Especially For You

CHAPTER TWELVE: THE ACCIDENT

HERMIONE'S ROOM

'Just place them on the bed,' said Hermione once they were done cleaning the twins up and dressing them in their nightdresses.

'OK,' said Ron, shaking his head a little to get rid of the bath bubbles that was on his hair while holding Jackie and Cheska. Hermione saw this. She grabbed a towel and then rubbed it off. He smiled at her. 'Thanks.'

'No problem,' replied Hermione while arranging the bed. 'Here.'

Ron laid the twins on the bed but Cheska sat up again and then climbed off the bed. 'Where are you going?' he asked, bending down and holding on to his daughter's dress.

The baby just smiled and then continued on walking. She walked towards a huge baby bag and then grabbed "The Baby's Story Book". She climbed on the bed again, before handing it to Hermione.

Hermione smiled at Ron and then placed herself in between her daughters, before reading "The Three Little Pigs." 'Once upon a time,' she began, as her daughters snuggled closer to her. 'There was a mother who---'

Ron was about to sit on a chair but Jackie stood up and then pulled Ron next to her. He sat on the bed as Jackie snuggled closer to him.

Hermione just smiled. 'A mother who had three little pigs,' she continued.

Ron just stared at her as she continued on reading the story expressively. The twins would gasp every time the wolf was huffing and puffing. He couldn't help but smile. A few minutes later...

'And the third little pig lived happily ever after,' concluded Hermione, looking at the now sleeping twins. She kissed their foreheads and then whispered, 'The end.' She knew that Ron was staring at her but she didn't mind. As a matter of fact, she was kind of enjoying it. She crawled carefully from the bed and then tucked Cheska in bed, leaving enough space for her in between the twins.

She turned around and saw that he was still staring at her, which made her feel uncomfortable. 'What's your problem, Ron?' she asked.

Ron just gave her a goofy grin while shaking his head. He looked down to the sleeping Cheska and then gently let go of her before standing up and tucking her under the blankets.

'Nothing,' he replied, 'I just wanted to look at you---them. I just wanted to look at them.'

Hermione shrugged but smiled once her back was on him. 'So,' she said, walking towards the door.

'So,' said Ron as well, walking after her.

'It's time for you to go then,' said Hermione, looking up to his 6'4 figure. 'Goodnight.'

'Yes, yes, of course,' said Ron, even though he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay here... with them... with her.

An awkward silence followed. Hermione reached for the doorknob and then opened it for him. 'So,' she said again, 'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight,' said Ron, smiling. Their eyes locked. He slowly and awkwardly leaned closer to give her a kiss. But he changed direction so that his lips would touch her cheeks, instead of her pretty pink lips.

She smiled back as he walked out the door. She closed the door and then leaned on it, sighing.

*******

RON'S ROOM

Ron dropped on his bed, sighing. What is going on with him? Great Merlin! Ever since she came back, he has never had his mind straight. This can't be! He's over her. He is over her. He--is--over--her.

He stood up and then walked back and forth, looking edgy. But stopped when he saw Hermione walking towards the beach on his window.

'What is she doing?' he said, peeping through his curtains. He turned around and then walked towards his bathroom. He washed his face, brushed his teeth and then sprayed on his Polo Sport cologne. He took a deep breath, took one last look on the mirror and then went outside, to the beach.

*******

THE BEACH

The waves were washing up onto the gorgeous white sand as the silver moonlight light up her face. Ron just watched as Hermione took of her flip-flops, before sitting down. She hugged her legs and rested her chin on her knees. He ran his hand through his hair and then slowly walked towards her, pretending that he was there by accident.

'Hello,' he greeted, trying to sound "natural" while looking at her back. 'I knew that that was you!'

Hermione's eyes widened upon hearing his voice. Good heavens! Just when she thought that she could relax, he suddenly appears! What has he done to her? She's acting crazy again! Her heart started beating three times the normal heartbeat per minute. It's happening all over again! Oh no... This is crazy...

She forced herself to look up to him and then smiled. Great Merlin! He's so bloody cute and... he smells so good! She immediately went back to staring at the dark sea. What should she say? Why didn't I even brush my hair before going out?! Oh my God! This isn't good... I'm talking to myself again! 'It's me.'

Ron sighed. 'Can't sleep?' he asked, trying to break the ice. 'I can't sleep too. If you don't mind, can I sit here and join you?'

