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Author's Note: This story is a missing moment from Chapter Twenty-Two of Half-Blood Prince
Not Altogether Dumb
"What are you doing up there with her?"
When Lavender started screaming, Hermione kept her eyes carefully averted and made a beeline for her dormitory. She had no intension of getting in the middle of this particular fight.
Ron sent her pleading and panicked looks, as he babbled, "Lavender… I… We weren't…? We just…?"
His expression just about screamed, 'save me.' It wasn't easy to ignore, but somehow Hermione managed to mumble, "I'll be going upstairs, then." She walked with the heard herd of younger students scurrying to get out of the line of fire, heading for the stairs.
She was sure that Ron would just love if his relationship (and she used that word loosely) with Lavender ended with a cat fight between her and Hermione. For over a month, he'd been practically begging her to come up with a way to get him out of his little predicament, looking for any solution that didn't involve actually having to confront the situation. The ponce.
Well, Hermione wasn't going to do it. As much as she wanted Ron and Lavender to be over and done with, Ron was going to have to end it without any help from her. This was his mess.
Yet, once she reached the last stair from which she could still see the common top of the stairs, sheroom, she couldn't help but look back. Ron glanced up after at her with a grimace on his face. God damn it, if he backed down again… This was the perfect opportunity to end it, if he didn't take it… Maybe Hermione should have stayed and made sure that it was finished. But what was she going to do now? March down there, and snatch Ron from Lavender?
Tempting, but if Ron was ever going to be in a successful relationship, and more importantly, if he was going to be in a successful relationship with her, he needed to take some responsibility. Oh god. They were doomed.
Hermione sent him an encouraging smile and mouthed, "Good luck." His response was a miserable, pleading look, but Hermione held firm and eventually Ron sighed and turned his attention back to Lavender's and her tirade.
"I can't believe you! Are you staring at her? Ronald, what the…" Lavender's explicatives traveled in Hermione's wake, making her shudder. She ran the remaining five flights to her room.
The need to get away had been intense, but as soon as Hermione reached her dormitory she found herself staring at her bed thinking, 'now what?' Thankfully, Parvati wasn't there. Hermione couldn't even begin to imagine what she would say to her. Parvati had remained surprisingly friendly to Hermione throughout this whole affair, but whatever was happening down in the common room could change all that.
A crazy, nervous energy filled her and she paced the room until she was dizzy. Then, with nothing else to do, Hermione hurriedly put on her pajamas. Which, of course, was completely daft. What was she rushing for? So she could pace in her nightclothes? It wasn't as though she would to be able to sleep. She had never been less tired.
In that moment, Hermione wished she had run out with Harry and gone to Aragog's funeral when Lavender appeared. It couldn't possibly be worse than this… this waiting.
Oh god, what was going on with Ron? How long did it take to ditch someone? He was going to ditch her, wasn't he? What was she thinking? Of course, he wasn't. This was Ron, the boy who had been endeavoring over the last seven weeks to prove that the Sorting Hat wasn't infallible and win the award for biggest coward in Gryffindor history.
The best Hermione could hope for was that Ron would somehow provoke and antagonize Lavender into breaking it off for him. God knows he was good at antagonizingbeing antagonistic. More than good, he was right gifted. But what if that wasn't enough? What if, instead of breaking up, they were down there snogging again? She'd kill him. She swore to god she would.
Not able to stand it another second, Hermione snuck back down the stairs, trying to appear as casual and dignified as she could. It was particularly difficult given that she was wearing her pink cat pajamas. Why the hell had she chosen those anyway?
By the time she reached the second-year's years' landing, Hermione to could hear muffled screaming. Definitely not the sounds of snogging. That was good. On reaching the first-years', she could make out every shrieking word.
"Ronald Weasley, you clearly do not understand the situation. You are my boyfriend, not Hermione Granger's!"
Hermione rolled her eyes and fought the urge to gag as she ducked into the first-year's years' lavatory to listen.
"Boyfriends do not go up to their dormitories with other girls! Not unless they are no-good-rotten-cheaters. Are you a no-good-rotten-cheater?
"What?" Ron squeaked, clearly out of his depths. "No!" One would think, after all those years of fighting with Hermione, he would be better at defending himself in a row than that.
"Then why were you up in your dormitory with her?" Lavender gritted out, sounding a bit like a woman possessed.
"Hermione's my best friend, Lavender. I'll do whatever I ruddy well want with her," Ron spat. He sounded tired and frustrated but and Hermione had to suppress a small squeal of delight at his words. Now, if he'd only ditch her and have it done.
Lavender gasped in outrage. "Like snog, you mean?'
"No! Stop putting words in my mouth. I said, I didn't cheat."
