Chapter Six: Breaking News in Style
It was a few hours later and Ron and Hermione were in each other's arms, naked and content. They had been making love for the last few hours and now fatigue had caught up with them at last. Ron held Hermione in his arms delicately as he stroked her spine and ran his other hand through her luscious hair, while Hermione listened to his heartbeat and let out several sighs of pure contentment.
'I love you, Hermione,' said Ron.
'I love you too, Ron,' Hermione replied.
'I can't believe this is happening … I mean how can what started out as one of the worst days of your life, suddenly become the best day of your life?' he asked her.
'I don't know, Ron, but right now I'm just so happy to be in your arms,' she told him.
'Although a part of me is scared that I'm going to wake up and all this will have been a bloody dream,' said Ron.
'A good dream, though …' said Hermione.
'Yes, but more like cruel. I've just had the most incredible few hours of my life and to wake up from a dream like this … well, it would be cruel, wouldn't it? Besides, I'm still amazed that you chose me over Krum and Potter …'
'Oh, Ron, of course I would choose you, I'm in love with you. I loved Harry like a brother, but … you are far more important to me. I love you more than anything, Ron.'
Ron kissed Hermione's hair and said, 'Thank you, thank you for loving me back … and, just so you know, Hermione, I'm in love with you, too.'
They led there in silence with big, happy smiles on their faces for a few minutes before Hermione spoke again.
'What do you think is going to happen now?'
'In what way?' he asked.
'Well, between you and your family, us and everyone else,' said Hermione.
'They aren't my family any more, Hermione, you are, and not in a sisterly or any other female relative way either. You are my family now,' Ron said.
'What do you think will happen when you go back to the Burrow?' she asked after she gave him a huge smile.
'Don't know, but it can't be good. After all, five siblings and one parent against one of me …'
'I wish I could be there to help you,' said Hermione, sadly.
'I'll write to you,' he said.
Hermione then sat up abruptly as she looked as though she had been struck with an idea. She then closed her eyes for a moment before two pieces of parchment appeared. She then grabbed them and said, 'We can use this, Ron, it's a special parchment; whatever you write on yours will appear on mine and vice versa, do you see?'
'Yeah … that's bloody brilliant, Hermione, what would I do without you?' he exclaimed.
'You'll never find out because I'm not going anywhere,' she said before lying back down on top of him.
'With these I'll be able to talk to you when things are going crap at the Burrow … I mean I'm bound to get treated like shit by the twins and Ginny, get funny looks from Bill and the cold shoulder from my mother …' Ron said.
'What will you do?' Hermione asked.
'Dunno, probably leave when it gets as bad as I think it will.'
'You can come to my house, Ron, I'll tell my parents something so you can stay with me, I don't know what, but I'll think of something, I promise you,' Hermione told him.
'Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden to you and your parents,' he said honestly.
'You won't be,' she said kissing his chest over his heart.
'I wonder what the time is …' said Ron.
Hermione looked at her watch and said, 'It's ten past five, and the leaving feast is at eight pm.'
'So that gives us about two and a half hours, whatever shall we do in the meantime?' he said, smirking.
'I think we can manage some more love-making, although I'm going to be sore afterwards,' she said as she straddled him.
'We don't have to if you don't want to, love,' he said in a gentle voice.
'It'll be worth it, and besides I can always ask the room for a potion to cure any soreness …' she told him before they started to make love again …
Exactly two and half hours later, Ron and Hermione were putting on their clothes again. Hermione was facing a mirror as she re-buttoned her shirt when Ron wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her neck.
'You're gorgeous, Hermione, have I ever told you that?' he said.
'You might've mentioned it a few times in the last few hours,' she said, smiling at him through the mirror.
'You're incredibly beautiful and sexy, you know,' he said.
Hermione blushed and said, 'So are you, Ron; handsome and sexy.'
'When are you supposed to tell Potter your decision?' he asked.
'After the Leaving Feast, just before bedtime, why?' she replied, before turning around to wrap her arms around his neck.
'Just wondered,' he replied before dropping a kiss on to her lips.
Ron then stepped away to allow Hermione to finish dressing. Once they were deemed to be neat enough to leave the room, they did, though separately.
