They All Love You

part eight

After Ginny hastily cleared the hallway and the space behind Hermione's dorm door so nobody could eavesdrop, she gave Hermione the all clear knock to continue.

"Ron, what the hell," Hermione sighed, sitting down on her bed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"'Mione what do you mean!?"

"You know what I mean! By accepting the offer, it basically means all the convincing and talking we did as a group over the summer was just bollocks to you!"

Ron sat down on the bed opposite Hermione now letting out a long sigh.

"Hermione that was different! That's when we all agreed going back would help our chances of a better future! Now it's being handed to us without us even completing two weeks here! I don't get why this is such a terrible thing for you!"

Hermione just glared at Ron, thinking how he could be this thick.

"Ronald, we agreed to come back because we felt we deserved this. After everything we've endured through our years here, we deserved a school year. A normal one. Minus Voldemort!"

"And we have been! We do deserve this!" Ron said, taking Hermione's hands. "Of course we deserve a normal year but we also deserve this opportunity! After everything we've done, we deserve to be recognized like this," Ron tried to comfort Hermione but it only made her mad.

"Ron you know we'll get an Auror position offer anyways so why are you so keen on leaving now!" Hermione exasperated, pulling her hands from his and standing up, only to begin pacing back and forth, "Just like you said! After everything we've done, we deserve an opportunity like this and just because it's coming now doesn't mean it won't be waiting for us after just one school year!"

"No see that's where the problem is!" Ron burst out, standing up to stand opposite Hermione, sizing her up. For a second, Hermione felt scared. The last time Ron looked this angry was when he wore the horcrux around his neck and accused Hermione of being with Harry. And that time, he had left afterwards. "You keep saying 'we' like all three of us are equal, well you're wrong. Surprised are we, Miss Granger? The witch who knows everything can't seem to realize that little old Ronald Weasley isn't equal to Harry Potter, the Chosen One or Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age! Harry's got the fame, experience, support and he bloody defeated the Dark Lord! Damn right he'll get an offer whenever! Hell, he could refuse until he's a seventy year old granddad and they'd still keep offering him the job! Who wouldn't want the savior as their beloved Head Auror?" Ron went on, getting more and more angrier as this seemed to be bottled up inside of him for decades.

"Don't make this about Harry!" Hermione cut in, but Ron ignored her. This time speaking whilst stepping forward, slowly and slowly towards Hermione.

"And you. The girl who can name every potion ingredient, every anecdote, every magical law, every famous wizard or witch, the girl who's read every book known to wizarding kind, the girl who saved the universe by keeping Harry Potter and weak Ronald Weasley alive all her years at Hogwarts. She found the horcruxes, destroys them, creates escape plans involving dragons, defeating Death Eaters and defying every notion against muggleborns. So yes, Hermione tell me all about how you and Harry deserve this just as much as I do. Ronald Weasley, the boy who almost got everyone killed, got captured, got splinched, threw up slugs, barely passed his exams and even failed some, the boy who nobody cares about except for few, the boy who's scared of bloody spiders and the boy who's probably the reason his best friend was tortured nearly to death."

Hermione was shocked. Not shocked, astounded. Ronald Weasley had just told her every thought he's had his entire life in one small speech. The worst part was the majority of the speech was true.

"No. Ronald Weasley, the one who made sure I was safe and battled a troll, the one who helped defeat Quirell by sacrificing himself, the loyal friend who discovered Sirius Black's innocence, the boy who stayed back Christmases so Harry wouldn't be alone, the man that protected his family and friends from rumors and believed Harry when nobody would when the whole damn world was against him! The boy who fought countless Death Eaters, risking everything to fight in the Department of Mysteries, the boy who discovered how to destroy the horcuxes, and the boy who saved me that day. The man who comforted and stood loyal to his friends no matter what, willing to die for them. I do not see you as weak, Ronald Weasley!" Hermione fired back, softening near the end. Ron had stopped too, listening to Hermione speak and his expression softened a bit but near the end his face went back to his frown.

"Muster whatever you can try, but you don't get to be successful Auror by caring for people  or staying loyal. You know this is an opportunity of a lifetime for me, Hermione. And I need to accept it." Ron said, walking to the door.

"What about us," Hermione whispered as Ron's hand touched the doorknob. He didn't turn it, just stood there, facing the door. "Ron what about us then? I'm supposed to sit here and worry about you my entire year? You and I both know I'll never accept it now. You know I value this chance to have another, last year. So what will happen?" Hermione was feeling herself well up again. Ron had turned to face her, looking sad but he didn't say anything back. "What the hell happened to you were going to try?" Hermione shouted, crying.

Ron walked fast over to her, grabbing her two cheeks and kissed her hard. Hermione had stopped and began to kiss him back. Only this time it wasn't out of passion or love it was sorrowful. Like it could be one of the last. Hermione was even more shocked to feel Ron's tears fall onto her own cheek as they kissed, and Hermione didn't want to let go.

They stood there, holding each other tightly as their lips moved against each others, Ron and Hermione both hoping the other wouldn't stop. The sound of a book falling off Hermione's shelf made Hermione jump, accidentally pulling away but she quickly dismissed it and turned to Ron but he looked terrible. Saddened. Ron grabbed her hands one last time and looked at her.

"You know I have to do this, just like I know you have to stay here. I'll see you when I do, 'Mione. Maybe soon or in a few years. Live happily for me okay?" Ron started, but Hermione pulled him in a hug, not trying to hold back tears anymore. 

They freely fell.

"Promise," Hermione whispered in between crying and Ron squeezed her harder than ever before.

"Just don't date the younger McLaggen lad alright?" Ron whispered, and Hermione could feel a faint smile from him and she did too.

"Promise," Hermione said, looking up at him as Ron walked back to the door and opened it to leave. Nobody was there, luckily and Ron stepped out. "I love you!" Hermione yelled as he slowly shut the door.

"I'll always love you Hermione," he said softly, just loud enough for Hermione to hear as she burst into more tears and fell onto her bed, the pillows muffling her loud cries. She didn't care that her mascara was getting all over her pillow, she didn't' care if the entire castle heard their conversation, she didn't care if she missed almost all her classes that day. She didn't care.