The Letters to No One - Romione

Chapter 2

Ron pulled himself up from the ground, his cheeks and ears glowing scarlet as he dusted himself off. The girl flashed him a smile, although he wasn't sure whether or not it was out of pity, causing him to flush even more. Returning the smile, he quickly turned heading in the complete opposite direction and walking over to a faraway shelf. Feeling a pair of eyes watching him, he picked up the closest book and began to read the back.

'Excuse me,' a quiet voice called from behind him. 'But you dropped these.' She held out her hand pouring a few coins into Ron's outstretched palm.

'Thanks,' Ron muttered, his face was no longer bright red but he still felt like a complete idiot.

'They're very strange coins,' she said, examining the small pieces of metal that still lay in his hand. 'I've never seen anything like them before. Where are they from?'

'They're just some joke ones my brothers bought for me,' Ron quickly said, shoving the sickles and knuts back into his pocket before she had another chance to look at them.

'I'm Hermione by the way,' she said stretching out her hand. 'Hermione Granger.'

'Ron Weasley,' Ron replied, cautiously shaking her hand.

Ron finally stopped gazing at the floor and took a minute to properly look at the girl before him. Her bushy brown hair  fell down past her shoulders and her brown eyes almost sparkled. Like his, her cheeks were still flushed slightly red and she was trying to avoid eye contact. But after a moment she looked up at Ron and she smiled, the most amazing smile Ron had ever seen and he was sure he felt butterflies in his stomach. Although it could have just been a side effect from one of the sweets Fred had tricked him into eating the night before.

'Are you alright?' Hermione asked him after a moments silence, finally taking in the boy in front of her. She couldn't help but smile back at the goofy expression that covered his freckled face. His red hair flopping over his blue eyes. There was something special about him, Hermione could tell, but what it was she didn't know.

'I'm fine,' Ron replied with an embarrassed grin, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to seem cooler than he was. 'I just tripped over my incredibly large feet.'

Hermione let out a small giggle, quickly stopping herself as she noticed the strange expression across Ron's face. She followed his gaze and her eyes landed on the book that she was holding in her hands. She lifted it up and handed him the book, watching as he turned it over in his hands.

'What's it about?' Ron asked.

'Wizards and various other magical creatures,' Hermione replied casually, but Ron's heart was beating loudly inside his chest. He had no way of knowing whether or not this girl was a muggle who simply loved reading or whether she was a witch. He was sure he'd never seen her before, but that didn't mean she was a muggle, after all there were plenty of other schools, even some that Ron had never heard of.

'Is it good?' Ron asked, although he didn't really care about the book at all.

'It's wonderful.' She replied and Ron was disappointed that she didn't say anything else about the book, meaning he had no way of knowing whether she was a muggle or not. 'Do you like reading?' She asked curiously.

'N...no,' Ron stuttered. 'Not really.'

'Then what on earth are you doing in a bookshop?' Hermione replied.

'I just needed to get a present for my little sister,' Ron said.

'Would you like any help?' Hermione asked. 'You may not know anything about books, but I sure do.' She giggled before adding. 'How old is your sister?'

'She's 14 tomorrow,' Ron replied.

'A little bit last minute then,' Hermione smiled before turning to the shelf behind her and quickly scanning her eyes over the spines of dozens of books before picking one out. 'Try this,' she said as she handed Ron the book. 'I read it last year and I loved it.'

Ron turned the book over in his hands, it looked soppy and romantic and Ron couldn't think of anything worse, but he didn't question Hermione's tastes and he had no other ideas so he took the book to the counter and paid for it with the money his Mum had given him.

'Well thanks for all your help,' Ron said.

'It was no problem,' she replied.

'Well,' Ron said awkwardly not knowing what else to say. He didn't want to say goodbye but he wasn't good at talking to girls. Most simply ignored him or pretended he wasn't there the second he started talking to them. 'I'll see you around.' He finally added, giving Hermione an awkward wave that he instantly regretted as he left the shop and turned to walk home.

'Wait! Ron!' A voice called out and he almost tripped over his feet once more in his attempt to spin around to face her. 'Do you maybe want to go and get a coffee or something?' She asked nervously, having never  had the courage to do anything like this before in her life. 'I know this really nice little shop just round the corner.'

'I'd love to,' Ron replied, before he was hit with a sudden realization. 'But my Mum will probably kill me if I don't get back soon and help set up. How about tomorrow?'

Hermione raised her eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest giving him a confused look.

'What?' Ron asked.

'I think you're probably a bit busy tomorrow,' she laughed as she waited for him to realize.

'Oh yeah, Ginny's birthday,' he replied, gesturing to the book he was holding.

'Yeah...' Hermione laughed. 'I don't know how pleased she would be if you disappeared on her birthday.'

'It would probably be fine, she has five other brothers so I doubt she would even realize that I was gone,' he laughed knowing that even if Ginny didn't notice then his Mother would.

'Five other brothers?' Hermione asked. 'Wow, you must have a big family.'

'Yeah,' Ron replied. 'What about you?'

'I'm an only child.' She said. 'It's just me, Mum and Dad.'

'Siblings are annoying,' Ron added, 'especially six of them. You're not missing out that much.' Although Ron didn't mention that despite how annoying they all could be, he wouldn't change it to for the world.

'So not tomorrow,' Hermione replied, quickly changing the conversation back.

'Definitely not tomorrow. How about the day after? I'll meet you outside the bookshop at 12?'

'That would be wonderful.'