Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; except for on days when I forget my medication
This chapter is so long; I'm so proud. I'm going to try and make them all long now (probably not as long as this though) because one of my betas has guilted me into it and because I'm up to the fun part.
We are also going to play a little game. There are about 525,600 Rent references in the next two chapters (and probably in others too). FIND THEM AND GET LEPRACHAUN GOLD! (extra credit for any other movie references)
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get insecure
It doesn't matter anymore
It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want
- Maroon 5
-----
"Oh, well isn't that an endearing way to great one of your best friends," he said, allowing himself in.
"I'm sorry I was just so....oh," she threw her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes as he was as tall and gangly as when she left him. There was something comforting about it; it was just so Ron and she would be disappointed if he was any other way. "How did you know I was here?"
He reddened and shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't, I've been coming by here a lot since you left." By a lot, he meant that every day he had come by, ringing the doorbell until his finger grew sore, hoping that someone might answer but never really expecting them to. He would never dream of telling her though. It sounded desperate and pathetic even to him; he could only imagine what she would think.
"Sit down," she said, rubbing her eyes to try and mask any evidence that she had been crying.
He flopped down on the couch and made himself comfortable as though he was back in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione realized that it had gotten quite dark while she was sleeping and stretched over Ron, reaching for the lamp that stood beside him. He was curious to see electricity in action, but soon forgot this as Hermione brushed against him, sliding back into her seat. He had missed the feel of her bushy hair and silky skin more than anything in the world. The year he spent without her forced him accept his feelings for her and maybe she would too someday. Hopefully someday soon, before my hair turns gray, he thought.
"What have you been up to in the last year?" Hermione asked. It was a feeble attempt to make up for lost time but they had to start somewhere.
A distant expression washed over his face. "I'd rather not think about that. What about you? And Harry?"
"Well we..." she was going to tell him about all that had happened between her and Harry but something that she couldn't quite place held her back, "...managed. It wasn't the best of times but we were safe at least." The living room suddenly felt empty and cold. "Let's go into the kitchen, I'll put up some water for tea."
He followed her into her kitchen which was always the warmest room in the house. She looked around but all she could find was some Diet Coke.
"What is this?" Ron asked, skeptical about drinking something that reminded him of liquid dirt.
"It's soda, full of artificial sweeteners and terrible for you. Even though there's no actual sugar in it I still had to hide it from my parents, them being dentists and all..." she trailed off, not wanting to think about where her parents were right now.
"It looks more like something Neville made in potions..."
"Well, it's all we have. I'll have to run to the grocery store tomorrow morning; we need food for breakfast. A box of Captain Crunch would taste so good." She noticed he was still eyeing the soda skeptically. "Oh just drink it."
"No, it's going to make me puke or something"
"You won't throw up."
He stared at her full of doubt.
"You won't throw up. Wimp."
"Am not."
"Are to. You're afraid of a soft-drink."
"What are you, five?"
"Oh please, you know you are the more juvenile of the two of us."
"Do you feel special using big words?"
They were both enjoying their senseless bickering as it reminded them of old times but were interrupted as the lights flickered and died out.
"What just happened?" Ron asked, a hint of fear in his voice. He was going to have some trouble adjusting to the Muggle world.
"The downside of electricity. Sometimes the power blows, especially in storms like these. I didn't even notice it was raining."
I wouldn't have noticed the lights going off or even if a tornado went through the kitchen if it didn't prevent me from staring at you he thought, but decided he would be better off with a simple shrug.
"It's okay, follow me," Hermione said as she led him into the living room. He followed close behind her, probably closer than necessary, with his arms outstretched and a look of utter confusion on his face. He very much resembled a child playing pin the tail on the donkey. Ron had a feeling that the dark and his oversized feet were going to get him in trouble. His fears were realized when Hermione stopped in front of a tall glass cabinet and Ron bumped right into her.
"Ow Ron that was my-"
"I know, I'm sorry," he said, seriously hoping that it wasn't possible to sense someone turning red in the dark.
If she could, she didn't mention it. Instead, she just threw open the cabinet and pulled out a box.
"We light candles."
"If Muggles had any sense, we would have done that to begin with."
"Well these candles don't work quite the same. You need a match to light them."
"From what I remember, matches are pretty small aren't they?"
