A/N: So it has been a while since I wrote and I am really sorry. When your computer chooses to break down three times effectively deleting all documents, one tends to get a little stressed out! But I have another chapter of Proof for you to enjoy! So we are back with the Gryffindor boys in this chapter and you have to read to find out more.
Oh and also I do not have a beta; just my sister and I read this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does.
The boys all picked up the medallion that they had placed in the middle of the circle and stretched as they stood up to get ready for the day. Seamus and Dean jumped into the bathroom first to brush their teeth while Neville began a search through his trunk to find a matching pair of socks. Harry picked up a shirt of his off the floor, sniffed it, and then shrugged putting it on.
Ron, on the other hand, was a complete mess getting ready. He first mismatched his buttons while putting on his shirt, and then he put his sweater on backwards. His tie was messy as usual, but it has been that way ever since third year. The habit first began when Ron came down the stairs one day, and Hermione and he had a gotten into a little fight about him being an absolute mess in the morning. She argued that he never even properly attempted to make himself presentable for the school day.
Ron countered her argument claiming that he was "properly able" to do so. Therefore, he tried extra hard the next day to be as neat as possible; however, he had forgotten to straighten his tie. Hermione didn't say a word about the off-centered tie as she righted it for him. Every day since, if they weren't in a fight that is, he would make sure that his tie was properly off for her to fix in the morning. At first the guys had made fun of him for it, but Ron just ignored their comments and continued the unspoken tradition.
Once Ron and Harry had their clothes on properly, they were next into the bathroom. They didn't say anything to each other while they washed their faces, but Harry paused before placing his toothbrush under the faucet.
Ron stared at him with a single eyebrow raised in question. When Harry didn't respond, Ron sighed and set his toothbrush down and asked "What?"
Harry took a second before he got his thoughts together, and stood there with his mouth open. When he finally decided on what to say he too placed his toothbrush on the counter and asked, "Ron, why is it so hard for you to believe that Hermione would like you?"
Ron sighed in frustration. He would be lying if he were to say that this is the first time that Harry had brought this question up. Before, Ron would typically just storm out of the room, proving that he was indeed the moody git that Hermione claimed he was. His maturity had progressively grown after his near death, and he proved himself by staying in the bathroom.
However, his newfound maturity did not make it any easier to answer Harry's question. When he was younger he would constantly claim that he had no romantic feelings for Hermione, and Harry would drop the question only to ask it again the following year.
Ron's problem was that he had low self-esteem; always had. And of course why wouldn't he? He was the sixth Weasley child, and everything that there was to be accomplished has already been done by at least one of his brothers. And then there was the fact that his best friend was the Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived for crying out loud! Ron was always by Harry's side in their adventures, but no one seemed to notice him. His other best friend was the brightest witch in the century, so why would anyone care about a mediocre red head in hand-me-downs?
"Harry, come on, why do you have to start this, huh?" Ron asked as he continued to brush his teeth. Harry followed Ron's example and finished brushing his teeth as well.
"I keep bringing it up because you are too stupid to notice that she is into you!" Harry claimed as pushed open the bathroom door leading back to the dormitory. They both shuffled around the room searching for their school books as they continued their conversation.
"Please, Harry, into me? She didn't seem like she was into me when she was snogging Krum or McLaggen!" Ron continued on stuffing his books into his bag with obvious annoyance. The other boys in the room quickly left, hoping to avoid an impending argument. They were out of luck when Harry decided to retaliate.
"Are you kidding me, Ron? She wouldn't speak to you, hell she wouldn't even look at you when you were dating Lavender! And why do you think she did that? Just because you she didn't like Lavender? No! She constantly ignored you and left the room crying because she was jealous!" Harry threw his bag to the floor and stomped around while looking for his shoes.
Neville, Dean, and Seamus took that as their cue to leave as Ron stood there dumbfounded. "Jealous?" He paused again as Harry stood up, his shoes fully tied. "She was…jealous?"
"Yes, Ron, yes! How many times do I have to say this?" Harry shouted as he tossed Ron's shoes at him.
"It's just that I am nothing special, she's too good to like me!" Harry smacked his forehead at Ron's answer. However, they were getting somewhere.
"That's the problem, Ron. You keep putting yourself down. You need to have some confidence. I mean, Lavender must have liked more than one thing about you when she decided to go out with you. So there must be something there for Hermione to like."
"Gee, thanks, Harry! Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Ron scoffed. He grabbed his bag and headed for the door out. Harry quickly rushed to the door, hoping to get at least one more comment in.
"Okay, okay, sorry. How about this… you go about your day, alright, and then tonight I will prove to you that Hermione likes you." Ron raised his eyebrows in skepticism.
