The three of them were sitting at the Gryffindor table for lunch. Harry was busy discussing quidditch tactics with Angelina and Alicia. Hermione and Ron were sitting exactly opposite each other, eating in silence. Ron looked up at Hermione to find her looking at him as well. When he caught her eye, she smiled at him and blushed a slight peppermint pink. Ron quickly smiled back, the most genuine smile he had smiled in a while.
Ron soon forgot about the green beans and mince pie on his fork as he lost himself in her warm brown eyes. Soon, though, he became aware of Harry, Angelina, and Alicia all watching his and Hermione's playful staring contest with knowing smiles. Ron blushed crimson and dropped his eyes to his plate, suddenly completely absorbed ingesting the entire contents of his plate.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry starting to crack up and Angelina and Alicia giggling. "Oh, shut up," Hermione said, her face a similar shade to his. Hermione stood up briskly to hide her embarrassment, and said casually, "I think I'm going to spend the rest of lunch in the – Room of Requirement -" she said the last part in a very obvious whisper, "to study in quiet. If either of you need help with your Herbology essay, you can come."
Ron didn't take the hint that she had dropped, but Harry did. Seeing that Ron wasn't moving, he nudged him in the ribs, hard, and when looked at him in confusion, he raised is eyebrows and looked at Hermione. Sudden realization dawned on Ron, so he quickly scooped up his bag and followed her.
Once the din of the Great Hall had lessened in the entrance hall, Ron called after her, "Hermione!"
She turned around with a smile on her face once again. "Decided to take me up on it rather than fail?" she said sarcastically.
"Yeah," he said, not even embarrassed in the slightest. They walked in silence, occasionally catching the other's eye and exchanging small smiles. Once they reached the Room of Requirement, they both automatically thought of a place and walked back and fourth three times. After the third time, Hermione took a hold of the door handle and opened the door.
There was three huge rows of books on Herbology, but also two comfy armchairs, very close next to each other, a fireplace blazing and crackling, and a small table in front of the two armchairs. "So..." Ron said awkwardly, "I suppose we should get started?"
"Yeah," said Hermione easily. She sat down in one of the chairs, opened her bag and got out her Herbology book, a piece of parchment and a quill. Ron soon followed suit, and soon they were scratching away.
A couple of times, Ron looked up to glance at her beautiful face, in a small frown of concentration. The fourth time he looked up, she looked up as well, and their eyes locked. There was no small playful shadow of a smile this time, just a blazing want in both their eyes. Overcome with bravery he had never known, Ron leaned over and kissed her on the mouth, long but slow and sweet. When he finally stopped, she leaned her forehead against his and bit her lip as she tried to catch her breath.
When she was over the shock of him kissing her out of nowhere, she pulled away, looked at him, got off her chair and onto the floor, and, kneeling, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him after her. As soon as he was on the floor, she moved towards him and started kissing him back, hard, slowly opening her mouth.
She came up against him, pressing her chest against his. She was now up on her knees, her arms around his neck, stroking the back of his head. Ron got caught in the moment for a little while but soon came out of it as the shock of not being rejected like he imagined he would be over and over again settled in. He gently pushed her back and said firmly, "Hermione."
She smiled at his surprise. "Yes?"
He frowned in confusion. "But I always thought...you and Krum...I was the only one..."
She laughed a little. "I told you before, Viktor and I are just friends. And...I guess you were wrong." She smiled again and kissed him again, this time, as light as a butterfly...he was floating away...
Harry was sitting in the common room with Fred and George when Ron came back, and as soon as they laid eyes on him they all put on cocky grins. "So Ron," said George, "get much work done?"
Harry joined in, with a knowing smile. "Yeah, Ron, I'm just so tired. Can I use your notes?"
Ron sat down in a nearby armchair, unable to keep from smiling. "Oh, shut up, you bloody twits."
Just as he was sitting down, Hermione entered the common room as well. "Hello Hermione," said Fred brightly. "Get much work done?"
"Why yes, in fact I did," said Hermione, just as cocky. "I got a number of things I wanted to accomplish done."
Fred, George, and Harry all snorted and covered hysterical grins. Harry actually fell off of his chair, by accident.
"Cocky bitches," Hermione muttered as she passed.
"Well, Hermione! I say!" said George, in mock-surprise. "Watch your tongue, young lady! What has been poisoning your mouth lately???"
Harry and Fred burst into hysterical laughter and Harry gave George a high-five. "I'm going to bed," Hermione said drily.
"I second that," Ron said, still blushing.
"Well, be careful Hermione, don't accidentally go up to the boys' dormitories, someone might be tempted," Harry said.
"SHUT UP, HARRY," Hermione and Ron yelled from over their shoulders, then both went their separate ways up their dormitories' stairs.
A few minutes later, as Ron was in his pajamas and reading a book on his bed, Harry came up, grinning. "Sorry mate," he said apologetically. "Just a bit of fun."
"You're a jackass," Ron said, grinning.
"Yeah, well," Harry said mischievously, "you're a bit of a pimp."