Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor anything related to the books,
movies, etc. Joanne Kathleen, I envy you...
Thank you, everyone, for your very nice reviews! Though I may not respond to every individual review, please know that I greatly appreciate each and every one.
~~~~~~~~~
"In a way, your kiss with Cho led to my first kiss with Hermione."
"What?"
"Yeah. Remember that night, after the DA meeting, Hermione and I left the Room of Requirement before you did. On the way back to the common room, she and I had a small disagreement. Well, actually, I said something stupid..."
"So what else is new?"
"Watch it, mate..."
~~~~~~~~~
"Where's Harry?" Ron asked, looking back toward the Room of Requirement.
"Ron...don't you notice anything?" At a blank look from Ron, Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Cho was still there. Obviously Harry stayed behind to talk to her."
Ron grinned knowingly. "I don't know why he gets so nervous around her. He should just ask her out. It's obvious that she fancies him. I think I would be able to tell if a girl liked me."
Hermione stopped suddenly, causing Ron to stop and turn to face her, surprised. "Oh, you think so, do you?" she huffed. "So, enlighten me...how would you be able to tell if a girl fancied you?"
"Easy. If she hangs on your every word, pays lots of attention to you and makes 'goo-goo' eyes at you, she likes you."
"You think that's how all girls act when they fancy a guy, do you?"
"Sure."
"Well, let me tell you something, Ronald Weasley, you don't have a clue!" Hermione brushed by him angrily and hurried on toward Gryffindor Tower, not looking back.
Ron stood there, perplexed. "What did I say?" he asked no one in particular.
~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, that's why Hermione seemed miffed at you that night," Harry remembered. "When I came back and told you two that Cho had cried when she kissed me, Hermione tried to explain what Cho was feeling. Then she called you...what was it..."
"She called me an insensitive wart. Then she told me I had the emotional range of a teaspoon. I remember very well. Plus she was writing that novel to Vicky." Ron, despite the fact that he now knew that Hermione had no romantic feelings toward the Bulgarian, still said the name with distaste.
Harry smiled, remembering. "Yeah, I remember you were pretty sore about that letter."
"The thing is...she still writes to him." At a incredulous look from Harry, Ron continued. "Yeah. They are just friends and pen pals. She let it be known very quickly that even though I'm her boyfriend, I don't have the right to run her life, and that includes choosing her friends. I trust her, so I deal with it. Plus, it turns out Krum has a girlfriend in Bulgaria. That helps."
Harry shook his head, surprised at Ron's calmness about the situation, considering his loathing of Viktor Krum. Then he remembered something else. "That was the night your Dad was attacked," he said quietly.
"Yeah. In my worry about Dad, I forgot all about the argument with Hermione, at least until she showed up at Grimmauld Place. Remember the day Hermione, Ginny and I set you straight about feeling guilty about the attack? She was waiting for me that evening...to apologize..."
~~~~~~~~~
Ron came out of the room he shared with Harry and found Hermione waiting anxiously in the hall for him. "Ron..." she said quietly, reaching out to grip his forearm, then sliding her hand down to grasp his hand for a moment. Her touch sent shockwaves through his skin, and she pulled away uncertainly as he looked down nervously at his hand in hers. "I'm so sorry about your dad. Thank goodness he'll be all right. But are you all right? I've been worried about you."
He looked up at her, blushing slightly from her contact with him. "Yeah. I'm fine, thanks. Now that I know he'll be okay."
"Good." She paused before continuing softly, "I also wanted to...to apologize for getting so angry at you that last night before you left."
"Hermione, I still honestly don't know what I said that was wrong, but..."
"I know you don't, but that's okay."
They stood quietly for several moments, not looking at each other, not knowing what else to say. Ron finally reached a decision he had been trying to make ever since he had realized he would be spending Christmas with Hermione. "Er...you know that present I gave you to open on Christmas morning? If you have it with you, could you go get it? I think I'd like to see you open it."
"Sure...it's in my trunk."
