A/N- Hey guys- glad to see some new people reviewing. Keep 'em coming! The characters are J.K, lyrics are Stroke 9's "Make It Last."
Reunion
--
Chapter Six
Scream and Shout
--
They landed a few hundred yards outside of Hogwarts with an uncomfortable thump. Hermione landed sprawled out on top of Draco, and got up, shuddering with disgust.
"That's right, Granger. Just keep running away from your feelings." Draco grinned.
"You're on to me." She responded with equal sarcasm.
"Come on, guys." Harry sighed, helping Ginny and Lara up as Ron got to his feet, brushing off grass stains.
The gates opened for them as they approached (Harry had owled ahead to let Dumbledore know they were coming), and they stepped through onto the familiar grounds.
"This is weird." Ron looked around at the places they had spent so much time- the lake, Hagrid's Hut, the Whomping Willow- now just reminders of memories.
They all looked around in agreement, finally coming to the huge front door, which also opened for them.
School was in session at the time, and they saw the moving staircases transporting many students all around above them. Everyone stopped, and looked down to see who was entering.
There were whispers of 'It's Harry Potter!' 'That's Ron and Hermione!' and 'Is that Draco Malfoy? He plays for Britain!'
Ginny smiled slightly at Lara.
"And we remain in blissful anonymity."
Harry and his two best friends were practically legends at Hogwarts, for obvious reasons. And Draco was infamous- Harry's arch rival and now one of the best Quidditch players in Europe. Everyone knew their stories- and it was almost unreal to see them in real life.
Dumbledore descended the grand staircase leading to the Great Hall, smiling at their arrival.
"Harry Potter. It's a privilege to have you here." He embraced him tightly, something Dumbledore rarely did.
"And Draco. Glad to see you did not follow the path everyone predicted for you."
"You know me. Like to keep things interesting." Draco smiled wanly back.
"Ron, Hermione- how I've missed my Head Boy and Girl. You two still just as inseparable?" He smiled at them affectionately.
They didn't respond.
He smiled in that annoying, knowing way.
"I'm sure things will get better." He patted Ron on the shoulder, winking at Hermione.
Hermione forced a smile back. Even Dumbledore couldn't solve their problems, she thought to herself.
"So, let's go sit in the Great Hall and figure out what we're going to do about this rather vexing new development." He said, in that old reassuring voice that always made problems seem very far away.
They complied, entering and seeing Professor McGonagall sitting at one of the tables.
"I've asked Minerva to sit in with us, give her quite valuable opinion." Dumbledore motioned for them to sit down.
"It's good to see you all again." McGonagall smiled warmly at them.
"Even me, Professor?" Draco said, grinning as he sat down.
"Even you, Mr. Malfoy."
"Who are you, dear? A friend of Harry's?" She looked curiously at Lara.
"I'm Lara." She offered no more information than that.
"All right, so I'm sure the inciting incident was the tragic death of Eric Langly." Dumbledore began.
"Yeah. The investigators said there was no apparent cause-it wasn't an unforgivable curse, it wasn't…anything. They have absolutely no idea how it happened." Harry said, defeated.
"You know about Bellatrix and Lucius, right?" Ron asked Dumbledore.
"That unholy union is unfortunately something I do know of, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore sighed.
"So what do we do?" Ginny couldn't resist asking the obvious question.
"Dance!" Draco piped up.
"Are you talking?" Ginny looked at him in disbelief.
"Sorry. All this talk was making me gloomy." He shrugged.
"Well, I suggest you start with finding somewhere in London to stay."
"I have a flat here." Ron suggested.
"What, a one bedroom? Yeah, Weasel, we can all get real friendly real fast." Draco rolled his eyes.
"There's a guest room and a couch, assface." Ron shot back spitefully.
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
"Sorry, sir," Ron looked down at his hands, "But it is big enough for everyone to stay. Dad managed to network with a friend through the Ministry to get it for me."
Hermione looked over at him.
"What, Hermione? Shocked I'm not staying in a cardboard box?" He said irritably.
