Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Seventeen: Girl Talk, Boy Talk
As Valentines Day approached, it was clear that love was in the air, and not just for Ron and Hermione. Neville and Luna were still together, though what had brought them to each other still baffled the population of Hogwarts. Still, Luna seemed to make Neville extremely happy, so no one - except perhaps the Slytherins - teased him about it anymore.
Three days before the big day, Ginny pulled Hermione aside to ask what her plans were. "I don't know," said Hermione. "Your brother won't tell me."
"Want me to find out for you?" Ginny asked.
Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm looking forward to the surprise," she said. "You know, Ginny, your brother is really surprising me."
"You mean you don't even have an inkling of what he might be doing on Valentine's Day?" Ginny asked.
"No, I mean how great he's been since we got together," said Hermione. "I mean, HE'S the one who wanted to do something special for Valentine's Day. I thought he would forget all about it."
"Well, that's the thing with Ron," said Ginny. "When he knows what he wants, there's no question about it, I suppose. He just knows what he's doing when it comes to certain things."
Hermione nodded, "Still, he surprised me everyday." She seemed to go off into her own world as she thought about Ron again. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Man, you have it bad," she said. "But I'm happy for you. And if my brother ever does anything to hurt you, just let me know and I'll take care of it."
Hermione laughed, "Thanks, Gin."
"But the same goes for you too," Ginny said. "Hurt my brother and I'll take care of you." For a moment, Ginny looked so serious that Hermione didn't know what to say. Then Ginny smiled and the moment passed. "See? What did I tell you? You're going to be the next person to get married."
"Ginny, I haven't really thought that far yet," said Hermione. "I mean, we've only been together a month and a half."
"Doesn't matter," said Ginny. "You caught the bouquet, you put it under your bed and had a dream about Ron. You two are going to get married." Hermione smiled as she thought, once again, of being Mrs. Ron Weasley.
"Since when did I become some blushing teenager?" Hermione asked. "You see what your brother does to me?! I don't act like this!"
Ginny smiled, "Maybe a change every now and then isn't such a bad idea. You're still the same Hermione you always were, except now you're in love with someone."
"Yeah," said Hermione dreamily. "Though it's nice to know some things never change. Like yesterday, Ron and I had this little spat over schoolwork, but we made up as usual."
"And now there's the make up sex," said Ginny.
Hermione coughed, "WHAT?! You don't think we're having - you don't think we're doing THAT, do you?"
"You're not?"
"We haven't even talked about it!" Hermione exclaimed. "I mean, I've thought about it, but neither Ron nor I have ever said one word to each other about it."
"I guess it is too soon," said Ginny. "Sorry about that. I guess I just thought since you took so long to get together, everything else would have happened so quickly."
"No," said Hermione. "And to tell you the truth, I would prefer if we stayed away from that topic. I don't even want sex to be an issue between Ron and me right now. We're both happy the way things are. I know it will come up somewhere down the line, but right now it's not, so I'd rather keep it that way. Please don't tell Ron we talked about this."
"I won't," Ginny promised.
"Now, what about you?" Hermione asked. "Are you interested in anybody?"
Ginny looked down at her feet. "Yeah," she admitted.
"So tell me," said Hermione. "Who is it?"
"Harry," Ginny admitted.
"Oh, Gin," said Hermione. "I thought you moved beyond that."
"I thought I did too," said Ginny. "But nothing ever seemed to work out in my other relationships."
"All two of them," Hermione teased, and Ginny rolled her eyes at her.
"And then we've been spending a lot of time together lately. I mean, no offense but you and Ron have been very self-centered lately, and that's okay, so Harry's been kind of on his own, and I've been keeping him company," Ginny explained. "And, I don't know Hermione, there's something different about him. Something I didn't see before, but something that makes me really, really, really want to be with him."
"Well, Ginny," said Hermione. "Maybe you should just ask him to go out with you. The next Hogsmeade weekend, perhaps?"
"I can't do that!" Ginny exclaimed. "What if he laughs at me?"
"What if he doesn't?" Hermione asked. "Here's the thing: you don't know until you try. Think of how long your brother and I could have been together by now if we had faced up to our feelings and told each other."
"Like two years or something," said Ginny, and she knew Hermione was right. Though Hermione and Ron had been quite happy just as friends for those two years, Ginny thought about how much happier they were now that they were a couple. It wasn't right to deny herself the happiness that she envied in her brother and his girlfriend. "All right, I'll do it!"