Hermione sat in the Great Hall and listened to Dumbledore's end of year speech. He spoke well of Cedric Diggory and told the entire hall how his death came about, although she tried to listen, all she could think about were those incredible hours before with Ron. She had always loved being with him, unlike Harry, he often asked her things about herself, her life before she came to Hogwarts, Ron actually knew the names of her parents. She then looked up and down the Gryffindor table and saw Harry sitting with Neville, the twins and Ginny, while Ron sat alone eating as much as usual, not talking to anyone. Another thing that crossed her mind was that she would not be able to make love with Ron again until they came back to school. For Hermione, however, this simply would not do, so she promised herself she would find a way to make it possible during the summer ahead, even if she had to resort to using muggle means of contraception.
When the feast was over, Hermione made her way back to Gryffindor tower. She sat down on one of the sofas by the fire, waiting for the right moment to go up to the boy's dorm to speak to Harry. She noticed Dean and Seamus sitting in another corner of the common room, talking with one another, so needing to know if they had seen Harry, she approached them.
'How are you both?' she asked courteously.
'We're fine,' Seamus answered her.
'Is Harry in your room?' she asked.
'Yeah, I saw him go up with Neville, Ginny and Ron, why?' replied Dean.
'I just need to tell him something, that's all,' she said.
'Okay, er, we were about to go up ourselves, you can come up with us,' said Seamus.
'Thanks,' she said.
Dean and Seamus led Hermione up to the room they shared with Harry, Ron and Neville.
Seamus opened the door and walked inside saying, 'Harry, Hermione said she has something to tell you.'
'Okay, thanks, Seamus, you can come in, Hermione,' said Harry's voice.
Hermione walked into the room and saw Ginny and Neville sitting with Harry on his bed, while Ron was standing in the doorway to the bathroom.
'Hi, Harry,' she said.
'Have you made your decision?' asked Harry.
'Decision?' said Dean, wondering what was going on.
Hermione turned to Dean and Seamus and said, 'Harry wants to know whether I'm going to cut Ron out of my life like he has and go out with Neville, or not.'
Dean and Seamus looked shocked as Ron wore a stony and dark expression upon his face.
'They were going to find out sooner or later,' said Hermione, turning back to Harry.
'I suppose you're right, Hermione, so, what have you decided?' said Harry.
'Instead of telling you, why don't I show you by kissing my new boyfriend?' said Hermione.
Harry and Ginny were looking pleased while Neville had a smile from ear to ear.
Hermione then moved into the room towards Neville, but then she turned sharply towards Ron and kissed Ron passionately.
As Hermione was kissing Ron, both Dean and Seamus let out a wolf whistle.
When Ron and Hermione stopped and turned to face the others, they saw that Harry had a look of disappointment mixed with betrayal on his face; Neville looked devastated, while Ginny looked angry.
'You bitch!' Ginny shouted, and she stood up, and drew her wand to curse Hermione.
Ron drew his wand and yelled, 'Protego!'
Ginny's curse hit Ron's shield charm and rebounded upon Ginny, covering her in bat-bogies, causing her fall to the floor trying to beat the bat-bogies away.
Hermione drew her wand to cancel Ginny's hex.
Ginny then got to her feet and before she could cast another hex in Hermione or Ron's direction, Ron yelled, 'Expelliarmus!'
Ginny's wand went flying out of her hand and was caught by Ron.
'Give me back my wand, you git!' shouted Ginny.
'No, I don't think I will, Ginevra, now get out!' said Ron, as he tucked Ginny's wand into his pocket.
'I'm not going without my wand!'
'You'll get it back later, you wand-happy little brat, now get out!' said Ron.
Ginny then turned to Harry and said, 'Aren't you going to say anything?'
'No, Hermione's made her choice, and I'm disappointed, but not entirely surprised,' said Harry.
'I'm sorry, Harry, I loved you like a brother, but nobody has the right to tell me who I go out with. Neville, I'm sorry, I just can't go out with a boy I don't love …' Hermione said.
Neville gave Hermione an understanding nod.
'Goodnight, Ginny,' said Harry.
'I'm not going anywhere without my wand!' Ginny said persistently.
'You will if you want it back in one piece, after all, I can be very clumsy …' said Ron.
'I hate you!' screamed Ginny, before she ran out of the dorm room and went to her own room.
Harry then gave Ron and Hermione a look before going into the bathroom and shutting the door.
'Neville, just so you know, neither Ron nor I hold anything against you,' said Hermione, before leaving the dorm with Ron to go back to the secret room on the seventh floor.