Warning for very bad language from an emotionally overwhelmed Ron.
Please review!
Also a question…is it time for another Harry chapter. He's got a lot of stuff going on here too. Or stick to Ron & Hermione?
…
"We won! We fucking won!" Ron sought her out in the throngs of Gryffindor's that were starting the festivities in the common room. The team had just arrived to raucous cheers. The room was a sea of red and gold, happy faces beaming at him like he was some sort of hero. But the only face he wanted to see was hers.
"Language Ronald" she giggled "Congratulations! You were amazing!" She gave him the briefest hug and shyly smiled at him. He thought his chest might burst hearing her praise.
He had been amazing, he knew he had. He'd saved tons of goals. Every save widening the gap in points between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Ginny waiting and waiting, searching for the snitch but not wishing to catch it. Just making sure Cho didn't get it. Giving the chasers time to do their jobs. Everyone on the team knew the objective and they'd smashed it.
As the point difference increased he could visualise Gryffindor rising up the Quidditch Cup position board. They'd started the match at the bottom…dreaded 4th place. Then into 3rd, into 2nd and as he realised the cup was within reach the adrenaline was buzzing through his veins. Confidence in his abilities was bolstered by the cheers of the supportive crowd, her words from the previous night ringing in his ears. She had been there cheering him on. He knew she was below watching him, singing 'Weasley is our King'. He felt like he could do no wrong. Save after save he made. Busting the competition wide open making sure the point difference was right so that Ginny could hunt down the snitch.
Victory! It felt incredible!
The common room was a hive of excitement. The celebrations were going strong; the cup was being passed around every Gryffindor so they could touch it and relish in the glory bestowed upon their house. The team took it in turns to drink firewhisky from it, the crowd breaking into 'Wesley is our King' when it was his turn. He'd never felt happier.
Eventually the portrait opened and their absent captain was pulled into the room. The room seemed to collectively roar at the sight of him. FINALLY thought Ron. He couldn't wait to tell Harry they'd won. Couldn't wait to give him a play by play account of every save, every bludger, every score the team had made.
"We won!" Yelled Ron, flashing the silver cup. "We won! Four hundred and fifty to a hundred and forty! We won!" Harry looked surprised but elated he was beaming at his teammates and the party going on around him. But before he could get a word out…or Ron could make it through the crowd to talk him properly…it happened.
A rush of red hair shoved past Ron. Ginny burst through the crowd and threw herself onto Harry. He was obviously shocked and unsure how to respond, half lifting his arms but not closing them around her. Then she kissed him. She kissed him hard. In the middle of the common room. In front of every Gryffindor. His little sister and his best friend.
What the absolute bloody fuck!?
Ron felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on him from a height. The air sucked out of his lungs. Harry kissed her back accepting the embrace. Ron stood there gawking…unable to look away, his mouth hung open.
The room went silent. Then wolf whistling followed by giggles seemed to bring Ron back to life from his statue form. He watched Harry scan the room, searching, they locked eyes…it felt like minutes seemed to pass, stuck in some sort of cruel staring contest. Harry had a sombre apologetic look on his face, but Ron sensed excitement there too.
Ron realised…he was seeking his permission. What the hell. His little sister and his best friend…repeated over and over in his head. A million thoughts were rampaging through his mind. How long has this been going on? Has he always fancied her? What if they start dating? What if they don't? What if they break up? Would he have to pummel Harry if he was a git to her? Would he have to share him? Does he like her more than him? Are we only friends because he wanted to get close to her? Would this ruin their friendship? Are they going to have SEX?
He felt scrambled, overwhelmed and he couldn't think about all this right now. He'd been having a great time. Was he going to let them spoil it?
Unsure how long he'd stood there glaring at Harry, he finally raised his chin in the slightest jerk. He could see Harry's shoulders relax and turn his attention back to Ginny. Harry grabbed her and pulled her back out the portrait hole which he'd only just arrived through.
Ron just stood there in absolute shock. My little sister and my best friend. He'd been so desperately excited to tell Harry about the win he felt aggrieved that his best friend had abandoned him. He suddenly felt a bit lost. A warm hand took his and gently steered him onto the sofa.
"Bloody fuck" he stated.
"Ron, are you ok?" she asked nervously.
"What the fuck just happened Hermione?"
"I'm not sure really, I think they got caught up in the moment."
"Caught up in the moment…"
"Yeah you know how it is, the excitement after a big win. A beautiful girl throws herself at you…you get caught up in the moment. Didn't…didn't it happen to yourself after the Slytherin match?"
