AN: Sorry this has taken so long. I was working on a couple other little ficlets, some R/H. Check them out if you have time. Also, my computer broke down, so now I have a new one and am back in action. Please read and review and thanks to those who have already. Thanks to my wonderful beta, Kitty Rose!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Chapter 10: The Perfect Gift
Ron lay in his four-poster bed, thinking about girls. Valentine's day was soon approaching and he wondered if it was mandatory for him to do something for Hermione. If he didn't do anything for the holiday, he was sure he would be in for it. On the other hand, he wasn't sure what he could do to make the day special for her. What did girls like?
Ron thought back to the Valentine's days at his own home. What had his father gotten his mother? Flowers, expensive chocolates, and cards with sappy messages about love. But Ron figured that that would get him nowhere where Hermione was concerned. Maybe a better question would be to ask himself, what would Hermione like? After all she was very different than giggly girls like Lavender and Parvati who spent half their lives putting on makeup and the other half trying to get boys to pay attention to them. No, Hermione was his best friend. She had been with him and Harry during almost every one of their adventures. She was brave, loyal, and courageous.
Ron sighed and rolled over in his bed. She had certainly liked the present he had gotten her for Christmas. Maybe he could get her another personal gift like that one. But what? Ron had a sudden picture of himself wearing dress robes, holding flowers and singing a love song to Hermione, but Ron quickly dismissed that idea. His image was at stake here. Besides, Hermione wasn't like Parvati and Lavender. She didn't want love songs and flowers, did she? Hermione liked…books. Perhaps he could pick up a few books the next time he went to Hogsmeade. No, he needed something better than that. Ron decided that tomorrow he would go into Hogsmeade by himself and find the perfect gift for Hermione. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~
Ron wandered through Honeydukes knowing hat the perfect gift did not await him there. Harry had lent him the invisibility cloak and after making a few quick excuses he had managed to sneak away from Hogwarts. He had been wandering around Hogsmeade for the last hour and was nowhere closer to finding a gift then he had been when he had arrived.
He was just about to go and have a Butterbeer and ponder things over for awhile when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Ron stared disbelievingly. "Bill! What are you doing here?" he asked.
Bill grinned at him. "I could ask the same question. Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"Aren't you supposed to be in Egypt?" Ron shot back, but he was smiling too. It was nice to see his brother again.
"I decided to take a couple weeks off to visit Mum and Dad and I came down here to do a little shopping. What are you doing here?" Bill asked slyly.
Ron felt his face grow hot. "I…I'm trying to find a present for Hermione," he said quickly.
Bill gave a knowing smile and patted Ron on the back. "My little brother Ron, all grown up and discovering girls. Wow. Valentine's day, right?"
Ron nodded and decided that maybe he could use Bill to his advantage. "Say, Bill. Have you ever bought a present for a girl…you know…one that you really liked?" he stammered.
Bill smiled that mocking grin again. "Yeah, once or twice in my life. Need some ideas little brother?"
Ron nodded thankfully. "It's just…Hermione's not a regular girl. She doesn't wear makeup and giggle over stupid stuff. She's smart, funny, and brave. She's not just a girl, she's Hermione," Ron finished passionately, surprised that he had said all that to his older brother.
Bill pondered this for a second as they walked. "How about a poem?"
Ron groaned. "Do girls really like that stuff? I don't know…"
"Of course they do!" Bill said indignantly. "Are you kidding? Poems and all that junk…they lap it up."
Ron didn't want to believe him. He didn't know how to write a poem. It was sure to be a disaster. "But I told you, Hermione isn't like all the other girls. How do you know she'll like a poem?"
"I'm telling you buddy, she'll love it. Get her a book that she likes and write it in the back. Just think about it. I have to go. I promised Mum I would be back by nine." He apparated as soon as the words left his mouth and left Ron no room to argue over the poem business. Ron sighed and walked into the bookshop, wondering what kind of book Hermione didn't already own.
He perused the shelves, uninterested, until he came across a title that caught his eye, Chess Moves For Experts: Beat the Gloating Friend or Family Member With This Guide! Ron smiled at the book and paid six Galleons for it before walking out of the shop and heading back to Hogwarts.
When he reached the Gryffindor Common Room, Ron told Harry and Hermione that he had a headache and walked upstairs with the book under his robes. He had to write a poem and it had to be good. Ron took out a sheet of parchment and began to write,
Hermione my love, with skin white as a dove.
