Missing Moments - Act 2

Cooking Lessons – Hermione/Ron

Hermione stared in awe as Molly moved around the kitchen, her little apron moving in a blur as she mixed and cooked food for her family. As she watched she was reminded of the scene from Sleeping Beauty where all the witches attempted to bake a cake for the Princess Aurora. She smiled at herself, she had no idea when she had first watched that movie as a child that she was herself a witch.

"Could you hand me that bowl, Hermione dear?" Hermione instantly stood up and handed Molly the dish.

Molly thanked her before she continued cooking.

"Can I help?" Hermione finally ventured, she had been watching with trepediation for the last half hour but felt she could do just as well.

"Oh, well," Molly stopped chopping the vegetables and turned to look at her, "Yes I suppose so, you've had cooking lessons at school haven't you?"

Hermione nodded.

'Those lessons won't go to waste after all,' she thought to herself.

"I could bake a cake for Ron," Hermione volunteered before blushing and looking down at her feet.

She heard Ron's mother laugh.

"Of course you can," the dishes are in that bottom drawer and you'll find the flour in the pantry."

Hermione nodded her head before running over to collect the ingredients she needed.

"Here's an apron."

Hermione jumped when she saw Ginny walk into the room with an apron in her hand.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at her friend.

The apron she was given had frills and a flower pattern on it.

"Ginny," she said in a disbelieving tone but her friend just laughed.

"Ginny could you go and get me some eggs?" Her mother asked.

"Sure," Ginny said before winking at Hermione and leaving the kitchen.

Hermione reluctantly put on the apron and turned to the items on the table.

'This is easy, I've done this a million times – at least its felt that way.'

Hermione instantly began mixing the ingredients.

"You don't need mustard powder."

Hermione started when she heard Molly's voice beside her.

She looked down and looked into the bowl.

"Oh dear," Molly said looking at the bowl also.

"I'm sorry my mind was a million miles away," Hermione frowned at the bowl.

'Now how did that happen?'

"It's alright, we'll just start over," Molly patted her on the head before waving her wand at the bowl instantly removing its contents, "the thing to remember about cooking is that it's all about the heart."

"What do you mean?" Hermione stared at Ron's mother curiously.

"Well, when you make food for your family you're showing them how much you love them," Molly explained handing her the flour, "Every teaspoon, every cup, everything you do in the kitchen is done because you love your family and how much you want to see them happy."

Hermione considered this for a moment.

"I never thought about it like that," she said thoughtfully, "I always thought cooking was a waste of time."

Hermione eyes widened and she blushed when she realised what she had said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant it like that," she let her hands drop to her side, she wasn't making a very good impression on Ron's mother, she was sure of that at least.

"You're still young," Molly replied, "When you are married and have an army of children of your own you will understand."

Hermione looked up to see Molly smiling at her, she smiling back with relief.

"Here you go," Ginny stepped back into the kitchen with a basket of eggs, "Chickens were a bit of a handful today."

"You have chickens?" Hermione questioned as she took the eggs of her friend.

Ginny nodded as she put on an apron as well.

Hermione would have asked her friend what she was doing but before she knew it Ginny was walking around the kitchen and mixing and chopping food like a pro.

Hermione stared in awe at the two women. They looked – happy. She wondered at this, especially since Ginny had complained as much as she had about cooking lessons. Ginny looked up and caught her eye.

"What's wrong?"

Hermione shook her head.

"I was just thinking."

"Ugh, I hope you weren't day dreaming about my brother – because if that's the case, then kindly keep your fantasies to yourself."

"Ginny," her mother admonished.

Ginny giggled.

"But look at her face mum."

Hermione felt her face heat up and she instantly spun around and began mixing the sugar and butter into the mixture.

"Hello," Harry greeted as he stepped into the house, "Are you cooking?"

Ginny smiled at Harry as he stood beside her and watched her mixing the food in the pot.

"It's beef stew," Ginny explained when he watched the broth curiously.

"Ah," he replied before he smiled at her.

