SD ~ J.K. Rowling reaps all. "I Could Not Ask For More" belongs to Edwin McCain.
AN ~ takes place anytime after 4th year. your pick. :) the magazine, Quidditch Weekly, belongs to me.
I Could Not Ask For More
-dutchtulips-
Friday evening. It was storming heavily outside, every so often a heavy gust of wind rattling the windows. Large raindrops the size of hazelnuts were pelting against the vast Hogwarts castle, and lightning flashed in the dim corridors. A few students were still scattered in the corridors, on their ways to various places about the castle.
Among them was Ron Weasley, who was clambering in the Gryffindor common room, reading the latest issue of Quidditch Weekly. Deeply engrossed in the article he was reading, Ron bumped into a chair and, only after saying, "Excuse me" to it, did Ron realize someone else was in the common room as well.
Harry was sniggering. "That old chair is a little inanimate, mate."
Ron looked sharply up from the magazine, his ears turning pink from embarrassment at what he'd done. Closing Quidditch Weekly, he dropped down on the red velvet sofa. "Oh, 'lo there Harry."
"Hi." He still looked amused.
Ron rolled his eyes at his friend's expression. "Oh, get off it. It wasn't that funny." Changing the subject, he asked, "Where's 'Mione? I know she's not in the library, I passed by earlier and it was empty."
Harry's smile faded. "She came through here very fast, about twenty minutes before you. She didn't even say a word to me. Just went right up to her dormitory." He paused. "I think she's really upset about something."
Ron's eyebrows drew together in puzzlement and concern. "Why? What makes you say that?"
"Lavender and Parvati. They came down earlier, so I asked them about Hermione. They said she didn't want anyone to talk to her," Harry replied.
"Did they say if she were crying?" He immediately asked.
"She's not speaking to anyone. That's what they said."
"I'd better go talk to her," Ron answered, standing up and tossing Quidditch Weekly on the sofa.
Harry, who had been sprawled back in his armchair, suddenly straightened. "Why? Was it you who got her so distraught?"
"No. But Hermione'll talk to me. I know she will."
"Have you become Professor Trelawney now, mate?" Harry smirked. "Unless you have done something to make her mad that you're not telling me."
"Can't explain. I just feel it." Ron started towards the other staircase, and mounted the steps up to the girl's dormitories. Spotting Hermione's door, he approached it and knocked.
"I don't feel like seeing anyone right now, if you don't mind," Hermione's voice called. She sounded different, as if her voice was clogged.
Ron let out a breath and creaked open the door. The first thing he saw was Hermione, who was sitting at the window watching the rain teeming down. Her eyes were slightly red. He stepped tentatively inside the room, slowing approaching her.
Hermione looked up and saw him, a look of alarm crossing her face. "Ron!" She exclaimed, jumping up. "This is the girl's dormitory! You shouldn't be in here!"
He hesitated, and reached and laid a hand on her shoulder. " 'Mione, what's wrong?" Ron asked gently.
"Nothing," she replied dejectedly. "I'm just fine."
"Not according to Lavender and Parvati. Harry said they told him you were very upset about something."
Hermione just shook her head. Drawing away from Ron's touch, she went and sat at the window again. "I'm alright," she murmured.
Ron stood and watched her a moment, his hands in his pockets. Clearing his throat, he said, "Y'know, 'Mione, if you don't tell me what's bothering you, I can't help." She looked at him, but didn't reply. Ron stepped closer, until he was standing directly in front of her.
"It's Malfoy," she mumbled.
Ron inwardly shuddered, and then regained his composure. Sitting down next to her and putting an arm around her shoulders, he said gently, "What happened to your stiff upper lip? Usually a tête-à-tête with Malfoy leaves you indignant, not crying." A sudden flash of anger hit him and he clenched his teeth. "What did that sorry excuse of a human being say to you?" Pause. "What happened?"
Hermione hung her head, looking solemn. "I lost something, and he found it," she said shortly.
Ron felt her shoulders stiffen, realizing he'd hit onto touchy ground with her. "I'm sorry. I won't ask any more."
Hermione let out a sigh. "He humiliated me, Ron."
"You're prompting me to ask," he answered with slight banter, trying to ease a smile out of her. "And I really don't want to get hit."
It worked. Hermione looked up at him, a small amused smirk on her face. "I suppose I should tell you. You'll find out from Malfoy anyways." She lowered her eyes.