He waited nervously in the hall as she went into her room. She was back in a few moments, carrying a small wrapped package. She looked at him questioningly, and he motioned for her to go ahead and open it.
She tore away the paper, then opened the box to reveal a small bottle of perfume. She lifted it out and looked up at Ron, surprised.
Ron was watching her anxiously. He licked his lips. "It's magical perfume. I bought it in Hogsmeade. When you put it on, it plays a song."
Hermione tilted the bottle, then turned it upright and removed the lid. Using the stopper, she applied some perfume to her neck, not noticing the look on Ron's face as he watched her intently. He had never dreamed that he would want to be the top of a bottle so badly. After a moment, they heard the opening line to a song by the muggle, Joe Cocker: "you are so beautiful...to me..."
Ron watched to see what her reaction would be to the words. "D'you like it?" he asked uncertainly.
She beamed at him, speechless for moment, tears in her eyes. Then she grabbed him in a fierce hug, catching him off guard. "Oh, Ron, I love it! Thank you. It's wonderful!" She embraced him tightly, and though he wasn't sure, he thought she whispered in his ear, "and you're wonderful, too."
Ron awkwardly patted Hermione on the head before his little inner voice shouted, "why do you always do that?! Hug her back, dammit!" He tentatively slid his arms around her waist.
"I feel bad that I didn't get you something better," she was saying in his ear.
"That's all right. Anything from you will be great," he said, blushing.
She laughed, and her breath on his ear made him shiver. "You say that now...wait until you open it."
Hermione turned her face and kissed him on the cheek. Ron felt his breath catch as the thought occurred to him that, if he just turned his face toward her, they would be kissing...really kissing.
What neither of them knew was that Sirius, in a mischievous mood, had decorated the house with Magic Mistletoe. It would appear over the heads of two people if they were together and even thinking about kissing each other.
Hermione noticed it first as she released Ron and stepped back from him. Her eyes grew round, and she looked at Ron anxiously.
"Er...Ron. Don't look now, but we're standing under mistletoe."
It took a moment for her comment to sink in. "What?" Ron squeaked when he realized what she had said. He looked up as she pointed at the green plant adorned with a happy red ribbon. He cleared his throat. "Umm...yeah..." His face was quickly turning a vivid shade of scarlet, and he couldn't meet Hermione's eyes.
"Ron...if you don't want...we don't have..."
He interrupted her. "Er...does mistletoe mean the same in the Muggle world as it does in the wizarding world?"
"Yes, but..."
He looked at his feet, shifting them nervously. "I've heard that it can be bad luck if you don't kiss when you're under mistletoe."
Hermione started to scoff that she had never heard such a thing, and anyway, how could that be bad luck, but she stopped. She felt a blush creeping up her face as she murmured, "maybe so."
"Might not be wise to take a chance," he whispered, still not meeting her eyes but stepping closer to her.
"Maybe not," she breathed, stepping closer to him, too, and turning her face up to his. He finally looked into her face. She was watching him expectantly, nervously. Closing his eyes, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers, as she reached up and laid one hand on the side of his neck.
Maybe two seconds passed before he was suddenly terrifed at the overwhelming rush of emotions going through him. He stepped back from her abruptly, his heart pounding. "Er...I'd better go...Mum will be looking for me, and...bye!" He turned away and practically ran down the hall and down the steps, leaving a very bemused Hermione in his wake.
~~~~~~~~~
Ron had self-consciously told the story to Harry without telling him all the little details about his pounding heart, his breathlessness, and the fact that he had wanted to be the stopper on a bottle of perfume. Now he waited sheepishly for Harry's reaction.
"Well...it went better than my first kiss with Cho, I can tell you that," Harry said slowly.
"Yeah, but that's not saying much, is it?" he said, then grinned when Harry laughed. Ron stood and helped himself to the rest of Harry's milk, which was no longer cold. He stretched, then sat back down on his bed. "I'm getting really sleepy," he yawned. "But there's not much more to tell..."
