It Must Be Love

It Must Be Love

Chapter 3

The rain fell relentlessly as Ron, Harry, and Hermione made their way into Hogsmeade, huddling together beneath a large umbrella upon which Hermione had performed an Impervius charm. Ron was stood beside Hermione, who was in the middle, holding the umbrella. Harry was suggesting they go to Honeydukes for some Pepper Imps, but Ron was too busy concentrating on not looking at Hermione and trying to force his legs to work to listen properly.

"NO!" Hermione shouted against the rolls of thunder that had set in. "I knew the weather would be too bad to come today. You forced me to come! So I get to chose our destination, and I am not walking all the way to Honeydukes for sweets in this weather - especially not with this lightning rod in my hands! We just had lunch anyway! I say we go to The Three Broomsticks for a while."

Ron couldn't help watching her as she said this. Her wet hair flicked around her stubborn face and she wiped it away with a pale delicate hand, and her dripping robes stuck to her small body, emphasising her slim figure. When did she get so curvy? Ron blushed as he thought this, and even more so when Hermione and Harry turned to him expectantly.

"Well... uh... I agree with Hermione... At least till the storm clears up a little," he said.

Harry sighed but didn't argue further, whereas Hermione beamed at Ron, and to his astonishment, linked arms with him.

"I guess we might as well put the umbrella down, it's really not helping, it's just getting caught up in the wind and pulling us back," she called. The boys nodded their agreement - Harry was clearly sulking a little, yet Ron was too numb with shock to speak. Taking the umbrella from Hermione, Harry put it down, holding it in his right hand, and with his left, he took Hermione's hand.

"Come on, let's run!" he cried. Hermione laughed at how fast Harry had gotten over his disappointment, and then grabbed Ron's right hand, and holding tight she began to run. Ron was dragged behind for a few metres before catching up, running alongside Hermione, laughing with them and joking. He couldn't believe it - he was holding her hand! He was actually holding Hermione's hand! He was holding her hand!

They ran past The Post Office, gazing longingly at the bright lights inside, knowing that it would be warm and dry inside. Ron was contented running hand in hand with Hermione though, no-matter how grim the weather. The trio splashed through puddles and stumbled over rocks, slipping and sliding as they went. They passed shop after shop, seeing many of their friends sheltering under doorways. It was dark and murky, but Ron didn't care. He was running through the streets holding the hand of the girl he loved. Suddenly, that hand gave his a quick squeeze. He looked at her in shock. She was gazing at him meaningfully, but the moment was lost when Ron stepped into a dip in the road and tripped.

Too soon, they arrived. All of them were soaked to the bone and freezing. Hermione freed herself from both boys and stepped into the pub.

"Are you coming then, or are you gonna stand out there in the rain? Not that it'll make much difference as to how wet you are, of course." She grinned, turning to face them. Her wet face shone in the soft lights, and her wild, windswept hair cascaded over her small shoulders. Ron couldn't help smiling back as he and Harry followed her in.

Cautiously, they made their way to their favourite corner, very conscious of the puddles they were leaving on the well-polished floor. They sat down slowly around the circular table, trying to control where they dripped - they didn't want too many puddles, and so Harry and Ron both tried to squeeze their robes dry in the same spot, whilst Hermione had a spot to herself due to her long hair. Once they were seated, Ron tried to control himself from shaking too much. It wasn't just the cold - he was still shivering from Hermione, that was the first time they had held hands when they weren't in a 'life or death' situation. He was pretty sure it was the same case with Harry, but Harry had been the one to take her hand in the first place, Hermione had merely followed suit... Yet she had linked arms with him. That was a first too... and he had liked it. Ron had no more time to ponder this though, as Hermione was trying to engage them in conversation.

"So what do you guys want?" Hermione asked. Ron had the distinct impression that this wasn't the first time she'd asked. "And Ron can get the drinks as he finds Rosmerta so attractive, can't you, Ron?" She watched his face carefully as he went scarlet.

"Well, I... I never said she's attractive... not that she isn't, I find her very attractive but... I just... I'm not attracted to her, 'Mione, she's just... Harry can get the drinks," he said finally.

He avoided eye contact with her, and busied himself with the water dripping onto the table, drawing lines in it with his wand. Harry smirked, then winked at Hermione, who grinned inexplicably.

"Yeah, I'll get the drinks then. Butterbeers all round, it's on me," he said, and then turned and left, leaving a trail of water behind him.

Ron and Hermione sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, and then Ron, unable to bear it any longer, lent over to Hermione and asked the first thing that came into his head.

"Hey, what's the time?" What's the time? He couldn't believe that was the best he could come up with, yet Hermione looked relieved and checked her wrist.

