Chapter 10

Hermione woke early the next morning and stretched and rubbed her eyes. She looked over at Ginny who was still sleeping deeply. Hermione crept quietly into the bathroom and brushed her teeth and hair and quickly and changed into jeans and her favorite sweater. She walked downstairs into the kitchen and sat at the table, wondering what to do. She finally smiled as a thought came into her head. She got up and started pulling pots and pans out of cupboards and pulled food out of the pantry. She started chopping and cooking, and soon wonderful aromas filled the house.

Ron woke up and a wonderful smell reached hid nose. 'Yes! Mum's cooking something really good!' he thought to himself. He looked over and saw Harry was still sleeping very deeply. He brushed his teeth and changed quickly and raced down the stairs and entered the kitchen.

"Hey, mum, what're you cook-" Ron stopped talking as he saw Hermione stirring the contents of a large pot. "Is my mom cooking with you, or just you?" Ron asked, visibly confused.

Hermione stifled a giggle at his confused face and replied, "No she's not. I can cook you know, but I'm giving your mum a break, that frankly, she deserves."

"Oh, well do you need any help?" Ron asked, a broad smile on his face.

"Oh! Well yeah, can you chop these chives and then chop those tomatoes on the cutting board?"

Ron and Hermione worked hard, and soon even more alluring aromas were filling the house. Soon, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Harry, Fred, George, Bill, and Charley stumbled sleepily into the kitchen, grinning and sniffing the air. When they all saw Ron and Hermione laughing at a joke together, everyone smiled a little more broadly.

"What're you doing you two?" Harry asked with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Nothing, why?" Hermione asked, completely oblivious.

Everyone started to help set the table as Ron and Hermione finished cooking the food and a few minutes later, Tonks, Lupin, and Kingsley all walked in. Mrs. Weasley conjured 3 more chairs, and the new arrivals sank into them wearily.

"Thanks, I'm beat! Wotcher cooking there Molly?" Tonks asked as she sank into her chair.

"Well, I actually didn't cook a thing! Ron and Hermione were nice enough to give me a break and cook breakfast for us," Mrs. Weasley answered, beaming at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione smiled broadly back, and Ron, of course, blushed. Soon, breakfast was ready, and everyone was happily chatting and eating the wonderful array of foods that Hermione and Ron had prepared, and complimenting the two chefs. Hermione smiled every time someone did, and Ron continued to blush so badly, he looked like the color of a brand-new Quaffle. After breakfast was done with, Ron and Hermione were sent upstairs, while everyone else cleaned up the dishes, insisting they had done enough. Ron and Hermione talked for a while in Ron's room but fell silent after a while, until they both began speaking at the same time.

"Ron, I wanted to-"

"I need to tell you-"

They both blushed deeply and stopped talking.

"You go first," Hermione urged.

"Well, alright, well, the thing is, I've felt this way for a while and I just wanted to tell you, well-" Here he stopped abruptly and looked away.

"Go on Ron, I won't laugh at you or anything," Hermione urged. "Well, I just wanted to tell you I like you more than a friend. And maybe, sometime, if you want, we could go somewhere.together.like a date.maybe?" He finished, hopeful.

"Oh! Wow! Ron! Well," she began, but Ron cut her off as he rose from his chair to leave.

"Ok, you didn't have to anyways, I'll just leave then."

"Ron! Sit down! Let me finish! I was going to say, I like you as well, and I would absolutely love to go on a date with you," she said as she pulled him down into his chair.

Ron blushed, again, and sat down. They sat in a moment's awkward silence, until Ron leaned over and kissed Hermione on the cheek.

"What on earth are you two doing?" A voice said, coming from the doorway.