Head Over Feet

Head Over Feet

by DarkSorceress226

I had no choice, but to hear you

You stated your case, time and again

I thought about it...You treat me like

I´m a princess

I´m not used to liking that

You ask how my day was

You´ve already won me over, in spite of me

So don´t be alarmed if I fall

Head over feet

And don´t be surprised if I love you

For all that you are

I couldn´t help it, it´s all your fault

***

The snow fell thickly on the grounds of Hogwarts Castle. Outside, students assembled talking snowmen, made snow-angels with wings that actually fluttered, and had raucous snowball fights. The teachers, having to watch the festivities from indoors, eventually gave in to the temptation to be children again and could be found ice-skating serenely across the lake. Some of the professors got creative, like tiny old Professor Flitwick. He was spotted helping the first years to build mini ice castles that were the perfect replica of the great building standing before them like a giant iced gingerbread house, complete with minute candles in each little turret and spire. Behind the mullioned windows of the real castle, candles sparkled cheerily, and faerie lights twinkled from the eaves.

Other professors stretched their inventiveness to its limits, and were taking a few shots at their students with magical aim-enhanced snowballs. The students were quite dismayed at this.

"I´m never, EVER going to badmouth that evil git again," muttered Ron Weasley, as he removed chunks of freezing snow from down the back of his cloak. Harry and Hermione looked on, unable to keep from laughing uproariously.

Severus Snape´s mouth twitched.

"Sorry about that, Weasley. My aim was a little off."

Ron mumbled something indistinguishable that may or may not have included the words, "I´ll bet it was."

Snape grinned, which looked extremely unusual for him. "You´re right. I was actually shooting for the back of your head."

Harry toppled backwards into the snowbank behind him in a fit of laughter. Hermione was bent double, wheezing for breath and giggling uncontrollably, despite the fact that this had come from a professor. The teacher whom it happened to be only added insult to injury, and in Ron´s case, humor to the already hilarious.

Snape glided on, his head held high.

"I hope the squid pokes a tentacle through the ice and brings that bloody idiot back down into the water with it," spat Ron.

Hermione finally fell over beside Harry, and they both continued to guffaw.

With a mutinous glare, Ron continued to pelt them both with snowballs.

Finally, when they were all soaking wet and felt they could laugh no more, they trundled toward the enormous oak castle doors.

Ron beat Harry and Hermione up the marble steps; they each were throwing bits of snow and ice at him from atop the wrought iron railings. He therefore made a hasty retreat inside, pausing to prop the heavy doors open. Harry stood aside to let Hermione through first, and he noticed the way Ron smiled as she walked past. He gave his best friend a knowing grin.

"You know what, I´ve got some Herbology stuff I should probably work on," he announced, yawning, and threw a sideways wink at Ron.

Ron nodded gratefully. "Looks like you should probably work on getting some sleep, too."

Hermione cocked her head at Harry. "Need any help with your homework?"

"No, that´s okay, I´ve got to get this stuff learned before exams. Thanks anyway." With that and another yawn, he waved to them both and disappeared through the entrance hall.

"Want to go and get some hot chocolate?" Ron asked Hermione, hoping she´d say yes.

***

Your love is thick, and it swallowed me whole

You´re so much braver than I gave you credit for

That´s not lip service

You are the bearer of unconditional things

You held your breath, and the door for me

Thanks for your patience

You already won me over, in spite of me...

So don´t be alarmed if I fall head over feet

And don´t be surprised if I love you for all that you are

I couldn´t help it, it´s all your fault

***

Ron looks a little nervous, Hermione thought. She would have liked to think that it was because he was around her, but she knew in her heart that this could not be the case. She had a sixth sense about these things; Hermione knew that Harry was still nervous around Ginny, though they had been going out for nearly two months. But it was different from this; this was as if Ron was almost afraid to make her angry--he´d been that way ever since last year´s Yule Ball.

"Of course," she answered. "I´m freezing, not to mention parched."

And the two of them made their way into the cavernous Great Hall, marveling at the enchanted snow drifting down lazily from the leaden-gray ceiling. The walls glistened with everlasting icicles, and then there were the usual twelve Christmas trees scattered about. One was decorated with tiny, moving suits of armor that sang Christmas off-key carols when someone walked by them, and another was decorated with the gifts from the twelve days of Christmas - except everything was alive. Four wee calling birds, three hens that cluck-clucked with a French accent, two cooing turtle doves, and a partridge munching pears were just a few of the many trimmings on it.

