Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note: Please excuse typos. I had to get stitches in my left index finger yesterday so I'm typing without the use of it!
Chapter Eighteen: Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day arrived, and Hermione waited eagerly to see what sort of surprise Ron had in store for her. She was also eager to see if Ginny would make good on her promise and ask Harry to go somewhere with her. She wasn't sure that choosing Valentine's Day was the best idea, as Harry did have a bad experience with it the year before. Still, Hermione had been watching them when they were together, and she thought she noticed something different in the way Harry treated Ginny. Then she remembered something she had read somewhere once, that a lot of boys end up with their best friend's little sister, because they get the girl and also they get a little piece of their best friend as well. And, Hermione noted, Ginny and Ron were pretty similar, except for the fact that Ginny seemed wise beyond her years most of the time.
On the morning of February 14th, Hermione sat in the common room reading. She enjoyed getting up early on the weekends to read before anybody else was up. The sun made lines across the room and Hermione felt perfectly at peace.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, then smiled when she felt Ron's chin replace his hand. He pressed his cheek against hers.
"Good morning," he said. He knew she came downstairs on Saturday mornings to read. He joined her every now and then (though there wasn't a lot of reading going on when he was present), but most of the time he slept in. However, with it being Valentine's Day, Ron decided to start the celebrating early.
"Good morning," Hermione said back to him and she kissed his cheek. He turned his head to kiss her on the lips and tried to pull her closer while she giggled.
"Ron!" she squealed.
"What?" Ron feigned innocence. "I'm just trying to start celebrating."
"That's right," said Hermione, though she didn't forget what day it was. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Happy Valentine's Day," Ron repeated. "Are you ready for your surprise?" Ron lifted his chin from her shoulder and moved to the other side of the couch, where Hermione made room for him.
"Well," said Hermione, "I need to get ready, but that shouldn't take long. Besides, you, my dear, are still wearing your pajamas." She giggled and kissed him again. When she pulled away from him she asked, "What time do I need to be ready?"
"Twelve," said Ron. "So it's 8 now. Do you need to start getting ready now?"
"Ha, ha, very funny," said Hermione, "and NO, I don't need to start getting ready now."
"Well then," said Ron, "let's just stay right here." He pulled her close and held her. They stayed that way until the stirrings of the other members of Gryffindor disturbed their peace.
* * *
Ginny woke up that same morning with butterflies in her stomach. Today was the day she was going to ask Harry out. In many conversations with Hermione, Ginny had decided it would be too much pressure to ask him out FOR Valentine's Day, so she was simply going to ask him out ON Valentine's Day. Hermione didn't see how the pressure was different, but Ginny had her reasons.
While Hermione and Ron were in their respective dormitories, Ginny sought Harry ought. She found him in the common room, working out some plays for the next Quidditch game.
"How's it going?" she asked as she sat down opposite him at the table.
"Pretty good," said Harry. "You?"
"Okay," said Ginny. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Oh," said Harry. "Happy Valentine's Day. Have any plans?"
"Nah," said Ginny, "You?"
"Nope," said Harry. "I guess you could say I'm boycotting."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, no date," said Harry. "So I'm just not really in the spirit of it. Not that I ever was."
"Me neither," said Ginny.
Harry looked up at her and smiled, "You sure about that?" he asked, and Ginny blushed. She knew that they were both thinking of the time that Ginny had sent him a rather embarrassing Valentine.
"I'm older now," said Ginny. "I'm not so.. silly anymore."
"I know," said Harry. "Listen Gin, about that. It's been really nice talking to you these past couple weeks. Y'know, with Ron and Hermione.. occupied. So I guess I just want to say thanks."
"You're welcome," said Ginny, and a silence fell between them. 'Okay,' Ginny thought. 'Now or never.'
She looked up at him. "Hey Harry?" Harry looked at her. "I was thinking. We've been getting along well, right?"
"Yeah."
"So I thought that maybe you'd like to go out with me," Ginny stated.
Harry looked surprised. "Tonight?" he asked.
"Oh, well no, not tonight," said Ginny. "But some other time, maybe."
Harry was still surprised at Ginny's words. "Do you mean, like, a date?" he asked, and he realized that's what he WANTED her to mean.
"Well, yeah," Ginny said. She watched Harry's face as she waited for his answer.
"Sure," was all he said.
"Oh," said Ginny, relieved and happy. "Oh, great! It'll be fun!"
"Yeah," said Harry, and he seemed about to say something else when he saw Ron come down the stairs and approach them.
"All set?" Ginny asked him.
"All I need is my girl," Ron said, beaming. "What are you two up to today?"
