Here is the FINAL chapter of this fic. Enjoy!
Chapter Four - Reaction
Ginny Weasley's eyes fluttered open the next morning, unfortunately she woke up facing her brother who was still snoring his head off. Ginny sighed and sat up in her sleeping bag, and looked to her right and saw a sight that shocked her.
Harry was lying cuddled up to Hermione, his arms wrapped delicately around her, and outside of their sleeping bags their hands were intertwined. Both were still fast asleep with contented smiles on their faces. Ginny's shocked expression instantly turned into one of happiness, as she beamed at the two of them.
'They are so cute together' she thought silently to herself. However, a new thought abruptly appeared in her head. Ginny knew her brother liked Hermione; she could tell just by the way he acted around her. Ginny was suddenly brought out of her thoughts, as Hermione whispered "Ginny?"
Ginny looked back at Hermione and smiled "So, how long has this been going on then?" she gestured to Hermione's sleeping positions with Harry.
Hermione instantly realised and sat up quickly, Harry jerking awake due to her sudden movements "Oww Hermione, what was that fo...oh god!" Harry added as he saw that Ginny was looking at them.
"Ginny...I...we ..." Harry stuttered, momentarily glancing at Hermione in worry.
Ginny giggled "Guys really, don't worry I'm not mad."
"You're not?" Hermione asked, with a frown.
"No, of course not" she grinned "So come on then, spill all. How come you never said you were together?"
"Too scared" Hermione admitted, honestly "We thought you would all fly off the handle if we told you about us, so we tried to keep it quiet."
"For how long?"
"Three days" Hermione admitted.
"Really?" Ginny looked surprised "Wow, I never even noticed."
They were silenced from their discussion as Ron woke up from his sleep as Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs calling to all of them to wake up.
"Mum! Why did you have to wake us up?" Ron moaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.
"Everyone else is already awake, Ronald" Mrs. Weasley continued, smiling at them all as she walked over to the kitchen.
Ron turned his head to look next to him and raised his eyebrows "How long have you guys been awake?" he mumbled, still half asleep.
"Not that long" Harry responded, now feeling self-conscious at how close he was sitting next to Hermione, and with Ginny now knowing about them, it wouldn't be long until all the other Weasley's found out too, and their reactions may not be as welcoming as Ginny's.
"Ron, Ginny, come and help me with breakfast please!" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.
They both moaned "Oh mum! I just woke up" Ron skulked into the kitchen, instantly followed by Ginny. Leaving Harry and Hermione alone in the living-room.
"We should tell them now" Harry said quietly to Hermione "At breakfast when everyone's there."
Hermione looked very apprehensive but nodded in agreement, Harry noticed this and took her hand gently "It'll be okay...whatever happens, we will still have each other."
Hermione smiled and kissed Harry when she knew that no one was looking.
Harry and Hermione sat together at breakfast with the rest of the Weasley's not long later, both of them hardly touched their food as the nerves, at what they were about to admit, were bubbling up in the pit of their stomachs.
"Dad, don't you think we should get going?" Bill said, after he had looked at the clock on the wall.
"Actually..." Harry interrupted, suddenly feeling brave "Can I say something first before you guys go off to work?"
"Course Harry" Mr. Weasley replied with a smile "What is it?"
"Well, you see, the thing is...a few days ago...umm...Hermione and I ...we..."
"Harry and I are together" Hermione blurted out, ending Harry's babbling.
"WHAT?" Ron bellowed, instantly getting up from his chair "When the hell did this happen?"
"Three nights ago" Hermione answered, honestly "And we just wanted to tell you all...we didn't want to hide it anymore."
"I can't believe this!" Ron said, the fury evident in his eyes "How could you do it, Harry!"
Harry knew exactly why Ron was behaving like this "Look Ron, I'm sorry, okay..."
"No you're not; you just wanted to steal her away from me. You couldn't let me have one thing could you?"
"Uh excuse me, Ronald" Hermione interrupted, getting out of her chair like Harry had already done "I was never yours to steal."
"Please, everyone can we all calm down" Mrs. Weasley said.
"No, I will not bloody calm down!" Ron kicked his chair over in anger, heading out of the back door, slamming it in his wake.
"Ron!" Hermione said, almost feeling like she wanted to cry.
