Secrets Kept
Chapter 11
(Ron's POV)
by happythoughts
What the hell had just happened back there?, Ron thought to himself. He was walking through the halls of Hogwarts, towards the Gryffindor Tower. He had a feeling that Hermione was heading back there. Everyone was still at the dance. Ron felt himself turn red when he reminded himself about the it.
When Hermione had stalked off after she had slapped him, he had stood there like a fool, trying to ignore the whispers going around the room, probably about him. He was going to look for Harry and Ginny, but he decided against it and instead went in search of Hermione. He wondered what they were thinking about him and Hermione now?
As he was walking, he brought is hand up to his face and gingerly touched his cheek. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed. You could say that it was still a little tender. Now I know how Malfoy felt when Hermione smacked him in third year, Ron thought guiltily.
He had been thinking so much, he didn't realize that he passed the Fat Lady. He blinked and retraced his steps. "You must be the boy that that poor girl was fuming about," she said to him knowingly.
Ron merely grunted and said the password. "Let me in, will you?" he asked her, growing irritated by the second.
"Of course, but I wouldn't fancy being you right now! That poor girl was very angry when she came up here," she said to him, swinging the portrait door open. Bracing himself, Ron climbed in and as his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he searched the room for Hermione. He saw her stomping towards up the girls' staircase towards her dormitory.
"Hermione, wait!" he called out.
She stopped walking, but didn't turn around. He could see her crossing her arms haughtily.
"Will you let me explain?" he asked her hopefully.
"Why should I?" she asked him angrily. Ron didn't answer, and she continued walking towards the door. Just as she put her hand on the door and was about to turn it, he began to speak.
"Because I want to be done fighting and that won't happen until you let me apologize and explain," said Ron, almost with an angry tone. Play it cool, Ron, he told himself.
To his surprise, Hermione turned around and looked down at Ron. They stared at each other for a few moments until Hermione pursed her lips and said, "Well? I'm listening."
Ron cautiously walked towards the bottom of the staircase. "Will you come down here so we can talk without yelling at each other for once?"
Hermione crossed her arms again. "I'll take that as a no," said Ron exasperatedly.
"Okay. I'm explaining," he said to her. Suddenly, Ron realized that he hadn't known what he was going to say to her. How could he explain that the reason that he didn't want her and Tim to kiss was because … well … you know why … right?
Out of the blue, Ron remembered the letter that he had written to Hermione that past summer. Really now, after sending her that letter, she should know why I did this! Thought Ron angrily.
"Remember that letter I sent to you this summer?" he asked her.
He saw Hermione's eyes open wide. She nodded, her mouth slightly open.
"Well, I suggest you should read that and then you'll know why I stopped you from … snogging with that Tim guy," said Ron. "Go on," he said to her, motioning for her to go and read the letter. "I'll be waiting down here."
And with that, he watched as Hermione disappeared into the room. He sat down near the fire and closed his eyes. He smacked his forehead. "What did I just do?" he asked himself.
~*~*~
(Hermione's POV)
Hermione took a deep breath as she closed the door behind her. It was happening. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe what she had just done to Ron. She smacked him! How could that have happened? She was going mad. And now this! He asked her to get the letter. THE letter! The letter where Ron had confessed his feelings to her. It was almost funny really, the way he had written it.
Hermione walked over to her trunk and kneeled down to open it. She blushed a little, when she found the box where she had kept all the letters that he had sent to her over the summer. Foolish really, but these things could become really good blackmail if she ever needed it. Hermione grinned mischievously and opened the box. She knew which parchment was the exact letter that Ron was talking about. She only needed to take one look at the first sentence and she knew that it was the right one.
She took one more deep breath and got up from her feet. Ugh, my feet are killing me! She thought to herself. She took her time taking off her high heels and threw them onto her bed. She padded over to the door and put her hand to the knob. She composed herself and put on her haughty face again, lifted up her chin and opened the door.
She saw Ron look up and grin at her uneasily. "Well? I have it. Now what do you want me to do with it? Burn it?" she asked him.
"Will you just—I mean, come down here and then we'll talk," he said to her. Hermione could tell that he was trying to not get in a heated argument with her again. How cute.
Hermione lifted her chin once again and came down the stairs. She walked right in front of him and blocked his view of the fire. She held out the letter to him. "Here," she said.
He took it ungratefully. "Never thought you'd actually keep this letter," he said to her, almost sadly.
Hermione arched her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't I? It's perfect blackmail."
Ron grinned.
Hermione took a seat across from him, and crossed her legs, her one foot dangling impatiently. Almost to her horror, he began to open the letter. She could see his ears get a little red at the tips as he finished it. There was an uncomfortable pause as he folded the letter up. Hermione tried not to smirk.
Ron cleared his throat. "Well. I didn't know I was so …"
"Precise? Is that the word you're looking for?" Hermione asked him.
"Yes, that's it," said Ron sheepishly.