Ron scowled at the parchment, crumpled it up and threw it into the trash. That was no way to go about it. Too corny and too….weird.
Your hair is brown, when your not here I frown.
Ron shook his head in distaste. This was harder than he thought it would be. Ron thought about all the good times he had had with Hermione. He remembered Christmas, and their first kiss…and walking around the lake, and her lips against his. Soon the words were flowing freely and Ron decided not to read the poem again, or else he would spend too much time fretting over it. As he transferred the poem onto the back cover of the book and signed his name at the bottom, Ron heard footsteps approaching the dorm. As quickly as he could, he gathered up all the loose scraps of parchment, and stuffed them in the book.
But the people outside the door were to quick for Ron. Harry, Seamus, Dean, and Neville all walked in as Ron gathered up his poem scraps. "What are you doing Ron?" Seamus asked when he saw Ron trying to hide something behind his back.
"N-Nothing!" Ron's voice came out high and squeaky.
Dean grinned. "well, then what's that you got there?" he asked, indicating the book.
"Nothing…just a book." he said coolly.
Harry smiled at him. "Come on Ron, just show us."
Ron revealed the book to them. "It's just a gift I got for Hermione from Hogsmeade." he said quickly. "I have to put it away." At that moment, Ron's sweaty palms betrayed him as he dropped the book and it flopped open to the back cover. The other boys stared at the writing as Ron hurried and gathered it up.
"What did you write on it?" Dean asked. "Is it a love note for Ronnie's Hermione?"
Ron scowled. "So what if is! Leave me alone."
Seamus and Dean grinned at each other and came at Ron forcefully. Dean ripped the book from Ron's hands and Seamus held him down.
"Harry! Harry! Get that book!" Ron called out, but Harry only shrugged and gave him an amused grin. He, too, seemed interested in what Ron had written.
Dean opened the book and read:
No giggling, whining, or makeup for you
You're the only girl for me it's true
When I look at you, I only see the inside
Where your intelligence and courage reside
You're different from any other girl
You're the bravest person in the world
You've joined me on every adventure
You didn't hesitate for a second, never became unsure
You brought joy and companionship to my heart
Professor Trelawney never saw love in my star chart
But now I know where my fate lies
Forever with the girl, with the beautiful brown eyes
Believe me Hermione, in this poem I'm sincere
For you I will always, always be here
Dean looked at Ron and began snickering so loud, that Ron was sure he would wake up everyone in Gryffindor tower. Seamus slapped his knees and fell on the floor as he shook with laughter. Neville began chortling. Though Harry seemed to be trying to hold in his laughter, he too, couldn't help but join in. Ron grabbed the book back from Dean as Seamus released him. He put it in one his drawers, grabbed a blanket, threw all of his dorm mates a dirty look and walked out of the room.
"How could Harry do that to me?" he muttered to no one. "He can be such a…" but Ron stopped as he saw who was in the common room. It was Hermione. She was sitting on a chair near the fire with a book in her hands. Ron debated going back upstairs, but pictured the sniggering faces of the other boys and decided against it. With a sigh, he crept downstairs and whispered, "hello."
Hermione gasped and turned around. Relief flooded her face when she saw who it was. "Oh, hi Ron. You scared me."
"Sorry," he muttered. He threw himself on the couch and tucked himself in.
Hermione gave him a searching look. "What are you doing down here?" she asked.
"Well…the other blokes…they were making fun of me…about you and I just got sick of it," he said quietly.
Hermione nodded and didn't ask any more questions. Ron was glad. "Well I better go to bed," she muttered. "I'll see you tomorrow." She walked over to him and kissed his forehead before heading up to her dorm. Ron relished the feel of her soft lips on his skin. He wished they could do more of that, but she had already headed up the steps.
As he drifted off to sleep, Ron decided it was worth it. Writing the poem and receiving the teasing seemed nothing compared to the rewards he was given. He hoped that she got as much joy out of being with him as he did with her. Somehow, he didn't think that was possible. As dreams started to take shape in his mind, Ron mumbled, "I'll always be here for you Hermione."
