Authors Note: Some people just don't know when to quit! And I'm one of them so here's yet another instalment of this R/Hr endeavour.

SWEET RON

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"This is NOT fair!" Hermione declared. "We didn't even do anything!"

"Hermione, we were making out in the library. You don't think, maybe, this was deserved?" Ron asked.

"Quit being all level-headed, that's my role, remember."

"Well your not doing a very good job of it."

"And your not doing a very good job with that table. You've missed a huge spot over in the corner."

"I'm not done with this table yet, I was going to go back to it."

"Sure you were."

"Hermione!"

"Ron!"

"Would you two PLEASE stop arguing!" Professor McGonagall ordered. She shuffled her papers irritably. Hermione and Ron exchanged agitated looks and went back to scrubbing the transfiguration tables.

"What happened to SWEET Ron anyway?" Hermione muttered.

"THAT IS IT!" McGonagall bellowed, slamming a heavy transfiguration book closed. "I can't work with you two bickering all the time! I will be in the staff room when you're done." She rose to her feet, collected her things and strode past them.

"Sorry Professor." Hermione murmured. Ron didn't say anything. Hermione watched him for a few minutes as he scrubbed a particularly stubborn stain. His hair flopped down over his forehead and his brow furrowed in concentration. She leaned back on one of the tables and cocked her head to the side watching him dip his sponge into the bucket. He flicked the hair out of his eyes and looked over at her.

"What are you doing?" He asked frowning.

"Nothing." Hermione replied, turning quickly back to the table she had been scrubbing. She waited a few moments before chancing a glance back in his direction. But Ron wasn't there. "What the…" Hermione murmured.

"Looking for me?" Ron whispered from behind her. Hermione spun back round.

"Don't do that!" She said, hitting him on the shoulder. "You scared me."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to." Ron took her hand in his and began studying it carefully. "You have ink stains." He muttered examining the tips of her fingers. Hermione smiled softly.

"And what about yours?" She asked, taking his hand. She managed to tear her eyes away from the cute crease on his forehead and looked down at his hands. "Ron!" She gasped. Ron pulled his hand away. "Your hands! They're covered in blisters!"

"Quidditch." Ron muttered.

"Quidditch? But your last game was over a month ago."

"I've been training."

"Why didn't you tell me? You should have gone to the hospital wing, or I could have made up some Murtlap essence for you to soak your hands in."

"I didn't want you to go to any trouble, and it's fine, really."

"Oh Ron, don't be stupid." Hermione threw her sponge back into the bucket and took Ron's hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Ron asked, letting himself be led from the room.

"Hospital wing."

"But Madam Pomfrey will be asleep! And besides, we have to finish cleaning or McGonagall will have a fit."

"Professor McGonagall wouldn't want her star keeper to do anything to jeopardise his quaffle stopping hands!" Hermione replied. Ron's ears glowed. "And I know where Madam Pomfrey keeps everything. I've spent almost as much time in the hospital wing as I have in the library." Ron laughed and continued to let himself be dragged down the corridor. They both dropped their voices to a whisper as they stepped into the hospital wing. "Sit down over there." Hermione ordered, indicating a bed near Madam Pomfrey's big potions cabinet. Ron obediently hopped onto the bed and examined his hands while Hermione swung open the unlocked cabinet and began riffling through its contents.

"Are you sure we won't get in trouble for this?" Ron asked.

"Of course not. We're prefects, you need medical attention and besides," Hermione paused glanced over at him, "we're not going to get caught." Ron laughed. "Here it is!" Hermione announced, pulling a vial of dark yellow liquid from the cabinet.

"What is it?" Ron asked, screwing up his nose.

"A mix of Murtlap essence and few other things. Hold out your hands." Ron hesitated and then held his hand out to her. Hermione uncorked the vial and carefully tipped it over his hands so only a tiny drop lay in each of his palms. They both watched patiently.

"Nothings happening." Ron pointed out after a moment.

"It might take some time." Hermione replied. Ron shuffled over and Hermione slid onto the bed next to him.

"What do you want to do while we wait?" Ron asked. Hermione sighed and rested her head back on the pillow.

"Sleep." She murmured.

"We can't sleep. We'll get caught if we fall asleep." Ron laughed. "Hermione?" He glanced down at her. Hermione's eyes were closed and she was breathing softly. He cast his eyes back to his hands, which were tingling slightly. The drops of Murtlap mix had disappeared under his skin and his blisters were slowly shrinking. Ron could fell his eyelids getting heavier. He had to stay awake. He had to get Hermione back up to Gryffindor tower. "Hermione?"

"Mmm." Hermione muttered in her sleep. Ron lay down next to her.

"Hermione?" Hermione rolled over so she was facing him, but her eyes were still closed. Ron smiled and tucked a lose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Goodnight." Ron whispered.

***

"Psst. Hey! Ron, Hermione, wake up!" Harry whispered, shaking Ron. Ron opened his eyes and stared blearily up at his best friend.

"Harry? What are you doing here?" He asked. Hermione groaned and rolled over without waking up.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I've been looking for you all night!" Harry replied, sounding a little angry. Ron sighed and sat up.

"Hermione." He said, shaking her. "Wake up. You fell asleep." Hermione muttered something incoherent and slept on. "What time is it?" Ron asked.

"Half past four." Ron groaned and fell back onto the bed. Out of nowhere the sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor. Ron sat up again. He and Harry exchanged a quick look then Ron leapt to his feet and with a little difficulty scooped Hermione into his arms. Harry led the way, quickly checking to see if the source of the noise had made it to their corridor yet, then quickly raced off towards Gryffindor tower.

"Baloney." Harry shot at the fat lady before she could lecture them about being out late. He climbed through the portrait hole into the common room then helped Ron get through. Ron struggled over to one of the big couches and dropped Hermione unceremoniously onto it.

"Thanks mate. I owe you." Ron said, falling back into one of the armchairs.

"You'd do the same for me." Harry replied, throwing himself onto the chair opposite. "You're just lucky I found you before McGonagall did."

"Tell you what, I'll name my first born after you." Ron yawned.

"You might want to check with Hermione about that." Harry laughed.

"You know, I can't believe she slept through this whole thing!" Ron said, starring over at Hermione's sleeping figure. "She's just as gorgeous asleep as she is awake." Harry groaned and stood up.

"I'm going to bed before you start getting all love sick on me." He announced, then added. "I hope you're not gonna be like this with her parents tomorrow." Ron starred horrified back at Harry.

"Her parents?"

"Yeah, remember? Holidays start tomorrow and Hermione invited us to her parents for Christmas."

"Her parents?" Ron repeated.

"Relax, Ron, you've met them before."

"But that was as her friend, this'll be as her," Ron swallowed, "boyfriend."

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Thanks for reading!