Here it is you guys! Sorry for the long wait, the muse decided it needed a vacation... Hope you guys like it! I know I enjoyed writing it... Thanks to my fabilous beta, Fain, and to Slim who told me.. 'Go ahead.. BE AS SMUTTY AS YOU WANNA BE!' So.... I love you guys! Same rules apply, you know, the way.

Chapter Five ::
A Rebellious Hermione

Hermione's mother called her down from her room.

"What do you want, mum? Ginny wanted me to visit Harry with her."

"That's going to have to wait, Hermione. Shut the door, will you?"

"What's wrong? Nothing's happened has it?" She asked in a panic.

"Everything's fine. I just want to talk to you."

"Okay... What about?" Hermione sat down. She had a feeling this was going to be a long talk.

"How are you and Ron?"

"We're fine, mum."

"He's not treating you badly or anything?"

"No of course not!"

"So he's not pushing you into anything?"

"Like?"

"Well, he's not pushing you into sex is he?"

"WHAT IS IT WITH EVERYONE? WHY IS EVERYONE BRINGING THAT UP?"

"I'm just concerned. Doing that at your age isn't the smartest thing, you're still a girl."

"I'm seventeen; I'll be legal in five months. Why would Ron push me into sleeping with him?"

"Well, he's eighteen, and you've been together for almost two years now, I'm not saying he's only with you to get sex. I'm sure he cares for you very much."

"Believe it or not, mum, sex isn't the basis of our relationship."

"I'm not saying it is!"

"Mum, please I don't need to hear this! If I want to sleep with Ron I will!"

"I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"I'll never regret doing anything with Ron, mum. I love him. I've loved him since I was eleven. Six years, mum. I'll never regret Ron."

"You know, maybe we should just do what everyone thinks we do."

"What?!" She sat up.

"It's just a thought. We don't have to."

"Are you serious?"

"Only if you are."

"Hmm... Can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Sure..."

"What if I got pregnant? Would you- would you stay with me?" His eyes were as big as saucers.

"What?"

"I said hypothetical, Ron."

"I know, I know. Why would you think I wouldn't stay with you? What would make you think that way?"

"Well, Muggles do it all the time, and I just... I don't know."

"I'm not a Muggle, and I wouldn't. I would never leave you... I love you." He had said it. After seven years, he told her. Hermione gasped at the statement.

"You- you love me?"

"Yes," he said, whispering, leaning his forehead on hers, "ever since Fourth Year. Second Year, even. I think it just took me until Fourth Year to realize it. You don't have to say it back or anything. Just know that I love you."

"Why wouldn't I say it back? I love you, Ron. I've loved you since you sacrificed yourself on McGonagall's chess board."

"That long, huh? No one can resist the Weasley Charm. Even poor Harry's been sucked in. Ginny's got it too." He smiled, he just admitted it. Ginny and Harry. It was official; they could now stop sneaking around, if they did sneak around.

"Yes, I've been a victim of the Weasley Charm. Hopefully a trip to St. Mungo's can fix it." She smiled, as he hit her on the arm.

"How Harry, Ginny?"

"He's okay, wishes Ron would come."

"I know, but he's still upset."

"I still can't believe he finally told you."

"You knew?"

"Yeah. I knew a long time ago he was head over heels."

"Do you think, if I slept with Ron and I got pregnant he'd leave me?"

"Why do you think that? He loves you; he wouldn't leave you like that. He'd marry you in a heart beat; he'd do everything for you. Why?" Ginny couldn't hide the shock in her voice.

"I've just been thinking about it, even since Mum..."

"Your mum brought it up? Why?"

"I suppose she over heard Ron and I talking, I don't know."

Hermione's birthday was soon. Two months. It was her seventeenth. He wanted it to be perfect. Hermione had brought up sleeping with him twice. He didn't know if she was hinting at it, or what. He wasn't going to force her into it, no matter how much he wanted her.

"Hermione, what is it that you want for your birthday?" He asked, even though he bought her present ages ago.

"Oh, I don't know. I don't want anything special."

"It's your seventeenth! It has to be special."

"No..."
"Yes. I'm going to make it special."

"You don't have to; I'm just as content on staying home and doing nothing." He sat down, wedging himself between Hermione and the back of the couch. He trailed kisses down her neck.
"Of course you'd be content on staying home, doing nothing. You always do 'nothing'. It's time you actually did something."

"Just because you can't sit still..."

"Who says I can't stay still?"

"I do."

"Well, Miss Granger, I believe I hear a challenge."

"Do you, now?"

"I do. How long do I have to stay still for?"

"I bet you can't stay still for... ten minutes."

"I bet I can."

"You're on."

She knew Ron couldn't stay still for ten minutes. He was always fidgeting; drumming his fingers on a table, running a hand through his hair, shaking his foot. He was incapable of staying still. He just couldn't do it.

"What do I get if I stay still?" Ron asked, still trailing kisses along her neck. Hermione shivered, trying to keep her logical side in check. Her voice got low, almost inaudible, she whispered, "Me." Ron stopped kissing her neck, his eyes wide with shock.

"Y-ou?" His voice was high, broken.

"Is that a problem?"

"No... But, are you... Are you sure?"

"Very sure." Ron was in complete and utter shock.

"You're not saying that to spite everyone are you?"

"No. Remember that night, the night you asked me if I wanted you?"

"Yes."

"What was my answer?"

"You did."

"I still do, the aching is just too much. People bringing it up made me start thinking about it. Mainly when my mum brought it up I started thinking about it."

"Your mum brought it up?"

"Yes. She thought you were pushing me into it."

"You know I wouldn't, right?" He looked at her with concern laced in his eyes.

"I know, I know."

"What do you get if I lose?"

"You. It's a win-win situation here, Ron." She smiled.

Ron couldn't believe it. Was this a dream? Hermione basically told him what he'd wanted to hear for years. He wanted to hear her say she wanted him before he fully understood what it meant. He wanted her. He was a little shocked that her mum thought he was pushing her into it. He wanted her, but he wouldn't push her into it. He wasn't a Muggle after all.
The wager didn't last ten minutes, he wiggled his foot. He lost. He had no idea if she was serious or not. If she was just doing this to spite everyone. She sure sounded serious, and Hermione wasn't one to kid. He was going to get what he wanted for years, but would it be worth it? Because after... they wouldn't be able to go back.