As the two of them walked, arms swinging, their hands brushed ever so slightly. Hermione decided to studiously ignore this. Ron said nothing. A few moments later, something above his head caught his eye.

"Oh, look," he remarked, pausing to stare upward.

Mistletoe floated about here and there amongst the thousands of red taper candles.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, trying to keep the hopefulness from creeping into her voice.

Ron blushed ever so slightly. It was only visible because his freckles were beginning to stand out like sunspots; he had long since passed by the stage of his ears going scarlet.

He leaned over to peck Hermione on the cheek.

She smiled, heart quaking unreasonably. "Shall we sit?"

Ron nodded, and they sat side by side. Immediately, the golden goblets before them were steaming with rich, dark hot chocolate.

"So," he remarked quietly. "What do you want for Christmas this year?"

Hermione bit her lip in thought. Why was it that at this time of year, she seemed so much more likely to give in to her instincts and tell Ron that she loved him? Naturally, she was a blunt person, and didn´t mess around in matters like this. But the two of them had been friends for so long, it was impossible to tell how he would react.

"Usual," she answered. "Quills, that parchment I love with the silver borders, and anything from Honeydukes."

Ron nodded silently. He seemed to be on the verge of saying something, but kept his mouth shut.

They sat there for several more minutes, in companionable silence, sipping their chocolate and gazing out the windows to watch snow fall past the multicolored glass panes.

***

You´re the best listener that I´ve ever met

You´re my best friend, best friend with benefits

What took me so long

I´ve never felt this healthy before

I´ve never wanted something rational

I am aware now

I am aware now

***

Ron fully realized that what he was about to do had the chance to completely change four years of friendship, and he didn´t know whether it was for the better. He had a feeling Hermione suspected him of loving her; his colossal blunder at last year´s Yule Ball had probably dissolved whatever tiny little romantic feelings she´d already begun to have. At least she was his best friend, besides Harry. That had to count for something.

But Ron then thought of all the time they´d spent together, really thought about it, and realized that this was not an ordinary crush he had. If only he´d noticed how much she meant to him sooner, he might not have lost her to Viktor Krum. What a sodding idiot.

Krum was pretty ugly, too, when Ron thought about it.

"Ron?"

He snapped out of his musings to find Hermione staring at him concernedly, head cocked. She looked so innocent, so oblivious to what he planned on saying...

"...The Yule Ball," Ron remarked, the sentence hanging only halfway from his lips. Perhaps he should take a moment to collect his thoughts. "Yeah..."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. Did he mean -

"What about it?"

Slightly embarrassed, Ron decided to plunge on. It was now or never. Why did something as trivial as a dance suddenly seem like such a big deal? Argh, damn hormones, he thought -

"Would you consider going with me?"

There.

Hermione´s big brown eyes got even bigger. Whether she was happy, or upset, or even on the verge of laughing, Ron couldn´t tell.

"Am I a last resort this time?"

Ron nearly spilt his hot chocolate. This reaction had certainly not been expected. His explanation hurried out of his mouth before his frustrated brain had a chance to properly organize it.

"Of course not, why would I have...oh, wait, last year...um...I was a jerk, don´t even...um...Is that a yes or no? Because it´s okay if it´s a no - "

Hermione actually did laugh now, happiness flooding through her. She held up a hand to stem Ron´s chatter.

"Silly," she answered lightly, "You needn´t have worried. Do you really think I could turn you down?" She was then forced to backtrack as she realized what this sounded like. Ron´s mouth was starting to open in indignation.

"Oh, goodness, I didn´t mean it like that! Of course not, think about it! I mean, I love you quite a lot, and I´d never even consider going with anyone but you - "

Hermione was forced to stop midsentence again; she had just told him how she felt about him, and it wasn´t as obvious as she had thought: Ron´s jaw was now on the floor.

There were another few awkward moments of silence, before they both tried to say something at the same time, and ended up laughing. Hermione gently laid a hand on Ron´s shoulder before she spoke.

"That´s a yes, got it?" She smiled. "God, Ron, what took us so long?"

***

You already won me over, in spite of me...

So don´t be alarmed if I fall head over feet

And don´t be surprised if I love you for all that you are

I couldn´t help it, it´s all your fault...

~*FIN*~