Some Enchanted Evening

Some Enchanted Evening

By: Kinoryo

Hermione scratched her nose with her quill, unaware that she was being observed from the other side of the room by a pair of blue eyes.

"Ron, it's your move," Harry said, jerking Ron out of his thoughts. Ron looked around at Harry and then down at the chessboard. He muttered as he moved a pawn forward. As Harry sat contemplating his next move, Ron took the moment to glance back over at his bushy haired friend.

She was apparently deep in thought and fully enjoying whatever project she was working on. She bit her lower lip and scribbled hurriedly on the piece of parchment in her lap. Ron sat in his chair by the fire, mesmerized by her for a moment.

"Checkmate."

Ron jerked to alertness once again and looked down at the chessboard once again. Harry had won. He looked up as Harry pumped his arm victoriously in the air. Harry was settled down and looked at his sulky friend, still grinning because he won.

"What's gotten into you Ron? I've never been able to beat you before!"

Ron simply shrugged. After a moment of silence he added, "I was distracted."

Harry looked curious but Ron did not elaborate. Harry did not know about Ron's infatuation and he wanted to keep it that way, for now, anyway.

Ron stood up, packing up his chessboard. Harry looked up at him, his curiosity intensified. Ron merely said,

"I'm going to bed. Have to get up for school tomorrow..."

His voice trailed off and he shook his head. He gathered up his belongings and dashed up to the boys' dormitories, a pair of brown eyes watching him as he went.

_-_

"Who are you going to ask, Dean?" Seamus was asking Dean as Ron entered the dormitory. Ron knew instantly what they were talking about. They were speaking of the Valentine's Day Banquet in four days. It was the first time since Lockhart's time at Hogwarts that the holiday had really been celebrated. So far the halls were clear of dwarves in cupid clothing.

Dean shot a nervous look over at Ron as he entered. He cleared his throat to answer Seamus.

"Well, I was going to- that is to say, I was going to ask- to inquire after-"

Ron rolled his eyes as he threw his belongings grumpily onto his bed.

"He's going to ask Ginny!" Ron spat. Dean's mouth flapped stupidly and comprehension dawned on Seamus' face.

"You mean- you know about Ginny and me?" Dean stammered. Ron rolled his eyes again.

"Of course I do, you twit! She told me on the train last year. Oh, and by the way," Ron shot a glare of pure malice at Dean, "Break her heart and I'll break your arm, got it?"

Dean's eyes widened but then he smiled.

"You don't have to worry about that."

"Good," Ron said as he pulled on his pajamas. He was just getting into bed when Seamus asked the question.

"So, Ron, who are you going with?"

Ron's face and ears turned an instant scarlet as the image of Hermione sitting in the Common Room with quill and parchment popped into his head.

"Nobody," he answered sourly.

This was true. Ron had found it incredibly hard to ask Hermione to the ball and since he would go with nobody but her he was so far going alone, if at all.

"So you're going stag?" Dean asked.

"What?! No, I'll definitely be wearing clothing, thank you!" Ron said, outraged.

"Um, 'going stag' means without a date, not without clothing, mate," explained Dean as Seamus rolled with laughter.

"What's so funny in here?" asked Harry as he walked through the door. He looked from the tears of laughter on Seamus' face, the amused expression on Dean's, to Ron's tomato colored face. His eyebrows raised but Ron simply rolled over and muttered dark things he'd do to Seamus if he didn't stop laughing.

_-_-_-_-_

Ron showered and dressed quickly before dashing downstairs so as to avoid further questioning or any recapping of what went on the night before. He had just climbed out of the portrait hole when he saw her.

Hermione was a ways down the corridor already. He jogged to catch up with her. He put a hand on her shoulder to stop her, panting slightly. Geez, she walks fast! He thought. She smiled when she saw who it was.

"Oh! Good morning, Ron!" she said cheerfully. Ron had finally caught his breath and replied, "'Morning, 'Mione."

The two of them made their way down to the Great Hall. Ron was acutely aware of everything all of a sudden. Suddenly he was aware of how her hair fell around her face, the way she was slightly biting her bottom lip, the sound of her breathing, the way she carried herself, and the little flecks of gold in her eyes. She turned the eyes that he'd been silently studying toward him.

"What is it?"

Ron blushed and looked away mumbling, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you were staring..."