"Not here, Ron." She muttered.
There was a long silence. McGonagall looked at the two of them, confused.
"Whatever. It was just a suggestion." Ron finally broke the quiet.
"No, no, Ron. That sounds like a good idea." Harry intervened quickly.
"So we'll stay there. What then?" Lara looked back at Dumbledore.
"Then, Harry and Draco, you might want to go talk to the Langlys. They know you were teammates, it'll be better coming from you two. Then, I would suggest looking into the murder of this Muggle woman." Dumbledore handed Harry a piece of paper.
"JoJo Bangles." Harry read, trying not to laugh.
"She was a very old woman…thought herself to be a fortune teller, but didn't have a magical bone in her body. She lived alone, but had regular appointments at her home. As far as I figure, Bellatrix made an appointment and…ended JoJo's life. She was found almost completely drained of blood the next day. But if you go to this address, you'll find her place of business. If you'll take this," Dumbledore also handed Harry a magnifying glass with strangely swirling smoke seemingly trapped in the glass, "You can see if anyone apparated out of her work. It will also take you to where they apparated from. But it only works to that next spot. It can't take you any farther than that. But it might give a start."
"Thank you, sir." Harry said, happy to at least have something to go on.
"You've been very useful." Lara said, as if it was the best compliment she could think of.
"That's very kind of you, Lara." Dumbledore smiled at her, but looked as if he was trying to place her.
"What school did you go to, Lara?" He asked.
"The magical school in Russia." She said simply.
"Ah, yes. It has a wonderful reputation."
"Thank you." She smiled back.
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly, almost as though he recognized her but he didn't know where from.
"Well, very nice to meet you, Lara. Nice to see all of you again."
--
"Here we are. Home sweet home." Ron opened the door to Flat 312.
They all walked in behind him, and saw a quite spacious apartment. It even had a spiral staircase leading to the master bathroom.
"I love this place. Dad nearly wet himself when he was waiting to give it to you." Ginny sighed, happily flopping down on the couch.
"This is so nice." Harry looked around approvingly.
"La-aame." Draco said under his breath, just feeling like causing problems.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione sighed.
"Oh, I'm sure you don't approve because Dad got it for me, right? Shows how inadequate I am?" Ron turned to her, a little hurt that she hadn't said anything.
"You know, Weasel? She never even has to insult you, you just do it for her." Draco pointed out.
"No, Ron. It is nice." She sighed.
"Where are we all going to sleep?" Lara asked, perching on the kitchen counter.
"Well, you can sleep in the guest room, Hermione and Gin can have the master bedroom, Harry can sleep on the couch, and I'll sleep on the pullout."
Everyone nodded.
"Um, hello?" Draco raised his hand.
"Hi." Ron said, as if surprised to still see him there.
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Draco asked him.
"Couldn't care less if I TRIED." Ron sighed, walking into the kitchen.
Draco looked over at Ginny, who sat down on the couch next to him.
"Sleep in my bed then." She said quietly, with a wicked grin.
"I object strongly to that." Hermione grimaced.
"Come on, babe-the three of us could have some fun." Draco raised his eyebrows.
"If by fun, you mean making me vomit, then yes, we could." Hermione said acerbically.
"Draco, we should go to the Langlys." Harry suggested.
"Yeah, all right." Draco pulled on his leather jacket again, and out the door they went.
--
Night had fallen outside as everyone waited for Draco and Harry to get back.
"Ron, I want a sandwich." Ginny whined.
Ginny and Lara were sitting on the couch, watching TV. Hermione was unpacking in her room.
"Get it yourself, loser." Ron said, stretched out in the armchair.
"Come on, Ronnie." Ginny complained.
"Don't EVER call me that again."
"I won't call you that if you make me a sandwich, Ronnie." Ginny grinned.
"You're very annoying, do you know that?" Ron sighed, getting up.
"Yes." Her smile widened.
"Make me one too. Cut off the crusts." Lara said, as he walked to the kitchen.
