Thank you to Luckyloo16, my very first reviewer for this piece in the works! I'm so glad to have you (still) as a reviewer! I hope you like the rest of this story as well!
Part 1:
Chapter 2: Falling to My Knees (Confessions)
Hermione tapped her foot impatiently.
I'm in love with you
'Cause I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
"So help me Merlin, Ronald, if you dare tell me now that you are in love with Eloise Midgen or Luna or Padma or, or, or anyone for that matter, I will hurt you!" she threatened. Why did he insist on going back and forth in everything? Couldn't he just be serious, stick with his original claim once? Just this once, really, that's all she was asking for.
He stared at her blankly for a minute before gathering his wits about him, coming up with another retort to irritate. "What are you talking about Hermione?"
She threw her hands into the air. "You know what Ron? Never mind what I'm talking about!" She charged away from him, not paying attention to any of his pleas for her to stop. Her heart was racing, she was sure the entire common room was staring at the two of them, again, and frankly, she was tired of being their amusement. Ron had to have been, too, she figured.
She was halfway down the hall from the Gryffindor Tower when Ron finally caught up with her. "Why do you keep running from me?"
Hermione, infuriated, whirled around, got on her tiptoes and got as close to him as she could without grabbing him and kissing him. "I am performing one of our Prefect duties, Ronald! I'm surveying the halls!"
She tried walking away from him but he stepped in front of her, blocking her path. He crossed his arms over his chest. He gave her a cool, appraising look. "I thought you said you wanted to go to bed?" he asked suspiciously. His dark blue eyes were watching her closely, scrutinizing her every move.
She put her hands up against his chest (hardened from long Quidditch practices) and shoved him as hard as she could. "Leave me alone!"
Ron took a couple of stunned steps backward. He only barely kept from cussing rather loudly. He kept himself firmly planted on both feet, watching her walk away. He was confused as hell.
Then an amusing, and surprising, thought crossed his mind. What had possibly gotten into her bushy-haired head? Why would she be so bent out of shape because he mentioned Susan Bones? Did it really matter to her that he was in love with someone?
Or was it that he might possibly be in love with someone other than herself?
A devilish smirk decorated his face. "Hermione, you wouldn't be this mad because you're in love with me now, would you?"
She stopped dead cold.
He hadn't said the words loud but the emptiness and quiet of the hall made them sound louder than thunder. That he had the audacity to say something like that! Especially to her!
She snorted defensively before turning around only to glare at him; her cheeks flushed and breasts heaving. "How dare you make such an assumption! And in public no less!" she reprimanded in a hushed whisper.
Ron threw back his head and laughed. "Public, Hermione? What in the hell is so public about this here? It's an empty hallway, for the love of wizardry!" he shouted.
"You weren't nearly so cocky when you were asking about Susan earlier, Ron, what suddenly made you so sure of yourself?" she asked. Her head tipped to one side in a questioning gesture.
He stepped forward, coming closer to her in an attempt to keep their loud conversation more between themselves. If they weren't careful, the paintings would make sure they were the talk of the castle all day tomorrow.
He shrugged, stopping abruptly. He towered over her. "I don't know. I just thought that I'd ask. Is it so far off that you might be taken with me?"
Her gaze darkened and she started chewing lower lip. He could see tell by her reaction that she wasn't sure how she should answer. Then she looked up at him, and staring him right in the eyes, gave her answer. "In fact, yes, it is that far off that I might be taken with you," she replied. There was a triumphant 'Ha! I won' look in her eye that he didn't appreciate.
Ron snorted.
She arched an eyebrow. "Oh get over it, Ronald," she said chillily. "Aren't you sick of being at the center of everyone's attention? Don't you realize that we are? People are entertained by us?" Her voice was rising in volume and Ron was inwardly cringing.
"Or have you forgotten about all the times everyone's eyes have been on us?" she asked. She stepped forward. "And I don't mean like in the way Harry is. Harry might be the center of attention at times, but generally not for other people's amusement, that is, unless that other person happens to be Malfoy or any other Slytherin, of course," she said in one great big breath.
He stammered but before he could say anything, she continued on.
"Ron!" she exclaimed sharply. "I'm sick of having a Yule Ball row with you every year!" There were tears that he didn't notice welling up in her eyes. He didn't hear the ball of emotion unfisting itself in her throat. "I just want us to be friends, Ron."
"I thought we were friends," he said simply. It was the only thing he could think to say.
He felt, rather than saw, her smile. "Of course we are." There was an unknown element of reservation in her voice. "I'm tired Ron," she added softly.
Ron didn't think she was talking about being physically tired anymore. "But we are friends?"
She chuckled a little. Then she grabbed his hand in hers (he had to marvel at how tiny hers were against his, and at how warm they were). "We have to stick together Ron. We have to."
It sounded like a plea more than anything.
She added quietly and sincerely, "We're the only two people in the world who know what it's like to be Harry Potter's best friend. The only two people close enough to him to know what it's like to live in his shadow."
Ron nodded and despite the darkness, he felt that she could see him.
"Yeah, we are, aren't we?"
Raising herself up on her tiptoes, she put her arms around his neck and drew him close to her, hugging him with everything she had in herself.
Gingerly he put his arms around her. His one hand left the small of her back and began pulling at her long strands of hair, touching it and smoothing it out.
When she pulled away she seemed shier than she had in ages. Her eyes were shining brightly. "I'm sorry for being defensive with you. Again. Seems we can't ever go through a year without hysteria, can we?"
He looked confused. "Um, Hermione…I'm not sure I know what hysteria means," he admitted sheepishly.
She giggled. "Oh Ron, it's not important," she said then.
He sighed. "Good. For a moment I wasn't sure if I was supposed to know that word or not."
"Well, for future knowledge, hysteria is kind of like going nuts," she told him.
He brought his chin up in an acknowledging gesture. "Oh…so my Mum has hysteria then? And Ginny too?"
Hermione full out laughed then. "I think most women do," she said through laughs.
Ron smiled. He liked hearing Hermione's laugh. Liked making her laugh.
They had started walking back to Gryffindor Tower together but Ron made her stop, gently this time. "Hermione…" his voice had lost any sense of humor and Hermione suspected that he was about to be serious.
He ran a hand through his thick red locks, as he had done earlier. "When I said that I wasn't in love with Susan…"
Hermione had to suppress a groan. She didn't want to talk about this again. Why were they always going in circles? Couldn't they ever agree on anything? Anything outside of Harry that is? (And they didn't always agree on that!)
"Well, I meant it," he continued on. His eyes were sparking with life as he looked down at her. "I'm not and there is someone else."
She made herself be patient for him. Whatever he had to say must be important. Or at least it better be, because otherwise they might very well be starting another argument for no reason at all.
"And we do need to stick together," he added.
Really, he wasn't making much sense at all…
You're the only one
I'd be with 'til the end
And then his soft, warm lips were pressing against hers and his arms were holding her very close to him.
Shocked, but in pure bliss, Hermione buried her hands in his hair.
They had been avoiding kissing for much too long, she realized as the kiss came to an end and tidal waves of emotion were still hitting her. It was the end of their sixth year…how long had it been since she realized she liked him? That she was in love with him?
And did it really matter? Now that he was kissing her again, and that she could feel his heart beating as hard as hers through their chest cavities.
I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
Thank you for reading these two short chapters! That's it for Ron and Hermione…now onto another couple (feel free to send in requests for couples and songs…I need your input!)! I hope you all enjoyed my short little story! Please read and review no matter what!