The Talk

THE TALK

Ron Weasley was sitting at a table by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. He ran his left hand through his shoulder length red hair as he desperately tried to think of three reasons why moonstone would not be used in a numbing potion. "How about because it's not in the ingredients list," he thought. Obviously he couldn't write this as a reason but he couldn't help thinking that this Potions homework was pretty pointless. Lavender Brown was not making things any easier either. She had sat down next to Ron about twenty minutes ago and had been edging closer ever since. She had been talking to him about something to do with her hair but he just really wasn't interested. Earlier in the afternoon he had had another argument with Hermione, one of his best friends and the one girl that really meant anything to him. He had had a crush on her for at least three years, although he had a suspicion it had started a year or so before that. Despite this fact, he couldn't help but argue with her almost continuously which just caused them both to feel hurt and miserable. Ron had a slight feeling that Hermione felt the same about him or at least he hoped she did but neither one of them had ever had the courage to say anything about it. As far as they were both concerned there was an unspoken agreement between them whereby they remained friends but deep down acknowledged that one day they would probably end up together. Obviously that day had still never arrived and so here he was, alone in the common room (apart from Lavender, but he didn't really count her) and longing for Hermione to come and keep him company.

After a few more minutes of thinking about Hermione and vaguely listening to Lavender wittering on about herself, Ron decided that maybe now wasn't the best time to be attempting his homework. As he closed his book and began to reach for his bag, a sudden movement and a flash of blonde hair caught him off guard. The next thing he knew Lavender was kissing him. In the few seconds that followed this strange turn of events he wondered vaguely if he was dreaming and if so why was it Lavender. It was only until Lavender pulled away and smiled up at him when he realised that he hadn't nodded off during his homework and that she had actually kissed him. Before he could ask her what she was playing at Ron suddenly noticed that she was looking over his shoulder.

"Hello Hermione," she said with a fixed grin on her face.

**********

Hermione Granger had felt her affection for her friend Ron Weasley grow deeper and deeper over the past few years and she was quite aware that he felt the same. However, they had skirted around the issue for such a long time that it seemed almost as if telling each other how they felt would be redundant now because, well, it was so obvious. So it was a nasty shock that met her when she entered the common room that late afternoon to find Ron locked lips with none other than Lavender Brown, the tart of Gryffindor tower.

"You know, it's not polite to ignore someone when they say hello to you," Lavender said whilst smiling at her in a rather unnerving way.

Hermione felt her school bag slip from her grasp and land on the floor with a thud. Her breathing intensified as she felt all feeling in her body fade away until she was completely numb.

"Hermione!" Ron was sounding as panicky as a little boy who'd been caught with his hand in the sweetie tin.

Hermione couldn't believe this was happening. Before her brain had time to properly digest what she was seeing she found herself running towards the girls dormitories. Just before she reached the staircase she felt Ron's hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, please," his voice was pleading with her.

"Leave me alone!" Hermione screamed back at him.

"But she kissed me. I had nothing to do with it."

"Yeah it really looked like you were fighting her off."

Hermione could feel tears pricking her eyes and decided that she just couldn't bear to look at him anymore. She knew she had to get away from him fast and so with one heavy swing of her shoulder she freed herself enough to race up the staircase leading to the girl's dormitories. She knew he couldn't follow due to the spell that had been placed on the stairs to prevent all males trying to enter the girl's bedrooms. Behind her she thought she heard Ron swear softly.

**********

"You!" Ron turned and shouted at Lavender.

"What's the matter Ronnie?" She looked at him with a gaze of innocence that Ron guessed could only have been perfected over time.

"What are playing at? Why did you kiss me?"

Lavender tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled sweetly. She sighed and started to make her way towards Ron.

"What's the big deal? It's not like you and Hermione are together or anything?"

As she raised her hand to stroke his face, Ron grabbed her arm and pushed it away from him as hard as he could. A flinch of pain appeared in Lavender's face along with a flush of red. Her embarrassment was evident along with the anger that rapidly followed.