Ginny returned his smile shyly before looking back at the pot.

After a moment he noticed that she was in the room and he walked over to her.

"When did you get here?"

"When did you?" Hermione questioned in reply.

"Yesterday, I was just out playing quidditch with Ron's brothers."

"Where are those boys?" Molly questioned as she placed a tray of vegetables into the oven.

"Gone into town," Harry replied.

"They're going to go flirt with that muggle waitress again, honestly," Ginny groaned, "We'll never hear the end of it."

Harry didn't hear what Ginny was saying as he was watching Hermione as she poured the mixture into a baking tray.

"Err…Hermione what exactly is that?" he asked her, his eyes not leaving the tray.

"It's a cake," she replied looking at the tray, "Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Uh…nothing, nothing at all," he replied with a smile, "I'm – just going to go now…have a shower."

Harry ran up the stairs before she could question him further.

She shrugged her shoulders and moved to place the cake tin into the oven.

"Um, maybe not that one," Ginny stopped her, "Try that one."

Hermione stopped and turned to the oven near the kitchen window. She opened it and placed the cake inside. She checked the timer before turning on the heat.

"Shouldn't you pre-heat the oven?" her friend wondered walking over and standing beside her.

"I think it should be alright," she replied.

Ginny just stared at the cake.

"What – kind of cake are you baking?"

"Just a simple sponge cake," she replied, "I'll put fruit and icing on it later."

Ginny continued to stare at the oven and the cake inside.

"Just a sponge cake? You didn't add anything extra?"

"No – why?"

"Then why is it doing that?"

Hermione turned around to see the cake bubbling strangely with strange black circles appearing in it.

"I – don't – know…"

"What is that smell!"

Hermione turned to see two boys, twins apparently, enter the house.

"Oh, hello," they said before looking behind her.

Hermione turned just in time to see Ginny making strange hand movements behind her back.

"Why don't we try again," Ginny said as she opened the window to let the smoke out.

"I'm Fred," one of the boys greeted her.

"George," the other said.

"Hi, I'm Hermione," she shook their hands before stepping back.

"I'll just – put this here," she heard her friend say from behind her as she took the cake tin out of the oven.

"The Hermione Granger?" Fred said suspiciously.

"Here I thought you were just a figment of little Ronnie's imagination," George added.

"I'll go get you another cake tin," Ginny said as she left the kitchen holding the charred cake tin in her hands.

"Care for some candy?" Fred offered once Ginny had left.

Hermione picked up the candy and looked at it carefully.

"Nice try," she said handing it back, "Ron's told me all about your kind of candy."

"He ruins all our fun," George pouted.

Hermione giggled at their expressions.

"This calls for a – " Fred stopped talking when he saw her mixing the food in the bowl again.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"The sponge cake didn't work, I think I might try baking a tart instead."

Fred looked at George.

"And who exactly are you cooking for?" George questioned.

"Ron," she replied wiping the sweat of her brow.

"Ah – " the twins said before sharing a look.

"Perhaps we should leave Ron alone for today," she heard Fred whisper to George.

"I concur, brother dear," George agreed.

"Well we'll be leaving now, nice to meet you," Fred said before they headed upstairs.

"Why is everyone acting so strangely?" she wondered aloud as she mixed the powder into the dish.

"Hmmm, that doesn't look right," Hermione said as she took the tin out of the oven.

Molly walked over and looked at the tray.

"No, it should be alright."

"Much better than the other five," Ginny mumbled.

"Ginny would you set the table please?" Her mother said.

Hermione looked at the tray from different angles.

'Should those lumps be there?' she wondered to herself.

'Oh well,' she shrugged before pouring the custard mix into the tray, 'It's the love that matters – at least that's what Ron's mother said.'

"Evening Weasleys!"

Hermione looked up to see a tall man with balding hair.

She smiled – something about him made her happy.

"Welcome home dear," Molly said as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Hi dad," Ginny said hugging her father before she began placing the plates on the table.

"Well hello there," Arthur said when he noticed her.

Hermione smiled at him.

