And now… the final chapter!
As ever, I do not own Harry Potter.
Parvati sighed, vaguely aware of Professor Binns as he droned on, giving his lesson regardless of the fact that only one student was listening. She cast her eyes about, allowing them to flit over each of her classmates before slipping sideways to glance at her best friend. Lavender was biting her lip, staring out the window. Parvati smiled sympathetically at her friend; Lavender had had a rather grand blowout with Ron Weasley two days ago, ending their relationship. Parvati sighed; even though Lavender had originally said that the act of dating Ron was merely to prove her point about the said ginger and a particular bushy-haired roommate of theirs, she seemed to have forgotten that. Parvati had known that this would happen; she had tried to dissuade her friend, but to no avail: Lavender had continued with her plot and gotten her heart broken for her troubles.
Parvati glanced over at the source of her friend's trouble, the aforementioned ginger. Ron was leaning on one arm, his hand supporting the side of his face, his gaze, as ever, fixed on Hermione. Parvati giggled; since the utter fiasco two days ago, Ron had been attached to Hermione like a barnacle… not literally, of course, but it did create an interesting mental picture.
Parvati grabbed a scrap of parchment and wrote a note, sliding it over to Lavender.
Are you okay?
Lavender sighed, and then wrote back:
I just can't believe that he'd betray me like that… or that Hermione would be up there alone with him. Miss Prim and Proper, indeed….
Lav, I don't think that they did it. Wouldn't Hermione be sore right now if they did?
Why would SHE be sore? She didn't get her boyfriend stolen by her roommate.
I mean physically sore, Lav… and she kind of did. Don't you remember what they were like when school first started?
What are you talking about?
You know what I mean… they were always sharing glances, whispering, and blushing.
I know… I really did like him though….
I know, Lav, I know.
It's just that, in this world, you don't know how much time you've got left - and they're not doing anything about it.
That's true, but… should we have interfered?
I'm sorry about this fiasco, Parvati.
S'alright.
…I think I might have an idea.
For what?
The Romione conundrum.
Parvati smiled, giggling silently at how quickly her friend's broken heart had healed.
Do tell.
Well…
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"Hello, Ron," Parvati smiled, approaching Ron when he was - for once - alone. "I'm doing a friendship survey for the school paper - would you be willing to answer a few questions for me?"
"Er - we have a school paper?" Ron asked, glancing around, worried about the utter lack of any other humanoid life forms in the vicinity.
"Well," Parvati smiled, attempting to use his bewilderment to her advantage, "not yet. I'm working on starting it with a few other people - I think you know Colin Creevey?"
"Er… yeah…."
"Oh, good, so you will participate! Okay, choose a friend - just whoever pops into your head first."
"O-okay," Ron replied, an image of Hermione already plastered in his mind, his burning ears telling Parvati all she needed to know.
"Alright! What is his or her favorite color?"
"Erm, I believe it's lilac," Ron muttered, still glancing around for any humanoid life forms.
Lilac… Hermione. "What was his or her favorite book prior to Hogwarts?"
"A Little Princess and Le Morte d'Arthur were tied," Ron replied, after a moment's thought. "She had a thing for Muggle magic ideas, though."
Parvati grinned. "How many times have you been in her room?"
"Once…" Ron's ears burned violently.
"What's her birthstone?"
"Sapphire."
"Birth flower?
"Aster, I think."
"What are her hobbies?"
"Reading, naturally, and… well, have you ever seen her dance? She's phenomenal. She took classes before Hogwarts," Ron began talking, his eyes glazing over as he completely forgot who he was talking to. "She won best of show last summer for a duet she did with some amateur - that shows how spectacular she is, she managed to pull that off. Plus, she was in two duets last year… Merlin, she's sexy when she's dancing…." He whispered the last part, though this did nothing to stop Parvati from hearing him.
"Last one - what's her astrological sign?"
"Virgo…."
"Okay, thanks! Bye!" Parvati skipped off, giggling.
A few moments later, Harry came up behind Ron. "What's with you?" He waved a hand in front of Ron's face. "HELLO, EARTH TO RON!"
Ron started violently, careening and falling backwards onto the floor. "Oh, hello, Harry. Didn't see you there."
Harry rolled his eyes, sighing at his friend. "What's going on? You were zoning out."
"Erm…" Ron's ears burned as he stood up, a guilty sense of pleasure still coursing through him at the memory of Hermione dancing.
Ginny came up behind Harry and slid her hand over his eyes, purring, "Guess who?" Ron used this distraction to take his leave.
As soon as Ron was out of earshot, Harry turned around and kissed Ginny. "Plan in motion, then?"
Ginny grinned hugely. "You'd better believe it. I'm going to go locate Hermione and interrogate her. Wish me luck!"
