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Somehow, the plan worked. Hermione got what she wanted—Ron as her date to Slughorn’s party. That’s where they’re heading now. Well, they were until Ron suddenly grabs her arm and yanks her with him behind a tapestry into an abandoned alcove.
“What—”
He cuts her off as he sets an Imperturbable charm around the space. She presses up against the cold stone wall, shivering as her exposed skin touches the material thanks to the shimmery backless burgundy dress she picked out specifically for this occasion—specifically for Ron .
“Sorry. I, uh, wanted to ask you a question before we got to the party.”
She quirks an eyebrow. “And you couldn’t have asked on the way there?”
“Well…no.”
“Okay, then what is it?”
“It’s just that—I mean—I’m not with Lav anymore…obviously. But she was really confused and swore she never ended things with me. That she was sleeping in her dorm that night and—”
Hermione folds her arms over her chest, subsequently pushing up on her chest and making her cleavage more pronounced. The movement distracts him for a split second before she responds. “Why would I know anything about that?”
She does her best to keep a straight face, though the corner of her mouth threatens to turn up into a tiny smirk as she averts her gaze. His bright blue eyes burn into her and she’s too aware that he’s trying to read her. To see any weakness in her guard.
He shrugs. “Dunno. I just happened to notice your nails were painted the same color as Lav’s that morning and you never use that stuff.”
“Did I?” She bites her lip.
“And I could have sworn when Lav was heading up the staircase her hair shifted from blonde and straight to brown and curly but—maybe I was exhausted and seeing things.”
“Yeah, maybe…”
His eyes narrow and it’s clear that Ron was far more observant about the whole situation than Hermione realized. Heat rises in her cheeks as Ron steps closer with growing confidence.
“But the barmiest thing is that the snog didn’t feel like Lav at all. And not just because she kept her tongue in her mouth.”
“Maybe she only saves that feature for thriving relationships,” Hermione mutters.
A lopsided grin breaks out onto Ron’s face. “Ha!”
“What?” Hermione’s eyebrows crinkle in confusion.
“Any time you’d walk by us you’d always snarl in disgust before leaving the room. You didn’t even flinch when I mentioned it just now.”
Hermione scoffs. “Why were you noticing me when you were supposed to be snogging your girlfriend?”
His hand slips onto her hip with the slightest hesitation as he closes the gap between them. “I figured by now that was obvious. Snogging her after the match was a mistake, and I was happy to have an out that didn’t make me look like the bad guy.”
She attempts to grasp the wall from behind her to keep her hands from shaking. All of the silence and patience, pining in anticipation over the last two years will be worth it if this is the moment. Hermione desperately waits for more.
“Hermione.” He says her name and everything stops. “You used polyjuice, didn’t you?”
A soft chuckle escapes her lips. “You’re going to make a great Auror, you know that?”
“Answer the question,” he says with a grin.
Her eyelids flutter as she keeps her gaze trained on his lips. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought it was clear when I invited you to the party. I don’t want you like a best friend.”
His grin splits even wider. “Brilliant.” His hands grip her sides more confidently now that she’s all but admitted she fancies him. “You know, I was kind of hoping you weren’t going to admit it so I could kiss you and confirm my suspicions that way.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“Really?”
She flashes a coy smile. “At least this time there won’t be an excuse to make me stop.”
“But what about the party?” he asks, though his head dips lower so their noses touch.
“I don’t think we’ll be missed.”
Ron doesn’t need another invitation as his lips crash into hers.
Only bought this dress so you could take it off…