Chapter 3

It's New to Them

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Harry and Ron's apartment was always entertaining to Hermione. It was always a mess, giving her a strong urge to clean every time she was there, and it was full of the strangest things. It seemed as if they owned every single item, made at every joke shop around the world.

Chocolate frog cards were laying everywhere, and posters of Quidditch teams lined the walls. Ron always called it his "Bachelor" pad, but
Hermione thought it looked like it belonged to a couple of 10-year-old boys.

Ron normally never said anything about the state of their apartment, but today something was different.

Ron, seeing the smile on Hermione's face as she looked around the living room said, "Damn it, Harry! I'm sorry, Hermione, I told him to clean up before work today. I don't think he listened to me." As he started to rush around the room, wiggling his wand in an attempt to clean everything up.

"Oh, its okay, Ron. I'm used to it by now." Hermione told him.

"I know, but I wanted the place to look nice tonight." As he said this, he started blushing and quickly turned away from Hermione.

This quickly made Hermione suddenly fearful. 'What was he talking about? Was something supposed to happen tonight?'

"Um, what are we having for dinner, Ron?" Hermione asked him, trying to clear her mind of what he just said.

"Oh, that's a good question. How about some beef stew? That's about the only thing I know how to make. I have a few butterbeers on hand or here's a bottle of firewisky." Ron said, as he rummaged through his cabinets.

"Stew sounds fine. Here, I'll help." At this Hermione went into the kitchen and started waving her wand around making things fly out of cabinets and onto the counters. Before Ron could even raise his wand, vegetables were being cut, and a pot was cooking away on the stove.

Ron thought it was best to just stay out of the way and let Hermione work. He went and sat at his bar, which faced the kitchen, and he sat there and stared at Hermione. 'Merlin's beard she's beautiful.' He found himself thinking. 'I could watch her all day.'

Hermione started to lightly hum as she was cooking, which just excited Ron more.

"Hermione, you need to come and live here. Harry and I never eat this well." Ron said.

Hermione flushed and turned around. "You couldn't afford me, I'm an expensive chef. Besides, you'd never get anything done if all you did was sit there and stare at me." She said giggling.

'Oh, my GOD! I'm flirting with him!' Hermione turned back around and tried to stifle the butterflies in her stomach now.

Ron was just as surprised by Hermione's comment but he thought he'd risk it and flirt back.

"Well, if your ass wasn't so beautiful, I wouldn't have anything to stare at." Said Ron, not really believing what had just come out of his mouth.

Hermione did not respond right away, it took her mind a second to figure out what he just said.

"Ron!" she said in a surprised voice. Although, she couldn't help but smile.

"What? I just speak the truth. You're a beautiful woman, Hermione." Ron said, with a feeling of sudden daring.

'It's now or never. Tell her how you feel.' Ron found himself repeating in his mind.

Hermione blushed profusely. "Thank you, Ron. You're really good looking, too." She said all of this while her back was turned to him. She did not want him to see the look on her face.

"Hermione, I need to tell you something." Ron said in a weak voice; Hermione just kept cooking.

"Okay, Ron." She said back.

"Can you stop for a second?" Ron got up and walked over to her and removed the wand from her hand, giving her no other alternative.

"Listen, I need to tell you now before I loose my nerve. I like you, Hermione. I've liked you for a while now. I've been to afraid to tell you because I couldn't bear loosing you as a friend; Harry sorta pushed me into telling you. Please don't be angry with me." He added as an after thought.

Hermione just stood there, looking into his eyes. 'What do I say?' She thought. Her mind was working frantically trying to think of something, anything to say to him.

When she opened her mouth to talk all that came out was, "Oh." and a smile.

Ron just stood there. 'Is that all she is going to say?' He wondered.

Ron started to walk away, feeling a burning heat rising in his stomach. He had a sudden desire to hit something. 'She doesn't feel the same way. Now I look like a fool.' He reached his couch and sat down; Hermione still stuck motionless in the kitchen.

Something in Hermione's mind started to catch up. Her senses were coming back to her. She suddenly realized how stupid she just sounded and how Ron must be hating her right now. She walked over to Ron and sat on her knees in front of him.

"Oh, Ron. I'm sorry. You just caught me off guard." She said with tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Yeah. Well, I told Harry I shouldn't have told you. I knew you didn't feel the same way." Ron said, not looking at her.

Hermione was forcing herself not to cry. Though the more her mind was taking in what was going on, the more that she found that she wanted to cry out of happiness, not for what she just did. Hermione found her way onto the couch beside Ron, and with a jolt of excitement in her chest she grabbed Ron's hands and looked him in the eyes.

"Ron, I do feel the same way. I guess I just haven't let myself admit it until now. I do, Ron, I feel the same." Hermione put a hand on his cheek and he finally looked at her. Hermione starting to feel the same sense of daring that Ron felt earlier, she leaned in close and connected her lips with his.

Ron, taken off guard, didn't react at first. He slowly started to relax his body and leaned into her. It was the best kiss of his life. Her lips were soft and smooth. Her lip gloss tasted like strawberries and he could feel the warm air of her mouth as she backed away and looked into his eyes once more.

Ron didn't want it to end. He put his hands around her back and pushed her into him. He pressed his lips once more to hers and moved his tongue gently over hers, asking, wanting more from their kiss. She slowly opened her lips and pressed her tongue onto his. She massaged his tongue gently at first, when she got comfortable, though, she increased their pleasure.

They broke from this kiss to take in air and breath. Ron looked into her eyes and said, "I love you, Hermione. I think I always have."

"I love you, too, Ron." Hermione said, breathing fast and heavy.

Ron slowly started to lay Hermione down on the couch, kissing her neck as he did so. She let out a small moan and ran her fingers through Ron's hair, trying to guide him back to her lips. Ron slowly found his way back up her neck and slid his tongue back into her mouth for another round of passionate kissing.

Just as Ron starting sliding his hands gently up her shirt to explore, a loud crack was heard from the other side of the room.

"Whoa! I came home at the wrong time!" Exclaimed Harry from the other side of the room. "I'll just go find something to do, shall I?"

"No Harry, it's okay." Hermione said, sitting back up on the couch. "I think I better go."

"But Hermione…" began Ron.

Hermione leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "I think we better stop before we go to far, Ron. Don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"Bye, Ron. See you, Harry." She walked to the middle of the room and apparated.