Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter books, nor the characters,
settings or events described therein. That honor belongs to the
incomparable J. K. Rowling.
~~~~~~~~~
Ron quietly entered the room he shared with Harry, carrying a large mug of pumpkin juice. He took a long drink, then offered the mug to Harry, who shook his head. Shrugging, Ron finished the juice in one gulp.
"Much better," he murmured, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and settling back down onto his bed. "Now...where was I?"
"You just finished telling me how you found out Hermione didn't fancy me, so you didn't have to beat me bloody," Harry said dryly.
"Oh, yeah. Okay. After we went back to Hogwarts, Hermione and I had a lot of time alone together. No offense, Harry, but sometimes you were, well...hard to be around," he said gently. Harry nodded, remembering how angry he had been and how angry he still was at times. Ron cleared his throat and continued, "plus, Hermione and I were prefects, and we had a lot of extra duties, like helping the younger kids, going to meetings, patrolling the halls. One night..."
~~~~~~~~~
Ron and Hermione had been patrolling the halls for the last couple of hours, and it was just about time for all the prefects to return to their respective common rooms. Ron leaned wearily against the wall and looked at his watch. "I don't know why we have to patrol these halls night after night. All we've ever done is stop a couple of third years from snogging in that alcove behind the suit of armor."
Hermione sighed. "Well, Ron, patrolling the halls goes along with being a prefect. And being a prefect got you that new broom, didn't it?"
Ron's expression brightened as he thought about his new Cleensweep, then soured immediately as he remembered his dismal performance in Gryffindor's first Quidditch match of the year. "Yeah, I guess. Well, c'mon," he said, pushing off from the wall. "Let's do one more quick patrol, then head back to the common room. Maybe Harry will still be up, and we can play chess."
"Homework, Ron. Remember?" Ron groaned and cursed under his breath.
They were nearly to the end of the final hall in their patrol area when they saw Draco Malfoy come around the corner, accompanied by Pansy Parkinson, the other Slytherin prefect. "Oh, just perfect," Ron muttered sarcastically.
The two Slytherins smirked as they approached Ron and Hermione. "Well, well...Granger and Weasley, out for a nighttime stroll," Draco sneered. "I'm starting to see you two without Potter more and more...people will begin to talk." He grinned smugly at Pansy, who laughed heartily.
"We're prefects, Malfoy...remember?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse us..." she said curtly to Pansy, trying to pass her and continue down the hall. Pansy didn't budge.
"You're right, Granger," Malfoy drawled. "Pretty stupid of me to think that Weasley might fall for you. He's a pureblood, and even though his family is pretty low, he surely wouldn't be interested in a mudblood like yourself." Ron's expression was murderous, and Hermione put a warning hand on his arm. Malfoy looked appraisingly at Hermione, studying her up and down. "Though I'm sure you could be somewhat...amusing," he continued. "Don't worry, Granger. Maybe someday a decent wizard will have pity on you and take you as a mistress."
Before Malfoy realized what was happening, Ron grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall, pinning him there. Pansy started to reach for her wand, but before she could get her hand into her robes, Hermione had her own wand out and pointed at her.
Ron gripped Malfoy's collar in both hands as Malfoy struggled to get away. He wasn't having any luck, though, as his toes could barely scrape the floor. He quit struggling as Ron leaned ominously close to him, their noses almost touching.
"Don't you EVER speak to Hermione like that again," Ron said in a quiet, furious voice. "You and that...cow...over there don't deserve to be in the same hall with her. You and your family don't deserve to be on the same EARTH with her. Any decent wizard would be PROUD to have Hermione Granger as his WIFE. Apologize to her...NOW!"
Malfoy stared at Ron, trying to resume his usual bravado, but failing miserably as sweat trickled down his face. After a moment, he apparently decided he wanted to live because he grimaced and muttered something that sounded like, "orriGranger."
"Her name is Hermione," Ron said through gritted teeth. "Apologize!"
Malfoy took a deep breath, or at least tried to, then said, "I'm sorry...Hermione." He looked almost sick as he glared defiantly at Ron.
