I had this fic posted already but it was deleted by accident. So I'm reposting. I've renamed the fic because the old one never really suited me. Enjoy.
In July she's so happy to see him again. His nose has a few more freckles and his hair always seems redder, but his smile and his gorgeous eyes are the same. She loves his eyes, they're always laughing. She likes to think that they smile a little more when he sees her. But for all her smarts and logic it's the one thing she can't look up and validate, though she certainly wishes she could.
In August she meets those eyes frequently, they duck their heads quickly whenever they meet the other's gaze, but every now and then they don't. They just stare until an arm is jostled or a name is called. Then they blush and look away, the tension and promise of the moment gone replaced with an awkwardness that was almost sweet.
While going to the prefects carriage on the train they meet a crowd and he grabs her hand and pulls her closer to make sure that he doesn't lose her. He's always afraid that he will lose her to the war that is raging around them or to someone else. A someone else who is more perfect than he can ever hope to be. Though he won't admit it he still lets go of her hand a second too late and he can't look at her lest he see her exasperation. He does miss her brief look of sadness however. His warm hand is gone and hers abruptly feels rather empty.
In September their hands meet again, the briefest of touches as he snatches away a Fanged Frisbee. Her almost affectionate scolding isn't heard over the giggling of one Lavender Brown. Her annoyance suddenly has little to do with the Frisbee.
Later on she goes over the virtues of the boy-who-lived. She calmly explains to him that he's like Prince Charming with his battle-scars and his looks don't hurt one bit. Of course she really doesn't like Prince Charmings, they where often tied to something that was so much bigger than themselves that it was hard to get them to stay in one place. She much prefers the Knights in Shining Armour. They're sweeter, kinder and taller. Not to mention very protective, especially around ferrets. Or, er, dragons. Yes, that's it.
In October a tree catches hold of her hair. He beats it away and she feels grateful, she loves it when he does things like that for her. They're always so close that if she wanted to she could just reach out and touch him, had she been brave enough. Then suddenly they're fighting again, it isn't one of their usual fights full of tension and playfulness. It's something more, they're so close to it and yet as right as it all should have been it wasn't. It's the Yule Ball all over again. Only now she has to ask him, but he's reminded of periwinkle robes and Bulgarian quidditch players and then quite suddenly the Bulgarian quidditch player is replaced with a seventh-year Slug Club Keeper. She then curtly informs him that she was going to ask the Gryfindor Quidditch team's keeper. Which causes a small bubble of happiness to suddenly form in his stomach.
In November he catches his sister kissing. Kissing is unfamiliar terrain with him, there is only one girl he wants to kiss anyway but he knows that said girl really doesn't want to kiss him back. He also doesn't like to be reminded that said girl has probably kissed a world famous seeker already. He doesn't like to think of anyone kissing his girl. But he suddenly realizes that she isn't his girl at all. It hurts a lot and so he goes to find a girl that will kiss him back. He suddenly wishes that he did drink some lucky potion earlier. Though he has a sneaking suspicion that he needs more than luck to get the perfect girl.
She sighs and goes into the common room, the after-game victory parties are always so full of happiness that she's sure that they'll make up. She supposed it did sound a bit like she hadn't believed that he could save all those goals by himself. He doesn't have much confidence in himself to start off with. How come he can't see what a great person he is? She looks around for him, he would be in the centre with all the other players, everyone worshiping the winners for one night until the next party. He isn't there however, her eyes soon find Ginny and Harry before landing on him. And her half apology dies in her throat. Besides, he looks too busy to listen to her anyway.
She runs out of the common room, her festive mood has suddenly evaporated. She finds an empty classroom and does what she does best, magic. That's all she was good for really, helping the boys escape from the Devil's Snare before they rushed off and got themselves into another mess. The birds at least don't care that she isn't the least bit pretty, or girly, that they can easily nest in her bushy hair. They probably know that she's a girl. She hears the door open and Harry walks in, he tries to make her feel better and though she doesn't she's grateful that he tried. Maybe Prince Charmings are good for somethings after all.
