In Love
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Keep them coming...
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley or any other character for that matter. The only thing I own is the plot.
Chapter 8
"Kinda? What do you mean kinda?" Harry asked, somewhat urgently.
"We're kind of going out," Ron repeated.
Harry cleared his throat and looked away for a while. Hermione and Ron looked curiously at him, both wondering why he was reacting that way. Hermione looked at Ron, who looked back at her, managing a small smile and squeezing her hand.
"Uh, Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked carefully.
Harry looked at them. "Fine. I was just surprised."
Hermione smiled. "But isn't it great? We can double date now."
"Yeah," Harry said stiffly. "Well I'd better go back inside. Parvati's waiting for me." Without another word, he turned around and walked back in the three broomsticks.
Hermione turned to Ron. "Why did you say that we're going out?" she said with urgency but she was smiling.
Ron grinned at her. "Why did you say that thing about double dating?"
"Well. because you said that we were going out in the first place," Hermione stammered.
He grinned at her again, this time even wider. "And I didn't say that we were going out. I said kinda."
Hermione blushed and became flustered. "Oh. Well, yeah. I knew that." She stopped blabbing when Ron placed her hand to his lips. She looked at him.
"You're so pretty when you're flustered," Ron told her seriously, his eyes glinting with amusement. Hermione gulped silently and looked away, her heart beating fast. "Well," he continued lightly, "do you still want to go in three broomsticks?"
Hermione glanced at the pub and saw Harry and Parvati seated by a window. She slowly shook her head. "Let's just go somewhere else." Ron nodded. "I want to be alone with you," she whispered.
Ron looked at her because of this. He smiled at her and they began walking again.
**
"Harry, is something wrong?" Ginny asked.
"What do you mean?" Harry stalled, slowly looking at her.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, Harry, you're exactly like Ron. Why can't people just accept the fact that they have a problem? You know something's wrong or you wouldn't be acting this way." She crossed her arms on her chest, waiting for Harry's reply.
"I'm okay, Gin. Don't worry about me," he said finally.
"Don't worry about you? Are you kidding me? Of course I'll worry about you because you're my friend. And. and because Parvati's been bugging me like hell," she added when she saw Parvati egging her on.
Harry looked up at this. "What?"
"Parvati's worried something's wrong," she answered, sighing. "And she's been asking me a lot of questions ever since you came back from Hogsmeade the other day. What happened?"
"I'm just bothered by -."
"Oh my god!"
Hermione had just walked in the common room, her hands linked with her brother's. And they were smiling very happily. Everyone, after seeing Hermione and Ron, immediately looked at Harry to see his reaction. Ginny slowly looked at Harry, then at Ron and Hermione, then back at Harry again. A sudden conclusion came to her. "Is this what you're on about?"
"How do you feel about this, Ginny?" Harry demanded.
"Well." she said, watching Hermione and Ron sit down in front of the fire, "It's all very. um, surprising, but okay."
"It's okay with you?" Harry asked with disbelief.
"Why wouldn't it be? For all I know they're just holding each other's hands and nothing more. We shouldn't just jump into conclusions, you know."
"Ron said that they're kinda going out."
"Are you sure?"
"Would I have said so if I wasn't sure?"
"No need to be all upset about it. Besides, you're happy with Parvati, right?"
"Yeah." Harry turned around and left the common room without glancing at neither Ron or Hermione.
Ginny watched him leave, clueless as to why his actions were that way. She shrugged and made her way to where Ron and Hermione were chatting. "Hey guys!" she greeted, sitting beside Hermione. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, a bit confused at her question. Ginny nodded towards their hands, which were still clasped with each other's. "Oh!" Hermione said with complete understanding. "Well." She looked at Ron.
"I'm sure Harry told you," Ron said at once.
"And are you telling me that it's true?" Ginny asked cautiously.
"Is it really so hard to believe?" Hermione asked curiously.
"It's just. surprising," Ginny said finally.
"Well, we're not exactly going out," Hermione continued. "Ron and I just have an understanding." She gave Ron's hand a squeeze. Ron looked seriously at her.
Ginny managed a small smile, realizing that it was her cue to go. "I'm happy for both of you. Good luck." With this, she trudged off to the girls' dormitories.
"Hermione," Ron began.
Hermione looked at up him and chuckled a little. "Why so serious?"
"We have an understanding?"
"Don't we?" she asked uncertainly.
"What understanding?"
Hermione withdrew her hand from Ron's grasp. "I. I thought you liked me?"
"That doesn't constitute an understanding," he demanded.
"Because you haven't heard the other part of the understanding."
"What's the other part?"
"Well." she began, twirling her hair. "It wouldn't be an understanding if I didn't feel the same way. right?" She slowly met his eyes.
Ron began to smile. "What are you trying to say?"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that. Um, I." She looked down. "I. Uh."
Ron tilted her face towards him, waiting expectantly. "Go on," he said, watching her with amusement.
"I. I like you, too, Ron."
"Are you sure?" Ron asked seriously.
