Ron's jaw dropped.
"What? What is it? Is there something on my robes? Did I spill something on them? Did I sit on something?" Hermione instantly began to twist and turn, trying to see an invisible stain o her periwinkle blue dress robes.
"Don't be stupid."
"Then why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because you're just, you look beautiful 'Mione." He meant it. To the layperson, Hermione looked almost exactly the same as she had last year. But Ron could note the tiny details that, to him, made her seem almost otherworldly. She had grown an inch or two over the past year, making her seem even more elegant than last year. Her waist and hips seemed slimmer and she seemed to hold her arms and head in a much more graceful fashion. She seemed, in a way, becomingly delicate after her recent ordeal, but she also radiated an inner strength that Ron had never seen in her before.
Hermione blushed. "Th-Thanks Ron. You look really good too."
It was true. His new dress robes had gone a long way. As much as he hated it, and as much of a girly thing to do as it was, Hermione couldn't help but notice that maroon was his colour. ('Hmm, it really is more of a burgundy.') She wasn't the only one that had grown over the past year. Ron had grown even taller, but the rapid rate of his unending lengthening had slowed somewhat. Ands he'd grown outwards a little too. He had lost some of his 'beanpole' appearance. With the onslaught of puberty his shoulders and chest had broadened, making his robes fit him in a much more attractive way. (Ron was thinking exactly the same thing about Hermione, but was too much of a gentleman to make his admiration obvious.)
Ron offered Hermione his arm. "Come on, we have to go meet Harry and Ginny."
Hermione nodded her consent and took Ron's outstretched arm.
"Really 'Mione I thought you might change your image for this ball. I mean the shock value last year was pretty damn good, and I was kinda hoping that you'd try to pull it off again." Ron's lips were twitching.
"Well Ron dearest, it's not like I'm going with an international Quidditch star this year now is it? I certainly wouldn't feel the need to spend all that time working out a new image unless I was."
Ron looked at her with his mouth open far too wide, with a blatant expression of mock disgust on his face. He spluttered incoherently for a few moments, but when he could think of nothing remotely good to come back with he gave up. "Fine you win."
"Again."
"Yes, again. You're just too smart for me 'Mione."
"Thought you would have figured that out ages ago."
Ron laughed. Hermione breathed a sigh of contentment. It was good to hear Ron laugh. He hadn't in so long. And to her, Ron had always seemed to be one of those people that needed to laugh at least twice a day. He was meant to be happy. It had pained her to see his brow furrowed with worry over the past few months. The best gift she had ever received was seeing Ron's face deliciously clear on entering the Great Hall that night.
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"Sweet Jesus! Harry! Harry don't! Noooo, you'll swallow her!"
Ron tried desperately to pry the two smitten teenagers apart, while Hermione dissolved into fits of giggles.
"Ron! Ron that wasn't funny!" Ginny was looking murderously at Ron. All that Harry could manage was to gape open mouthed at Ron while shaking his head.
"Oh so it's like that is it Ginny? Well, I won't step in in future, but mind you, don't come crying to me when Harry sucks your lips off!"
Hermione still giggling, apologised to her friends and followed Ron to another table (Harry and Ginny's was, artfully, only big enough for two.)
"Ron what's gotten into you?"
"I dunno! I guess I haven't done anything like that in ages! The only thing is, Harry looks like he really wants to get me back for it now!"
It was true. Harry was looking at him over Ginny's shoulder, with the familiar I'm-so-gonna-kick-your-ass-later written across his face.
"So I think I should really enjoy these few hours that I have alive with you."
Hermione giggled again. "Haha. Okay. So what do you want to be your first action of enjoying yourself tonight."
"Hmmm, let me think. Haha, come here."
Ron put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her towards him. Hermione smiled as he kissed her. It was just like having the old Ron back. Charming, funny, infuriating Ron.
This was going to be a great night.
"What? What is it? Is there something on my robes? Did I spill something on them? Did I sit on something?" Hermione instantly began to twist and turn, trying to see an invisible stain o her periwinkle blue dress robes.
"Don't be stupid."
"Then why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because you're just, you look beautiful 'Mione." He meant it. To the layperson, Hermione looked almost exactly the same as she had last year. But Ron could note the tiny details that, to him, made her seem almost otherworldly. She had grown an inch or two over the past year, making her seem even more elegant than last year. Her waist and hips seemed slimmer and she seemed to hold her arms and head in a much more graceful fashion. She seemed, in a way, becomingly delicate after her recent ordeal, but she also radiated an inner strength that Ron had never seen in her before.
Hermione blushed. "Th-Thanks Ron. You look really good too."
It was true. His new dress robes had gone a long way. As much as he hated it, and as much of a girly thing to do as it was, Hermione couldn't help but notice that maroon was his colour. ('Hmm, it really is more of a burgundy.') She wasn't the only one that had grown over the past year. Ron had grown even taller, but the rapid rate of his unending lengthening had slowed somewhat. Ands he'd grown outwards a little too. He had lost some of his 'beanpole' appearance. With the onslaught of puberty his shoulders and chest had broadened, making his robes fit him in a much more attractive way. (Ron was thinking exactly the same thing about Hermione, but was too much of a gentleman to make his admiration obvious.)
Ron offered Hermione his arm. "Come on, we have to go meet Harry and Ginny."
Hermione nodded her consent and took Ron's outstretched arm.
"Really 'Mione I thought you might change your image for this ball. I mean the shock value last year was pretty damn good, and I was kinda hoping that you'd try to pull it off again." Ron's lips were twitching.
"Well Ron dearest, it's not like I'm going with an international Quidditch star this year now is it? I certainly wouldn't feel the need to spend all that time working out a new image unless I was."
Ron looked at her with his mouth open far too wide, with a blatant expression of mock disgust on his face. He spluttered incoherently for a few moments, but when he could think of nothing remotely good to come back with he gave up. "Fine you win."
"Again."
"Yes, again. You're just too smart for me 'Mione."
"Thought you would have figured that out ages ago."
Ron laughed. Hermione breathed a sigh of contentment. It was good to hear Ron laugh. He hadn't in so long. And to her, Ron had always seemed to be one of those people that needed to laugh at least twice a day. He was meant to be happy. It had pained her to see his brow furrowed with worry over the past few months. The best gift she had ever received was seeing Ron's face deliciously clear on entering the Great Hall that night.
------------------------------------
"Sweet Jesus! Harry! Harry don't! Noooo, you'll swallow her!"
Ron tried desperately to pry the two smitten teenagers apart, while Hermione dissolved into fits of giggles.
"Ron! Ron that wasn't funny!" Ginny was looking murderously at Ron. All that Harry could manage was to gape open mouthed at Ron while shaking his head.
"Oh so it's like that is it Ginny? Well, I won't step in in future, but mind you, don't come crying to me when Harry sucks your lips off!"
Hermione still giggling, apologised to her friends and followed Ron to another table (Harry and Ginny's was, artfully, only big enough for two.)
"Ron what's gotten into you?"
"I dunno! I guess I haven't done anything like that in ages! The only thing is, Harry looks like he really wants to get me back for it now!"
It was true. Harry was looking at him over Ginny's shoulder, with the familiar I'm-so-gonna-kick-your-ass-later written across his face.
"So I think I should really enjoy these few hours that I have alive with you."
Hermione giggled again. "Haha. Okay. So what do you want to be your first action of enjoying yourself tonight."
"Hmmm, let me think. Haha, come here."
Ron put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her towards him. Hermione smiled as he kissed her. It was just like having the old Ron back. Charming, funny, infuriating Ron.
This was going to be a great night.