Practice
"Who wants to play Seven Minutes in Heaven?" Lavender Brown asked the room as a whole, tripping over her feet as she took a swig of Butterbeer.
When none of the fifth years, celebrating the end of their OWLs looked up, Lavender spoke up. "I said, who wants to play Seven Minutes in Heaven?"
This time she was heard. Everyone turned to look at her, but no one spoke up. The silence was deafening. Lavender had to laugh. She didn't know all her classmates were so afraid of kissing. It certainly wasn't hard.
She drained her bottle, set it on the floor, and then plopped down next to it. "We can spin for turns. Don't be shy," she implored. "Come on, I can't play with myself."
One by one, the Gryffindors started to join her on the floor. She couldn't believe that she actually had to remind them to sit boy-girl-boy-girl.
Predictably, Hermione Granger refused to play. "No thank you," she said primly, burying her nose back into her book. She didn't see the need to be shoved in a closet with someone she had no romantic feelings towards. She would much rather reread this chapter in Hogwarts, A History. It was one her favorites.
Everyone tried to convince her to join the game. "We need you for it to be even," they said. "It'll be fun," they said.
"Hermione," Harry called. "Don't be a bad sport."
"I said, no thank you," she said icily. But before she knew what was happening, Ron had gotten up, taken the book from her hands, and dragged her out of her seat and towards the circle.
She let out a long sigh and moved to sit, saying, "Only because you're making me."
Lavender quickly explained the rules, because she had a feeling that some of her classmates actually didn't know them. She then picked up the bottle and gave it a spin. "I'll do us the honors."
Everyone silently watched the bottle turn, and the only sound in the room was that of glass against wood. The bottle slowed until it came to a stop on Seamus. Lavender gave a wicked smile and pulled him by his tie into the cloak closet.
So far, this game wasn't growing on Hermione. Lavender may be the type to cling to a boy in a closet, but Hermione certainly wasn't. And what if her spin landed on Harry or Ron? What if one of them tried to kiss her? That would surely be awkward.
"How long has it been?" Pavarti asked after a few minutes.
"I dunno," Harry answered. "Who's keeping time?"
The group looked around. It seemed they had forgotten about that particular aspect of the game.
"Well, I guess their time's up," Hermione said, and with a flick of her wand, the door flew open to reveal Seamus and Lavender wrapped around each other in ways that made Hermione wonder if Lavender was secretly a contortionist.
"Was that really seven minutes?" she asked irritably, letting go of Seamus.
"We don't know," Dean admitted. "We forgot to time you."
Lavender rolled her eyes and took her seat in the circle, muttering under her breath.
Pavarti pushed the bottle towards Hermione. "Why don't you go next?" she offered.
Hermione took the bottle and spun it gently. She watched fearfully, hoping that it would land on nobody and she'd be off the hook. But the bottle came to a slow stop, pointing directly at Ron. Just as she had feared, it had landed on one of her best friends.
"In the closet you go," Lavender said cheerfully, pulling Hermione to her feet.
"Lavender, let me spin again..." Hermione begged. "Just not with my friend..."
"No re-spins," she said firmly, shoving her in the closet. Ron soon joined her, having been pushed in by Harry and Dean.
The group locked the door behind them, and no amount of Alohamora would open it. Hermione sighed and leaned against the closet wall. "Great, this is just great."
"Lumos," Ron muttered, the light illuminating the tiny space.
"How did they know I loved being shoved in closets, I wonder?" she continued. "Maybe they've been reading my diary..."
"It's not like I'll try to kiss you," Ron said irritably.
"Of course not," Hermione said, sensing something in his voice. "But still..." she trailed off.
"So I guess we just sit here for seven minutes, then?" Ron said.
"No room to sit in here."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah." Hermione searched for something else to say that could occupy the rest of their seven minutes. This didn't seem like the right time to ask Ron if he'd started his Potions Essay.
"Have you ever kissed anyone?" she asked after a few minutes. As the words came out of her mouth, Hermione gasped. Where on earth had that come from?
In the light from his wand, Hermione saw the tip of Ron's ears turn bright red. "No," he admitted quietly. "Have you?"
Hermione shook her head.
"What about-"
"No, not even Krum," Hermione said irritably.
"Oh. Okay."
"I wonder if I'm a good kisser." Ron mused. "Wouldn't that be bloody embarrassing if you find out from the first person you kiss that you stink?"
"Yeah," said Hermione, picturing the scenario. "Positively horrifying."
"What if we-" Ron began, but then cut himself off.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Nothing," he said, blushing. "Never mind."
"Tell me," she said, poking at his arm.
"Well, what if we... practiced?"
"Practiced?"
"Kissing."
"Practiced kissing?" Hermione asked, confused as to what he was trying to say.
"With each other."
"Oh."
"Never mind," Ron said quickly, the blush spreading to his face. "It was a stupid idea."
"Not necessarily," Hermione said, thinking about it.
"Really?"
"Sure," Hermione said. "It makes sense to practice, just so we know what we're doing the first time it happens. And there's really no one else for you, is there? It would be really awkward if you practiced with Lavender of someone you don't really know."
"That's true," he agreed.
"So, we could try it. Just once."
"Just once," Ron repeated.
It suddenly struck Hermione how nice Ron looked right now, with his shirt un-tucked haphazardly, and his tie loosened around his neck, and his hair all ruffled and falling on top of itself. Then she realized just how small this closet was, and how close she was actually standing to him. Close enough to touch, if she just shifted a bit. She had never been this close to a boy before. The thought was overwhelming.
"Well, go ahead," she said slowly.
"Er, okay," said Ron, awkwardly propping his lit wand against the wall. Hermione shifted so she was facing him. He put his hands on her waist, ears growing redder. "Is this okay?" he asked.
Hermione nodded, and put her arms around his neck, like they were slow dancing. She looked up at him. He was so much taller, she decided it would be best if she stood on her tiptoes. "So, I guess I tilt my head this way, and you tilt your head the other way," she said. "And then we just... kiss."
"Okay," Ron said shakily. They tilted their heads, and inched closer and closer together. Finally, their lips touched together. Hermione unconsciously tightened her grip on Ron's neck. She discovered that Ron's fears of being a bad kisser were completely unfounded. He seemed to know exactly how to move his lips. It was actually very nice, kissing Ron.
When he pulled away, Hermione found herself disappointed. She wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to see what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair, and maybe even move on to French kissing...
Wait a second. She shouldn't be thinking these things about Ron, her best friend. Of course, she reasoned, she would feel like this no matter who she had kissed. It was the kissing she liked, not Ron.
"Well?" Ron asked. "Was that terrible?"
All Hermione could do was shake her head.
"I didn't think so either," he said, the words sending a shiver down Hermione's spine.
She was not falling for Ronald Weasley.
Was she?
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