Cool air seemed to breathe on Hermione’s now tanning skin as she walked down to the lake with Ginny. They had been doing this all week now, going down for a swim in the lake and afterwards lie down on the grass, sunbathing. That was how Hermione had come to get a tan – although it was not nearly as impressive as Ginny’s bronze look yet.

It was nearly the end of term. By nearly, it meant four and a half weeks – so exams were not far off. Hermione had her NEWTs next year, however, so she could relax, but Ginny had OWLs coming up, so they took books with them, so that Hermione could test Ginny.

“We’re here! I’m going in first, okay?� Ginny said excitedly, pulling her skimpy red bandeau top and denim shorts off, revealing a rather small black bikini. She kicked her black flip-flops off and dived in the water without further ado, splashing Hermione a bit.

Hermione leapt back with a small shriek, petting herself dry with her towel. Ginny resurfaced, her redhead bobbing in the cool blue water. She grinned at Hermione.

“Come on, Herms, don’t be a wimp!� she chanted. Hermione smiled back, reproachfully. She looked around nervously before pulling her pink T-shirt and jeans off. She too, was wearing a bikini, but not as skimpy as Ginny’s. It covered a lot more chest and thighs, and it was blue. Hermione had borrowed it from Ginny; all she owned were tankinis and one-pieces. According to Ginny, bikinis were more efficient ‘when topping up your tan’.

Hermione pulled the bikini top up further, nervously looking around again. It was awfully low – and she felt like it would slip down any minute. She stepped into the cool water gently, wading through it slowly while Ginny swam gracefully around her, like a mermaid.

“Hermione, just come in!� Ginny said, resurfacing to find Hermione was still only knee-deep. Hermione looked round at her.

“I’m taking my time, alright?�

Ginny mumbled something and slipped beneath the water’s surface once more. She swam to the bottom and opened her eyes. Hermione’s legs were visible. Ginny chuckled to herself emitting several bubbles as she reached out…

Hermione screamed as she collapsed into the water, making an almighty splash. She resurfaced quickly, looking around for an explanation. Ginny soon resurfaced again, laughing her head off. Hermione glared.

“Ginny! That was not nice! I – �

“No, but it was incredibly funny.�

Hermione spun round, finding Ron leaning against a tree, cracking up with laughter, Harry standing behind him, laughing as much as Ron. Hermione’s face turned brick red as she sat in the water, covering her chest as best as she could.

Oh no, help me, this isn’t happening…say Ron did not just see me fall and look stupid…what if he saw how low my bikini top is? Oh no…

“Hey dear brother,� Ginny called, “and Harry,� she added. “Join us, why don’t you?�

Harry and Ron exchanged glances and began untying their shoelaces. Hermione tried not to gasp when Ron pulled his shirt off. All that Quidditch training had gotten him into shape. Ron looked up and saw her staring. Hermione quickly averted her eyes, blushing furiously.

“Come on Harry!� Ginny laughed, splashing him. He chuckled and dove in next to her, ducking her head under the water. Ron dived in as well and soon they were all splashing each other; even Hermione joined in.

“Catch me if you can! Whoops, splash!�

“Come on Ginny, that was pitiful!�

“Ron! You got water up my nose!�

“Careful Hermione, the Giant Squid’s behind you!�

Hermione shrieked as she heard this and turned around to see Harry, who splashed her full in the face. Ron and Ginny were beside themselves with laughter as Hermione splashed them all copiously, determined to get revenge.

After about ten minutes of splashing, the girls grew tired of it, so they lay down on their towels, sunbathing. Ginny untied the strings of her bikini top and tied them round her back. Hermione looked shocked as Ginny advised her to do the same.

“I certainly won’t!� Hermione said, gaping. “It’ll show – well – everything!�

Ginny grinned. “No it won’t,� she said, “and besides, you don’t want to get a bikini mark on your tan.�

Hermione lay down, tightening the strings of her bikini top firmly around her neck. Ginny rolled her eyes. Hermione pulled a hat over her eyes so that they were protected from the sunlight. For a good ten minutes they lay there, occasionally turning over so that the sun could reach their backs. Harry and Ron grew bored of swimming and urged the girls to stop being so ‘lazy’.