"I don't know what you see in her anyway!" Lavender screeched. "She's nothing but an ugly, bushy haired Mudblood!"

Ron glared at her with such venom that Lavender found herself starting to back away ever so slowly.

"Just be grateful that I don't hit girls," he replied in such a low and sinister tone that Lavender was looking almost petrified.

With that she turned on her heel and hurried quickly out of the common room just as Ron's sister Ginny and his other best friend Harry Potter appeared in the doorway.

"Hey Ron," called Harry as Lavender slammed the common room shut behind them.

"Hey," Ron replied in a gloomy voice

"What's the matter?" Ginny asked.

Ron slunk down into the nearest armchair and felt as if all his energy had been drained out of him. Across the room Ginny and Harry exchanged worried looks and made their way over to him. Ginny sat down on the arm of Ron's chair as Harry stood directly in front of him.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Ginny asked again in a concerned voice.

"Everything. Hermione will probably never speak to me again," Ron replied.

"Why? What have you done now?" Harry asked.

"Nothing." Ron shrugged, "Something was done to me."

Ginny frowned and looked at Harry who was wearing a matching expression.

"What do you mean?" Ginny enquired.

"Lavender kissed me," Ron replied, his voice growing angry again.

There was a brief pause as Harry and Ginny digested this information.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked slowly.

"What do you think it means? She kissed me!"

Ron was in quite a state by this point. Harry and Ginny were looking at each other as if Ron had gone quite mad.

"When? Where? Why?" Ginny asked all at once.

"A few minutes ago, over by the fireplace and on the lips, and don't ask me why. Maybe she was deliberately trying to annoy Hermione. It's not like I wanted her to do it," Ron replied.

"Hermione saw this?" Harry asked.

"Yes," was all Ron could say before slumping down onto the table in front of him. His head was now hidden from view between his arms.

He felt Ginny's hand on his back and heard her say something that he couldn't quite make out due to the fact his ears were covered by his arms. As he looked up he noticed Ginny exchanging glances with Harry, who was in fact smiling. Ron had no clue as to why his best friend seemed to be enjoying his pain. Then he thought that perhaps he was smiling at whatever it was that Ginny had said. He turned to his sister and she too and a small smile on her face.

"What did you say? What's so funny?" Ron demanded of his sister.

"I asked you why Hermione was so annoyed that you were kissing Lavender?"

Ron couldn't believe his ears. Were they blind and stupid?

"First of all she kissed me and second, I would have thought it was obvious as to why Hermione is upset," Ron replied angrily.

"Well, alright, we do know, but you two haven't really talked about this thing between you," Harry answered. "Maybe it's time you two just had 'The Talk'."

Ron looked and felt confused. He was sure that most of the time 'The Talk' meant someone telling someone else about the facts of life. Surely his best friend wasn't telling him to talk to Hermione about sex, or have someone talk to them both about it.

"What do you mean 'The Talk'?" Ron questioned Harry.

"You know, talk to each other about how you both feel."

Ron sighed with relief. If he had had to listen to the same speech his mother had given him five years ago then he needed advance warning in which to pull his ears off so he couldn't hear her. Especially if Hermione was to be there as well. After this moment of relief passed he suddenly realised what it was Harry was telling him to do.

"You want me to tell Hermione how I feel about her?"

"Well, yes. It's so obvious how you two feel, I don't know why you haven't actually discussed it yet," Harry was saying as if this was the most natural thing in the world to do.

For a moment Ron considered choking his best friend but after a few more seconds he decided that he was probably right. Ron had put this off for such a long time and had been hoping that Hermione would just save him the bother of confronting the issue by instigating their relationship in some way. He had fantasised many times about Hermione telling him that she couldn't live without him and then snogging him senseless. Of course his fantasises usually progressed to a conveniently empty dormitory or classroom but he wasn't about to admit what took place there to anyone.

