Twelve Kisses

Year Six: The Mistake Kiss

'Why? Why why why? Of all things I could have smelled in that cauldron, why did I smell him?!' thought Hermione.

Potions class had just let out and Professor Slughorn had introduced the class to Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. She couldn't believe what she had smelled.

Of course the first two smells made sense. The first being fresh parchment. Her love of learning. She loved that smell that she only really got the first day of classes. Spreading out parchment that had only been touched by her, no drops of ink or squibbles on it. It was ready to be written on, ready to be filled up with knowledge.

The second smell made sense as well. Freshly mown grass. The first day she came to the Burrow. That was the first thing she smelled when she was dropped off there. The summer breeze blew that smell into her nose and her mind memorized it so she knew that every time she smelled that, she was at her second home.

But the third smell is what threw her off. Ron's shampoo. She remembered that she had smelled it strongly once when he had fallen asleep on her shoulder after a quidditch practice. It smelled of clean and apples. She remembered breathing that smell in that day, and it made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

But why would she smell Ron? Maybe it was her nose playing tricks on her. After all, Ron wasn't too far behind her when she smelled the potion. However, the strength of the smell would have had him to had been right up under her. So that couldn't be it.

This was all very confusing to Hermione. After all, Ron was her one of her best friends. Actually, if she really thought about it, he was a lot closer to her than Harry was. She was around Ron a lot more than Harry, especially since 4th year. She had spent weeks at the Burrow with him before Harry arrived, as well as weeks with him at Grimmauld Place before Harry arrived there as well. Whenever Harry was in one of his moods, Ron was always with her, unless she was with Ginny. Ron knew things about her that Harry didn't. And with Harry, she always felt like she was his big sister. She never had that feeling with Ron.

Hermione sighed. She knew it. She had always known it. She was in love with her best friend.

And she didn't know what to do about it.

Should she tell him? What if he rejected her? She probably wasn't even his type. She wasn't insanely gorgeous and blonde like Fleur. That's what he went for wasn't it? Her breasts wasn't as big as the barmaid Rosmerta that Ron ogled every time they went to the Three Broomsticks. Ron couldn't be that shallow though, could he?

Hermione couldn't seem to think of anything else. She was so into her thoughts that she didn't realize that she was about to crash into an equally distracted Ron until she slammed into him, causing him to fall backwards as she fell forward onto him. Their lips collided with each others as Ron had hit the floor and Hermione's face had landed on his.

It wasn't as quick as the peck that she had given him 4th year, nor was it as tender and sweet as the kiss Ron had given her on the cheek Christmas 5th year. It was indeed a surprise.

And it actually hurt.

Once Hermione realized what was going on, she broke the "kiss" and looked at Ron, who was just as stunned as she was. The two just stared at each other, Hermione still laying on top of Ron as the two of them tried to work out what had happened.

"Bloody hell Hermione." said Ron. "You're crushing my prefect badge into my chest."

Hermione snapped out of it. "Oh no. I'm so sorry Ron!" she said, quickly getting up off of him and smoothing out her skirt.

"It's fine. Next time you want to kiss me, be more gentle about it." said Ron as he got up laughing.

"You're insufferable" said Hermione laughing along with him. She was happy that he hadn't taken offense to their accident.

"I was actually on my way to meet up with Ginny. Wanna come?" said Ron.

"Sure. I was doing the same thing actually. I just got sidetracked. The potions lesson and all."

Ron blushed at those words. "Yeah. Barmy wasn't it? That love potion."

"Yeah. It was pretty weird. What did you smell?" asked Hermione.

"I smelled a new quaffle, Mum's cherry pie, and...something else. I couldn't really place the third one." said Ron, ears turning as red as his hair.

"Yeah, me neither." said Hermione. I guess the third smell is something that we have to figure out yeah?"

"I guess so." said Ron. "Come on, Ginny. should be coming out of Transfiguration"

The two walked towards McGonagall's class in silence. Each deep in thought again. Hermione was trying to figure out why the "kiss" despite hurting a bit felt so good.

And Ron had finally figured out what the third smell was.

Hermione's brown sugar lotioned skin.