Long Road Towards Maturity

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters; they belong to JK Rowling

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“Ginny! What on earth are you talking about! Honestly! Ron is just being stubborn as usual, it isn’t quite the ‘big deal’ you make it out to be...” Hermione sounded quite annoyed.

“Oh, I’m sorry, must be my mistake: I was under the impression of talking to the great Hermione Granger, genius-extraordinaire! Forgive little ignorant me for not understanding how thick you’re being!”

Ron Weasley knew very well, that he shouldn’t be eavesdropping, especially on his sister and his best female friend. Though they were both kind of sweet, and just girls, he didn’t want to be facing their wrath once they really were offended... And he supposed standing behind a bookshelf with the Concealment Charm on him while ‘accidentally’ overhearing their conversation wasn’t something that would get him on their good side...

It was the start of their last year at Hogwarts, the seventh year... Somehow Harry had managed to vanquish Voldemort last year, with a little help from his friends... And believe it or not, but he’d survived, barely... Unfortunately, this didn’t mean the war was over, yet. While Harry had spent the entire summer at St-Mungo’s, he was to be transferred to the Hogwarts’ Infirmary tomorrow. They believed he’d profit a speedier recovery when closer to his friends...

Summer for the rest of them had unfortunately not been any different from the ones they’d had ever since their fourth year... A long secluded stay at the Headquarters (without Harry). Because, you see, the world hadn’t believed Voldemort was gone, once and for all. Death Eaters, instead of being hunted down, were continuing hiding themselves and carrying out attacks. Don’t get it wrong: the good side was definitely winning, but there was so much chaos after that blasted war, it wasn’t safe, especially for them, to go out and about.

Which in itself was quite ridiculous, according to Ron, since it had been them, after all, who’d stood up to Voldemort himself with a dozen or so Death Eaters. The fact that it had all been Death Eaters in training, and Harry had ultimately taken out the Big Bad was totally irrelevant to Ron... They were able to take care of themselves, and damn- it, he was of age, wasn’t he?

Apparently that did not mean much to his mum (big surprise there) and consequently, he’d spent his summer cooped up with the permanent residents. Basically that held his little sister, his mother, Hermione, Looney Lovegood, oh and who could forget the lovely albino ex-Death Eater... As for why Luna was there: her father had been receiving death threats from some crazy anti-Quibbler loon last year and had immediately thought he was next on Voldemort’s hit list. Though he was clueless about the existence of the Order until this day, he’d begged Dumbledore to protect his precious during the summer while he would valiantly stay at his office and continue the noble task of writing the truth...

As for the son of a *itch of a Malfoy, well he’d weaselled his way into the Order through that greasy git Snape. Ron grudgingly admitted that in the end things could’ve gotten a lot bloodier if it hadn’t been for the two bastards, and that if anyone had needed the protection of the Grimmauld Place, it would’ve been Draco Malfoy. He’d sold out the where-abouts of the initiation meeting, thus giving them an opportunity to save Ginny, again, from the clutches of the twisted wizard... The little red-head had been kidnapped for Merlin-knows what precise reason, but given the usual fate of female prisoners, it wouldn’t have been to woo her...

So it had been Malfoy’s tip-off in the end that had given Harry the chance to fullfil the prophecy...

Anyway, this all meant in the end that he’d spent his whole summer fighting with the cocky Slytherin, and eliciting the wrath of all the hot-headed women in the house, which was basically everyone besides Luna... He’d missed Harry a lot, and the few visits to him at St-Mungo’s, passing a whole garrison of guards and wards had been too short and too infrequent. To top all of it, he had barely had any alone-time with Hermione...

He felt only slightly guilty at expecting more attention from the pretty bookworm now that Harry was out of the picture for a little while... Don’t get him wrong, he would do anything for Harry, and he really did miss his best mate, but he’d hoped Hermione and him would’ve at last had a chance of becoming more than friends this summer... He’d been dropping hints all of the last two years: compliments, girlie presents, ... But he still didn’t know exactly where she stood about it.

Sometimes he could almost swear she really hadn’t a clue, but that couldn’t be the case now could it? However annoying it was at times, she really was the cleverest witch he’d ever met. So maybe she wasn’t sure of her own feelings, or maybe she wasn’t sure how to react, or maybe she was just waiting for him to do the ultimate move? Never in all his doubts did he allow himself to loose hope too much by thinking maybe she really didn’t like him that way and just didn’t know how to break it to him.

But he couldn’t help but realising that with this being their last year, they’d be graduated and then their lives would start. And Ron had this whole plan in his head of the future... He would get himself a job that paid well, and he would start a family of his own. Maybe if... Well, he couldn’t deny he’d like Hermione to be in this picture as well, and Harry would be the godfather of his children of course...

It would also be really great if Harry could get hooked up with Ginny once and for all. That would mean they’d really get to be brothers, and of course since Ginny had to have still feelings for Harry, so that would make his baby sister happy as well. Besides, he didn’t like the way she’d started to stick up for the slimy Slytherin this summer... She really needed the stability of a good relationship.

So with this in mind he decided he really should get his act together and try to get more of her attention this school year... But as usual it had backfired a bit, and they’d ended up arguing again: something about Head Girl duties being far more important then watch him flying on his brand-new racing broom... So after sulking for an hour, he’d returned to the common room determined to try and stay calm and not blotch up another chance...

