Ron slid down and off the end of his broom, gripping the very last portion of the handle with his hand.
Twisting his torso viciously, he stretched and swung his left leg out as far as it would go.
His boot heel barely swiped the side of the Quaffle, but it was enough to alter its trajectory, and the round globe flew harmlessly away from the goals.
Sighing heavily in relief, Ron hoisted his body back up onto his broom, then slowly flew down to the pitch.
He was met by what seemed to be all of Gryffindor, screaming their congratulations and and overcome with enthusiasm.
He of course, appreciated it, but knew that the only opinions that mattered were those of the team.
With bated breath, he watched as Angelina held up her hand for silence.
"I would like to thank everyone for coming out. As you know, we only had one position open this year. Well, I won't keep you all in suspense any longer. Since I've been on this team, I have never seen such an amazing performance. I don't believe that even Oliver Wood could have saved all 30 of the shot attempts made, especially by such talented Chasers! It is my great pleasure to announce that our new Gryffindor Keeper is none other than Ron Weasley!"
Loud cheers echoed all around Ron, but he barely heard them. Despite himself, he glanced around looking for the one face that truly made him feel like he was special.
Hermione was nowhere to be seen.
Probably somewhere with Malfoy, Ron thought disgustedly.
Sighing heavily, he muttered his thanks for all the congratulations being sent his way by the other students and began to pack up his things and head back to Hogwarts. After a quick conference with Angelina regarding practice times, Ron began the long trek back.
Harry and Ginny materialized at his side, and walked along with him.
"Congratulations Ron," Ginny murmured. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then hugged him fiercely.
Harry gave him a manly slap on the back, then asked, "Alright, Ron?"
Ron tiredly ran his hand over his face, then looked over at Harry.
"Not even a little, mate. Not even a little."
The journey back to Hogwarts was eerily silent. Harry and Ginny walked on either side of Ron, exchanging worried glances that Ron could plainly see.
He didn't even have the strength to tell them to stop. All he wanted to do was get into bed and pull the covers up over his head.
This was supposed to be the greatest moment of his life, but all he could feel was the horrible ball of hurt lodged in his stomach. Thoughts of Hermione and how badly he'd screwed things up were slowly eroding the sheen of anger that had carried him through the tryout.
What was he supposed to do now?
Hermione was going to the Ball with Malfoy, of all people. Though Ron didn't know for sure, from the way Harry and Ginny had been sniffing around each other this year, it seemed likely they'd be going together.
It figures. Apparently God had decided that Ron Weasley's life could not be perfect for even one moment. Or maybe Ron had it wrong. Maybe it was his fault, and he'd been mucking up all of God's plans for him since day one.
No matter.
He didn't have Hermione, and it looked like Harry was moving slowly away, as well.
Towards his baby sister.
Oh yes, Ron had seen the looks they'd been giving one another. First during the summer, and with growing frequency as the school year progressed.
Ron had decided to wait patiently for Harry to broach the subject, but so far he hadn't mentioned anything.
Ron was pretty sure once Harry and Ginny figured things out, they'd let him know. Besides, at the moment, Ron's own troubled relationship (if you could even call it that) was taking up all his thought energy.
The only certainty Ron had now was Quidditch.
Blimey, was he really becoming Oliver Wood?
With that horrible thought, Ron begged off dinner in the Great Hall and trudged up towards the Gryffindor common room.
That whole bed idea was becoming more appealing by the second.
Ron came to a sudden stop as he entered the room.
There, upon the couch, looking absolutely wretched, sat Hermione.
Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, as was her nose. Her skin looked blotchy and her hair was everywhere.
Ron had never seen anything more beautiful.
Only an hour ago, he had been cursing her very existence. He had fantasized all sorts of grand ways he could get back at her (starting with snogging as many girls as he could) .
In between goal shots, Ron had thought up loads of witty, biting retorts for the next time he saw her. Then he had thought of ignoring her very existence. She had hated that their third year. Only this time, he had planned on making it last at least until the end of Hogwarts.
But instead, as he observed her looking about as bad as he felt, he was struck by the fact that he would do anything to make her happy. Even as badly as she'd hurt him, he'd hurt her first. He was willing to own up to the fact that most of this was his doing. Maybe if he, for once, thought of her instead of his own pride, they could be able to get back on track and move past this second Ball disaster.