"Yes, madam." Ron said sarcastically.
"Call me what you like, I'm starving." She grinned at Ginny.
"Lara- we could be pals." Ginny hit her on the arm.
At that moment, Hermione came down the spiral staircase.
"Want a sandwich?" Ron asked her, trying to forge some semblance of peace between them.
"No thank you." She said, not looking at him.
"You sure? We haven't eaten, like, all day."
"I'm fine."
"I know what you like-that weird peanut butter and strawberry thing you always got from the kitchens…" Ron coaxed.
"I didn't get anything from the kitchens. Remember S.P.E.W.?" Hermione said, sitting on the kitchen table.
"Okay, the sandwiches I always got you from the kitchens."
"Yeah, I remember."
"The house elves always liked me." Ron grinned.
"I know. Every time I did venture down there and try to convince them to fight for their freedom, they never even remembered my name…they just called me Ron's Girl." Hermione said, looking down at her feet.
"Yeah." Ron looked at her, feeling a slight shiver pass through him. For a second, it felt like he had seen the Hermione he remembered.
"Well, that's all over now." Hermione said, in a dismissive tone that made Ron's insides twist with a strange mix of disappointment and anger.
"Thanks to you." Ron couldn't help saying.
"Okay, Ron, how many times are we going to have this fight?" Hermione said, instantly on the defensive.
"As many times as it takes for you to say you're sorry!" Ron responded.
"Don't get your hopes up." Hermione glared back.
"Hermione-" Ron said, his voice rising.
Ginny entered the kitchen, cutting them off.
"Could you please make our sandwiches before you two get too into this?" She pleaded.
"Make your own damn sandwich!" Ron practically roared.
Ginny blinked.
"Okay, you know what, big bro? Lara and I are going for a walk. It is just too insane in here right now. You two duke it out, we'll be back later." She put up her hands in surrender, grabbing her coat.
"Come on, Lara."
"I still want sandwich." Lara pouted, her accent thicker when she was upset.
Ginny closed the door behind her, and Ron and Hermione could hear Ginny saying they could go get one from the deli.
They looked at each other, the air heavy with an indefinable tension.
"Well, here we are. Just the two of us." Hermione crossed her arms.
"Yes. Quite romantic."
"Yeah, please take me now." Hermione said with equal sarcasm.
Ron snorted in disbelief.
"Who'd want to?"
"If I recall correctly, you didn't have any complaints." She said with a defiant stare.
"That night was a mistake." Ron looked away.
"You really think that?" Her eyes reflected the slightest bit of hurt.
"You lied to me that night! You already knew you were going to France, and you didn't say a word about it! It makes me sick that I wasted my first time on someone who was planning on leaving me …even while she…" Ron's voice cracked slightly, and he didn't continue.
"I was saying goodbye!" Hermione said, her voice choked as well.
"Well, you could have let me know that!"
"Why? So you'd turn me away? So you wouldn't talk to me our last week at Hogwarts?" Hermione stopped, looking at him incredulously.
"You honestly think being with you meant nothing to me?"
"How do I know? You obviously got over me pretty easily-when you saw me at Harry's game, it looked like I made you sick or something."
"I was shocked, Ron! The only man you've ever really loved and who broke your heart just shows up in your life again, it's a bit jarring!"
"I broke YOUR heart? Oh, please, Hermione!"
"It's the truth! I wanted to come back, of course I did! As soon as I got to France, the only thing I wanted to do was to turn around and go back to you. But I wrote to Harry, and he told me how angry you were, how you wouldn't even talk about it, and I figured it was a waste of time."
"Of course I was angry! I was angry because I'd just lost the best thing I'd ever had. The best friend I'd ever had. Every dream I'd ever had…it didn't mean anything without you."
"I missed you so much, Ron. I thought about everything that we left unanswered, and it ripped me apart. I can't even count all the dreams I had about you. But it got to the point where I just couldn't stand it-I couldn't stand hurting that badly. So I just stopped. I just decided you didn't matter, decided I'd never loved you, and eventually, my mind started to believe those lies."
