Oh my god! I am so so, so, so sorry! I'm sorry it took like practically a whole two weeks! I sincerely apologize. It's just that I was so bloody busy! Please don't hate me! Here's the next chapter!
And much thanks to my lovely, beautiful, smart, talented, brave, valiant, strong, wise and brilliant editor! (who actually wrote that line but since I agree with every word I decided to post it up anyway!)
Disclaimer: As if you guys actually read this.
As things turned out, Harry found he had a long time to wait before the two would
confess. No matter how many times he bugged the both of them, they always
said the same thing.
"No Harry! It's too soon, besides Ron has Quidditch Practice tomorrow! The truth
might make him upset... he might hurt himself on the broom!"
"No Harry! Are you crazy? It's way to early, and besides Hermione has to study for her
Arithmancy exam. The truth might make her get an Acceptable for once."
Harry was getting very annoyed with the glances the two gave each other during classes. But
other than the subtle looks they exchanged (they would each look away when they caught one
another's eye), and the daydreaming Harry was sure they both had done, Ron and Hermione's
relationship stayed at the same level. There was the occasional bickering, and the nagging, but
this just kept things normal. Harry was seriously considering going to Snape so he could have
the directions on how to brew Vertiaserum.
Things stayed this way up until early January. The trio were in the Common Room doing their
homework. Once the holidays had ended the teachers had increased the workload to painful
amount, and the prospect of a Hogsmeade weekend ahead kept them busy, in a futile attempt to
finish work before the weekend. As they were working on their Charms homework, Ginny
came in.
"Hey, tomorrow is a Hogsmeade day." She stated unnecessarily, holding up a leaflet and taking
a seat on the couch. Harry grunted, as he was having trouble trying to remember the incantation
for a bounce charm. Hermione didn't look up, as she was checking her homework but Ron
however gave Ginny a wistful look.
"Really? I don't know when was the last time I had a Sugar Quill—"
"Ron!" Hermione said. "Have you forgotten the homework we have? You still have to edit your
Transfigurarion essay, you haven't finished the questions Snape assigned and you haven't even
started the star chart Professor Sinistra gave you!"
Ron pouted, but knew she was right. He still had a lot of homework to be done and doing it
instead of going to Hosmeade would be very practical.
"Fine. But that means Harry can't go too."
"Actually, mate all I have to do is finish 4 questions for Snape, and finish up the star chart."
Harry said. Ron suspected that wasn't the only reason Harry didn't seem to want to go to
Hogsmeade alone...
"But that means I'll be all alone! Who's going to help me finish those questions for Snape and I
can't fill in that whole chart for Sinistra by myself and—"
"Fine!" Hermione said getting annoyed and Ron's whining. "I'll stay with you, but you owe me."
Though it wasn't as if Hermione really minded...
"Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, so much Hermione! I swear I'll—"
stress from her Arithmancy.
Ron grinned and returned back to his work. It was only when things got a little quiet that
Hermione realized she would be alone with Ron the next day. However, Harry and Ginny
noticed this as well and gave evil grins, pondering what the next day would bring.
The next morning dawned beautifully. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. It was theperfect day to go to Hogsmeade. Ron noticed the weather and wasn't very happy that he had to
stay inside doing homework.
After breakfast, Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione, and went on his way, alone at the
present time, Ron suspected more than a lone trip to Hogsmeade from Harry.
"Alright, we have a busy day ahead of us, so I suggest we get started now." Hermione said once
she had finished eating.
"Right now? But Hermione, its not even ten!" Ron exclaimed, shocked at how early Hermione
wanted to get started.
"Exactly. If we're lucky maybe you can start your star charts before lunch!" Hermione sounded
much too excited.
Ron gave an elongated sigh. It figured that the one time he would be alone with Hermione, they
would be doing homework. Little did he know she felt much the same way.
They began working. After Ron's incessant begging, Hermione agreed to edit his Transfiguration
homework and check his Potions questions. As things turned out, Ron was able to start his
Astronomy charts a full hour before lunch.
"Maybe if you finish early we can go to Hogsmeade later." Hermione said, pleased at their
progress. Ron beamed and got started.
It turned out that filling out the charts wasn't as easy as Ron thought.