“Lazy?� Ginny cried indignantly, jerking up from her towel. “We are NOT being lazy, we are sunbathing.�

Ron grinned. “Yeah right,� he said. “You’re both golden brown now – your nose is beginning to peel, Hermione.�

Hermione felt her nose anxiously. The skin felt a little broken. She pulled her T-shirt back on and rubbed more suntan lotion on her face. She picked up a book and tossed it on Ginny’s stomach. Ginny let out a little ‘oof’.

“Okay, study time!� Hermione called cheerfully, opening an OWL book on Transfiguration. “Wakey, wakey Gin!�

The other three groaned simultaneously. Hermione ran her finger down the page, ignoring them.

“Hermione, we studied for hours yesterday, can’t we have a break now?� Ginny whined. Hermione looked shocked.

“Ginny, you have to study like this every day, or you’ll fail your OWLs!� Hermione told her. “McGonagall wasn’t wrong when she said this would be your hardest year so far! Now, Transfiguration is a rather difficult subject, so in order to grasp it you have to revise over the basic concepts every day as well as the advanced ones – �

“Hermione, seriously, calm down,� Harry advised her, eating a Cauldron Cake from the picnic basket the house-elves had given them. “And Ginny, you won’t fail your OWLs, even Ron and I managed to get all the ones we needed. Even Fred and George – �

“Okay, you’ve made your point!� Hermione snapped. Suddenly Ginny groaned. They all looked round at her.

“What’s wrong?�

“I’ve left my Charms book in the Common Room,� she said as she rifled through her bag. “Damn!�

“I’ll go with you to get it,� Harry offered, kindly.

Ginny smiled at him. “Oh thanks Harry, just let me get my things on…�

She pulled her bandeau and shorts back on, and got her flip-flops back onto her feet. Harry had already put his clothes back on, and Hermione noticed that he was staring at Ginny, following the motion of her hair as it swung in front of her face. Hermione managed to catch his eye, and she raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. He blushed and looked away.

“Ready?� he asked her. She nodded and they set off to the castle. Hermione felt her heart beat faster when she realised she was alone with Ron.

Does my hair look all right? Does my nose look weird? How could Ginny and Harry just leave us, what am I going to say to him?she thought desperately.

“I’m bored.�

Hermione looked up from the book she was flicking through. Ron was lying on the grass, picking grass and tearing it idly.

“What do you want to do?� she asked. Ron grinned.

“Hermione, put the book down,� he said, “and shut your eyes.�

Hermione was taken aback. “Why?�

Ron’s grin grew wider still. “Just do it. I’m going to show you something.�

Hermione shut her eyes obediently. Ron grasped her hand and pulled her up. “Right…don’t open till I say so, okay?�

“Okay.�

Hermione felt herself being led somewhere. She did not open her eyes, but she could tell they were beside trees because the sun wasn’t as bright.

“Ron, what – �

“Open them.�

Hermione opened her eyes and they widened when she saw the surroundings. They were a little way off from the lake’s edge, where they had been sitting, and they were now in a clearing beside some willow trees in the forest. The trees were gently swaying in the breeze and flowers bloomed all around the tree trunks, all in pastel colours. A swing was attached to the branch of a tree and it too was swaying temptingly at Hermione. She walked towards it slowly, taking it all in, and she sat in it, slowly rocking it with her feet.

“Ron…how did you find this?� she breathed as he leaned against the tree holding the swing. He smiled.

“Luck,� he said. Hermione smiled.

“It’s gorgeous,� she sighed, looking up into his piercingly blue eyes. She kept her eyes on his, and he was slowly moving towards her…until he was sitting next to her on the swing. Hermione did not break the eye contact but she could feel her hands trembling in her lap as he looked at her, only a foot away.

“Hermione…what are we?� he murmured gently, rocking the swing with his feet. Hermione felt her heart jolt.

“Wh – what do you mean?� she stuttered, although she already knew.