Bloody fucking fuck. She's going to bring up Lavender now? NOW? He wasn't able to make his brain switch off the thoughts about Harry and Ginny and explain everything there was to explain about the Lavender situation.
"Right…yeah…it happens. Look how that turned out." he mumbled. Hermione smiled weakly at him.
"Ron"
"Yeah" He was anxiously fidgeting running a hand through his hair as if trying to smooth the thoughts out.
"A few minutes ago you were having the time of your life. Don't let whatever this is between Harry and Ginny ruin it for you. I think in time you'll feel happy about it but let them figure it out first and then you can decide what to make of it."
"You think that was their first kiss?" He asked nervously.
"Yeah I do."
"So it's not been going on behind my back for ages?"
"No. Definitely not." She answered honestly. For some reason that seemed to calm him. He wouldn't have been able to stand if he'd been the last muppet to know. That familiar feeling of not being important enough or cared about enough to be consulted hurt more than anything.
Ron decided Hermione was right…wasn't she always bloody right. Here he was, a hero for the evening, friends wanting to celebrate, her sitting in front of him. Who gave a broom flying fuck what was going on between Harry and his sister? He could process his feelings about that mess later. Why should it ruin the best night of his life?
"You know what. I like your logic. How do you do that? Make all these things sound so simple?" he grinned at her. "Now where were we?"
"Well I was worrying about how many shots of firewhisky you'd had and was plotting an intervention." she giggled.
"Oh yes…well I think it's your turn."
"My turn for what?"
"For a shot…Oi Seamus give us that cup over and the firewhisky."
"Oh no no no…Ron I can't. Only the team drinks from the cup. That's the rules."
"Bullshit. I'm on the team and I declare you must drink from the cup! Without our conversation last night Gryffindor wouldn't have it right now. It's as much yours as it is mine." Before she could protest Ron got to his feet and climbed onto the sofa cushion where he'd just been sitting, towering over the crowded room. He raised the cup into the air and yelled. "Who here wants to see little Miss Granger take a shot from the cup?"
There was an eruption of cheering from the crowd. Hermione's face was redder than he'd ever seen before. She was slouching into the sofa as if hoping to disappear. He wasn't sure if she was going to rise to the challenge or curse him. He reached out a hand and waited to find out.
The crowd started to chant…Granger! Granger! Granger! He raised the cup to punctuate each syllable…Granger! Granger! Granger!
She flushed, she'd never been one to seek this kind of attention. Answering every question ever asked by a Hogwarts professor, yes. Being peer pressured into drinking hard alcohol out of the Quidditch House Cup, no.
Finally, thankfully, she took his hand and stood up. He climbed off the sofa to stand in front of her.
"You Ronald Weasley are such a prat!" She laughed.
He grinned at her, uncorked the firewhisky with his teeth and poured a healthy measure into the cup. Looking determinedly into his eyes, he noticed that mischievous sparkle she got when she was excited be to breaking the rules. Merlin, flushed and naughty, she looked absolutely gorgeous. She took the cup from his hands and drank deeply. She coughed and spluttered and the crowd went wild.
"That's my girl" he praised her patting her on the back, laughing at her reaction to the burn in her throat. He took the cup from her and gallantly finished the drink. "Who's next?" he passed the cup on.
The party went on and on, they laughed and celebrated and enjoyed the atmosphere until late.
Finally, the noise started to die down and younger ones drifted off to bed. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand this time. He pulled her into the furthest, quietest, darkest corner of the common room. Were a single armchair sat, he landed down and pulled her roughly onto his lap.
"Ron." She squeaked in surprise.
"What!?" He asked innocently.
"You arse! I can't believe you had the whole place chanting, forcing me into drinking that horrible firewhisky."
"You loved it" he gave her a cheeky grin. He registered how perfectly acceptable this felt. Taking control and inviting her onto his lap without hesitation. He wasn't sure if it was his inflated ego from the match and celebrations or just the alcohol. But it was nice to simply go with the flow and not agonise over every said and unsaid word, every motion and touch. It's too bloody exhausting.
Screw it he thought, tonight he was going to do what felt good…she'd let him know what wasn't welcome surely? What he wasn't sure of…would he prefer a good hex or her right hook. He'd suffered the canaries once before but seen Malfoy getting smacked muggle style. Ah well, in this moment he felt either maybe even both were worth the risk.
