A/N: Not even close to finished! Thanks for reviews, poppets, they're the Guns in my Roses … ~nm3x5s~ Shez… PS – JWBean, you clearly share my quoting-John obsession. Feel free to do so whenever you like. Hehe. PPS – Sorry this chap took so long, it was like pulling teeth, plus I've barely breathed the past two days. Everything ought to let up soon, so bear with me, OK? ~I'll be around~ S.

~

Some time later, they were sitting on her bed, cross-legged and facing one another. Ron was holding her hand, quite sure that he wouldn't be able to let go any time soon, and still reeling from the shock of it all.

"This is weird, isn't it?" 

"No, it's – it's lovely," said Hermione, reddening a little, and Ron couldn't suppress a wide smile. "Yeah. It is. Weird and lovely. Can't believe you put me through all of that …"

"I put you through all of that?" she said, nudging him with a bare foot. "You're the one who didn't even know I was a girl until fourth year."

"I knew you were a girl," he protested. "I did."

"OK, OK," she conceded, and paused, as though wondering whether she should ask this next. "When did you realise –"

"What, that I fancied you?"

She nodded briefly.

"Er – before the ball," he mumbled, and she nudged him again, harder.

"See, you are hopeless," she said archly, and he shrugged.

"I know. Sorry. Why, when did you?"

"Fifth year," she said promptly, and he felt his eyebrows go up and his stomach flip over.

"What do you mean, fifth year?"

"When you were hurt, from that brain thing. I just – that's when I knew, is all."

He could hardly believe his own ears and wriggled closer.

"You liked me all this time?" he said incredulously, and she laughed, a bit awkwardly.
"I suppose. Yes."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I don't know. I wasn't sure if you liked me beyond friendship. I mean, I thought you maybe did – but a heart's a lot to put on the line for a maybe, isn't it?"

"'Mione," he said softly, "you should have told me."

"Why? What would you have done?"

"I don't know. Something."

"Right," she said, still smiling. "Well, it doesn't matter now, does it? I – Ron, I'm really glad – that you came."

She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed hers back. He wanted to kiss her again, but wasn't sure if he should just move slowly.

"Er – Hermione," he began, and there was a sharp knock on the door. Hermione's hand slid away from his, and she leapt up from her bed to answer.

"Hang on," she called, and a few moments later was opening the door to reveal a slick-haired Malfoy.

"Hi," he said coolly. "Ready for patrols?"

"Oh!" She sounded surprised, and glanced behind her. Malfoy automatically followed her gaze, and couldn't stop his eyes from widening, ever so slightly, when he saw Ron.

"I'm so sorry, Draco, I forgot completely." She threw another apologetic look at Ron, who was standing now, arms folded over his chest.

"Don't worry about it, then," Draco said, shrugging with one shoulder. He took a step back into the hall.

"No, no," she protested. "No, it's OK, I'll get my jacket."

"No," Draco said firmly, eyes flicking back to Ron and away again. "You're busy. It doesn't matter. Bye."
And without another word, he strode off down the corridor.

Ron came up behind Hermione, and peered out after Malfoy, managing to catch a flick of his emerald cloak before he was gone.

"You know I don't like him," he said tightly, and Hermione tilted her head to look at him, rolling her eyes.

"No," she said, "you're kidding."

"Let me finish," he went on quickly. "I don't like him – and I think he's got a thing for you, which I like even less. So – just be careful, OK?"

She closed the door and turned so that her back was against it, like when he'd first come in here. It seemed like weeks, not hours ago.

"I thought you were going to say you'd try to like him for me," she said wryly.

Ron thought about this.

"Sorry," he said eventually. "Can't."

"It's alright." She reached up and brushed his hair back a little, half-smiling. "It's OK. And I'll be careful"

His skin tingled where she'd touched him. Actually, he was tingling all over. He couldn't believe this. It was like some kind of dream that he'd wake up from soon, and wish was his life.

This was his life. This was happening.

"Shit," he breathed, and before she could open her mouth to tell him not to swear, he quickly leant forward and kissed her. He wanted to memorise the way she felt, the way she tasted – just in case, somehow, it all disappeared in the morning. She was sweet and warm; the light press of her small, slender fingers on the back of his neck made him tremble.

"Well," she said, a few minutes later, breathless, touching her forehead to his. "What was that for?"

