Finally! Love at Long Last

Finally! Love At Last

"Ginny, why am I here?" Hermione Granger asked her best -and only- female mate. "I mean, why am I really here?"

Ginny Weasley looked up from the multi-colored scarf she was knitting the 'Muggle' way. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "You're here because you are practically a Weasley, and because Ron owled you and invited you to come."

"Exactly! I was invited to spend the holiday at the Burrow. And who asked me to come? Ron. Who has barely spoken two words to me since I've arrived? Ron." Hermione was ranting and she knew it. She was just so frustrated with her best -male- mate that she couldn't help but rant. "Who is the most annoying git in the world? Ron. Who..."

"Are you in love with?" Ginny interrupted her, hiding a grin behind her hand.

"Ron," Hermione said softly, dropping a stitch on her own scarf. It took Ginny's hysterical laughter to make her realize she had said it out loud.

Ginny was laughing so hard, she fell off the sofa onto the floor. "I knew it!" She shrieked through tears of mirth. "You're in love with Ron! Hermione Granger is in love with my prat of a brother!"

"Ginevra Weasley, would you shut up!" Hermione hissed. She looked around quickly, making sure there were no other Weasley's -namely Ron- around.

She need not have worried though. She and Ginny were the only people home. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had taken Ron, Fred, George and Harry -Hermione's other guy best mate- to Diagon Alley for holiday shopping.

Hermione and Ginny had done their Christmas shopping already, and had chosen to stay home. The other Weasley boys, Bill, Charlie, and Percy, were away from home for this holiday season.

"Hermione, I need to know." Ginny's voice was breathless. "When, exactly, did you realize you were in love with Ron?"
At the mention of her brother's name, Ginny broke into fits again.

While Ginny got her kicks from Hermione's discomfort, Hermione thought about the answer to the question. When had she realized she had fallen for her best friend? For the past few years, she and Ron had done more fighting than anything else. Not that she was surprised. She and Ron were as different as night and day.

She was a reader, a good student. She was meticulous when it came to school work to the point of being obsessive. Ron on the other hand was a slacker. He wanted to get good grades, but he always wanted to take the easy way out. This usually involved convincing Hermione to do his work for him.

Hermione supposed that somewhere deep down, she always knew she liked Ron. He was her best mate after all. But in the past few months, since their fourth year really, she had started to see him in a different light.

Since when did she find red hair and freckles so damn appealing? Granted, Ron wasn't gorgeous in the way that most girls thought-they mostly liked guys who looked like Harry or even that dolt Malfoy- but Hermione only had eyes for Ron.

She had gone out with other guys, but that had been to make Ron jealous. Sometimes she thought that her plan had backfired, because Ron still hadn't asked her out. Then she remembered how he reacted anytime she mentioned dating anyone and she was given hope.

In Hermione's opinion, Ron Weasley was the best guy she had ever met!

"Hermione!"

"What?" Hermione demanded of Ginny, who was finally calm enough to talk normally.

"Um, I just wanted you to know that I think it's neat that you like Ron." Ginny was nothing but serious now. "And I really hope that the two of you manage to work a relationship out."

"Who do you hope Hermione works a relationship out with?" Ron demanded, coming into the living room. He was shaking snow from his hair, glaring at his sister.

"Never mind," Ginny retorted. "Who Hermione snogs is none of your business." She stood up and winked at Hermione. Then she made her way to the kitchen to help her mum with her packages.

Hermione was glad that Ginny approved of her wanting a relationship with Ron. There was nothing worse than having feelings for your friend's sibling and having your friend hate that. Of course, it was bad to have a crush on your best mate without knowing if said mate felt the same way about you.

Ron was giving her a dirty look, so she gazed up at him innocently. No reason for her to give him any information as to who she was snogging, or wanting to snog. The discussion between her and Ginny was private until she could figure out her plan.

Then and there, Hermione vowed to tell Ron how she felt. One way or another, he would know that she loved him before the holiday was over.

*

"She can't be going off and snogging other blokes!" Ron fumed. He and Harry were up in his bedroom, wrapping the presents they had purchased in Diagon Alley. Rather, Harry was wrapping gifts. Ron hadn't sat down once since they got back to the Burrow.

Harry chuckled, putting the finishing touches on his gift to Ginny. "Hermione's old enough to know what she wants, mate. You can't exactly tell her not to date."

"And where does Ginny get off telling me it's none of my business?" Ron continued as though he hadn't heard his friend's reply. "You have to have a talk with that girl, Harry."