AN: Check out my fic, Time Heals All Wounds, a little R/H fic with some trio friendship stuff. Also, My Friends Over you, which is Hermione wondering why she can't like Viktor. And, The Dark Mark, in which you will find out why Arthur Weasley has his own fears of the Dark Mark. Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Chapter 10: The Perfect Gift
Ron lay in his four-poster bed, thinking about girls. Valentine's day was soon approaching and he wondered if it was mandatory for him to do something for Hermione. If he didn't do anything for the holiday, he was sure he would be in for it. On the other hand, he wasn't sure what he could do to make the day special for her. What did girls like?
Ron thought back to the Valentine's days at his own home. What had his father gotten his mother? Flowers, expensive chocolates, and cards with sappy messages about love. But Ron figured that that would get him nowhere where Hermione was concerned. Maybe a better question would be to ask himself, what would Hermione like? After all she was very different than giggly girls like Lavender and Parvati who spent half their lives putting on makeup and the other half trying to get boys to pay attention to them. No, Hermione was his best friend. She had been with him and Harry during almost every one of their adventures. She was brave, loyal, and courageous.
Ron sighed and rolled over in his bed. She had certainly liked the present he had gotten her for Christmas. Maybe he could get her another personal gift like that one. But what? Ron had a sudden picture of himself wearing dress robes, holding flowers and singing a love song to Hermione, but Ron quickly dismissed that idea. His image was at stake here. Besides, Hermione wasn't like Parvati and Lavender. She didn't want love songs and flowers, did she? Hermione liked…books. Perhaps he could pick up a few books the next time he went to Hogsmeade. No, he needed something better than that. Ron decided that tomorrow he would go into Hogsmeade by himself and find the perfect gift for Hermione. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~
Ron wandered through Honeydukes knowing hat the perfect gift did not await him there. Harry had lent him the invisibility cloak and after making a few quick excuses he had managed to sneak away from Hogwarts. He had been wandering around Hogsmeade for the last hour and was nowhere closer to finding a gift then he had been when he had arrived.
He was just about to go and have a Butterbeer and ponder things over for awhile when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Ron stared disbelievingly. "Bill! What are you doing here?" he asked.
Bill grinned at him. "I could ask the same question. Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"Aren't you supposed to be in Egypt?" Ron shot back, but he was smiling too. It was nice to see his brother again.
"I decided to take a couple weeks off to visit Mum and Dad and I came down here to do a little shopping. What are you doing here?" Bill asked slyly.
Ron felt his face grow hot. "I…I'm trying to find a present for Hermione," he said quickly.
Bill gave a knowing smile and patted Ron on the back. "My little brother Ron, all grown up and discovering girls. Wow. Valentine's day, right?"
Ron nodded and decided that maybe he could use Bill to his advantage. "Say, Bill. Have you ever bought a present for a girl…you know…one that you really liked?" he stammered.
Bill smiled that mocking grin again. "Yeah, once or twice in my life. Need some ideas little brother?"
Ron nodded thankfully. "It's just…Hermione's not a regular girl. She doesn't wear makeup and giggle over stupid stuff. She's smart, funny, and brave. She's not just a girl, she's Hermione," Ron finished passionately, surprised that he had said all that to his older brother.
Bill pondered this for a second as they walked. "How about a poem?"
Ron groaned. "Do girls really like that stuff? I don't know…"
"Of course they do!" Bill said indignantly. "Are you kidding? Poems and all that junk…they lap it up."
Ron didn't want to believe him. He didn't know how to write a poem. It was sure to be a disaster. "But I told you, Hermione isn't like all the other girls. How do you know she'll like a poem?"
"I'm telling you buddy, she'll love it. Get her a book that she likes and write it in the back. Just think about it. I have to go. I promised Mum I would be back by nine." He apparated as soon as the words left his mouth and left Ron no room to argue over the poem business. Ron sighed and walked into the bookshop, wondering what kind of book Hermione didn't already own.
He perused the shelves, uninterested, until he came across a title that caught his eye, Chess Moves For Experts: Beat the Gloating Friend or Family Member With This Guide! Ron smiled at the book and paid six Galleons for it before walking out of the shop and heading back to Hogwarts.
When he reached the Gryffindor Common Room, Ron told Harry and Hermione that he had a headache and walked upstairs with the book under his robes. He had to write a poem and it had to be good. Ron took out a sheet of parchment and began to write,
Hermione my love, with skin white as a dove.