Even from upstairs, Hermione could hear Lavender's deep hissing breaths. This would hopefully be the part where she would ditch Ron'? This was the part where she chucks him. Please, would one of them end it!
"Ron," Lavender said in the trembling voice of someone who was struggling to keep her emotions under control. "It is obvious that you don't know how to be a good boyfriend. Since this is your first real relationship and Hermione Granger has clearly been… overly influential in your understanding of women, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt…"
Oh please, don't do that! Hermione's head fell against the tiled with a moan. This was starting to become absurd. The little b… Lavender didn't know what she was getting herself into. Hermione would continue to be overly influential whether they broke up today, next month, or next year. But they would break up.
"Boyfriends sit with their girlfriends in class and at meals… all meals."
Hermione groaned. Was this girl serious?
"A boyfriend only goes to his dorm room, or any private location, with his girlfriend…"
A small voice drew Hermione's attention from Lavender's ridiculous demands. "Ma'amMiss Granger…um, is it all right if I use the loo?"
Hermione moaned to herself and closed her eyes. Oh dear heavens. Cheeks burning, she forced her eyes open and looked down to see a frightened-looking first-year in a full-length nightgown staring up at her. Ron was right: they were getting smaller.
"Hi. Sarah, is it?" Hermione squeaked. Great, she sounded real grown up. Doing her best to force her voice to a more even tone, she said, "Of course, you can go to the loo."
"Um, thanks, Ma'amma'am."
Ma'am? "Hermione. You can call me Hermione."
The girl smiled shyly and slipped passed past her to use the toilet. As soon as she slide past her and out of viewslipped from sight, Hermione buried her face in her hands. The mortification was boundless. She, a prefect no less, caught skulking in the first-year's years' lavatory, listening to the boy she fancied's row with his girlfriend. Pathetic.
So, why wasn't she leaving? And how long does it take to use the ruddy toilet? Lavender was still listing her expectations of Ron. It looked as though she had no intention of chucking him. This night just kept getting worse. Ron had better find some small drop of courage, because if he bent to these demands Hermione was going to…
"Do you understand me, Ronald!"
So much for Won-Won. Hermione held her breath as she waited for Ron's answer.
"Thanks, Ma'amma'am…I mean, Hermione," Sarah said, appearing next to her Hermione suddenly and making her jump.
Hermione flushed again and nodded. What was she thanking her for? It was Sarah's lavatory. "No need to thank---"
Lavender's voice rose, bellowing, "Why you god damn…."
Hermione gasped as Lavender, evidently not liking Ron's answer, (which Hermione was quite hacked off that she missed), broke into a string of swears so creative and explicit that Hermione blushed and covered Sarah's ears.
Then, it got worse. "Why did you go out with me in the first place? It was all about the snogging and the…the other things. Wasn't it? Wasn't it? You think I'm just your slut!"
Hermione choked as she looked down into Sarah's wide, innocent eyes, her hands firmly held over the younger girl's ears. Glancing into the hallway, she saw a gaggle of first-years listening at their door and giggling.
"No! I…No!" Ron defended loudly, if a bit clumsily.
"It's true! You're with me because you think I'll do more things than Hermione… go farther!"
That was it. Hermione had had quite enough. As much as she wanted to stay and find out what things Lavender did to her Ron, she was not going to stand by and allow these children to listen to this… sexual slander!
"Bloody hell, Lavender. I told you to leave Hermione out of this," Ron defended and Hermione couldn't help but smile, even as she grabbed Sarah's hand and marched into the first-year's room dormitory, sending the girls scattering. Lavender's outraged scream followed. She was beginning to give Hermione a headache.
"Come on, girls, get your things," she announced, trying to sound like a prefect and not a hysterical teenager. "You are all having a sleep-over in the second-year dormitory. Get your blankets and pillows." The girls stood frozen, staring at her in wide-eyed shock. "Now!"
They scrambled to get their things, but unfortunately, Hermione could still hear Lavender. "This is all about Hermione. If she had done those things---"
"What things, Lavender?" Ron yelled back.
"Do I have to spell it out for you…?"
Oh please, don't. At least not until the girls were safely upstairs. Panicked, Hermione turned to the six first-years and yelled, "Let's go, let's go." !" She rushed the skittering girls out of the room and up the stairs.
Flinging open the door to the second-year dormitory's room, Hermione announced rigidly, "In the name of interclass cooperation, you are all having a sleep-over tonight. A party of sorts," she finished with somewhat less conviction. This was such an abuse of her prefect status. She should be ashamed of herself.
But what was she going to do? Let them listen? Oh, what would Professor McGonagall do? Break up the fight, that's what she'd do. But Hermione was not about to do that, not when it was her best chance of riding herself of Lavender.
