Chapter Text
Where?: The Christmas Party; Professor Slughorn's office
When?: December 1996
“Come on Granger,” Cormac McLaggen slurred into Hermione’s ear. “It’s bad luck to not act when you’re caught under the mistletoe.
And Hermione really was ‘caught’...trapped in fact. She always prided herself in being able to take care of any obstacle in her way. But, when she invited Cormac to be her date to Slughorn’s party - strictly to anger one Ronald Bilius Weasley - she took for granted just how big and strong of an obstacle he could become. She couldn’t move as he had both of her hands behind her back while the other slid creepily over her face. She realized that given the way they were situated in the dark corner of the room, no one could even see her as broad as his body was.
“Get off of me,” she commanded as fiercely as she could. She didn’t want to make a scene at the party, but she wasn’t above screaming her head off if she needed to. She prayed that Harry or Ginny would take notice before anything happened. Or that she would find a way to reach her wand.
The seventh year pushed his body into her, and she felt the bile rise up in her throat when she realized there was a bulge pressing against her stomach. “That’s not what you’ll be saying later,” he teased. He lowered his lips to hers but before he could connect them Hermione put all the force she could into driving her knee into his groin. He stepped back and doubled over, and Hermione took the opportunity to pull her wand from the hidden pocket in her dress. She silently thanked Mrs. Weasley for adding the secret pocket to her muggle dress for her over the summer as she held the wand to his face making him step back further. “Stay away from me McLaggen,” she hissed, then turned on her heel to leave the party.
Thankfully, no one noticed her quick and early departure. As she passed a mirror in the corridor, she took note of her now disheveled hair and smudged makeup. Tear tracks were running down her cheeks and there was a small rip in the broad strap of her dress where Cormac must have pulled at it upon the impact of her knee to his groin. She cursed under her breath and continued on to the tower, hoping she wouldn’t pass anyone along the way.
What was she thinking going with the likes of him? She knew what he was capable of, she’d heard the rumors. A part of her thought they were just that - rumors. A part of her thought he wouldn’t dare try anything like that in public. A part of her thought she could handle herself as long as she had her wand.
And a part of her really didn’t care otherwise - getting back at Ron took precedence over all of it. She was sick of watching him suck face with Lavender Brown every day and even sicker of listening to her go on and on about all she was doing with “Won-Won” every night in their shared dorm.
Ron was supposed to be with Hermione, not Lavender. He was supposed to have been her date to the party tonight, not Cormac. She had it all planned out when she asked him...in her head. She saw a much different scene under the mistletoe - a much more welcome scene. And if she left the party early in that scenario, it would be to find an empty classroom to finally snog her favorite redhead, not to head back to her room alone and cry.
She wiped her face as best as she could and clamored through the portrait hole, pulling off her heels as she went. Almost immediately, she walked right into a hard, warm chest. She didn’t have to raise her head to tell who it was.
“Um...sorry,” Ron said and started to go around her. She kept her face down to avoid looking at him and the blonde who was pulling him along. No surprise they were heading to find somewhere to...well…Hermione found she preferred not to think about it.
She quickly waved him off and started for the stairs. “Hermione,” he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Of course, they hadn’t talked in weeks, but now he wants to have a chat. “What’s wrong?”
Hermione tried to keep her face turned from him, knowing her red eyes and smudged makeup would be a dead giveaway.
“Oh, she’s fine Won-Won,” Lavender said. “Come on!”
But Ron shook his arm out of the other girl’s grasp, and put himself in between Hermione and the staircase. When Hermione finally looked up at him, his face turned red with anger and visibly hardened. “What the fuck did he do to you?” he growled.
“Nothing, Ron, I’m fine,” she tried to get past him but he grabbed her shoulders and kept her in front of him. She felt his thumb pass over the rip in her dress and saw his eyes darken even more.
“Hermione, don’t lie to me. What did he do? What happened?”
“Ron, why does it matter,” Lavender whined behind Hermione. “She obviously doesn’t care to tell you so let’s just-”
“It bloody matters!” He kept his gaze on Hermione’s, and she melted as his face softened for her. She didn’t have to say anything, she could tell he knew. And he definitely cared.
Hermione took a deep breath. She knew nothing good would come from telling him, but at this point there was no way around it. “H-he cornered me, away from the others. Under mistletoe. He held my arms and I c-couldn’t reach my wand. Then he p-pushed against me,” Ron’s hands tightened on her shoulders as she put every ounce of energy she had into not breaking down in his arms, “and I could feel his…” She closed her eyes to regain some sense of control, but it was no use - the tears started to flow again. “I finally was able to knee him and get to my wand and I left.”
Ron took a stumbling step back as Hermione opened her eyes. He ran his hands through his hair then let out an incomprehensible roar before running out of the portrait hole.
“Great,” Lavender hissed. “Our last night before the holidays and you had to go and ruin it. Why couldn’t you just tell him you were fine and leave?” Before Hermione could utter a word, Lavender disappeared out the portrait hole after Ron. After a split decision, Hermione ran out behind her.
It didn’t take them long to find Ron, who already had found Cormac. Despite the fact that the older boy was larger than Ron, Hermione realized that the older boy’s size had nothing on Ron’s rage. He had Cormac pinned up against the wall, and Hermione noticed that Cormac was already sporting a black eye.
“I’ll fucking do you in McLaggen!” Ron was growling in the boy’s face. Both girls called out to him to stop, but he ignored them. “Do you hear me? I promise you, I’ll fucking do you in with my bare hands if you ever, ever lay so much as a finger on her again!” He threw the boy to the floor and stalked past the two girls. They stood there in shock for a moment, until they heard Ron bark, “Let’s go!” They both jumped and went after him.