'Suit yourself,' she said, taking a deep breath. Oh my gosh! He's sitting beside me! Why am I acting like this? What's the big deal if he sits beside me? Everybody knows we've done more than just sit beside each other! I shouldn't be nervous!

'So,' said Ron, sitting down one foot away from her. 'What are you doing?'

'Thinking,' she sighed. She looked at him. 'I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.' Be cool, Hermione. Calm down...

'Really,' said Ron. 'So have I---'

'About what?' she asked, grabbing her Vogue magazine. It's just Ron. Be cool.

'Just stuffs,' he replied. 'Stuffs that has been happening. Nothing really important---' Yeah, right, Ron!

'I see,' she replied and then chuckled. 'Here you are!'

'Where?' he said, moving closer to her.

'Fascinating, Ron,' said Hermione brightly. Great Merlin, he's moving closer...Take it easy... 'So, in this edition of Vogue, you are here modeling Louis Vuitton with what's her name? At the same time, you are modeling Fendi with Kate Moss.'

'Mini Anden,' he replied.

'Wow,' she said breathlessly. 'You are waaaay over the top. I feel like I can't reach you anymore.' You are doing good...

'No. Don't say that. I'm still the same old tall and gangly Ron.'

'I don't think so,' she said playfully, flipping the pages again. 'How did it happen anyway?' Very good, Hermione!

'Well,' he began, leaning back a little. 'I was out with Malfoy. This lady was begging him to join the Gucci Ad Campaign for Men's Collection. He kept on refusing and refusing. He said Ferrari and Piaget is enough for him.'

'Oh,' said Hermione, chuckling again. 'Here you are again! Running with Elizabeth Hurley---in a tux by the beach! Here you are on the next page again, modeling for Rolex.'

'Yes,' he said again, leaning closer to see. 'Anyway, that's when they saw me. They asked me if I wanted to be a model. At first I thought that they were joking, but they weren't. They gave me their card and then boom! There I was!'

'They just saw you with Malfoy?'

'Yeah,' he said. 'After that, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, Estee Lauder, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Christian Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, Armani, Burberry, Evian etc. started calling. I had no idea that I will get to this. Do you know what I mean? Gucci gave way to more opportunities. Harry was asked too since he is quite tall as well. He's 6'2 just like Draco. But he thinks of nothing else but Quidditch. Draco is really popular in the Muggle World right now. He is the best racer at the moment and he's only 19. Did you know that he has at least 975 million galleons?'

'Yeah,' she said and then grinned at him. 'You were in that issue of Wizarding World Magazine as well, along with Harry and Draco! The Twenty Most Gorgeous Man Of The Wizarding World Under Twenty---'

'Anyway---'

'You didn't think I knew? I saw Witch Weekly too and you were there as well, along with Harry and Draco once again! The Wizarding World's Most Famous Teen Wizards---'

Ron laughed, blushing a little.

'I've read People Magazine too,' she exclaimed again. 'You were there with Draco. Fifty Most Eligible Bachelors---Prince William was there, too. It says there that you were hailed in GQ and Cosmopolitan magazine as one of the best-dressed men in the world. Wow,' was all that she managed to say. 'Very interesting. Wizards with established names in the Muggle World. Anyway, of all the designers that you worked for, which one is your favourite?'

Ron smiled. 'Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss and Lacoste because I like their casual wear. I'm a very casual person.'

'You are. You hated ties and anything that is formal clothing.'

'I do,' he said, smiling at her. 'I model them anyways because they pay me a good amount of money.' He started moving his eyebrows up and down. 'All you have to do is wear their clothes, pretend that it is the coolest thing there is and walk. And oh, of course, pose for pictures. I guess I could handle that.'

'Oh yeah?' she said, shaking her head and smiling a little. 'Doesn't Quidditch give you a huge amount of money as well?'

'Oh it does. But it takes all your time. You have to wake up at four or five in the morning to train and all that. You have to be a morning person. Modeling is more of a nightlife and I am a night person,' he said. 'In Quidditch you get to travel. But you get to travel in modeling as well. Not to mention parties. You have one every single show!'

'Nice,' she said. 'So is it Richie Ronnie now?'

'I wish,' he said.

'Don't you have enough savings yet to get you through Med School?'

'Oh I do,' he replied. 'I actually have more than enough.'

'You love modeling too much that you can't quit?'

'No. I want to save more money for the future. Like when I get married and have a family or something---'

'I see,' she said. She couldn't help but be impressed.