"Talking Quidditch," Harry said. "We've got some new things to try and so I thought I'd explain them to Ginny."
"Well, have fun!" Ron exclaimed.
"You too," said Harry, and he noticed Hermione coming down the stairs. Ron followed Harry's gaze and smiled when he saw Hermione. He held out his hand when she got close enough and she took it.
"You look great, Hermione," Ginny commented.
"Thanks, Gin," Hermione said.
"Well, we'll see you two later," said Ron. "We've got big plans."
"Have a nice time!" Ginny called out Ron and Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole. Once they were out of sight, Ginny turned back to Harry.
"So," Harry said. "When did you want to go on this date?"
"Well, the next Hogsmeade weekend may not be for a while."
"What do you suggest?" Harry asked. Then the idea came to him. "Why don't you leave it to me? Tomorrow afternoon. I have an idea."
* * *
Ron held Hermione's hand tightly as he walked through Hogsmeade. All around them were other students, some also holding hands, others walking awkwardly, wondering what the next step would be. Hermione was happy that she and Ron were beyond that and could be comfortable with each other. More so, however, she wondered where they were headed, as they seemed to be walking past all the places Hermione had imagined they would go, and heading out of Hogsmeade.
"Ron, where-?"
"Just trust me," Ron said and he squeezed her hand tighter. "I wanted to make sure that no one was going to be around."
Hermione decided to let herself trust Ron, and it was soon clear where they were going. Ron was leading her to the same cave that she, Ron and Harry had visited Sirius in during their fourth year. Ron helped her up the path, charming it so that it wasn't so icy.
When they reached the inside of the cave, it looked exactly the same as when she had last seen it. "Just wait," Ron said, knowing it didn't look very impressive. He pulled his bag out and produced a blanket, which he spread on the floor. He put candles in the middle and set up the food.
"All courtesy of Dobby," Ron said. When Hermione gave him a look he added, "Don't worry, I paid him with this year's Christmas sweater. I'm his new best friend."
Hermione laughed and sat down where Ron showed her to go. She made her contribution to the winter picnic by conjuring a fire to keep them warm. When Ron sat down and they passed the food around, Hermione said, "Ron, everything is perfect! This is better than being in a crowded place."
Ron smiled and blushed, feeling proud of himself. "Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione."
Author's Note: Please excuse typos. I had to get stitches in my left index finger yesterday so I'm typing without the use of it!
Chapter Eighteen: Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day arrived, and Hermione waited eagerly to see what sort of surprise Ron had in store for her. She was also eager to see if Ginny would make good on her promise and ask Harry to go somewhere with her. She wasn't sure that choosing Valentine's Day was the best idea, as Harry did have a bad experience with it the year before. Still, Hermione had been watching them when they were together, and she thought she noticed something different in the way Harry treated Ginny. Then she remembered something she had read somewhere once, that a lot of boys end up with their best friend's little sister, because they get the girl and also they get a little piece of their best friend as well. And, Hermione noted, Ginny and Ron were pretty similar, except for the fact that Ginny seemed wise beyond her years most of the time.
On the morning of February 14th, Hermione sat in the common room reading. She enjoyed getting up early on the weekends to read before anybody else was up. The sun made lines across the room and Hermione felt perfectly at peace.
She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, then smiled when she felt Ron's chin replace his hand. He pressed his cheek against hers.
"Good morning," he said. He knew she came downstairs on Saturday mornings to read. He joined her every now and then (though there wasn't a lot of reading going on when he was present), but most of the time he slept in. However, with it being Valentine's Day, Ron decided to start the celebrating early.
"Good morning," Hermione said back to him and she kissed his cheek. He turned his head to kiss her on the lips and tried to pull her closer while she giggled.
"Ron!" she squealed.
"What?" Ron feigned innocence. "I'm just trying to start celebrating."
"That's right," said Hermione, though she didn't forget what day it was. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Happy Valentine's Day," Ron repeated. "Are you ready for your surprise?" Ron lifted his chin from her shoulder and moved to the other side of the couch, where Hermione made room for him.
"Well," said Hermione, "I need to get ready, but that shouldn't take long. Besides, you, my dear, are still wearing your pajamas." She giggled and kissed him again. When she pulled away from him she asked, "What time do I need to be ready?"
"Twelve," said Ron. "So it's 8 now. Do you need to start getting ready now?"
"Ha, ha, very funny," said Hermione, "and NO, I don't need to start getting ready now."
"Well then," said Ron, "let's just stay right here." He pulled her close and held her. They stayed that way until the stirrings of the other members of Gryffindor disturbed their peace.
