Disclaimer: It's Ms. Rowling's universe, not mine. I'm just tweaking it to my liking…
A/N: This is a short 'what if?' fourth year one-shot. Takes place after the Yule Ball.
I'll Make You Shut Up
"Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione.
"Oh yeah?" I yelled back. "What's that?"
"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"
I gaped at her, and just barely registered Harry cautiously climbing to the dormitories, apparently to get out of our way. Hermione started to stalk away. I hurried forward, grabbing her arm.
"Hermione, wait—" I croaked. She spun around; her hair was in disarray around her face and was starting to become bushy again. Her face was red with fury. Really, I still thought she still looked pretty…
"What, Ron! What do you want from me!" she exclaimed shrilly. I backed away slightly.
"Hermione," I pleaded, "I didn't ask you as a last resort—" Hermione cut me off with a frustrated little scream.
"Yes you did, Ron! Yes you did!" I was beginning to feel my anger building again.
"Really!" I said hotly. "Really! What makes you say that!" She took a deep breath.
"'Hermione, you're a girl!'" she mocked. "Does that honestly sound like asking me as more than a last resort?" I glared at her.
"Yes, it does…will you shut up now?"
She completely ignored me. "Is it really that shocking that I'm a girl! I've told you before—I'm not going to a ball with someone who has been my friend—no, one of my best friends—for three years and just now realized that I'm not friends with two boys because I am one!" She was shedding angry tears now, and hastily wiped them away with the back of her hand, but I noticed. I was slightly sad inside, and knew what she was saying wasn't really true
"Hermione, just shut up!"
"No, Ron. I'm tired of being second because I'm a girl. I know that you and Harry are closer to each other than me. I know that. But it would be nice if you even took note of my existence! No, Ron. I'm not going to shut up. You are." I sneered at her. I knew I must have a facial expression sort of like Malfoy's, but I didn't care.
"You can't make me shut up. I can do whatever I want," I said. She rose up to her full height.
"I'll make you shut up." I scoffed.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
She walked over to me. "And how are you going to do that?" I said, rather apprehensive now. She looked quite frightening.
"Like this." She was almost nose to nose with me. Before I could register what happened, she pressed her lips fiercely to mind.
She was right. That shut me up quite effectively.
I was so shocked that I forgot to kiss her back, forgot that I liked her since she told me I had dirt on my nose, loved her since…I can't remember when. She pulled back and, her face showing clearly that she hurt inside, walked away.
"Hermione…" I said quietly. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me. "You were right. You're good at shutting me up." She smiled slightly. "Am I allowed to shut you up now?"
She grinned now. "You have my permission to shut me up, Ron. And you can keep me shut up for as long as you want." I eagerly complied.
Later, as Hermione and I shared an armchair by the fire, I vaguely recognized the outline of a certain best friend/brother of mine and a certain sister of mine sitting on the bottom step of the staircase to the boys' beds. They were clearly grinning.
I decided I would yell at them for invading our privacy later. For now, Hermione and I spent the night making sure that neither of us would say a word, let alone have enough air to say anything.
Shut me up, indeed.
A/N: Review for JediWeasley?