Without another thought, Ron dropped his broom and equipment and strode over to Hermione.
Hermione looked up, startled. Her eyes filled with fresh tears as she saw who was next to her.
"Oh Ron," she began, but was quickly cut off.
"No, Mione. Listen to me. I am so very sorry for reading that parchment. But I swear, it just fell out, and I really was going to put it back. I figured it was class notes or some such thing. I had no idea what it was, and by the time I figured it out, I was too late."
Hermione tried to interrupt again, but Ron stilled her with a finger.
"And I want you to know that I was so mad at you today, but I reckon I've just come to realize how you must have been feeling. You felt really hurt and violated by me, and probably thought this Malfoy thing was the perfect way to get back at me. And while I'll never be okay with you doing anything with that git, I care more about your happiness than I do about being jealous of him. I guess what I'm trying to say that it's okay if you said yes, because I know you were doing it because of me, not because of him."
Ron gave a slight smirk. "In fact, it says a lot about the depth of your feelings for me, if I got you so mad that you'd risk touching Malfoy for any extended period of time."
After this, Hermione remained silent, continuing to stare at Ron.
"Well," he muttered, beginning to regret his last comment, "aren't you going to say anything?"
"Oh," Hermione replied acidly, "I can speak now?"
Ron fidgeted a bit and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Mione. 'Course you can."
"Sit down." Hermione waited for Ron to comply before continuing.
"You're right. I was furious with you. I didn't stop to consider how it could have happened, I just knew that you had had possession of the book and the parchment had been moved. It didn't matter whether it was accidental or not Ron, because either way, you had read my private thoughts. I was embarrassed and angry, although I really can't say whether I felt one or the other more strongly."
Ron nodded in understanding.
"I felt like I couldn't bear to talk to you, because I would either start crying or start walloping you, and neither seemed acceptable to me. So I did my best to ignore you. In reality, I think a part of me wanted you to admit what you'd done so I wouldn't have to approach you about it. I realize now how cowardly that was. I should've just told you I knew and listened to your explanation. Instead, I turned to Ginny and froze you out, and for that, I'm sorry."
Ron smiled in response. "It's okay, believe me."
Hermione sighed heavily. "And as for this whole Draco Malfoy thing, well let me just say that you are an idiot."
Ron's eyes widened? "I'm an idiot? You're the idiot who's going to the ball with him!"
Hermione tossed her hair and suddenly looked much more like her normal superior self.
"And you're the idiot who made the assumption that I said yes!"
Ron shook his head in confusion. "But- when I asked- you didn't say-"
"Anything, Ron. I didn't say anything. You assumed that I had said yes. Minutes before, on our walk up, Ginny had convinced me to tell you what was wrong. I was just about to ask you if we could talk after the tryout when Malfoy walked up. I didn't appreciate the way you were acting, as if I couldn't speak for myself. And that just brought back all the anger I'd been carrying all week."
"Which is why you went off with Malfoy?" Ron asked.
"Which is why I went off with Malfoy," Hermione echoed.
"And then, when I came back, I wanted to make you well, hacked off a bit, to make you suffer a little, and then you kept asking me what I'd said. It really hurt my feelings that you could even question the answer I would give to Draco. Although, now I realize what my anger hadn't let me- for all the ways you've changed lately, a large part of you is still insecure. It wasn't really me you were doubting, it was yourself and your ability to, as you saw it, keep me."
Hermione's eyes narrowed after that last bit. "Of course, you'd better know right now that I'm no one's property. I belong to myself, regardless of how much I care for you! I'm not about to run behind you like a puppy or do your laundry or giggle and fawn like Lavender and Parvati. I have no time or inclination for that, understand?"
Ron was so happy he felt like dancing. He settled for giving Hermione a suave, devil-may-care grin.
He leaned towards her and murmured, "How about we just belong to each other and call it even? I'm all for fawning all over each other on both sides of our relationship."
"Well," Hermione pretended to mull it over. "All right, but you have to carry my books."
"That's fine, if you come to all my Quidditch matches."
"I'm there anyway, for Harry."
Ron couldn't help running his palm down the side of her face, which was fast becoming one of his favorite things to do.
"From now on, I want you to say you're there for Ron, as well as Harry, not for Harry, as well as Ron. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes," Hermione smiled, "I believe I do."
She shifted closer to Ron. "So, are we made up now?"