"Yes. I am," Hermione answered, feeling confused. Ron didn't say anything. He seemed to be thinking about things. "Ron, what's wrong? I mean, don't you want us to have an understanding?" He just continued looking at her, watching her face fall. He didn't know why he wasn't saying anything. This was what he had been waiting for his whole life and now that it was happening he wasn't doing anything. Hermione nodded in disappointed. "Okay. I. I understand." She slowly stood up and turned to go, but Ron stopped her by grabbing her wrist. She faced him again.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Well, I think I made a mistake," she replied tentatively.
"I don't think so," he said straightforwardly.
"What?" Hermione asked, confused. She couldn't understand what was going on with Ron. One moment, she felt like he did like her and one moment, he didn't.
"I don't think you made a mistake," he repeated.
"I don't understand you, Ron," she said, confusion clear on her voice.
"Why don't you sit back down?" he said gently, releasing her wrist. Hermione sat back down, waiting for Ron to begin talking. She wanted to hear what he had to say, hoping that it wasn't bad news for the both of them. Ron cleared his throat and willed himself to relax. "Uh. I'm sorry for being passive on what you told me. It's just."
"Ron, if you don't feel the same way just tell me!" Hermione said, getting frustrated. "I don't want any more discussions if nothing's going to happen."
"No," Ron replied hurriedly. "That's just it, Hermione. I feel the same way. I've felt this way about you for a long time and -."
"What?" she asked, shocked.
"Yes, Hermione, I've lov - erm, liked you for a long time," he said, clearing his throat at his slip.
Hermione carefully watched him, watching his movements and his eyes. She wanted to know if he was telling the truth. She decided to ignore his slip. "Is that so hard to say?"
"Yes," he said after a long pause. "It is to me because. I don't know how you'd react."
Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. "I like you, too, Ron. so much." She released him, resting her hands on his shoulders, still smiling.
Ron was grinning at her, his ears red. He cleared his throat. "That's really nice to hear, you know. Never thought I'd ever hear you say that."
"I like you a lot, Ron Weasley," Hermione repeated, making Ron turn redder. She giggled at this. "You know, you're so cute. I can't believe I hadn't noticed that before." Ron turned even redder, which Hermione didn't think was still possible, seeing how red he already was.
"Erm, thanks," he replied meekly.
Harry watched his two best friends hug each other. And felt bad about it. He couldn't believe that both of them would have the guts to get together after he and Hermione broke up. He couldn't believe Ron would pursue her and he couldn't believe Hermione would move on so quickly. He scowled at this, realizing that he had a girlfriend at once after Hermione broke up with him. "I'm such an asshole," he said to himself.
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Keep them coming...
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley or any other character for that matter. The only thing I own is the plot.
Chapter 8
"Kinda? What do you mean kinda?" Harry asked, somewhat urgently.
"We're kind of going out," Ron repeated.
Harry cleared his throat and looked away for a while. Hermione and Ron looked curiously at him, both wondering why he was reacting that way. Hermione looked at Ron, who looked back at her, managing a small smile and squeezing her hand.
"Uh, Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked carefully.
Harry looked at them. "Fine. I was just surprised."
Hermione smiled. "But isn't it great? We can double date now."
"Yeah," Harry said stiffly. "Well I'd better go back inside. Parvati's waiting for me." Without another word, he turned around and walked back in the three broomsticks.
Hermione turned to Ron. "Why did you say that we're going out?" she said with urgency but she was smiling.
Ron grinned at her. "Why did you say that thing about double dating?"
"Well. because you said that we were going out in the first place," Hermione stammered.
He grinned at her again, this time even wider. "And I didn't say that we were going out. I said kinda."
Hermione blushed and became flustered. "Oh. Well, yeah. I knew that." She stopped blabbing when Ron placed her hand to his lips. She looked at him.
"You're so pretty when you're flustered," Ron told her seriously, his eyes glinting with amusement. Hermione gulped silently and looked away, her heart beating fast. "Well," he continued lightly, "do you still want to go in three broomsticks?"
Hermione glanced at the pub and saw Harry and Parvati seated by a window. She slowly shook her head. "Let's just go somewhere else." Ron nodded. "I want to be alone with you," she whispered.
Ron looked at her because of this. He smiled at her and they began walking again.
**
"Harry, is something wrong?" Ginny asked.
"What do you mean?" Harry stalled, slowly looking at her.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, Harry, you're exactly like Ron. Why can't people just accept the fact that they have a problem? You know something's wrong or you wouldn't be acting this way." She crossed her arms on her chest, waiting for Harry's reply.
"I'm okay, Gin. Don't worry about me," he said finally.
"Don't worry about you? Are you kidding me? Of course I'll worry about you because you're my friend. And. and because Parvati's been bugging me like hell," she added when she saw Parvati egging her on.
Harry looked up at this. "What?"
"Parvati's worried something's wrong," she answered, sighing. "And she's been asking me a lot of questions ever since you came back from Hogsmeade the other day. What happened?"
"I'm just bothered by -."
"Oh my god!"