"Well yes, why?"
"Because how do you suppose we find one in the dark?"
"There's a pack in here," she said. Finally, she managed to light one after what seemed like a million had gone out or refused to light.
"Hold this while I look for a candleholder," Hermione instructed Ron.
"Ow! The wax, it's dripping," he said as he waved the candle about wildly.
"Oh that was brilliant. Now the candle's out. That was my last match. I have an idea; can you make it up the stairs?"
She led him to a room with deep purple curtains covering an entire wall and drew them back, revealing that the storm was nearing an end and the moon was once again the center of the sky.
"Thank Gd for the moon," she said, sitting down on the plush carpet and leaning back against her parents' bed. "What are you staring at?
"Nothing," was all that Hermione heard, oblivious to the fact that he had added, "your hair in the moonlight," mumbling under his breath.
"Ron, you're staring again," she said self-consciously. "It's my irresistible physique isn't it?" she said, completely joking. Ron didn't notice that though, he was too busy being mortified.
"Oh no! I mean...you do...have a nice..."
"Ron I was joking, relax."
"Oh, of course." With this, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat down beside her. Hermione's head lolled onto his shoulder as the patter of the rain on the balcony outside lulled her into a much needed sleep. Ron carefully lifted her into the bed and then lay down beside her, unable to prevent a grin from spreading across his face.
- - - - - -
Ron awoke feeling happier than he ever remembered being in his life. I just slept with Hermione! Okay I didn't really sleep with her...I mean I slept with her but I didn't wink-wink-nudge-nudge sleep with her. (a/n: Teaser. I'm so mean!) This still has to count for something though right?
He rolled over expecting to see her there, but found nothing but a wrinkled blanket. The room lacked an early morning glow and he figured he must have slept right through it. He walked downstairs taking in details that he hadn't seen the night before in the dark. Many things he didn't recognize, he would have to ask her about them sometime but now, all he wanted to do was find her.
Hermione saw Ron's flaming hair approaching from a mile away and concentrated harder on the bowl of chocolate pancake mix she was stirring to hide the fact that she was blushing. He ran his hand through his hair, which was sticking up at the strangest angles. That is the most adorable sight I have seen in my life. Wait, no its not, what am I talking about! She glanced down at the two rings on her hands. I am happily married. She resumed her stirring with extreme vigor
"You're going to break that thing," Ron said as she ground the spoon against the sides of the bowl hard enough to pulverize it.
Hermione glared at him before returning her attention to what would have been breakfast if Ron hadn't slept all day. Ron sat at the table and propped his head on his right hand, studying Hermione. He noticed that she had changed into a light pink bathrobe and her hair was wet, not in its usual voluminous shape. I wonder if she's wearing anything und-"Stop that!" he scolded himself, not realizing he was speaking out loud.
"Stop what?" Hermione said, walking over to him, bowl of batter and spoon in hand. She set the bowl down and began licking of the spoon while waiting for a reply and waging a civil war in her head. Stop teasing him! What has gotten into you Hermione? You don't do things like this, it's not like you and it's wrong. Well, sort of. It's only really teasing him if he is enjoying it, which he obviously couldn't be, so it's okay right?. I mean, has anyone noticed you were flirting with them in your life? Satisfied with this justification, she sat down beside him and crossed her legs, not revealing much but it was much more than was customary for her.
Meanwhile, Ron was having issues of his own. This is not the Hermione I know. This must be a dream. That's it, it's a dream, you'll kiss her, you'll wake up and life will go back to its normal, depressing self.
Thoroughly convinced that this couldn't possibly be real, he pulled the spoon away and leaned in.
Hermione was scared by how much she wanted this and needed to do something to stop herself from giving in, something fast. She grabbed for the only thing near her, the bowl, and created a chocolate coated Ron.
Ron licked the bit of chocolate batter that had landed on his lips. Okay, not a dream. But wait...if it's not a dream...this is entirely her fault!
"What the bloody hell was that?" he said, standing up.
"I'm sorry but...well no I'm not. You shouldn't have done that!"
"What did you expect me to do the way you were acting? What were you thinking 'Oh old oblivious Ron won't notice if I parade myself in front of him. Let's just tease the hell out of him.'"
She knew that 'yes' would have been a suitable answer but decided against it.