"I guess you're right," sighed Ron.

"Of course he's right," Ginny responded.

"Well I can't talk to her now. I can't get up the girl's staircase let alone into their dorms," Ron replied.

"That's alright, I'll go and see if I can get her to come down," Ginny answered.

With that, Ginny turned and walked off towards the girl's dormitories. Ron groaned.

**********

Hermione was lying on her bed with her head propped up in her hands. Tears were still occasionally trickling from her eyes. "Stop it," she thought, "he's not worth it you silly girl!" No matter how hard she scolded herself for her behaviour she just couldn't get the hurt and shock out of her system. How could he have been kissing Lavender? Ron was supposed to be with her, not that tart. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. For a moment she thought it was Ron, but then remembered that he couldn't have reached the top of the stairs and she would have heard the spell kick into action if he had tried.

"Who is it?" Hermione called whilst trying to wipe her eyes dry.

"It's Ginny," came the reply.

Hermione sat up on her bed and rubbed at her eyes fiercely to try to get rid of any tears or tear stains. Ron had obviously told Ginny about the incident in the common room and had asked her to come up to try and get Hermione to forgive him.

"Come in," Hermione called in the direction of the door.

The door opened slowly and Ginny appeared in the room. She closed the door behind her gently and she smiled in what appeared to be a sympathetic manner. She walked over to Hermione and sat down next to her on the bed.

"I suppose he told you about him and Lavender," Hermione said trying to sound as if she didn't care.

"He told me what happened," Ginny replied. "There is no him and Lavender."

Hermione sighed deeply to try to prevent more tears from appearing.

"I know what you saw, but I know for a fact that Ron doesn't have feelings for that trollop," Ginny continued with a spiteful emphasis on the last word

"How would you know that?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shook her head and smiled.

"Because he's crazy about you silly."

Hermione snorted. If Ginny had seen what had been going on downstairs she wouldn't be sat here trying to make excuses for brother, she'd be joining in her outrage. She had thought Ron cared for her too until about twenty minutes ago. Sure, he was trying to make excuses but that didn't mean that he hadn't been in the wrong.

"Did he tell you that Lavender kissed him and that he had done nothing wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Yes and I believe him. He's so miserable downstairs, please come down and talk to him," Ginny pleaded.

Hermione stood up and walk away towards the window. Upon reaching her destination she stopped and shook her head slowly.

"It hurts Ginny. It shouldn't do," Hermione said sadly. "It's not like I really have any claim over him but it still hurts."

"I know," was all Ginny could say, "but he wants to talk to you and personally I think it's about time."

Hermione turned and threw her friend a puzzled look.

"About time for what?"

"It's about time you two discussed your feelings," Ginny replied.

"You mean about how much I hate him right now?" Hermione asked bitterly.

Ginny shook her head and stood up. She headed towards the exit and when she reached the door she turned around to face Hermione.

"You don't mean that," Ginny replied. "He wants to tell you how he feels and I think you should give him a chance. It's up to you, but if you come down I guarantee you won't go to bed miserable tonight."

Ginny turned back to the door, opened it and left. Hermione was left alone again wondering what she should do. If she went downstairs would everything really work out for the best? She flopped back down on her bed and tried hard not to cry as she felt the tears trying to break through. After laying there for a few more minutes feeling sorry for herself, she realised what had to be done.

**********

It had been ten minutes since Ginny had emerged from the girl's dormitories and Ron was starting to worry that Hermione wouldn't be coming down any time soon, not that he really had a clue about what he'd say to her if she did. Ginny and Harry were discussing Quidditch, or at least Ron thought it's what they were talking about, as he wasn't really listening.

"I hear you want to talk to me."

Ron looked up and found himself staring into Hermione's eyes from across the room. Ginny and Harry had stopped talking and were just staring at them both.

"So Harry, you want to show me that thing you were talking about?" Ginny was asking.

"Sure, the thing," Harry replied.

