets sit over there shall we?" asked Harry as he came up behind them in the great hall. Ron nodded and the four of them moved to a table near the back of the room. Within a couple of minutes the tables at the back of the room were filled with students talking and laughing. The band at the front of the hall struck up a fast dance tune and all over the place girls were dragging their chosen boys up to dance. Ron laughed as Ginny jumped up, grabbed harry by the arm, and proceeded to drag him off to the dance floor.
"Do you want to dance Hermione?" asked Ron watching her looking almost wistfully off towards the dance floor.
"What? Oh no. Not to a fast song like this" she said.
"Ron?" she asked after a moment. "That kiss.. ". Ron went red again and said "Yeah Mione. It was nice" he said quietly so no one else would hear.
"It was nice, and it was my first" said Hermione quietly "I think i'll remember it forever". Ron ducked his head to hide his embarassment and said "It was my first too". He heard hermione gasp and looked up to find her looking at him in amazement.
"No Way!" she said in surprise. They sat in silence for a long time until a new song came on.
"Oh! This is my favourite song!" said Hermione happily.
"Do you want to dance?" asked Ron feeling really embarrassed.
"Please?" she asked him almost pleadingly. He offered her his hand and helped her from her seat. They moved to the middle of the floor and Ron opened his arms wide in the traditional waltz pose. Hermione however shook her head and stepped in and circled her arms around his neck. "As we agreed before, this is more comfortable" she said as he nervously put his arms around her waist.
"Relax Ron!" said Hermione laughingly as they started to sway to the music.
~~~
Hermione looked over at Ron who was sitting next to her at the small table they were sharing with Ginny and Harry. Harry now had his arm around Ginny's waist and she was leaning in whispering something in his ear. Hermione privately agreed with Ron's earlier statement that it didn't look like they were just friends. Ron caught her eye and rolled his eyes and then looked at Harry and Ginny. It was obviously getting a bit much for him as well.
"Do you want to dance Ron?" asked Hermione although she felt like her feet were going to fall off.
"Again?" he said jokingly before getting to his feet. He'd been really good about dancing, especially after his dismal history at last years ball where he hadn't danced once. Hermione smiled to herself, it made a difference that she only wanted to dance to the slow songs and when they did dance it was comfortable, not the uncomfortableness of dancing with someone you don't know inside out.
"Oh I know this song from my childhood" Hermione said as they reached the dance floor and melted into each others arms again. Hermione laid her head against Ron's Chest and relaxed completely into Ron's embrace. Ron felt Hermione relax completely against him, she felt so right in his arms this way that Ron couldn't believe that he had never contemplated needing her as more than a friend before today. How many times had he held her? He couldn't remember but he did know that he had never felt this "Rightness" before. Resting his head on the top of her head, Ron continued to sway slightly to the music and allowed his mind to roam freely through his newly discovered feelings for his best friend.
When the music finished, Ron didn't want to let Hermione go and he hesitated for a minute or so, hoping that another slow song would come on and that he could hold her again. Hermione wiggled slightly and looked up at Ron asking "Ron..?" he nodded his head and released his grip from around her waist.
They both began to move slowly back to where they were sitting when they heard a familiar voice say from behind them "Moving down in the world are you mudblood? Sliding down in the world of boyfriends. Gone from Krum to Weasle". Ron absently grabbed at Hermione's Hand as if to stop her from answering, but she turned her head and said "What do you care Malfoy? The amount of attention you pay to my personal life, anyone would think that you CARE what happens to a mudblood" Malfoy looked at her venimously "I don't care MUDBLOOD. You two suit each other. No-one else would want either of you". Ron straightened to his full height and made a point of looking around "Oh.. uh.. draco.. i know i CAN't Talk and all since i am supposedly on the bottom rung of the boyfriend ladder.. but ah who did you come with to the ball?". Malfoy shot daggers at both Ron and Hermione and stormed off with Crabbe and Goyle close behind him.
"Lets go and sit down, how about we return to your little sister and her supposed friend harry" said Hermione. Ron nodded and released his grip on her hand. When they returned to the table they found Harry and Ginny grinning stupidly at each other and leaning comfortably against each other. Ron cleared his throat and said uncomfortably "Well uh i guess your no longer just friends then?". Harry and Ginny didn't even look at each other but nodded simultaneously.