Ron backed away, dropping Malfoy to his feet, prepared to knock his head off if he so much as moved the wrong way. Malfoy sneered at Ron, his swagger returning. He straightened his robes and smoothed his hair, then set off down the hall, gesturing for Pansy to follow him. She did, edging past Hermione nervously.
Ron and Hermione watched until they were out of sight, then Ron started ranting.
"That son of a.....! How dare he talk about you like that! I should have torn him apart, Hermione! I should have beaten him bloody with my bare hands! I should have..."
Hermione stepped toward him and laid her fingers across his mouth, shocking him into silence instantly. He looked at her, surprised, and saw that she was watching him with an odd expression on her face. Her eyes were shining, gazing into his own softly. After a moment, she seemed to realize where her hand was, and she stared at her fingers on his lips for several seconds before slowly lowering her hand.
"It's so cliche' to say 'my hero'," she said, smiling. Stepping closer, she put one hand on his shoulder. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him lingeringly on the cheek. She backed away and smiled at his dazed expression. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Welcome," Ron mumbled. She had kissed him on the cheek just before his first Quidditch match, but his worry about the upcoming game had gotten in the way of his feelings after that kiss. This time, it was just...incredible.
She turned away and started down the hall. "Homework, Ron...remember?" she called over her shoulder.
Ron followed. Now, even the prospect of a late night with his books and parchment seemed better.
~~~~~~~~~
"You never told me you pinned Malfoy to the wall. I'm sorry I missed that," Harry said with laugh.
"Yeah, it was great, he was terrified. Anyway, like I said, Hermione and I had a lot of time alone last year. We got back late most nights, we would still have homework to do. Some nights you were still up with us, working, but a lot of nights, you had already gone to bed." Ron smiled, remembering something. "One night...she slept with me."
"What?!" Harry shouted, half-rising from his bed.
Ron waved his hands at him, making shushing sounds. "I don't mean that. No...no...not that," he said, blushing furiously as Harry sat back down, shaken. "I mean...."
~~~~~~~~~
It was after midnight and the common room was empty except for Ron and Hermione. They had been out late, patrolling the halls as part of their prefect duties. When they had arrived back at Gryffindor Tower, Ron had been intent on going straight to bed, but Hermione had reminded him that there was a large reading assignment for Snape's Potions class. They were supposed to be prepared to discuss the material the next day, and Hermione had insisted that Ron stay up until he had completed the required reading.
"Here...we'll read it together and discuss it," she had said, plopping down on the couch in front of the fire. Groaning, Ron had sat down beside her and opened his large Potions book reluctantly.
Now, an hour later, they were still reading, the open book in Ron's hands as Hermione sat close beside him, reading from the same book and asking him questions, getting perturbed when he didn't quite know the answers.
"No, no, Ron...see, right here..." she said, pointing at the text. "See? It says that you use essence of hellebore in the Draft of Peace. Why don't you reread that section?" she yawned, leaning her head against the side of his arm.
Ron sighed and tried to focus on the words. Bloody hell, he thought. How does she expect me to concentrate on anything with her so close to me? He had been sitting there all this time, trying to ignore the fact that their bodies were almost touching, that she kept leaning her head against him while she read. The words on the page had been so much mumbo-jumbo as he felt her hair brush against his bare arm and smelled the pleasant scent that was distinctly hers. Okay, Weasley...concentrate! Get through this reading, go to bed and get control of yourself. He squinted at the page, determined to understand and remember this lesson so she would let him get away.
He had successfully gotten through the first paragraph when he noticed that Hermione was resting heavily against his arm, her breathing deep and regular. He leaned forward a bit and looked down into her face; she was sound asleep. "Hermione?" he whispered, but she didn't respond.
He sat back up and closed the book carefully, setting it on the couch beside him. He stared quietly into the fire for a while, thinking. He glanced down at her from time to time, half-hoping she would wake, half- hoping she wouldn't. He had to admit that, despite his unease, having her asleep beside him was...well, kind of nice.