"But…but we're not allowed to sleep outside our dormitory," Sarah stuttered.
"You are allowed tonight," Hermione insisted. Telling herself she wasn't lying, exactly.
"But what will we do?" a second-year whined, clearly not happy with the invasion of their room.
"Here…" Hermione pulled her wand out of the elastic of her pajama bottoms and conjured hot cocoa and biscuits on the floor. Then with another flick, a bottle of nail polish appeared in her hand. She tossed it to the girl. "Have fun. But do not go downstairs!"
Hermione slammed the door behind her and pushed the guilt aside, rushing back to the first-year bathroom. She hoped she hadn't missed anything.
Lavender's screams became clearer as she descended the stairs. "Is this about sex? Do you want a shag, is that it? Are you trying to make me jealous, so I'll shag you?"
Now completely nauseated, but at least feeling justified in removing the girls, Hermione stumbled back into the lavatory. She shook her head sharply in attempt to remove the repulsive image Lavender had succeeded in burning into her brain. Ron had better deny the allegation or she was going to be sick right here on the floor.
"You're being ridiculous," Ron snapped. "Where do you even get this stuff? I've never---"
"Ridiculous! Now, shagging me is ridiculous!"
Actually, Hermione thought it was quite ridiculous. But that was just her opinion. Though, she was glad that it seemed Ron agreed. She sank to the cool tile floor, fighting the images that were Lavender provoked. She was not going to jump to crazy conclusions. They hadn't shagged, if they had Lavender wouldn't have said it that way. There was no shagging going on. None. Right?
"No…" Ron protested. "I mean yes… I mean we are not going to shag."
Good. Good. Hermione smiled and sighed. That's right, Ron, just tell the slag he was is never going to touch her again. Of course, that wouldn't be necessary if the prat hadn't touched her in the first place. And just how far had the touching gone anyway? From the sound of things, it was clearly more than the snogging she had been so unfortunate to witness.
Hermione realized that she was twisting her hair into knots as the possibilities ran ramped rampant through her mind and Lavender decided to launch into another string of insults and curses. She certainly did know some good ones.
Damn. Damn. Damn! Now, her hair was a mass of knots. Anxiously, Hermione tried to comb it out with her fingers. Great, all she needed was Ron to see her like this, in her cat pajamas and nightmare hair. He'd probably beg for Lavender back as soon as he saw her. If they did manage to finish it today, that was. Desperate, Hermione attempted to twist the horrid bush into a plait.
"You're making a mess, you know?"
Hermione's eyes snapped up to find Parvati, looking beautiful and fresh from the shower, leaning against the door jam. Great, just great. There were times when Hermione wished she had some of those fancy swear words of Lavender's. Flushing, she started to stand. "I, uh…."
"No, it's all right," Parvati said kindly, smiling and gesturing for her to stay where she was. Hermione stared at her suspiciously, battling confusion as her roommate continued, "I heard Ron and Lavender down in the common room, so I figured you'd be here."
"Oh... What? Why?" Was Hermione that pathetically predictable? Did the whole school know about her sad little crush?
Parvati laughed softly. "Because this is exactly where I would be if I were you. Your hair is awful. You don't plait often, do you?"
Eyes narrowed, Hermione watched her roommate come and sit next to her. What was she about? One minute she was nice, the next she insulted her. Was Parvati gathering information for Lavender? Hermione stiffened and grabbed for her wand as the other girl pulled out hers.
Again, Parvati chuckled. "Relax. I'm just going to untangle your hair." With a swish of her wrist and a mumbled phrase, the knots fell away and Hermione's hair tumbled down her back in freshly brushed curls.
Hermione watched in shock as Parvati neatly parted her hair in the center and started to plait it. Carefully, she asked, "So you're not going to tell Lavender that I was listening?"
"Please!" Parvati scoffed. "As if I need any more animosity in our dormitory."
With a steady rhythm, she carefully weaved the hair, leaving Hermione to strugglestruggling to find her bearings. Parvati had nice, calming hands. It was clear she was an expert on plaiting. But, why she was doing this? Did she think Lavender would win and was trying to preemptively soften the blow? Calm the animosity?
As Parvati fell silent, Lavender's yells, again, came to the forefront. "Why the hell don't you want to shag me?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. So, they were still on this then. Did Lavender think of nothing but shagging? No wonder Ron wanted to date her.
"Unless you don't need to, because you are already shagging Hermione Granger."
Hermione choked. The accusations Lavender was throwing around! Just a few minutes ago, Hermione was a prude who wouldn't even snog Ron. Now she was a slut that who was shagging another girl's boyfriend.
