Ron, Harry and Hermione sat on the Hogwarts Express for what would be their very last time. They were going home. They all sat quietly, still shocked by the recent events. Dumbledore was dead and for once the Golden Trio had nothing to say to each other. Harry kept replaying the moment of Dumbledore's death in his mind, and Hermione had told Ron that it would be best to leave Harry alone for the time being. Hermione and Ron sat next to each other and across from Harry. Ginny arrived shortly after with Neville and sat by the window with quiet tears pouring down her face. Nobody said anything, and the weather seemed to be agreeing with them; the only noise was the trickle of the never stopping rain outside.
Hermione had been thinking of possible horcruxes, where to find them how to retrieve them and in what order. However her serious thoughts were soon covered in daydreams of her and Ron, her dreams pictured them together, something that Hermione thought would never happen. For once, Hermione thought, Ron seemed to be displaying more than a teaspoon's worth of emotions. Ron in the seat next to her wasn't thinking at all but was being surprised at himself for being able to hold Hermione at a time when he was so sad, but then again he thought, it did seem to make both of them happier. Harry tried to sleep, but recent events kept him up. He tried not to think too much about it so as not to cry, or get too angry with someone.
When they finally got to platform 9 and ¾ the whole Weasley family (except for Percy) was waiting for them. they all got into the car without saying a word to each other. Finally Mr. Weasley broke the silence.
"We'll be dropping you off near your aunt and uncle's house Harry. You'll need to stay there for a while before we can come for you. But don't worry, time will go by fast enough."
"Oh, yeah…sure, great…"said Harry, not really paying attention to what was going on around him.
"Now Harry, don't dwell too much on what has happened, this might be the last time you'll ever see you aunt and uncle, make the best of it, and have a good time." sad Mrs. Weasley
At this Harry couldn't help but smile a little "yeah…the last time I'll be seeing them…don't worry Mrs. Weasley, I'll make the best of it."
"Yeah," said George handing Harry a bag "don't forget to give your cousin some of these, tell him their from us."
Harry looked inside to find a colorful mass of ton tongue toffees.
"I thought I told you never to have those out in front of me again!" said Mrs. Weasley turning red with rage " I may not stop you from making ridiculous items now that you have a shop, but I will not let you have any of them while you are with me! Hand over the bag Harry."
Harry was disappointed as he handed over the bag; his last bit of fun had just gone into Mrs. Weasley's purse. His disappointment soon washed away however when he saw what Fred had mouthed out; "Don't worry, we have more in our pockets."
Harry was glad to have something to laugh about, but the second he saw aunt petunia and uncle Vernon peering nervously around the corner. (Dudley was scared and had not wanted to come) he knew his good feeling would not last long. Harry got out of the car with Mr. Weasley behind him. "Ah! We meet again!" said Mr. Weasley. The Dursleys did not seem very happy to see him again "well, umm, here's a letter, Ahh…we'll be here again to pick Harry up once…well…once its time." turning to Harry he said "now be careful Harry, stay near your home at all times, its not safe for you anymore…don't worry we'll be here soon enough, but don't try to escape…alright?" Harry nodded. "Ah, here comes the rest of the family, I expect they'd like to say their farewells."
Mr. Weasley was right. Out of the car came the whole Weasley family, and Hermione.
Ginny said bye first; "bye Harry…we'll all miss you, but you'll be back soon I promise…"
Fred and George came next; "Awww…too bad," said Fred
"Yea…why wasn't your cousin here?" said George
"I expect we scared him off, hey mate?" said Fred "well…see ya soon Harry!"
"Yeah!" said George as he gave him a hug, sticking ton tongue toffees into his pant pocket.
Mrs. Weasley came afterwards, "now be good Harry…oh you have a smudge on your nose…wait let me get that for you " she said as she took out a napkin and scrubbed his face, she straightened out his pants and shirt, fixed his collar and said "take care now…. don't forget to write…oh we'll miss you too much!" and she walked off sobbing.
Finally came Ron and Hermione.
"We'll miss you mate…"
"Oh don't worry Harry…Ron and I will write everyday!" Ron looked down guiltily.
"Oh…yeah…ummm…everyday!" he said
Harry laughed, "don't worry Ron…you'll be too busy eating, you can write every other day!"
"Hey! I don't eat everyday!"
"Look Ron! An ice cream cart!" said Hermione
"Where!?"
"Nice…" said Harry
"Well anyway," said Ron looking slightly grumpier than before "we'll write whenever we can; whenever mom's not making us de-gnome."
"Yeah…or when Ron's not eating, or sleeping, or being insensitive…"said Hermione
"When was I insensitive?! We haven't even been together for more than an hour and you're already starting with me!" said Ron, his face turning red "I mean… I was sensitive enough to comfort you when you were sobbing uncontrollably! And how insensitive can I be when I was crying too!!" Ron looked down embarrassed. He had just told everyone that he was comforting Hermione, and crying. But nobody realized, they were all packing into the car.