* * *
Ginny woke up that same morning with butterflies in her stomach. Today was the day she was going to ask Harry out. In many conversations with Hermione, Ginny had decided it would be too much pressure to ask him out FOR Valentine's Day, so she was simply going to ask him out ON Valentine's Day. Hermione didn't see how the pressure was different, but Ginny had her reasons.
While Hermione and Ron were in their respective dormitories, Ginny sought Harry ought. She found him in the common room, working out some plays for the next Quidditch game.
"How's it going?" she asked as she sat down opposite him at the table.
"Pretty good," said Harry. "You?"
"Okay," said Ginny. "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Oh," said Harry. "Happy Valentine's Day. Have any plans?"
"Nah," said Ginny, "You?"
"Nope," said Harry. "I guess you could say I'm boycotting."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, no date," said Harry. "So I'm just not really in the spirit of it. Not that I ever was."
"Me neither," said Ginny.
Harry looked up at her and smiled, "You sure about that?" he asked, and Ginny blushed. She knew that they were both thinking of the time that Ginny had sent him a rather embarrassing Valentine.
"I'm older now," said Ginny. "I'm not so.. silly anymore."
"I know," said Harry. "Listen Gin, about that. It's been really nice talking to you these past couple weeks. Y'know, with Ron and Hermione.. occupied. So I guess I just want to say thanks."
"You're welcome," said Ginny, and a silence fell between them. 'Okay,' Ginny thought. 'Now or never.'
She looked up at him. "Hey Harry?" Harry looked at her. "I was thinking. We've been getting along well, right?"
"Yeah."
"So I thought that maybe you'd like to go out with me," Ginny stated.
Harry looked surprised. "Tonight?" he asked.
"Oh, well no, not tonight," said Ginny. "But some other time, maybe."
Harry was still surprised at Ginny's words. "Do you mean, like, a date?" he asked, and he realized that's what he WANTED her to mean.
"Well, yeah," Ginny said. She watched Harry's face as she waited for his answer.
"Sure," was all he said.
"Oh," said Ginny, relieved and happy. "Oh, great! It'll be fun!"
"Yeah," said Harry, and he seemed about to say something else when he saw Ron come down the stairs and approach them.
"All set?" Ginny asked him.
"All I need is my girl," Ron said, beaming. "What are you two up to today?"
"Talking Quidditch," Harry said. "We've got some new things to try and so I thought I'd explain them to Ginny."
"Well, have fun!" Ron exclaimed.
"You too," said Harry, and he noticed Hermione coming down the stairs. Ron followed Harry's gaze and smiled when he saw Hermione. He held out his hand when she got close enough and she took it.
"You look great, Hermione," Ginny commented.
"Thanks, Gin," Hermione said.
"Well, we'll see you two later," said Ron. "We've got big plans."
"Have a nice time!" Ginny called out Ron and Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole. Once they were out of sight, Ginny turned back to Harry.
"So," Harry said. "When did you want to go on this date?"
"Well, the next Hogsmeade weekend may not be for a while."
"What do you suggest?" Harry asked. Then the idea came to him. "Why don't you leave it to me? Tomorrow afternoon. I have an idea."
* * *
Ron held Hermione's hand tightly as he walked through Hogsmeade. All around them were other students, some also holding hands, others walking awkwardly, wondering what the next step would be. Hermione was happy that she and Ron were beyond that and could be comfortable with each other. More so, however, she wondered where they were headed, as they seemed to be walking past all the places Hermione had imagined they would go, and heading out of Hogsmeade.
"Ron, where-?"
"Just trust me," Ron said and he squeezed her hand tighter. "I wanted to make sure that no one was going to be around."
Hermione decided to let herself trust Ron, and it was soon clear where they were going. Ron was leading her to the same cave that she, Ron and Harry had visited Sirius in during their fourth year. Ron helped her up the path, charming it so that it wasn't so icy.
When they reached the inside of the cave, it looked exactly the same as when she had last seen it. "Just wait," Ron said, knowing it didn't look very impressive. He pulled his bag out and produced a blanket, which he spread on the floor. He put candles in the middle and set up the food.
"All courtesy of Dobby," Ron said. When Hermione gave him a look he added, "Don't worry, I paid him with this year's Christmas sweater. I'm his new best friend."
Hermione laughed and sat down where Ron showed her to go. She made her contribution to the winter picnic by conjuring a fire to keep them warm. When Ron sat down and they passed the food around, Hermione said, "Ron, everything is perfect! This is better than being in a crowded place."
Ron smiled and blushed, feeling proud of himself. "Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione."