I do NOT own HP or any other characters from the story. They are entirely JK Rowling's genius and I am simply borrowing them.
Chapter Two: Where Do I Dress?
After cleaning up, Hermione took her pajamas down the hall to change in the bathroom, thinking to herself that it was going to be a difficult adjustment living in a room with boys. She just hoped she didn't run into that awful Dursley boy while going down the hall…She had seen Dudley giving her some lustful looks when they had come in earlier. Hermione knew she wasn't terrible looking, especially since she had let Madam Pomfrey shrink her front teeth a bit and since she had begun using hair-calming potions, but she was not used to being looked at that way. Sure, Viktor Krum had liked her, but she though that was the exception to the rule. Hermione didn't care to impress anyone. Anyone, that is, except one of her best friends. And I know how likely that is to happen, she thought to herself as she brushed her teeth scrupulously. She finished her nighttime ritual, then went back down the hall to continue her research.
While Hermione was in the bathroom, Ron took a good look at himself in the mirror. He was a little nervous having Hermione in the room. He had had a crush on her since he could remember, and he knew the time had come for him to make his move. Comforting Hermione while they both cried at Dumbledore's funeral had felt so good, yet he didn't know how it would work out for two friends to date. I guess we can't fight any more than we already do. He grinned. But what will it do to Harry if we start dating? He started undressing as the thoughts continued to swirl through his head. He had his pajama bottoms on and was just pulling a T-shirt over his head when the door opened.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" exclaimed Hermione. "I should have knocked!"
"It's alright, 'Mione," Ron said, getting the T-shirt on. Now that his head was visible, Hermione could see a bit of pink around the tips of his ears. "Are you ready to do some more research?"
Hermione laughed, never expecting to hear Ron say those words. "Of course I am!" she replied. She turned and walked to the table ahead of Ron, giving him the chance to admire the beautiful legs that extended below her pajama shorts and the long, silky brown hair that shone on her back. When she sat down, she flipped her hair over her shoulder so that Ron could admire the curve of her chest in her pink tank top. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she began to read, with a quill ready to take notes if needed.
She's beautiful, Ron thought. He surreptitiously pulled his chair closer to hers, and sat down. He sat there looking at her with his chin in his hand, waiting for her to notice. When she did glance up, it was her turn to blush.
"Why are you looking at me that way, Ron?" she asked a little breathlessly. Ron's body decided that instead of explaining verbally, he should try telling Hermione his feelings in another way. He leaned in and gave her a long kiss. When they broke apart, Hermione gave a soft, "Oh!" and then put her arms around his neck, whispering, "What took you so long, Ronald?" He laughed, before pulling her tight for another kiss. Before they let things get too out of hand, they moved over the couch, where they simply held one another and talked, waiting for Harry to come back.
Harry walked in a few hours later to see Ron and Hermione asleep on the couch, Ron's head in Hermione's lap. That didn't take long, he said to himself. Maybe I should go out more often. But even as he was happy for his friends (he now felt no worries about the destruction of their friendship), he also felt a pang of loss. He could just imagine himself and Ginny in that position…But he mustn't think that way, or he would do something rash. He resolved to wake his friends instead.
With a shake of their shoulders, Ron and Hermione each woke with a start. "Oh! What time is it?" asked Hermione of Harry, while Ron gave him a sheepish grin.
"Is there anything you two want to tell me?" Harry asked.
"Oh, well, um…" began Hermione.
"You can't blame us, really," said Ron nervously, "you were gone quite awhile and, er, we decided to move things on a bit…"
Harry laughed. "Well, really, it's about time. Ron, please tell me you were the one to actually make the move?"
Hermione, looking relieved, chimed in, "As if I would let it happen otherwise! Though I confess I was thinking it would never happen…" she nudged Ron in the ribs.
"Ow, what was that for? Wait, don't answer that," said Ron, who was clearly recalling some of the terrible things he'd done and said to Hermione over the last few years, though he hadn't meant them. "I suppose I deserved that."
Hermione grinned, gave him a peck on the lips, hugged Harry for his understanding, and promptly curled up in her new bed. Ron also went to bed with a dreamy look on his face, saying, "G'night, mate." Harry was left to ponder how to change his clothes now that there was a girl in the room. With a sigh, he picked up his pajamas and walked down the hall.
