Mirrored Musings

He looked at his image in the mirror and grunted in dissatisfaction.

Ron's hair was a bit disheveled, as usual; the long, startlingly red locks giving him a shaggy appearance. It stuck up in odd ways, and as he got more and more frustrated with it, he began to redden in that embarrassing and shocking fashion that was his hallmark. Frustrated, he just tied his hair up in a pony tail in a poor imitation of Bill.

His second-hand dress robes were also wrinkled. No matter how much he fussed with them, he could not seem to get them properly arranged. He had grown out of the fine dress robes that Fred and George had given him two years ago, so it was back to using his older brothers' clothing again.

As he studied himself in the mirror, he noted with disdain the freckles that had been so utterly shocking to him for his entire life. Even when he unfocused his eyes a bit, he could not make them fade into his blurred reflection.

And he was getting so tall, that Ron felt ever more ungainly and awkward. The dress robes that he was currently wearing were a hand-me-down from Bill, who was the only Weasley approaching Ron's size anymore, and the robes were a little high on the ankles.

Despite his height, Ron knew that he did not cut an imposing figure by any means. Any person studying the Weasleys would know who the baby boy of the group was. Ron still retained the skinny appearance of youth, as opposed to the strong appearance of a full-grown man. That would not come to full fruition for several more years.

He had attempted to exercise this summer in order to gain some size. Despite his efforts, if Ron had acquired even a single muscle, he had missed it somehow.

Ron sighed and felt his insecurity mount. "It will have to do tonight," he thought.

Because tonight was the night that Ron Weasley was going to pluck up the courage to ask Hermione Granger to dance. At least once.

*********************************

She looked at her image in the mirror and grunted in dissatisfaction.

Over the last hour, Ginny had put on mini wrestling match with Hermione's long tresses, as well as several liters of Sleek-Easy Potion. Hermione's hair was just not going to lay down straight no matter what. While it no longer resembled the bushy mass with which she usually had to contend, it was still unusually full and difficult to manage.

Her dress made Hermione a bit uncomfortable as it fit much more snugly than the dress robes to which she had grown accustomed. It was very form-fitting. She had decided to wear a muggle-style gown since her parents had been invited to the wedding tonight and Hermione did not want them to feel completely out of place and odd amongst all of the wizarding attire. Hermione could already hear Ron snickering at her unusual outfit.

As she studied herself in the mirror, she saw her plain brown eyes that were perhaps a bit large for her face. She had always wished for eyes that did something besides look like lumps of melted chocolate.

She turned sideways to study her curves in the mirror, and felt that she would have to study for a long time to find any. The snug dress revealed what appeared to be a very modest bosom. She could not be called buxom or voluptuous by any means.

In truth, she felt that she had little, if anything, that would attract a boy's notice just then.

Hermione sighed as she studied herself in the mirror one more time. "Hopefully," she thought, "I can get a certain wizard boy to notice something tonight."

Because tonight was the night that Hermione Granger was going to make Ron Weasley dance with her. At least once.

**********************************

As Hermione came down the steps at the Burrow, she saw Ron standing in conversation with Bill and Mr. Weasley.

Hermione felt her heart speed up when she saw Ron.

He was in a pair of finely cut, if older, dress robes. They hung about him smartly, and gave him the appearance of maturity and competence.

He was so tall! Ron actually had to look down a bit in order to talk to his father and brother, who were each impressively tall in their own right.

Ron had obviously been exercising this summer, and the dress robes accentuated his broadening shoulders and thickening chest. Hermione imagined the heavier build that a few years would add to his seventeen-year-old physique, and suddenly realized that Ron would be a physically imposing man in the near future.

For once, Ron's hair did not look disheveled, but was pulled back in a neat pony tail. It gave him the nonchalant, rakish look of his eldest brother. Something about wearing his hair in such a manner drew attention away from his normally spotty, but adorable, appearance.

As he stood there speaking seriously with his older brother and his father, he looked responsible and adult. He did not wear his normal boyish and flippant expression.

"My goodness!" thought Hermione, feeling awkward suddenly as she continued down the steps. "He is so handsome!"

************************************

Ron looked up from his conversation with his brother and father and saw Hermione coming down the steps.

He felt his throat tighten at the sight of her.

She was wearing a form-fitting muggle gown that adhered to her in flows of shimmering fabric. While she walked down the steps, the wispy material accentuating the swell of her breasts, and the curve of her hips and her bottom. Her slender frame held the youth and vigor of her age, but showed the woman that she had become.

Ron decided at that moment that he would hope Hermione wore a muggle dress every time they attended any kind of formal function.

Hermione's face was flushed as she watched her step coming down the stairs. Her wonderfully expressive brown eyes shimmered like dark mirrors catching light from all corners of the room. The light in her eyes always seemed to swirl and flash like fairies on display.

And her hair! Her hair hung around her in luxurious curls, with light dancing about the edges in time to the light dancing on her eyes. The long tresses undulated around her like the swells of an enchanted sea; the chestnut waves broke upon the smooth skin of her delicate neck and shoulders.

"Blimey!" thought Ron, attempting to keep his mouth from dropping open. "She is so beautiful!"