Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Alrighty-o. This is a multi-chaptered fic guys! And it's already finished! So you know I'll update it sooner, rather than later. Just as long as my computer doesn't fall over or something… 'touch wood' lol.
Anyways! This is based on a true story… my very good friend hids' very… complicated love life. Keep in mind that it is based on a true story… the boys involved aren't like this (at least the guy Ron portrays isn't like this…). I do hope you like though… and please remember to review when you've finished reading! Love you all!
How My Love Life Got Even More Complicated
Chapter One: Take me as I am
Hermione:
If someone had told me at the beginning of my seventh year that I would go from being completely single to having boy problems coming out of my ears, I would have said that they had taken a Confundus Charm to the head. You see, I was the 'resident single' one. The girl free of the complications boys brought along with them. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into when I did the unthinkable.
I agreed to start 'going out' with Ron.
I still smack myself around the head when I think about it. I thought it was what I wanted to do. And I guess on a shallow level I did, Ron was really quite attractive and sweet. But really, the only reason I became Ron's 'girlfriend' was because everyone was telling me I should. I've got to feel sorry for the poor guy though. I mean, I know he liked me. Probably a little bit too much, and what was to happen would have made him feel absolutely betrayed…
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Ron was very jumpy that night. He was sitting next to Hermione, trying desperately to finish his homework off, almost in an attempt to impress her. She was working calmly, frowning slightly as she thought of what to write next.
Ginny sat down next to Harry and whispered something to him. He frowned at her and looked at Ron, now with a questioning look on his face. He grinned at Ginny who nodded excitedly at him. He looked back at Ron and Hermione and pretended to keep on doing his homework.
"Hermione," Ron said slowly, dropping his quill in frustration on the table in front of him.
"Yes?" she replied slowly, finishing a sentence and looking up at him.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked, looking down at his hands and beginning to play with his fingernails.
"Sure."
"Uh… would you… would you like to…" he trailed off, noticing Harry who was smirking at him. Harry winked and looked back down at his essay. "Would you like to go on a date with me?" he asked in a rush, feeling very stupid as soon as he finished the sentence.
She looked up at him and saw, out of the corner of her eye, Ginny nodding vigorously at her and mouthing "SAY YES".
"Um… Ron," she began. But as she said these words his face was immediately downcast and he looked as though he might cry. She paused. "Alright."
He looked up at her, not quite believing what she said. She smiled reassuringly and he smiled tentatively. "Great!" he exclaimed, in relief, now grinning broadly. "Do you want to go out to Hogsmead with me this Saturday?"
"Sure," she said, smiling faintly at him.
There was a small awkward silence. The whole common room had stopped talking to see what was happening. Hermione looked pointedly at them and there was a burst of conversation, everyone looking away hastily.
"Alright, well I'm going to bed," Ron said, still grinning broadly and gathering his homework up. "See you guys tomorrow morning. 'Night Hermione," he said, leaning down and kissing her cheek.
Hermione resisted the urge to flinch away and forced a smile at him. He left, Ginny following him closely, probably congratulating him.
Hermione went back to her homework, her hand now shaking slightly. Harry looked up at her and frowned slightly. "What's wrong?" he asked.
She looked up at him and shook her head. "Don't worry."
He nodded and looked back down at his work.
"I'm off to bed," Hermione said suddenly, gathering her own homework and standing up.
"Oh! Okay," Harry said in surprise. "Hey Mione." She paused and looked back at him. "You can talk to me about anything," he said firmly, gazing up at her.
"I know. Thanks Harry," she replied, turning around and walking up to her dorm.
---
"So…"
"Yeah."
Silence.
"How was Quidditch practice yesterday? Is Harry still drilling everyone?"
Ron smiled and said, "Yeah. But it's ok. We love the game and he's just trying to make us better."
Hermione nodded and looked away from Ron at the rest of the room. She could see Ginny sitting with a few of her friends, every so often glancing over at her brother and his 'girlfriend'. Harry was sitting over the other side of the room with Cho, his girlfriend. Ever since Harry and Ginny had broken up two months earlier, he had been going out with Cho. She was probably the reason Harry and Ginny broke up in the first place, Hermione suspected.
"Slut," she muttered, glaring at Cho.
"Sorry?" Ron asked, looking up at her from his butterbeer.
"Oh, nothing," Hermione said, sighing and taking a sip of her butterbeer.
More silence.
"So… how's your school work?" Ron asked, lamely.
"Good," she replied. "I finished all of my essays and other homework before we went out," she said with a smile.
Ron smiled back and said, "That's… good."
Another awkward silence.
Hermione looked back at the rest of the room to see Harry looking back at her. He smiled and gave her a small wave. She smiled and waved back at him.
A moment later Cho stood up, kissed Harry on the cheek and left. He downed the rest of his drink and stood up as well. One look at Hermione's pained face made him smile knowingly and walk over to the pair.
"Hey guys," he said, pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Hermione.
"Hey Harry," Hermione said, almost in relief, glad that there would finally be some good conversation.
"How's the date?" he asked, winking at Ron.
"Great," Ron said, drinking from his butterbeer bottle. "Hmm, I'm finished. I'll go get another. Hermione, do you want one?"
"No, I'm fine," she said, smiling at him.
"Okay," he said, leaving the table.
"Thank goodness you're here," Hermione said in an undertone to Harry.
"What is it?" he asked in surprise.
"This date has been going terribly," she muttered. "It's so awkward and we have nothing to say to each other!"
"Oh come on Hermione, I'm sure you're just overreacting," Harry said calmly, patting her shoulder. "You'll find stuff to talk about. When I first started going out with Ginny we didn't talk much. Although that was because we were snogging most of the time," he said thoughtfully, frowning slightly. He smiled cheekily and said, "Good times."
"Harry now is not the time for you to relive past memories," Hermione snapped, glaring at him. "What am I going to do about Ron?"
"Give it time, it's early days for you guys," Harry said, trying to reassure her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it slightly. "Trust me, it'll be okay."
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Harry:
Well… there's not much I can say about this subject. Just that it was doomed from the beginning. I should never have encouraged Ron to ask Hermione out. She was just so uncomfortable with him it was almost painful for me to watch. Looking back at their dates (I had to intervene in most, so I could make sure they didn't die of boredom) makes me feel terribly sorry for both of them. More so for Hermione, since she only felt obligation to going out with Ron.
I just regret everything that was to happen after that. I wish I could go back and change everything, back to normal. Just the trio as best friends, no one friendlier with one than the other. I miss those days.
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