Cheeks blazing, her eyes flew to Parvati. But her roommate just shook her head and rolled her eyes, her fingers busy. Hermione tried not to be obvious about the long, slow breaths she was taking.
"I told you, I didn't cheat," Ron yelled back. "Now would you stop insinuating that my best friend would do such a thing?"
"When you stop defending her!"
The corners of Hermione's lips tugged upwards at the latest exchange. Ron could be wonderfully sweet and loyal. And Lavender could be---
"Lavender can be awfully thick sometimes."
Not what Hermione was going to say but… "Why are you here, Parvati?" she whispered edgily, her smile vanishing. Mustn't forget she was sitting there with a witch of questionable loyalties.
Parvati shrugged in a nonchalant sort of way. "Same as you, I suppose… Well, not the same…" She giggled, a knowing look in her eye as she tied a fancy knot to the end of Hermione's plait, finishing it off. "But just like you, I want to know what happens. I have a vested interest, one might say. Seeing as I'm rooming with the two girls involved. Shift over, will you."
Busy trying to both eavesdrop on the row downstairs and analyze Parvati's motivations, Hermione unthinkingly did as she was told and her roommate moved to plait the other side of her hair. Hermione tried to calm her anxiety and listen for more of Ron and Lavender's row. But the yelling had stopped and all she could hear was unintelligible mumbling.
"So, do you think they'll finish it?" Parvati asked, after a few minutes of silence. Hermione swallowed and shrugged. Was she supposed to tell Lavender's best friend that she sure as hell hoped so? "Personally," Parvati said, conversationally, "I can't wait for it to be over."
Once again, Hermione's eyes jerked up to Parvati, causing her to pull painfully on her hair. But her dormmatedorm mate acted as though they were discussing something as mundane as Charms homework, continuing, "And not just because Lavender hasn't been any fun to be around for the last few months, completely ignoring me for Ron, then whining that he doesn't pay enough attention to her. The last two months have been awful. 'Ron didn't do that. Hermione this. Blah blah...'" Parvati mimicked.
Hermione giggled involuntarily and just a tad hysterically. Parvati beamed down at her and, against her better judgment, Hermione felt herself relax. She shouldn't be listening to Parvati at all. If she couldn't hear Lavender and Ron, she should just go to bed. Actually, she should just go to bed.
And why wasn't Lavender talking louder? What the hell was going on down there? They had better not be making up.
"But mostly," Parvati went on, without pausing, "I'm not enjoying watching my best friend humiliate herself over a bloke, who at least fancies, if not is completely in love with, another girl."
Oh dear god. Every muscle in Hermione's body tensed. Parvati did not imply what she thought she implied. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might choke. "But… I… Um…"
"All done," Parvati announced cheerily, ignoring her babbles and smoothing the plait. Coming to kneel in front of Hermione she smiled. "It looks lovely. Your hair has gotten so beautiful over the last year. Another thing Lavender hates about you, by the way."
Hermione blinked at her, incredulous. Was she trying to butter her up by complimenting her awful hair? If she was, Parvati was a right fine actress. "So… Are you trying to tell me that you want Ron and Lavender to break up?" And for him to instead go out with Hermione? That couldn't be right.
"If Ron doesn't really fancy her, then yes, I do. And we both know who Ron really fancies." Parvati became more serious. "I told Lavender that going after Ron was a mistake right from the beginning, but she wouldn't listen. I think it made him more attractive, the competition, taking him from you. But she never did take him from you, did she?"
Hermione flushed, looking down. She smiled a bit at Parvati, liking her more and more. She supposed she'd never fully given her roommate the credit she deserved. She was quite a witch, really.
Lavender's voice rose again, cutting through the silence. "So why haven't you ended it?"
"Isn't that just the question of the hour?" Parvati whispered conspiratorially. Hermione nodded, not able to keep herself from giggling girlishly with her roommate.
"I'll tell you why," Lavender screamed, still louder, "because you're a selfish bastard and a coward."
Hermione winced, though she couldn't help but agree. "It's an excellent point," she whispered to Parvati who covered her face with both hands to muffle her sniggers.
Then they both jumped, as several loud crashes echoed up the stairs. "Bloody hell, Lavender. Are you trying to kill me?" Ron yelled.
Wide-eyed Parvati whispered through the giggles, "You reckon she's a bit hacked off?"
"Well, I suppose he did have it coming," Hermione told Parvati with a grimace and got an enthusiastic nod in response as they both dissolved into another fit of hand hand-muffled giggles.
"I hate you," !" Lavender shrieked.
That was followed by a sob that cut through the girls' laughter. Parvati sighed. "That part's less funny."
