Switched

Chapter Six:

A New Perspective

Hermione froze, and clamped a hand over Ron's open mouth.

"We wish you a merry Christmas... bah."

Ron's eyes grew wide, but Hermione shot him a silencing look. That was Snape's voice.

Once she was certain he would keep quiet, she slowly lowered her hand to rest it on Ron's shoulder. The moonstone was lighting the closet in an unnatural glow, and Hermione could see Ron beginning to panic as he struggled to hold onto a handful of the Jobberknoll feathers.

Hermione had never realized how small the cupboard was until now. She needed to think fast. If Snape opened that door, he would be enraged to see Ron and Hermione stealing his supplies. She remembered Draco's words of wisdom from earlier that evening, and swallowed thickly. It was beginning to look like that was their only option. But first, Hermione needed to hide the moonstone.

With no pockets available, she did not have a lot of choice. Feeling a blush creep to her cheeks, she ripped open her school shirt and stuffed the moonstone into her bra, well aware that Ron was looking right at her chest. Now they needed to do something about those feathers.

Leaving her shirt, Hermione slid her hands downwards to meet Ron's. If he let go of the feathers, they'd be tickled like mad, and Snape would surely find them. Pressed up against him, Hermione whispered in Ron's ear.

"The feathers don't tickle if you can't see them," she whispered.

Ron's eyes searched hers, not understanding this revelation.

"We need to put them somewhere," Hermione continued. But then the cupboard door-handle rattled, and Hermione panicked. Guiding Ron's hands, she forced the feathers into the first place she could think of - his pants. Ron turned crimson as she shoved the feathers away, her fingertips grazing his flat stomach. Hastily she removed her hands, eyes avoiding Ron's.

"Severus Snape. Why did you leave the party?" A new voice rang out - Tonks. That bought them some time.

Hermione tried to shift her weight so she wasn't right next to Ron, but only managed to rub herself against him. Neither knew where to put their hands, they were standing so close.

"Let me help you with that robe." Tonks sounded dangerously close. Hermione held her breath, pressing into the corner against Ron. She was suddenly aware that her heart was pounding - and so was his. And her shirt was still wide open. Next to her, Ron was breathing heavily. For the first time, Hermione was completely aware of every part of her body, from her breasts that were pressed up against Ron's chest; to the tingling area between her legs. Suddenly Ron's hands rushed downwards, brushing past Hermione's nipples so that her breath caught in her throat. He strained away from her, wanting to disguise his obvious arousal.

Hermione looked into his bright blue eyes, searching. They needed a plan to avoid getting in trouble, and there was only one option available to them now. Hermione licked her lips.

"Any ideas?" His breath was hot on her neck.

"We have to make it look like we were making out," Hermione said, aware that she'd dreamed of this moment many times before.

Ron nodded, looking very nervous.

Hermione slid her hands up his chest and got to work on his shirt. Ron slipped his hands around behind her, pulling her slightly closer. Hermione could feel his excitement pressing against her now, and she realized that she was longing to slip her hands down Ron's trousers. She scolded herself for thinking such thoughts about her best friend, but could not shake the image on her hands on Ron's body - and his on her own. She shivered, his shirt now undone, revealing his smooth, freckled chest and sprinklings of ginger hair.

"What I need is you." The closet door shut as two bodies pressed up against it. Hermione could hear Tonks and Snape kissing, and under normal circumstances she would've been disgusted - but these circumstances were hardly normal.

She slid her hands up Ron's arms, letting them rest on his shoulders so she could pull herself up to his height. He bent his head towards her, and she saw something in his eyes that she'd never seen before. He was looking at her the way he looked at Fleur all those years ago, with a kind of animal lust that made her heart jump.

Their lips met gently at first, and then Hermione opened her mouth and let her tongue explore. Ron followed her lead, his hands wandering up her skirt. Hermione was in shock that this was even happening. It felt amazing. He tasted sweet, and ran his hands over her breasts with unexpected tenderness. Hermione knew she couldn't release the feathers that were conveniently hidden in Ron's trousers, but ran her hands over his groin just the same. Ron moaned into her mouth, kissing her deeply. His lips found her neck as their bodies pressed together, and Hermione had to swallow a moan of delight.

In ecstasy, Hermione forgot that they were in the cupboard, and forgot about Tonks and Snape. She was lost in her moment with Ron, his hands on her body, his tongue in her mouth. Trembling from pleasure, she almost didn't hear the cupboard door open. Almost.

"What the fuck?"

Hermione didn't want the moment to end, but Tonk's drunken cheering brought her back to reality. Ron tore away from her and she stumbled back, frantically trying to cover herself up as he did the same.

