The Island Chapter Eight: The Final Tally!
Hahaha, aren't I so funny when no one's around! No? OK then…
Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter.
Ron was finishing off his Potions essay.
"I'm finishing off my Potions essay," he told Hermione and Harry.
"Right. OK then." Harry carried on with his own.
Hermione peered over at them both.
"Ron, you should know this," she sighed, indicating a sentence about the hiding of poison in oak-matured mead, "It doesn't taste any different to normal."
"Well, it tasted slightly sweet to me," Ron sniffed.
"No, it is sweet. That was the only time you'd tried itso how could you compare it to anything?"
"No, it wasn't!"
"Well, whenever you had it, it tastes the same. I read it in 'What Alcoholic Beverages Taste Like When Poison is Concealed Inside Them'."
"Well, I tasted it myself, so I should know!"
"OK then, you put what you think is best." Hermione turned away and made sure Crookshanks wasn't in the fire.
Snape swept down the classroom, handing back people's essays. He threw Hermione's down on the desk.
"Granger, I was very disappointed. You got an 'O'. See me. Potter, I was reasonably satisfied with your progress. From a 'D' to a 'P' is OK. And Weasley, I was extremely angry. You said that oak-matured mead tastes different with poison in it. It tastes the same! You got a 'T'."
Ron snarled as Snape swished away.
"Why didn't someone tell me?" he growled, "Why didn't you, Hermione? Seeing as you're such a supernerd. You could have spared me a 'T'!"
He didn't speak for the remainder of the lesson, but as soon as it was over he rounded on Hermione.
"You knew? You knew all along and you didn't tell me at all? You just let me get a rubbish mark?" he yelled, "Hermione, you're horrible! I hate you!"
Ron burst into tears and ran away.
Hermione burst into tears and stood still.
"Why does he have to be so horrible?" she sobbed.
"Because he is. He's Ron and he's jealous you're so clever." Harry gave her a hug, "I think that was totally out of order, though. I'm going to get him to apologise."
He rushed off.
Hermione sank down against the wall. She had time to think...
So far, Harry was perfect for her. But when she imagined herself with him, she wasn't quite happy. He'd done so much for her, yet she couldn't see herself ever being with him.
She imagined herself with Ron. She didn't know whether or not it was the fact she was annoyed with him, but she couldn't stand to be with him, either ...
Harry and Ron returned.
"Look, Hermione, I - " Ron sat beside her, "I'm really sorry. I know I was horrible, and I shouldn't have treated you like that." He swallowed. "I don't know if there's any more I can say. Oh, here's something - I was an idiot."
Hermione looked at him for a moment, then she smiled slowly.
"It's alright," she said, and she leant forward to hug him. They were friends again. And it was all thanks to Harry.
That night, in the Common Room ...
"You two," Hermione announced. She'd just put the final tally line on her chart - under Harry.
"Yes?" Seamus and Dean replied.
"Oh, sorry, I was talking to Ron and Harry," Hermione called over to them.
"OK. Sorry about the confusion." They turned back to their game of 'Seamusanddeanstones' - gobstones with their faces on.
"Ron and Harry, I have something to tell you both." Hermione sat down opposite her friends.
"Fire away," Ron said, looking up from his homework.
"You remember that dream I had the other day... about you two on the island? And I thought I had to choose between you two?"
"Aha."
"Well, I - err - I've finished."
"You've finished what?" Ron asked, "How are we supposed to know?"
"I've finished my - experiment." Hermione thought about how she was going to word her explanation. "Since the dream, I've been watching you two really carefully and, if something you've done makes me want to go out with you, I gave you a point. Or, in extreme cases, erm - five."
"So...?" Harry was eager to hear the results, if a bit worried.
"The final tally is ... oh, hang on -"
(AN: Sorry if I get this wrong, but I'm not expecting many people to go back through the whole fic, counting all the points!)
"OK, the final tally is ... Harry - eight. Ron - um - Ron - zero."
Harry and Ron both looked amazed. In disappointed ways.
"I got more than Ron - I mean, I got - Ron got - huh?" Harry muttered.
"Well. Yes." Hermione stood up. "So - Harry - I suppose - this must mean ... will you go out with me?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Ron sat, avoiding looking at either of them. He only got - well - nothing? At all? Did he really deserve nothing?
"No."
Hermione gave a little gasp.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, but I don't think we're meant to be together. I love you. But like a sister, or something. I know it sounds stupid, but I don't even remotely fancy you or anything."
"This means that - it was all wrong ..."
Hermione stood silently, thoughts rushing through her head. Harry comforted her ... but it was Ron who made her upset ... Harry made her laugh ... but Ron always did as well ... and Harry saved a life ... but it was Ron's ... and he helped her win at chess for once ... but they beat Ron ... and he got her friend back ... but the friend was Ron ...
The words 'Harry' 'but' and 'Ron' were piling upon her as she turned to face Ron.
"Ron?" she said gently.
Ron turned.
"What?"
"Harry's points - every single one - were because of you. I've been over all of them and they all link to you in some way or other." She couldn't help herself smiling.
"It did work." Harry was smiling too. "It made you realise that you didn't love me."
"I don't love you. You're right. I must love someone else. And it's not you."
Hermione smiled down at Ron. He moved his head slightly and looked her straight in the eye. But he didn't speak. He didn't smile.
He stood up slowly, still looking right at Hermione, who couldn't tell how he was feeling or what he was about to do. She started to worry, as she realised he was obviously furious. He was hurt, and he was furious.
He walked forward. Slowly at first, but then he got gradually faster until he reached Hermione...
She didn't have to wait long to find out what was wrong with him. As soon as he was inches from her, he leant down, put his hands on either side of Hermione's face and kissed her gently on the lips.
Everything's going to be OK! Hermione thought, as she kissed Ron back and closed her eyes, He loves me! And I think I love him! It's perfect! Everything's going to be OK!
Harry was watching them both, not knowing what to say or do. His two best friends were kissing passionately right in front of him. He felt embarrassed, happy, relieved, cross, neglected, warm and repulsed all at once. He wanted to cheer. He wanted to be sick.
He reached a compromise. He burst into tears of joy.
"Get a room!" he sobbed and, wailing, he ran away up to his dormitory.
AN: Yay! Whooooo! She's realised what we shippers have known for aaaaaaaaages! By the way, I don't describe kisses. It's not my thing. So sorry if you were expecting long paragraphs about it. And, this isn't the end! There is one more chapter to come, so don't tell me everything ended happily ever after, OK? But still review! Right!
