In the Name of Love

Ch4: The Feelings Mutual

There was only the deafening noise in Hermione's ears.

As people started to congratulate her one after the other, Hermione couldn't help but smile weakly, even though her stomach felt like it had been hit with a ton of bricks. I can't let on that I know this is fake, someone in this room maybe the one who pulled the prank, she thought grimly. Ron seemed to stand outside the celebratory circle, which had formed around Hermione. He hadn't muttered a word. Hermione desperately tried to catch his eye, but he seemed to be looking at the rug, apparently very taken with its intricate, woven design.

No, no, no! Not like this... groaned Hermione inwardly. At that very moment she saw Harry come in through the opening in the wall. As expected he made his way to the circle, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Oh hey, Harry! Eh, ... how was your meeting?" quipped Ron, his voice a mite too high pitched. He seemed glad to have Harry there.

"It was fine, nothing too important. What's going on?" inquired Harry, upon seeing the ring sitting on the table. He was wearing a most confusing expression on his face.

'Hermione's just been proposed to!" Romilda Vane seemed to pop out of nowhere, literally pushing up against Harry. Hermione could have sworn she saw Harry stand motionless. Probably just uncomfortable with Romilda practically breathing down his neck, thought Hermione. Harry's green eyes immediately darted to Ron, whose own blue ones were still engrossed with the rug. . However his expression had changed. Red around the ears, his blue eyes darkened.

Grabbing the ring off the table, she quietly slipped out of the crowd. She made her way to the floor cushions near the window. Harry and Ron followed her. They all sat down, and after a few seconds of awkward silence and looking at each other, Harry was the first one to break the silence.

"Congratulations, Hermione." Harry's voice was all warm and happy. Hermione felt glad that Harry was happy for her, even though she knew she had to end this little charade now.

Before Hermione could open her mouth to tell them that it was an impostor, Ron muttered, half under his breath, " Yeh, Congratulations Herm-own-ninny. May you and that giant Bavarian oaf produce many, many ogre babies."

Hermione closed her mouth. She felt like she had been slapped hard. Knowing the raging and roaring feeling too well, she retorted before she could stop herself.

"He's Bulgarian, Ronald," she responded, her voice icy. "But then again someone with your intellect and memory would forget that. No, no, all we seem to be functioned to remember is how many times Lavender makes kissy faces at us!"

Ron immediately turned an ugly shade of purple, to Hermione's smug satisfaction.

The truth can wait! Who does he think he is??

"At least both of us know the difference between spelling 'still' and 'steel'," spat back Ron. " And oh what lovely eyebrows the KIDS will have! As big as dung beetles I reckon!"

Hermione felt the hot tears sting her eye. Through her blurred vision she saw Harry's ashen face.

"Ron know what? You're just jealous of Krum aren't you? What are your goalie stats again? Oh yes, other houses 10 million to Ronald Bilius Weasley's 0!!!"

"Sod off, Hermione!" shrieked back a livid Ron. He had completely gone from purple to red in a matter of mere seconds. He got up, not caring that the people present in the common room were staring at him. He strode across the common room, his robes flashing behind him. When he got up everyone pretended to be oh-so-interested in the curtains, or the upside down books in front of him or her, or whatever else served as ample distraction. And within two seconds Ron Weasley had left the room.

Hermione had not seen him leave. No she was staring out the window, too upset to notice anything else. She had almost forgotten Harry was there.

"What? " she snapped, when she caught Harry staring at her openmouthed.

"Nothing, Hermione... it's just... well you know that Ron's been trying hard. That was a very low blow..." Harry didn't dare finish the sentence for fear of being hit over the head with Hermione's Rune's book. He quietly took out his Potions book and appeared to be lost in it.

Hermione knew it. She knew it well. Which is exactly why she had used that as an attack. But now she began to feel horrible. She had hurt Ron. And just because he had made fun of her and ...well...

It suddenly dawned on her. Yes, what he said hurt me, more so than ever before. But if he reacted so violently to Krum's proposal...well that might actually mean...

________________________________________________________________

Before she could ponder on it anymore, her thoughts were interrupted by a fit of giggles. Looking around for the source she soon found it. Sure enough Ginny Weasley and her friend Andrea Hawthorne were looking at her, but immediately saw Hermione's annoyed gaze and looked away.

Wait a minute! She took out the letter, and muttered a spell.

*Originisus Epistulus*

The letter writer's name appeared on the bottom of the page.

Ginevra Molly Weasley

She got up and charged over to Ginny. Ginny looked up with her innocent, brown eyes, at the towering figure that was Hermione Granger.

"Ginny, dear, May I have a word with you please?" Hermione said through gritted teeth, smiling fiercely.

"Sure, Hermy," Ginny got up with a teasing smile on her face.

Ginny followed her outside the common room, out back into the hallway. Once outside, away from prying eyes and Extendable Ears, Hermione grabbed Ginny's shoulders.

"Okay then, what's the big idea?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Hermione..." came back the lilting, innocent reply.

"Oh bloody hell Ginny, 'fess up! I know you wrote the letter and sent the package!"

