Love Runs Its Course

Chapter 4- Three Confessions

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Lavender?" Ron's familiar voice cried.

Rose and Charlie crept to the doorway and saw Ron and Lavender in the hall. Neither Ron nor Lavender noticed Charlie and Rose. They didn't notice the bushy haired girl, whom Rose had been introduced to as Hermione, standing in another doorway listening to their conversation either.

"What do you think I was doing? I was trying to kiss you silly," Lavender giggled.

"What made you think I would want you to kiss me?" Ron asked.

Lavender's face clouded with confusion. "You were sending me signals."

Ron looked shocked. "What! What signals?"

"Well, you come to my house everyday and you invited me to this party, so I thought-"

Ron cut her off. "Lavender, I've got to be blunt with you. I don't like you like that. I come to your house everyday because I run with your sister and I get a drink before I leave. It has nothing to do with you. I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise. And to be honest, I didn't invite you to this party. I invited your sister and I didn't want to hurt your feelings by uninviting you. I'm sorry. It's just that your sister and my brother have something. I'm not sure what but I wish I could have it. I'm sorry if this hurts you but it's the truth."

Lavender looked about ready to burst into tears. "It's her, isn't it?" she said bitterly.

"Yes, it's her," Ron said sadly.

"It's not fair, Ron. She doesn't see you like I do."

"Don't you think I know that, Lavender? I know. I know it's not fair. But I can't help it."

"Why not? If she doesn't see you then why can't I have you?" Lavender asked.

"Lavender, you're a great girl and if I could give you my heart I'm sure you'd take care of it but I can't. I've already given it away."

"But she doesn't care, Ron."

"I know she doesn't care. It doesn't matter. She has it and I can't get it back no matter how hard I try. Truthfully, I don't want it back."

"But, Ron-"

"There are no buts, Lavender, she stole my heart. I'm sorry."

Lavender reached out to touch him. "Can't we just try anyway?"

Ron shook his head. "No, Lavender. We can't. That wouldn't be fair to you or me or anybody."

"Why, Ron? Why?"

"You deserve better, Lavender. You deserve someone who'll care about you the way you care about them. I don't want to lead you on. I can't be with you. Not when you and I both know I'm waiting for her. Besides, a certain Irishman I know would pummel me," he finished, with a wry smile.

"Seamus? Why would he pummel you?"

"He fancies you, Lav. Why do you think he asked you to the Yule Ball?"

Lavender looked shocked at this new news. "He said it was just as friends," she said slowly.

"I'll let you in on a little secret about men, Lav. Usually when we say we want to take a girl out as friends what we're really saying is 'secretly I really like you but I think you don't like me but I want to take you out anyway so I'll just say we're friends'."

"That's what it means?"

"Yeah."

"But he was so convincing. It sounded like he really just wanted to be friends."

"Well, that's the point, Lav," Ron explained. "It wouldn't really work if you knew we were lying."

They stood in silence for a moment, until Lavender spoke again.

"How long, Ron? How long has she had you?"

Ron smiled crookedly. "Since I was eleven years old. I set my eyes on her and found a piece of me that I never even knew I'd lost."

"I never even had a chance, did I?" Lavender mumbled.

"No one did, Lav. No one did."

"Do you think you'll ever get her?"

"I'm not sure. I think so. At least I hope so."

"How do you know?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. I'll just have to wait and find out. You never know, Lav, she may figure it out. She is brilliant, after all."

Rose and Charlie smiled at each other. The words were so familiar.

She leaned into him and whispered, "He gets more and more like you every time I talk to him."

Charlie gave her a little squeeze to show he heard before they both turned back to the scene in the hall.

"Is that it, Ron? Am I not smart enough for you?"

"No, Lav. You're very smart. Top mark in Divination, aren't you? It has nothing to do with you. I'm in love with her already. I'm sorry."

"Does Seamus really like me, Ron?"

"More than you'd think," he said. "Why don't you give him a try? You don't really love me anyway."

"I...I suppose I can think about it."

"You do that, Lav. There are more fish in the sea, you know. Please don't keep trying to catch the one that's already caught."