He then comes in with that giggling half-wit of a girl. They see that the room isn't completely empty and so the girl leaves while he stays. He tries to act like everything is normal but it isn't and she decides to leave before she does something stupid. But as she is at the door she catches the faintest glimpse of the half-wit and she loses it. Her faithful little birds attack and before she leaves she sees that the stunned look in his eyes is lined with something that looks like betrayal and she runs out before he can see her cry.
In December they aren't talking to each other. It's as bad as that time in third year if not worse. It's useless to try and get them together again. Besides she thinks that he's much to busy to listen to her anyway. She spends more time with Harry now, who has enough trouble as it is. Romilda Vane is a stubborn problem, but then again Hermione has enough of her own. But really do those two talk at all? Watching them it's a wonder that their lips haven't fallen off. Not that she cares, he really is an insensitive wart and saying that he has the emotional range of a teaspoon is insulting teaspoons everywhere.
He's happy that she's avoiding him, he feels bad enough as it is. He didn't mean to kiss Lavender it just sort of... happened. He'd been feeling mad and depressed that she had probably kissed some world famous quidditch star. What was he compared to that? Than Lavender had come and while blushing madly she'd said that she liked him and something just came over him. The next thing he knew they where kissing. He had to move on, there was no chance that she liked him anyway.
But then she informs them that she's going to the Slug Club's party with McLaggen a strange sort of jealousy and possessiveness wells up inside of him. She can't be going with McLaggen, he's practically a wife-beater in training. If that poor excuse for a telephone pole laid a finger on his girl he would wind up in the St. Mungo's for at least three months. But then he suddenly remembers that she isn't his girl and nothing can change that. He forgets things like that quite often.
Ginny and Parvati help her get ready for the Christmas party. The former because she's Hermione's best friend and the latter because well, Lavender was busy at the moment. They coo over her dress robes and help her with her jewellery before fussing over her hair. She studies herself in the mirror for a few seconds and decides that she looks rather nice, well at least for her she looks rather nice. She closes her eyes and doesn't notice Parvati go to her dresser and take a small perfume bottle. She smells it and asks Hermione why she wasn't wearing it.
Hermione suddenly whirls around and is assaulted by a strange mix of mangos, the ocean air and flowers. It shouldn't smell nice together but it does and it strangely suits her and she remembers Christmas and she smiles for a second before she remembers more recent things and at the party she smells as she usually does.
She doesn't know what to get him for Christmas, no matter what he did he is still her best friend. She finally settles on a bulging bag of flossing peppermints. It's perfect, he doesn't like the mints very much but he still would know that she cared. Why though she has no idea.
She wakes up on Christmas to find a present form him among the others, she stares at it warily and decides to open it last. Her presents include books form her parents, books from Harry and a new jumper from Mrs. Weasley that comes with some fudge. This jumper has a cat on the front that looks like an attractive version of Crookshanks. She chews on the fudge and sits on the bed staring at Ron's present.
Sighing she decides to get it over with and she rips open the gift in a very un-Hermione like way. At the centre of the mauled wrapping paper she can see three new quills, parchment and a few bookmarks. Like everyone else all he sees in her was a bookworm and though she knows she is one it did feel nice when someone did remember that she is a girl. Her smile is now strangely crooked and had you looked closely at the parchment you would have seen a few water droplets.
He always woke up early at Christmas, it was a tradition. Ever since he could remember he'd wake up first and then wake the rest of the house after opening his presents. This year was no different, he wakes up and is about to wake up Harry so they could both open their gifts together when he notices one from Hermione. He blinks, he hasn't expected her to send him anything, true he'd sent her a gift but he felt responsible for… something.
He glances at the package with the same wary look that Hermione had given to her gift and then he cautiously opens it. Inside he doesn't find a pygmy puff ready to attack but an overstuffed bag of flossing peppermints. He's about to pull a face but then notices the card. Simple and short. "To: Ron, Merry Christmas, from Hermione." Just before the word 'from' there's a scratched out four-letter word that starts with the letter L. He smiles and decides that he rather likes peppermints.