"Professors," she managed. She glanced in Ron's direction, wondering if their friendship could ever be the same again. Even now she longed to be in his arms.

"Professors, we, uh..." Ron stammered.

Cursing Harry and Draco, Hermione cast Snape a wary look. Surely this was it. They were both expelled.

"Look. Let's just pretend none of this happened, all right? You two leave - now - and do not speak a word of this to anyone, and I'll forget you were down here at all," Snape said.

Glancing at Ron in disbelief, together they dashed away from Snape and Tonks. Once out in the hallway, Hermione felt a fleeting moment of joy to not be expelled before remembering Harry and Draco. Those two had a lot of explaining to do.

* * * *

Hermione and Ron walked back to the Gryffindor tower hand-in-hand. When they arrived at the portrait of The Fat Lady, Hermione hesitated, wanting to say something.

When her eyes met Ron's, however, she lost her train of thought. She'd never realized what a striking blue they were, or how gorgeous his hair looked when all ruffled. Her breath caught once more, and Hermione's heart began to race. She'd felt things for Ron before, but never anything like this. She wanted to be in his arms, snogging him like mad.

"We'll talk in the morning?" Ron asked.

Hermione nodded. "Your trousers."

"Huh?" Ron went violently pink, hands on his groin.

Hermione couldn't help but giggle. "The feathers. I need to charm them so they won't tickle."

Ron moved his hands, eying Hermione warily.

"Um, could you, uh, undo them?" Hermione readied her wand.

Ron shakily unzipped his pants, carefully keeping the feathers inside. Hermione stepped closer, wanting only to touch Ron's warm skin once more. Banishing such thoughts from her head, she mumbled the charm and pointed her wand at the feathers. Ron winced slightly, jumping back when Hermione reached to gather the feathers up.

"Let me," he said. He pulled them out quickly, and shoved them in Hermione's hands. "I, erm, have to get to bed. Night, Mione."

As Hermione watched Ron dash away from her, she wondered if she'd scared him away. Surely he didn't feel the same about her? She'd wondered - on more than one occasion - if Ron didn't have a crush on her. But now that the feelings were mutual, could it be that his desires had changed?

Wishing only to climb into bed, Hermione entered the common room - only to run right into Ginny Weasley.

"What happened? Did you get the ingredients?" She asked.

Hermione handed over the feathers without a word. Then she fished out the stone, thankful that the common room was empty.

"And what was up with my brother when you got back? He ran upstairs like his pants were on fire," Ginny said.

For a split second, Hermione wondered if she'd caused Ron to get "happy in the pants" again, but was certain that this wasn't the case. The closet had been a mistake. He didn't like her. And however she felt about him, they were only friends.

"We were almost caught. But we worked it out," Hermione said.

"What did you do?" Ginny asked, blocking Hermione's path upstairs. "And why do you look so dishevelled?"

Hermione couldn't stop herself from going crimson.

"What happened?" Ginny insisted.

"We had to pretend we were in there making out so Snape wouldn't know we were stealing," Hermione said.

"Whoa. So you two kissed?" Ginny looked amazed.

"We did," Hermione sighed.

"And?" Ginny asked.

"And what?" Hermione sat down in the nearest armchair, rubbing her eyes.

"Is anything different between you two now? Did Ron say anything?" Ginny asked.

"Not really. I don't think anything's changed," Hermione said.

"So you're still friends?" Ginny wondered.

"I guess so." Hermione sank back into the chair, eyes on the fire.

"Hermione, Ron has had a crush on you since third year. Are you trying to tell me that after everything you two have been through, he's still only a friend to you?" Ginny sat down beside her.

"I don't know. I don't think so," Hermione said.

"So things have changed," Ginny said.

"I guess so. I mean, I looked at him just now, before we came in, and it was like I was seeing something more than I saw earlier tonight. Like a switch had been flicked somewhere. And instead of being a friend, suddenly Ron was the only person I could ever imagine myself being with," Hermione whispered.**

Ginny was beaming. "They say the best relationships are rooted in friendship."

Hermione managed a small smile. "You think Ron likes me?"

"I know he does." Ginny stood up. "Get some sleep, Hermione. Tomorrow you'd better sit Ron down and talk to him about this, or so help me, I will. It's about time you two were together."

"Thanks Gin." Hermione rose.

"By the way, what happened to Harry and Draco?" Ginny asked as they walked upstairs.

"I dunno. I think Harry's hiding something from us. Something big. We need to get him talking," Hermione said.

"Another mission for tomorrow, then. We'll figure something out." Ginny opened the door to her room. "Night, Hermione."

"Night Ginny." Hermione trudged up the remainder of the stairs, heart fluttering despite her exhaustion. Somehow she knew that pleasant dreams would greet her tonight.