Thank you, everyone, for your very nice reviews! Though I may not respond to every individual review, please know that I greatly appreciate each and every one.
~~~~~~~~~
"In a way, your kiss with Cho led to my first kiss with Hermione."
"What?"
"Yeah. Remember that night, after the DA meeting, Hermione and I left the Room of Requirement before you did. On the way back to the common room, she and I had a small disagreement. Well, actually, I said something stupid..."
"So what else is new?"
"Watch it, mate..."
~~~~~~~~~
"Where's Harry?" Ron asked, looking back toward the Room of Requirement.
"Ron...don't you notice anything?" At a blank look from Ron, Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "Cho was still there. Obviously Harry stayed behind to talk to her."
Ron grinned knowingly. "I don't know why he gets so nervous around her. He should just ask her out. It's obvious that she fancies him. I think I would be able to tell if a girl liked me."
Hermione stopped suddenly, causing Ron to stop and turn to face her, surprised. "Oh, you think so, do you?" she huffed. "So, enlighten me...how would you be able to tell if a girl fancied you?"
"Easy. If she hangs on your every word, pays lots of attention to you and makes 'goo-goo' eyes at you, she likes you."
"You think that's how all girls act when they fancy a guy, do you?"
"Sure."
"Well, let me tell you something, Ronald Weasley, you don't have a clue!" Hermione brushed by him angrily and hurried on toward Gryffindor Tower, not looking back.
Ron stood there, perplexed. "What did I say?" he asked no one in particular.
~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, that's why Hermione seemed miffed at you that night," Harry remembered. "When I came back and told you two that Cho had cried when she kissed me, Hermione tried to explain what Cho was feeling. Then she called you...what was it..."
"She called me an insensitive wart. Then she told me I had the emotional range of a teaspoon. I remember very well. Plus she was writing that novel to Vicky." Ron, despite the fact that he now knew that Hermione had no romantic feelings toward the Bulgarian, still said the name with distaste.
Harry smiled, remembering. "Yeah, I remember you were pretty sore about that letter."
"The thing is...she still writes to him." At a incredulous look from Harry, Ron continued. "Yeah. They are just friends and pen pals. She let it be known very quickly that even though I'm her boyfriend, I don't have the right to run her life, and that includes choosing her friends. I trust her, so I deal with it. Plus, it turns out Krum has a girlfriend in Bulgaria. That helps."
Harry shook his head, surprised at Ron's calmness about the situation, considering his loathing of Viktor Krum. Then he remembered something else. "That was the night your Dad was attacked," he said quietly.
"Yeah. In my worry about Dad, I forgot all about the argument with Hermione, at least until she showed up at Grimmauld Place. Remember the day Hermione, Ginny and I set you straight about feeling guilty about the attack? She was waiting for me that evening...to apologize..."
~~~~~~~~~
Ron came out of the room he shared with Harry and found Hermione waiting anxiously in the hall for him. "Ron..." she said quietly, reaching out to grip his forearm, then sliding her hand down to grasp his hand for a moment. Her touch sent shockwaves through his skin, and she pulled away uncertainly as he looked down nervously at his hand in hers. "I'm so sorry about your dad. Thank goodness he'll be all right. But are you all right? I've been worried about you."
He looked up at her, blushing slightly from her contact with him. "Yeah. I'm fine, thanks. Now that I know he'll be okay."
"Good." She paused before continuing softly, "I also wanted to...to apologize for getting so angry at you that last night before you left."
"Hermione, I still honestly don't know what I said that was wrong, but..."
"I know you don't, but that's okay."
They stood quietly for several moments, not looking at each other, not knowing what else to say. Ron finally reached a decision he had been trying to make ever since he had realized he would be spending Christmas with Hermione. "Er...you know that present I gave you to open on Christmas morning? If you have it with you, could you go get it? I think I'd like to see you open it."
"Sure...it's in my trunk."