"It's twenty-five to two. Why? Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, but not for a while yet. I'm meeting up with Ginny, she wants me to take her round the shops," he lied smoothly, but his ears went slightly red.

"Oh. It's just I saw Ginny a while ago with that Michael Kingswood from seventh year when we were running up here. They looked kind of busy, you know - it didn't look like she'd be eager to end her date to run round the shops with her brother," said Hermione grinning.

"They were doing what?" Ron cried furiously, leaping to his feet as though to make towards the door. Hermione smiled at him - it was such a sweet smile that he found his anger ebbing away as he became lost in her dark eyes. She placed her hand on his arm gently, and he melted back down into his seat.

"Oh, Ron, they were just kissing. Everyone's going to be so envious of her though. Michael's so funny and sweet. I was talking to him the other day - he's really a great guy, Ron, your sister's lucky," she said dreamily.

Ron stared. He couldn't believe she was saying this. A few minutes ago, he had been so sure she liked him back - maybe even loved him - yet now she was talking about Ginny and Kingswood like she was envious. He felt angry. Why couldn't she just make it clear? Then he wouldn't be so embarrassed all the time...

"So it's all off with Vicky then is it?" he asked bitterly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked angrily. "Since when was it on with Victor?"

Ron didn't reply to this. Did that mean she didn't like Krum? She had after all refused his offer to come to Bulgaria, but that was because she was helping clean Sirius's old house. But the summer after that she hadn't gone either. Did he even ask her again? And what about Kingswood? Surely she didn't like him? But considering all she'd just said...

"Here comes Harry," Hermione said shortly. Ron looked up just in time to see Harry slip along the trail off water he'd left, the drinks slipping out of his wet fingers. Ron leapt up to grab him, but Hermione had already whipped out her wand and taken aim.

"Impedimenta!" She cried. The Butterbeer (which had been spilling out of the bottles), stopped in mid-air, and Harry froze in an unbalanced tableau, a look of shock on his face. Ron and Hermione forgot their argument and laughed as they hurried to rescue him and the drinks before the jinx wore off.

A few minutes later, Harry was safely on his chair and they all had a bottle of butterbeer in front of them. They were all laughing and joking again.

"You should have put your charm on us, 'Mione, not the umbrella!" Ron laughed.

"Well why don't you? Go on, try it, just on your cloak though, the spell's not meant for living organisms, Ron, there are side effects," Hermione warned, but her eyes were twinkling in anticipation.

"Ok then," Ron said and he pulled out his wand again, lay his dripping cloak on the table, and cleared his throat. "Errm... What was it? Imperio! Err no, OK then... Imperilous! Crap! Don't laugh, Hermione, help!" Ron had successfully managed to set his cloak on fire, causing Hermione to shriek with laughter, and Harry to choke on his Butterbeer, his glasses askew. Ron looking at Hermione, trying to plead with her through his panic while he hit Harry on the back, causing him only to cough and splutter more. Trying to catch her breath, Hermione fired a jet of silver water from her wand. The fire went out and the cloak was repaired instantly.

"Thanks, 'Mione," Ron said gratefully - his mum would have killed him if he needed a new robe due to his own stupidity. "I won't be trying that again for a while. Do you think you could do it on our cloaks for us?" he whined, trying to sound casual, but he felt his voice catch in his throat and hoped no one had noticed. Hermione grinned at him, then reached for their cloaks and placed them all on the table.

"Impervius!" she cried, tapping the cloaks with her wand. All of the water from them gushed up into their faces, leaving the cloaks completely dry. Water dripped from Ron's fringe, it came to a few centimetres above the cloaks, and then bounced back at Hermione. Harry laughed at them, flicking the water from his face onto them.

"Come on, the thunder's stopped - drink and let's go already, I think we've embarrassed ourselves in here enough for one visit," Harry said, gulping down the last of his butterbeer and looking expectantly at the others. Hermione sighed, but finished her drink, pulled her cloak on and stood up alongside Harry.

"No, I'll wait here, I need to see Ginny. See you back at school, ok?" Ron said, trying to catch a glimpse of Hermione's watch, but it was hard as her hands were resting on the small of her back. Harry looked at him curiously.

"What are you trying to do Ron?" He asked, grinning. Ron flushed, but to his surprise, so did Hermione.

"It's ten to two, Ron. We'll see you back at school. Bye!" She said this quickly, then left without waiting for a reply. Harry shrugged and waved, then hurried out after her, smiling to himself.

Ron moved over to the table Ginny had mentioned and slowly finished his drink. Why had Hermione been so embarrassed? Did that mean she liked him? Or did she just find the idea ridiculous and not want to embarrass me? He thought miserably. Thinking these thoughts, he sat and waited impatiently for Ginny to arrive.