Ron blushed and shrugged.

"Nothing," he said dumbly, but it was certainly something! A little voice in his head kept chanting all the while they walked. It screamed, "Ask her! Ask her! Do it, do it now!"

"Hermione?" he blurted, instantly wishing that he hadn't. She looked at him. They had almost reached the Great Hall. His time alone with her was fading.

"Banquet- go with me, will you?" he said in a rush. Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"What did you just say?" she asked. Ron cleared his throat and tried to get his heart to stop beating so hard.

"Will you go to the banquet with me?"

Hermione's eyes grew large and round. The sad look on her face was not a good sign.

"Oh, Ron," she said softly, "I'm sorry, but I'm going with someone already?"

Ron laughed nervously, trying his best to not show the pain he was feeling.

"It's fine, I'll be fine!" he said. Hermione still looked sad when they entered. He couldn't help asking,

"So whom are you going with?"

She turned and looked at him rather nervously over her shoulder.

"Harry," she said and then slipped into the Great Hall.

_-_-_

Ron didn't go into the Great Hall for breakfast, but instead ran out onto the frosty grounds of Hogwarts. He marched toward the lake, kept warm by the boiling anger inside him.

Betrayed by my best friend! Ron picked up a rock and chucked it hard at the surface of the lake that was not frozen over yet. After venting his anger in the same way for a while and releasing a long stream of swear words he began to realize that it wasn't Harry's fault and that he simply wanted someone to blame. Wasn't it him who had neglected to tell Harry, his best friend, his greatest secret? Now that he lacked the burning anger that had been raging inside him when he'd exited the castle he realized how very cold it was outside. He got up from where he knelt by lake and entered the castle again, determined to win fair lady's heart.

_-_-_-_

Ron peered critically at his own image in the mirror, pleased with the new dress robes that the twins had bought for him but unsatisfied with the state of everything else. After running a comb through his hair a few more times he determined that he couldn't force himself to look better.

He walked down the stairs toward the Great Hall. His heart was thumping at an alarming rate. He bit his lip nervously and entered the Great Hall holding his breath.

The tables were removed, replaced by small circular tables in large clusters with a clearing in the center of the room for dancing. The head table had donned a light pink tablecloth. Professor McGonagal had chosen to show her holiday spirit by putting a rose in her hat. Professor Dumbledore was wearing an ensemble of red. Snape simply sat staring, loathing everything and everybody as usual in his everyday black.

Ron was suddenly very aware of everybody staring and he hoped and prayed that he wasn't the only one who'd come dateless. He saw Ginny sitting at a table with Dean. He went over to them.

"Hello, Gin," he said, he looked at Dean and said in a stern way, "Hello, Dean."

Dean sat a little straighter in his chair and muttered hello. Ron took a seat next to Dean and leaned forward to whisper into his ear,
"Is everything in place?"

Dean muttered out of the corner of his mouth,

"Yes."

Ron smiled.

"Good."

Dean and Ron looked up as Seamus and Lavender drew near to their table. As they passed by Seamus flashed a thumbs up sign. Ron looked around as Harry and Hermione entered the Great Hall.

She was beautiful. She was wearing a deep blue dress with dark jewels sewn in to make her look as if she were wearing part of the evening sky. Her hair was down this time, curled around her face. Harry saw Ron and nodded at him, steering Hermione toward where Ron was sitting.

"Hello, Ron," Harry said. Hermione looked as if she were searching for someone.

"Where's your date?"

Ron flushed and he muttered that he didn't have one. Hermione looked guilt-stricken. An uncomfortable silence descended upon them. In a couple minutes time Harry asked her to dance.

Ron turned to Dean.

"I'll get into place. Tell Seamus and Harry."

Dean nodded and the two of them stood. Dean put a hand on Ginny's shoulder.

"Be back in a while."

_-_

Hermione stood next to the punch table, alone. Right after their dance, Dean had come up and whispered into Harry's ear. Harry said he'd be right back, but he needed to take care of something. That was ten minutes ago and she was beginning to worry.

"Hermione,"

She tuned. Seamus was approaching.

"You're needed out on the veranda."

"Hogwarts doesn't have a veranda!" she said, alarmed.

"Dumbledore added one for tonight," he offered his arm and she took it uncertainly. He led her to doors she'd never seen before.

"Is it Harry? Is he ok?"