"Good!" said Hermione, and then she turned girly. "What if you and Harry got married? And Ron and I got married? Then we'd all be related! Wouldn't that be funny?!" With that, Hermione and Ginny spent the rest of the afternoon talking about boys, weddings, and even, for one could never have a conversation with Hermione without touching upon the importance of study at least once or twice, schoolwork.
* * *
With Ginny distracting Hermione, Harry took the opportunity to invite Ron to practice some Quidditch. While Ginny had been a great companion for the last month and a half, Harry still wanted to hang out with Ron. There were certain things that Harry still didn't feel comfortable talking about with Ginny, and he needed Ron around to feel in those pieces.
"So, how're things going with Hermione?" Harry asked, as he threw the Quaffle at Ron.
Ron blocked it and said, "Great."
"So have you?" Harry asked.
"Have we what?" Ron said, and he threw the Quaffle back.
"Have you. y'know, done it," said Harry.
"Harry! What kind of question is that!? No, we haven't, okay? And even if we had, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable telling you about it," Ron said.
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. "I wasn't asking for details. Believe me, I don't want to know the details. I was just wondering if you had done it or not."
"Well, we haven't," said Ron. "And it's not something I want to talk about with her yet. I don't want to screw this up, Harry."
"Okay then," said Harry, and he dropped the subject and threw the Quaffle back at Ron.
"You don't see me asking you about your sex life," said Ron.
"What sex life?" said Harry. "The only girl I ever kissed was Cho."
"Isn't there anybody you like?" Ron asked.
"Maybe," said Harry.
"Who is it?" said Ron.
"I don't really want to say," said Harry. He was thinking of Ginny. He wasn't sure when his feelings for her had changed, but they had. He wasn't even sure if the feelings had changed to him liking her. All he knew was that his feelings towards Ginny were different, and he considered that a good thing.
"Why not?" Ron asked.
"I just don't want to.. uh.. jinx anything," Harry said.
"Fine!" said Ron, in mock hurt. "Don't tell me then. I'll figure it out sooner or later."
'I don't think you'll like it,' Harry thought to himself.
"Anyway, let's just play," said Harry, and Ron threw the Quaffle to him again and the continued to practice. After a few moments, Ron spoke again.
"Hey Harry?" he asked. This time there was a hint of laughter in his voice. "You think Neville and Luna do it?"
"Oh, gross!" Harry exclaimed. "Thanks Ron, thanks a lot. Now I'm never going to get that image out of my head!"
Chapter Seventeen: Girl Talk, Boy Talk
As Valentines Day approached, it was clear that love was in the air, and not just for Ron and Hermione. Neville and Luna were still together, though what had brought them to each other still baffled the population of Hogwarts. Still, Luna seemed to make Neville extremely happy, so no one - except perhaps the Slytherins - teased him about it anymore.
Three days before the big day, Ginny pulled Hermione aside to ask what her plans were. "I don't know," said Hermione. "Your brother won't tell me."
"Want me to find out for you?" Ginny asked.
Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm looking forward to the surprise," she said. "You know, Ginny, your brother is really surprising me."
"You mean you don't even have an inkling of what he might be doing on Valentine's Day?" Ginny asked.
"No, I mean how great he's been since we got together," said Hermione. "I mean, HE'S the one who wanted to do something special for Valentine's Day. I thought he would forget all about it."
"Well, that's the thing with Ron," said Ginny. "When he knows what he wants, there's no question about it, I suppose. He just knows what he's doing when it comes to certain things."
Hermione nodded, "Still, he surprised me everyday." She seemed to go off into her own world as she thought about Ron again. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Man, you have it bad," she said. "But I'm happy for you. And if my brother ever does anything to hurt you, just let me know and I'll take care of it."
Hermione laughed, "Thanks, Gin."
"But the same goes for you too," Ginny said. "Hurt my brother and I'll take care of you." For a moment, Ginny looked so serious that Hermione didn't know what to say. Then Ginny smiled and the moment passed. "See? What did I tell you? You're going to be the next person to get married."
"Ginny, I haven't really thought that far yet," said Hermione. "I mean, we've only been together a month and a half."
"Doesn't matter," said Ginny. "You caught the bouquet, you put it under your bed and had a dream about Ron. You two are going to get married." Hermione smiled as she thought, once again, of being Mrs. Ron Weasley.
"Since when did I become some blushing teenager?" Hermione asked. "You see what your brother does to me?! I don't act like this!"
Ginny smiled, "Maybe a change every now and then isn't such a bad idea. You're still the same Hermione you always were, except now you're in love with someone."
"Yeah," said Hermione dreamily. "Though it's nice to know some things never change. Like yesterday, Ron and I had this little spat over schoolwork, but we made up as usual."
"And now there's the make up sex," said Ginny.