"Hi, I'm Hermione."

He shook her hand before looking at the tray in her hands.

"Now what's this?"

"Hermione's been making something special for Ron," Molly explained.

"Has she now," Arthur said his smile broadening.

"Would you like to try some?" Hermione instantly cut a piece of the custard tart and handed it to him.

"Ah – sure," he replied his smile faltering slightly but he took the spoon and plate nonetheless.

Hermione watched him carefully as he ate.

"Is it okay?" Hermione said hopefully.

"It's very – it's lovely," he replied, "I'm just going to go enjoy this in the living room."

He smiled at her before walking out of the kitchen.

Hermione frowned and looked down at the tray.

"Dinner smells great Mrs Weasley," Harry said as he walked down the stairs.

"Harry!" Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him over to her, "Try this."

She handed him a plate with a large slice of the custard tart on it.

His eye seemed to twitch slightly as he looked at it.

"Uh…" he looked over at Ginny before looking back at her, "Sure."

"Mmm – that's great," he smiled, "I think I forgot my broom outside."

The next moment he was out the door.

Hermione blinked and stared at him as he ran across the lawn.

She turned to look at her friend.

"Ginny."

Her friend seemed to jump but perhaps it was just her imagination.

"Yeah?" her friend replied as she placed the cutlery onto the table.

"Could you try some?"

"Hermione if you do this, then there will be none left for Ron."

"Oh I made two, Ron's one is still in the oven."

"Oh – that's…lucky,you know I've tried so many of your – cakes and things that I may get a stomach ache," she looked at the plate before adding quickly, "you know too many sweets before dinner is not good for you."

"It's just a small piece," she said as she handed her friend a spoon, "Please."

Ginny shoulders sagged before she nodded her head and took a big bite out of the dessert.

"Mmm…yummy."

Hermione smiled at her.

"That's great, I'm so glad," she smiled and turned around to see Fred and George running past.

"Wait, there's a bit left, have some," Hermione caught them just before they left the house.

The door opened and Harry walked back in with an empty plate.

"Weren't you getting your broom?" she questioned.

"Oh – yeah…" he said placing the plate in the kitchen sink, "I put it in the shed."

"He-hey!" she turned back round just in time to see the twins run out the door.

"No thanks," Fred shouted back.

"We had some before remember?" George added before they disappeared completely.

Ron poured her some tea and sat down beside her at the now empty kitchen table. The others had gone to the living room after dinner and they were left alone for the first time that day.

"Have you – tried the custard tart yet?" Ron wondered placing a loose strand of her hair behind her ears.

"No," she shook her head before sipping some tea.

Ron chuckled.

"I didn't think so," he said, placing another piece into his mouth.

Hermione frowned.

"What's with that smile?" she questioned him.

"It's nothing – I just think you're cute," he said leaning over to kiss her.

She frowned at him.

"What?"

"Give me that," she said grabbing the plate in his hands.

"Wait!"

Too late. She had already taken a bite out of the last slice of the custard tart.

She instantly spat it out again.

Ron simply laughed.

"That – is – disgusting!" she said running over to throw the last piece into the bin.

Ron grabbed her hands to stop her.

"Wait," he said lifting the dessert from her hands.

Before she could stop him he had shoved the entire piece into his mouth. She gaped at him as she watched him chew.

"Why?"

He swallowed before smiling at her.

"You made this yourself yeah?"

She nodded at him.

"And you spent the entire day cooking it?"

She nodded.

"Just for me?"

She nodded again.

"Then why would I let one single piece go to waste?" he questioned her as he placed his hands on her waist, "It makes me happy that you spent so much time and effort to make something just for me."

She looked down at her feet.

"But it tasted awful," she said leaning into him.

"Yeah," he laughed when she hit him, "But I loved it."

Hermione frowned at him.

"Anything from you," he placed his forehead on hers and looked her straight in the eyes, "I will love. Because, I love you."

She smiled despite herself.

"You idiot," she said before she kissed him.

AN: Ahh Ron/Hermione are just too cute! XD