"So what are you saying? You've convinced yourself you don't love me anymore? What am I supposed to do with that?" Ron shouted.
"Kiss me."
Ron looked at her in shock.
"What?"
"Kiss me like you used to. Like you still love me. I don't care if you mean it or not. I just…need to remember that there's a part of me that feels anything. I've shut it off for so long I don't even know if it still exists. All I know is you're the only man I've ever been with that made me feel anything- and I just have to know I can feel that again. I'm tired of being this ice queen bitch who hates you. I can't play that role anymore."
Ron didn't say anything. He didn't even move.
"Ron-"
But Ron abruptly turned around and started to walk towards the guest bedroom.
Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't stand this anymore. Screw arrogance. She was tired of being too proud to admit that she had never gotten over him.
"Ron, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."
Ron froze, his back to her.
Hermione suddenly felt humiliated. She hadn't felt this vulnerable in a very long time.
"That's fine, Ron! I finally tell you the truth about everything, and you just walk away! What, are you scared? Or do you really hate me that m-"
Ron cut her off with his lips against hers, a rather chaste, reserved kiss as though he was nervous.
He stepped away almost instantly. But the brief contact seemed to have flipped some switch within Hermione's system. She closed the space between them, kissing him with an almost bruising intensity. Ron opened his mouth under hers, and she moaned slightly, their kiss deepening to the point that she felt her skin prickling with desire.
Hermione paused for breath, unbuttoning his shirt.
"I missed you so much." Ron said breathlessly, kissing her neck.
"I've wanted this for so long." She whispered into his ear, capturing his mouth again with hers hungrily.
They somehow found their way to the guest room, and many hours later, fell asleep in each other's arms.
--
Make it last for an hour
We'll never feel this way again
Make it all that you want
And everything that I need
Make it last
Make it last 'cause you're not making me any promises
Make it last
--
A/N- Hmm-what will happen NOW? What will Harry think? Will Lara ever get that sandwich? And wait a minute- where IS Draco going to sleep? Review!
Reunion
--
Chapter Six
Scream and Shout
--
They landed a few hundred yards outside of Hogwarts with an uncomfortable thump. Hermione landed sprawled out on top of Draco, and got up, shuddering with disgust.
"That's right, Granger. Just keep running away from your feelings." Draco grinned.
"You're on to me." She responded with equal sarcasm.
"Come on, guys." Harry sighed, helping Ginny and Lara up as Ron got to his feet, brushing off grass stains.
The gates opened for them as they approached (Harry had owled ahead to let Dumbledore know they were coming), and they stepped through onto the familiar grounds.
"This is weird." Ron looked around at the places they had spent so much time- the lake, Hagrid's Hut, the Whomping Willow- now just reminders of memories.
They all looked around in agreement, finally coming to the huge front door, which also opened for them.
School was in session at the time, and they saw the moving staircases transporting many students all around above them. Everyone stopped, and looked down to see who was entering.
There were whispers of 'It's Harry Potter!' 'That's Ron and Hermione!' and 'Is that Draco Malfoy? He plays for Britain!'
Ginny smiled slightly at Lara.
"And we remain in blissful anonymity."
Harry and his two best friends were practically legends at Hogwarts, for obvious reasons. And Draco was infamous- Harry's arch rival and now one of the best Quidditch players in Europe. Everyone knew their stories- and it was almost unreal to see them in real life.
Dumbledore descended the grand staircase leading to the Great Hall, smiling at their arrival.
"Harry Potter. It's a privilege to have you here." He embraced him tightly, something Dumbledore rarely did.
"And Draco. Glad to see you did not follow the path everyone predicted for you."
"You know me. Like to keep things interesting." Draco smiled wanly back.
"Ron, Hermione- how I've missed my Head Boy and Girl. You two still just as inseparable?" He smiled at them affectionately.
They didn't respond.
He smiled in that annoying, knowing way.
