Love and War

BRINGGGG!!!!! THUMP!

Hermione sat up, rubbing her head, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Darn. Not again. She reached up and turned off her alarm. 7:15. That was an odd dream. What was with that dream? It was probably just some bad chicken or something I had to eat. Too bad it’s not Saturday.

She sighed as she got up and headed for the shower before heading down to the Great Hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Half an hour later, Hermione walked into the Great Hall, scanning the room for Harry and Ron. They were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor Table, obviously discussing…no make that arguing…about girls.

Again.

One could only guess what topic they would be on now -- some previous ones were whether or not girls using the“"it's that time of the month" excuse to get out of things was understandable, “was there a girl in the world that didn't have to have a group of friends to use the bathroom and why girls had to travel in packs.”

Hermione had caught them more than once trying to nonchalantly find out the answers from her. That ticked her off -- she was tired of them using her as if she was a book. And they knew what would happen if she caught them doing that again.

She smiled and shook her head. Boys. As she made her way towards them, a large person stepped directly in front of her. There was next to no time at all to stop herself from bumping into him.

"Well, if it isn’t Gryffindor's resident Mudblood,"” a cold voice said sneeringly.

Hermione looked up to find a pair of steely grey eyes and a shock of silvery blonde hair.

"Malfoy. How wonderful to see you again," Hermione said sarcastically. "I would appreciate it if next time, you would watch where you’are going. You are not made of thin air."”

"I wouldn't have to watch where I was going if people would just respect authority figures," he replied with a smirk.

"You’re so full of it! Just because some arrogant, self-centered, pig-headed, wart-hog faced vomitous mass of a buffoon says that everyone should get out of his way does not mean that they will. Now get out of my way. I'm going to go feed my starved body."”

She shoved past him and walked over to Gryffindor Table. Harry and Ron both stared at her. Ron's mouth was hanging open and Harry was laughing so hard his face was red.

"Holy crap, Hermione! That was bloody brilliant," Harry said.

Ron was so dumbfounded he hadn't blinked since Hermione sat down.

"Um, Ron? Are you okay?"” Hermione asked. She waved her hand back and forth in front of his eyes.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Ron blinked and came back to life.

"Bloody hell, Hermione! You are the best! Did you see the look on Malfoy's face? Brilliant!!!" he said in amazement.

Hermione smiled.

"Thanks. But let's forget about Malfoy. What exactly were you two argu--I mean discussing about before the whole incident happened? It wouldn't happen to be about what I think it is, would it?" she said with an arched eyebrow.

Harry and Ron looked flustered as they stammered explanations. Hermione smiled as she helped herself to eggs and toast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Christmas holidays were fast approaching. Hogwarts was beginning to look like a winter wonderland. Trees were being put up with ornaments and tinsel, garlands and ivy lined the walls and staircases, and mistletoe hung over every doorway (with the guaranteed groups of girls waiting for their unsuspecting prey to walk by). The ghosts' began to sing Christmas carols non-stop, day and night. Harry and Ron began to have to make detours to get around the girls in order to get to class on time. Hermione, of course, thought this was hilarious.

"Oh, shut up Hermione. You're not the one who has to worry about girls mobbing you every time you walk out the door!" Ron said, angrily casting a glance at the mistletoe that hung over the door.

With the holidays approaching, it seemed as if the professors were assigning more and more homework.

"You need to be prepared. You have seven years of learning you need to know for your N.E.W.T.S! It is not optional!" McGonagall lectured frantically as the Gryffindor seventh years moaned when they were assigned yet another essay.

Finally, finally the last day of term arrived. When the last class ended, hundreds of students’ feet could be heard rushing out of class in eagerness of Christmas.

Hermione hurried towards the Gryffindor common room, eager to begin the holidays.

"Hermione, wait up!"

She turned around and waited for Ron and Harry to catch up with her.

"I can't believe it! I actually made it to the holidays!" Ron breathed dramatically.

"Oh, Ron, don’t exaggerate. You knew you were going to make it without falling into a coma from lack of sleep,"” Hermione huffed.

"True. I did make it -- but I have been scarred for life over all the essays we've had."

They had reached the common room. They were greeted by a wave of noise that probably broke the sound barrier. Every single Gryffindor was cheering and celebrating the end of term. Seamus Finnigan ran up to Harry, Ron an Hermione, pushing three Butterbeers into their hands.

