Chapter 11 One and Only
A/N: This is supposed to be the last chapter of this fic, I can already hear the cheers, though I can't make any promises. Unfortunately I'll be writing a "continuation" fic where it starts off where this ends. Well here's what everyone wanted - no, not another chapter, the end to this fic, maybe. I sincerely hope you enjoy at least this chapter. Before I forget I must thank those who have reviewed, and thanks to future reviewers.
"So what?"
Hermione stared at Ron with disbelief written clearly on her face. This is not what she had fanaticized about; she wanted Ron to take her in those skinny arms of his and give her a meaningful kiss with his, at the moment chapped, lips. Hermione turned her head slightly to the left, and leaned in closer to Ron, hoping against hope that she heard incorrectly.
"What did you say Ron," Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "I didn't hear you."
"I said 'So what' Hermione," Ron said. Hermione looked even more shocked, but Ron continued. "I love - loved you too. I don't see why you've never seen it yourself, I mean you're top of the class, surely my feelings for you couldn't have slipped by."
"Since when have you loved me," Hermione asked, the question suddenly popping in her mind. Hermione took it upon herself to take a seat in a near by chair before Ron proceeded in answering the question.
"Since about the end of first year but certainly at least second year, but that doesn't matter anymore Hermione. I - I don't feel that way anymore; I don't know how I feel toward you, but it isn't love, not anymore."
"When did I lose your love Ron, when did I," asked Hermione, her vision blurred by the tears that longed to be shed, her voice louder, but scratchier.
Ron looked away from Hermione, the sight of her crying brought tears to his eyes; though he knew why, he wasn't going to tell her.
"I thought you'd wait - wait for me to ask you to the Yule Ball," Ron said bringing himself to look Hermione in the eye. "I had the whole thing planned out." Ron chuckled. "Provided that everything fell in place. I was praying that Harry couldn't get a date, so that he could take my sister, and I hoped that you stayed free so that we'd have to go together. I wanted to ask you but I was too much of a coward, and the only way I saw myself taking you to the Ball was through our being forced to go together. But ... you know the rest."
"Ron, you know... that Viktor and I broke up."
"Yeah, I heard it from Neville. So, you think that just because Krum dumped you that we could get together?"
Hermione shrunk away from Ron's harsh words, which was exactly her plan. This was supposed to end happily, not like this.
"I dumped him, and yes that's what I thought."
"I don't care who dumped who, I am not going to spend my life playing second fiddle to some duck-footed, daft, idiotic Quidditch jockey! And save your breath, every argument that you can come up with I can dismiss just as easily. Now please just leave, and let me rest."
Hermione silently nodded her head and rose from her seat. She dragged her feat on her trek toward the door leading to the world without Ron. Accidentally Hermione walked headlong onto a knife, which caused her only to grunt in surprise.
Looking down at her stomach, expecting to see a wound, she found nothing. Taking a glance at Ron she found him with his head on his pillow seemingly asleep. Hermione made a grab for the knife but couldn't grasp it; she couldn't even get near it. There was an invisible wall between her and the knife, the whole counter top actually, but she put that thought away from her and reached for the door.
Hermione's head jerked up in recognition; there was still one more wall between Ron and she, an invisible wall, a wall that protected Ron's injured pride. He kept it up when he actually really needed to put it down, when Hermione proved she could do the levitation spell, when Harry was named the fourth champion. Now it was keeping him safe from heartache, but also keeping her away from him.
She walked over to Ron with the grin she wore whenever she was able to complete a task that was explicitly difficult. Hermione took Ron by the shoulders and raised him to eye level with her.
"Huh? Hermione, we have nothing to say to each other. Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"That'd be easier wouldn't it Ron. No risk of making a fool of yourself or losing somehow. Well that's not going to happen, and I have something to say.. You say that we can have nothing together, but that's because you won't let us, not because you don't want it, or I don't want it. You're a growing young man now, if you really want me to leave you can just literally throw me out, but I won't walk out because... I love you." With that Hermione brought her hands to his face and drew him into a kiss. She saw his eyes open with surprise, and heard him moan before she was lost in the kiss. She would have become rigid had she not thought that this would be the first, last, and only kiss she'd receive from Ron. If it was she was going to enjoy every second of it. Soon the seconds stretched to minutes. It was Ron who broke the kiss, but only to breathe.
"Gee Hermione, I didn't know you cared," Ron said grinning at Hermione.