"I'm sure things will get better." He patted Ron on the shoulder, winking at Hermione.
Hermione forced a smile back. Even Dumbledore couldn't solve their problems, she thought to herself.
"So, let's go sit in the Great Hall and figure out what we're going to do about this rather vexing new development." He said, in that old reassuring voice that always made problems seem very far away.
They complied, entering and seeing Professor McGonagall sitting at one of the tables.
"I've asked Minerva to sit in with us, give her quite valuable opinion." Dumbledore motioned for them to sit down.
"It's good to see you all again." McGonagall smiled warmly at them.
"Even me, Professor?" Draco said, grinning as he sat down.
"Even you, Mr. Malfoy."
"Who are you, dear? A friend of Harry's?" She looked curiously at Lara.
"I'm Lara." She offered no more information than that.
"All right, so I'm sure the inciting incident was the tragic death of Eric Langly." Dumbledore began.
"Yeah. The investigators said there was no apparent cause-it wasn't an unforgivable curse, it wasn't…anything. They have absolutely no idea how it happened." Harry said, defeated.
"You know about Bellatrix and Lucius, right?" Ron asked Dumbledore.
"That unholy union is unfortunately something I do know of, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore sighed.
"So what do we do?" Ginny couldn't resist asking the obvious question.
"Dance!" Draco piped up.
"Are you talking?" Ginny looked at him in disbelief.
"Sorry. All this talk was making me gloomy." He shrugged.
"Well, I suggest you start with finding somewhere in London to stay."
"I have a flat here." Ron suggested.
"What, a one bedroom? Yeah, Weasel, we can all get real friendly real fast." Draco rolled his eyes.
"There's a guest room and a couch, assface." Ron shot back spitefully.
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
"Sorry, sir," Ron looked down at his hands, "But it is big enough for everyone to stay. Dad managed to network with a friend through the Ministry to get it for me."
Hermione looked over at him.
"What, Hermione? Shocked I'm not staying in a cardboard box?" He said irritably.
"Not here, Ron." She muttered.
There was a long silence. McGonagall looked at the two of them, confused.
"Whatever. It was just a suggestion." Ron finally broke the quiet.
"No, no, Ron. That sounds like a good idea." Harry intervened quickly.
"So we'll stay there. What then?" Lara looked back at Dumbledore.
"Then, Harry and Draco, you might want to go talk to the Langlys. They know you were teammates, it'll be better coming from you two. Then, I would suggest looking into the murder of this Muggle woman." Dumbledore handed Harry a piece of paper.
"JoJo Bangles." Harry read, trying not to laugh.
"She was a very old woman…thought herself to be a fortune teller, but didn't have a magical bone in her body. She lived alone, but had regular appointments at her home. As far as I figure, Bellatrix made an appointment and…ended JoJo's life. She was found almost completely drained of blood the next day. But if you go to this address, you'll find her place of business. If you'll take this," Dumbledore also handed Harry a magnifying glass with strangely swirling smoke seemingly trapped in the glass, "You can see if anyone apparated out of her work. It will also take you to where they apparated from. But it only works to that next spot. It can't take you any farther than that. But it might give a start."
"Thank you, sir." Harry said, happy to at least have something to go on.
"You've been very useful." Lara said, as if it was the best compliment she could think of.
"That's very kind of you, Lara." Dumbledore smiled at her, but looked as if he was trying to place her.
"What school did you go to, Lara?" He asked.
"The magical school in Russia." She said simply.
"Ah, yes. It has a wonderful reputation."
"Thank you." She smiled back.
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly, almost as though he recognized her but he didn't know where from.
"Well, very nice to meet you, Lara. Nice to see all of you again."
--
"Here we are. Home sweet home." Ron opened the door to Flat 312.
They all walked in behind him, and saw a quite spacious apartment. It even had a spiral staircase leading to the master bathroom.
"I love this place. Dad nearly wet himself when he was waiting to give it to you." Ginny sighed, happily flopping down on the couch.
"This is so nice." Harry looked around approvingly.