'Here you are again! Jumping to the swimming pool with a dozen gorgeous ladies in their Ralph Lauren bikinis!' she teased. 'Only thorn among the lovely roses...'

'So you would choose modeling, right?' he said, winking.

'Oh yes. After seeing this. Modeling, of course,' she said, stating the obvious.

'Why on earth are you wearing a shirt?' she asked playfully.

'I'm not comfortable being topless in front of other people,' he said, pretending to look appalled. 'I'm conservative---That's the reason why I said No to Versace.'

'You what?' said Hermione, not believing her ears.

'Well, it was a beach setting and they wanted to expose my arse.'

'Oh,' she snorted, before laughing.

'Too bad,' he added, looking very upset. 'There were a lot of topless girls---'

'Oh, you!' said Hermione, pinching his stomach which caused him to curl a little.

'Aww, aww, aww,' he said, wincing. He chuckled. 'What was that for?!'

'For being disgusting,' she said. 'So you never got to model Versace's works?'

'Oh I did,' he said. 'I wasn't able to model for Versace for that time only. The next offers involved clothes---not arse exposure.'

'I see,' she said. 'I still can't believe that you said No to the English Team, though. You were such a good player.'

'Oh that,' he said. 'Well, I almost said yes. Ask me why---'

'OK. Why?'

'I wanted to kick Krum's arse,' he said, his eyes narrowing playfully.

Hermione threw back her head and then laughed. She playfully slapped him after realizing that he was staring at her again. 'Silly,' she said. 'Come on be serious.'

'Do I look like I'm joking?'

'Well, then. Why?'

'Well,' he said, sighing. 'Are you sure that you want an honest answer?'

'What kind of question is that?'

'OK then. Well, I thought that you were with him. You know, you left me because of him---'

'Silly,' she said softly. 'Why would I do that? Draco told me that you thought that I was with him as well, you stupid great prat.'

'Hey, hey, hey,' said Ron, sitting up. 'I'm a prat? What was I suppose to think. I saw you two hugging.'

'You what?'

'I saw you two hugging and everything and you were acting strange and---'

'Well, you were wrong!'

'Well, you can't blame me, can you?'

'I don't know---So you didn't join the team because you didn't want to kick Viktor's arse anymore?'

'Yes,' he replied, looking at the star-studded sky. 'I talked to him you know.'

'You did?'

'Yeah, when I went to Quidditch Camp in Bulgaria for training.'

'How is he?'

'I didn't know that you asked him to not write to you---' he replied, ignoring her question.

'Well,' stuttered Hermione and looking at the dark sea. 'Well, you wanted me to, didn't you?'

'I did,' he replied. 'But I didn't know that you really listened to me. You know that I am insane---'

She chuckled. 'You are insane, Ron,' she said. 'So am I---'

'Great Merlin,' said Ron, lying on the sand, his head resting on his palms, and staring at the sky. 'I was so bloody jealous of Krum.'

'Well---'

'And I never told you that---'

'Well, not really---'

'Well what would you expect the greatest stubborn prat alive to do? I didn't have anything. My pride is all that I had,' he said, '---and that excuse is bloody pathetic and stupid.'

Hermione looked away. 'Are you sure you want to talk about this? It's the past. There's absolutely nothing that we can do about it. Besides, you are doing fine and I'm---I'm doing fine. We are both fine...'

'I just want to know what happened to us.'

'Well,' she began. 'I was young and you were young and---'

'Why didn't you tell me, Hermione?'

'I was scared and---'

'Did you think that I'll leave you if I knew that you were pregnant?'

'Honestly, after hearing your views on children, yes.'

'I may be a prat but I'm not that kind of prat.'

'I know,' she said, pulling her legs even closer.

'What did your parents say?'

'Well, what were they suppose to say?'

'Please tell me. I want to know.'

'OK then. Well they were upset. Very upset, especially my father. It was the very first time that I ever saw him cry and it really broke my heart,' began Hermione. 'The worse part is that she didn't blame me at all for it. He blamed himself. He said that if he didn't allow me to sleep at your house, this wouldn't have happened.'

'So they knew it was me,' he said, 'I'm quite surprised that I am still alive... knowing your father...'

'No.'

'No?'

'I never told them that it was you. They kind of knew that it was you because you are the only boyfriend that I've ever had. But they wanted verification. Anyway, the confirmation that it was yours was when Cheska and Jackie grew older. By that time, it was too obvious to deny.'