"Oh yeah? And how do plan on proving that?" Ron crossed his arms waiting for an answer.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Harry then turned around and opened the door. He didn't really need a plan. Hermione and Ron would do everything for him. All he had to do was watch them carefully and make a visit to Dumbledore. He turned around one last time, "And don't forget to ask her out to Hogsmeade!" He ran down the steps two by two, hoping to catch Ginny.
Ron POV
It was stupid really to suggest that Hermione liked me. But the guys really did have a point. I mean, she didn't complain when she found me lying next to her, and she did give me a kiss on the cheek!
But why would she like me once she has been out with a famous Quidditch player? But then again, she was jealous when I went out with Lavender, and that was sort of the point. I shook my head and opened the door deliberating whether or not I should ask Hermione to Hogsmeade. She did invite me Slughorn's Christmas Party, and even though it may have been just as friends it would have been just the two of us.
Then it hit me. If Harry was going to take Ginny to Hogsmeade, then I would be going alone with Hermione anyways. That is, if someone else didn't ask her first. And why wouldn't anyone else ask her? I have seen those other boys eyeing her! Alright, it's decided, I will ask her, just to show the guys in the school that Hermione is mine!
I finally reached the bottom of the steps where Hermione was nervously awaiting. She smiled as I grabbed her bag off her shoulder, and she took a step closer to me in order to fix my tie, just as I knew she would. I didn't realize until that moment as I watched her straighten my tie that I was nervous; nervous that things would turn awkward after last night. Granted she was blushing, and I could feel my ears burning as well.
Ours eyes met, and our gazes locked as her breath hitched. It was as if she finally noticed how close we were standing to each other. The clamor of the common room filling up with loud students reminded her of where we were, and she shook her head.
She spoke up, perfectly following the script of our much practiced act. "Honestly, Ronald, will you ever learn how to put on a tie?" I shrugged, knowing she only said that just for show; as she has done for every morning she has fixed it. If she could act normal, than so could I! I flashed my signature lopsided grin as I led her towards the portrait hole for breakfast.
Because of our early morning happenings, our typical morning start, or should I say Hermione's, was a little later than usual. The corridors that were usually filled with only one or two meandering students were now filled wall-to-wall with the students desperate to get in a quick bite to eat before their first class.
So, naturally, Hermione and I drew closer together in order to not get thrown around. After six years of going to Hogwarts, one tends to learn the proper art of moving through the bustling hallways. After several flights of stairs and a shortcut later we arrived to our destination quickly hurrying inside to grab what was left of the food.
Hermione and I sat beside each other and across from Harry and Ginny who had arrived five minutes earlier. Hermione and I quickly dove in once she announced that we had fifteen minutes before our first class.
Third Person POV
Ron and Hermione's instincts kicked in as Ron loaded two strips of French toast onto one plate, and five pieces of bacon onto the other. He then reached out to grab two slices of toast next, loading one with plenty of butter and grape jelly and extra strawberry jam onto the other. He placed the one with the strawberry onto the plate with the French toast, and the other onto the one with the bacon.
At the same time Hermione was busy pouring pumpkin juice into two separate goblets. Next she carefully poured syrup on the waiting slices of French toast and scooped out a large spoonful of scrambled eggs onto the other. As if by cue the post owl arrived with the Daily Prophet which she hastily paid with a knut and a bit of toast for the owl to nibble on.
Ron separated the plates; he taking the one with bacon and eggs, and placing the one with French toast in front of Hermione. At the same time Hermione placed a goblet in front of the respected owner, thanked Ron for her plate, took a single bite of her toast then opened the newspaper scanning for important headlines.
While this system of obtaining breakfast for Ron and Hermione was a common occurrence in the morning, it never ceased to amaze the day's onlookers of how fluid the motions came to be. Professor Dumbledore looked on with a happy smile, sharing a knowing look with Professor McGonagall, who appeared to be fighting off a smile of her own. Harry shared a smirk with Ginny as he made a great show of placing another piece of bacon onto his girlfriend's plate. Ginny giggled a thank you and response and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.
Ron fully aware of Harry's taunts aimed a well placed kick at Harry's shin after the two pulled away. Hermione, having noticed the exchange simply rolled her eyes at their antics. Ron shrugged, but shot Harry another glare as he reached for one of his bacon slices. He turned to Hermione, mouth completely filled, and asked his daily question, "Anybody we know die today?" Hermione announced that nothing significant had happened and stowed her newspaper away in her bag, to save for further reading later that day.
Breakfast continued as normal, the four of them talked and laughed together and appeared as normal teenagers without a care in the world. Also thoroughly customary were the glances that Ron and Hermione shared, in which they thought that the other would not notice. Despite the couple's obliviousness to the forlorn gazes, it was painstakingly obvious to Harry.
