A/N: Okay my ex-boyfriend was just really, really, mean to me so I'm
venting, venting, venting. Converting all rising anger to need to produce
various kinds of fluff. Okay I think I'm ready to do some writing. (Just
thought I'd share that!)
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Ron took a deep breath and knocked at the door of the Hospital Wing sick bay. He had been reluctant to leave Ginny, she had seemed so unhappy. But Harry had insisted. He had promised to look after Ginny provided Ron went to visit Hermione. As if he wanted to do anything else. Well, maybe kick Malfoy's head in.
He heard a faint "Come in." and entered the white, sterile looking room. As soon as he saw a pale, drained Hermione lying back on her pillows any anger lying in his heart was banished immediately by worry and concern.
"How're you feeling 'Mione?"
"Oh not too bad. I'm still just a little tired, I guess."
Ron nodded, not believing her for a second. He looked at the table laden with sweets, flowers and various other gifts and noticed how they were all untouched.
"I don't think you are alright 'Mione."
She looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?" she asked, half smiling.
"Well, through much careful observation and strenuous study, I have come to the conclusion that sugar quills are, in fact, your favourite sweet. And yet, here is a whole bow of them sent to you by the combined powers of Lavender and Parvati" he tapped the box with his finger "without the seal even broken."
Hermione couldn't contain her laughter. Ron always could make her laugh.
"So, in order to make you feel better, I am going to sit here and watch you eat these sweets until the box is empty. Are we clear?"
"Haha, come here you idiot!" Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the bed.
In a sudden moment of seriousness, Ron looked right into Hermione's eyes. "I've missed you 'Mione."
"I've missed you t-"
Hermione was cut short by a kiss. After a moment she began to pull back. Ron put his hand on the back of her neck. He wanted it to last longer, he'd missed her so much. Hermione began to pull back again, but Ron still held her. She put two hands on his shoulders and pushed him back as hard as she could. When Ron looked at her face he saw that she was crying.
"'Mione, what is it? I-I thought you wanted this. I thought you liked me."
"Ron, I do. But it, it reminds me of-of-"
"Oh God 'Mione sweetheart I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I had no idea. I'm sorry."
"No I am. I'm being silly."
"No of course you're not. Come here, do you want to talk about it?"
Ron's eyes were so inviting. His hands were so warm. "Okay. You have to promise not to get mad if I tell you who did it. I don't want you to get in trouble."
Ron's face hardened. "It was Malfoy, wasn't it?"
Hermione's eyes widened with surprise. "How-how did you?"
"It doesn't matter, the point is I know. You don't have to tell me now. Is there anything else wrong?" His face softened.
"Well, there is one thing. I-I'm afraid."
"Of what? Of Malfoy? Because he will not get within ten feet of you ever again. I'm gonna make sure of that."
"No not that, I know he'll get what's coming to him. I'm scared for us. I'm scared that I won't be able to do the things you want me to. I mean, even just now, kissing you like that, I wasn't kissing you, I was just seeing him leering down at me. I don't think I'm able to do things that you want just yet. You should probably just leave now and save yourself the trouble of breaking up with me."
Ron looked at her and held her hands in his. "'Mione, I wouldn't leave you over something like that. I'm nowhere near that shallow. I know you've just been through something terrible, and it's not fair to ask you to do things you're not ready for. I shouldn't have kissed you like that, but I've just been so worried about you, and I've missed you so much. But none of that matters. All that matters is, I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. And if being with you means taking everything one baby step at a time, then here's to the first of our journey." And with that he raised her small white hand to his lips, and kissed it gently.
Hermione raised her tear-drenched eyes to his. "You mean that? You mean it's okay? You still want to be with me?"
Ron nodded. Hermione smiled through her tears. "Then, will you do something for me?"
"Anything."
"Will you hold me?"
Ron had been waiting for the word. He placed his arms gently around her rested her head against his chest and after a moment or two, began to softly stroke her hair.
