Now and Again
by LondonWitch
A/N: This is the short second part to the two-part story. I wish I was J.K. Rowling, and that I did own the characters that I love, but all I own is the plot. Enjoy, and I hope you'll review!
Part Two: ...and Again
Hermione Granger was a short seventeen-year-old with deep, rich, mousse- brown eyes and long brown wavy hair that she curled around her finger while studying. Which was, of course, what she was doing at that moment. Studying for an Arithmancy test that was to take place in three weeks, seated on a squashy armchair in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Hey, Hermione. Whatcha doin'?" Ron walked in; throwing his maroon sweater on an empty chair (Christmas had only been a few weeks ago). The Common Room was empty except for them, as it was 7 o'clock and everyone else was at dinner.
"Studying. I ate earlier, while you were at practice. Did Harry run off with Ginny again?" Hermione asked, a small smile playing across her lips. Harry and Ron had been at Quidditch practice, but Harry usually stuck around afterward to throw a Quaffle around with Ginny, who was the new Chaser for Gryffindor.
"Yes. Hey, there was something I wanted to ask you..." Ron thought hard. He knew that earlier that day, he'd known he had to ask her something, but he just couldn't remember what it was.
"Really? Need help with homework again?" Hermione looked up from her Arithmancy book again, and then closed it. She'd always had a hard time studying with Ron in the room. He always just...caught her attention and held onto it. She loved the way his eyebrows furrowed above his eyes, the sparkling pools of baby blue, while he was in deep thought.
"Oh! I know! I...er...oh yeah! I need help on my Potions homework! It's really hard and...no, that's not it. There was something else," Ron said, even though he did indeed need help with Potions. Snape had been a madman lately, even more so than usual. Ron was seriously considering asking Madam Promfrey to make sure that Snape didn't have fangs.
Something about that sentence stirred a memory in Hermione's brain. Something about the way he'd said it...and all of a sudden she knew where he'd said the exact thing before. Hermione seemed to freeze, waiting, watching for the moment.
Ron looked around the Common Room helplessly. Then he glanced at Hermione, and seeing her, almost paralyzed with fear...and, somehow, a sense of waiting and knowing. And all of a sudden he remembered something he'd said...done...been...so long ago.
'Hermione, I'll tell you all this again one day. Someday. Now...now and again.'
Again had come, at last.
"Hermione, there's something I need to tell you," Ron said, breathing slowly now. He hoped that he was doing the right thing, that he wasn't about to make a complete fool of himself. Well, might as well get it over with, before everyone else came in form dinner.
"Yes, Ron?" Hermione had to struggle to even get those two words out. She was praying that this was it, the day he'd say it...
'I'll be ready. I promise, I'll be there and ready.'
"I love you."
There, he'd said it. And again, for Hermione, the magical rush flew throughout her, and she couldn't contain it a minute longer. She threw her arms around him and gave him the biggest hug she could, hoping that Ron knew she loved him with all her might.
Ron looked at her for a moment, and hugged her back, holding her for a few minutes, "You know, I told you...I told you this in 2nd Year, while you were paralyzed. And I could have sworn that..."
"I squeezed your hand back?" Hermione asked, grinning slightly. She loved to tease him like this. It drove him absolutely insane.
"How did you...what did you...how?" Ron stared in amazement, "Are you psychic or something? I thought you'd dropped out of Trelawney's class for good!"
"No, silly. I could hear what you were saying that day...and I couldn't move at all but I did will myself to," she replied, and somewhere a faint, tinkling melody began to play, "Dance with me, Ron, please?"
Hermione grabbed his and hoisted him up, and together they twirled around the room, not taking their eyes off one another. Slowly, very slowly, Ron squeezed Hermione's hand again.
And slightly, ever so slightly, he could have sworn he felt a soft squeeze in return.
A/N: Finished. The italics were flashbacks, in case you couldn't tell. I hope you enjoyed it, please review! Thanks...