"I'm married to you're best friend!"
At this, Ron began laughing hysterically. Not exactly the reaction she had intended to provoke.
"Hermione, that's what the problem is? That's not a real marriage, it doesn't really count."
This only angered her further. How dare he insult her marriage like that! Okay, so it was true, but there was so much that he didn't understand.
"There's a lot that you don't know!"
"You're right there is a lot that I don't know because I've been fearing for my life for the past year while you two were together and safe and...together!"
"You said that already!"
"Are you even hearing what I'm saying?!"
"Well I obviously am if I noticed..."
"That's not what I mean and you know it! Don't yell at me for things I don't know because I would have given anything to be in there with you two!"
Hermione took a deep breath. Ron was right, it wasn't his fault; she needed to tell him.
"You're right."
Ron almost fell over in shock. "What?"
"I'm not going to say it again. You heard me. See here's the thing...I should tell you..."
Hermione you can do this. You have to do this. "I should tell you...no. Another time...another place..." Tears began to gather in her eyes. "...another day."
She ran out of the room and into her bedroom where she threw the covers over her head and let it all out like she did when she was a little girl.
Ron sat at the table, staring at the wall and trying to figure out how to fix whatever he just did. It's no use. You're just not any good at this stuff. Eventually, he went into the bathroom to wash the batter off of his pants and avoid confronting Hermione. He stood there so long he almost rubbed a hole in his pants. As much as I hate this, I need to face her eventually. You can do this Ron. Go...go...just go.
He knocked on the bedroom door and took the silence from the other side to mean "Come in."
Even though she was splotchy and her eyes were redder than his hair, Hermione still looked beautiful to him. He had always been jealous of Harry and this was just one more thing Harry had and he didn't.
Ron tried to speak but crying girls weren't his forte. In fact, no kind of girl was.
"I know. This is weird," Hermione saved him the trouble of saying.
"It's weird."
"Very weird."
"Fu- "
"Language."
"-weird. So...you're...you're crying."
That's what he's talking about? That's what's weird? Of course Ron is denser than gold. (a/n: this is what happens when you go to my school. You start using you're chemistry lessons in daily life and you make Punnet squares of you and Daniel Radcliffe's children. Okay so the second part is just what my lovely beta does) Why would he have caught on that what I needed to tell him was about Harry and me?
"Yes...I am. Observant aren't you?"
"So um...yea don't do that."
Hermione couldn't help laughing. He was so incredibly bad at this. She glanced down, not wanting him to see the last tears that were falling from her eyes, when she noticed something.
"Um, Ron, are you aware that you are only wearing a towel around your waist?"
He had actually forgotten that he needed to ask her for a pair of pants he was so freaked out about her crying but decided to pretend he was totally in control.
"Oh, yea, I needed to wash the batter off me. Is there a pair around here I can borrow?"
She pointed at his shirt. "Well, you missed a sleeve."
He turned to look in the mirror next to him and caught the reflection of a clocky-calander-thingy that he didn't recognize. Mr. Weasley would be proud that he did notice the plug. "Hermione, it's Christmas Eve!" he said pointing to the contraption with both hands.
"Ron, you're..."
"I know," he said, casually putting one hand back on the slowly slipping towel and trying to play it cool. (a/n: you totally thought it was going to fall didn't you? Fooled ya!)
"It can't be Christmas though, it just doesn't feel right. How do you know that it is?"
"Well there is the fact that I can read for one thing. December 24, 9 p.m."
"I wouldn't be so sure, that's a six. But it is Christmas Eve. Oh well, it's not like I have anyone to buy presents for anyway."
"It's not my fault, it was backwards, it looked the same. Can we do something about this?" he said, carefully pointing to the towel.
"That was a terrible justification. I can help you with the pants though, I have a pair of men's sweatpants you can wear," she said, getting up and walking over to her drawers. Seeing the expression on his face she added, "Oh relax no one left them here or anything, I took them from my dad."
"Oh I knew that," he said, sliding them on. He was going to ask if her dad had any other clothes he could borrow, but the look on her face told him not to. She had no idea if her parents were alive or dead and he didn't think being in the house without them was helping matters. Quick, she can't cry again think of something.
"What did the boy werewolf say to the girl werewolf?"