"Come on guys…don't fight…please…for me?" said Harry
"I'm sorry Ron," said Hermione "you're right…"with that she followed to the car.
"She just told me I was right! I'm right and Hermione is wrong? This is bloody Christmas!"
" Try to let me know when you start snogging all over the place…ok?" said Harry
"Wada…I…what?" said Ron
"Never mind," said Harry "go on…they're waiting, and so are the Dursley's…see you soon!" said Harry, walking slowly to his aunt and uncle.
Ron stayed behind looking confused, yet again he hadn't realized what Harry meant, he was starting to think that he really was a stupid git.
"So it's just us now…" said Hermione as they walked into the Weasley's house.
"What? No…there's Ginny and Fred and…"
"Ughh…. never mind…sometimes I really wonder about you Ronald…you never get anything!"
"But…?"
But she had already run up the stairs.
"How did you make her cry now?" said Ginny
"I didn't! She's crying?"
"Ron," sighed Ginny "of course she is! She's always crying over something insensitive you said!"
" But what did I do now?" asked Ron, somewhat shocked
" Well go upstairs and ask her!" Ginny said, and Ron ran upstairs
"Well, they'll be coming down hand in hand this time…hopefully…"muttered Ginny
"What?" said Fred
"Yeah I know," said George "it's about time too"
"Oh…" said Fred "Hermione and Ron…yea. It's about time they got together."
Ron ran up to Hermione's door, and stopped to catch his breath.
"Ok…"he muttered, "Tell her I'm sorry, I didn't mean to and that's it…that's it."
He stood outside of the door muttering some more and finally raised his fist to knock.
"Come in!" called a quiet Hermione
Ron let himself in. "Umm…Hermione?"
"Oh…its you…"
"Yeah, its me…what's wrong with me, huh? Why won't you ever like me? Why aren't I good enough? What is it that I say that gives you the right to tell me I'm an insensitive and that I'm a stupid prat…or git…or whatever other name you like to call me. And don't tell me that I'm right, because what I'm saying is not a statement, but a question…answer me!"
But Hermione had already burst into another pool of tears.
"You're not right!! You never will be!! You don't understand…anything! Bringing things like Dumbledore's funeral up in front of Harry, not understanding anything I mean…making it seem like you were only comforting me because you had to, and just…. just…if you were any slower you'd be going backwards!!" she said, collapsing on her bed.
"I'm sorry Hermione, but when I get you sad you cry and when you get me sad I act angry…"
"You've been acting angry for a while now," Hermione said wiping away her tears "I'm sorry too."
"But I hate fighting with you all the time and always being called an insensitive prat because I'm not, I may act like it sometimes but…"
"I hate fighting too, and some things that you say, well, they make you seem like an insensitive prat, and—"
"Shhh…" said Ron "don't talk anymore."
"What?" said Hermione "why do you want me to stop all—"
Her sentence was cut short by a long kiss from Ron. Hermione almost kissed him back but not before she pushed him away.
"Ron! Stop! What was that? Why—"
Ginny came into the room to find Ron and Hermione standing less than a foot apart.
"Mum says—oh…I'll leave you to it…"
"Nothing happened." Said Hermione, curtly.
"Don't worry Hermione, I won't tell a—"
"Nothing happened," Said Hermione, this time facing Ron "nothing."
Ginny and Hermione walked out of the room, Ron collapsed on the bed, looking confused. He noticed that it almost looked like Hermione liked being kissed by Ron, almost as if she was about to kiss him back. But then again, thought Ron, since when am I right. And he turned over and fell asleep.
Hermione had just finished her glass of milk and headed upstairs. She opened her room to find Ron lying on her bed sleeping. The moonlight hit his hair and made it shine beautifully she realized. She sat down next to him and without thinking ran hr fingers through his hair. She realized it calmed her down, and made her seem happier, until she felt somebody's hand on hers. She pulled her hand out of Ron's hair quickly.
"Don't stop," Ron said, "I mean…it feels nice…"
"Ummm…Ron…" said Hermione slowly, trying to figure out how to say it "uhh…I'm sorry, about before…when well, when you ahh…"
"Kissed you?" he finished slowly "no…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, I wasn't thinking, I…I mean…you don't even like me, so I shouldn't have…well you know…"
"Kissed me?" finished Hermione, in the same tone Ron had just used before "no, I wasn't thinking…I… I don't know why I pulled away…I guess I just felt a little guilty…" she said, looking down, blushing. "Why would you feel guilty Hermione?" said Ron "well…" Hermione said slowly, "I didn't want to kiss you if Harry and Ginny couldn't be together. But I talked to Ginny…it seems like…well…she doesn't want to be the reason for us…not to…"Hermione finished meekly.
"Oh…well then…if you don't mind, I'd like to try again, but do it right this time." said Ron bravely.
Hermione moved closer, Ron leaned in and finally they shared their first real kiss.