Chapter Nine – AFTER THE GAME
The entire Hogford quidditch team, and their closest friends, partied at the University bar following the game. Hermione, as promised, shared a beer with Ron and Harry to celebrate their commanding victory over Northbridge. Harry and Ron were the heroes of the game, and the rest of the team were treating them as such.
Caleb , the Hogford team captain, approached Ron and Harry as they sat drinking their third beer of the evening. "Hey guys, well played today" Caleb said, slapping Ron and Harry on the back.
"Thanks, Caleb. Great party, isn't it?" Harry said, smiling.
"Just one more service we like to provide," Caleb said, "Now why don't you two introduce me to your friend here."
Ron rolled his eyes and said "This is our roommate, Hermione Granger. Hermione, this is Caleb Taylor, our Quidditch Captain."
"Nice to meet you, Caleb," Hermione said, "I've heard a lot about you."
"All lies, I assure you" Caleb replied, clearly flirting with Hermione.
"That's a shame." Hermione replied with a wink, and continued to enjoy her beer.
"Care to learn a little more over a dance?" Caleb suggested.
"Why not." Hermione replied, putting her drink down and following Caleb to the dance floor.
Harry watched Ron's reaction with interest. "You know," Ron said, shaking his head, "I wouldn't expect much more from him, but her ... I just thought ..."
"Thought what?" Harry interrupted.
"Well, I didn't think she'd cheat on Declan and make such a spectacle of herself." Ron replied, downing the end of his beer.
"I don't think she's cheating on Declan or making a spectacle of herself, Ron. She's just dancing. But if you really think it's a problem, go and do something about it." Harry suggested.
"I will" Ron said, as he stood up and crossed to where Hermione was dancing with Caleb. Tapping Caleb on the shoulder, Ron said "Hey, buddy, mind if I cut in?"
"You're pushing it, Weasley. But seeing as you played so well today, she's all yours" Caleb said, handing Hermione over to Ron.
Hermione watched as Caleb walked away before turning to Ron. "What was all that about?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I just know Caleb, and I've heard about some of the things he gets up to. And trust me, he's just not the kind of guy you'd want to spend time with." Ron said, as he turned to walk off the dance floor.
"Hey," Hermione stopped Ron by simply placing her hand on his arm. Ron turned around to come face to face with Hermione. "You cut in."
"And?" Ron asked.
"You owe me a dance. Come on." Hermione said, taking Ron by the hand.
After their dance, Ron and Hermione re-joined Harry, who had just ordered another round of beers. The only thing that broke up the frivolity of the party was the arrival of a few important looking men and women that Hermione had recognised from earlier that day. A few of them spoke to Harry, and he cheerfully agreed to lunch dates with a few of them to discuss his future playing options, knowing that if he was going to accept any offers, it would be the one from the Chudley Cannons. But the attention lavished on Harry was nothing compared with the number of people who had bombarded Ron at the post match festivities. Every one of the league team's representatives had approached Ron, looking to meet with him to discuss his career. There was only one he was really interested in hearing from, and that was from the last couple to approach him: The Chudley Cannons.
Both Ron and Harry were so deep in conversation with the Cannons' representatives, that neither of them noticed the arrival of Olivia. Hermione saw her, and called her over, offering her a beer which Olivia turned her nose up at, ordering a diet soft drink instead, and internally Hermione rolled her eyes. Olivia was, as Ron had put it, one of 'those' kinds of girls who watched everything she ate, and drank, apparently. Hermione was busy telling Olivia about how brilliantly Ron had played, how he had saved almost every single goal, how Harry was faster than lightning in going after the snitch, and how both were currently talking to the Chudley Cannons' representatives in regards to their Quidditch playing futures.
"Olivia, you're here!" Ron said, sounding genuinely happy to see her.
"Yes. I got held up, so I missed the game. Hermione here has been telling me you played rather well." Olivia said icily.
"Rather well?" Harry looked at Hermione, eyebrow raised.
"Her words, not mine" Hermione clarified.
"You should have seen him, Olivia, he was amazing" Harry said.
Without a sign that she had even heard them, Olivia turned to Ron. "Ron, could we have a word?" she said, and turned on her heels to head for the door.