"Me? Why do I need to talk to Ginny about anything? It's none of my concern what she says. Besides, she's your sister."

"She's your girlfriend!" Ron shot back. Like his sister would ever listen to anything he had to say. She was too busy trying to make his life miserable. First Ginny had started going out with Harry; but Ron didn't mind that. He liked Harry. Then she kept making all these snide remarks about how Hermione was going out with this bloke or that one.

It frustrated Ron to no end, knowing that there were other guys out there who had gotten the chance to be with Hermione. He wanted his chance.

He had liked Hermione ever since he was in his fourth year and had actually noticed that she was a girl, and not just his mate. Before that, she was just Hermione, the insufferable know-it-all he and Harry had befriended.

Now all he could think of when he saw her was getting her under the mistletoe his mum had put out (in honor of the fact that both Harry and Hermione had been raised by Muggles), and snogging her senseless.

"Why don't you just ask her out?" Harry asked. "You're in love with her." He leaned back on the bed, opening a book about Quidditch.

"And if she says no? What then? I'll have to live for the rest of my life knowing that she doesn't like me and I'll lose a friend. I can't do that!" Ron cried. He began pacing the room again.

Why was love so complicated? If only there was a way to find out how Hermione felt without Ron making a fool of himself. He passed Harry who was now reading, doing a fine job of ignoring his best mate.

Then it hit him. He did have a way to find out how Hermione felt about him. His solution came in the form of his sister. More importantly, his sister's boyfriend.

"Harry, you've got to do something for me."

*

"Ginny, you've got to do something for me!" Hermione rushed into the room she shared with Ginny, out of breath. She had just had the best idea in the world. She now knew how she would find out how to tell Ron she loved him.

She would enlist Ginny to find out how Ron felt from Harry. The guys were as close as brothers and told each other everything. Ron had to have said something to Harry.

"What makes you so sure that Harry will tell me anything?" Ginny asked once she heard Hermione's plan. "I mean, things said between them are, well, between them."

"Right, but Harry will do anything to make you happy, you know that. Please? I'm going mad here!" Hermione begged.

"Ok, I'll do it. But I'm not making any promises." Ginny finished brushing out her hair. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going for a walk with my boyfriend."

"Thank you Ginny. You are a life saver."

"Yeah well, I haven't done anything yet. So save your thanks for later." With a tiny wave of her hand, Ginny was out the door.

Hermione pulled out her suitcase where she had hidden her present to Ron. It was a Chudley Cannons sweatshirt she knew he would like.

Finally happy for the first time in days, Hermione began humming Muggle Christmas carols as she wrapped the gift.

Things were definitely looking up.

*

Christmas Eve arrived with a bang, bringing with it a huge blizzard. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had only just made it back to the Burrow before it had started to storm.

The Weasleys and guests had sat around the fire singing Christmas songs and drinking butterbeer. Finally, Mrs Weasley decided that it was time for all to go to bed. It was late and they would all be getting up early in the morning to open presents.

Hermione lay in her bed staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. She couldn't sleep; there were too many thoughts running through her head.

She still had no idea how Ron felt about her. Ginny had not been able to weasel any information out of Harry, and Hermione was running out of options. She had wanted to know one way or another where she and Ron stood by now.

Sighing, she threw back her thick covers, put her legs over the side of the bed and slid her feet into her blue slippers. Quietly, so as to not wake Ginny, she crept out of the room.

In the sitting room, the fire still smoldered in the fireplace, casting a warm glow over the room. Hermione sat on the sofa, wrapping herself in Mrs. Weasley's old knit blanket. She stared at the Christmas tree, watching the fairy lights flicker softly.

She loved being at the Burrow. It was her favorite place in the magical world next to Hogwarts. She had so many good memories from this home. Like the summer before fourth year when she stayed with the Weasleys and went to the Quidditch World Cup. All of her memories centered on Ron.

Sure, they had had their share of fights here, but none of that mattered now. Not now that she knew her true feelings. She only hoped that the memories would continue to be good. She couldn't bear it if she could no longer come back here.

Hermione must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew her neck was sore. She opened her eyes, rubbing her neck at the same time. Then her eyes widened.

Ron was sitting with her on the sofa, watching her.

"Hi," he whispered.

"Hi," Hermione whispered back. She was trying her best to hide her embarrassment at being caught sleeping by her crush. "How long have you been here?"