Holding his breath, he tentatively slid his arm around her waist. As he did, she settled into the crook of his arm, sighing. After a moment, she turned more toward him, her face tilted up toward his, draping her arm across his chest as though it were a pillow. Then she was still.
Ron released the breath he had been holding, but found it hard to draw another, as his breath was now caught in his throat. His heart was pounding fiercely as it registered the fact that Hermione was now sleeping in his arms. He looked down into her peaceful countenance, and his hand, of its own accord, reached out and brushed her hair back from her face, his fingers lingering in the chestnut strands for a moment.
He found himself staring at her lips. How would it feel to kiss her? He had wondered this many times, at night just before falling asleep, in the evenings while watching her study, walking to class, patrolling the halls...well, just about everywhere. She had kissed him twice on the cheek, and while those kisses had been wonderful, they had made him realize how truly incredible kissing her on the lips would be.
Still staring at her, he fell into a daydream (a fact he would not share with Harry when recounting this night). He imagined himself leaning over and kissing her gently then pulling back as she woke up and looked at him quizzically. He would look back at her, letting her know that he wanted to kiss her again, and he would not blush or look away. After a moment, she would raise her hand (to smack you, a sadistic voice in his head said, but he ignored it) to the back of his head and pull him to her, kissing him ardently while putting her other arm around his neck. He would slip his other arm around her waist and hold her close. They would kiss passionately, then he would run his lips across her cheek, across her jaw line, as she murmured his name..."Ron...Ron..."
"Ron?" He had been so involved in his daydream that he had not realized that Hermione had opened her eyes and was now looking up at him strangely. "Did you hear me? I said I'm ready to go to bed."
Ron, with more than half his brain still reeling from his vivid imagination and the rest of it someplace where it shouldn't be, felt the blood drain from his face. "What?" he squeaked, looking shocked.
Hermione sat up and looked at him worriedly. "I said I'm ready to go upstairs and go to sleep. What did you think I said?" She felt his forehead. "Are you feeling all right?"
Ron smiled weakly, the color returning to his face in a rush as he thought about the implication of what he had thought she said. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine." He noticed that he still had his arm around Hermione's waist, and he withdrew it quickly. "Just sleepy," he finished lamely.
"Are you sure? You were very pale a moment ago, now your face is flushed." She took her hand from his forehead and touched his cheek, inadvertently making his face even redder. When he just stared at her, she lowered her hand to her own lap. "Well, if you're sure you're all right, I'm going up to bed. Did you finish reading?" she asked, indicating the book.
"Er...yeah." Truthfully, he had finished reading everything before she fell asleep--he just hadn't comprehended any of it.
She nodded. "Sorry I fell asleep. I must have been more tired than I thought. I just drifted off because I was so comfortable..." she trailed off, realizing that she was saying she had felt comfortable enough with him to fall asleep. She looked at her hands for a moment before abruptly standing up. "Well, good night."
Ron stood, too, and followed her across the room, heading for the stairs to the boys' dorm. Hermione stopped at the bottom of her steps and turned to him. "Thank you...for..." she broke off and indicated the couch, blushing slightly.
Ron realized, surprised, that she was referring to the fact that he had held her while she was sleeping. "Anytime," he murmured, then lowered his head, shifting his feet nervously, knowing how she could interpret that. He looked back up to see her still standing there watching him, her eyes shining. After a moment, she stepped closer and kissed him gently on the cheek--the third time she had done that. For some reason, the phrase, "third time's a charm", resonated in his brain. Then she ran lightly up the stairs.
"Good night, Hermione," he whispered, touching the place where she had kissed him, still gazing at the place where she had been standing only moments before.
~~~~~~~~~
"Okay. So, by this point, she had kissed you on the cheek three times: once before your first Quidditch match, once after you defended her from Malfoy, and once after she fell asleep on you on the couch." He drew a deep breath. "I'm not sure I want to ask this. After all, Hermione is like my sister, but...when did you finally kiss her?"
"Well...in a way, your kiss with Cho led to my first kiss with Hermione."
"What?"
"Yeah...you see..."