"La-aame." Draco said under his breath, just feeling like causing problems.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Hermione sighed.
"Oh, I'm sure you don't approve because Dad got it for me, right? Shows how inadequate I am?" Ron turned to her, a little hurt that she hadn't said anything.
"You know, Weasel? She never even has to insult you, you just do it for her." Draco pointed out.
"No, Ron. It is nice." She sighed.
"Where are we all going to sleep?" Lara asked, perching on the kitchen counter.
"Well, you can sleep in the guest room, Hermione and Gin can have the master bedroom, Harry can sleep on the couch, and I'll sleep on the pullout."
Everyone nodded.
"Um, hello?" Draco raised his hand.
"Hi." Ron said, as if surprised to still see him there.
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Draco asked him.
"Couldn't care less if I TRIED." Ron sighed, walking into the kitchen.
Draco looked over at Ginny, who sat down on the couch next to him.
"Sleep in my bed then." She said quietly, with a wicked grin.
"I object strongly to that." Hermione grimaced.
"Come on, babe-the three of us could have some fun." Draco raised his eyebrows.
"If by fun, you mean making me vomit, then yes, we could." Hermione said acerbically.
"Draco, we should go to the Langlys." Harry suggested.
"Yeah, all right." Draco pulled on his leather jacket again, and out the door they went.
--
Night had fallen outside as everyone waited for Draco and Harry to get back.
"Ron, I want a sandwich." Ginny whined.
Ginny and Lara were sitting on the couch, watching TV. Hermione was unpacking in her room.
"Get it yourself, loser." Ron said, stretched out in the armchair.
"Come on, Ronnie." Ginny complained.
"Don't EVER call me that again."
"I won't call you that if you make me a sandwich, Ronnie." Ginny grinned.
"You're very annoying, do you know that?" Ron sighed, getting up.
"Yes." Her smile widened.
"Make me one too. Cut off the crusts." Lara said, as he walked to the kitchen.
"Yes, madam." Ron said sarcastically.
"Call me what you like, I'm starving." She grinned at Ginny.
"Lara- we could be pals." Ginny hit her on the arm.
At that moment, Hermione came down the spiral staircase.
"Want a sandwich?" Ron asked her, trying to forge some semblance of peace between them.
"No thank you." She said, not looking at him.
"You sure? We haven't eaten, like, all day."
"I'm fine."
"I know what you like-that weird peanut butter and strawberry thing you always got from the kitchens…" Ron coaxed.
"I didn't get anything from the kitchens. Remember S.P.E.W.?" Hermione said, sitting on the kitchen table.
"Okay, the sandwiches I always got you from the kitchens."
"Yeah, I remember."
"The house elves always liked me." Ron grinned.
"I know. Every time I did venture down there and try to convince them to fight for their freedom, they never even remembered my name…they just called me Ron's Girl." Hermione said, looking down at her feet.
"Yeah." Ron looked at her, feeling a slight shiver pass through him. For a second, it felt like he had seen the Hermione he remembered.
"Well, that's all over now." Hermione said, in a dismissive tone that made Ron's insides twist with a strange mix of disappointment and anger.
"Thanks to you." Ron couldn't help saying.
"Okay, Ron, how many times are we going to have this fight?" Hermione said, instantly on the defensive.
"As many times as it takes for you to say you're sorry!" Ron responded.
"Don't get your hopes up." Hermione glared back.
"Hermione-" Ron said, his voice rising.
Ginny entered the kitchen, cutting them off.
"Could you please make our sandwiches before you two get too into this?" She pleaded.
"Make your own damn sandwich!" Ron practically roared.
Ginny blinked.
"Okay, you know what, big bro? Lara and I are going for a walk. It is just too insane in here right now. You two duke it out, we'll be back later." She put up her hands in surrender, grabbing her coat.
"Come on, Lara."
"I still want sandwich." Lara pouted, her accent thicker when she was upset.
Ginny closed the door behind her, and Ron and Hermione could hear Ginny saying they could go get one from the deli.