~~~
"Mione? Do you want to go for a walk?" asked Ron in a strained voice. He didn't want to watch his sister and Harry any longer. They had been holding hands and talking only to each other. It was a good thing that Harry and Ginny hadn't kissed each other yet (or at least not in front of him) otherwise he probably would have been physically sick.
"mm. Ok Ron" said Hermione looking pointedly at Ginny and Harry before standing up. They exited the Great hall and walked out into the garden in a companionable silence.
"Are you alright Ron?" asked Hermione sitting on one of the many concrete benches which had been placed strategically around the garden.
"Huh?" replied Ron "Uh Yeah" he said eventually.
"You don't seem OK" said hermione worriedly.
"I'm fine Hermione, I guess its just a bit of a shock" he replied. From back in the hall the music died down again followed by applause "Sounds like the balls over" said Ron trying to change the topic.
"Uh yeah. Did you have fun at this one Ron?" asked Hermione mischeiviously. Ron slowly nodded his head "Yeah I guess I did Mione. You were right of course, it all depends on who you take". Hermione smiled "I just have to say it, I Told you so" she said childishly. Ron laughed and rose from the chair. He turned and offered Hermione his hand to help her from the chair, Pulling her up strongly she almost fell over again. Ron caught her small frame in his arms to stop her from falling and held the laughing girl while she regained her feet.
"Ron!" she said laughing loudly "You knew that was going to happen!".
"Maybe.. Maybe Not" joked Ron releasing Hermione from his arms again.
"Lets go in" she said and began to walk up the path towards the entrance to the school, still laughing.
Crossing over the threshold into the entrance hall, Hermione and Ron were greeted with many of their school fellows saying goodbye to their partners as they came from different houses. Moving through the crowds of students Hermione and Ron began to make their way up towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Hey isn't that Ginny?" asked Hermione as she saw a flash of red hair somewhere ahead of them
"Looks like she's taking the shortcut. Lets go that way too" said Hermione and changed direction. Ron followed hermione up the deserted corridor listening to her chatter on about the ball. As he rounded a corner, he was confronted with a sight that he really wanted to avoid, Harry standing with Ginny within the circle of his arms, with their lips pressed together. Ron stood still for a second, trying to get his anger under control, part of him knew that he was reacting irrationally to all of this, but the other half continued to be affronted by the scene in front of him. Eventually his emotions settled into anger and he shot an angry look at Harry and then he took off running up the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Ron?" shouted hermione as she climbed in through the portrait hole.
"Ron?" she called again.
"Leave me alone!" said Ron from where he sat staring at the fire. Hermione looked up as the first of the students returning from the ball entered.
"Whats wrong?" she asked. Ron stood up and walked away from her before exploding "What do you think is bloody wrong". Hermione walked over to him and put a hand on his arm "You have to let her make her own choices" she said trying to sound sensible.
"Its not sensible though! don't you see! a few hours ago they were friends. Now they're.... they're... they're kissing in the halls. How do you cross that line? How do you?" he asked vehemently.
"I don't know Ron. It must just happen. I don't think its something you can stop!" she said her voice rising slowly.
"You can so stop it" he said and then turned bright red.
"But maybe they didn't want to" she countered her voice rising slightly again "Maybe they wanted to explore what the world held for them together".
"But what if they break up?" he asked angrily "What happens then. They ruin a friendship and have nothing left".
"Its a chance they are obviously willing to take" yelled hermione.
"Its stupid! Why can't they just stay friends?" replied Ron looking out the window although not being able to see anything since it was so dark "Being in a relationship complicates things" he finished lamely. Hermione looked at Ron for a second astounded and then yelled back "Yes its complicated, but its good too. You get hugs and you get kisses and you get someone to hold you and share things with". Ron's ears turned pink again as he remembered the kiss they had shared earlier that night. He watched Hermione's face blushed scarlet as she realised what he was thinking.
"I uh.. I think i'll go to bed. Good night" said Ron tensely. He moved slowly towards the stairs, casting one look back towards Hermione and realised that she was watching him go with surprise written all over her face.
"Couldn't he handle the truth about your friendship Hermione?" shouted George from the audience which had formed. Ron watched as Hermione turned to the audience "We weren't talking about us. uh.. we were trying to work through Ron's feelings about Harry and Ginny". George started chuckling, along with several members of the audience.
"Yeah Right Hermione. Keep telling yourself that" said Fred before joining with the general laughter. Hermione fled the common room, running for her dormitory to escape the laughter and Ron continued towards his dormitory, deep in thought about why he was so irritated at Harry and Ginny.