"I don't know," Hermione said, suddenly not in the mood for jokes.
"We're gonna go ooooooooooooooooout tonight."
She chuckled. "Ronald Weasley, that was by far the worst joke I have ever heard of."
"But you have heard of it."
"Well I wouldn't want you to think you were the only wizard on Earth to think of that pathetic excuse of a joke."
"We are though."
"We're a joke?"
"No, we're going out tonight. We can't stay holed up in here forever."
"Well, the Daily Prophet said this morning that they've got Diagon Alley back under control, at least for now."
"Then it's settled. Get ready," he said, turning to leave the room and feeling quite satisfied with himself.
"Oh a wild night is now preordained," she said rolling her eyes.
"Leave it to you to use big words when you're being sarcastic. Just get ready."
"How long does it take you to get ready?" he bellowed an hour later, standing outside her bedroom door."
-----
"525,600 minutes, Ron. I don't know! I'll be ready when I'm ready. You never know who we might see." I am in no way dressing up for Ron. I haven't been out in the real wizarding world for a long time and it is important to make a good impression.
"Come on! Christmas bells are ringing!"
"Not here."
"Just come out already. You are such a girl."
"We went over this fourth year."
They were both thankful that the door was separating them because they turned bright red remembering that time.
"You still remember that?"
"Of course," Hermione said, as she opened the door.
"You look..." he couldn't find words to cover how spectacular she looked. She had showered again, what was it with girls and their obsession with being clean anyway? Still, her hair had gentle waves and she smelled amazing. She was wearing lip gloss and navy blue eyeliner to match the tight v-neck sweater she was wearing- along with a pair of jeans that hugged her perfectly. Even though she looked amazing, he couldn't figure out what had taken so long until he saw the pile of clothes on her bed.
"You sure you're ready now?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replied, ignoring the butterflies that had found their way into her stomach.
----
As they walked down Diagon Alley, Ron was focusing all of his energy on preventing himself from reaching down and holding her hands when she did just that.
"Cold hands," was all he could manage.
"Yours too," she answered, looking up into his eyes. Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she began to pull him by his hand behind her.
"Where are we going?"
"I just remembered that I never got a chance to see the theater they opened last year."
"I'm not a theater person," he said, although he allowed her to keep pulling him along. Letting go of her hand seemed as though it could end the world.
When they made there way in front of the theater however, Ron refused to go inside.
"Excuse me," said a young man that looked a couple of years older than them, "but I would be glad to accompany you if-"
"Actually, we were just leaving," Ron cut in and pulled her away.
When he finally let go of her she turned around and snapped at him, "What was that?!"
"What?! Did you see how he was looking at you?!"
"That doesn't give you the right to treat me like that!" She stood scowling at him, anticipating a full fledged row.
He surprised her though and only said, "Aren't you a merry little thing, it's Christmas Eve, let's try to be civil" in a calm voice.
"Merry's not in my vocabulary." Why won't he argue with me? As long as we are mad at each other I can trust myself...Oh there's no use just apologize to him and get it over with.
"Let's just go eat, I'm hungry and frozen," Hermione said, deciding a change of subject would be best.
"Well you know I'm always ready to eat. Did you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
Just as she finished, a rather large snowflake floated down and melted upon contact with the tip of her nose. It trickled down her face and wet her lips.
"Oh, that," she said with a gentle laugh.
She is the most adorable thing you have ever seen, you know you want her, just do something! a little voice in Ron's head said.
With a trembling had, he reached out and ran his thumb along her lower lip where the snowflake had just been. As the world around them whitened, he whispered to her, "Kiss me, it's beginning to snow."
You don't have to do thisHush your mouth, it's Christmas
I do not deserve you, Angel...
Give me some way to show
How much you've touched me so
Kiss me -- it's beginning to snow
-Rent
Chapter 6 might take a bit longer because I want to make it fairly long but I don't have as much of it planned out as i did for this chapter. I'm going to try and take advantage of tomorrow to start it though because it is PSAT day and I don't have half of my classes. Reviews will make me write faster! ::stops to think of more review incentive:: Okay, there is some serious but very well hidden foreshadowing in this chapter. When/if I get 12 reviews for this chapter I'll give a clue of where to look for it. Horrible incentive, but it will have to do.