Chapter 11 - Momentary bliss

"I just can't believe it." Ron huffed as he leant his back against the library wall, sliding down it to sit with his knees up, resting his elbows on them to hold up his head.

"Really, Ron. It's not that bad." Hermione rolled her eyes from where she was sitting at the library desk with her back to him.

"Not that bad?!" Ron repeated, incredulously. "She happens to be my sister, Hermione!"

Hermione sighed and dropped her quill in frustration before turning to look at him. "And he also happens to be your best friend, Ron." She countered.

Ron looked like he was about to retaliate but seemingly decided against it and just sighed before looking up at the ceiling. Hermione rolled her eyes again before rising from her chair and retreating to the floor to sit beside him, their bodies nearly touching.

"I just wish either of them thought to tell me before, y'know?" Ron's voice was considerably softer.

"If it's any consolation, neither of them had told anyone before… before it happened. Not even each other. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, from what I can gather." Hermione said, hoping to calm him down completely. He could be so overprotective sometimes, which caused Hermione to feel both infurtiation and admiration. Only Ron.

Catching her completely off guard, Ron tilted his head to her and quickly took her hand in his. Hermione smiled softly and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you so much." Ron said huskily.

"I missed you too." Hermione said softly, absently tracing the scars he had acquired from the Depart of Mysterious last year, with her free hand. Ron inhaled a sharp breath but squeezed her hand.

"I guess Harry's better than bloody Dean. Or anyone, really." Ron said suddenly, piercing their minutes of companionable silence. Hermione chuckled softly.

"You're a good brother, Ron." What he did next, felt so natural yet so nerving at the same time. He brought their joined hands together, and gently peppered soft kisses across Hermione's knuckles. Her heart swelled with adoration, she used her free arm to wrap around his, nestling closer to him.

She couldn't believe they had wasted months without each other. The last few weeks had been the happiest she had experienced in what felt like ages. If only she voiced her feelings quicker, if only she didn't let someone else have him before she realised how she felt.

"We should probably go." She whispered reluctantly. "We're not supposed to be in the hallways past ten."

Ron groaned, "Do we have to?". Hermione giggled but couldn't answer the question because she truthfully didn't want to go either. She stood up and held her hand out for him to take. He smiled up at her before accepting her hand. She used her wand to send the books she was using to return to their respective shelves. Locking the door and pocketing the key, Hermione returned her free arm to wrap around his and she leant against him as they walked back up to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Ron smiled as she latched onto him, he would internally scorn himself forever for not realising his feelings sooner. How could he be so ignorant of his own feelings? But instead he spent four months leading on a bloody lunatic when he was only thinking of the one girl who had his heart. He loved her. How was he so blind to it? He loved her.

They walked in comfortable silence as they made their way up the stairs to reach the tower. The Fat Lady made a gossipy comment about their closeness, which elicited a blush from both Ron and Hermione. Ron muttered the password in an embarrassed tone. Yes, he did love her, and he was sure that she was feeling at least a fraction of what he was, but they were still just best friends.

They were about to step in when they seemed to both hear the annoying half giggle - half squeal that they both knew all too well. They froze as they heard what followed the hysterical cackle.

"And have you seen her hair?! How she knowingly leaves it in that state, I'll never know!" Lavender scoffed.

"Now now, Lavender. She is a Mudblood after all, her parents could be...psychotics for all we know." Another painfully familiar voice of Cormac McLaggen scoffed back.

Lavender let out a fit of laughter, Hermione and Ron both watched as they continued to make slanders about Hermione. Ron saw red, his hand curled into a fist almost automatically and he strode towards the Room, only to be stopped by Hermione who stood in front of him, obstructing his path.

Hermione felt tears prick her eyes at how they were talking about her family, but she shook it off, who were they to comment? Her focus switched to Ron who she could feel physically tense. His eyes were dark with anger and his fist had coiled, ready for a fight. Hermione quickly jumped in front of him, blocking his path.

"I'm gonna fucking kill 'em." He muttered angrily. His line of sight still directed at the scene.

"Ron, please don't do anything. It's fine, I'm okay." Hermione pleaded.

"What did I say to McLaggen? Was the broken nose too subtle of a hint? I'll kill him." His voice was filled with hate which Hermione had only ever heard when he had burst through the room to her rescue on that night of Slughorn's party.