In January he tries to make things better. In truth no matter how hard he tries he really can't get over Hermione. She's smarter and funnier and when she smiles she's truly prettier than Lavender can ever hope to be. But he can't break it off with Lavender, he doesn't want to hurt her feelings, though a little voice in his head that sounds like an odd mix of Ginny, Harry and his own mum told him that he should do it sooner rather than later.
In February she sees him kissing Lavender more and more and she briefly wonders how he can stand that kind of relationship. Or maybe it's his raging hormones. Or maybe, that cruel little voice in her head taunts, maybe he just likes Lavender because she'll kiss him. If you where his girlfriend you'd just make him read and talk and god knows what else. Lavender doesn't seem to think that little things like that are important now does she? Hermione firmly shuts that voice out, no matter how mad she is at him she knows that he isn't like that.
In March they get the worst surprise of all. She finds out at the beginning of transfiguration. McGonagall tells her and as soon as the words leave her mouth Hermione bolts, leaving in her wake a stunned audience and all of her books. She runs to the Hospital Wing not even hearing the few late Slytherins who make the usual comments about mudbloods. As soon as she sees Harry she descends upon him and demands to know what has happened.
Ginny comes soon after and while she and Harry argue over what he was poisoned with and why, she just slowly rocks back and forth. Fred and George come too, their entrance and manner not full of flamboyance and pranks for once. Then after a tense silence Madame Pomfrey tells them that they can see Ron.
It's hard to look at him, his face so pale and his freckles stand out more than ever. And all of a sudden all that has happened before seems so childish and petty and as clichéd as the whole thing was she promises some almighty being that if he gets better she will make up with him and won't care if he had a million other girlfriends.
He wakes up a few days later to find out that he has to stay in bed for two more weeks. It's so boring in there that quite a few times he resorts to reading his textbooks. Once Hermione catches him and hides her smile. They've stopped fighting now, he remembers that their making up was like the other times they've done so. Neither of them has to say anything, they just exchange a glance and a smile and everything is fixed. It's one of the things he loves about them.
In April they talk more, smile more, laugh more and Harry notices they blush more. They blush when they meet the others' eye, when their hands brush against the other and when they where pushed together while walking to class in the crowded halls. Though Harry noted that whenever it happened that the blush was accompanied by a small smile. Lavender became more and more distraught, and Ron though quite frank about his wanting to break up with her doesn't know exactly how to go about doing it.
In the common room lull of ignoring one's homework and pretending that Slughorn won't mind if it's a few days late (which was coincidently true) Ron somehow lures Hermione into a chess game. She knows that it's against her better judgement and she simply has too much to do right now but his blue eyes are really quite convincing.
As horrid as she is in chess she does get a bit better with each game and while she's contemplating her next move he studies her. He's always thought that she was pretty and he's always known that she was a girl thankyouverymuch. But he needs to memorize her face, her manner, her voice the way it rises when she's excited, the cloudy look her eyes get when she doesn't have the answer to something (which happened very rarely). She suddenly looks up and he quickly looks down and they both miss the other's grin.
As distracted as he is he still manages to win (she really is a horrid player). She rolls her eyes when he checkmates her and asks him if he really thought she'd win. He just smiles his lopsided smile and persuades her into another game. He lets her win once and she knows it, the grateful, happy look she gives him makes him want to lose every chess game to her.
At first she stares at the chessboard in confusion, surely he wouldn't leave his king wide out in the open like that? If she moved he'd probably steal her queen or something, but she looks again and can't find a trap so she shrugs and plays and lo and behold she's won. She knows that he gave it to her but for a second she doesn't care and revels in the little joys one gets from winning. If this had happened and it was just them she might have hugged him but now she just gives him a look that she hopes can convey her feelings.
Harry suddenly notices the silence coming from his two best friends, hoping that they haven't gotten into another stupid fight he looks up only to see them in a world of their own. He hides an exasperated grin and goes back to his Herbology essay.