'I see,' he said, sitting up and started clapping his hands to get rid of the sand. 'I bet that your father hated me more---'

'Ron, my first letters to him included nothing but my infuriating feelings towards you. I was always complaining to him about you, about how obnoxious, rude, and everything you are,' she said, chuckling a little. 'We used to fight a lot, in case you don't remember.'

'Oh yes,' he said, smiling to her. 'That, I remember perfectly. Did I start them all?

'I don't know,' said Hermione, smiling at the memories. 'You were "the insufferable prat" and I was "the know-it all".'

They laughed.

'Well, I'm certain that the "fraternizing with the enemy" one was by me.'

'Oh yes,' she said.

'Stupid excuse, isn't it?' he said, chuckling. 'Padma was so angry for me for not dancing with her. Well, what can I do? I was too busy watching you dance with him. I felt bloody stupid for not asking you. You looked like you were having so much fun with him. I don't know but that made me feel bad. But you know what, I didn't really understand what you meant when you said that I should ask you before someone else does.'

'Yes,' she said. 'Harry told me about that.'

'He did? Anyway, what can I say? I was only fourteen. What do fourteen year olds know about love?'

'A huh,' she said, winking at him. 'Well, Fred, George and Bill knew about love at twelve!'

'I know,' he said. 'Sometimes I wonder how on earth Percy, Charlie and I became related to those three. Too fast with girls those lads were. Anyway, is that why, whatever I do, I just can't please your old man?'

'Well, he likes your steak and barbecue---'

Ron snorted. 'I am known to Dr. Granger as the greatest prat who bullies and annoys their lovely daughter---'

'Well, yeah, but cooks great steak and barbecue,' she said, chuckling a little. 'Plus, he hated you more when we dated---'

'And even more when I got you pregnant,' he finished in an as-a-matter-of-fact voice.

She shrugged. 'Well---' but she stopped and then closed her eyes. She started blinking her eyes.

'What's wrong?' he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking at her face intently. 'Are you OK?'

'I think that the sand went into my eye,' she replied, now a little teary.

He lifted her chin, before cupping her face with his hands. 'I'll blow, OK?'

'OK.'

He moved his lips closer to her eyes and then began blowing. 'Better?'

'Yes,' she said, blinking a little more. 'Yes, yes, thank you. I think it's gone---'

Ron was looking down to her and then smiled. For a moment, their longing eyes just remain focused on each other, ignoring the tingling sensations that they were feeling after making contact. Their hearts started pounding. Hermione couldn't help but thank God that she was sitting down, because if she wasn't, she would have collapsed.

'It's late,' she said, looking down. 'We should go---'

'Yeah,' said Ron, running his hand through his hair. 'I guess you are right. As always---' He stood up and then offered his hand for assistance.

'Thank you,' she said before walking away while Ron followed her, his hands on his pockets. A few minutes later she climbed up her porch and then reached her door. 'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight,' said Ron awkwardly. 'I'll just see you tomorrow.'

'Yes,' she said before going inside. She leaned on the door and then sighed. What is going on? What just happened there? Could it be that--- She took a deep breath. She didn't know why but she suddenly opened the door. To her surprise, she found him there, sitting on her porch.

Ron immediately stood up and then looked at her shyly. 'I'm going,' he said, rubbing the back of his neck. 'I'm--I'm leaving---'

'It's OK,' she said, wincing a little. 'I just wanted to check if you were in your room already.'

'Oh yeah,' he said, smiling and looking up to her. 'Well, I should go.'

'Yes,' she said, swallowing hard. 'Bye.'

They have been avoiding each other's eyes. Unfortunately, they captured each other's gaze once again.

'I'll see you tomorrow,' he said weakly.

'For sure,' she replied softly.

And like magnet, it draws them closer and closer and closer...

Before she knew it, he was already kissing her. She wanted to object and push him away but she didn't---she let him. She let herself melt into his strong arms, kissing him back.

Before she knew it, he was now carrying her and was about to walk towards her room. Once again, she wanted to object and push him away but she didn't---she let him. She wanted to say No so bad. But.........

'Not here,' she whispered against his lips. 'Cheska and Jackie.'

He didn't say anything back but immediately shifted directions towards his room. He opened the door, Hermione still in his arms, and then carefully laid her on the bed. He kissed her and kissed as they slept the night away.

*******