"Ron, please!" She cried and he finally looked down at her, his expression instantly softening. "I just want to leave." Hermione said quietly.

Ron sighed but took her hand again, letting her lead him to wherever they were going.

They had been walking for a while and all Ron could think of was smashing both of their faces in. How could either him or Hermione have ever associated themselves with such...such...the word Ron was thinking would probably never be appropriate to use, Hermione would probably whack him if he said it outloud. But he didn't care, all he cared about was the fact they had been talking about her, his heart hurt for her after hearing the blatant lies and slanders. He hoped that they didn't get to her.

They finally reached their destination, Ron had never been here before. It was an abandoned room of sorts, too big to be a classroom, however. It led out to a balcony which had a bench. The view of the country expanse was breathtaking, as it usually was wherever you went to look at it.

Hermione stood by the familiar balcony that she hadn't visited for a while. She pulled Ron's hand so he would join her.

"Never been up here before." Ron observed.

"Not many people have, I used to come up here to get away from...it all. It's rather peaceful. I'll have to hex you if you tell anyone about it, though." She joked, trying to lift the dampened mood.

"I would've hexed them if you had asked me to." Ron said sternly.

Hermione wrapped her arm around his again and leaned into him. "I know." She sighed. "But I'm glad you didn't. It's not wor-"

"Don't say it's not worth it, Hermione! It is worth it. They were being bloody racist on top of everything else they said." He sighed for a moment, taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers. "In situations like that I, I just want to protect you." He said softly.

Hermione felt her heart nearly combust with the love she felt for him when he said the words. She turned to look up at him, putting a hand on his face, turning it gently so they were facing each other, mere inches apart. She felt his hot breath on her face with their closing proximity. Who knows what would've happened if it wasn't for the rain that came lashing down just as Hermione was gazing at his lips.

They both looked up in disbelief at the dark sky from where the rain was hammering down. Hermione looked back at him, they both began to giggle at the sudden circumstance. Ron's expression fell suddenly serious, and tentatively, he smoothed the soaken hair away from her face. Hermione looked up at him lovingly, wondering how long her legs would hold her up for if he kept looking at her that way.

"Come on," he said, "let's get you inside." Hermione almost mechanically latched her hand with his as they made their way back through the corridors. She couldn't suppress the smile on her face, although Ron's expression couldn't have been said the same for; he looked suddenly angry mixed with a bit of determination.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked cautiously, his hand tightening around hers slightly.

Ron sighed. "Are you sure you're alright after...after earlier?"

Hermione sighed with relief. "Yes. I promise. Thank you, though." She squeezed his hand.

"By the way, I think your hair is beautiful." He said sheepishly.

Hermione's expression was rather puzzled for a moment before she realised what he was referring to. "Thank you." She smiled. They entered the common room and both stood at the bottom of the stairs, seemingly hesitant to depart from the other.

"Well I think we should go to bed." Hermione said reluctantly.

"I know." Ron sighed.

"We'll only see each other tomorrow." She reasoned.

"I know but…" He seemed to be struggling to find the words. "I just wish I wasn't such a prat for four months."

Hermione smiled sympathetically at him. "And I just wish I wasn't so stubborn for those four months." Ron smiled at her, giving her hand one final squeeze.

"Good night."

"Good night." Hermione responded and with that they both made their way up to their separate dormitories.

Hermione lay on her bed as content as she had been in a long time. No, what Lavender and Cormac said wasn't nice at all and as Ron pointed out, quite racist. But that hardly mattered to Hermione, who was still on cloud nine from the moment she had spent with the boy she loved. She often found his overprotectiveness rather exasperating, as it caused him to be stubborn and uneasy. But tonight Hermione simply admired how willingly he would jump to defend her. And then there was the balcony, where his perfect words were laced with emotion that caused Hermione's heart to swell. How could he be so utterly sweet without even trying?

Just like at the library; although he was in a mood about Ginny and Harry, he acted so... amazingly towards Hermione that it sent butterflies around her stomach by just recalling what happened. She had missed their closeness, it was the most comforting thing on earth to Hermione. It was starting to become far too intimate to be labelled as 'friendly' but what she could do? They had only just become friends again and she didn't really fancy ruining things by bringing up the subject neither of them seemingly had a clue about.