"Hermione?"
She didn't respond.
"Hermione?"
Silence.
"Hermione!"
"What?" she snapped. She was in a very edgy mood because she wasn't sure if her own star
charts were filled in correctly.
"I don't get this."
"What don't you get?"
"How on earth am I supposed to find Orion? All the stars look the same!"
"Look closer. You'll see the difference between the stars and their placement."
"I don't see them."
"Well, figure it out."
"Aw, it's too hard. Can't I just look at yours?"
"No! You should do it yourself."
"But I don't see it!"
"Well look closer!"
"I don't see it!"
"Ron! I'm not going to let you look at my chart!"
"Its only this one time!"
"No, it isn't!"
Hermione was getting very angry, now.
"Oh,yes it is! You never can solve anything without my help!"
"I can too! I've solved loads of things without your help!"
Hermione gave a very uncharacteristically cold laugh. Ron was getting just as angry as
Hermione. "No you haven't!" she said. "You always need me to spell everything out! Try finding
out stuff by yourself!"
"I have too, found out things by myself!"
"Yeah right! I bet you couldn't even figure out who your date was at the ball!"
Hermione realized what she had just said and knew she had just steered into dangerous waters,
but she was too angry to even care.
"I did too! I figured out who she was!"
Hermione snorted. "No you did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"DID TOO!"
"NO YOU DIDN'T!"
"I BLOODY WELL DID!"
"THEN WHO IS SHE?!" Hermione yelled, the fight had escalated more than she felt
comfortable with. What if Ron really did know? She would be leading him on... encouraging
him... she would be risking their friendship. However, at the present time, she didn't care. She
just yelled right back at Ron, and glared at him as though he were dirt on the soles of her shoe.
"YOU!"
Now I really thought of stopping here but out of guilt I decided not to. Don't u just love me?? Oh yeah that whole 2 week delay thing....Anyway lets continue on.
Hermione wasn't quite sure she heard correctly, but the look on Ron's face confirmed it.She said the only word that came to mind.
"What?" Her voice comfirmed that Ron knew. Ron really knew. When did he figure it out? How
did he figure it out? What if Harry helped him! Hermione began contemplating painful means of
torture for Harry. Ron stopped. He was regretting about telling her, but he knew the truth would
have to come out sooner or later.
"I mean...its just...I was so...um... upset when you left—"
"What do you mean me?" Hermione quickly interrupted, hoping that she could distract him from
the truth.
"HERMIONE...just listen, alright?"
Hermione swallowed, there went her idea down the drain. Ron took her silence as a yes.
"After you-- the girl in white left, I was upset. I never got to figure out who she was. And...I
dunno, it was just...well anyway, she left, and I got to thinking and, well, I figured out that I
really wanted to know who this girl was. And Harry and Ginny said...well never mind that but I
wanted to know who she was. The only clue I really had was this necklace."
Hermione put her hand to her neck and found that the necklace wasn't there. But she didn't
remember taking it off...
"So one night I got a little...irritated so I took the necklace and kinda looked at it. Well it didn't
help me much so I got a bit angry and threw it at the wall."
Hermione didn't say anything. She just stood there in shock wondering how this could all
happen. A small part of her mind smiled. It was so like Ron to lose his temper...
"Well obviously it broke, but I noticed something trickling down. Like water, or something, but
it had this...unusual scent you know? Like roses and lemonade and that's when I realized that it
was the perfume I gave you last year. And well the only way this girl could have gotten your
custom made perfume was if—"
Custom-made? Hermione inwardly squealed, but put it off for later, as there were more
important things at hand.
"If she was me." Hermione mumbled.
Ron looked at her sheepishly.
"Well, yeah."
Hermione was panicking. He knew. What was she to do? Everything was going wrong. What
was going to happen? What if—"
"It was me." She took a sigh. "I just got a little...angry at the fact that everyone
thought of me as some know-it-all and, well, I thought the ball was a way that people could see
me differently. Ginny helped me out. The reason I wore the perfume was because the makeup
had this positively rancid smell."
She stopped to see if Ron understood her. He blinked."Then I went to the ball...with you and I had a great time.""So why did you leave?" he asked.Hermione stopped. She had told him everything. Well at least almost everything.