"You know what," he said hoarsely, and her eyes dropped to her feet.

"Well," she said again, quietly. He could tell she was smiling, even with her head down. They stood like that for some time, and then Hermione looked up again. "Maybe you should go," she said softly, disentangling herself.

"What, why?" he protested.

"Because it's late …"

"It's Saturday!"

"And if someone catches you here, they'll report you."

"Who, Malfoy?" he said darkly.

"Just anyone."

"We're not doing anything wrong."

"I know."

"So?"

Hermione laughed a little. "Ron," she said. "It's late. Look at you, you're half-asleep."

It was true, but he didn't want to leave.

"Hermione …"

"Admit it. You're sleepy. Don't be a boy about this."

"I'm not!"

She eyed him, and he crumbled.

"OK," he admitted. "I did some work today, and it must have wore me out."

"Unaccustomed study will do that to you," she teased, and then deftly opened the door behind her back. They stepped out into the hall together.

"So – I'll see you tomorrow," Ron said, feeling rather awkward now.

Hermione nodded. "OK. Tomorrow. Breakfast."

"Right. Goodnight, then."

She smiled a small smile. "Goodnight, Ron."

He hesitated, but before he could kiss her a last time, she was coming forward and hugging him hard. He put his arms around her, and for the first time became aware of the smell of her hair. It wasn't anything he could put a name too, but he liked it, and when she let go of him, he wished he had that scent back again.

He stared at her a moment, and then, not knowing what he'd do if he stayed any longer, said a gruff: "Bye", and started off down the hall.

It was only at the top of the stairs that he stopped. She was watching him go, and he really wanted to ask, but didn't know if he could.

He could.

"'Mione," he called, flushing. "Are you my girlfriend?"

There was a brief silence, and then Hermione broke into a sudden, pleased smile.

"Yes, if you want me to be," she called back. "Are you mine?"

"What, your girlfriend?" he asked, confused, and she burst out laughing.

He loved it when she did that.

"Goodnight," she said again, and ducked into her room.

~

The party was almost entirely wound-up when Ron came back into the Gryffindor common room. Somebody had been around with a Scourgify charm as well, and things were looking clean enough for him to feel that his responsibility as a prefect had been met.

He went up the stairs whistling, and bumped into Harry and Ginny saying goodbye in the dormitory doorway.

"Sorry," he said hurriedly, and backed up a few steps, but Ginny was breaking away, Harry running a hand through his hair embarrassedly.

"That's alright," they said, almost in unison, and then glanced quickly at each other.

"See you tomorrow," Harry said softly.

"See you."
Ginny slipped by Ron, down the stairs, presumably heading for the girls' dorm. Harry and Ron met eyes.

"So?" Harry said, and Ron shrugged, unable to suppress a grin.

"So what?" he said, coming up all the way and pushing past Harry into their bedroom.

"So what?" Harry said, following him. "Where've you been?"

"Nowhere," Ron said innocently, moving to his bed and getting into pyjamas.

"Nowhere meaning – Hermione's room?" Harry suggested, changing himself, and Ron shrugged noncommittally, pulling back the covers.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Harry said impatiently, in boxers and a shirt far too big for him – one of Dudley's cast-offs, most likely. "What happened?"

Ron bit his lip, and then couldn't hold back anymore.

"I told her," he blurted.

"Told her what?" asked Harry. "That you fancied her?"

"Yeah. That."

Silence.

"And?" Harry said eventually, and Ron grinned again.

"And – she said she fancies me too."
Harry stared at him for several long moments, and then let out a heavy, explosive breath, falling back onto his bed.

"Well, finally," he said, half-laughing, half-groaning. "I've got to tell Ginny."

"Hermione'll tell her," Ron said, "before you can. You know what girls are like."

"True," Harry acknowledged, and sat up. "So," he said. "Did you – you know."

"What?"

"Did you kiss her?"

"Yes," said Ron, ears bright red. "Now shut up."

"OK, OK."

Another silence, quite contented this time, but Ron couldn't resist a brief mention of the new developments between his friend and his sister:

"You and Ginny seem cosy."

"Yes," Harry said. "Now shut up."

He took off his glasses and put them on his bedside table.

"Does that mean you're dating my sister?" Ron asked casually, and Harry froze in the very act of getting into bed.

"Er – I guess," he said warily.

"Right."

