For Kate and, most importantly, for Sarah

If you were to ask Ron what his favorite thing in the entire world was, he'd say Quidditch. He'd say it so fast it'd make your head spin, and, since he'd said it so bloody quickly, you'd know right away he was covering something up. So you'd arch your eyebrows at him and lean forward a bit and his ears would turn crimson.

That would be your second clue.

So you'd say, "Ah, really?" and nod and act like you aren't suspicious in the slightest. Then his eyes would dart around like an anxious little gopher, and he'd lean in close to you and make you swear on your own grave that you won't tell a living soul if he tells you. So you'd cross your heart and hope to die and whatnot and then he'd grab your arm so hard it'd have finger-shaped bruises the next day and he'd drag you over somewhere he deemed more acceptable for such an immense secret.

Once he was certain you wouldn't be overheard, he'd whisper one word – one word that would sum up everything Ron Weasley has ever stood for in life and what, quite frankly, would explain the majority of his actions over the past few years.

The word he'd whisper would be Hermione.

This exact scenario happened when we were fourteen years old and I remember thinking, "Yes! This explains why he's such a prat all the time!" Then that arse Krum had to go and ask Hermione to the ball right as Ron was finally getting his courage up and that was enough to strike the poor boy down for, blimey, how long was it, Ginny? Three years? Three bloody years of the revenge dating and each of them staring longingly at each other while the other wasn't looking and Ron trying to sneak into the girls' bathroom…

Oi!

Oh hush! You got the girl in the end, didn't you? Anyhow, it wasn't until we all ran off together that I noticed how they weren't just being a couple of randy teenagers. The look on their faces when the other was hurt and the way they fell asleep holding hands nearly every night – don't think I didn't notice that, you two. They never did anything particularly gruesome in the romance department, praise the lord, but that just made it even more clear – they were too afraid of screwing up for either of them to make the first move.

Then I made the even more stunning realization that that was the way it had always been.

All the forced normal behavior and secret stares… They'd been hiding their affection for each other for years! It was enough to drive a bloke mad just thinking about it. But they finally came to their senses, and, after twelve years of knowing each other and at least eight years of loving each other, look where we are now?

To the bride and groom, my two best friends,

Ron and Hermione.

So this is my first Romione fanfic, so thanks for reading and be sure to tell me what you thought!
xoxo Z