Harry kissed her cheek and grinned at her as she skipped off, laughing evilly. He chuckled, enjoying the mischievous nature of his girlfriend.
"Hermione Granger," Ginny sang, bursting into the Room of Requirement, "I've got a quiz for you!"
Hermione looked at Ginny upside down from her layout and grinned. "You seem happy."
Ginny laughed. "Of course I'm happy! I've got a free day - and I just saw Harry." She smiled, her eyes going in and out of focus for a moment.
"Ooh-la-la," Hermione teased, pulling herself up and turning to face her friend. "Anyway, you've got another quiz… I'm assuming it's romance. "
"You bet your bunny it is," Ginny nodded, pulling out her magazine. "Question one: Do you know his birthday?"
"Yes," Hermione answered. "March first."
"Question Two: What's his favorite thing to read at home?"
"A comic book series - The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle."
"Question Three: What is his patronus?"
"Jack Russell terrier," Hermione answered, blushing.
Ginny glanced up from her magazine and raised her eyebrows. "Why are you blushing?"
"Well… Jack Russell terriers tend to chase otters," Hermione half-whispered, her face red.
Ginny smirked. "Oh, that's right - your patronus is an otter, isn't it?"
"Yes," Hermione admitted, looking away, "what of it?"
"Well, don't you find it interesting," Ginny paused, "that his patronus chases yours? Is it magic imitating life - or life imitating magic?"
"Next question, please," Hermione requested, having regained control of her face coloration.
"Alright, alright - Question Four: What is his favorite fruit?"
Hermione thought for a moment before answering. "Pears, I believe."
Ginny nodded. "Question Five: What is his favorite spice?"
"Isn't it cinnamon?" Hermione answered, feeling suspicious. "What's up with these questions?"
"Last one," Ginny said hastily, "Does he have any pictures of you in his room - and I know you have a picture of him, don't deny it - and where did he get it?"
"Yes," Hermione muttered, glaring daggers at her friend, "and you very well know where he got it - you took that picture."
"Aw, cheer up, Hermione," Ginny laughed, slinging an arm around her friend's shoulders, "you had something on."
"A bikini!" Hermione spat, red in the face.
Ginny withdrew her arm from her friend's shoulders and backed away, knowing that an explosion could occur at any moment. "Relax, Hermione -"
Hermione interrupted her, embarrassment spreading across her face. "A red bikini!"
Ginny giggled, unable to help herself. "A red string bikini."
Hermione glared at her friend again.
"Hey, don't blame me! You're the one who has it!"
"Only the bottom was string…" Hermione let her sentence trail off, her expression becoming slightly more terrifying.
"Yes, but the top was strapless - and we mustn't forget the keyhole!" Ginny laughed for a few moments; then, after Hermione calmed down, she asked, "Why do you even have that anyway?"
"The only reason have it is because I went bathing suit shopping with Evie and she insisted that I get a bikini. Honestly, if I get a two-piece, a tankini is much more functional."
Ginny grinned. "I get the feeling you're not telling me the whole story. Spill the beans, Hermione Jean."
Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes. "Evie is under the impression that her brother has or had a crush on me at one point, so she insisted that I wear that to the beach with them."
"If Ron knew you wore that around Ethan," Ginny hooted, "he'd have a conniption!"
"Did you drink giggle juice or something?" Hermione shook her head. "I doubt he'd have a conniption, Gin. He seemed fine with the leotard last summer."
"Nah, he just let you think he was," Ginny smiled, having regained her composure. "When I asked him about dancing with you, his eyes glazed over, and when I asked him about you dancing with Ethan, his ears turned red and he looked ready to kill something."
"You're exaggerating," Hermione stated.
"True - he only seemed to want to lightly mutilate something, not kill it. My apologies, Hermione." Ginny bowed deeply.
Hermione patted her on the head. "Just don't let it happen again." She stretched her arms and asked, "How did I do on the quiz?"
"Oh, you got it completely correct, as ever. You know him inside-out and upside-down - at least, that is if you're not telling me something." Ginny wiggled her eyebrows.
"I thought you didn't like thinking about that when it comes to your brothers," Hermione monotoned, attempting to get the magazine from Ginny.
"Oh, I'm fine as long as I don't have to look at anything concerning that topic - for example, I don't particularly enjoy seeing their naked pictures."
Hermione blushed. "You know very well that Fred and George sent that to me."
"I also know very well that if you had wanted to, you could have vanished it by now."
"The key words being 'if I wanted to' do so."
"Hey," Ginny said, switching topics as her train of thought switched tracks, "didn't you once tell me that Ethan tried to kiss you?"
"Yes," Hermione sighed, "but, as I said before, we were seven. Also, as I said before, he'd just let me off a particularly fast merry-go-round, which wreaked havoc on my stomach, and caused me to throw up on his shoes." Hermione laughed lightly. "Funny, he never tried to kiss me again."