But then there was the balcony again, and what so nearly happened. Hermione was about to kiss Ron. He mightn't have kissed her back or have been very happy about it but once he declared that he 'just wanted to protect her', that was it for Hermione. All she wanted to do was be in his arms in the most farthest thing from sibling like friends she could possibly imagine. As she lay in her bed, her smile grew wider and wider as she replayed the evening. How had they gone four months without this? How could she have let that happen? It was beyond Hermione, all she wanted from now forth was to make up for so much lost time. She had never been happier and the only thing that could puncture the ecstasy was the constant threat that if she dared step the relationship further, all could be ruined and she'd be left without him again. Which wasn't even an option to be considered.

"Wow." Was all Ron could manage, Harry had just told him and Hermione about Slughorn's full memory, about the Horcruxes and the fact that Harry had to go and find them. Him and Hermione immediately insisted that they would come with him wherever he went. Harry only sighed in defeat, knowing that nothing he could do or say would change their minds.

Now, Harry had gone for a further lesson with Dumbledore and Ron and Hermione were back in the hallway on the fourth floor, traipsing up and down absently as they did their Prefect Patrols; something that seemed so unnecessary now in the real grand scheme of things. The two were wondering what their lives had in store for them.

There was a somewhat sad atmosphere as Hermione and Ron walked up and down the corridor, tonight though. They were holding hands, something they had been doing for the last two weeks of Prefect Patrols. Hermione didn't think she could ever find these patrols boring or aimless ever again. It was an opportunity for her and Ron to actually be alone together. She loved Harry like a brother but she had just missed Ron so much that she only wanted to spend time talking to him.

Back in reality now, Hermione saw that they were approaching the same staircase that they had shared many conversations upon, despite Hermione's discomfort at breaking the rules. She let out a sigh. The last two weeks had been brilliant, they had laughed and talked and talked and laughed together. But they also shared small yet far too friendly touches. Hermione had no idea whether or not they were still just friends. She was back in the confusing place she was in five months ago, but this time they were even closer. As much as they talked an ear off to one another, they hadn't managed to discuss what on earth their relationship was, they hadn't even touched on the matter.

"Can we sit?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

"Course." Ron obliged, sitting down, his hand still in hers.

"Everything's about to change, isn't it?" Hermione asked, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"Yeah, I guess." Ron sighed. "Are you sure you want to come with me and Harry?"

"Yes." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Please stop worrying, Ron. I know what I'm getting myself into." She insisted. But of course, she didn't. No one did.

"Okay, okay." Ron relented. There was a moment of silence again.

"Ron, I, I think we should talk about...us." Hermione all but blurted out.

Ron blushed and was thankful that the hall was devoured in darkness aside from a few dimly lit candles that lined the walls. "Us?" He asked dumbly, but also rather perplexed. If he was honest, he had no idea what 'us' even meant for him and Hermione. All he knew was that he loved her, he couldn't pinpoint quite when he had established it, but he had.

"Well, we're best friends, right?" Hermione asked.

"Uh.. yeah." Ron said slightly glumly. Is that all she still saw him as?

"But, and I don't know if it's the same for you, I certainly don't look at Harry the same way I look at you." She said with a slight smirk that warmed Ron.

"Really?"

Hermione whacked his arm lightly. "Yes. I knew you were not that perceptive, but I had hoped you had gathered that much." She chuckled.

"Well, I had my assumptions." Ron said loftily.

Hermione chuckled again and leaned into his arm, resting her head against him. "Harry's really going to need us."

"I know. But what does that mean for...you know. Us?" Ron asked nervously.

"I don't really know." She replied truthfully.

Ron feigned a gasp. "Is there really something that Hermione Granger does not know?" He asked haughtily.

"Oh, shut up." She returned. "I suppose the only thing I do really know is that we have to be there for Harry and for each other. The three of us need to work together."

Ron nodded, not really sure of what to say next. "As best friends?" He asked sadly.

"As best friends." Hermione clarified.

Ron sighed. "The best?"

"The best." She squeezed his hand and for minutes disguised as seconds, they sat there like that together. Revelling in being with each other, alone, together.

And even though there was a mutual silence, both were thinking relatively the same thing. They had to put aside their beautifully chaotic relationship for not only the sake of Harry, but apparently the sake of the wizarding world. That was only just about enough to help the one resist the other.