Ron leaned back. "One more thing. What'd you say to Malfoy?"
Hermione sighed resignedly. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"
Ron shook his head. "Not bloody likely."
Hermione smiled in spite of herself. "My boyfriend shouldn't curse."
Ron laughed. "Oh, I have a feeling there will be plenty of things in our future that we shouldn't do, but will anyway."
"Ron!" Hermione was scandalized. And a little tingly.
Ron put a shocked look on his face. "I was talking about sneaking to Hogsmeade for a romantic night out. Whatever were you thinking? Gads, my girl's a scarlet woman!"
"Stop that and I'll tell you about Malfoy."
Ron shut it immediately and waited for her to speak.
Hermione took his silence as an opportunity to snuggle closer and lean her head against his chest.
As she began to speak, Ron's fingers played softly about her hair, and she could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart.
"He apologized for all the nasty things he's said to me, and told me he mostly never meant them. He said you were right, Ron- he was jealous. But it wasn't so much me, as much as the three of us together. I think he really wishes for the type of friendship we have together, and as much as admitted that Crabbe, Goyle and the rest of Slytherin only cared about his money and were afraid to go against the Malfoy name."
"That's not too suprising," Ron said thoughtfully. "I mean, in a way, it's kind of like Harry. Never knowing who really liked him for him, or as the Boy who Lived."
"I thought the same. But, to make matters worse, Voldemort has returned and Draco's father is his right hand. How do you think you'd feel and act if you were groomed all your life for one purpose, to be the sort of person you just couldn't be inside?"
"Probably just as Malfoy, like an absolute prick."
"Well, he told me that his fight with you woke him up to a lot of things. He knows the sort of life he will have if he follows in his father's footsteps, but he also knows that our side could very well be the losing one. He told me he couldn't live a lie, and had no interest in conquering anything. Draco likes the taste of power, but doesn't want to seek it above all else. He said he'll be speaking to Dumbledore, and asking for some way to stay at Hogwarts. He doesn't want to go back home."
"Wow," Ron murmured, speechless for once. I guess people really can surprise you, he thought to himself.
"Then he asked if you had invited me to the dance yet. I told him I wasn't speaking to you. I felt comfortable enough to tell him why, and he told me I should sort things out with you because I looked ghastly. I think I gave him a look and he started laughing. It was the first time I saw him look really happy. Like a weight was off his shoulders.
Then he said if you didn't ask, he would be happy to escort me. I told him I planned on going with you, after I made you suffer a bit, but that I would be delighted to save him a dance. He smiled at me, thanked me, and left. That was it. Oh, and he asked me to send his apologies to you and Harry, but he wasn't sure if you two would hit first and ask questions later."
"Smart bloke," was Ron's only comment.
"That's all you have to say?"
"Can we kiss now?"
"Ron, I meant, don't you think you should apologize for jumping to conclusions?"
"Absolutely not," Ron replied. "You purposely worded your statement so that I would think he had the primary intent of asking you to the Ball, and then acted as if you might have said yes. I think that makes us even after I violated your privacy, even though mine was a mistake and yours was deliberate."
Ron hurried on as he saw Hermione's eyes narrow dangerously.
"So, like I said, let's just call it even and snog til' dinner's over."
Hermione couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of her in response to his statement.
"Well, alright, but then we have to study."
Ron rolled his eyes before leaning towards her for a kiss.
"Whatever you say, dear."
Hermione giggled, and whispered just before their lips touched, "I could get used to this."
Ron kissed her softly. "The kissing, or me doing whatever you say?"
Hermione stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "I have to choose?"
Ron grinned wickedly. "Tell you what. You can have both if you promise to let me see what's under your robes before we graduate."
Hermione didn't even blink. "Okay."
"Wha-what?" Ron sputtered incredulously.
Hermione continued on as if she hadn't heard him. "I'll show you right now."
Ron couldn't believe it. Was he going to see…things?
Hermione unfastened her robe clasp to reveal……… her school uniform.
Ron waited a few moments for more material to come off, then scowled when he realized her game.
Hermione laughed out loud at Ron's murderous expression.
"That's not what I meant, Mione."
"I know," she replied saucily. She snuggled back next to him, then whispered seductively, "It's not what I really meant, either."
They didn't come up for air for an hour, when they were pelted round the head by Bertie Botts Every Flavor beans, courtesy of Fred and George.