"You can't prove it!" Ginny smiled back smugly.

"Well I can't prove it. But I can very well owl all your brothers and tell them of your little night time escapades to the Astronomy tower!"

"You can't prove a thing Hermione!" The reply was somewhat shaky.

"Try me..."

And to Hermione's satisfaction, Ginny caved.

"Ok, fine! Yes I sent the letter. Nothing to get your panties in a twist about!"

"Why?" Hermione was actually curious.

"Have you sensed the sexual tension between you and my brother?" snorted Ginny. "I've known him forever Hermione. He fancies you and would snog you if he knew how to! I just did this to kind of provoke him into telling you how he feels. He would never show how he feels unless he is forced to or shell shocked like that!"

A slight pause.

" Plus it was a lot of fun to see him blow up like that! Not to mention you and him having a go at it! I could just see it! 'When Provoked Hormonal Teenagers Attack!'"

"What?" said Hermione, thoroughly confused.

Ginny shrugged. "American joke I guess. You won't get it. Andrea told me about it."

" Okay. Err... " Hermione swallowed.

Ginny shrugged. "Forget about it."

"Where did you get the ring?"

"Oh that? Not real diamond. A damn good imitation isn't it? Fred and George's new product. Testing it out for them"

"Ah I see. Anyways, Ginny, I would appreciate it if you would keep this under wraps. I mean I don't want people knowing about this..."

"No problem, Hermione. You don't tell my family about the Astronomy tower thing, I won't tell anyone about ickle Ronniekins and you."

Hermione immediately blushed. "I have to go see Hannah about the next Prefect's meeting." She hurried away, feeling Ginny's brown eyes on her.

She knew where he was.

She gathered up her nerves.

Hermione, you must do this. If not now, then never!

It's time. Its finally time.

"And then she came up from behind me, and pushed me into the vat of Snake Guts. Oh the nerve..."

"Myrtle would you shut up?! Stop your bloody sniveling!"

Ron couldn't take it anymore. He had been sitting in one of the stalls, trying to drown out Myrtle's endless wailing about how she had been pushed into different vats for the short duration that had been her life.

Really, she needs some bloody closure! Move on and all that!

" Oh! Sure! Make fun of the fact that I have no blood! You boys are so wicked and mean!"

Ron heard it before he felt it. A sudden swoosh and then the sound of water splashing everywhere, before he felt some of the water wet his feet.

Then he heard the door swing open.

Great! For all I know it's Peeves.

He was completely still, and then he heard her voice.

"Ron. Ron, are you in here? Please come out, I need to talk to you."

Ron instantly felt his insides coil up. What's she doing here?

He got up and came out of his stall. He saw Hermione's back turned to him.

"What do you want? Came to hand me your wedding card personally?"

Hermione turned round to look at him. Even now, despite his anger, Ron couldn't help but feel weak at the knees. To his surprise there were no cards in her hand, or anger in her soft, brown eyes.

"No, Ron," Her voice was gentle. " Just came to tell you that I'm sorry about saying... well you know what I mean...'

Ron was caught off guard. "It's okay Hermione. Yeah, I'm sorry too. I should be happy for you. Krum... Krum's a good guy. He'll make you happy." Ron sighed and looked up at her, forcing a smile.

"Do you really mean that Ron?"

"Well I suppose if you're truly happy with Krum and as long as he loves you...and you ..." Ron couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"Krum didn't send me the letter or the ring, Ron."

Ron wheeled around to face Hermione, his eyes agog. Hermione looked misty eyed and was smiling.

"Who did then? It wasn't Krum?" He felt his heart soar. " Are you sure?"

Hermione nodded her head slowly. "Ginny told me she sent it. I checked."

"But why?" Ron was puzzled. What did Ginny have against Hermione?

"Ron. Don't you see why?"

Hermione had moved closer to him as she spoke those words. He could smell Hermione's flowery scent. He wanted nothing more than to hold her close to him.

Before he could do or say anything, Hermione reached up, locked her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. Ron at first was shocked, but then he found himself kissing back with all his pent up passion. He wrapped his arms around her waist, while Hermione's fingers snaked through his fiery, red mane.

His head screamed. Is this happening? This ... is real?

An inside voice roared out. Shut up you fucking git! Hermione Granger just kissed you!

But before the kiss could deepen more and lead to something else, Hermione slowly pulled away. Her face was flushed, but she looked more alive and happy than ever.

"Hermione... Not that I didn't like it..." began Ron tentatively," But what was that?"

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Ron, I love you. Always have, and always will."

The emotions those three little words unleashed in Ron were in one word: rapture. He hugged her, and buried his face in her hair.

"Hermione. I know I act dumb, and yes I have been mean to you and all that... but I want you to know... I love you. I cannot think of being with any other girl but you. You make me want to be a better person. The best person. Because... well because I-I... think you deserve nothing less than the best."

Throughout Ron's little revelation, Hermione's eyes, which were brimming, overflowed with tears of happiness. Ron took her face in his hand and slowly and softly kissed her. Both of them were lost in a world where only they existed.