Ron hung back a moment, then drew her slightly closer. "Hey, listen, 'Mione. I know you're upset. . .you don't have to if you don't -"
She politely cut him off. "No. It's better I tell you than have Malfoy taunting you in the hallways."
Ron's eyebrows drew up, vaguely wondering if what she was about to say was what he was thinking. "Alright then."
"I lost my journal in the corridor the other day. And it just had to be Malfoy who found it."
Ron nodded slowly. "Read it, did he?"
She nodded, not looking at him. "He read my biggest secret right out loud to everyone in the hallway, which just happen to include almost every Slytherin in our grade!"
"Hey," Ron whispered comfortingly, trying to meet her eyes. "They're vicious, all of them. It'll be alright." He laid a hand gently on hers.
"No, no. You don't understand. It's more than that, Ron," she replied. "He told everyone that I. . .that I. . .oh, I can't even say it."
He merely nodded. "Hey, 'Mione, it's okay. Don't let Malfoy intimidate you, he's just a big -"
"Ron, I wrote that was in love with you," she blurted out, then started to blabber out everything that had happened. "He read it - he read right out of my journal. . .to everyone! Now the whole school probably knows! It wasn't supposed to be like this, Ron. . .it wasn't. . ."
"Hermione," he said, trying to get her attention.
"I'm sorry. . .I'm really, really sorry about all of this. . ." She yammered. "Draco almost certainly has it all over Slytherin tower by now. . .when they're all taunting you tomorrow please forgive me."
"Hermione. . .you didn't do anything wrong! You don't need to be apologizing to me, unless you're sorry that you love me," he replied.
She brought her hands to her face and moaned. "Oh, I'm sorry! Really, Ron, I am! I didn't mean that the way it sounded! I only meant about Malfoy! I didn't mean to imply -"
"Hermione!" He exclaimed, over her howling.
She meekly glanced up at him. "What?" She asked in a tearful voice.
"Shut up." Ron leaned forward and put his lips softly over hers.
Hermione's hysteria gave way as he kissed her, her hand going around the nape of Ron's neck, pulling him closer. His hand went up under her hair, his fingers wrapping in its softness. They sat together like that for a time.
Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I found all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
A few moments later, Ron leaned back and opened his eyes, ending their kiss. Slowly, a smile spread across his face. Looking into her brown eyes, he whispered, "I love you, too, 'Mione."
"You do?"
"I kissed you, didn't I?"
"Well, yes, but -"
Ron rolled his eyes. "That's my Hermione, all right. Always having to analyze everything." But he was smiling.
She smirked back, lopsidedly. "So I'm your Hermione, am I?"
"I'm your Ron, am I not?"
"Do you want to be?" She teased.
"Obviously!" He grinned, then paused. "I sure pulled you out of your doldrums pretty fast."
"I thought I'd have to face Malfoy's jeers all by myself," she explained. "And you would've, too."
"Well, bloody hell, 'Mione, all you had to do was come to me," Ron replied.
"But if you had heard it from Draco first. . .?" She said rhetorically. "The whole ordeal was awkward enough as it was. He humiliated me. I didn't want him to do that to you, too."
Ron's expression softened, seeming at a loss for words. All he could do was look at her.
Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
She raised her eyebrows. "What?"
"It just occurred to me."
Hermione looked puzzled. "What did?"
Ron pursed his lips. "First year." He paused. "I was so awful to you."
"And I you." She sort of smiled.
"We didn't like each other at all." He sniggered.
"Despised one another," she agreed.
"So how did we get like this?"
"I don't know." Hermione shrugged. "But I'm not complaining."
Ron smiled lopsidedly. "Neither am I."
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have's come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you, here with me
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've got all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
He let out a small laugh. "Actually, it's weird. When Harry said you were upset, I just felt compelled to come up here. Something inside my brain said I would be the only one you'd talk to. As if whatever was bothering you had to do with me."
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Really?"
"Uh huh. Guess that old fraud Trelawney is rubbing off on me, huh?" Ron looked amused.
"Only if you predicted my death," she said facetiously.
Ron snickered and drew her closer. They were silent for a few moments, then he said something else. "About Malfoy. . .we've braved him before. We'll do it again. And if worse comes to worse, I'll give him the bogies hex. Fred and George seemed to rate that one a lot."
"Alright then," she answered.
"All right," he repeated.
"Okay."
"Can I kiss you again?" Ron asked flippantly.
"Alright then."
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have's come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me
I could not ask for more than the love you give me
'Cause it's all I've waited for. . .
And I could not ask for more
el fin