Harry was simply tired of Ron and Hermione. He loved them, but they just needed to get over their pride already and get together. Harry wasn't the only one annoyed with the antics of the couple. He had spent many nights fantasizing with Ginny of all the things that they could plot against Ron and Hermione. And while it was fun to discuss, they knew that it was ultimately up to Ron and Hermione as to when they would get together.
Plenty of other people were done waiting for Ron and Hermione to get their acts together. A prime example would be McLaggen asking Hermione out. There was plenty of talk around the school after she said "yes" to him. People felt that Ron had had his chance with her, and he missed it. In many people's eyes, it was their turn to have a chance with the brightest witch of the generation.
That was why Harry felt that Ron needed to make his move soon, or someone else would. Ron and Hermione had always been oblivious to the flirtatious mannerisms directed towards them from other people, but it was not lost on Harry. With the upcoming Hogsmeade visit Harry knew that male population of Hogwarts would wait until the last possible moment to ask a girl with them, and today was the perfect day for asking.
Harry was pretty positive that Hermione was going to get a fair share of invitations, and some of the boys would be stupid enough to ask her in front of Ron. But the boys weren't the only stupid ones; plenty of girls would be carelessly flirting with Ron now that he was single and a "Quidditch god."
But for now Ron and Hermione were lost in their own little world together: talking and laughing and even the occasional playful push. They didn't notice the looks from a group of Hufflepuff fifth years, and they definitely did not notice the pep talks some guys were giving their best friends. Ron and Hermione only had eyes for each other and as they got up they spared Harry and Ginny a glance to say their "byes" and "see you laters."
Ron, of course, picked up Hermione's bag for her as they left the Great Hall. She gave him a shy smile in which he returned with his own lopsided grin. From Harry's seat, he could even see Ron's ears shine the bright red that never seemed to stay away for too long when he was around Hermione.
Ginny turned to Harry and sighed, "When do you think they will realize they are perfect for each other?" She placed her elbow on her table and leaned towards Harry.
Harry gave his best friends one last look, watching as Hermione elbowed Ron in the stomach and Ron bent over in fake agony. They shared a laugh as he pushed her back through the doors, and they were out of sight. Harry then turned to his girlfriend, "Well, hopefully, today."
"Today?" Ginny asked surprised, she wasn't expecting such a straight forward answer.
"Well if it isn't today, then hopefully this weekend when Ron takes her to Hogsmeade." Harry shrugged as he reached for his own goblet of pumpkin juice.
Ginny on the other hand could not understand how he was talking about this so nonchalantly. This was big! This is what most of the population has been waiting for! She would not be surprised if there were bets going around. Ginny reached out and took the goblet from Harry's hand, trying to maintain his attention on her and this conversation.
"You mean that Ron has finally gotten the courage to ask her? They didn't seem that different this morning, I mean they always get each other's breakfast together, everyone knows that. And she would have told me, I-" Harry cut her off by putting his hand up.
"No, Gin, he hasn't asked her yet. But I am pretty sure that he is going to sometime today. I don't know if you heard," and he paused and looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard, Ginny understood and bent her head closer to his and shook her head, "me and the guys found them this morning asleep on the couch together in the common room. And they didn't seem to mind their person space being invaded either!"
"Are you serious," Ginny almost drew back in shock, "Hermione is not one to get caught in a position like that."
"I know," Harry nodded in response, "but we did catch them! Colin even got a couple of pictures of the two of them cuddling!" Harry was grinning from ear to ear at this point. Ginny too had a smile slowly inching its way onto her face.
She squealed as she came up with her conclusion, "That means that they are bound to tell each other soon!"
"Right," Harry replied, "and I gave him a little pep talk myself this morning. And I have a little plan to make them see sense."
Ginny's eyes widened in shock; they had both agreed to not get themselves involved in Ron and Hermione's relationship. "Oh, it's nothing too bad, Gin," Harry assured, "it's not like we are going to lock them in a closet together and hope something happens. I am just going to show them how much they care for each other."
"And you are going to accomplish this how?" Harry sighed as he looked at his watch and noted that it was time for them to head off to class.
"Don't worry about, Ginny; I got it all up here." Ginny laughed as he tapped his head.
"Sure you do!" She giggled as she placed a kiss to his the spot he pointed out, and grabbed his hand as he helped her up from her seat. She wasn't sure what her boyfriend had planned, but she trusted him. And if that meant that Ron and Hermione were going to finally be together, then it will be worth it.
Alright so there you go! I apologize once again for taking so long, but its here! So the story will continue on by following Ron and Hermione throughout the day, and Harry's plan will unfold. Oh and sorry about the randomly changing point of views, I don't like that often in a story, but it was already written and I was eager to post this chapter. If it irks you too much I will go back and fix it, but for now it will stay as is.
Please review it means the world!
Hearts,
Twinley