In May Lavender finds them supposedly alone in the dormitory. It's too much for the poor girl and she demands to know what they where doing, not being able to find a solution quick enough he glances hopefully at Hermione who's usually full of excuses yet she suddenly is at a loss for words. Lavender tearfully tells him to choose between her or Hermione and he sighs and says that as much as he likes her Hermione is still his best friend and he can't not see her.
Lavender leaves in a fury and Hermione calmly tells him that she's too emotional and that he really needs a more level headed woman. She then leaves and Ron thinks to himself that Hermione isn't the most level headed person in the world but she'd do.
In Charms she grasps his hand so it doesn't snow on them and they both notice that their hands fit quite nicely against each other. He brushes the snow off her shoulder and he can't help but feel how warm she is and she can't help but notice how strong his hand is. She gives him a smile that is much more than grateful, not really hearing the sound of Lavender's choked sob in the background.
In June everything's almost back to normal, almost. They don't fight as much, and they steal glances at each other more often. Ginny and Harry are together so they are left alone more often. This time their not fighting and it really is quite nice. They talk more and he finds out that she could never work in the Ministry even if they got a better Minister because she wouldn't work for someone who permits such disgusting views against non-humans. That includes werewolves, vampires, house elves centaurs etc. She finds out that he really did want to be an Auror even before fourth year and that he really doesn't think that he's good enough.
They find that sometimes they can finish the others thoughts or that they understand what the other wants to say without them having to really say it. They become better friends and the undeniable attraction between them nurtures and matures into something brilliantly scary and hopelessly wonderful. She drifts into daydreams and he finds himself reading. Ginny says that she's become a bit more girly while Harry says that he's become a bit more serious.
They shrug it off, denying that they've changed at all even though some part of them knows why and doesn't really care. Then one night in a blur of hexes, curses and screams everything narrows into a battle for life and death where the rules are only upheld by those too righteous to realize that rules don't really matter when you're dead. One side screams with unforgivables while the other shoots back with stunning spells. Somewhere in the fray you see Snape and Draco run out followed by Harry. There's a time for curiosity and it certainly isn't now so they continue to fight trusting in Harry Potter and his usual luck, instinct and reckless bravery. He is a Gryfindor after all.
Then somehow she's in the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey checks everyone hurriedly after doing all she can for poor Bill. Harry comes in, his eyes are full of sadness and fury. Had he heard about Bill already? Then he starts talking about Snape and Dumbledore and bolts of green light and she can't think of anything but the achingly beautiful song that falls onto the castle, gently, slowly telling of the grief that is almost solid in the room.
He hears the phoenix's cry and the cold, empty pit in his stomach is filled the slightest bit with something warm and liquid. He can't name it or even describe it properly but it's there and he knows that wherever Dumbledore is he's still watching over them. The song suddenly ends and they are all pulled slowly out of their thoughts into the harsh, stark light of the world and they all leave the room with their shoulder's slightly slumped and their eyes shadowed.
She sits down quietly, she tries to look up and can't pick faces out from the crowd. So many have come, so many owe so much to one great man. She tries to keep her mind off of what's actually going to happen, she's only been to a funeral once, her grandmother's. But this is a wizarding funeral and she isn't sure how different it'll be. She sees Harry coming and he sits next to Ginny. Out of all of them he was definitely the closest to Dumbledore but she still can't help but feel that he was somehow close to all the students.
She sees that almost all of Hogwarts has shown up, there are quite a few Slytherins and she really isn't surprised. She remembers the summer before fifth year, the Ministry was acting blind to Voldemort's return and she'd been so worried for her parents. She wanted to ask Dumbledore about it but she felt that he was busy enough, but then one day he met her at Grimmauld Place. He talked to her and assured her that her parents where being safeguarded and she felt so relieved. Dumbledore always knew how to make things better.
She blinks back sudden tears and looks down at her hands, her nails are in a horrible state for she's resorted to chewing them to calm her nerves since Dumbledore had left. Then she sees Hagrid coming up bearing Dumbledore's body and her hands become quite wet.