His left hand rested on her knees which were dangling over the arm of the chair. His right hand stroked down her back from her curls to find an inch of exposed skin between her top and jeans. He stopped it there and rubbed his thumb back and forth across it.
"I did not!" she said indignantly, playing along. "My throat is still burning and I feel a little tipsy." After the shot they'd enjoyed Butterbeers until the cup passed by them taking another shot and another.
"Me too" he grinned.
"I can tell…you know there are other seats in the common room Ronald." she stated indignantly. However, her actions didn't reflect her admonished tone. She had lifted her left arm and draped it over his shoulder, her hand landed on the back of his head and she started to play with his hair. It was the best feeling in the world. It raised goosebumps all over him.
"I know, but I wanted a private conversation. There are too many people here and it looks like it's going to be a late one."
"I thought you were enjoying the party."
"I was but now I'm done with other people. Wish they'd all bugger off now."
"What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked playfully.
"Wanted to thank you for last night."
"Go on. You have my attention."
"Well, I thought over what you said and I think it really helped me today. It made me feel…I dunno…strong…like I could do it. I was really chuffed knowing you were cheering me on. I wanted to do it for you more than anyone cause you believed in me."
She smiled.
"I also thought over how you said sorry last night. I know I said sorry before but I really fucking mean it Hermione. The more I think over those months and how I acted the more regrets I have. I'm so sorry for mocking you in class. Harry told me I'd made you cry and…I'm a right git."
"You were a…git." She brought her other hand to his chest and gave him a gentle playful smack but then left her hand lingering there above his heart beat. Surely she could feel it pounding? As it always did when she was near.
"Merlin you must be drunk…I don't think I've heard you say git before."
Mental note - it's really bloody hot when she swears!
"But I forgive you." she continued ignoring his last statement.
"Oh do you?" He teased. "I thought I'd have to work much harder than that." Shit is he flirting, properly flirting with her? It was hard to tell…his brain was dimmer than usual due to the alcohol.
"What did you have in mind? What were you prepared to do to earn my forgiveness?" Fuck she's flirting back!
"Oh I dunno…I'd a few ideas I thought I'd run by you…" This was it. Her face, her lips were inches from his own. He was leaning forward, she was closing her eyes.
But then.
The portrait crashed open and Ginny stumbled into the common room with Harry behind her. Hermione jumped off Ron's lap like she'd been electrocuted.
Harry BLOODY Potter.
Not only had he most definitely snogged his little sister tonight (and that's all he'd better have got up to or so help him!). He'd just interrupted a moment which had been six…SIX bloody years in the making. Merlin…he felt mutinous.
The foursome stared at each other across the common room. Actually the whole common room seemed to be starting between Harry and himself. Ron slowly rose to his feet too. Each of them seemed to be waiting for another to break the silence.
Harry dropped Ginny's hand, she looked at him questioningly and Ron saw Harry return a pleading expression. A smug thought passed through Ron's mind…he's my best mate…this is only happening if I approve. He does want my blessing. I'll have to think about that. He wasn't feeling particularly amicable given how they had just ruined a perfect moment with Hermione. Fuck knows of he'd get another chance.
He leaned into Hermione and whispered in her ear.
"If he wasn't the chosen one…I'd bloody kill him. I'm really sorry. I can't deal with them right now. Think I better head to bed."
Without turning she gave him a stiff nod to indicate she'd heard him. He leaned closer still and muttered.
"I had so much fun tonight. You're…really incredible…Sleep tight Hermione." he grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze to reinforce his words and because he didn't want to stop touching her, not really. Devastated that the moment had passed.
"Night Ron…me too." She whispered, he thought she looked equally upset about being interrupted.
He walked the long way around the furniture so he didn't have to pass Harry and Ginny directly. He avoided looking over at them but sensed them watching him. He hoped Harry had the sense to stay downstairs until he was asleep.
The Ginny thing paled in comparison to interrupting what he considered should have been, could have been his first kiss with Hermione. He felt like his body, his lips were aching from the anti-climax. On the bright side if he'd read the situation correctly she was receptive to him kissing her. She'd even looked eager. That means he just needed another moment to try. There would be more opportunities…he'd make sure of it. But would they be as perfect? Would she change her mind by morning?
Harry bloody fucking Potter.
The little sister stealing, kiss interrupting git!
Despite himself he knew all would be forgiven. There might even be some advantages for Harry ending up with Ginny. He just wasn't going to make it easy for the arse and certainly not tonight.