Ron looked at both Harry and Hermione who were watching Olivia, as confused as Ron was. "Better go" he said, quietly.
Harry and Hermione watched as Ron followed Olivia out of the bar. "Wonder what that's all about?" Harry said, taking another drink from his beer.
"No idea" Hermione practically yelled to get over the noise in the bar. "She didn't look too impressed. You would think she would show a little more interest in his achievements, being his girlfriend and all. Maybe you should go after them and find out."
Harry had just put his beer down, and was about to head for the door when he was approached by yet another talent scout.
"Looks like it's your turn" Harry said to Hermione as he began talks with the Wimbourne Wasps' representatives.
Hermione rolled her eyes, something she had been doing far too much of recently, and put down her drink. She walked out of the doors of the bar and immediately heard voices.
"Olivia, wait ..." she heard Ron say.
Hermione stood deathly still, knowing it probably wasn't such a good idea to be seen at that moment. Nevertheless, she listened intently.
"No, Ron. I'm not going to make this any harder than it has to be. It's over. There's no future in us." Olivia spoke, and Hermione noted a bitterness in her voice.
"Olivia, what did they say to you? What have they done to make you like this?" Ron almost pleaded with her.
"It's not only my parent's, Ron. It's what I've felt for a long time now. You and I ... we were never going to work, Ron. It was never going to be a forever thing. You're ... you're just not the kind of guy I want to settle down with." She replied, almost without emotion.
"Fuck, Liv, we're only 19 years old. We're still young, there is no rush for us to grow up so fast and talk about settling down, is there?" Ron said, sounding desperate.
"That's just it, Ron. I HAVE grown up. You're still acting out silly school boy dreams of playing quidditch. You're still acting like you're at school. The rest of us HAVE grown up. You're the Peter Pan who is refusing to let things go. And I'm over it. Goodbye, Ron. And Good luck." And with that, Olivia walked away.
Ron stood for a couple of minutes, watching the woman he thought he might have one day loved, walk away. Hermione forced herself to take a few deep breaths. She couldn't let Ron know she had heard that, could she? She couldn't let him know that she heard all Olivia's hurtful words. But, despite that, after a couple of seconds, Hermione walked towards Ron. Hearing footsteps, Ron turned around.
"How much did you hear?" He almost spat out at Hermione.
"Enough. Ron, I'm sorry..." Hermione began, but didn't know how to go on. "What she said was..."
"The truth? Yeah, I know. Stupid little me, and stupid quidditch, huh? My life is worthless, Mione, and everyone knows it. Olivia was right, I should just ..." Ron spoke in starts before being cut off by Hermione's hand on his arm.
"You should just do what you're good at and what makes you happy. No one has the right to demand you change, Ron. No one. Not family, not friends, and certainly not Olivia. If she didn't appreciate you for what you are, then it's her loss. Come on, let's go back inside and celebrate everything you achieved today. The game, the Cannons, everything. Then, when we go home, I'll make some hot chocolate, and we can talk about whatever you want. If you need to talk about what happened, then you know, as your friend, I am here to listen to anything you need to say. But if you don't want to talk about it, then that's fine. But I will NOT allow you to wallow in self pity, nor will I allow you to let someone make you feel like your life is worthless." Hermione spoke with such conviction that Ron had no recourse but to agree, and allowed her to lead him back up into the bar.
Ron soon forgot his troubles, and celebrated well into the night with his team mates and friends. Hermione stole Harry away and let him know what had happened between Ron and Olivia, and was surprised when Harry said he was glad that it had happened. Apparently, Harry felt the same way Hermione did about Ron's now ex-girlfriend. Neither of them had taken very much to her, and both, it was now clear, were quite glad that Ron was rid of her.
Somewhere around midnight, the revellers had decided to move on to the next bar, off campus. Harry was joining them, but Ron said he was tired, and wanted to go home. Hermione happily offered to make sure Ron got home safely, knowing he'd probably had a few too many beers that evening. Harry had volunteered to go with them, but Ron insisted that he go on and enjoy the celebrations.
Inside their apartment, Ron opened the proverbial floodgates. Not that he shed tears, mind you, he hadn't developed that strong an attachment to Olivia. But he let out everything that had been irritating him in one fell swoop.