He waited nervously in the hall as she went into her room. She was back in a few moments, carrying a small wrapped package. She looked at him questioningly, and he motioned for her to go ahead and open it.
She tore away the paper, then opened the box to reveal a small bottle of perfume. She lifted it out and looked up at Ron, surprised.
Ron was watching her anxiously. He licked his lips. "It's magical perfume. I bought it in Hogsmeade. When you put it on, it plays a song."
Hermione tilted the bottle, then turned it upright and removed the lid. Using the stopper, she applied some perfume to her neck, not noticing the look on Ron's face as he watched her intently. He had never dreamed that he would want to be the top of a bottle so badly. After a moment, they heard the opening line to a song by the muggle, Joe Cocker: "you are so beautiful...to me..."
Ron watched to see what her reaction would be to the words. "D'you like it?" he asked uncertainly.
She beamed at him, speechless for moment, tears in her eyes. Then she grabbed him in a fierce hug, catching him off guard. "Oh, Ron, I love it! Thank you. It's wonderful!" She embraced him tightly, and though he wasn't sure, he thought she whispered in his ear, "and you're wonderful, too."
Ron awkwardly patted Hermione on the head before his little inner voice shouted, "why do you always do that?! Hug her back, dammit!" He tentatively slid his arms around her waist.
"I feel bad that I didn't get you something better," she was saying in his ear.
"That's all right. Anything from you will be great," he said, blushing.
She laughed, and her breath on his ear made him shiver. "You say that now...wait until you open it."
Hermione turned her face and kissed him on the cheek. Ron felt his breath catch as the thought occurred to him that, if he just turned his face toward her, they would be kissing...really kissing.
What neither of them knew was that Sirius, in a mischievous mood, had decorated the house with Magic Mistletoe. It would appear over the heads of two people if they were together and even thinking about kissing each other.
Hermione noticed it first as she released Ron and stepped back from him. Her eyes grew round, and she looked at Ron anxiously.
"Er...Ron. Don't look now, but we're standing under mistletoe."
It took a moment for her comment to sink in. "What?" Ron squeaked when he realized what she had said. He looked up as she pointed at the green plant adorned with a happy red ribbon. He cleared his throat. "Umm...yeah..." His face was quickly turning a vivid shade of scarlet, and he couldn't meet Hermione's eyes.
"Ron...if you don't want...we don't have..."
He interrupted her. "Er...does mistletoe mean the same in the Muggle world as it does in the wizarding world?"
"Yes, but..."
He looked at his feet, shifting them nervously. "I've heard that it can be bad luck if you don't kiss when you're under mistletoe."
Hermione started to scoff that she had never heard such a thing, and anyway, how could that be bad luck, but she stopped. She felt a blush creeping up her face as she murmured, "maybe so."
"Might not be wise to take a chance," he whispered, still not meeting her eyes but stepping closer to her.
"Maybe not," she breathed, stepping closer to him, too, and turning her face up to his. He finally looked into her face. She was watching him expectantly, nervously. Closing his eyes, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers, as she reached up and laid one hand on the side of his neck.
Maybe two seconds passed before he was suddenly terrifed at the overwhelming rush of emotions going through him. He stepped back from her abruptly, his heart pounding. "Er...I'd better go...Mum will be looking for me, and...bye!" He turned away and practically ran down the hall and down the steps, leaving a very bemused Hermione in his wake.
~~~~~~~~~
Ron had self-consciously told the story to Harry without telling him all the little details about his pounding heart, his breathlessness, and the fact that he had wanted to be the stopper on a bottle of perfume. Now he waited sheepishly for Harry's reaction.
"Well...it went better than my first kiss with Cho, I can tell you that," Harry said slowly.
"Yeah, but that's not saying much, is it?" he said, then grinned when Harry laughed. Ron stood and helped himself to the rest of Harry's milk, which was no longer cold. He stretched, then sat back down on his bed. "I'm getting really sleepy," he yawned. "But there's not much more to tell..."