Turnaround

Turnaround

Chapter 4

"Hermione, wait!" I heard him say across the hall. I couldn't. I just couldn't face him again, not after what I had said. I planned to go back up to the dormitories and stay there as long as possible so I wouldn't have to face him.

"Wait!" I ran faster, nearing the long staircase that would take me back to the common room.

"'Mione, stop!" He finally caught up to me and grabbed the sleeve of my robe. "We need to talk." I nodded, blinking back tears. I didn't know why I was crying. I eased down on the steps next to him.

"Look, Ron, that came out all wrong. I didn't mean it at all. It's just.....well...you know the stuff that can come out of my mouth when I get really mad. And it was really stupid to ask you knowing that you're probably going with Parvati or someone equally gorgeous- Ron?" He was looking away.

Glancing back with a disappointed look on his face, he said, "So, you didn't really want to ask me, did you? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Ron, no, it was just-"

"Because, you know, it turns out I'm not already going with someone, and I would really like to go with you." He looked away again. I couldn't believe it. Ron really liked me too? This day had quickly turned around for the better.

"Do you really mean it?" I asked. This was incredible. "I just never really thought that you-"

"I never really thought you liked me either. I always thought that I just blended into the background, being the best friend of famous Harry Potter."

"You were never like that, Ron, you always had something special that made you stand out from Harry. Just your... Ron-ness that showed you were different from anybody else. Your sense of humor and... and the way you'd give up your life for your friends. You amazed me, back in third year. I saw a whole different side to you that made you different from Harry. That's why I like you."

"You're just incredible, 'Mione, did you know that? You always say just the right thing at the right time." He smiled at me with his smile. I grinned back. We just sat, staring into each other's eyes until Ron chuckled, breaking the silence.

"What?" I asked.

"I can't believe that you really thought that I would go to the ball with Parvati or whoever. I mean, they're pretty and all, but nothing like you. They've just got no... er...depth to them, you know? Like you have."

I nodded slowly. "You're so sweet. I'm glad this finally came out into the open." I smiled at him.

"Well, we'd better get back. Are you still hungry? I mean, you left your plate practically untouched. Or is that just some new spew thing?"

I playfully hit him on the shoulder. "S. P. E. W. You know I gave that up a long time ago." I had finally woken up and smelled the coffee- it would be really hard to fight for the elves' rights if they didn't want them.

"Well, c'mon, 'Mione, let's go." He got up and held his hand out to me, which I gladly accepted. We walked, hand in hand, back to the Great Hall. Everyone looked up when we entered. They stared at us for a few seconds, then went back to eating and chattering.

I sat down again, and Harry just looked at us, chuckled, and said, "It's about time." Ron and I looked at each other, blushing a bit, and giggled.

"Well, then, shall we sit down?" Ron said, making a grandiose gesture to the table.

I grinned. "Sure." We sat down and began eating. I expected that there would be some sort of...well...change among us because Ron and I had paired off but it was like nothing had changed. We just went along, talking, joking, and laughing, just like we always had done. He would look at me, with that sparkle in his eyes, the one that I had never noticed before. It was just the same. I liked that. It showed that Ron and I were always meant to be together, that we had fit together all along.

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Forty-five minutes later, Harry had gone back to the common room (but not without winking at Ron before he got up) and Ron and I still sat, talking. I loved how I could still talk to him about normal stuff, although we were sort of a couple. Ron was telling me some funny thing that happened to him over summer vacation when I yawned.

Brilliant, Hermione. Now he'll think you find his life boring.

"Sorry, it's just I was up so late last night-"

"Never mind. I'm getting a little tired too, and I probably ought to work on my Charms homework a bit. C'mon, I'll finish the story on the way back." I took his hand again, and we began walking back.

It was sheer bliss, just walking hand in hand, that the walk ended too soon. We were at the bottom of the two sets of stairs separating my dormitories from his.

"Well, good night, 'Mione." He leaned in and gave me a soft, sweet, innocent kiss. His lips left mine, and we reluctantly parted. I walked slowly up the staircase, and when I was out of his sight, I ran to my room. I leaped onto my bed, hugging a pillow to my chest, squealing with joy.

Yes, this day had certainly turned around for the better.