"I mean, it's bloody ridiculous. What right does she have to tell me how to lead my life? And to suggest I'm not grown up, that's just bloody bull shit. I'm grown up. And what is the deal with you women and quidditch?" Ron said, before taking another sip of the hot chocolate Hermione had prepared for him.
"Hey! Don't lump me in with her. I support you and your quidditch aspirations. I come to all of your games. Hell, Ron, I got up at the crack of dawn to come and watch you train, didn't I?" Hermione pleaded her case.
"Yeah, you're right. But you have given me grief about it, haven't you? You have reminded me pretty much constantly that my education should come first" Ron replied, almost sullenly.
"You're right, and I'm sorry. You know, Dec was saying that people's priorities aren't just wrong because they're not mine. And I know that I've been hard on you. I'm sorry." Hermione's heart sank. It was only when thinking out loud that she realised that she'd really spent the last 8 years being awful to Ron.
"You wouldn't be Hermione if you didn't give me a hard time about school. Just like I wouldn't be me if I didn't try to make you cut class, or drag you along to quidditch matches." He replied, smiling.
And for a while, Ron and Hermione sat side by side on the couch and said nothing. They didn't need to say anything. For one of the first times in many years, possibly for as long as they had known one another, Ron and Hermione had understood one another.
Before long, Ron broke the silence. "What's wrong with me, Mione? Why is it that no girl wants to have me around?"
"I want to have you around" Hermione replied, smiling.
"You know what I mean. I'm not a complete idiot, I don't think I look much like a cave troll ..." Ron's voice was interrupted by Hermione.
"Ron, stop this. This kind of talk is not going to do you any good. You know that you're incredibly intelligent, you wouldn't have gotten into Hogford if you weren't." She said softly, gently stroking his hand as she spoke.
"You think I'm intelligent?" Ron asked.
"You know I think that, Ron. And as for not looking like a cave troll, you're adorable. Half the girls at Hogwarts fancied you. Even more here, from the reaction to you at the game today." Hermione said, smiling, hoping Ron spirits would lift.
"You think I'm adorable?" Ron asked.
"Ron, you know you are, so stop." Hermione replied, blushing. She wasn't entirely sure where this conversation was heading, and Hermione never liked not being in total and complete control. Getting up from the couch, Hermione said "I need coffee. Quite clearly drank too much beer. You want?"
"Yeah. Sounds good. Thanks Mione" Ron muttered quietly.
Hermione stood by the kitchen sink, gazing out the window. She didn't notice the coffee pot switch off, or notice Ron appear in the doorway.
"You ok?" Ron's voice startled Hermione. She spun around to see him standing only a few feet behind her.
"Yeah. Got lost in my own thoughts, I guess" Hermione said, trying to suppress a sniffle.
Damn it, has she been crying? Ron thought to himself before saying "Are you sure everything is ok?"
"Yeah, I'll get you that coffee" Hermione relied, busying herself with familiar routine.
Hermione lay in bed, wondering what had happened between her and Ron that night. Had they come one step closer to admitting what neither had been willing to admit for years? She wondered if Ron had noticed the tears that were welling up in her eyes as she stood by the window, gazing out into the vast nothingness. Wondered if he realised that those tears were for him. But Ron had been so gentle, and caring for her when he had come into the kitchen, and Hermione wished, rather than believed, that this was an indication that he felt for her some of the things that she had felt for him. Knowing that she wouldn't sleep very well if she continued thinking along these lines, Hermione rolled over and willed all thoughts out of her mind and, eventually, surrendered to sleep.
Ron lay in bed that evening, wondering exactly what had happened between him and Hermione. Had she said she thought he was attractive? She had admitted to thinking he was quite smart, but had she actually come out and told him that she thought him good looking? Ron thought back to that moment in the kitchen, where Hermione had appeared, for a brief moment, vulnerable before putting on the 'Business-Hermione' face and regaining control. Her tears had spoken a thousand words, but he was still at a loss as to what they could mean. Could it be possible that she felt about him the way he felt about her? Knowing this to be more wishful thinking than any fact, Ron rolled over and willed himself to sleep.