Ginny's train of thought again switched tracks. "I still can't believe my brother kissed you onstage."
Hermione blushed lightly. "He did that once, during practice, but I think it was an accident."
"You think it was?" Ginny laughed. "He probably spent a long time getting his nerve up enough to kiss your cheek."
"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione sighed. "He didn't say anything about it afterwards."
Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Did you say anything?"
"No," Hermione replied, finally managing to get her hands on the magazine. "Hey, this isn't a romance quiz -"
"There-you-have-it-got-to -go-bye!" Ginny grabbed the magazine from Hermione's hands and departed at top speed.
Hermione stared after her friend for a moment before getting up and continuing her stretches. What was that all about?
Ginny dashed out of the room and up to the entrance to Gryffindor tower. After giving the Fat Lady the password, she hurried over to the fireside, where her partners in crime sat, waiting for her. "Perfect score," Ginny reported as she collapsed dramatically into Harry's lap. Harry planted a kiss on Ginny's neck and breathed in her scent. Ginny closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and turned to Parvati and Lavender. "Well?"
"Same news for him," Parvati reported, holding up her notes. "He also said, almost so quietly that I couldn't hear him, that she looks sexy when she dances."
"Did you know," Ginny asked, pushing her fingers through Harry's hair, "that there's a connection between their partonuses?"
"Really? How so?" Parvati asked.
"Ron's is a Jack Russell terrier, Hermione's is an otter," Ginny replied, "and - funnily enough - terriers happen to chase otters."
"More proof!" Lavender exclaimed, looking up from the notes she'd captured from Parvati and Ginny. "Wait, what's this about bikinis?"
"Oh, just a picture that Hermione isn't too happy about."
"Well, that explains why Ron refuses to let anyone look under his pillow," Harry spoke up. "Sorry to uproot you, Gin, but I've got to go rescue your idiot brother. Last time I saw him, he was still standing rooted to the spot, drooling." He gently slid Ginny off his lap and stood up, walking away from the plotting group.
"Hey," Parvati whispered, leaning forward, "what was that picture, anyway? Ron in a Speedo?"
Ginny looked at them disdainfully. "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you."
Lavender's eyes widened. "Oh, is that what she meant by 'fire, ice, and the barren desert'?"
"Congratulations - you two are even denser than a certain brother of mine," Ginny stated, rolling her eyes.
"Gee, thanks, Ginny," Lavender sighed.
At that point, Harry and Ron entered the common room. Harry walked over to Ginny and slipped his hands over her eyes, beginning a rather blatant flirting session. Ron walked straight towards the stairs and headed up to the boys' dormitory. A few minutes later, he came back down and walked over to Ginny. The two conversed quietly, then Ron left through the portrait hole.
"What was that all about?" Parvati asked.
"Then again," Ginny laughed, "we may not have to do anything."
The others looked at her, eyes wide.
"C'mon, Harry," Ginny giggled, pulling him up by his tie. "We've got some walking to do."
Harry stood up willingly and followed Ginny out of the common room, leaving the two 6th-year Gryffindor girls to their own devices. They exchanged glances, then a fluorescent light bulb appeared, stretching over both of their heads, and switched on. They stood up and walked over to Colin Creevey.
"Hey, Colin, would you be willing to do us a favor?" Lavender asked, grinning.
"What is it?" Colin asked, glancing up from his camera.
"Would you go take some pictures of Ron and Hermione? I have a feeling that something huge is about to happen!" Parvati giggled.
"Sure, where are they?" Colin asked.
"Er, I don't know…" Lavender admitted, "but I think Ginny does. She's with Harry right now."
"If you give us a copy of the pictures, we'll pay you for them," Parvati added.
"Alright," Colin agreed. "I'm off." He stood up and exited through the portrait hole.
Lavender and Parvati grinned at each other, and then ascended the stairs the girls' dormitories, going mwa-ha-ha.
"Ginny! Harry! Wait up!" Colin appeared suddenly behind the two of them on the second floor.
"Hey, Colin, what's up?" Ginny turned around first, raising her eyebrows.
"W-where are Ron and Hermione?" Colin asked, panting slightly from running.
"So I take it that Lavender and Parvati recruited you," said Harry, laughing slightly.
Colin grinned. "How'd you guess?"
"Why else would you ask about them?"
"They're up in the Room of Requirement, Colin," Ginny told him. "Now, if you don't mind, Harry and I have some walking to do - and send me a copy of those pictures, won't you?"
"Sure thing," Colin replied as he dashed off to locate his assignment.
Ron was standing in the shadows along one of the walls of the Room of Requirement, watching the scene before him unfold, questions swirling through his mind. Where on earth did she get that costume? Are those - wings? Wasn't she wearing those in that dream I had a bit ago, the on with all that paint? Why does this song sound familiar - oh… it's - our song….