Hermione swallowed and nodded solemnly, finally seeing how much this must be hurting Lavender. "Ron really has been horrible to her," she whispered sincerely. She might adore Ron but he'd been rubbish of as a boyfriend. Suddenly feeling guilty for all the mean things she'd said over the last few months, she took a deep breath and said, "Parvati, I never meant for Lavender to be hurt."
It was Parvati's turn to look incredulous as she gave a barking laugh. "Please, Hermione. All you've wanted was hurt Lavender and Ron. Ever since you saw the two of them snogging their faces off in the common room." Her expression was more knowing and amused than accusatory. Hermione blushed and tried to hide a guilty smile.
Parvati laughed at her attempt. "Ha! I knew it. Personally, I've just been grateful that you haven't resorted to magic for your revenge. You could really do some damage. I admire your restraint. Really."
It hadn't been easy. Hermione stared at her feet as she gnawed on her bottom lip. Guilt must be written all over her face.
She had a parchment buried at the bottom of her trunk. Quite a long piece of parchment, containing an extensive list of ways she might seek her revenge on Lavender and Ron. Some were quite clever and complex, everything from glamour hexes to love potions. Hermione had found an impotence charm that had been her absolute favorite. The temptation to use it had been overwhelming on more than one occasion. That list got her through the holidays and most of January.
"Fine," Lavender bellowed. "You can have your precious Hermione."
Hermione's heart stopped and then sped up dangerously. Yes, please. She met Parvati's eyes and they widened in anticipation.
"You just remember, Ron Weasley. I ditched you. I ended it, you hear. Because you are a lousy good for nothing…."
Hermione winced at Lavender's insult. She had certainly saved the best for last. Parvati had both hands over her mouth and there seemed to be tears in her eyes from the struggle to keep her laughter in. Lavender stomped noisily up the stairs, sniffling and sobbing.
Hermione was in shock. Was it really, finally over? Oh god. It was done. Ron was free. She wanted to jump up and do a little dance. Though, looking at Parvati, this probably wasn't the time or place for that.
Parvati sighed, the laughter having quickly faded. "Well, I suppose it's time for me to do the best friend thing and go comfort Lavender."
"Good luck," Hermione whispered, genuinely, as she watched her stand.
"Yeah. You, too." Parvati smirked. "I suppose, you'll want to avoid our room for a bit. But then, you'll have some comforting of your own to do." She winked at her.
Hermione gasped and gave a shocked laugh at the insinuation. "Parvati," she admonished.
Parvati chuckled. "Enjoy." Then, halfway out the door, she hesitated and turned. "Hermione, I… Lavender didn't do any of this to hurt you. She… she really fancies Ron."
Nodding, Hermione turned her head away. She felt bad for Lavender, even if she was sickened by the idea of another girl fancying Ron. She knew what it was like to have her heart broken.
"She's going to be really hurting right now," Parvati continued. "So could you…?"
Not rub it in her face, flaunt her victory, and be a complete bitch. ? It was tempting. Hermione gave a reassuring smile, saying, "Yeah, I can do that." Parvati gave her a grateful look and slipped out the door.
Hermione took a long deep breath before standing. Ok, maybe she took several. But, oh dear god, it was finally done. There was no more Ron and Lavender. They had broken up. She should be thrilled and she was, but why was she so damn nervous? Why were her hands so slick with sweat that as soon as she wiped them off, they were moist again?
It was still just Ron, right? So, why was she hesitating? Oh god, what if everyone was wrong and he didn't fancy her? What if now that the Lavender obstacle was gone, Ron got scared and pulled away again. ? Hermione would kill him. She really, really would.
She managed to make it to the top of the stairs, but froze when Ron came into view. He was alone in the common room (of course, he was alone. Who would stay with that racket going on?). Sitting on the couch, he stared into the fire pensively, bent over with his elbows on his knees.
Deep breaths, in and out. Slowly, Hermione started down the steps. What was she going to say to him? Somehow, "'congratulations'" didn't seem just right, nor did, "'so you're single now. What are you going to do about it?'" In the end, she softly called out softly, "Hi."
Ron's face transformed into a smile even before he turned his face toward her. He looked her over from toes to crown with a slow and smoldering gaze that made her warm and more than a little bit light-headed. When he got to her eyes, his smile widened. "Hi."
With another shaky breath, one hopefully Ron didn't notice, Hermione descended the rest of the stairs and joined him on the sofa. She rubbed her hands on her thighs, again cursing the kitty pajamas, and bit her lip. Why was he suddenly so hard to talk to? Swallowing, she asked, "All right, there?"
Ron shrugged. Hermione could feel his eyes on her, though she was having trouble meeting them. "So, uh… Did you hear what happened?" he asked, turning to look back into the fire.
"It was kind of hard not to." Especially, when one hides in the first-year'syears' lavatory to be sure they heard everything.
