Hermione was in a bad mood. It wasn't even close to the End of the Year ball – they still had about thirty days until the twentieth of June – but as soon as McGonagall had announced it yesterday it was the only subject people talked about. That is, non-sensible people. She certainly had better things to discuss. But now that people discussed it, people were trying to get dates for it. And that meant enduring the many mysterious giggling fits, more eye fluttering, shorter skirts being worn so as to reveal the maximum amount of girly leg as possible, more revealing tops; the works. Not to mention all the more kissing couples she'd catch after hours in various hiding places.
So, here she was, climbing to the top of the Astronomy Tower (ah, the power of prefects) because these giggly girls had spread all over; they were in the Common Room, they were in the girls' dormitory, and in her sanctuarious library.
Hermione reached the top of the stairs and was met with a gust of cool May night breeze. She breathed out and felt herself relax. This was her real sanctuary. She just couldn't come here as often as she'd like because everyone would wonder where she was all the time. She walked over to where there was only a meter of space between the wall of Hogwarts and the wall on the edge of the tower. She sat down with her knees bent in front of her, her arms hugging her knees. Hermione looked up at the sky and allowed herself to slip into the land of day dreams. She racked her brain for something to day dream about and found herself reviewing what had happened that day. She and Ron hadn't fought at all, that was good. She hadn't had a lot of homework and had been able to answer all of the questions asked by the professors, had only they called on her. The only bad this was those darn giggly girls that made everything seem like a really big chore. After scowling into the air, she forced her mind to move on, not wanting to bring stress up to her sanctuary.
Dreams. What had her dreams been last night? She could almost remember, and a puzzled expression came to her face as she struggled to remember her dream. A blush came across her face as it came to the front of her mind. It had involved Ron, as so many of her dreams did these days. She'd been sitting in the Common Room, reading a book on the love seat when Ron came up and sat next to her.
Flashback to Hermione's Dream
For a while he was silent. Then he spoke.
"What do you think of the End of the Year ball coming up, Hermione?" She shrugged her shoulders non-committedly.
"Look," he began again. "I didn't mean half of the things I said at the Yule Ball, and I really don't want this to be a replay of that and I know you don't either. So, um…hopefully, no one has asked you yet and…and I can… ask…um…" he sighed; this was much harder than practicing on Ginny had been. "So…um…do you to want go the at dance to ball with me?"
Hermione smiled, and gently said, "Yes, go at want dance to ball you to with." Ron grinned and looking down, chuckled.
"Can I start over?" he asked a little bit nervously.
"Yes, Ron," Hermione said, amusement evident in her voice.
Ron breathed deeply. "Hermione, do you…do you want to go to the ball with me?"
"Yes, Ron," she replied, "I would love to go to the ball with you."
Ron laughed at the silliness of the conversation. "Thanks, Hermione," he said, standing up.
"No, Ron," she said, a small smile on her face. "Thank you." Ron smiled and walked off.
End Flashback
Hermione smiled at the dream. Her smile, however, was short-lived, as the rest of her body reminded her brain that it was just a dream. She sighed. It was a good dream, though. If only Ron would actually ask…
Hermione was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't her the footsteps climbing up the stairs, and then stopping when they reached the top. Ron Weasley stood at the top of the stairs watching Hermione. Her eyes were glazed over and she had a small smile on her face that grew larger as he watched her. He wondered what was making her so happy. Whatever it was, he hoped that by the end of the night, the same beautiful smile would be on her face.
He stood, watching her beautiful, smiling, moon-light face, when all of a sudden her smile disappeared, her shoulders drooped, and she looked down in to her knees. He could see her sigh. Wonder what was wrong, he walked over.
"Hermione?" Hermione's head snapped up and her eyes met his. "What are you doing up here?" he asked. She sighed again.
"Oh, you know, just looking at the stars," she said lightly. Ron was not fooled. He raised his eyebrows. Her lips formed a smile when she saw that he knew she was lying.
"I'm really trying to avoid the giggly girls, and kissing couples."
"And staring at the stars?" he asked. She laughed.
"Well, actually, that was sort of a cover up."
"Really?" Ron asked sarcastically. She laughed again.
"You know," Ron said, "they say you can wish off a star."
Hermione looked up and said, "I wish girls wouldn't giggle so much." Ron shook his head.
"You're doing it all wrong. Don't you remember your old nursery rhyme?" Hermione looked puzzled.
"What nursery rhyme?"
"Well, first you say it, and then you make your wish."
"And the rhyme is…"
Ron sighed. There wasn't much he could do to stall this any longer, and he might as well get it done sooner rather than later, but he really hated to ruin a beautiful moment. If she said no. Oh, god, he thought, please don't say no. He turned his head so Hermione could no longer see his face, then stared up at a star and began to recite:
"Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight."
And then in a very quiet whisper, so that Hermione had to strain her ears to hear him.
"I wish Hermione Granger would go to the ball with me,
and date me, and kiss me, and hug me,
and let me do all those things back to her."
Ron hung head, but he turned it and chanced a glimpse at Hermione. Her face was blank, and she was staring up at the stars. "Like this?" she asked before reciting:
"Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
I wish Ronald Weasley knew that this is the happiest moment of my life,
and that I accept to all of the above."
Hermione turned to face her friend only to find him much, much closer than she'd left him. He was grinning.
"I think I can grant that wish, Miss Granger."
"That's good, Mr. Weasley," she said, copying his form of address. "Because I've been waiting an awfully long time for that kiss."
And kissed she was.