For Longer Than Forever: Ch. 6: Promises and Poems
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter® or any of the entities involved.
Ron had taken his time. And in doing so, he had to run to Hogsmeade and back. But he felt he had made the perfect choice. He sat beside Hermione, silently holding her hand, while they ate dinner. Afterwards, they went up to the common room. Ron sat in his favorite chair with Hermione in his lap. He stroked her hair, and went through his schedule for the next day. He was so engrossed in what he was thinking that he didn't realize he was drowsy until it was too late. He and Hermione fell asleep in the chair, with her in his lap.
Hermione woke up the next morning, first wondering how she had gotten there, then realizing she had fallen asleep in the chair. She didn't feel like moving or waking up Ron, so she just snuggled into his body until he woke up.
As he woke, his first words were, very eloquently, "Whoops."
Hermione burst into giggles, very un-Hermione-like giggles, and said, "I guess we were tired, although I can't imagine why considering all we did yesterday was lay on the ground."
"So true. I have special plans for today," Ron told her, grinning from ear-to-ear.
"Oh, do you? Well, I hope they keep me entertained," Hermione said, then laughed.
"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."
He had spent most of his time yesterday concocting this plot. It would work perfectly.
Hermione had told she needed to freshen up, which worked perfectly for him, for he needed to put his plans into motion. He went up to his room that he shared with Harry and prepared for the day ahead. Slipping a folded piece of paper into his back pocket, he took a deep breath and let it out. Even dreaming about something as much as he did this didn't prepare him for the actual event.
He went downstairs and went through the plans for the day in his head again. It sounded so easy coming from others, but this was no picnic for him.
As Hermione came downstairs, Ron wondered how someone like her could ever love someone like him.
"You look more beautiful than ever," He told her.
"Thank you," Her voice came out strangled. Even though he had said it before, it still set her heart racing when he told her she was beautiful. "Where first?"
"Well, breakfast, of course."
"Of course," Hermione said in an overly dignified voice.
He took her hand and led her downstairs to the Great Hall. She asked questions about him on the way, such as, "What's your favorite color?" (Light blue) and "What do you like best about Ginny?" (Her sense of humor). Some of the answers were things she hadn't considered, such as the answer to "Who is your favorite singer?". When he answered, "Hermione Granger.", she was startled. When she said she had never sung for anyone before, his response was, "I heard you singing in the shower on the way to my bedroom. It was enchanting."
She blushed at this and assured him she wasn't that great.
After breakfast, Ron led Hermione down to the lake and they walked, just talking about trivial things.
As it reached lunchtime, Hermione followed Ron to the spot under her favorite tree. She delightedly found a picnic basket under the tree and lightly kissed Ron on the lips as she sat down to eat with him. She loved watching Ron eat; it had always been something she wanted to do without the fear of someone catching her doing it. When Ron and Hermione had finished eating, he pushed the picnic basket off to the side and pulled the parchment out of his back pocket. On it was a poem, a poem that expressed his feelings perfectly, and he began to read it.
"Please . . . listen closely,
for I have something
to whisper to you
that my spoken words
can't quite express.
I've heard it said that
the meanings that come from
hearts and smiles
and touches and tears
aren't nearly as stubborn as words;
and I know now that it's true . . .
for when you make me smile
so bright that I feel like
glowing inside;
or you touch me so exquisitely
that I know our love
really does have magic . . .
or you do something so sweet
that it overwhelms me to think
that someone as wonderful as you
could care so much for me . . .
It's then that the feelings
in my heart
say such wonderful words.
I wish you could hear them
the way I do . . . because they say
so many beautiful things to you.
Hermione started crying during the poem and just like the older days, she launched herself at him and said, "Oh, Ron!"
He gently kissed the top of her head. "Hermione," he started, "if you knew how much I think about you or how much this poem actually meant to me... actually you probably do."
Hermione nodded and kissed Ron on the lips. They kissed passionately, as if there was no one else in the world except the two of them, and they would never need anyone else. She slowly pulled away, and said, "Ron, I just want you to know there is no one else in my world besides you with whom I can spend a whole day doing whatever comes along with never a thought for anyone else—feeling completely satisfied, because we're together. There is no one more comfortable for me than you. I can enjoy silence with you and never have a need to fill the space between us, because there is no space. In loving you, I have experienced feeling far beyond any I could ever have imagined and far better than I believed possible.
"Our relationship has taught me more than any book ever could. It has given me the courage to be honest with my thoughts, giving all that I have to give and never holding back. Through you, I have discovered all the more of myself."
"Hermione," Ron said, suddenly inspired by her words. "Sometimes, I think I take you for granted because loving you has become more natural than breathing. With each day, I find myself falling deeper and deeper on love with you.
"There are so many things I've never been able to say, but I've always wanted you to know that you've given my life so much. You make me feel that I'm worth something as a person and you deserve so much thanks. But it's not the kind I can really repay—you've done so much already in my life. I don't know if I can add to the wealth of love and compassion that you already hold.
"But I do know that if there is anything that I can ever do for you—all you have to do is ask, and I will try my best, and I'll give my best and I'll always want the best for you."
Hermione looked Ron in the face and said, "I know you'll always be here for me, because I trust you completely. I hope that we have the opportunity to build a relationship that not many know. I think it's possible because it feels so right to become closer to you."
They found themselves lying on the ground, Hermione laying her head on Ron's chest and Ron holding her right hand in his. Neither of them wanted to move. It felt right that they be in that moment forever, longer than forever.
They stayed in that position for awhile, staying silent. Ron would occasionally kiss her on the top of the head or squeeze her hand in his. They didn't need words for a long time: they knew exactly what the other was thinking.
After awhile, they picked up the trivial conversation. This time, Ron asked the questions. They didn't move out of their position, however. Soon the questions died down. Hermione looked up at Ron wondering why he stopped asking questions, and he kissed her softly. He told her she was his reason for living. She said she felt the same about him, and Ron snogged her senseless.
Ron remembered the whole point of the day. He gently pulled away and stood up, pulling Hermione onto her feet and led her back into the building.
"We have something else to do before the day ends."
She thought he was leading her to Gryffindor tower, but instead pulled her into a classroom across the hall from it.
There was a round table set for two. The room was lit by candlelight. Hermione was speechless. Ron waved his wand and soft music began to play in the background.
"Dinner is served."
A/N: I'd like to thank Andrew Tawney for his lovely poem and my friend Katherine for reading, critiquing, and supporting this story. Her excitement inspires me to write for the pleasure of others.