Ron chuckled ruefully. "Yeah, I reckon Lavender wasn't all that quiet about it." Was he upset about that? He certainly didn't look happy. "So, you know she ditched me?"
He looked at her again and Hermione nodded, not sure what to say. But that seemed ok as Ron continued, "So, you also heard… Hermione, I… I just want you to know that whatever it sounded like, Lavender and I did not shag. No way, never. We weren't ever close, I swear," he said vehemently, blushing bright red and appearing deeply guilty and ashamed.
Hermione was taken aback. Her eyes widened. She had never really entertained the thought that they had. Why would she think that? Why would he ask? Was he protesting too much? What the hell did they do? "I didn't…" she sputtered.
"Good! Good, because…" Ron bravely met her eyes, but she could see that his hands were clenched together so tightly that his knuckles were white. "I wouldn't want you thinking that I… I want you to know that whatever snogging or other things Lavender and I did, it has nothing to do with… It didn't mean any… I'm not proud of what I did, Hermione."
She wasn't sure why, but suddenly Hermione felt like crying. She understood that he was trying to reassure her, but… god, those other things must have been… Looking at the guilt on Ron's face… She didn't even want to think about it. How many 'firsts' were stolen from her? She looked away and nodded.
The silence that followed went on far too long and was anything but comfortable. Hermione's thoughts ran in circles, chasing their own tails.
Finally, Ron cleared his throat. "So, um…You get kicked out of your room?"
Hermione stared blankly into the fire, responding absently, "It was more of a voluntary exile."
"Sorry about that."
"Perfectly fine." Really, she'd gladly sleep in the hallway for the rest of term to keep Lavender and Ron apart.
"I can keep you company. If you want," Ron offered softly, making Hermione smile and finally turn to meet his eyes.
"Aren't I supposed to be comforting you?" she asked. Ron smiled at her with what looked suspiciously like a leer and wagged his eyebrows. "Not like that, you prat," Hermione said in only slightly fainted feinted outrage, giving him a shove on the chest.
Ron laughed and she couldn't help but join in as she watched him relax back into the sofa and smile at her with that new smile he had. The one he'd been using since that night in the hospital wing. The one that simultaneously filled her with warmth and chills. The one that was just hers. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a way that seemed almost too casual.
"Thanks for coming, anyway," he said warmly.
Hermione nodded, trying to relax. This was a whole new side of Ron. A welcomed side, certainly, but bold and confident and a bit frightening. It made her wonder what she was getting herself into. A shiver of anticipation traveled through her body, leaving her tingly.
Then she felt his fingertips graze the back of her neck, intensifying the feeling astronomically. It was just the slightest of touches, along the hairline. As bold as Ron was being, there was hesitation, caution in his touch.
Hermione leaned into him a bit. She wouldn't want him to feel discouraged. She was rewarded by the back of his thumb brushing against her neck and jaw. His fingers traced her hair and smoothed over her plait, twisting the tip through his fingers, wrapping the curls around them.
Hermione fought the urge to close her eyes and melt into the bliss of it all. She wanted to go limp and let him touch her anywhere he wanted to, but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't just surrender all power to him. Ron had far too easy a go of it as it was.
"You plaited your hair," he said in a husky voice that felt like a caress all in itself.
She barely recognized the words for the tone and the languid feelings coursing through her. When Hermione finally figured out what he said she murmured, "Mmmhmm." It came out embarrassingly like a moan.
Wait, what had Ron said? Did he like the plaits? He probably thought they were childish. They were childish. Why had she let Parvati do this? She was probably trying to sabotage her all along.
"Parvati did it," Hermione told him. As if blaming her would make it better.
His hand froze mid-caress and she chanced a glance at his face. Looking anxious, Ron said, "Really? So…are you and Parvati all right, then?"
He seemed so sweet and concerned. It was better than a thousand caresses, but then Ron's hand started up again and Hermione needed to rethink that. "We're fine."
"That's good," he breathed, relief evident on his face. Ron leaned toward her, just a bit, making her stomach flip. He smiled softly as his eyes traveled her face and his thumb brushed her cheek. Oh god.
"I never imagined you in plaits," Ron said with a teasing tone, gently tugging on the rope of hair. "It's kind of…" Hermione held her breath, waiting for the familiar mocking, her mind filling in "'childish,' 'ridiculous,' 'funny,'"… "Adorable."
Oh, well…adorable. That didn't sound so bad. And the timber timbre of his voice suggested it was, in fact, very, very good. "Thanks," Hermione murmured, her face unbearably warm. She was sure she was bright red. Ron, on the other hand, was barely pink. What had happened to him over the last few months?