Hermione coughed, "WHAT?! You don't think we're having - you don't think we're doing THAT, do you?"
"You're not?"
"We haven't even talked about it!" Hermione exclaimed. "I mean, I've thought about it, but neither Ron nor I have ever said one word to each other about it."
"I guess it is too soon," said Ginny. "Sorry about that. I guess I just thought since you took so long to get together, everything else would have happened so quickly."
"No," said Hermione. "And to tell you the truth, I would prefer if we stayed away from that topic. I don't even want sex to be an issue between Ron and me right now. We're both happy the way things are. I know it will come up somewhere down the line, but right now it's not, so I'd rather keep it that way. Please don't tell Ron we talked about this."
"I won't," Ginny promised.
"Now, what about you?" Hermione asked. "Are you interested in anybody?"
Ginny looked down at her feet. "Yeah," she admitted.
"So tell me," said Hermione. "Who is it?"
"Harry," Ginny admitted.
"Oh, Gin," said Hermione. "I thought you moved beyond that."
"I thought I did too," said Ginny. "But nothing ever seemed to work out in my other relationships."
"All two of them," Hermione teased, and Ginny rolled her eyes at her.
"And then we've been spending a lot of time together lately. I mean, no offense but you and Ron have been very self-centered lately, and that's okay, so Harry's been kind of on his own, and I've been keeping him company," Ginny explained. "And, I don't know Hermione, there's something different about him. Something I didn't see before, but something that makes me really, really, really want to be with him."
"Well, Ginny," said Hermione. "Maybe you should just ask him to go out with you. The next Hogsmeade weekend, perhaps?"
"I can't do that!" Ginny exclaimed. "What if he laughs at me?"
"What if he doesn't?" Hermione asked. "Here's the thing: you don't know until you try. Think of how long your brother and I could have been together by now if we had faced up to our feelings and told each other."
"Like two years or something," said Ginny, and she knew Hermione was right. Though Hermione and Ron had been quite happy just as friends for those two years, Ginny thought about how much happier they were now that they were a couple. It wasn't right to deny herself the happiness that she envied in her brother and his girlfriend. "All right, I'll do it!"
"Good!" said Hermione, and then she turned girly. "What if you and Harry got married? And Ron and I got married? Then we'd all be related! Wouldn't that be funny?!" With that, Hermione and Ginny spent the rest of the afternoon talking about boys, weddings, and even, for one could never have a conversation with Hermione without touching upon the importance of study at least once or twice, schoolwork.
* * *
With Ginny distracting Hermione, Harry took the opportunity to invite Ron to practice some Quidditch. While Ginny had been a great companion for the last month and a half, Harry still wanted to hang out with Ron. There were certain things that Harry still didn't feel comfortable talking about with Ginny, and he needed Ron around to feel in those pieces.
"So, how're things going with Hermione?" Harry asked, as he threw the Quaffle at Ron.
Ron blocked it and said, "Great."
"So have you?" Harry asked.
"Have we what?" Ron said, and he threw the Quaffle back.
"Have you. y'know, done it," said Harry.
"Harry! What kind of question is that!? No, we haven't, okay? And even if we had, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable telling you about it," Ron said.
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. "I wasn't asking for details. Believe me, I don't want to know the details. I was just wondering if you had done it or not."
"Well, we haven't," said Ron. "And it's not something I want to talk about with her yet. I don't want to screw this up, Harry."
"Okay then," said Harry, and he dropped the subject and threw the Quaffle back at Ron.
"You don't see me asking you about your sex life," said Ron.
"What sex life?" said Harry. "The only girl I ever kissed was Cho."
"Isn't there anybody you like?" Ron asked.
"Maybe," said Harry.
"Who is it?" said Ron.
"I don't really want to say," said Harry. He was thinking of Ginny. He wasn't sure when his feelings for her had changed, but they had. He wasn't even sure if the feelings had changed to him liking her. All he knew was that his feelings towards Ginny were different, and he considered that a good thing.
"Why not?" Ron asked.
"I just don't want to.. uh.. jinx anything," Harry said.
"Fine!" said Ron, in mock hurt. "Don't tell me then. I'll figure it out sooner or later."
'I don't think you'll like it,' Harry thought to himself.
"Anyway, let's just play," said Harry, and Ron threw the Quaffle to him again and the continued to practice. After a few moments, Ron spoke again.
"Hey Harry?" he asked. This time there was a hint of laughter in his voice. "You think Neville and Luna do it?"
"Oh, gross!" Harry exclaimed. "Thanks Ron, thanks a lot. Now I'm never going to get that image out of my head!"