Ron stepped out of the shadows hesitantly, wondering what would happen if he acted on his thoughts. He heard the part of the music and realized that he didn't really have a choice - how could she be dipped without someone to dip her? He pulled off his shoes, threw off his cloak, and stepped forward to take his part in their dance.
Though she knew she was alone, Hermione's imagination was running on overdrive - the Room of Requirement had been pleasant enough to provide a stage, a music player, and a costume for her, so all she needed was a partner. Fortunately for her, her imagination was strong enough to provide for her. Her eyes closed, she could sense the eyes of the audience on her and the warmth of a partner coming up next to her, capturing her and captivating her. She usually did a layout for her dip when she danced alone, but this time… It feels like someone's with me - maybe I can lean on my imagination again, like last time. Hermione smiled as she spun in and out, then leaned backwards. Her eyes flickered open for a few seconds, proving to her that her imagination was indeed running on overdrive, due to the utter improbability of the situation. She smiled and closed her eyes again, surrendering herself to the dance - she knew it would be better to keep her eyes closed, in case her imagination failed her.
Ron saw Hermione's eyes flicker open; he smiled back at her as the dance continued. I've got to admit - I actually prefer dancing with her to watching her dance. This way, I don't have to watch her with anyone else - like that Ethan guy. The music shifted then, to a new song. Hey, this isn't the right song… isn't this when we did the fight? But this… it's soft, happy. I guess we've got to wing it again. He grinned, grabbing both of her hands and spinning her.
Hermione felt the warmth of her imaginary partner's hands and ran her hands up his arms, gripping his shoulders and holding him closer. She slid her arms around his neck and slid her fingers into his hair as they spun, spiraling towards the center of the stage. The music changed again, switching back to what they knew. They spiraled apart and together again as the last strain of music played.
And if I could tell you/all that I want to/I'd live until the end of time/
Ron swallowed, preparing for the final portion of the dance. He dipped Hermione again, then pulled her back up, closing his eyes.
for I'd be in heaven/hearing the angels sing/and I'd have you by my side/
He put his hands on either side of her face, massaging her cheeks lightly, just below her eyes. He opened his eyes again, whispering, "Hermione, open you eyes. This is real."
I'll love you 'til the end of time/
Hermione's eyes fluttered open, her lips puckering slightly, her eyes holding a look Ron had never held before. She raised her hands to his head and pushed her fingers through his hair again, pulling him closer.
Colin, taking pictures in the shadows, almost dropped his camera. He quickly took a few more pictures, then turned tail and ran for the common room. These pictures ought to grab decent attention. He snickered as he ran off to develop the evidence.
until the end of time/
The two lovebirds broke apart, eyes wide and faces flushed. "R-real?" Hermione was shaking slightly, gripping Ron's shirt in order to remain standing.
"Y-yeah," Ron stuttered, nodding, "real."
"I'm so sorry, Ron… I-I got caught up in the dance… and my imagination." She bowed her head.
"W-well, I did kiss you onstage," Ron replied, ears red, "so I guess we're even…." Hermione smiled at him, looking up through her eyelashes. Ron's ears burned more violently and he let go of her. "Sorry for interrupting your dance, Hermione. I'll get going now…." He turned around and began to walk away from her, hating what he believed he had to do. He felt a small tugging on the back of his shirt.
"Ron, you don't have to go if you don't want to." Hermione was looking at the ground, her hand gripping his shirt. "I'd like to dance with you more. We haven't had a lot of time to spend together this year."
Ron grinned as Hermione glanced up at him. "True," he said, taking a step back from her and bowing. "May I have this dance?" He offered her his hand
Hermione curtsied. "You may have this dance." …and all the rest, if you want them. She took his outstretched hand and began to dance.
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A week later at the breakfast table, owls arrived for Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati. Lavender and Parvati had each received a different picture of the two of them dancing. The two, having turned into slight Romione fan girls, squealed and compared pictures.
Ginny opened her envelope and laughed aloud. She showed her many pictures to Harry, who snickered and muttered something along the lines of "Finally." Ron and Hermione were embracing the last one and it was quite obvious what the two were doing with their lips. Ginny glanced across the table at Hermione and caught her eye. "Busted," she mouthed. "You two together yet?"
Hermione sighed and shook her head. She mouthed back, "Maybe sometime soon."
"How soon is soon?" Ginny mouthed.
Hermione shrugged, her eyes both tired and hopeful. She stood up and said, "Maybe by the end, Gin, maybe by the end." She walked off towards Gryffindor Tower, presumably to awaken the sleeping Ron.
Well, I hope you liked it! Please review, even if it is only to yell at me! :D
Have a magical day!