Hermione was surprised to find herself beneath Ron on his bed, she didn't realize that she climbed onto the bed at all. Ron leaned down and kissed Hermione lightly on the lips.
"Hermione... I love you."
"I know Ron, but I think we should stop before things get any heavier," she said pushing him off of her. She sat next to him, holding his hand, her head on his shoulder. Though this night had gone perfectly for her, she still wished she were at the dance.
"Hermione," Ron said soothingly, sensing Hermione's feelings. "You can go to the Ball. I promise I won't get angry or anything, you go have fun... Just don't tell Harry quite yet, I don't think I could live through the ribbing he'd give me if he found out."
"No, I'd rather not go if it means leaving you," said Hermione, which brought a small smile across Ron's lips. "Besides, it is my punishment not to go because I left the castle without permission." He reached over and clasped Hermione's hand and pulled her up with him.
Ron put her right arm around his neck, he then held her left hand in his right, and finally placed his somewhat shaky hand on her hip.
"Ron, what are you doing," Hermione asked jovially.
"If you can't go to the dance, I'm bringing the dance to you," Ron said, almost expecting a refusal; but Hermione smiled and nodded. Ron began to lead them in small circles around in the small confines of the Hospital wing. After a while Ron dropped his other hand onto Hermione's hip, and Hermione slung her arm around his neck and put her head on his shoulder.
"Ron can you promise me something," Hermione said, not raising her head from his shoulder.
"Anything."
"Promise me that you'll never leave me."
"On one condition," said Ron, which made Hermione's head pop up. "That you promise that you never leave me."
Hermione giggled and whispered into his ear "Ron Weasley, I promise never to leave you." In turn Ron whispered "Hermione Granger, I promise never to leave you."
Suddenly the Hospital wing doors opened and Madame Pomfrey came charging in with floating stretchers behind her. In one fluid movement she readied a bed and a potion for the patient.
A/N: I've decided to cut this chapter short. Only few people have reviewed chapter 10 (Oh my goodness, I'm acknowledging the reviewers!). There will be a chapter 12, I'd never end a story in this condition. Yes, it's a little shorter than some of the others, but at least now Ron and Hermione are involved with one another finally. Okay, here's what everyone was truly waiting for, it's flaming time. ::As Johnny the Human Torch:: Flame on!
A/N: This is supposed to be the last chapter of this fic, I can already hear the cheers, though I can't make any promises. Unfortunately I'll be writing a "continuation" fic where it starts off where this ends. Well here's what everyone wanted - no, not another chapter, the end to this fic, maybe. I sincerely hope you enjoy at least this chapter. Before I forget I must thank those who have reviewed, and thanks to future reviewers.
"So what?"
Hermione stared at Ron with disbelief written clearly on her face. This is not what she had fanaticized about; she wanted Ron to take her in those skinny arms of his and give her a meaningful kiss with his, at the moment chapped, lips. Hermione turned her head slightly to the left, and leaned in closer to Ron, hoping against hope that she heard incorrectly.
"What did you say Ron," Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper, "I didn't hear you."
"I said 'So what' Hermione," Ron said. Hermione looked even more shocked, but Ron continued. "I love - loved you too. I don't see why you've never seen it yourself, I mean you're top of the class, surely my feelings for you couldn't have slipped by."
"Since when have you loved me," Hermione asked, the question suddenly popping in her mind. Hermione took it upon herself to take a seat in a near by chair before Ron proceeded in answering the question.
"Since about the end of first year but certainly at least second year, but that doesn't matter anymore Hermione. I - I don't feel that way anymore; I don't know how I feel toward you, but it isn't love, not anymore."
"When did I lose your love Ron, when did I," asked Hermione, her vision blurred by the tears that longed to be shed, her voice louder, but scratchier.
Ron looked away from Hermione, the sight of her crying brought tears to his eyes; though he knew why, he wasn't going to tell her.
"I thought you'd wait - wait for me to ask you to the Yule Ball," Ron said bringing himself to look Hermione in the eye. "I had the whole thing planned out." Ron chuckled. "Provided that everything fell in place. I was praying that Harry couldn't get a date, so that he could take my sister, and I hoped that you stayed free so that we'd have to go together. I wanted to ask you but I was too much of a coward, and the only way I saw myself taking you to the Ball was through our being forced to go together. But ... you know the rest."
"Ron, you know... that Viktor and I broke up."
"Yeah, I heard it from Neville. So, you think that just because Krum dumped you that we could get together?"