After a few long minutes he heard a faint whisper. "Thank you so much Ron."
"Anything for you."
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Ron took a deep breath and knocked at the door of the Hospital Wing sick bay. He had been reluctant to leave Ginny, she had seemed so unhappy. But Harry had insisted. He had promised to look after Ginny provided Ron went to visit Hermione. As if he wanted to do anything else. Well, maybe kick Malfoy's head in.
He heard a faint "Come in." and entered the white, sterile looking room. As soon as he saw a pale, drained Hermione lying back on her pillows any anger lying in his heart was banished immediately by worry and concern.
"How're you feeling 'Mione?"
"Oh not too bad. I'm still just a little tired, I guess."
Ron nodded, not believing her for a second. He looked at the table laden with sweets, flowers and various other gifts and noticed how they were all untouched.
"I don't think you are alright 'Mione."
She looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?" she asked, half smiling.
"Well, through much careful observation and strenuous study, I have come to the conclusion that sugar quills are, in fact, your favourite sweet. And yet, here is a whole bow of them sent to you by the combined powers of Lavender and Parvati" he tapped the box with his finger "without the seal even broken."
Hermione couldn't contain her laughter. Ron always could make her laugh.
"So, in order to make you feel better, I am going to sit here and watch you eat these sweets until the box is empty. Are we clear?"
"Haha, come here you idiot!" Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the bed.
In a sudden moment of seriousness, Ron looked right into Hermione's eyes. "I've missed you 'Mione."
"I've missed you t-"
Hermione was cut short by a kiss. After a moment she began to pull back. Ron put his hand on the back of her neck. He wanted it to last longer, he'd missed her so much. Hermione began to pull back again, but Ron still held her. She put two hands on his shoulders and pushed him back as hard as she could. When Ron looked at her face he saw that she was crying.
"'Mione, what is it? I-I thought you wanted this. I thought you liked me."
"Ron, I do. But it, it reminds me of-of-"
"Oh God 'Mione sweetheart I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I had no idea. I'm sorry."
"No I am. I'm being silly."
"No of course you're not. Come here, do you want to talk about it?"
Ron's eyes were so inviting. His hands were so warm. "Okay. You have to promise not to get mad if I tell you who did it. I don't want you to get in trouble."
Ron's face hardened. "It was Malfoy, wasn't it?"
Hermione's eyes widened with surprise. "How-how did you?"
"It doesn't matter, the point is I know. You don't have to tell me now. Is there anything else wrong?" His face softened.
"Well, there is one thing. I-I'm afraid."
"Of what? Of Malfoy? Because he will not get within ten feet of you ever again. I'm gonna make sure of that."
"No not that, I know he'll get what's coming to him. I'm scared for us. I'm scared that I won't be able to do the things you want me to. I mean, even just now, kissing you like that, I wasn't kissing you, I was just seeing him leering down at me. I don't think I'm able to do things that you want just yet. You should probably just leave now and save yourself the trouble of breaking up with me."
Ron looked at her and held her hands in his. "'Mione, I wouldn't leave you over something like that. I'm nowhere near that shallow. I know you've just been through something terrible, and it's not fair to ask you to do things you're not ready for. I shouldn't have kissed you like that, but I've just been so worried about you, and I've missed you so much. But none of that matters. All that matters is, I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. And if being with you means taking everything one baby step at a time, then here's to the first of our journey." And with that he raised her small white hand to his lips, and kissed it gently.
Hermione raised her tear-drenched eyes to his. "You mean that? You mean it's okay? You still want to be with me?"
Ron nodded. Hermione smiled through her tears. "Then, will you do something for me?"
"Anything."
"Will you hold me?"
Ron had been waiting for the word. He placed his arms gently around her rested her head against his chest and after a moment or two, began to softly stroke her hair.
After a few long minutes he heard a faint whisper. "Thank you so much Ron."
"Anything for you."