“I mean, are you – do you – want to be friends with me or – have we changed?�

Hermione felt her heart skipping quickly and lightly. No it wasn’t possible…

“Ron,� she said, putting a hand on his knee softly. “I like being your friend – but we’re closer than that, aren’t we?�

Ron’s cheeks were turning lightly pink, but he nodded. “Hermione, there’s something else – close your eyes again.�

Hermione obeyed, her hands trembling even more now. The next thing she knew was Ron’s hands in her hair, caressing it, and his lips touching hers, kissing her softly yet passionately. Fireworks seemed to be exploding in Hermione’s head despite the peaceful scenery. She felt like she was running down a hill at top speed, spreading her arms out…Ron slowly moved away and she opened her eyes, a big grin on her face.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,� Ron said. Hermione smiled and leaned forwards.

“What took you so long?� she purred seductively. Without further ado, she placed her hands around his neck and began to kiss him passionately and more wildly than before. Ron relaxed immediately and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Hermione let out a little giggle and continued to kiss him, her hands twirling in his ginger hair…beautifully flaming hair…kind blue eyes…

When the pair finally broke off, Hermione realised she was sitting in Ron’s lap. She smiled and giggled. Ron tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek. Then he kissed her again on the lips softly. Hermione ran a hand through his hair, shivering.

“What’s wrong?� he asked her, concernedly. She shook her head.

“Nothing…� she replied casually. “It’s just…I’ve played what just happened through my head so many times before it almost seemed unreal…I don’t want to wake up and discover it was all just a dream…�

Ron placed a finger softly on her lips. “Here’s something to prove it was all real,� he said.

With that, he kissed her again, affectionately and yet ecstatically. Hermione felt a flame rise up inside her…kissing Ron wasn’t at all like she imagined…it was a million times better because it was actually real…

When they broke off again, Ron looked into her eyes.

“Was that real enough?� he whispered. Hermione beamed.

“Yeah,� she replied, and she was about to kiss him back when she spotted his watch. She gasped.

“What?� he asked.

“Ron – Harry and Ginny, they’ll be wondering where we’ve got to, it’d been nearly twenty minutes!� she said hurriedly. Ron pushed her back onto the swing and stood up in front of her. He bowed and extended a hand.

“Miss Granger, would you like me to escort you back to the Gryffindor Common Room?� he said in a pompous tone. Hermione giggled and took his hand.

“Of course,� she said, batting her eyelids.

The pair walked back to the lake’s edge and picked up their things. They returned to the castle, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes every now and then.

When they finally reached the Common Room, the Fat Lady looked at them.

“Password?� she asked indifferently.

“Pansies,� Hermione said, and the Portrait swung forwards. Hermione clambered in first, Ron helping her.

“Harry – Ginny, we’re back – � she began to announce but stopped, dumbfounded at the sight before her eyes.

Harry and Ginny were entwined in a chair, kissing passionately. They instantly leapt apart, looking embarrassed. Ron was speechless, and he simply gazed open-mouthed at them. Hermione, however, beamed.

“Well I can’t say I wasn’t expecting it sooner or later,� she said, “and sooner is better. Ron?�

Ron was gazing at Ginny as though he had never seen her before. Finally he managed to croak weakly:

“Go ahead.�

He beamed at Harry, who grinned back at him, and kissed Ginny briefly again. Ron smiled at them.

“Better Harry than Dean or Michael,� he said, “and anyway, Hermione and I have sorted ourselves out now – in fact we’re…�

He did not finish the sentence but began to kiss Hermione again, gently. When he broke off Harry and Ginny were grinning at them both.

“About time!� they both chorused. The four all laughed, and flopped onto the sofas. Hermione reached into her bag.

“You know what time it is, don’t you?� she asked them all. They looked puzzled.

“Study time!�

The three groaned at the beaming Hermione, and Ron threw a cushion at her. Hermione retaliated, and that’s how the cushion-fight started. The four laughed and shrieked, feathers flying everywhere. Hermione got feathers down her top and in her hair, but she didn’t pay attention. She was happier than she’d been a very long time.

She was with Ron.


THE END


A/N: Just a bit of Hermione/Ron fluff and some Harry/Ginny too! A bit pointless, but ^_^!! Okay, please review, tell me whether you loved it or hated it, or whatever!! :)