The Kiss

"'Oo goin' 'o 'inish tha' 'uffin, 'Ermyonee?"

Hermione looked up to see Ron, his mouth full of food. "That is disgusting, Ron," she muttered, passing him her chocolate chip muffin. Harry snorted into his eggs.

Ron grabbed the muffin and swallowed. "Thanks, Hermione."

Harry laughed and milk shot from his nose. "Oh, God!" shouted Hermione. "That is disgusting!"

The entire Great Hall fell silent and all the Hogwarts students turned and looked at the trio, who were eating breakfast at the Gryffindor table. They were quite a sight; Harry's face was covered in milk, Hermione was trying to help him mop it up and Ron was chewing on the muffin carelessly.

"What?" demanded Hermione, looking around and trying to steady Harry, who was laughing so hard he was shaking like mad. The students took one last look at the three seventh years before turning back to their plates.

"Really, Harry, what was so funny that you squirted milk through your nose?" Hermione asked when the three of them were safely out of the Hall. Harry shook his head. "Nothing, nothing."

Ron seemed completely left out of their conversation. "Wait! Harry squirted milk out his nose? Bloody hell!"

Hermione shook her head. "Seriously, Ron, everybody saw it but you. You were too busy snogging that muffin to realize..."

"Snogging the muffin? I did not snog a muffin, Hermione. I was eating it, not kissing it."

Harry started laughing uncontrollably.

"What is so funny?" Hermione snapped.

"Why-don't-you-just-get-together-already!" sputtered Harry between fits of giggles. Hermione glanced at him strangely, hoping she wasn't blushing. Yes, she liked Ron, she had liked him since fifth year...but for either of them to know? She'd rather die.

"What do you mean?" asked Ron stupidly. Harry grinned, still laughing. "You act like a married couple, yet you won't admit you like each other!"

Ron blushed. Yes, he liked Hermione, he'd liked her since about second year. But how could he ever tell her?

Harry shook his head. "Pathetic. C'mon, we have to get to Divination." he told Ron, trying not to laugh again. His sides already hurt enough.

"I've got Transfiguration..." Hermione muttered. "Meet you in Potions. "

Ron couldn't pay any attention in Divination--well, not any better than usual. Was it really that obvious that he liked Hermione? More importantly, was it obvious that Hermione liked him? And was he the only one who didn't notice?

"Ah, Ron, look," Harry told him when they were reading tea leaves. "A heart. That means..." he said mockingly while consulting Advanced Tea Leave Reading: Grade Seven. "Yes, there it is. 'A heart or dove shape symbolizes love in your near future. A very passionate kiss will be shared between two people, one being you, tonight.'"

Ron's ears went pink.

Hermione had trouble in Transfiguration, too. Was it that apparent that she was in love with Ron? Did Ron like her back? Was she the only one who couldn't see this? When her button turned into a heart-shaped locket, Professor McGonagall excused her from class because she "obviously had love on the mind". And love meant you couldn't properly concentrate on Transfiguring buttons into ribbons.

Hermione skipped dinner that evening, she wasn't at all hungry. She sat in the common room staring at the fire, savoring the peace and quiet.

Ron stepped through the portrait hole early. He hadn't had an appetite, strangely enough. Hoping for some peace and quiet, he had went back up to the common room before anybody else.

"Ron!"

"Hermione?"

"Oh, Ron. I thought you were in the Great Hall with everybody else..."

"I couldn't eat. I've been thinking, Hermione. I saw a...a love omen in my tea leaves today."

Hermione scoffed. "Divination? Right, Ron."

Ron sat next to her on the sofa. "I know, I know, but...well..."

Hermione felt her cheeks redden. "I--" she began, but she was cut off by Ron placing a finger over her lips. He leaned in a slowly began to kiss her. When it finally ended, they were both left breathless.

"Thank you," whispered Hermione before kissing him deeply again.