He watches Hagrid move up the aisle and keeps blinking, boys don't cry he tells himself. He hears Hermione sniff next to him and he glances at her to see her fiddling with her hands. He's unsure for a second then he reaches out and grabs one hand, for his comfort as much as hers.
They cry out as the body goes up in flame, then when they see the white tomb they feel grateful that Dumbledore is at peace. Slowly people start to leave and she just sits there. Harry leaves and so does Ginny, she gets up too and found her fingers still entwined with his. Neither can nor wants to let go so they go to find Harry, she can't help but look back and as she does a sudden inexplicable wave of remorse floods her and tears she didn't know she had fall hot and fast down her cheeks. She'll never see Dumbledore again and suddenly she feels as if this war had already been lost.
He sees her sobbing and without thinking or worrying he gathers her up in his arms and croons comforting words in her ear. Then he realizes that there are tears coursing down his cheeks and that he too is crying. They both share their mourning and remorse and they hold on to each other for they don't want to lose each other again.
She whispers that now that Dumbledore's gone there's no one left to protect them. The only one He ever feared is dead and there is no one else to take his place but Harry. She shivers, he's only sixteen she whimpers, only sixteen. He's too young for this burden and he's seen so much death in his life that he shouldn't have to see more. Ron's heart breaks and he promises her that he'll look after her, he'll watch over her and make sure nothing ever hurts her. They'll both help Harry and they'll both make sure that he doesn't do anything too spectacularly stupid.
She laughs at this and says that spectacularly stupid things are Harry's speciality and the only thing they can do is make sure that he doesn't have to do those things alone. She gives him one long look before going on her tiptoes and giving him a soft kiss on the lips, it lasts for only a second but it tells them everything and she comes back down to earth and smiles and promises him that she'll protect him as well for he could do spectacularly stupid things if he sets his mind to it.
In July her parents come with her to Bill's wedding. Her mother meets Mrs. Weasley for the first time and they eye each other wearily. They both have some claim in Hermione but this shared bond gets them used to each other and the next morning she walks into the kitchen to find them talking about wedding plans and she smiles and leaves before they catch her.
He sees his brother pace the floor, Bill keeps thinking that Fleur will leave him once she realizes how awful his scars are. But as strange as it is Ron doesn't think so, Bill and Fleur act so embarrassing with each other sometimes that it has to be love. A grown man wouldn't act like that unless he's in love. Bill takes an odd sort of reassurance with this and he smiles and sits down.
He sees her in the living room, she's staring out at the large tent that's in the backyard and has a silly sort of grin on her face. He asks her what she's thinking about and she obviously doesn't realize who she's talking to because she dreamily tells him that she's thinking of her wedding.
He's curious and gently asks her what she sees, in that same dreamy tone she tells him of a small field dotted with flowers and a simple yet elegant archway at the head of the aisle and of flower girls and bridesmaids that don't wear huge puffy dresses and she wistfully describes the perfect wedding dress with pearls and lace and then she says that she's walking up the aisle and she on her dad's arm and she can see the groom and he looks very handsome and for once his red hair doesn't seem to clash with his clothes and abruptly she remembers where she is and who's she's talking to and she become quite red.
He doesn't want to hope for anything but he finds himself asking who the groom is and she replies quite calmly that it's Charlie and the incredulous look on his face sends her laughing and when she finishes he tells her its not funny before casting a tickling charm on her that gets her laughing so hard that she can't cast the counter-spell and so he tells her that the only way to get the charm removed is for her to tell the truth.
She has tears in her eyes and she can barely say Ron but as soon as she does the spell is un-cast and she finds his lips on hers and she quite quickly loses the ability to think coherently. And quite a while later when Mr. & Mrs. Weasley and their children and Mr. & Mrs. Granger arrive with Harry they step into the living room to find Ron and Hermione very busy and no one knows what to say but they're all just grateful that it's finally happened and as they all leave though Fred and George know that they have very, very good blackmail material for the future.