~~~~~~~~~
Next chapter: Messing Up and Making Up
~~~~~~~~~
Ron quietly entered the room he shared with Harry, carrying a large mug of pumpkin juice. He took a long drink, then offered the mug to Harry, who shook his head. Shrugging, Ron finished the juice in one gulp.
"Much better," he murmured, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and settling back down onto his bed. "Now...where was I?"
"You just finished telling me how you found out Hermione didn't fancy me, so you didn't have to beat me bloody," Harry said dryly.
"Oh, yeah. Okay. After we went back to Hogwarts, Hermione and I had a lot of time alone together. No offense, Harry, but sometimes you were, well...hard to be around," he said gently. Harry nodded, remembering how angry he had been and how angry he still was at times. Ron cleared his throat and continued, "plus, Hermione and I were prefects, and we had a lot of extra duties, like helping the younger kids, going to meetings, patrolling the halls. One night..."
~~~~~~~~~
Ron and Hermione had been patrolling the halls for the last couple of hours, and it was just about time for all the prefects to return to their respective common rooms. Ron leaned wearily against the wall and looked at his watch. "I don't know why we have to patrol these halls night after night. All we've ever done is stop a couple of third years from snogging in that alcove behind the suit of armor."
Hermione sighed. "Well, Ron, patrolling the halls goes along with being a prefect. And being a prefect got you that new broom, didn't it?"
Ron's expression brightened as he thought about his new Cleensweep, then soured immediately as he remembered his dismal performance in Gryffindor's first Quidditch match of the year. "Yeah, I guess. Well, c'mon," he said, pushing off from the wall. "Let's do one more quick patrol, then head back to the common room. Maybe Harry will still be up, and we can play chess."
"Homework, Ron. Remember?" Ron groaned and cursed under his breath.
They were nearly to the end of the final hall in their patrol area when they saw Draco Malfoy come around the corner, accompanied by Pansy Parkinson, the other Slytherin prefect. "Oh, just perfect," Ron muttered sarcastically.
The two Slytherins smirked as they approached Ron and Hermione. "Well, well...Granger and Weasley, out for a nighttime stroll," Draco sneered. "I'm starting to see you two without Potter more and more...people will begin to talk." He grinned smugly at Pansy, who laughed heartily.
"We're prefects, Malfoy...remember?" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse us..." she said curtly to Pansy, trying to pass her and continue down the hall. Pansy didn't budge.
"You're right, Granger," Malfoy drawled. "Pretty stupid of me to think that Weasley might fall for you. He's a pureblood, and even though his family is pretty low, he surely wouldn't be interested in a mudblood like yourself." Ron's expression was murderous, and Hermione put a warning hand on his arm. Malfoy looked appraisingly at Hermione, studying her up and down. "Though I'm sure you could be somewhat...amusing," he continued. "Don't worry, Granger. Maybe someday a decent wizard will have pity on you and take you as a mistress."
Before Malfoy realized what was happening, Ron grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall, pinning him there. Pansy started to reach for her wand, but before she could get her hand into her robes, Hermione had her own wand out and pointed at her.
Ron gripped Malfoy's collar in both hands as Malfoy struggled to get away. He wasn't having any luck, though, as his toes could barely scrape the floor. He quit struggling as Ron leaned ominously close to him, their noses almost touching.
"Don't you EVER speak to Hermione like that again," Ron said in a quiet, furious voice. "You and that...cow...over there don't deserve to be in the same hall with her. You and your family don't deserve to be on the same EARTH with her. Any decent wizard would be PROUD to have Hermione Granger as his WIFE. Apologize to her...NOW!"
Malfoy stared at Ron, trying to resume his usual bravado, but failing miserably as sweat trickled down his face. After a moment, he apparently decided he wanted to live because he grimaced and muttered something that sounded like, "orriGranger."
"Her name is Hermione," Ron said through gritted teeth. "Apologize!"
Malfoy took a deep breath, or at least tried to, then said, "I'm sorry...Hermione." He looked almost sick as he glared defiantly at Ron.