Not able to stand the intensity any longer, Hermione tore her gaze away and stared back at the fireplace. After months, years, of feeling as though things were going unbearably slowly, after weeks of frustration with Ron's inability to break it off with Lavender, suddenly everything seemed to be moving at a dizzying pace. All they were doing was sitting there staring at the fire but... wow.
His fingers and thumb slowly seduced her with the barest of caresses. Whatever had changed inside Ron these last few months, one thing was for certain; , Hermione was in trouble. He could so easily consume her, make her lose all reason. But even as she thought it, she dissolved into him, leaning back against his shoulder and side, her cheek brushing his chest.
Hermione didn't realize that she was in danger of drifting off until she heard Ron say in a low, raspy tone, "So, Hermione, what do you think about rebound relationships?"
All risk of sleep was gone in an instant as Hermione's heart skipped a beat. "Rebound relationships?" she repeated stupidly, trying to keep the squeak out of her voice and the panic out of her chest. Oh god, was this it? Did she want it to be it? Was she ready?
"Yeah, you know, when someone breaks off a relationship and they immediately start dating---"
"I know what they are," Hermione interrupted with a small, almost hysterical laugh. The whole situation felt oddly surreal. Things like this just didn't happen to her.
"Oh, well then." Ron cleared his throat nervously, looking at the flames, his fingers wrapped around the curl at the end of her plait tensely, holding it taunt. "What do you think of them?"
Hermione wasn't sure she could even speak. All the courage she had ever had was rapidly leaving her. "You mean in general?"
The arm around her shoulder was tense and unyielding. "Yeah," he said, with a deep cautious breath, "in general."
"Well," Hermione said with a swallow. "In general, I don't think they work out too well." Oh god, why would she say that? She was sabotaging herself, and she could feel Ron's muscles wind even tighter. She didn't want to…but it was the truth, wasn't it?
"Why not?" he asked rigidly, his jaw stiff, the hand in her hair almost painful.
Hermione needed to think. She had to choose her words carefully. Why was her intellect leaving her now of all times? "Well, in general, the danger is that the other party, the new girl, for arguments' sake, would always wonder if the bloke really fancied her or if he was just hurt over the break-up and looking for any old girl to fill the now ex-girlfriend's place."
"Oh… well," Ron breathed with a near laugh, relaxing measurably, his hand loosening and going back to its horribly distracting activity. "What if the bloke, for arguments' sake, wasn't really all that hurt over the break-up? And what if the bloke had fancied this girl, the new one, for an awful long time? Way before he started dating his recently ex-girlfriend."
Her throat constricted, making it hard for Hermione to reply. Her eyes were stinging again. She managed to croak out, "Maybe this girl would still wonder what the rush was, if he fancied her for so long. I reckon she'd wonder if the bloke was just anxious to get back into a relationship so he wouldn't have to miss out on any of the snogging and other things."
Ron froze again, glancing at her wide-eyed, but then he blushed and looked straight ahead. His voice was still deeper and more ragged when he said, "But suppose this girl, the new girl, is very, very smart. Exceptionally so, really. I reckon, then, this girl would understand that when a bloke really fancies a girl, he's perfectly willing to wait for snogging and other things… until she'd completely ready, that is."
Hermione concentrated on taking long deep breaths. She was not going to burst into tears and she was not going to throw herself at him. No matter how much she wanted to. Heavens, when had Ron learned to say such wonderful things?
"Well then, I suppose," she managed, "the smart girl would want to know why the bloke didn't wait for her in the first place. Why he went out with the other girl at all." She held her breath as she waited for the answer.
Ron laughed in a self-deprecating manner. "That's obvious, isn't it? The bloke is an idiot."
She couldn't help the burst of laughter that bubbled out of her. When it faded, Hermione's eyes were stinging and she rubbed her cheek affectionately against his chest, reaching out to squeeze his knee. No sooner did her hand settle on his trousers then he tensed again, turning to fix her with a look more heated than any in the past.
Was he going to kiss her? After all this time, was Ron finally going to kiss her? In the wake of a horribly messy break up with her roommate? Hermione held her breath as his other hand moved to cup her cheek, his thumb caressing her cheekbone.
Oh dear god. What the hell had she been trying to do with all her questions and hesitation? She didn't want to wait. She'd had enough waiting. She wanted this. Right the hell now! Hermione should just take the bull by the horns and kiss him herself.
"I think it's safe to say," Ron whispered, his voice barely auditable, as he stared straight into her with those amazing blue eyes. , "that The the particular bloke in question has learned his lesson and is perfectly willing to wait as long as it takes."
There was no helping it this time. Hermione knew that at least one tear escaped, because Ron caught it with his thumb. "Ron," she breathed. She didn't think any actual sound emerged as her voice was gone.