They looked at each other, the air heavy with an indefinable tension.
"Well, here we are. Just the two of us." Hermione crossed her arms.
"Yes. Quite romantic."
"Yeah, please take me now." Hermione said with equal sarcasm.
Ron snorted in disbelief.
"Who'd want to?"
"If I recall correctly, you didn't have any complaints." She said with a defiant stare.
"That night was a mistake." Ron looked away.
"You really think that?" Her eyes reflected the slightest bit of hurt.
"You lied to me that night! You already knew you were going to France, and you didn't say a word about it! It makes me sick that I wasted my first time on someone who was planning on leaving me …even while she…" Ron's voice cracked slightly, and he didn't continue.
"I was saying goodbye!" Hermione said, her voice choked as well.
"Well, you could have let me know that!"
"Why? So you'd turn me away? So you wouldn't talk to me our last week at Hogwarts?" Hermione stopped, looking at him incredulously.
"You honestly think being with you meant nothing to me?"
"How do I know? You obviously got over me pretty easily-when you saw me at Harry's game, it looked like I made you sick or something."
"I was shocked, Ron! The only man you've ever really loved and who broke your heart just shows up in your life again, it's a bit jarring!"
"I broke YOUR heart? Oh, please, Hermione!"
"It's the truth! I wanted to come back, of course I did! As soon as I got to France, the only thing I wanted to do was to turn around and go back to you. But I wrote to Harry, and he told me how angry you were, how you wouldn't even talk about it, and I figured it was a waste of time."
"Of course I was angry! I was angry because I'd just lost the best thing I'd ever had. The best friend I'd ever had. Every dream I'd ever had…it didn't mean anything without you."
"I missed you so much, Ron. I thought about everything that we left unanswered, and it ripped me apart. I can't even count all the dreams I had about you. But it got to the point where I just couldn't stand it-I couldn't stand hurting that badly. So I just stopped. I just decided you didn't matter, decided I'd never loved you, and eventually, my mind started to believe those lies."
"So what are you saying? You've convinced yourself you don't love me anymore? What am I supposed to do with that?" Ron shouted.
"Kiss me."
Ron looked at her in shock.
"What?"
"Kiss me like you used to. Like you still love me. I don't care if you mean it or not. I just…need to remember that there's a part of me that feels anything. I've shut it off for so long I don't even know if it still exists. All I know is you're the only man I've ever been with that made me feel anything- and I just have to know I can feel that again. I'm tired of being this ice queen bitch who hates you. I can't play that role anymore."
Ron didn't say anything. He didn't even move.
"Ron-"
But Ron abruptly turned around and started to walk towards the guest bedroom.
Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't stand this anymore. Screw arrogance. She was tired of being too proud to admit that she had never gotten over him.
"Ron, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."
Ron froze, his back to her.
Hermione suddenly felt humiliated. She hadn't felt this vulnerable in a very long time.
"That's fine, Ron! I finally tell you the truth about everything, and you just walk away! What, are you scared? Or do you really hate me that m-"
Ron cut her off with his lips against hers, a rather chaste, reserved kiss as though he was nervous.
He stepped away almost instantly. But the brief contact seemed to have flipped some switch within Hermione's system. She closed the space between them, kissing him with an almost bruising intensity. Ron opened his mouth under hers, and she moaned slightly, their kiss deepening to the point that she felt her skin prickling with desire.
Hermione paused for breath, unbuttoning his shirt.
"I missed you so much." Ron said breathlessly, kissing her neck.
"I've wanted this for so long." She whispered into his ear, capturing his mouth again with hers hungrily.
They somehow found their way to the guest room, and many hours later, fell asleep in each other's arms.
--
Make it last for an hour
We'll never feel this way again
Make it all that you want
And everything that I need
Make it last
Make it last 'cause you're not making me any promises
Make it last
--
A/N- Hmm-what will happen NOW? What will Harry think? Will Lara ever get that sandwich? And wait a minute- where IS Draco going to sleep? Review!