Ron backed away, dropping Malfoy to his feet, prepared to knock his head off if he so much as moved the wrong way. Malfoy sneered at Ron, his swagger returning. He straightened his robes and smoothed his hair, then set off down the hall, gesturing for Pansy to follow him. She did, edging past Hermione nervously.
Ron and Hermione watched until they were out of sight, then Ron started ranting.
"That son of a.....! How dare he talk about you like that! I should have torn him apart, Hermione! I should have beaten him bloody with my bare hands! I should have..."
Hermione stepped toward him and laid her fingers across his mouth, shocking him into silence instantly. He looked at her, surprised, and saw that she was watching him with an odd expression on her face. Her eyes were shining, gazing into his own softly. After a moment, she seemed to realize where her hand was, and she stared at her fingers on his lips for several seconds before slowly lowering her hand.
"It's so cliche' to say 'my hero'," she said, smiling. Stepping closer, she put one hand on his shoulder. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him lingeringly on the cheek. She backed away and smiled at his dazed expression. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Welcome," Ron mumbled. She had kissed him on the cheek just before his first Quidditch match, but his worry about the upcoming game had gotten in the way of his feelings after that kiss. This time, it was just...incredible.
She turned away and started down the hall. "Homework, Ron...remember?" she called over her shoulder.
Ron followed. Now, even the prospect of a late night with his books and parchment seemed better.
~~~~~~~~~
"You never told me you pinned Malfoy to the wall. I'm sorry I missed that," Harry said with laugh.
"Yeah, it was great, he was terrified. Anyway, like I said, Hermione and I had a lot of time alone last year. We got back late most nights, we would still have homework to do. Some nights you were still up with us, working, but a lot of nights, you had already gone to bed." Ron smiled, remembering something. "One night...she slept with me."
"What?!" Harry shouted, half-rising from his bed.
Ron waved his hands at him, making shushing sounds. "I don't mean that. No...no...not that," he said, blushing furiously as Harry sat back down, shaken. "I mean...."
~~~~~~~~~
It was after midnight and the common room was empty except for Ron and Hermione. They had been out late, patrolling the halls as part of their prefect duties. When they had arrived back at Gryffindor Tower, Ron had been intent on going straight to bed, but Hermione had reminded him that there was a large reading assignment for Snape's Potions class. They were supposed to be prepared to discuss the material the next day, and Hermione had insisted that Ron stay up until he had completed the required reading.
"Here...we'll read it together and discuss it," she had said, plopping down on the couch in front of the fire. Groaning, Ron had sat down beside her and opened his large Potions book reluctantly.
Now, an hour later, they were still reading, the open book in Ron's hands as Hermione sat close beside him, reading from the same book and asking him questions, getting perturbed when he didn't quite know the answers.
"No, no, Ron...see, right here..." she said, pointing at the text. "See? It says that you use essence of hellebore in the Draft of Peace. Why don't you reread that section?" she yawned, leaning her head against the side of his arm.
Ron sighed and tried to focus on the words. Bloody hell, he thought. How does she expect me to concentrate on anything with her so close to me? He had been sitting there all this time, trying to ignore the fact that their bodies were almost touching, that she kept leaning her head against him while she read. The words on the page had been so much mumbo-jumbo as he felt her hair brush against his bare arm and smelled the pleasant scent that was distinctly hers. Okay, Weasley...concentrate! Get through this reading, go to bed and get control of yourself. He squinted at the page, determined to understand and remember this lesson so she would let him get away.
He had successfully gotten through the first paragraph when he noticed that Hermione was resting heavily against his arm, her breathing deep and regular. He leaned forward a bit and looked down into her face; she was sound asleep. "Hermione?" he whispered, but she didn't respond.
He sat back up and closed the book carefully, setting it on the couch beside him. He stared quietly into the fire for a while, thinking. He glanced down at her from time to time, half-hoping she would wake, half- hoping she wouldn't. He had to admit that, despite his unease, having her asleep beside him was...well, kind of nice.