With that they got up and walked quickly out of the room, but not before Ginny had passed her brother and whispered the words "good luck" to him. Ron stood up from the armchair he had been sitting in and walked towards where Hermione was standing.

"I didn't think you were going to come down," Ron said when he reached her. "Do you want to sit down?"

Hermione simply nodded and headed towards the nearest group of chairs. She sat down and sighed whilst Ron sat down next to her.

"So how are we going to begin this?" Hermione asked.

"Not sure exactly," Ron replied.

They sat for a minute in silence as they worked up the courage to speak.

"Ok, I'll start," Ron spoke after he realised that sitting in silence really wasn't going to achieve anything. "Why were you so upset when you saw Lavender kissing me?"

Hermione looked shocked and shook her head ever so slightly.

"You know perfectly well why Ronald," she replied angrily.

"Well technically I do but, well, don't you find it odd that we've never said anything really to each other about how we feel?" he retorted.

Hermione tilted her head slightly to the right as if she was considering the question very carefully.

"I suppose," she said after a moment's pause. "It's not just up to me though."

"I know, I'm just as guilty," he responded.

Ron reached forward and put his hand on one of Hermione's that was resting on the armrest of her chair.

"I love you," her said suddenly.

He knew that he had caught her by surprise by the startled expression on her face. Slowly but surely a small smile then began to appear on her lips.

"I just had to say that now in case I chicken out later," he continued. "I know I'm not Harry or even remotely as brave as he is. No, let me finish."

Hermione had begun to interrupt him and Ron had a suspicion he knew the reason. He had just belittled himself and he knew that whenever he did this Hermione would have a go at him, but Ron didn't feel like he was putting himself down this time, because he felt that he was just telling the truth.

"I know you think I'm being silly but I do want you to hear this. I may not be the hero but when I'm around you, none of that matters to me." He sighed before continuing. "I'm not very brave, but you make me feel as if I could do almost anything and I love you for it."

**********

Hermione couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. Ron had told her he loved her twice. She had played this scene out in her head a million times but the reality was definitely better. The only problem was Ron kept putting himself down and she kept wondering why it was that he couldn't see just how wonderful he was. She could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes again but for a different reason that the last time they were there.

"I love you too Ron," she answered after taking a moment to digest all the information. "But just let me tell you a few things. You are the most wonderful person I know and you make me feel so happy when I'm around you."

Hermione shifted in her seat as she continued to talk.

"You're right, you're not Harry, but that works out great because I don't fancy him in the slightest."

"I should hope not," Ron smiled.

"And you're also right about not being the wizarding world's hero either but so what?" Hermione asked as she leant closer to him. "You may not be their hero but you'll always be mine."

Hermione could see the blush creeping into Ron's ears and down into his face. She could also tell from the warm feeling on her face that she was probably looking fairly similar. They sat there for a minute exchanging shy glances before Ron suddenly stood up and pulled Hermione up with him. He smiled down at her as his hands slid around her waist. Hermione became fully aware of what was going to happen, or at least she thought she was.

"Good night then," Ron said as he removed himself from her.

This was not quite what Hermione had had in mind.

"Is that it?" she asked suddenly feeling quite angry. "You're not getting away with that."

Hermione suddenly threw herself into his arms once more, stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his. After a couple of minutes, she pulled back and looked up into Ron's blushing face.

"I knew I could get you to make the first move," he said.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Well it's what I fantasise about," he continued, "you kissing me first."

Hermione moved to hit him on the shoulder but found Ron's hand catching it before she touched him. He leant down and kissed her and she soon lost all interest in beating him up. As they parted Hermione smiled up at him.

"I'm glad we had this talk," she said. "I wouldn't mind knowing what else you fantasise about though."

"Would you now?" Ron smiled back at her.

Hermione wasn't sure if she was really ready to listen to any type of fantasies Ron Weasley was having about her, but all she knew was that they probably weren't any worse than hers.