Hermione shrunk away from Ron's harsh words, which was exactly her plan. This was supposed to end happily, not like this.
"I dumped him, and yes that's what I thought."
"I don't care who dumped who, I am not going to spend my life playing second fiddle to some duck-footed, daft, idiotic Quidditch jockey! And save your breath, every argument that you can come up with I can dismiss just as easily. Now please just leave, and let me rest."
Hermione silently nodded her head and rose from her seat. She dragged her feat on her trek toward the door leading to the world without Ron. Accidentally Hermione walked headlong onto a knife, which caused her only to grunt in surprise.
Looking down at her stomach, expecting to see a wound, she found nothing. Taking a glance at Ron she found him with his head on his pillow seemingly asleep. Hermione made a grab for the knife but couldn't grasp it; she couldn't even get near it. There was an invisible wall between her and the knife, the whole counter top actually, but she put that thought away from her and reached for the door.
Hermione's head jerked up in recognition; there was still one more wall between Ron and she, an invisible wall, a wall that protected Ron's injured pride. He kept it up when he actually really needed to put it down, when Hermione proved she could do the levitation spell, when Harry was named the fourth champion. Now it was keeping him safe from heartache, but also keeping her away from him.
She walked over to Ron with the grin she wore whenever she was able to complete a task that was explicitly difficult. Hermione took Ron by the shoulders and raised him to eye level with her.
"Huh? Hermione, we have nothing to say to each other. Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"That'd be easier wouldn't it Ron. No risk of making a fool of yourself or losing somehow. Well that's not going to happen, and I have something to say.. You say that we can have nothing together, but that's because you won't let us, not because you don't want it, or I don't want it. You're a growing young man now, if you really want me to leave you can just literally throw me out, but I won't walk out because... I love you." With that Hermione brought her hands to his face and drew him into a kiss. She saw his eyes open with surprise, and heard him moan before she was lost in the kiss. She would have become rigid had she not thought that this would be the first, last, and only kiss she'd receive from Ron. If it was she was going to enjoy every second of it. Soon the seconds stretched to minutes. It was Ron who broke the kiss, but only to breathe.
"Gee Hermione, I didn't know you cared," Ron said grinning at Hermione.
Hermione was surprised to find herself beneath Ron on his bed, she didn't realize that she climbed onto the bed at all. Ron leaned down and kissed Hermione lightly on the lips.
"Hermione... I love you."
"I know Ron, but I think we should stop before things get any heavier," she said pushing him off of her. She sat next to him, holding his hand, her head on his shoulder. Though this night had gone perfectly for her, she still wished she were at the dance.
"Hermione," Ron said soothingly, sensing Hermione's feelings. "You can go to the Ball. I promise I won't get angry or anything, you go have fun... Just don't tell Harry quite yet, I don't think I could live through the ribbing he'd give me if he found out."
"No, I'd rather not go if it means leaving you," said Hermione, which brought a small smile across Ron's lips. "Besides, it is my punishment not to go because I left the castle without permission." He reached over and clasped Hermione's hand and pulled her up with him.
Ron put her right arm around his neck, he then held her left hand in his right, and finally placed his somewhat shaky hand on her hip.
"Ron, what are you doing," Hermione asked jovially.
"If you can't go to the dance, I'm bringing the dance to you," Ron said, almost expecting a refusal; but Hermione smiled and nodded. Ron began to lead them in small circles around in the small confines of the Hospital wing. After a while Ron dropped his other hand onto Hermione's hip, and Hermione slung her arm around his neck and put her head on his shoulder.
"Ron can you promise me something," Hermione said, not raising her head from his shoulder.
"Anything."
"Promise me that you'll never leave me."
"On one condition," said Ron, which made Hermione's head pop up. "That you promise that you never leave me."
Hermione giggled and whispered into his ear "Ron Weasley, I promise never to leave you." In turn Ron whispered "Hermione Granger, I promise never to leave you."
Suddenly the Hospital wing doors opened and Madame Pomfrey came charging in with floating stretchers behind her. In one fluid movement she readied a bed and a potion for the patient.
A/N: I've decided to cut this chapter short. Only few people have reviewed chapter 10 (Oh my goodness, I'm acknowledging the reviewers!). There will be a chapter 12, I'd never end a story in this condition. Yes, it's a little shorter than some of the others, but at least now Ron and Hermione are involved with one another finally. Okay, here's what everyone was truly waiting for, it's flaming time. ::As Johnny the Human Torch:: Flame on!