Always and Forever (Prequel) second year

Chapter 2: Flashback

Ron lay in bed unable to sleep. He could not forget Hermione's words, "Can we keep this between us?" That day changed their relationship forever and he knew it. He rememebered the night vividly. He, Hermione, Harry, Luna, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, and Neville were hanging out on a Friday. They were laughing and chatting when Lavender suggested they play a game where everyone writes a pair of names who are in their year whom would make a good couple. Ron grimaced but everyone else agreed. They all closed their eyes as each one of them put in a pair of names. So then Lavender pulled a slip out first and read it. She sighed. "Dean and Lavender." Dean burst out laughing and fell off his chair. Harry winked at Lavender. And so the game went on smoothly until Neville got a slip that said, 'Neville+Luna=:3' He blushed immensley. But the rules of the game no one tells who they wrote. Then Hermione became very nervous when she read a slip that said Romione. She glanced over at Luna who wouldn't look at her.  And the gameended when Seamus, the party pooper, yawned and said, "Oh! Look at the time! Gotta get my beauty rest." Everyone watched him awkwardly go to bed because it was only eight o clock. They all burst out laughing. But Neville, Dean, and Lavender decided to go to bed too but not before Lavender glanced back at Ron and said mysteriously, "Night Ron." Then she ran up the stairs to her dorm. Luna and Harry kissed goodnight and Luna was staying in Mione's dorm so she went up there with Lavender. Harry told Ron, "See ya in the dorm." He was beaming ear to ear. Ron sighed. "They always leave me the mess to clean up." But Hermione just sat there and pondered on what Lavender had just previously said. Ron was picking up the mess and Hermione just outright asked, "What's going on with you and Lavender?" Ron nervously answered, "Huh? Nothing, why?" Hermione giggled and said, "Well the way she said 'Night Ron.'" she said it in the flirty way Lavender had and blew a kiss. She giggled some more. "It wasn't like that!" Ron yelled. "Then what happened?" Hermione demanded. "Nothing!" But Hermione wouldn't have that answer. She lunged at him knocking him down while he tried to get out of her grasp as they were both laughing hard. But Hermione managed to pull out his memory and put it in the Pensieve. What she saw stunned her. Ron was just reading the Daily Prophet in his dorm when Lavender knocked on his dorm room door and came in, "Hey Ron." she said. 'Um...hullo." Ron was very confused at why a girl was in his dorm let alone Lavender. "So I have a confession to make." Katie said awkwardly. Oh brother, thought Ron. "Okay..." he answered slowly. "I..." Lavender paused as if waiting for him to react. "Love you." Ron's jaw dropped. "Oh." "Oh?" Katie said dissapointed. "No! Not like that!" But it is, he thought. He struggled to find the right words to say. "Look, Lavender, I don't feel the same way. Don't get me wrong, I care about you but like a little sister or a pet hamster." "You can pretend you don't care but we both know you do." Lavender said. She leaned in to kiss him but Ron pushed her away. "Lavender, I'm sorry but I like someone else!" He said quickly. "There's someone else." He quieted. Lavender started to tear up. 'Oh no don't cry!" Ron said quickly. Ugh he thought. 'it's just- look at it this way- I don't like you but some guy out there does and I don't want you to waste your first kiss on some dumb guy who doesn't like you back." A little smile formed on Lavender's lips after that comment. "You know what? I think I understand. You're a good person, Ron. And whoever the girl you like is she's a lucky girl." Lavender smiled slightly before walking away. Hermione lifted up. "Wow." she said. "Did that really happen?" she asked Ron. "Unfortunately." he replied. "I know it was stupid. it was nothing." Hermione gave him a peck on the cheek. "It seemed like a lot to me." she answered smiling. "You really are an amazing person, Ron. You couldn't have let Lavender down any easier. She left the room smiling! I wish my first heartbreak could've ended like that." "Did someone break your heart?" Ron asked looking worried. "yeah." Hermione replied. "But I've moved on." "Hmm." was all Ron said in reply. "Hey just out of curiosity who was the girl? The other girl?" Hermione asked inqusitively. "Nope. Not telling." "Come on..." "No." "Please." "No." "A hint?" "Absolutely not." '"Ron! I thought we were best friends. Are we just not gonna tell each other everything anymore?" she asked looking a little hurt. Ron didn't say anything. Hermione sighed. "Look- I know I can be a bit controlling and bossy. And a pain. But look I'm sorry if I annoy you. I just like to share my knowledge and some people think I'm a know-it-all for that but-" Ron was advancing towards her while she was ranting. "I just wish you would tell me- what are you doing?" Ron put his hand on her neck and kissed her out of the blue. Hermione, suprised, kissed back. When they stopped they just laughed. "explain." Hermione jokingly demanded. 'Well you see, I've liked you for a long time. Since the moment you stepped on the train. When I called you a nightmare I had a crush on you. when I gave you a big bear hug when you came back from holidays I had a crush on you. When I protected you at the New Year's party I had a crush on you. On Valentine's Day when you locked yourself in your dorm to watch rom-coms all day I didn't interrupt cause i had a crush on you. I waited outside your door with flowers all day but you never came out." "Ron," Hermione smiled. "That's so sweet. You know you could've knocked right?" They both burst out laughing but then heard Harry snoring loudlty which was rare so they toned down to a whisper. But Hermione kept giggling. "What's so funny?" Ron asked curiously. "You know how we're telling the truth now? Well I have a secret. When I asked for us to fake-date it wasn't for a stupid book. I just wanted an excuse to be with you." "Well those few weeks were the best weeks of my life." Ron smiled. The they continued to talk and share their secrets they had been keeping from each other when Hermione saddened a little. Ron noticed immediately. "What?" he asked worriedly. "It's just..." "There's someone else isn't there?" Ron looked a little put out. "Well it's complicated. I have to deal with a few things and the danger and grief Harry's going through- we just can't do this ok?" Ron sighed but nodded. "I'll wait for you. As long as it takes." Hermione smiled with tears streaming down her face. "Can we just keep this between us?" Ron nodded sadly. Hermione just stood there with tears streaming her face because the first time she felt love it had to be taken away by- someone I can't mention yet. Nice try. (It's not Harry.) Then she ran up to her dorm holding back her sobs. Seeing her like that made Ron's heart feel like a piece of glass shattered into a million pieces and never able to be fixed again. 

Snapping back to reality Ron sat up on his bed exiting the emotional memory and sat down on his desk. He grabbed his quill and parchment and started to write...