Five points if you can tell me where their thoughts at the end come from!
It closed loudly behind them, but neither noticed: they were frozen, absolutely spellbound by the sight in front of them. The room was…well, no longer a room. They were now standing before a beautiful garden, lit only by romantic fairy lights and the bright stars of the enchanted ceiling above (apparently mimicking the Great Hall). The short path before them led to a beautiful veranda, with ivy and lights encircling every pillar. Smiling, Hermione knew this one had been all Ginny, it was breathtakingly romantic, every girl’s fairytale. A fresh breeze seemed to blow through the room and she could nearly smell the cool night air. She turned to Ron, and was in for an even greater shock. He was no longer wearing his large Weasley sweatshirt, but handsome black dress robes. They had a strong cut, enhancing his now somewhat strapping shoulders and chest, and his strong jaw.
“Ron…” she breathed, utterly dumbfounded. He turned to her slowly, still taking in their surroundings, and then gawked back at her.
“Hermione! What are you...how…” he trailed off hopelessly. She looked down and gasped again, seeing royal blue dress robes flowing down. Suddenly she noticed the slight pressure on her head and reaching up with her hands felt her hair smoothed into an elegant knot and what felt like a delicate tiara set gently upon it. Her hand instinctively moved to her neck and looking as far down as she could, she saw what looked like the bottom of… a diamond necklace? She met Ron’s eyes in amazement, but he was simply gazing at her, motionless.
Apparently, as they walked through the door to the final test they too, were enchanted by the magical room.
Hermione couldn’t see her dress, but Ron could, in fact he couldn’t look away. It was a deep blue color, similar to the color she had picked for their fourth year ball, but she looked quite different than her scrawny fourteen-year-old self. Two years make a big difference for a girl, especially those two. His eyes were drawn to dazzling diamonds resting around her neck; the gown had a round neckline, tastefully low, and thin straps covered her bare shoulders. It fit tightly around her slender waist and accentuated the slight curve of her hips, at which point it flowed gracefully to the ground. Hermione looked amazing. His mind was blank, and he could only admire her as she grinned shyly at him.
“Come on, let’s try to find the next note…” Ron blinked and nodded, following her toward the veranda. The final note of instructions was stuck to the pole.
Well done you two. This final task should be the best yet: you are to have your own private ball. You must dance every time you hear music playing. In order to win the game…well, this one you have to figure out yourself. Oh, you may let go of each other’s hands now.
Neither let go at first, but after a moment glanced at the other out of the corner of their eye, smiling nervously and released the other, a bit reluctantly.
“Well…that wasn’t very helpful was it?” asked Ron. Hermione didn’t answer; she seemed to be lost in her thoughts again. However they both looked around in surprise as they could hear music begin playing softly. They met eyes awkwardly, and Ron finally held out his hand. Hermione took it cautiously and they began to dance stiffly, uncomfortably aware of their bodies, their ambiance, and their heartbeats pounding powerfully together. As expected, they gradually relaxed and soon were wrapped in each other’s arms, rocking back and forth, their feet no longer even leaving the ground.
There's something sweet
And almost kind
But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined
But now he's dear, and so unsure
I wonder why I didn't see it there before
She glanced this way
I thought I saw
And when we touched she merely gasped did not withdraw
No it can't be, I'll just ignore
But then she's never looked at me that way before
Hermione couldn’t stand it anymore, she loved him; and it seemed, well she had the greatest hope she’d ever had that just maybe he cared for her too. She had to say something; they couldn’t keep pretending nothing was happening between them. “Ron,” she whispered, “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
She sighed heavily, “Well…I think it’s safe to say we both can see what they were trying to do here,” his grip tightened on her waist slightly and she paused, biting her lip nervously, “and I need to know “ why?” He released his hold on her slightly in surprise and pulled back to face her.
What was she saying? “Why what?”
She absentmindedly tucked a few loose strands behind her ears as she glanced up at him, but he was looking determinedly at the ground. She could see his freckles splashed across his face, his strong hands still holding her waist, though lightly now; as she examined him she realized that it didn’t matter if he didn’t feel the same, all that mattered was that they settled it once and for all, and suddenly everything seemed so obvious, so simple. As he finally looked up she met his eyes steadily. “I need to know how you feel.”
“‘Mione, I think you know…”
“I need you to tell me…please Ron.” Tears swam in her eyes threatening to fall and he closed his own, his heart pulling him in two directions at once, but as he looked up again at the beautiful girl before him and the pain he was causing her, his heart melted and all inhibition was lost; before he knew what he was doing he was spilling the contents of his heart to her.
“Hermione…you are more spectacular than any girl I could dream of. When I’m around you I have to force myself to try not to just stare at how beautiful you are, when you talk I have to shake myself out of a stupor because your brilliance astounds me… everything you do, everything you are, amazes me,” he gulped nervously, this was it… “and I…I love you. I love you with all my heart Hermione.”
She closed her eyes and a tear blinked out, then suddenly without another word she looked up beaming and flung her arms around him, finally embracing him as she’d been longing to for longer than she knew. “Oh Ron, I love you, too.”
They simply held each other for ages, unaware of the suggestive song playing softly in the background…
Nightly, beside the green, green grass.
Swing, swing, swing the spinning step.
You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress.
Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight.
Lead me out on the moonlit floor.
Lift your open hand.
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance,
silver moon's sparkling.
So kiss me.
They pulled back and met eyes lovingly, longingly. Together they leaned in...
“Ow!” exclaimed Hermione as she and Ron bumped noses. Ron looked away completely humiliated and Hermione could only smile at how adorable he was. “Ron...” she whispered, “...try again?” He looked up surprised, and smiled back. Only Hermione... He placed his hand behind her neck, cupping her head, and gently pulled her in; this time they both tilted their heads...
After far too many years of being unaware, of denial, and finally of fear, they had found each other. As their lips graced one another and they were enveloped in the magic of young love the room spun around them...
Literally.
When the two finally broke apart they still held each other closely, resting against one another’s foreheads. Hermione was the first to notice the change: she no longer felt the weight of the tiara on her head and her hair fell loosely around her face, looking down she saw she was again wearing her school uniform, and the room was no longer charmed to look like a garden, but was as it had been when the entered the room. She looked up into his eyes and he smiled down at her stroking her jawline with his knuckles, “I think we won...”
Okay, there you have it! In my honest opinion, i think the typical 'lock them in a broom closet' approach is all it would really take, but I thought this was an opportunity to have a little fun with it. Hope you enjoyed it!
Leave me a review and we’ll meet back up with Harry and Ginny on that couch...Teehehe...
And yes, their thoughts are from...Beauty and the Beast! (lol i know, i know...but they fit so well i just couldn’t resist) Who gets 5 points? Oh, i changed the line to withdraw, it was something about his paw...haha
Song Lyrics from Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer...i really do like that song ^_^