"I would leave him be" Mr. Weasley said, also getting up from his chair "He needs to be on his own to let it all sink in..." he walked over to the pair of them with a smile "And if it makes you two feel any better, I am very happy for the pair of you. You make a great couple."
"Here, here" piped up Bill, with Fleur sitting next to him with an equal smile on her face.
"Yes, congratulations darlings" Mrs. Weasley said happily "I knew it wouldn't take you long to figure out your feelings."
Harry and Hermione were so happy knowing that all of the Weasley's, bar one, were happy about them being a couple. As everyone left to go to work, or to do household chores, Harry and Hermione headed back to Harry's room, and Harry enveloped Hermione into a tight hug.
"What are we going to do, Harry?" Hermione said in despair "Ron hates us!"
"I don't know, Hermione" Harry answered, truthfully, rubbing her back to comfort her "I just hope he comes round to the idea...if not, we have a very big problem."
...
As the day wore on, Harry and Hermione both separately, and together, tried to talk to Ron. However, he was having none of it. He spent his day sulking outside in the garden, not wanting to talk to anyone. After dinner that evening, Hermione went back up to Harry's room to find him standing by the window, looking out at something.
"Harry?" Hermione said with a frown "What are you looking at?"
"Come and see" Harry encouraged her over, and Hermione saw what it was that Harry had been gazing at. Ginny and Ron were talking outside, both sitting on the bench.
"I hope Ginny can get through to him" Hermione said, worriedly.
Harry put his arm around her shoulders and Hermione leaned in to him "Me too" Harry responded, not knowing how much longer this could go on for.
After another half an hour, Ron and Ginny had finished talking and the garden was now empty. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the bedroom door.
"Come in" Harry said.
Ron came in, looking shame-faced and apologetic.
"Ron!" Hermione said "I'm so sorry! We didn't mean to hurt you, we really didn't. Please, let's not be angry with each other anymore, please!"
"Hermione, let him speak" Harry said, calmly to her. Hermione fell silent instantly, both of them watching Ron as he closed the door and came to sit on one of the beds.
"I'm sorry guys" Ron said, quietly "I shouldn't have reacted like I did this morning, and I shouldn't have said what I did."
"We don't blame you, Ron" Harry said, openly "We expected you to react like that, that's why we didn't tell you straight away, we just didn't want to hurt your feelings."
"But you did!" Ron said, raw emotion speaking in his voice, although he didn't sound angry anymore "I would rather you had been straight with me, than kept it secret."
"We know that now, and all we can do is apologise, Ron" Hermione said, coming to sit down next to him on the bed "Are you still mad at us?"
Ron shook his head "No... Ginny, she ... she made me come to my senses" he looked up at his two best friend's "It's always been there, feelings between the two of you. I think I've always known it deep down. You and I we were never meant to be Hermione" he said, looking just at the woman in question, momentarily "I just...I didn't want to admit it to myself." Ron gave a sigh "But I can see it now, you two are perfect for each other..." he gave a small smile "I just want to ask, are you both happy?"
Harry and Hermione smiled "Yeah, yeah we're really happy" Harry said, taking hold of Hermione's hand, as he too sat next to her. Hermione nodding to confirm her answer.
Ron smiled "Then that's all that matters. I'm more than happy if you're both happy too. Just, keep the snogging each other's faces off to a bare minimum when I'm around."
Harry chuckled and Hermione blushed "Deal" Harry responded. Before getting the overwhelming urge to get up and hug Ron. This is exactly what he did, with Hermione doing the same. All three of them laughing again, at Ron trying to wriggle free from their group hug.
"Alright, enough of that already" Ron said, with a grin on his face "And I'm leaving now, because I've missed out on dinner and I'm bloody starving!"
Harry and Hermione laughed and watched Ron leave the room, he momentarily looked back at them with an assuring smile, showing that they both had his blessing.
Hermione instantly turned back to Harry and hugged him tightly. No words needed to be exchanged between them as they both knew what the other was thinking. They understood now that they had made a mistake in not telling Ron the truth earlier, but they knew there was no point dwelling on that issue anymore. They were both now just so glad that their best friend was at last happy. Because, as Ron rightly pointed out, as long as everyone you love is happy, then you can rest and relax in the thought that you can be happy too.
...
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