Harry, Ron and Hermione were in their sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Voldemort was becoming stronger, since that night at the Ministry. Everyday they heard about someone’s death or some new attack. In times like this everybody needs love…
Ron was feeling very confused these days. He loved Hermione; he had finally realised it. But he wasn’t sure if she loved him - after all, there was Viktor Krum and what was Ron compared to him. But most of all “ he didn’t know how to tell her. He was thinking about talking about this with Harry…but what if he laughed at him? Uh, if love is so complicated, he was already sick of it.
One morning in the middle of November they were going to breakfast. Last night a plan had grown in Ron’s mind. It wasn’t something very smart at all, but at least it was something. Once they reached the Great Hall, Ron said:
“Harry, you just look so tiny!”
Harry looked at him in disbelief. That was more something that Ron’s mum would say.
“What?” he asked shocked.
“Go immediately in the Great Hall, you should eat some breakfast!” yelled Ron nervously and pushed him to the door.
“Well…okay.” Harry walked through the door and Hermione was going to follow him but then suddenly Ron grabbed her arm.
“No, no, Hermione, I need you to come with me to the library to help me with that stupid essay for McGonagall. Come on, you ate so much yesterday!”
Hermione stared at him, but still followed him.
Ron was already shaking…he hadn’t said a word and he was really, really nervous. What if Hermione didn’t like it? She was probably going to say that she loved Krum and Ron was just her best friend…Oh, gosh.
They got in the library and were going to start working on the essay when Ron said:
“Look, Hermione, actually it’s not only the essay that I asked you here for….well, it’s not quite related to the essay…okay, it’s nothing to do with the bloody essay at all,” he said nervously.
“Okay, what then?” she asked curiously. Ron was acting really strange that morning.
“Well…I actually need your advice for a certain girl…” he started but was interrupted by Hermione’s disbelieving voice.
“It’s about a girl?” she asked, starting to feel jealous. “Do you like her?”
“Yeah…yeah…I’ve actually liked her for a long time, but I don’t know how to say it to her.”
“Well, I guess she is one of those beautiful, arrogant and very stupid girls that you like!” Hermione said in anger.
“No, well yes, she IS beautiful, but she is very, very smart and she has a very strong character and I think that…that I really like her,” Ron mumbled the last words.
“Oh, then who is she?” asked Hermione. Hope was filling her eyes.
“You know what - I can show you a picture of her,” said Ron and started looking in his schoolbag.
“Oh…okay, if you have one,” said Hermione quietly.
“Here.” He gave her something and walked out of the library as fast as he could.
Hermione looked at the picture to see that it wasn’t any picture after all…it was a mirror. She stared at it for few seconds and then suddenly realised - it was her - it was her who Ron liked. She suddenly felt so many things…anger, for leaving her here, proud when she remembered his words ‘she IS beautiful, but she is very, very smart and she has a very strong character and I think that…that I really like her.’ But most of all love. She loved him too and she should tell him that. She walked quickly out of the library.
Hidden behind the near shelf, Harry smiled under his Invisibility Cloak.
* * *
Hermione ran into the Gryffindor Common Room and found Ron there staring out of the window with blank look. She thought that he had never looked cuter…
“Ron…” she said quietly.
No answer.
“Ron…” she repeated louder.
Still no answer.
“RON!” she yelled.
He was still looking out of the window and pretending that she was not there. She tried to figure out his look, but there was nothing in it “ it was so blank, that she scared.
“RON…Ron, please look at me!” she almost cried.
He moved his eyes from the widow and stared at her.
“Ron…I…” Hermione started.
But she was interrupted all of the sudden. He leaned back and kissed her gently on the lips. She could feel her whole body shake while his tongue stroked hers and his strong arms wrapped around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her hands through his hair. She suddenly felt so safe; nobody was going to harm her anymore. But then he kissed her more deeply and she got scared.
She broke up the kiss. Then she looked at Ron, horrified. Shaking her head, she ran towards the Hole.
Ron stared at the Hole. She either didn’t love him or was scared. Maybe she didn’t love him after all.
“Of course,” he mumbled angrily to the empty common room. “Since she has Krum, why would she need me?” He started shaking with anger. Okay, then, if this was what she wanted, he could forget her.
But then again he looked out the window and he shook his head. He couldn’t. One tear was falling gently down his face.
* * *
One week after that Ron and Hermione weren’t talking to each other at all and Harry was starting to get annoyed with it.
Meanwhile Professor McGonagall told them that that there are going to be a party in Hogsmeade on St. Valentine’s Day and that each of them should invite someone to it. Harry had already invite Ginny, so the two of them were going together, but the case with Ron and Hermione was much more complicated.
One morning Ron came and sat down next to Harry in Transfiguration class (and Harry was sitting next to Hermione). He pretended not to notice that Hermione was there and said:
“Harry, guess what!”
“What?” asked his friend curiously.
“I already have a girl for the party,” said Ron proudly.
Harry looked at him with wide eyes. His friend had finally the courage to ask Hermione out? Impossible. Ron had told him everything and he said that Hermione had run away because she didn’t love him. Harry, of course, knew that this was not true, because she was just scared of being in a relationship. So he was so happy now that Ron had finally the courage to invite her. But then…something was still wrong. Why he was pretending then not to notice that Hermione was in the room?
“Who is it?” he asked anxiously.
“Lavender Brown!”
“Oh really?” Hermione suddenly asked. Harry couldn’t help noticing the anger in Hermione’s voice.
“Yeah…really,” answered Ron, a little bit confused.
“That’s great,” said Hermione with a fake smile. “Just don’t forget to show her that mirror. Maybe she’ll believe that you’re in love with her and then you’ll probably be happy that you have someone to kiss.”
“Hermione!” Ron said horrified.
“I don’t care about your stupid explanation, please leave me alone!” yelled Hermione. “Oh and have fun with Lavender!” With that, she ran out of the room, leaving the horrified Ron and Harry there.
“What the hell is going on with her?” Ron turned to face Harry. “First she’s rejecting me and now this. Why she’d even care about me going with Lavender! Girls!”
Harry knew exactly why Hermione was angry, but he didn’t say anything. He decided to keep both Ron and Hermione’s friendship. Why did they have to be so stubborn?
After the lesson Harry was walking down the corridor alone when suddenly somebody grabbed his arm from behind. He turned and saw it was Hermione. She looked really bad, her eyes were red from crying and her voice was shaking when she said:
“Harry…I need your help!”
The Mirror and the Party by MissLupinMarauder
Chapter Notes: Hi, everybody. This is my first story here and I really hope you'll like it! Please, please review even if you don't like it. This is only the first chapter, two more to go, so don't worry! The Alternate Universe is because of ignoring the 6th book.