"Don't just stand there! Term's over and we're celebrating!"” He ran off into the crowd, leaving them standing in a corner.

"Well, no sense in wasting valuable party time. I'm off to find Ginny,"” Harry announced, also disappearing into the crowd.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Every fiber in Hermione’s body urged her to get her homework done. That's what years of good studentage has done to me.

"Come on, Ron. Let's go find Harry and Ginny,"” Hermione suggested.

She threw her books into a corner of the common room and grabbed Ron’s hand. The second they touched, Hermione felt a jolt of lightning go up her arm.

For a split second, the world stood still. In that split second, thoughts ran like gazelle running away from a crazed, starved, skinny leopard through her mind. What the heck am I doing? Why did I do that? Is this even happening? Am I really sure that's my hand in Ron's? What if he jerks his hand away? What if he doesn't like that I'm holding his hand? I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm holding Ron’s hand. He's probably staring at me thinking I’m an idiot. Ok, on the count of three, I’ll look up at him. One...two...ugh, I can't do it. Why am I talking to myself? That can't be good. Stop it! That's the first sign you're going insane. When you start talking to yourself you know you need help. Don't talk to yourself. Why am I still hearing a voice in my head? Crap, that's still me, talking to myself. Shut up, Hermione!

She gathered up all of her courage and looked up at Ron. He was staring at her, his expression going from surprise to confusion to blankness. She blushed and snatched her hand away. Ron opened his mouth.

"Hermione, I..."

Without pausing to hear what he was going to say, Hermione ran through the crowd, dodging between students as she headed for her dormitory.

"Hermione, wait!"

She ran up the stairs two at a time and dashed into her room. She leapt onto the bed and pulled the hangings closed, enveloping herself in darkness. She lay back on her pillows and tried to make some sense of what just happened.

I can believe what just happened! I mean, Ron is my best friend and I can't fancy him! It'll ruin everything! What if we start dating and we break up? What will that do to our friendship? Ohhh, that would be so awkward. I can't ruin that, no matter what happens. He must have thought I was such an idiot! I HATE puberty!! It ruins everything. I should just go live in the wilderness and be free from stupid worries such as this. Or, everyone could just walk around with bags on their heads and avoid any human contact whatsoever with people outside of our family. That sounds good. Oooh, I could live on the moon! Then I would be away from people. I hate people. Of course, knowing me, I would probably find the man on the moon and then fall in love with him. Or--Oh, what am I talking about? I'm not in love. Pshhh, whatever. Love is stupid. It rips you of your independence. I am NOT in love with Ronald Weasley. It was just a strange coincidence. I am NOT in love with Ron. I'm not. Nope, no way. Not at all.

Hermione lay there, room darkening more and more around her, contemplating all the possible ways she could avoid ever seeing Ron again and then convincing herself over and over that she was not in love with Ron until she fell asleep from exhaustion of over-thinking.

Ron didn't know what to think. When Hermione had grabbed his hand, in that split second that time stood still, he felt two things. One, a sweeping sensation in his stomach that reminded him of what it felt like when he dived from a dizzying height on his broom, and two, the thought that Hermione's hand was warm and soft. When Hermione had glanced up at him, he saw alarm in her eyes -- alarm for -- for what? He didn't know. What he did know was that when he saw her blush, all he had wanted to do was take her in his arms. He had always loved it when she blushed -- she looked so cute and innocent. But then she was gone -- disappearing into the crowd. He called after her but in vain -- he saw her run up to the girls' dormitory.

He stood there, cursing himself when he didn't run after her. He made his way to his own dorm, lost in thought. He lay back on his bed with the hangings drawn. He had to tell her. He had to tell her that he loved her. He loved everything about her. He loved the way she blushed, the way her deep chocolate eyes that were specked with blue and green sparkled when she smiled, the way her hair smelled right after she had taken a shower, the way she bit her lip when she worked on a particularly difficult assignment. He had to tell that he had loved her since their 3rd year. It all started the day she punched Malfoy. That was bloody awesome. That was the day he realized that Hermione had more to her than meets the eye. She had more than just brains and bushy hair. She was a strong, independent girl who could use her head and didn't seem to need anyone else. For the past four years, he had watched her grow from a buck-toothed girl to a strong-willed woman who could -- and would tackle any challenge that came her way. Ron sighed and closed his eyes. He would tell her before Valentine's Day -- with that resolution, he fell asleep with the vision of deep chocolate eyes that were specked with blue and green dancing in his mind.