Self-Revelation

Hermione and Ron stumbled out of Gryffindor Tower at nine o'clock on Friday evening, the night after their huge row over (yet again) Victor Krum. This row was altogether forgotten, though; they had once again reached one of their silent agreements to forget that night's bellowing. They were intending to patrol the halls and make sure that there weren't any students out of bed past their curfew. The joys of being a prefect.

"See you!" Harry hollered after them, grinning widely, just as the Fat Lady swung shut.

"What's he grinning about?" Hermione thought, as she and Ron made their way down the corridor.

Hermione turned to Ron, intending to ask him what he thought Harry might be up to, since when Harry had a big, stupid grin on his face, something highly amusing must have happened; or was bound to happen. Harry didn't smile much nowadays, and that gigantic grin unnerved Hermione. But the look she saw on Ron's face was even more unnerving; sweat was forming into small pools above his temples, his freckles were even more prominent then usual, for his skin was now milky white. He seemed to be raging a battle within himself, since he was staring determinedly down at his shoes, as he often did when he was faced with a big decision.

"Ron?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

"Hmmph?" Ron seemed to come out of his trance and torn his gaze away from his shoes, fixing it instead on Hermione. "What?"

"O, umm, Ron are you feeling alright?" Hermione asked timidly.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, Hermione," Ron responded, unconvincingly. "Why?"

"Well, no reason really, you just seem... pale." Hermione finished lamely.

"I just ate some bad shepherd's pie, stomach ache you know," Ron said dismissively, staring back down at his trainers.

"O, alright then, just concerned." Hermione trailed off, gazing towards the end of the corridor.

"I wonder what he's thinking," Hermione thought, "the last time I saw him this pale, he was belching slugs." Hermione smiled a bit, and looked over again at Ron, checking to make sure that there was no slug leakage. Indeed, he was quite pale, the pools of sweat now small streams cutting paths down his forehead. His brow now furrowed, he was still keeping his eyes on his shoes, as if he suspected one of them to be untrustworthy. Hermione stared into his eyes, their pale blue narrowed in deep concentration. Hermione's smile widened, she didn't see his eyes like that often. And that was saying something, for she had been watching him closely for a long time; while he was dozing in History of Magic class, while he was sitting by the fire, while he played chess with Harry, conquering him marvelously every time. All the while her staring went unnoticed, most of the time she was hidden by a great, dusty volume, fantastic camouflage those books were. Her staring was even unnoticed by herself! Nearly all that time she had been looking at him, it was unconsciously, and each time she finally realized what she was doing she shook herself violently, reminding herself that staring was rude, and at the same time asking herself why she was transfixed by Ron. But poor Hermione, so able at deciphering other people's feelings and lives, was useless at cracking the code of her own. She was unaware of why she felt fulfilled when Ron became enraged about her relationship with Krum (however lack-there-of), unaware of why she stared at him all the time, unaware of why she had a huge desire to count his freckles, unaware of why she wished she could peer into his eyes forever. Although, after an incredibly lengthy time filled with her own denial, she had come to realize what it was she felt towards Ronald Weasley. After all, she wasn't that daft.

Suddenly, she realized what she was doing, and tore her gaze away from Ron. Hoping he couldn't see her steadily reddening cheeks.

They turned down another corridor, from what they could tell was devoid of curfew breakers. Their foot-falls echoed off the walls, so it sounded as if they were being followed. Although Hermione knew that they were only being pursued by echoes, the sound still made her feel uneasy.

She turned to Ron. "Those eyes," she thought, "those baleful moon-blue eyes." Hermione shook herself. "Ron, I think we should head back."

"Huh? O, right," Ron responded, an odd sound like disappointment in his voice.

Their foot-falls sped up, and so did those of the echoing stalkers. Hermione instinctively moved closer beside Ron, she didn't like that sound, and Ron's warmth was so comforting. Ron seemed a bit taken-aback by her sudden movement; they were now shoulder to shoulder. But luckily, she didn't notice Ron's expression and he quickly looked down at his shoes.

"Now," he thought. "now, now, now, now NOW! Do it now or you never will Weasley!" Ron sucked in a deep breath.

"Hermione?"

"Yes Ron?" Hermione's eyes were boring into Ron's.