Holding his breath, he tentatively slid his arm around her waist. As he did, she settled into the crook of his arm, sighing. After a moment, she turned more toward him, her face tilted up toward his, draping her arm across his chest as though it were a pillow. Then she was still.
Ron released the breath he had been holding, but found it hard to draw another, as his breath was now caught in his throat. His heart was pounding fiercely as it registered the fact that Hermione was now sleeping in his arms. He looked down into her peaceful countenance, and his hand, of its own accord, reached out and brushed her hair back from her face, his fingers lingering in the chestnut strands for a moment.
He found himself staring at her lips. How would it feel to kiss her? He had wondered this many times, at night just before falling asleep, in the evenings while watching her study, walking to class, patrolling the halls...well, just about everywhere. She had kissed him twice on the cheek, and while those kisses had been wonderful, they had made him realize how truly incredible kissing her on the lips would be.
Still staring at her, he fell into a daydream (a fact he would not share with Harry when recounting this night). He imagined himself leaning over and kissing her gently then pulling back as she woke up and looked at him quizzically. He would look back at her, letting her know that he wanted to kiss her again, and he would not blush or look away. After a moment, she would raise her hand (to smack you, a sadistic voice in his head said, but he ignored it) to the back of his head and pull him to her, kissing him ardently while putting her other arm around his neck. He would slip his other arm around her waist and hold her close. They would kiss passionately, then he would run his lips across her cheek, across her jaw line, as she murmured his name..."Ron...Ron..."
"Ron?" He had been so involved in his daydream that he had not realized that Hermione had opened her eyes and was now looking up at him strangely. "Did you hear me? I said I'm ready to go to bed."
Ron, with more than half his brain still reeling from his vivid imagination and the rest of it someplace where it shouldn't be, felt the blood drain from his face. "What?" he squeaked, looking shocked.
Hermione sat up and looked at him worriedly. "I said I'm ready to go upstairs and go to sleep. What did you think I said?" She felt his forehead. "Are you feeling all right?"
Ron smiled weakly, the color returning to his face in a rush as he thought about the implication of what he had thought she said. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine." He noticed that he still had his arm around Hermione's waist, and he withdrew it quickly. "Just sleepy," he finished lamely.
"Are you sure? You were very pale a moment ago, now your face is flushed." She took her hand from his forehead and touched his cheek, inadvertently making his face even redder. When he just stared at her, she lowered her hand to her own lap. "Well, if you're sure you're all right, I'm going up to bed. Did you finish reading?" she asked, indicating the book.
"Er...yeah." Truthfully, he had finished reading everything before she fell asleep--he just hadn't comprehended any of it.
She nodded. "Sorry I fell asleep. I must have been more tired than I thought. I just drifted off because I was so comfortable..." she trailed off, realizing that she was saying she had felt comfortable enough with him to fall asleep. She looked at her hands for a moment before abruptly standing up. "Well, good night."
Ron stood, too, and followed her across the room, heading for the stairs to the boys' dorm. Hermione stopped at the bottom of her steps and turned to him. "Thank you...for..." she broke off and indicated the couch, blushing slightly.
Ron realized, surprised, that she was referring to the fact that he had held her while she was sleeping. "Anytime," he murmured, then lowered his head, shifting his feet nervously, knowing how she could interpret that. He looked back up to see her still standing there watching him, her eyes shining. After a moment, she stepped closer and kissed him gently on the cheek--the third time she had done that. For some reason, the phrase, "third time's a charm", resonated in his brain. Then she ran lightly up the stairs.
"Good night, Hermione," he whispered, touching the place where she had kissed him, still gazing at the place where she had been standing only moments before.
~~~~~~~~~
"Okay. So, by this point, she had kissed you on the cheek three times: once before your first Quidditch match, once after you defended her from Malfoy, and once after she fell asleep on you on the couch." He drew a deep breath. "I'm not sure I want to ask this. After all, Hermione is like my sister, but...when did you finally kiss her?"
"Well...in a way, your kiss with Cho led to my first kiss with Hermione."
"What?"
"Yeah...you see..."
~~~~~~~~~
Next chapter: Messing Up and Making Up