Romione: Love & War

The First "Kiss"

Disclaimer: This one-shot includes some of J.K.Rowling's writing that is not my own.

This one-shot features the moment before the first quidditch match of the season in 5th year when Hermione kisses Ron on the cheek for the first time...

The great hall was bustling with students, sunlight streaming through the windows, owls soaring above, dropping letters to their assigned student. Everyone was up extremely early to be surely on time for the first quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor VS Slytherin. In the beautifully lit hall, there were bets being made, merchandise being sold, breakfast being eaten, homework being rushed and done. Everyone was excited. Well, almost everyone...

Ron stared into his cereal. He wanted to drown himself in it. Why? Quidditch. It was his first quidditch match, and he was as nervous as ever. On the other hand, Harry felt optimistic about Gryffindor's chances; they had, after all, never lost to Malfoy's team. Admittedly Ron was still not performing to Wood's standard, which was obviously extremely hard to meet, but he was working extremely hard to improve. His greatest weakness was a tendency to lose confidence when he made an error; if he let in one goal he became flustered and was therefore likely to miss more. On the other hand, Harry had seen Ron make some truly spectacular saves when he was on form: During one memorable practice, he had hung one-handed from his broom and kicked the Quaffle so hard away from the goal hoop that it soared the length of the pitch and through the center hoop at the other end. Which according to Ron, was an incredible mistake when he turned a tortured face to Harry. "That was an accident," Ron whispered miserably. "I didn't mean to do it — I slipped off my broom when none of you were looking and I was trying to get back on and I kicked the Quaffle by accident." Well, that didn't help. "Look, Ron, you'll be great. Just focus." Harry whispered back,

"Right, focus", Ron mumbled to himself with a look of worry.

"Alright there Weaselbee?," Malfoy sneered as he strutted by the Gryffindor table,

"Bloody hell,"

"Seen our badges yet? Us Slytherins are counting on you," Draco pointed towards his chest, which displayed a crown-shaped pin that read the words: Weasley is Our King. Malfoy winked and strutted off while Ron gulped. "I-I can't do this. Let someone else in, Neville for all I care. Anyone's better than me at this point."

"Come one Ron, you'll be amazing. I just know it," Hermione's comforting voice jumped out as she slid herself in between Harry and Ron. "Sure I will. Malfoy'll cheer me on,"

"Oh shut up!", Hermione whacked him over the head with the Daily Prophet,

"Bloody- what was that for?"

"When are you going to get it through your head? You just need to focus Ron, you're going to be great. Don't put yourself down just because people like Malfoy say you should. Don't put so much pressure on yourself, just get out there and do your best,"

"She's right you know," Angelina's voice appeared, "Just do your best Ron. Wood would probably say otherwise, but he's not here." Angelina thumped Ron on the back as she lifted off her seat and headed to the changing rooms. "Cause that makes me feel sooooo much better."

After a while, it was clear Ron wasn't going to even touch his food. "You should really try to eat something Ron," Hermione urged, watching concerningly as Ron stared at his cereal once more. "Well, if he isn't going to eat, we might as well start to get ready for the game." Harry stood up from Gryffindor table and headed towards the doors of the great hall. Ron grudgingly followed, but before he could slip out the doors Hermione approached him once more. She looked flustered, and pink while she stared into his ocean eyes and took his face in her hands. She smiled and wished him, "Good luck, Ron," and her soft lips brushed against his cheek. Hermione felt butterflies as her lips met his soft skin and couldn't help but blush. Ron could feel a shiver run down his spine and his the tips of his ears shone red. They could feel the stares around them as it happened. People started to whisper and hoot. But before anyone could embarrass them any further... "And you, Harry —" Hermione dawdled away, nervously giggling to herself at her action. She could still feel the butterflies and looked pink as ever. Ron's finger hovered over the spot on his face where Hermione had kissed him, looking puzzled, as though he was not quite sure what had just happened. He smiled and his eyes went blurry, remembering her soft touch as her lips brushed against his face just moments ago, and how he felt sparks and butterflies. He didn't know why she did it, but he secretly loved it. She had always done it to Harry,  but it was different when Hermione kissed him. It meant something.

Ron was dragged away by the rest of the Gryffindor team as he gave one last smile to Hermione through the great brown doors of the great hall. Even as Ron got ready for the game, all he could think about was Hermione. Her beautiful smile every time she saw him, her adorable laugh when he told jokes, the way she crinkles her nose when she reads, how she bites her lip when she's nervous, her wavy, curly brown hair, her soft pink lips... "RON!" he came back to where he was and stared in front of him as Angelina snapped her gloved fingers in between his eyes. "Yup, yeah?"

"We're discussing tactics, focus!"

"Right." Ron tried his best to focus and build himself up for the game. He even found himself excited as he mounted his broom with Harry at his side, wishing him luck. The loudspeaker emitted a boom of words as the Slytherin team dashed off into the air. Ron could swear he saw Malfoy smirk at him. Determined, the Gryffindor team anxiously waited for their turn to be praised by the stands and shot off once they heard the booming voice of Lee Jordan. Before they knew it, the game was on.

Hermione took her seat just before the game started and immediately looked in Ron's direction. They locked eyes and for a moment, just a moment, it seemed as though it was just them, just the two of them, staring into each other's ocean and chocolate brown eyes, without a care in the world. They were both stolen from their glance as an excruciating chant started on the other side of the field.

Weasley cannot save a thing,

He cannot block a single ring,

That's why Slytherins all sing:

Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin,

He always lets the Quaffle in,

Weasley will make sure we win,

Weasley is our King.

Ron tried to push this out of his mind, his breath getting extremely fast as he desperately searched for Hermione's face in the crowd. He had missed 2 goals because of the chant, as he was trying to drown out the sound with his breathing. He finally spotted her, biting her lip, frantically chasing the players with her eyes. She locked eyes with Ron once more and gave an encouraging smile. Ron tried his best from then on, keeping her smile, and the way she kissed him in his mind as he tried to block the many goals.

In the end, Harry caught the snitch and won the game for Gryffindor. Ron had missed every single goal. Still......Hermione kissed him. 

Helooooo everyone!

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you love it as much as I do. Please comment with any ideas, or any comments at all, I'm so lonely. I hope you enjoyed and pls vote,

Hermione. W