"Because....well... I was going to tell you, I really was going to remove my mask that was theplan but...I thought you would get mad. And I didn't want to spoil your evening, so I left. I mean
I'm sorry I actually ended up ruining it—"
"You didn't ruin it." Ron said hurriedly.
Hermione felt hurt. So he didn't care about her, well she shouldn't have hoped so much...
"Oh. Well I'm sorry I left in such a hurry."
"I guess that's okay."
They both stood there awkwardly.
"So that's it?" Ron asked, then winced from his pathetic conclusion.
"I suppose." Hermione replied with a sigh.
"YOU TWO ARE COMPLETE IDIOTS!"
Harry had appeared and was folding his invisibility cloak while giving Ron and Hermione evil
looks.
"Admit it, please, please, please admit that you fancy each other! I can't stand it! You two are in
such denial!"
Ron and Hermione bent their heads down.
"Come on you two!"
Neither said a word.
"Alright that's it. I didn't want to have to tell you guys but in your pumpkin juice I put some
Veritaserum. It should start working in about 5 minutes and I'll start asking questions unless—"
"No!" both Hermione and Ron yelled.
"Alright here it goes. Ron I—I—I fancy you."
"Well erm I gues what I I want to say is Hermione—I kinda... fancy you."
They both looked up in surprise once they heard what the other person said.
"So you like me?" asked Hermione.
"Er if you like me then yeah." said Ron.
Both were blushing.
"There now that wasn't so hard now was it?" said Harry trying to hide a snicker.
"You know it actually feels good saying it." said Ron.
"Yes, it does. It feels very refreshing." added Hermione.
"So I guess that means we're er boyfriend and girlfriend?" Ron asked his ears
turning a little red.
"Er, I guess so." Hermione muttered.
There was a pause.
"Cool."
"No kidding."
"Alright then, well Harry now that you're satisfied I think I'll go finish up those star
charts and you can go to Hogsmeade. Er, Hermione do you think you can help me out a little?"
"Of course."
"Wait, that's it?" said Harry suddenly.
"That's what?" both Hermione and Ron said.
"That's all you guys are going to do? Just go back to doing homework?"
"Erm why not?"
"BECAUSE! It's just not right! At least kiss or something!"
Hermione and Ron gaped at Harry.
"Harry are you sure you'd really like to see me and Ron...er kissing?"
"Well not really, but you two just officially became boyfriend and girlfriend in a very unromantic
way—"
"It's not like I can go buying her roses with you around!" said Ron defensively.
"—and you wouldn't even have admitted your feelings for each other if it wasn't for me! I mean
come on you guys add a little...I don't know romance!"
There was another moment of shocked silence.
"Do you know how weird it is hearing you say romance?"
"KISS ALREADY!"
Hermione and Ron both inched towards each other and then suddenly their lips met.
"Awwww! That was so sweet!"
Ron and Hermione stopped kissing long enough to see Ginny with Fred and George. Fred was
smiling menacingly and Ron just noticed he was holding a camera.
"Were you three watching the entire time?" asked Hermione.
"Yes! Aww that was so swee—"
"Why didn't we see you?" Ron asked.
"Well Harry as an invisibility cloak, me and Fred have...rescources." George said grinning.
"Yeah and we got the entire thing on camera." added Fred.
"Even Ron and Hermione's first kiss!" squealed Ginny.
Ron was shocked.
"So that's why Harry wanted us to—"
"Umm how about that Hogsmeade trip?" Harry said quickly notcing Ron getting very angry.
"Yeah that sounds like a good idea." added George.
"We'll just be going." said Ginny tentatively.
"Wait a minute..."
But before Ron could finish they ran away.
"You know that kiss didn't feel so bad." Hermione said.
"Yeah, it didn't."
"Want another one?"
"Another one?"
"Another one." said Hermione smiling and they both kissed again.
And that's the end of my story, guys! In case your wondering, everyone else did find out about the girl in white's true identity (Hermione gave Ginny permission to tell) and more people (even a few Slytherins) treated her with more respect. Maybe I'll write a sequel hooking up Harry with Luna or Ginny not sure yet. Thanks to all who reviewed! Luv ya!