"Lets sit over there shall we?" asked Harry as he came up behind them in the great hall. Ron nodded and the four of them moved to a table near the back of the room. Within a couple of minutes the tables at the back of the room were filled with students talking and laughing. The band at the front of the hall struck up a fast dance tune and all over the place girls were dragging their chosen boys up to dance. Ron laughed as Ginny jumped up, grabbed harry by the arm, and proceeded to drag him off to the dance floor.
"Do you want to dance Hermione?" asked Ron watching her looking almost wistfully off towards the dance floor.
"What? Oh no. Not to a fast song like this" she said.
"Ron?" she asked after a moment. "That kiss.. ". Ron went red again and said "Yeah Mione. It was nice" he said quietly so no one else would hear.
"It was nice, and it was my first" said Hermione quietly "I think i'll remember it forever". Ron ducked his head to hide his embarassment and said "It was my first too". He heard hermione gasp and looked up to find her looking at him in amazement.
"No Way!" she said in surprise. They sat in silence for a long time until a new song came on.
"Oh! This is my favourite song!" said Hermione happily.
"Do you want to dance?" asked Ron feeling really embarrassed.
"Please?" she asked him almost pleadingly. He offered her his hand and helped her from her seat. They moved to the middle of the floor and Ron opened his arms wide in the traditional waltz pose. Hermione however shook her head and stepped in and circled her arms around his neck. "As we agreed before, this is more comfortable" she said as he nervously put his arms around her waist.
"Relax Ron!" said Hermione laughingly as they started to sway to the music.
~~~
Hermione looked over at Ron who was sitting next to her at the small table they were sharing with Ginny and Harry. Harry now had his arm around Ginny's waist and she was leaning in whispering something in his ear. Hermione privately agreed with Ron's earlier statement that it didn't look like they were just friends. Ron caught her eye and rolled his eyes and then looked at Harry and Ginny. It was obviously getting a bit much for him as well.
"Do you want to dance Ron?" asked Hermione although she felt like her feet were going to fall off.
"Again?" he said jokingly before getting to his feet. He'd been really good about dancing, especially after his dismal history at last years ball where he hadn't danced once. Hermione smiled to herself, it made a difference that she only wanted to dance to the slow songs and when they did dance it was comfortable, not the uncomfortableness of dancing with someone you don't know inside out.
"Oh I know this song from my childhood" Hermione said as they reached the dance floor and melted into each others arms again. Hermione laid her head against Ron's Chest and relaxed completely into Ron's embrace. Ron felt Hermione relax completely against him, she felt so right in his arms this way that Ron couldn't believe that he had never contemplated needing her as more than a friend before today. How many times had he held her? He couldn't remember but he did know that he had never felt this "Rightness" before. Resting his head on the top of her head, Ron continued to sway slightly to the music and allowed his mind to roam freely through his newly discovered feelings for his best friend.
When the music finished, Ron didn't want to let Hermione go and he hesitated for a minute or so, hoping that another slow song would come on and that he could hold her again. Hermione wiggled slightly and looked up at Ron asking "Ron..?" he nodded his head and released his grip from around her waist.
They both began to move slowly back to where they were sitting when they heard a familiar voice say from behind them "Moving down in the world are you mudblood? Sliding down in the world of boyfriends. Gone from Krum to Weasle". Ron absently grabbed at Hermione's Hand as if to stop her from answering, but she turned her head and said "What do you care Malfoy? The amount of attention you pay to my personal life, anyone would think that you CARE what happens to a mudblood" Malfoy looked at her venimously "I don't care MUDBLOOD. You two suit each other. No-one else would want either of you". Ron straightened to his full height and made a point of looking around "Oh.. uh.. draco.. i know i CAN't Talk and all since i am supposedly on the bottom rung of the boyfriend ladder.. but ah who did you come with to the ball?". Malfoy shot daggers at both Ron and Hermione and stormed off with Crabbe and Goyle close behind him.
"Lets go and sit down, how about we return to your little sister and her supposed friend harry" said Hermione. Ron nodded and released his grip on her hand. When they returned to the table they found Harry and Ginny grinning stupidly at each other and leaning comfortably against each other. Ron cleared his throat and said uncomfortably "Well uh i guess your no longer just friends then?". Harry and Ginny didn't even look at each other but nodded simultaneously.