She must have looked as though she was about to burst into tears because Ron got a panicked look and reached for her. Hermione fell into his embrace, clutching his back tightly and pressing her face into his rumpled white shirt. By the end of the day it was soft and comfortable. It smelled like him.
It lasted far too short a time before the distinctive sound of the portrait hole opening caused Hermione to jerk away. She could just imagine the rumors flying around school the next day, Ron so newly out of a relationship. It was horrifying. She'd be considered a real scarlet woman… and Lavender would make every night in that dormitory a living hell.
Thankfully, it was only Ginny who stomped through the portrait hole. She barely spared one glance for Hermione. Though that one packed a punch, radiating aggravation. Dean climbed in behind her, yelling, "Ginny! Ginevra!"
The girl in question threw Hermione a look that said 'you wouldn't believe how bad my night's been,' before yelling back, "No, Dean! I told you. I've had enough."
Dean grunted in frustration, calling out, "Ginny, you're being---"
Furiously, Ginny rounded on him. "What! I'm being what!" she challenged and Dean looked at her wide-eyed and afraid. With a grunt of disgust, Ginny turned her back to him and with one last glance at Hermione she stamped up the stairs.
Clearly, she wanted Hermione to follow. Wonderful. Couldn't Ginny tell she was busy here? Dean growled and with a look of abject misery took off up the stairs to the boy'sboys' dormitory, taking them two at a time.
Staring after him, Hermione said absently, "Bad night for romance, it seems."
Ron shrugged. "Or good, depending how you look at it."
"Ron," she gasped, incredulously, but the daft fool just grinned cheekily at her, inciting Hermione to swat at him. He just laughed all the harder.
"I'm just saying," Ron argued, "that maybe some of Harry's luck rubbed off on all of us."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him, but the sentiment was so sweet, in an awful, backwards kind of way, that she had to fight a smile. "Well," she said primly. , "Several several people got hurt today. That's not so lucky."
Ron sobered, his face transforming into a mask of guilt. "Yeah, I reckon that's so."
Then she felt horrible for putting that look on his face, which was not at all acceptable. Ron should feel guilty, on multiple levels. To keep from throwing herself at him, Hermione stood up. She needed to go to Ginny---
"Hey, where are you going?" Ron cried out in alarm, grabbing her hand.
Despite the strange wonderful sensation of Ron holding her hand, Hermione managed to say in a somewhat normal voice, "I'm going to check on Ginny."
"She's fine. You saw her. She looked happy to be rid of him," Ron argued, the look in his eyes pulling her back even more than the tugging of his hand.
"Ron, she was not happy."
"Fine," he said dismissively. "But she wasn't all that distressed. Besides," Ron wheedled, "don't you want to wait up for Harry?"
Rolling her eyes, Hermione replied firmly, "He's got the Felix Felicis potion. He'll be fine."
She tried to pull her hand away, but that only prompted Ron to hold tighter and ask, "What about me? I've had a break up as well. I need comforting."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at that one. "I'm sure you'll live."
"Fine," he muttered in a defeated whine. Sighing, he finally dropped her hand and stood. "Goodnight then. Can I just…" Ron fixed her with a pleading glance, pausing a moment before muttering, "Oh bugger," and pulling her into a hug.
For the millionth time that night, Hermione was left shocked and fighting tears, and for the second time, she clutched Ron's back and sighed into the heavenly warmth of his shirt. Maybe they had received some of Harry's luck after all.
Clearing his throat, Ron pulled away and kissed her crown, muttering in an oddly choked voice, "G'night."
Hermione sniffed. Unable to look at him, she mumbled, "Goodnight," and turned to start up the stairs.
Halfway up the flight, she heard, "Hermione." Turning, she saw Ron staring after her with an anxious look on his face, his hands buried in his pockets.
"Yes," Hermione prompted, wondering what on earth he was going to say now. She wasn't sure she could handle anymore.
Taking a deep breath and holding himself up straighter, Ron met her eyes. "You know, Lavender ditched me because she thinks I fancy you."
Hermione's breath caught. That was the most direct he'd been in…well, ever. "Really, I wonder why she would think that," she whispered, her voice coming out rough and thick.
"Well…" Ron said, looking briefly at the floor as he rocked on his heals. Resolutely, he met her gaze again, stating evenly, "Lavender might not be the brightest witch of her age, but she's not altogether dumb either."
Author's Note:
Ifyou enjoyed this story, please keep a look out for the next two installments and epiloge, Brave Men, Finding the Courage, and Something to Fight For coming soon.
Much gratitude also goes to my lovely beta team, GigiC, MissBrooke06, Hope813, and kjcp. You guys are the best.