Once back in the common room, Ron paced the room angrily. Hermione and Lavender watched for a moment, unsure what to do. Finally Hermione started to head to the stairs.
“Where are you going?” He asked.
“I-” She started, but Lavender interrupted her.
“Why do you care, Ron? Let her go.” Ron glared at Lavender.
“Why do I care?”
“Yes,” Lavender crossed her arms, ready for a fight. Hermione wanted nothing more than to leave the room, but didn’t dare move. “Why do you care? Why are you defending her honor? Why are you fighting another boy over her ? I’m your girlfriend Ron! Not her!”
“She’s my best friend!” He yelled. “If you think I’m going to let some tosser take advantage of her, you’re bloody mistaken!”
Lavender scoffed. “Some best friend! She hasn’t talked to you in weeks. But then she just strolls in here and pulls her damsel in distress bit-”
Hermione, who had been distracted by Ron’s declaration, became immediately incensed by Lavender’s insinuation. “Excuse me?! Damsel in distress?! You act as if I sent Ron after him!”
“You stay out of this!” Lavender hissed, stepping towards her. “You bloody-”
But Ron put himself in between the girls and faced off with Lavender. “Don’t you dare talk to her that way.” Ron’s voice was calm and low, but dripping with contempt. His eyes were like fire towards his own girlfriend.
“Well,” Lavender took a step back and her eyes danced between Hermione and Ron. “That’s two people you’ve defended her against in ten minutes. Quite obvious she’s more important to you than our relationship.”
“Caught on have you?” Ron muttered. By the way his neck and ears reddened, Hermione could tell he didn’t mean to let that slip.
But she was so glad he did.
Lavender, however, was not. She gasped - a bit dramatically, Hermione thought - and glared at Ron. “Ron! You can’t possibly mean you want this to end?” Ron glanced awkwardly at Hermione, then back at Lavender. Apparently this hesitation was enough for her. “Fine. I’ve seen enough tonight to see that this,” she waved her hand between Ron and herself, “obviously isn’t what you truly want. And I’m not going to stand aside and watch my boyfriend fight for other girls. We’re done Ronald. Don’t even think about crawling back to me when you realize how boring she is!” She turned on her heel and marched up the girls’ staircase.
Hermione stared at the floor in shock, unable to bring her eyes to Ron. They were over. He was free again. He fought McLaggen for her. He cared about her...at least as a best friend. But could he...could he care as more than just a best friend? He had just defended her to his own girlfriend... ex -girlfriend…
What did this all mean?
She finally chanced a look his way, only to find his blue eyes already gazing at her. “I...uh...sorry. I didn’t mean for you to have to see all of that. I really just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He paused, then took a small step towards her. “Are you?... Okay?”
Hermione choked a sob and flew to him, throwing her arms around his neck. He responded immediately, holding her tightly around the waist. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I’m so sorry, Hermione,” he said softly into her hair. “I’m so sorry.” She knew he wasn’t talking about anything that had happened that evening.
“I’m sorry too,” she whispered. “I really did miss you.”
“I missed you too. So much.”
Harry returned to the common room a while later, and the surprise on his face at the sight of his two best friends sitting close to one another in front of the fire and talking quietly was obvious. As he approached, he couldn’t help but notice the tenderness in Ron’s voice, and the giggle that came from Hermione.
“Um,” Harry started hesitantly, “is everything alright?” His green eyes passed warily between the two of them.
“Fine, Harry,” Hermione said. “Sorry I ran out of the party early...I hope you weren’t looking for me.”
“I was, but then Luna said she saw you leave alone so I figured you would head back here.”
“Oi!” Ron sat up straight. “Speaking of which, next time you’re at a party and I’m not there, how about you keep a closer eye on Hermione?”
“Ron, I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself!” Hermione huffed.
“Still!” Ron hissed, turning back to her. “Load of good Harry being there did for you. He should have been watching out for you!”
“Watching out for me isn’t Harry’s responsibility!”
“As your best friends, it actually is! Especially when prat’s like McLaggen are on the prowl!”
“I don’t need bodyguards, Ron!”
“Don’t you? I promise you if I was there McLaggen wouldn’t have had the chance to -”
Harry smiled. “Good to have you two back to normal,” he said, cutting off Ron's tirade.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she got to her feet. “Well, whatever, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you both in the morning. Don’t stay up too late, we have a train to catch after all.” She ruffled Harry’s hair, then smiled at Ron, who whispered a quiet “good night” and smiled back.
Harry watched as Ron’s eyes followed Hermione all the way to the stairs and up, then lingered there long after she was gone. He smiled at the slightly goofy grin on the redhead’s face.
“So,” Harry started slowly, “how’s Lavender?”
“Not good, I imagine,” Ron said with a shrug, turning back to Harry. “Bird’s usually aren’t after they break up with their boyfriends I reckon.”
Harry’s eyes widened. “I missed a lot, didn’t I?”
Ron nodded, smiling at his best mate as he stood to head to the stairs with him. “It was a ruddy crazy evening. Oh, can I send Hedwig ahead of us in the morning? Have to owl my mum to let her know Hermione’s spending Christmas with us after all.” Harry nodded, a bit bewildered. “Thanks mate. Come on, I’m bloody knackered.”
Harry followed Ron up the stairs shaking his head. Whatever happened tonight, he hoped it would finally bring these two together. This back and forth was becoming nothing short of maddening!