"Umm, I have something I need to tell you." He sounded both timid and resolute, staring right back at her, denying himself the appeal of his laces.

"What is it Ron?" Hermione said. "Look at those adorable little freckles! So cute..." Hermione thought, giving herself another little shake.

As Ron stared deeply into her eyes ("chocolate brown eyes..." he thought), he realized that what he had wanted to say (whether subconsciously or not) for so long, really wasn't that hard. So, he bared his soul to her:

"Hermione. I like you. Not just friend like, but really like. I mean, the kind of like that I wish I could hug you all the time, hold your hand, have you sit right close beside me by the fire. And I would like to know if you feel the same way about me. If you don't, that's alright though. Because, I've just come to realize that whether you feel the same way or not, I know you'll always be there for me, and just having you in my life at all is the greatest blessing I could receive."

For a long moment, he just kept gazing deeply into her eyes. "If she says no, I'll still hold this moment in my mind for always." he thought. "This might be the closest I'll ever be to her."

Hermione was transfixed, shocked and numb all at once. Then slowly, the realization of what Ron had just revealed to her started to seep in. It spread through her arms and legs, coursed through her chest, and welled up in her heart, then burst altogether in one, huge happy bubble.

"O Ron!" she cried, as she flung her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a huge hug.

Now Ron was the one filled with the huge, happy bubble. He savored the embrace, burying his nose in the sweet smell of her hair, feeling her soft breath on his neck. Finally, their arms slackened. Ron raised up his head, and took in her expression; her eyes were filled with happy tears that were slowly streaming down her bright, rosy cheeks, while a huge smile played across her face. She pulled him down a bit, stood on tiptoe, and planted a sweet, yet passionate kiss right on his lips. After she pulled away, she looked up into his eyes and said quite matter-of-factly "Well, Ronald Weasley, I suppose you know my answer already, but seeing as it's taken you sooo long to ask me, I might as well make sure. Yes, I like you too." She beamed at him, and kissed him again.

Grinning, Ron took her hand as they headed down the corridor, "Yeah, I suppose I have been quite thick, haven't I?"

"Yes indeed you have." Hermione tried to put on a serious face but failed miserably, instead, she lifted his arm around her shoulder and snuggled her bushy head under his chin.

They entered through the portrait hole into Gryffindor Tower, to see Harry sitting in his usual armchair by the fire. He sprang up and ran towards them as soon as the portrait banged shut.

"You two a couple yet?" Harry said, beaming at the pair of them.

"Yeah, I believe we are," Ron replied, grinning back.

"'Bout time! I was starting to worry you two would never get together!" Harry said, in a mock-concern tone.

"Well, it's partly thanks to you mate!" Ron said, clapping his hand on Harry's shoulder, the one that wasn't occupied by Hermione's.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked innocently, looking up at Ron.

"Harry was playing a right-little-cupid last night. He helped me realize how thick I've been," Ron said, sounding highly amused.

"Well, I should be off to bed. I daresay you two would like some alone time." Harry grinned at the both of them and headed off towards the stairs.

"We owe you one Harry!" Hermione yelled after him.

"Indeed we do..." said Ron, staring down at Hermione with utmost affection.

Hermione smiled up at him, Ron bent down and planted a huge kiss on her lips, that lasted a very long time... Finally, they came up for air and Hermione's eyelashes fluttered, "I'm going to have to get used to that." she said, with a mischievous grin on her face.

"You're right about that," said Ron, planting her lips with another kiss.

"I really ought to go to bed," Hermione said, gently pushing him away from her, stifling a yawn. "I'll see you in the morning ok?"

Ron appeared disappointed that the snogging festivities were ending, but smiled anyways and nodded. "No kiss goodnight?" he asked innocently.

"But of course!" Hermione replied, still beaming, as she got up on tiptoe and gave him a huge smothering kiss, that left Ron stunned as he watched her bound up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

Ron stood in perfect bliss for a moment, reliving the last few hours over and over again in his head before resigning to his dormitory. As he walked towards his four-poster, he looked over at Harry's bed. "Thanks mate," he whispered, "I really ought to return the favour... I wonder how you feel about Ginny..."

~Jaimy Warner~