Nothing Compares to You

Hermione stood when Ron pulled himself in through the window. Her posture screamed confidence, but it was clear from her eyes, that she'd been crying. He noticed her trunk was out of the closet and open.

"You're not leaving," he said.

Hermione bit her lip. She started to say something but then shook her head. Finally, she looked at him. "I can't stay here knowing what you really think of me."

"It bothers you that I love you, that I think you're brilliant and beautiful."

Hermione blinked. "That you think I'm the sort of slag that would let McLaggen– On the first date!"

Ron shook his head. "You should have told me what he did, I would've–"

"I couldn't tell you. When I got back to the common room you were in a chair all over Lavender."

"Still–" Ron protested.

"Still, what?" Hermione asked, flicking her wand to Impreturb the door. "You were being so cruel to me, you probably would have cheered him on." A tear slipped down her cheek. She angrily brushed it away.

"Oh, right, like taking McLaggen to that party was about anything other than being cruel to me," Ron countered.

"I was supposed to go with you," Hermione said, angrily. More tears fell. "Or don't you remember that I plucked up the courage to ask you, and you said yes? It was like the Yule Ball all over again."

"Hey," Ron said. "I did ask you to the Yule Ball."

"Right, as a last resort, and oh, how I've suffered for going with someone else."

"You didn't just go with someone else!" Ron shouted. "You went with Viktor Krum and you snogged him! Six months you dated him!"

"I was fifteen! I'd never been kissed before! I'd never dated anyone. I wanted to see what it was like and he was nice."

Ron threw up his hands. "Then how is that different from me and Lavender?"

"I didn't have sex with Viktor!" she shouted.

"I didn't have–"

"Oh please!" Hermione shouted. "Don't act like oral doesn't count, especially for a girl."

"Hang on," Ron said, shaking his head. "I didn't–"

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "You let her go down on you, but wouldn't return the favor? What a prig! No wonder she hates you."

Ron's jaw dropped. "So now I'm a prig for NOT going down on Lavender?"

Hermione pressed her fingers to her temples and shut her eyes.

"Besides," Ron said petulantly. "I'm not as bad as all that. She got off, I just did it...differently. With my fingers."

Hermione glared at him. "It's not the same thing."

Ron ducked his head to hide a grin. "Well, you would know."

Hermione coughed, but Ron was pretty sure it was to cover up a laugh. She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Look, Ron, I just…I didn't realize...it hurt to find out that way, that's all." She shook her head. "And then to find out you thought I'd let McLaggen–"

"I didn't. I didn't think at all, really. I was so insane over the idea of you going to the party with him, that I didn't stop to consider what must have happened for you to come home so early, by yourself, all disheveled like that." Ron knelt in front of her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said those things. I'm sorry I ever went out with Lavender. Hell, I'm sorry I didn't ask you to the Yule Ball first thing."

Hermione sighed. "That's all in the past, which is where we should leave it. I mean, I understand why you didn't ask me to the Ball. It's the same reason you went out with Lavender. I get it, there's no need to pretend."

Ron struggled to think what she was saying. "What?"

Hermione shrugged. "You wanted to go with someone pretty."

Ron shook his head and sat back on his haunches. "Why do birds always go on like that? Lavender's not prettier than you. She's pretty; you're pretty. Cho's pretty. Padma and Parvati are pretty. Luna's pretty. Pansy's pretty. You all look different, but you're all pretty. Trust me, I'm a bloke, I know. Okay, well Millicent, now she's got a legitimate complaint. Beaten with an ugly stick, that one."

"Ron!"

He shrugged. "Sorry, but it's true." He moved forward on to his knees again and rested his hands on Hermione's thighs.

"I went out with Lavender because I was a stupid git. Not that Lavender's a bad girl. Some blokes would think she's a terrific girlfriend. She just couldn't compare to you. I knew that and so did she, and honestly, I feel really bad about that. It wasn't her fault she wasn't you." He circled his hands around Hermione's hips and pulled her forward until she was kneeling in front of him. "Everything we do is special," he said softly. "We've always been special." He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing against her earlobes. She trembled as he brushed his lips against hers.

She broke the kiss a few moments later. "Ron, we can't do this here. Ginny-"

"Ginny won't come in here now. More than that, she'll see to it no one else does either. She can be a pain sometimes, but deep down, Gin's a brick." He kissed her again, deeper this time.

Hermione's conscience tugged at her, but as his lips moved to her neck, she pulled her wand off the nightstand and locked the door. "Fine," she said as she raised her arms so Ron could pull off her shirt.

xXx

When Harry went into the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was talking to Ginny about defensive spell work.

"Hello, Harry, dear. Would you like some pumpkin juice?"

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley, that'd be great."

She handed him a glass. "Where's Ron?"

"Oh, um…" Harry fumbled for a good answer.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "He and Hermione are having a row upstairs."

"In Ron's room? By themselves?" Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows.

"No, Mum," Ginny said. "In mine."

"I don't think so," Mrs. Weasley said, striding forward.

Ginny caught her hand as she walked by the table. "Mum, this isn't a fight you want to get in the middle of."

Harry shook his head in fervent agreement.

She looked at both of them and sat down rather heavily on the bench next to Ginny, who got up and poured her mother a glass of juice.

"So you were saying about jinxes?" Ginny prompted.

xXx

Ron and Hermione came downstairs a little while later. Harry and Ginny were setting the table. His father was sitting in his usual place, with a mug of ale, using his wand to poke at the alarm clock Mr. Granger had sent him. His mother was lighting a fire under a large cauldron on the stove when Ron came over and kissed her on the top of the head. "Dinner smells great, Mum."

"How can I help?" Hermione asked.

Mrs. Weasley stared at them both for a moment. She sighed. "Could you chop the vegetables, dear?"

Hermione charmed two knives for the task while Ron joined his father at the table. After that, Hermione went over the recipe with Mrs. Weasley. She'd taken some interest in kitchen spells lately, she explained. Mrs. Weasley seemed pleased to tell her all about them.

xXx

After dinner, all of them went outside to practice defensive magic. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley put them through their paces until just before dusk. When they were done everyone was hot, tired, and bruised. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went in first. Ron and Harry decided they should practice Apparition some before turning in. Hermione stayed to offer advice and Ginny just hung back to watch. When both boys had successfully Apparated from the shed to the back garden several times, Hermione declared that they would pass with flying colors.

Ron took Hermione's hand. "Come on, let's go in."

"Harry," Ginny said. "Fancy a swim?"

"Sure," Harry said, taking her hand.

"Hang on," Ron said. "You haven't got suits."

Ginny shrugged. "Be a brick, Ron."

Ron's face fell, but Hermione tugged on his hand. "Come on, let's go listen to the wireless with your parents for awhile."

Reluctantly, he followed her inside. He knew things had changed for all of them and that more difficult changes lay ahead, but as Hermione curled up against him on the sofa and they listened to the music with his parents, Ron felt ready to face what lay ahead. For the first time since Dumbledore's death, he was confident that things would work out for the best.