Ron shrugged. "Not long. I couldn't sleep." He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, causing it to stick up in places.

"I couldn't sleep either. There's too much to think about." Hermione said. She drew the blanket closer around her body. "Are you excited for Christmas?"

Ron shrugged again. "I guess. I wish..." he trailed off, not able to finish the thought. Instead he asked, "Who were you and Ginny talking about the other day?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione wanted to know. Her mind wasn't on the chat she and Ginny were having. Her thoughts weren't on anything other than his fiery red hair still tousled from sleep, and the warmth she saw in his eyes. Those eyes were hypnotizing.

Ron seemed to be trying to find the words to say. Finally he came right out and said it. "Who were you talking about snogging?"

"What does it matter?" Hermione stalled. She knew that she would not be able to lie to him tonight.

"It matters because I love you, Hermione. I have for as long as I can remember. You have no idea how hard it is for me to think about you with another guy. I don't want you to be with anyone else but me." Ron's words were rushed. He gazed at her, his eyes shining with emotion. "I even tried to get Harry to weasel information out of Ginny."

Hermione's heart began to beat rapidly. She wanted to shake her head or pinch herself just to be sure that she wasn't dreaming. Ron had said he loved her! Her - Hermione Granger!

"Hermione, what are you thinking?" Ron asked. When she didn't reply for a long time, he pleaded. "Say something!"

Instead of speaking, Hermione stood and made her way over to him. She knelt on the floor, nestling herself between his knees. Taking his head in her hands, Hermione drew his head down.

Their lips met briefly at first, and then more fervently.

Hermione felt Ron lift her from her kneeling position to settle her on his lap. He wrapped the blanket around them both, holding her close. Their lips never parted.

Finally they had to come up for air. Ron rested his forehead against Hermione's, looking into her eyes.

"You still haven't said anything," he said with a grin.

"We were talking about you loving me. I love you, and we have waited far too long to do this." Hermione answered. "Now have I said enough?"

"Cheeky," Ron grinned. Then he kissed her again.

*

"Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas, Ginny," Hermione said cheerfully when the younger girl woke her the next morning. She should have been tired, having only gone to bed two hours before, but she was wide awake.

She and Ron had stayed up most of the night talking about the new development in their relationship. Both laughed when they realized the other had enlisted the help of their friends to find out how each felt about the other.

Before he kissed her goodnight at her bedroom door, Ron said he wanted to kick himself for not making a move sooner. Hermione felt the same way.

"What are you so cheery about?" Ginny wanted to know as she pulled on her dressing gown over her pajamas.

"Nothing," Hermione said a hint of mystery in her voice.

The two girls went downstairs to join the rest of the Weasley clan in the sitting room. Fred and George were already tearing into their gifts, Mr. Weasley was marveling over the Muggle telephone Harry had gotten for him. Mrs. Weasley was bustling about in her new sweater, scolding Harry for spending so much money on her.

Hermione's eyes sought out Ron's. He was sitting on the floor by the fireplace, a brightly wrapped box in his hands. When he noticed Hermione looking his way, he reached out a hand to her.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione," he said, handing her the box.

Hermione returned the greeting. She pulled off the ribbons and lifted the lid of the box. Nestled in green cushioning was a gold locket with both her and Ron's initials engraved on it. Inside were pictures of the two of them.

"Thank you," she gushed. "I love it. And I love you," she added in a whisper only he could hear.

"I love you too." Ron said helping her put the necklace on. Then he opened the package she gave him. "Wicked!" He exclaimed when he saw the sweatshirt. Not wasting any time, he pulled it on over his night shirt.

"Hey, Ron, look at where you two are sitting," Fred said suddenly. He was pointing to above their heads. "Mistletoe, so now you have to snog Hermione. Hope she doesn't think you're too disgusting."

"Yeah," George added. "You don't want to gross her out on Christmas." He and his twin started laughing hysterically.

Ron and Hermione shared a secret look, before kissing each other. It was a short kiss, not like the ones they had shared the night before. They had to respect his parents, after all.

Ginny gave them a curious look. Turning to Harry, she said, "Why doesn't it seem like that's the first time they've done that?"

Ron answered before Harry could say anything. "Hermione and I are now together."

Mrs. Weasley let out a sob of joy at the news. The twins hooted with glee, and Mr. Weasley simply smiled. Ginny and Harry both rushed to hug their friends.

"So, it's ok with everyone?" Hermione asked nervously. "I mean, what does everyone think about this?"

"FINALLY!"