Ron scowled at the parchment, crumpled it up and threw it into the trash. That was no way to go about it. Too corny and too….weird.
Your hair is brown, when your not here I frown.
Ron shook his head in distaste. This was harder than he thought it would be. Ron thought about all the good times he had had with Hermione. He remembered Christmas, and their first kiss…and walking around the lake, and her lips against his. Soon the words were flowing freely and Ron decided not to read the poem again, or else he would spend too much time fretting over it. As he transferred the poem onto the back cover of the book and signed his name at the bottom, Ron heard footsteps approaching the dorm. As quickly as he could, he gathered up all the loose scraps of parchment, and stuffed them in the book.
But the people outside the door were to quick for Ron. Harry, Seamus, Dean, and Neville all walked in as Ron gathered up his poem scraps. "What are you doing Ron?" Seamus asked when he saw Ron trying to hide something behind his back.
"N-Nothing!" Ron's voice came out high and squeaky.
Dean grinned. "well, then what's that you got there?" he asked, indicating the book.
"Nothing…just a book." he said coolly.
Harry smiled at him. "Come on Ron, just show us."
Ron revealed the book to them. "It's just a gift I got for Hermione from Hogsmeade." he said quickly. "I have to put it away." At that moment, Ron's sweaty palms betrayed him as he dropped the book and it flopped open to the back cover. The other boys stared at the writing as Ron hurried and gathered it up.
"What did you write on it?" Dean asked. "Is it a love note for Ronnie's Hermione?"
Ron scowled. "So what if is! Leave me alone."
Seamus and Dean grinned at each other and came at Ron forcefully. Dean ripped the book from Ron's hands and Seamus held him down.
"Harry! Harry! Get that book!" Ron called out, but Harry only shrugged and gave him an amused grin. He, too, seemed interested in what Ron had written.
Dean opened the book and read:
No giggling, whining, or makeup for you
You're the only girl for me it's true
When I look at you, I only see the inside
Where your intelligence and courage reside
You're different from any other girl
You're the bravest person in the world
You've joined me on every adventure
You didn't hesitate for a second, never became unsure
You brought joy and companionship to my heart
Professor Trelawney never saw love in my star chart
But now I know where my fate lies
Forever with the girl, with the beautiful brown eyes
Believe me Hermione, in this poem I'm sincere
For you I will always, always be here
Dean looked at Ron and began snickering so loud, that Ron was sure he would wake up everyone in Gryffindor tower. Seamus slapped his knees and fell on the floor as he shook with laughter. Neville began chortling. Though Harry seemed to be trying to hold in his laughter, he too, couldn't help but join in. Ron grabbed the book back from Dean as Seamus released him. He put it in one his drawers, grabbed a blanket, threw all of his dorm mates a dirty look and walked out of the room.
"How could Harry do that to me?" he muttered to no one. "He can be such a…" but Ron stopped as he saw who was in the common room. It was Hermione. She was sitting on a chair near the fire with a book in her hands. Ron debated going back upstairs, but pictured the sniggering faces of the other boys and decided against it. With a sigh, he crept downstairs and whispered, "hello."
Hermione gasped and turned around. Relief flooded her face when she saw who it was. "Oh, hi Ron. You scared me."
"Sorry," he muttered. He threw himself on the couch and tucked himself in.
Hermione gave him a searching look. "What are you doing down here?" she asked.
"Well…the other blokes…they were making fun of me…about you and I just got sick of it," he said quietly.
Hermione nodded and didn't ask any more questions. Ron was glad. "Well I better go to bed," she muttered. "I'll see you tomorrow." She walked over to him and kissed his forehead before heading up to her dorm. Ron relished the feel of her soft lips on his skin. He wished they could do more of that, but she had already headed up the steps.
As he drifted off to sleep, Ron decided it was worth it. Writing the poem and receiving the teasing seemed nothing compared to the rewards he was given. He hoped that she got as much joy out of being with him as he did with her. Somehow, he didn't think that was possible. As dreams started to take shape in his mind, Ron mumbled, "I'll always be here for you Hermione."
AN: Check out my fic, Time Heals All Wounds, a little R/H fic with some trio friendship stuff. Also, My Friends Over you, which is Hermione wondering why she can't like Viktor. And, The Dark Mark, in which you will find out why Arthur Weasley has his own fears of the Dark Mark. Thanks for reading!