They paused again. To Hermione's surprise, Ron burst out. "Hermione! Ugh, Don't you get it? I would've thought that you, of all people, the smartest girl I know, would understand what I'm trying to say here! First, I send you a letter as soon as I get home from school in June. Then in the middle of July, I send you this letter, confessing my feelings for you, and you merely reply to me by acting like nothing happened! I don't get you Hermione. I thought you would've have been more considerate by at least mentioning the letter, and you don't do anything about it. You completely crushed me and I acted like I hadn't sent anything to you. And then you kiss me that one night and again, you act like nothing happened-,"
"Correction, YOU acted like nothing happened," interrupted Hermione.
"Why'd you do it then?" asked Ron. He was now pacing the floor.
At this question, Hermione was lost for words. "Because … erm …"
And to her disgrace, Ron grinned a triumphant grin and sat down again. "Oh. Now I see it. Don't know why I've never seen it before."
"What are you talking about, Ron Weasley? You don't see anything," said Hermione. She looked away from his face, to not look at his smirk, more than ever.
"Then tell me. Why did you kiss me?"
"First of all, it wasn't a real kiss. It was a friendly peck on the cheek. Incase you didn't remember, I gave Harry the same exact kind of kiss last year when we were leaving the train station. As I remember, you were the one who was acting odd after I did it," said Hermione. She was satisfied.
But obviously, Ron wasn't. He was still grinning that adorable lopsided grin that he always did to Hermione to make her insides turn over. Not now, Hermione. Concentrate.
But to her surprise, his grin faded and their conversation turned to the serious side. "Hermione … erm … what did you … do when you got this letter?" asked Ron, holding up the piece of parchment.
"Oh!" said Hermione in surprise. She could never tell him what she had done. It would be too embarrassing to tell. No, she could never say it. But instead, she found herself thinking about it. She remembered her mouth opening in surprise even before she finished it, and then she had jumped around her bedroom. Then, she had jumped onto her bed, laughing, and then suddenly crying. Why, you ask? Because she was too scared to admit her feelings to Ron.
But she wasn't about to tell Ron that. "When I first got your letter? Well, I was a little surprised, of course. Wouldn't you be?" she asked him.
"Well … yeah … but …"
"But what?"
"Weren't you … like … weren't you just a little …" Now Hermione could tell that he was blushing crimson all over "Weren't you just a little umm … happyorsomethin?" he said all at once.
"Happy?" Hermione asked him in surprise.
Ron nodded sheepishly.
"You think that I would be happy that one of my best friends owled me to tell me that he fancied me? After four years he finally told me? If you thought I was glad that you told me, think again," said Hermione. It pained her to see his face after she said it. It was sad enough to kill. But it was worth it.
"I was more than ever happy, Ron Weasley. I jumped around my room and laughed and cried. I was estatic. I was overwhelmed with joy, Ron," said Hermione, grinning.
The face on Ron was priceless. His eyes lit up again, sparkling blue, and he had a grin from ear to ear. He sat up in his seat immediately, and said, "Really?"
Hermione laughed. "Really."
"Then … then that means … that you … you were happy that I fancied you? D'you … D'you feelthesamewayorsomethin?" asked Ron embarrassedly.
Hermione blushed but fortunately, Ron was too excited to notice it. She knew perfectly well what he was trying to say, but it was worth it to ask him to repeat it anyway. "What? I can't understand you when you mumble," she said to him. (She is totally ruining the moment!)
Ron grimaced. "I said … do you feel the same way about me or something?"
Hermione grinned. "Of course I do. How couldn't I?"
Ron grinned and stood up. To Hermione's surprise, he started walking towards her and was beginning to lean down ….
"RON! What are you doing?!" she exclaimed. He had picked her up from her seat and was now spinning her around the room in circles.
"Ron! LET GO OF ME! RON! STO-,"
But then she was brought down and her and Ron's lips met. The feeling was precious. It was wonderful. Oh how she had dreamed of this moment. When her and Ron would finally … kiss. She could feel the warmth spreading through out her body and she placed her arms around his neck. She was glad that his arms were around her waist, for she was sure that she would collapse if he hadn't held her.
When they finally broke away, they were both grinning like two idiots. "Wow," said Ron.
Hermione laughed.
All too soon, they could hear the laughs and talking of people coming back from the dance. Hermione shut her eyes. "I guess this is it," she said sadly.
"Hermione … does this mean …"
"That we're 'together'?" Hermione finished for him. She was getting tired of him mumbling the words together.
Ron nodded. Hermione threw her head back and grinned, "What do you think?"
"If you want to be," he said.
"Mmm … no, I don't think so," she said.
Ron's face fell. "WHAT?!" he yelled in denial.
"Only joking! Only joking, but you get so easily offended, you know," said Hermione laughing. She kissed him once more and said, "Do try to control that temper of yours." She winked at him and fled up the staircase to her dormitory.
~*~*~
Author's Note: The end? NO WAY! About two more chapters to go!