"Is that – a problem?"

"That depends," Ron said ominously, and Harry looked distinctly uneasy.

"On what?"

"On how good you are to her."
A long, long silence this time, and then Ron started to laugh. After a confused pause, Harry relaxed and threw a pillow at Ron's head.

"Don't do that," he said, clearly relieved. "I thought you were going to pull the big brother act on me."

"Not right now, thanks," Ron said happily. "Besides, you will be good to her. You don't know how to be anything else."

"Gee, thanks," Harry said dryly, but sounded happy enough himself.

Neither of them said anything for a while, and Ron was beginning to think that Harry must have fallen asleep when he spoke, quite suddenly.

"You do realise this is going to be Hogwarts gossip."

"How d'you mean?"

"Me and Ginny, you and 'Mione. On the same day. We'll never hear the end of it."

Ron thought about this for a moment.

"You know," he said, "I really don't care."
He turned his head, and saw that Harry had his eyes on the ceiling, a half-smile forming on his face.

"Yeah," he said firmly. "I don't either."

~

Ron was nervous about seeing her in the morning, which was weird. Well, not so weird lately – it seemed like he was always nervous around her these days – but this was different. This was a What if she sees me now and decides she doesn't want to be my girlfriend after all kind of nervous. It wasn't at all pleasant, and left his stomach roiling and jolting.

Harry looked more tired than sick, and was fighting a losing battle with his hair. Ron didn't even bother. He knew his hair was never going to be exactly right, and that he looked like a prat if he combed it properly. After running his hands through it a few times (mostly in anxiety), he let it be.

"Ready?" he said to Harry, hovering in the doorway. Harry threw his hands up in the air and abandoned the mirror.

"OK," he said resignedly. "Let's go."

They went down the stairs and out into the castle in silence, and Ron began to think that maybe even if Harry wasn't looking sick, he probably didn't feel much better than Ron did.

In the Great Hall, the girls were both there, heads close together in conversation and breakfast already in front of them. Harry and Ron stopped in the doorway and looked at each other.

"What if she's changed her mind?" Ron hissed, and Harry shook his head.

"Don't be stupid."

"Well, what if?"

"Then you change her mind back again."

"Aren't you nervous?" Ron challenged.

"Like hell," Harry said grimly. "But I'm trying not to be." He glanced around. "Hey, they've seen us."
Ron turned his head. Both the girls were looking at them from across the room, and then Ginny gave a quick wave.

"Come on," Harry said, eyes fixed on Ron's sister. He made his way forward and Ron went after him, trying to calm himself.

"Hi," Ginny said when they reached the Gryffindor table. She smiled up at Harry. "Are you sitting?"

"Yes," Harry said immediately , and took the place beside her. Ron chanced a look at Hermione. She was smiling too, and he found himself taking the seat to her right. There was a brief silence between them, but when Ron opened his mouth to say something, Hermione met his eye and he lost words.

"Morning," she said, and then, after a moment's hesitation, kissed him lightly on the cheek. She pulled back and looked at him uncertainly.

"Morning," he replied, unable to keep the wonder from his voice.

Still real. Still happening.

She looked reassured, and passed him a plate. "Breakfast?"

"Yes, please."

When she handed him the plate, their fingers touched, and his heart pounded.

"So," he said, with an effort to be normal. "What are we going to do today?"

"Flying," Ginny said promptly, hearing him.

"That's a great idea," Harry enthused. "We can go over the lake."

"If McGonagall will let us."

"Sure. Ron, you up for it?"

Ron was looking at Hermione.

"I don't want to if you don't want to," he said lowly, and she smiled a bit.

"I was thinking – maybe today could be just us," she said.

He liked this, the 'us'. He liked that there was an 'us' suddenly, that hadn't been there before.

He cleared his throat and spoke over the girls' heads to Harry.

"Ah – no," he said, feeling his ears redden despite all internal demands to the contrary. "Me and Hermione'll probably just – stay around here for today."
Harry nodded. Ron had a feeling that he was pretty happy about having Ginny to himself, anyway.

"Sure," he said. "That's alright."

"Sure," Ginny said, echoing him. "Fine."

A few minutes later, Ron glanced sideways at Hermione, and found her sneaking a look at him too. They smiled at each other for what seemed a very long time before he forced himself back to his breakfast.

Yeah, he liked this. He liked this a lot.