Hermione awoke to a calm silence. She opened her eyes slowly, savoring the sweet stillness that bathed the dormitory. She rarely felt this way about waking up. Usually, the mornings consisted of her jumping out of bed, with Parvati and Lavender rushing to get ready for classes. They had to look perfect every morning.
Leisurely, Hermione climbed out of bed, stretching her limbs as a smile spread across her face. This year was the first that she, Harry, and Ron were completely alone for Christmas break. She wasn't sure why, but everyone else had gone home for the holidays.
She didn't bother to change out of her pajamas before she left her dormitory. Thus, she sprung down the small spiral staircase in her flannels and surveyed the deliciously empty common room.
A Christmas tree stood at one end, in between the staircases to the dormitories. It was decorated richly with ornaments and tinsel and three hearty piles of presents lay beneath it.
The house elves had gotten a grand fire going in the grate, warming the entire room. Hermione saw that the things she had knitted for the elves and left on the hearth.
Grinning with happiness and excitement, she pranced up the boys' dormitory stairs. "Harry! Rawwwnnn!" she called, skipping down the hallway to their dorm room.
She burst in without knocking, but when she heard a yell and saw Ron clad only in his red boxers, she quickly closed the door. "Sorry!" she called through the door, blushing to the tips of her ears.
She didn't want anyone to know that she would have rather stood there and gawked at Ron in his boxers instead of slamming the door. No one would ever know that, though. Even if she wanted to drop hints, Ron would never pick up on them because he was too thick.
"I just wanted to wake you two up for presents!" Hermione yelled into the boys' room. "I didn't think you'd be up already!"
"We'll be down in a moment, Hermione!" said Ron.
Thinking about the pleasing sight she'd just witnessed, Hermione smiled to herself as she walked back down into the common room. She sat crossed-legged on the crimson couch and hummed Christmas carols as she waited for the boys to come down.
They trudged down the stairs not a minute later; Harry dressed in his flannel pajamas and Ron only in his just-too-short pajama bottoms. Hermione's breath almost caught in her throat at the sight of him without his shirt, but she told herself to keep breathing and she went to sit by the tree with Harry and Ron.
Opening gifts was probably Hermione's favorite part of Christmas. She loved to see people's reactions to the gifts she got. Not to mention the fact that she liked to get gifts.
"It's weird that we're alone," said Harry as he unwrapped some Chocolate Frogs from Hagrid. "D'you think that everyone went home because of the end of the war and all?"
"Probably," said Ron, flinging wrapping paper around the common room.
Harry had defeated Voldemort a few months ago, the Final Battle beginning as a surprise attack on Hogwarts. Most of the school had joined in the fight, so that the good side much outnumbered the bad, and no matter how well each of the Death Eaters had been trained, with ten students battling each of them, not many Death Eaters had a chance. Sadly, however, two Hogwarts students had died.
After that, most of the students had wanted to spend as much time at home as possible with their families, just in case all was still not safe. Harry, Ron and Hermione, however, had wanted just the opposite. They wanted to spend as much time with each other as possible because they didn't know what was going to happen after this year or how long it would be until they saw one another again. Hermione didn't like to think of that, though; especially while they were enjoying their Christmas together.
She popped a few Every Flavor Beans into her mouth as she unwrapped a gift from Mrs. Weasley. She made a little squeal of happiness as she surveyed her present and held it up to her.
Ron and Harry looked over at her. "Mum's given you a Weasley sweater," said Ron thickly through a mouth of Chocolate Frog. "And it's violet." He swallowed the chocolate. "How come she gives me the worst color?"
Hermione tugged the sweater over her pajama top, stood up, and twirled around to model it. "How do I look?"
"Spectacular," said Ron, smiling absently. "You are now officially a Weasley."
That statement downhearted Hermione a bit, and she plopped back onto the floor ungracefully. Now Ron would think of her as a sister instead of a potential girlfriend. But, then again, what else had he been thinking of her as?
They worked their way steadily through their piles of gifts, talking about small things, like what they were going to have for dinner tonight and if the Giant Squid ever froze in the lake.
Ron came upon his last present before Hermione and Harry did. He glanced at the tag and looked up at his two best friends, both of whom were wearing Weasley sweaters. "This is from both of you?" he asked, slightly confused.
Hermione nodded eagerly, wanting Ron to open the gift. "We had to pool our funds," she said. She sat on her knees, tapping her knee with her finger and trying to resist the urge to open the box for him. Or rip off his sweater and pajama pants.
"Well open it already, mate!" said Harry, clearly excited too.
Ron tore up the wrapping paper in his usual hurried way to reveal the long, rectangular box.
Hermione grinned as he opened the box lid. "Do you like it?" she asked, though he hadn't even had a good look at the gift.
"Bloody hell," said Ron. He pulled the broomstick from its wrapping. "Bloody hell."
Harry was grinning too. "Well?" he said.
Ron looked at Harry, his mouth agape. "Bloody hell!" he repeated. He caressed the mahogany wood and then glanced at the end of the stick. "A Nimbus 2000," he gaped.
"It's not the fastest, but it's better than your old one," said Harry.
"I can't believe this," Ron said in awe. "You guys shouldn't have done this.
"Of—" Hermione began, but was cut off by Ron unexpectedly launching himself at her, hugging her tightly.