Lavender nodded. "Thanks for being honest with me, Ron. It hurts a little right now, but I'm sure it's better in the long run."

"It is. I'm sorry it has to hurt," he said sincerely.

Lavender nodded again and walked out to the garden. Ron sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Of all my brothers, who would've guessed that I'd be the heartbreaker?" he thought out loud.

Just then Hermione stepped out of the doorway.

"I would've," she whispered.

Ron head snapped up and his eyes widened as he registered who she was.

"Did you hear all that?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "That was very nice of you, Ron."

He leaned his head back against the wall. "Well, I don't feel very nice."

"But it would've been worse if you'd lied. This way you've kept a friend."

"I suppose, but I still feel bad that I had to hurt her."

"That makes you human, Ron," Hermione said, moving to stand beside him. "It's not your fault she thinks she's in love with you. Lots of girls could make that mistake."

Ron looked at her, trying to figure out what she meant by that. In the end, he decided to take the direct approach. "What do you mean?"

"I mean it's not hard to see why she thinks that, why lots of girls would think that. You're wonderful, Ron. You treat girls like human beings, not like objects. You're funny and sensitive and a really good friend. It's easy to see why she likes you." As she spoke Hermione got redder and redder.

"You really think so, 'Mione?"

"Of course I do, Ron. You're my best friend. I would never lie to you."

"I know," Ron said softly, leaning his head on the wall again. "But you might exaggerate."

"Ron, you don't need me to exaggerate. Most of the time your ego's big enough already."

Ron chuckled. "Not exactly."

Hermione looked as if she was about to inquire what that meant, but instead she asked something else.

"Who is she, Ron?"

"Who's who, 'Mione?" he asked, not looking at her.

"The girl you said you're in love with," Hermione said quietly.

Ron looked at his friend from the corner of his eye and answered her just as quietly. "You."

Hermione lifted her eyes from the floor and fixed them on his face. Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

"Me?" she whispered.

"Yes, you, 'Mione. I love you. I've been wanting to say that for a long time but I didn't know where to begin."

Hermione looked as if someone had declared Christmas was coming early or something equally exciting. Her eyes shone and an enormous smile spread across her features. Before she could respond, he kept talking.

"I know you don't feel the same so I'd really appreciate it if you could forget I said that and we could still be friends."

"Ron Weasley," she cried indignantly. "How dare you tell me to forget that? How can I forget something I've been wanting to hear for five years?"

At that, Ron raised his head and looked at her. "What?"

"I love you, Ron Weasley. I've loved you since I saw on that train. You had hand-me-down robes, a hand-me-down rat and dirt on your nose but I loved you all the same. Why do you think that only you can make me cry?"

Ron stood up straight and turned to face her, looking down from his six foot one height. "Do you really mean it, Hermione?"

"Of course I do, you prat. Would I lie to you?"

"No, you wouldn't. That's why I can't believe it. You really love me?"

She nodded. He raised his hand and cupped her cheek. He ran his thumb over her cheek lovingly.

"I love you so much, 'Mione. You've no idea."

"Yes, I do. You love me as much as I love you."

He smiled. "I guess it was meant to be then."

"I guess so," she whispered as they leaned in.

Rose and Charlie went back into the sitting room to give them privacy.

They walked to the window and she stepped into his arms.

"He's just like you," she said resting her head on his chest.

"He is, isn't he? Let's hope she's as good for him as you are for me," he murmured.

She smiled. "Oh, I missed this, Charlie."

"I missed this too, love."

"Say it again," she whispered.

"I missed this too."

"No," she corrected. "I mean the part where you called me love."

"I love you, Rose. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Charlie."

He kissed her again. Everything else in the world disappeared. His whole family could have been watching, which they were through the window, but she couldn't have cared less. She had her Charlie back.

When they pulled apart, she rested her head back on his chest. She realized that she was where she belonged. She squeezed him tighter.

"I'm never letting you go," she whispered.

"I wouldn't want you to, love. I wouldn't want you to."

"Don't leave me again, Charlie."

"I don't ever plan on doing that, Rose. I'll never leave you. I promise."

With that he captured her lips again, and she knew he meant it. He was hers forever.