She had moved to the library to look some or the other thing up... Splendid... When Ron trudged through the corridors he bolstered himself up for going into the library. Last year a somewhat extremely embarrassing thing happened to him there, involving a squeaking and moaning quill, spurting out white goo in all directions (compliments of his twin brothers) And he just knew Madam Pince was going to watch him like a hawk the moment he set foot in her territory. If she saw that he wasn’t there to browse any of her beloved books, she would most probably just throw him out.

That’s when a light bulb had gone off inside his head: the Concealment Charm. They’d worked on it in the reformed DA last year, and he was actually quite good at them! Searching aisle after aisle unnoticed he’d finally found Hermione, but was surprised to see Ginny there, too! The girls both seemed rather worked up about something, and hearing his name, he thought it could be quite interesting to hear this one out.

“... Forgive little ignorant me for not understanding how thick you’re being!”

Ron involuntary winced at that: this wasn’t going to be pretty. Nobody called Hermione thick!

“Thick? Me?” Hermione was actually so shocked she couldn’t get out anything else.

“Yes, you! How long are you going to avoid him? You have to know by now he’s got a thing for you!” Ron saw Hermione falter for a moment and he was a bit more then just confused: what the hell was going on there? Ginny wasn’t seriously meddling with his social life, now was she?

Apparently Ginny had picked up on some of the crumbled composure of the Head Girl, because she extended an accusing finger: “I knew it! You do know!”

Hermione only looked the younger witch straight in the eye, pursing her lips tightly together. Ron felt hope surging: now that strong front was going to crack and she was going to confess that she had been too shy to act on her wish to be with him...

But Hermione just rigidly stared back at Ginny, surrendering not an option. Ron saw Ginny’s face go red all the way.

“You were planning to keep him hanging for how long, Hermione?”

Ron was confused; did he just miss something? Still Hermione didn’t make any moves.

“How long have you known he fancied you? Since the beginning? Since fifth year? Were you just going to leave him hanging in case you didn’t find any one better, so you’d always have a back-up?”

Ron was starting to get where this was heading but wasn’t exactly willing to except the significance.

Finally Hermione spoke, through clenched teeth: “Do you really believe me so low as to do something like this to one of my best friends?” Taking a deep resolved breath she continued, a little less certain of herself: “I really didn’t know for a long time, I denied it a long time after, and by the time I really worked out the confusion I foolishly thought he’d be over it”

“Obviously not!”

Ginny and Hermione once again were competing in a staring contest, but Ron wasn’t exactly paying attention. Until Ginny spat:

“You know, I think I actually believe the self-denial-part. Which makes me wonder... Did you leave Ron hanging out of spite? As a means of getting revenge for your own unrequited feelings?”

That statement hung in the air for about five very loaded seconds. Ron hadn’t even noticed he was holding his breath. Hermione’s fisted knuckles were white from holding in the anger, and he saw her take a very controlled breath, and force herself to keep her voice down:

“Besides the fact that my feelings are none of your business, this is not the place for this discussion...”

“None of my business!?! You keep feeding my brother false hope! You love him as just a best friend, even brother maybe, that’s fine with me...” Ginny’s voice was a lot less hard now, almost pleading: “But don’t let him make a fool out of himself any more! And as for your unrequited feelings, I’ll admit it’s none of my business, but don’t pine away for someone who doesn’t return the feelings, Hermione...”

Ron watched Hermione turn sheet-white while she hastily packed up her books. Ginny was biting her lip as if just realising she’d been a bit too far. But just as Hermione was going to leave Ginny right there, the younger witch grabbed her wrist:

“You’ll talk to Ron, won’t you?”

Hermione managed one sharp nod and quickly yanked her wrist free. Ron barely knew what to do. He was thoroughly confused and his usual Weasley temper was bubbling up, if he hadn’t been under the concealment charm even a blind man would’ve seen steam coming out of his very red ears. He finally understood that you could feel a lot of emotions at the same time, but what he still didn’t understand is how a person would not burst in such a situation.

Ron felt foremost disappointment: Hermione didn’t like him back. Well, apparently not in that way. Hermione was smitten with someone else, who didn’t like her back: who was it? Krum? But last he heard they were still pen palls even if Hermione had finally admitted they weren’t dating because she didn’t feel that way for him... Was it someone he knew?

Jealousy mingled with the over-protectiveness he felt for Hermione: maybe there was still hope? He could beat the unknown bloody git to a pulp for hurting her feelings, and he could maybe still have a chance with her? Because, well, she admitted loving him, but as a best friend, didn’t she? Or was that Ginny? No matter, though he would have a talk with the little nosy witch later... Anyway, she could grow to love him as more, no?

Right now, in his confused haze he was unconsciously stalking Hermione. Second nature, he shrugged away the guilt. He was quite good at stealth if he did say so himself. He recognised the path she was taking as the way to her private Head Girl chambers. She had let him, Ginny, Luna and Neville inside the first day after the sorting, as they’d made her promise to show the Head chambers the moment she got the letter confirming she had been chosen.

She had been very careful not to reveal her password, but now Ron was standing close enough to hear her talking to the portrait of the Thin Man.

“I want to change my password!” Ron had difficulty remembering when the last time was he’d heard Hermione so... defeated.

“You know the rules, darling! First the old one, then the new one! Okidoki?”

Hermione’s patience was wearing thin, years of experience wit her weren’t totally lost on Ron. But it looked like she was on the verge of tears, and that wasn’t a common thing for Hermione to be on... Ron’s anger had subsided a bit seeing her like that, but he was still extremely annoyed with her.

“Green eyes” Hermione whispered, one tear rolling almost unnoticed from her cheek. Furiously she wiped it away, and spat at the painting: “Virginia Malfoy” as her new password.

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