Hermione basked in the feel of it before he moved on hug Harry. "You are the best mates ever," said Ron. He went back to his broomstick and Harry and Hermione continued to open their presents.
Ron always sped through his packages but the two of them liked to take their time.
When Hermione finished unwrapping packages, she realized that she hadn't received anything from Ron. She looked around inconspicuously, trying to see if she missed one. She hadn't. She didn't want to say anything in case he had forgotten to boy her one altogether. She hoped that he had just left it in his dorm room. Hermione decided that she should say something.
Ron and Hermione were engaged in a Quidditch conversation when Hermione stopped her unobtrusive gift search. "Ron," she said, "I didn't get a gift from you."
Ron and Harry both looked up. Then they looked at each other. "Er…" said Harry, "I'm going to…go down to breakfast. I'll meet you two down there." With one last glance at Ron, Harry hurried out of the common room like he was trying to escape a bear.
Quizzically, Hermione glanced at Ron, who looked nervous. "Ron, why did Harry leave so quickly?"
Ron bit the inside of his lip. His eyes roamed to Hermione's face, but then decided against it and settled on somewhere over her shoulder. "Hermione, do you want to know why you…er…didn't get a present from me?"
"Yes…" said Hermione, getting more confused by the second at her best friends' behavior.
Ron reached in the pocket of his pajama pants and his hand came out closed, concealing something. "Well, Hermione, there's something that I've been meaning to tell you." Ron's words sounded rather choppy, like he had rehearsed them in front of a mirror a few times. His eyes were still fixed to the spot over her shoulder.
He cleared his throat, but didn't say anything. Instead, he held his fist out to her and opened his hand, palm up. In his hand lay a small box, covered in maroon velvet.
"Ron," breathed Hermione.
He still didn't speak, just shoved the box nearer to her. She took it from him, thoughts rushing through her head at top speed. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, so she just opened the box.
"Oh Ron," she sighed in awe. The ring in the box was gold, with one tiny diamond set in the middle. She raised her eyes to his. He was looking her directly in the eyes now, and he smiled.
"It's a promise ring," said Ron quietly. He picked it out of the box and slid it onto her finger. Hermione held her breath, wondering if this was really happening. Ron continued, "It means that I'll never leave you. It means that…I really fancy you, Hermione."
Hermione breathed in sharply. "Ron, I…oh my god…I really fancy you too." All of a sudden, Hermione felt like laughing. She held back the laughter, but a broad smile broke out on her face. "Ron, I can't believe this. I've fancied you for years. I never…I never thought that you felt the same way."
Ron's face broke out into a wide smile too. "Hermione, I've fancied you since third year."
"Why are we so—" Hermione began. She was cut off by Ron's lips on hers.
The first contact with his lips made her lightheaded. She was glad that she was sitting down because she didn't think she would be able to stay standing if she wasn't.
His lips were soft and gentle on hers. After a minute, they parted. Their smiles were even larger than before. Hermione bit the side of her lip and her hand strayed to the new promise ring on her finger.
She leaned in and there lips met again. Hermione melted with relief and pleasure. She couldn't believe that this was really happening. She was sitting here, kissing Ron.
His hand cupped the side of her face. After a few minutes, his lips pressed more firmly on hers. Hermione eased out of the kiss.
"As much as I'm enjoying this," she smiled, "I'm really hungry, and I don't think we should leave Harry waiting too long."
Neither of them could stop grinning as they stood up and walked out of the common room, sneaking glances at each other out of the corner of their eyes. They didn't speak the whole way, and on the marble staircase that led into the entrance hall, Ron slipped his hand into hers.
Hermione felt like her jaw would crack open from all of the smiling she was doing.
When they entered the Great Hall, Harry was the only person in there. Hermione glanced at her watch: it was almost lunch time. She would've felt guilty if she wasn't so happy at the moment. When Harry spotted them, he stood up and started clapping and cheering. Hermione and Ron both blushed. They dropped hands before sitting down at the table, smiles still stretched out on their faces.
"Finally," said Harry, looking from Ron to Hermione. "I think all three of us have been waiting for this for five years."
Hermione burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. "We are ridiculous, Ron," she choked out as the laughter subsided. "If it has been so obvious for so long that we like each other, then why did it take us this long?"
"Because neither of you want to look at what's right in front of your faces," said Harry. "So, does this mean that you two are together now? And that you'll stop fighting all of the time?"
Hermione looked at Ron. "Well, I don't know about the second part…"
"It seems you do know about the first, though," Ron grinned at her.
Hermione wiggled her eyebrows at him. "I'm game if you are," she said.
"Of course he's game, Hermione, where have you been?" cried Harry. "I just want you two to stop trying to make one another jealous already! Though, you can't make me feel like the third wheel now."
"Don't worry, Harry, we won't," said Hermione.
"Oh, you say that now," said Harry, "but wait until you both fall in love and all you want to do is flirt and snog all day."
Hermione and Ron laughed. "Okay, well I mean, right now, then," Hermione said.
Ron grabbed her hand again under the table. "I think we should ask Dumbledore if we can go to Hogsmeade for the day," he said. "I hear they have all sorts of Christmas festivities."
"That sounds like fun," Harry said. "Should we go up to his office and ask him?"
"Why not," Hermione shrugged. Thus, the three friends rose from the table and walked out of the Great Hall, laughing and joking their way to Dumbledore's office.