~~~
"Mione? Do you want to go for a walk?" asked Ron in a strained voice. He didn't want to watch his sister and Harry any longer. They had been holding hands and talking only to each other. It was a good thing that Harry and Ginny hadn't kissed each other yet (or at least not in front of him) otherwise he probably would have been physically sick.
"mm. Ok Ron" said Hermione looking pointedly at Ginny and Harry before standing up. They exited the Great hall and walked out into the garden in a companionable silence.
"Are you alright Ron?" asked Hermione sitting on one of the many concrete benches which had been placed strategically around the garden.
"Huh?" replied Ron "Uh Yeah" he said eventually.
"You don't seem OK" said hermione worriedly.
"I'm fine Hermione, I guess its just a bit of a shock" he replied. From back in the hall the music died down again followed by applause "Sounds like the balls over" said Ron trying to change the topic.
"Uh yeah. Did you have fun at this one Ron?" asked Hermione mischeiviously. Ron slowly nodded his head "Yeah I guess I did Mione. You were right of course, it all depends on who you take". Hermione smiled "I just have to say it, I Told you so" she said childishly. Ron laughed and rose from the chair. He turned and offered Hermione his hand to help her from the chair, Pulling her up strongly she almost fell over again. Ron caught her small frame in his arms to stop her from falling and held the laughing girl while she regained her feet.
"Ron!" she said laughing loudly "You knew that was going to happen!".
"Maybe.. Maybe Not" joked Ron releasing Hermione from his arms again.
"Lets go in" she said and began to walk up the path towards the entrance to the school, still laughing.
Crossing over the threshold into the entrance hall, Hermione and Ron were greeted with many of their school fellows saying goodbye to their partners as they came from different houses. Moving through the crowds of students Hermione and Ron began to make their way up towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Hey isn't that Ginny?" asked Hermione as she saw a flash of red hair somewhere ahead of them
"Looks like she's taking the shortcut. Lets go that way too" said Hermione and changed direction. Ron followed hermione up the deserted corridor listening to her chatter on about the ball. As he rounded a corner, he was confronted with a sight that he really wanted to avoid, Harry standing with Ginny within the circle of his arms, with their lips pressed together. Ron stood still for a second, trying to get his anger under control, part of him knew that he was reacting irrationally to all of this, but the other half continued to be affronted by the scene in front of him. Eventually his emotions settled into anger and he shot an angry look at Harry and then he took off running up the corridor towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Ron?" shouted hermione as she climbed in through the portrait hole.
"Ron?" she called again.
"Leave me alone!" said Ron from where he sat staring at the fire. Hermione looked up as the first of the students returning from the ball entered.
"Whats wrong?" she asked. Ron stood up and walked away from her before exploding "What do you think is bloody wrong". Hermione walked over to him and put a hand on his arm "You have to let her make her own choices" she said trying to sound sensible.
"Its not sensible though! don't you see! a few hours ago they were friends. Now they're.... they're... they're kissing in the halls. How do you cross that line? How do you?" he asked vehemently.
"I don't know Ron. It must just happen. I don't think its something you can stop!" she said her voice rising slowly.
"You can so stop it" he said and then turned bright red.
"But maybe they didn't want to" she countered her voice rising slightly again "Maybe they wanted to explore what the world held for them together".
"But what if they break up?" he asked angrily "What happens then. They ruin a friendship and have nothing left".
"Its a chance they are obviously willing to take" yelled hermione.
"Its stupid! Why can't they just stay friends?" replied Ron looking out the window although not being able to see anything since it was so dark "Being in a relationship complicates things" he finished lamely. Hermione looked at Ron for a second astounded and then yelled back "Yes its complicated, but its good too. You get hugs and you get kisses and you get someone to hold you and share things with". Ron's ears turned pink again as he remembered the kiss they had shared earlier that night. He watched Hermione's face blushed scarlet as she realised what he was thinking.
"I uh.. I think i'll go to bed. Good night" said Ron tensely. He moved slowly towards the stairs, casting one look back towards Hermione and realised that she was watching him go with surprise written all over her face.
"Couldn't he handle the truth about your friendship Hermione?" shouted George from the audience which had formed. Ron watched as Hermione turned to the audience "We weren't talking about us. uh.. we were trying to work through Ron's feelings about Harry and Ginny". George started chuckling, along with several members of the audience.
"Yeah Right Hermione. Keep telling yourself that" said Fred before joining with the general laughter. Hermione fled the common room, running for her dormitory to escape the laughter and Ron continued towards his dormitory, deep in thought about why he was so irritated at Harry and Ginny.