Hermione had just walked in the common room, her hands linked with her brother's. And they were smiling very happily. Everyone, after seeing Hermione and Ron, immediately looked at Harry to see his reaction. Ginny slowly looked at Harry, then at Ron and Hermione, then back at Harry again. A sudden conclusion came to her. "Is this what you're on about?"
"How do you feel about this, Ginny?" Harry demanded.
"Well." she said, watching Hermione and Ron sit down in front of the fire, "It's all very. um, surprising, but okay."
"It's okay with you?" Harry asked with disbelief.
"Why wouldn't it be? For all I know they're just holding each other's hands and nothing more. We shouldn't just jump into conclusions, you know."
"Ron said that they're kinda going out."
"Are you sure?"
"Would I have said so if I wasn't sure?"
"No need to be all upset about it. Besides, you're happy with Parvati, right?"
"Yeah." Harry turned around and left the common room without glancing at neither Ron or Hermione.
Ginny watched him leave, clueless as to why his actions were that way. She shrugged and made her way to where Ron and Hermione were chatting. "Hey guys!" she greeted, sitting beside Hermione. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, a bit confused at her question. Ginny nodded towards their hands, which were still clasped with each other's. "Oh!" Hermione said with complete understanding. "Well." She looked at Ron.
"I'm sure Harry told you," Ron said at once.
"And are you telling me that it's true?" Ginny asked cautiously.
"Is it really so hard to believe?" Hermione asked curiously.
"It's just. surprising," Ginny said finally.
"Well, we're not exactly going out," Hermione continued. "Ron and I just have an understanding." She gave Ron's hand a squeeze. Ron looked seriously at her.
Ginny managed a small smile, realizing that it was her cue to go. "I'm happy for both of you. Good luck." With this, she trudged off to the girls' dormitories.
"Hermione," Ron began.
Hermione looked at up him and chuckled a little. "Why so serious?"
"We have an understanding?"
"Don't we?" she asked uncertainly.
"What understanding?"
Hermione withdrew her hand from Ron's grasp. "I. I thought you liked me?"
"That doesn't constitute an understanding," he demanded.
"Because you haven't heard the other part of the understanding."
"What's the other part?"
"Well." she began, twirling her hair. "It wouldn't be an understanding if I didn't feel the same way. right?" She slowly met his eyes.
Ron began to smile. "What are you trying to say?"
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that. Um, I." She looked down. "I. Uh."
Ron tilted her face towards him, waiting expectantly. "Go on," he said, watching her with amusement.
"I. I like you, too, Ron."
"Are you sure?" Ron asked seriously.
"Yes. I am," Hermione answered, feeling confused. Ron didn't say anything. He seemed to be thinking about things. "Ron, what's wrong? I mean, don't you want us to have an understanding?" He just continued looking at her, watching her face fall. He didn't know why he wasn't saying anything. This was what he had been waiting for his whole life and now that it was happening he wasn't doing anything. Hermione nodded in disappointed. "Okay. I. I understand." She slowly stood up and turned to go, but Ron stopped her by grabbing her wrist. She faced him again.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Well, I think I made a mistake," she replied tentatively.
"I don't think so," he said straightforwardly.
"What?" Hermione asked, confused. She couldn't understand what was going on with Ron. One moment, she felt like he did like her and one moment, he didn't.
"I don't think you made a mistake," he repeated.
"I don't understand you, Ron," she said, confusion clear on her voice.
"Why don't you sit back down?" he said gently, releasing her wrist. Hermione sat back down, waiting for Ron to begin talking. She wanted to hear what he had to say, hoping that it wasn't bad news for the both of them. Ron cleared his throat and willed himself to relax. "Uh. I'm sorry for being passive on what you told me. It's just."
"Ron, if you don't feel the same way just tell me!" Hermione said, getting frustrated. "I don't want any more discussions if nothing's going to happen."
"No," Ron replied hurriedly. "That's just it, Hermione. I feel the same way. I've felt this way about you for a long time and -."
"What?" she asked, shocked.
"Yes, Hermione, I've lov - erm, liked you for a long time," he said, clearing his throat at his slip.
Hermione carefully watched him, watching his movements and his eyes. She wanted to know if he was telling the truth. She decided to ignore his slip. "Is that so hard to say?"
"Yes," he said after a long pause. "It is to me because. I don't know how you'd react."
Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. "I like you, too, Ron. so much." She released him, resting her hands on his shoulders, still smiling.
Ron was grinning at her, his ears red. He cleared his throat. "That's really nice to hear, you know. Never thought I'd ever hear you say that."
"I like you a lot, Ron Weasley," Hermione repeated, making Ron turn redder. She giggled at this. "You know, you're so cute. I can't believe I hadn't noticed that before." Ron turned even redder, which Hermione didn't think was still possible, seeing how red he already was.
"Erm, thanks," he replied meekly.
Harry watched his two best friends hug each other. And felt bad about it. He couldn't believe that both of them would have the guts to get together after he and Hermione broke up. He couldn't believe Ron would pursue her and he couldn't believe Hermione would move on so quickly. He scowled at this, realizing that he had a girlfriend at once after Hermione broke up with him. "I'm such an asshole," he said to himself.