12Author's Note:
Bucknc – In our original plotline with SuckR4Romance we would've left the last chapter as the final chapter. However, I've always preferred a happy ending and with only a few days to go before Book 6 and an important character's death looming over us. We could use all the happy endings we can get.
I also want to make one small revision of my prediction on Book 6. I've been re-reading Book 5 looking for possible clues and I got the feeling that JKR planted several clues of a comparison with Harry's parents to Ron and Hermione. Like after Ron won the Quidditch trophy he was sitting underneath the same tree and running his hair the same way his father did. If that comparison holds true, than that would mean Ron and Hermione don't get seriously involved with one another until year 7. And Ron and Hermione will both be Head Boy and Head Girl. Choke on that Draco Malfoy fans
I want to thank you for each one of you that left a prediction. You are brave enough to be a Gryffindor as for the rest of you who haven't left a review and a prediction – Slytherin and Hufflepuff are your houses.
Chapter 6 – Two spoons
Ron POV:
"Do you think it will work?" Ron asked with a worried look on his face as he carried the huge bowl of French Vanilla Ice Cream, with generous globs of chocolate syrup, sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.
After Harry entered the Gryffindor Commons room with Ron following him, he nodded toward Hermione sitting alone at a table by the fireplace reading a book. She was the only one in the entire Commons room as all the other students already went to bed several hours ago.
"Ron, just do what we talked about, and - don't get in a row with her."
Ron nodded in agreement as he walked past Harry toward the table Hermione was sitting at.
"I'm going to bed, goodnight Ron, goodnight Hermione!" Harry yelled across the Commons Room to his best friend who still refused to take her eyes off her schoolbook.
As Ron walked over to Hermione, he noticed that she quickly moved her bookbag off the floor beside her to the empty seat that Ron was going to sit in beside her. To top it all off she still refused to answer Harry's goodnight or look up at Ron as he walked over to her.
Great, she's giving me the silent treatment again. Ron thought as he walked around the table where Hermione was sitting and offered a small smile to Hermione.
Hermione only shrunk her head deeper into her book as she didn't want to see or speak with Ron. However, Ron fiercely decided to press on past the point of no return. He laid the sundae bowl in front of Hermione and stuck two spoons in the Ice Cream. After he did that he could tell by Hermione's eyebrow raising up at him that she was confused by his actions. Not that he could read her entire facial expression as she was almost buried inside the schoolbook she was still holding.
Ron cleared his throat, and waited a few seconds for some activity from Hermione.
Nothing… Merlin, she's stubborn!
Ron tried again. "Hi Hermione, I thought you might want to… well that is… if you want to—"
Hermione only managed to sink even deeper into her book as if it was more possible than before. Her reaction caused Ron to panic some more as he realized he was falling deeper and deeper in trouble with her.
"Hermione… okay, I'll admit it. I have the emotional sensitivity of a soup spoon—"
Hermione briefly spoke her first words to correct him. "It's more like a Teaspoon."
Ron noticed that Hermione had backed her face away from her book and had even managed to turn a page not that she had bother to look up at him yet. Ron was speechless for a few seconds until Hermione spoke up again. "Continue."
Ron exhaled his last shred of pride and continued onward. "I'm sometimes lazy, stupid, and insensitive. If you'll have it in your heart to forgive me and Harry—"
"It's Harry and I." Hermione corrected him as she lifted her head up to judge Ron's reaction at her correcting him.
Ron clinched his fist and remembered Harry told him not to get in a row. After a brief pause to re-collect himself, he continued. "We would like for you to have this bowl of Ice Cream."
Hermione quickly responded in a formal voice, "No, thank you."
Ron exhaled again as he wanted to scream at her on just how much that bowl of Ice Cream had cost Harry and him. Why not tell her, she's the one who took the map in the first place.
"Hermione, that bowl of Ice Cream cost me and Harry two weeks of detention with Snape, a 100 house points, and a chewing out from McGonagall." Ron growled at her as his patience was running thin.
Hermione didn't say a word as she casually turned another page in her book. Even still Ron was pretty sure that she was smiling into her book with the knowledge that she was right yet again.
After a few silent seconds, Hermione slowly placed a book-marker on the page she was on, then closes the book and placed it beside her. She picked up one of the spoons that Ron gave her and took a small spoonful of Ice Cream to eat. She didn't even utter a sound as she slowly swallowed the Ice Cream as Ron watched on.
"It's French Vanilla, your favorite." Ron added to her as she nodded in agreement before taking another scoop.
Hermione was now fully watching Ron as he continued to stand there watching her eat the Ice Cream by herself. Not only that, but Ron was staring at the second spoon that he brought up to her. The reason why he was staring at the second spoon wasn't about his own hunger but over a silly theory that Harry had sold him on. Harry had said if she offered up a part of her Ice Cream to him than she still cared for him. If not, then he needed to look for another girl to go to Hogsmeade with, because she no longer cared for him. It sounded like a silly theory to him at first, but he had to admit it was a rather simple test to find out if she still cared for him.
As he continued to stare at the second spoon, he waited and hoped for Hermione to say something to him about it. Only after eating a quarter of the sundae did she finally speak up. "Ron, is there anything else you would like to say to me?"
Ron got the hint that she wanted him to say what was on is mind and leave. His heart sank as he nodded a no to her. Then he started to walk away from her feeling even more miserable as he headed for the boys spiral staircase. By the time he reached the bottom step of the boys' staircase his heart sunk even deeper as he glanced back at Hermione not watching him leave. His frown of disappointment and lost seemed to be the only reaction he was getting from either of them.
Tell her.
What?
Tell her something.
Ron paused with his left foot on the second step as he moved his head over to Hermione still sitting at her chair and eating the bowl of Ice Cream.
"I… I must be insanely mad too." Ron spoke to her from across the empty Commons room.
Ron could tell from Hermione's back flinching at his declaration that she heard him. With all the Gryffindor bravery he could muster he confessed even more.
"I've wanted to ask you out on a date to Hogsmeade for like the longest time too." Ron shook his head as he thought of all the missed opportunities he had. "It just never seemed like a good time to ask. We would be fighting or you would be carrying on about Harry… I wasn't even sure if you…"
Ron voice seemed to die on that last sentence as he felt his bravery slip from the realization of being rejected. He turned his head back to the stairs and started to slowly climb it as he felt nothing but heartache and regret.
"Ron, wait!"
Ron stopped in his tracks, but didn't dare to turn around to face her as he feared she might see the hurt and despair on his face.
"Would you like to have some of my Ice Cream?" Hermione asked him from her seat in the Commons room.
The End.