Seamus only smiled. He opened the door and Hermione stepped out onto the new veranda.

The night was cold, as was expected for February. The sky was clear and the half moon cast an eerie look about the place. Roses of red, pink, yellow, and white were clustered around and their smell made her slightly light headed. It was as if she'd stepped into a fairy tale.

She made out the outline of a figure standing by the railing. He was leaning on the rail, staring at the moon.

"Harry?"

The mystery man turned and she gasped.

"Ron!"
He smiled and walked toward her. He took her hand and brought her back to where he'd been standing before. She was still shocked when he turned to smile at her. After a while her tongue unfroze.

"W-what's going on?" she stammered. He didn't answer but just turned back to look out at the grounds of Hogwarts illuminated in the moonlight, resting his forearms on the railing. She drew closer to him and touched his sleeve.

"What do you want Ron?" she asked softly, her breath drifting in the wind like a ghost. He turned to look at her, his eyes bright and shinning blue in the night.

"I want to dance," he said, smiling more broadly, "With you."

Hermione donned a confused expression as she asked, "But then why didn't you ask me to dance in there-"

He shook his head.

"No, it had to be out here."

He straightened up and took her hand leading her to the middle of the veranda.

"But Ron, there's no music!" she protested. He shrugged.

"We don't need music."

"But-"

Ron silenced her by putting his finger on her lips. She quieted. He placed one hand on her hips and took her hand in his other. She placed her free hand awkwardly on his shoulder. They danced somewhat stiffly at first, but Hermione didn't worry about not having music anymore. Ron was singing to her.

"It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside. I'm not one of those who can easily hide. I don't have much money, but boy if I did, I'd buy a big house where we both could live."

Ron didn't have the best singing voice, some might say he stinks at singing, but he didn't care. He wanted to sing this song for her and Hermione found that she didn't care that he sounded bad. In fact, he sounded absolutely wonderful to her, only because it was the single sweetest thing that anybody had ever done for her.

"If I was a sculptor, but then again, no, or a man who makes potions in the traveling show. I know it's not much but it's the best I can do. My gift is my song and this one's for you."

Hermione and Ron had drawn closer while he serenaded her. She rested her head on his chest, marveling at how much taller he was than her. She could feel him breathing with ever word he sang. Her hands rested on his chest and his arms were around her now.

"And you can tell everybody that this is your song. It may be quite simple but, now that it's done, I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you're in the world."

Ron's full intent when he started singing was to sing the entire song. But he found that he was unable to continue. You see, Hermione had kissed him, and he was kissing back. They stopped kissing and they just stood there swaying with the wind, his arms wrapping her in a hug that would shield her from the cold around them.

They parted slightly as Ron reached down and plucked a red rose off of a nearby rosebush. He held it up to her.

"I love you, Hermione."

Hermione looked from the rose to Ron's face. His expression was anxious. She was struck at how vulnerable he was at this moment, how he was opening himself to her despite the consequences may be.

She took the rose, smelled it, and then she kissed him on the lips once again.

"I love you, too."

A goofy, lopsided grin slid across his face. Hermione smiled. Then she gasped.

"Uh-oh, what about Harry?" she asked.

"He already knows," he said, grinning and putting an arm around her shoulders.

~*~Inside while this all is going on...~*~

Harry walked up to the door leading out to the veranda. Dean and Seamus were standing with their ears pressed against the door, trying their very hardest to hear what was going on outside.

"Sounds like he just told her he loves her," Dean said. Harry laughed at the pair of them just as Ginny walked up.

"What are you two doing?!" she asked. Dean and Seamus bolted upright with guilty expressions. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.

"We're meddling in your brother's love life, want to join?" he said. She smiled.

"Of course, meddling is my job!"

Just then the door opened and Ron and Hermione walked in. Their cheeks were red, either from blushing or the cold, and Ron's arm was around Hermione's shoulder. Harry cocked an eyebrow.

"So?" he asked. In reply, Hermione and Ron turned to each other and gave each other a quick peck on the lips. Dean, Seamus, Harry, and Ginny gave happy cheers and applauded as the new couple stood there blushing. Then Harry looked glum.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Now I've lost my date."

The six of them laughed. The others returned to their table, and as they were walking back to the table too, Ron interlaced his fingers with Hermione's. It had been some enchanted evening.

The End