Chapter Three

"Stupid muggle inventions," Ron commented, letting his head fall back and hit the elevator wall that he had been leaning on with a loud thud. Hermione looked at him sympathetically. 'Don't do that, Hermione,' she instructed herself, trying her hardest to be pissed off. After all, she was stuck in an elevator with the person she hated the most…. Right? But for some reason, Hermione just sighed and sat down next to her large pink suitcase and looked up at Ron who was looking up at the ceiling.

"How long do you think we'll be in here?" Ron looked down at her as she asked the question, staring up at him with those big brown eyes.

"Not long, I'm sure." Ron paused and cocked his head to the side. "Hey, why are you asking me? Aren't you the one with muggle parents?" Ron smiled at her and sat down, too.

She shrugged and rested her head on the suitcase next to her, closing her eyes instinctively Ron watched her as she sat there, waiting. He continued to smile until she opened her eyes immediately.

"What are you staring at?" She asked curiously. Ron felt his face turn red as he averted his attention to the string on the bottom of the black suitcase next to him.

"Nothing," He said quietly, fiddling with the string. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, watching him closely, fiddling with the string as he always did when he didn't want to talk about something.

"What are you thinking about?" Hermione asked rather abruptly. Ron stopped immediately and looked up at her.

"Not much." He lied. Really, he had a ton of things going through his mind. He wanted to ask her questions about her home, about her job, about… her love life. He was sure she'd found someone new, probably engaged or married by now. Maybe she even had kids. He suddenly felt jealous. He couldn't bring himself to ask her, though, figuring she'd tell him if she wanted to. He looked down again as Hermione played with the end of her skirt.

"I've missed you, Ron," Hermione stated calmly, not looking up from her skirt. She felt tears brimming her eyes. She hadn't wanted to say it. She wanted to act like she was made of ice… unemotional, but she wasn't and she knew that as soon as she felt the hot tears hitting her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly with the back of her hand, hoping Ron wouldn't notice.

Ron looked up at her as she said those words. He hadn't expected it. He didn't think she had even knew she was going to say it… He couldn't say anything as he watched her pretend like she wasn't crying. He wanted to hug her and make her less vulnerable, but he knew it couldn't be that way. For reasons unknown to Hermione.

"Aren't you going to say something?" She questioned, still trying her best to bottle up remaining tears. She still hadn't looked up at him and Ron debated on what to say or to do. If she had missed him half as much as missed her, the trip might not be so bad after all.

"What am I supposed to say?" Ron asked quietly, looking up at her.

"There's the asshole we all know and love," She smiled sarcastically like she knew what she was getting into when she said it.

"Asshole?" Ron questioned, looking at her in bewilderment. 'What did I say' Ron asked himself.

"You're supposed to say something like 'I missed you, too' but you're too… naïve. You always have been!" Hermione replied harshly making Ron gulp. He felt like he was being scolded by his mother. He remembered now why he'd disappeared the first time.

"Ron, why would you even say that?" Hermione questioned, looking up at him. She had been crying all day and when she'd finally told him why, he hadn't exactly reacted the way she'd wanted him to.

"I can't help it, Mione." He paused, looking at her sitting on the couch in his apartment, knees to her chest, rocking back and forth. "I don't want to be a father." He felt a tear on his own cheek, but he didn't care.

"I don't understand…" Hermione just sat there on the couch looking up at him. "Why would you even think I'd do that because you didn't want to be a father?"

"An abortion is not the end of the world, Hermione! They happen everyday! It doesn't mean we can't have children later… it's just…" Ron stopped and changed his mind. He grabbed his coat and with a flash, he was gone leaving a pregnant, hysterical Hermione behind.

Ron felt tears on his cheeks as he watched Hermione's face turn red. She stopped yelling when she noticed the water trickling slowly, silently down his face.

"I'm sorry," She murmured, shifting uneasily.

"It's okay. It's the truth," Ron looked down at the ground, avoiding the guilty look she was giving him.

"What's the truth? The fact that you've always been an asshole?" She smiled again as his eyes were still on her sandaled feet.

"No, the fact is… I've missed you, too," He replied, looking up at her again.

"Well, I knew that!" She responded teasingly, sitting up straighter.

"Then why'd you call me an asshole for not saying it?" Ron looked at her and half smiled. It was the same old Hermione after all.

"I don't know… just felt like something I would say," She smiled and started readjusting her halter top strap, giving Ron a harder time staying seated on the other side of the elevator. He watched her intently, wondering what to say next. He didn't say anything. Instead, He leaned over and kissed her. Kissed her like he'd wanted to for the few years they'd been apart.

Hermione didn't know what to think. He had kissed her first and in the beginning it felt so right. She felt wonderful… perfect. She pulled away a few seconds later.

"Ron…" She started, but was interrupted again by his lips on hers.

~*~

'It's been over an hour,' Harry said, sitting in the lobby looking around. 'I know they're all making up or whatever…. But blowing me off was not part of the deal,' Harry smiled and got up to go to Hermione's room to see if they were still there. He walked over to the elevator shaft towards the right of the boat. There were maintenance men trying to fix the broken elevator and Harry decided he'd wait. After all, it was his luck that if he walked all the way up the stairs, they'd be down here in the lobby waiting on him. This way he could wait and see if they arrived and if not, then he'd finally get to ride on f these stupid muggle elevators.

"Almost done, sir," One of the fat, bald man commented towards Harry. There was a sudden screeching sound and the elevator doors flew open with a bang revealing the two people he'd been looking for…

Kissing on the elevator floor.

Harry smiled.

His plan was definitely working.

[Hello! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Review! I would love you forever! Hope you like Chapter Three. I do! MUCH more to come – don't hate Ron too much! 3Hannah!]