// Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Maybe I do. Ahhh… who am I kidding?

// Summary : While taking a walk on Christmas Eve, Ron finds out that being normal is not that bad, and ends up with more than he was looking for (6th year fic) (One shot).

Normal

By Wine

It was a Saturday night. The castle was emptier than usual since it was Christmas Eve and most students had gone to the safety of their houses, even if they weren't so sure about its security anymore.

It was much easier to pretend it was just another common holiday being celebrated the very same way as the past ones. It was just so much easier.

I was taking a walk outside, thinking about nothing especial but everything that surrounded the very situation I got myself into.

It was not easy to think of your love life or even your regular life for that matter when people you knew and cared were dying out there.

There. The same world I lived but were kept locked from by this whole system the Order had created. I didn't know what they were trying to achieve with shutting us, myself, Harry and Hermione, out of what was happening. Hadn't last year been a lesson?

The walk towards my tree, the one near the right gate where no one seemed to brother me – maybe because it was not such a great-looking tree, just an ordinary one – was taking longer than usual, and in my little reverie I took too long to percept that I was not going to be alone for so long.

A bushy haired girl just appeared in my sight.

A beautiful bushy haired girl. The reason why I took a walk in the first place. The only one who actually might have the answer for the question I was too afraid to ask.

She suddenly felt my presence and turned around. She was sitting near the lake with her arms around her knees, looking like a lost child in a crowd.

"Hey." She said with a fake smile. Even in the dark I could see that her eyes were a bit puffy. I couldn't believe she had been crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked coming next to her and sitting a bit too far. My concern couldn't hide the strange feeling I got every time I was near her.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about things, that's all." She passed her hand on her eyes cleaning the unshed tears.

"Ahhhh, so that's what you been doing here, alone, at this time of night, in a dark and cold place. Just thinking?" I said trying to lighten the mood, and even hiding a smirk that appeared out of nowhere.

"And you have the nerve to say that Ron Weasley, when it seems to me you've been doing the exact same thing?" She said now lightening a little.

"Oh, well, I'm a man aren't I?" Smirking now. I just couldn't contain myself.

"I'm not so sure about that." She is quick!

"Hermione!"

And we both laughed heartily. It was just so great how we could just talk like that with each other. How we could feel so free together. How it all just seemed so… right.

As the laugh seemed to come to an end we came back to that uncertain mood, where we both looked like we were hiding something, but was too afraid to admit it.

"So, Ron, really, what are you doing out here?" She was looking straight at me, with her shining brown eyes that just made me look disconcerted.

"As I almost said I was thinking about, you know, things like… well, like this whole mess with Harry and all." I said looking down, afraid to look at her eyes and say something that I didn't know if I should.

She sighed and lowered her voice. The sound of a splashing in the water was heard. It must had been the squid.

"I know. I can't understand how every time when I think things are starting to become normal something always happens." She looked to the other side hiding the tears that I knew that were about to fall.

"And I know that I can't blame Harry, and I don't, but I can't help but sometimes wish for a happy normal Christmas, just a happy normal Christmas for once." She sobbed and I knew she was crying now.

A wave of courage passed through my body and I snuggled closer to her. Took her hand with one of mine and put the other lightly on her chin, just to make her look at me.

"You know 'Mione, I don't think I can't promise you a happy normal Christmas, but I can at least try to offer you a happy average guy." And finally looking straight into her eyes I thought I saw what I was looking for. And with a great deal of surprise for both parts I kissed her.

She was sweet and softer than I expected. I kissed her slowly trying not to startle her more than I already did, but when she started to respond the one astonished was me.

She opened her mouth just sufficient so that I could feel her hot breath coming in and out. I kissed her upper lip and lower in quick succession trying to get a hold of me, but when she repeated the same actions was that I almost lost control.

I didn't want to stop but I could feel her and my need for breath. I slowed the kisses until we came to a full stop and only our foreheads were touching.

"Wow." I said still not believing what just happened.

"Wow." She repeated blushing a little and with her mouth hanging slightly opened.

"You know Ron, that was far from average." She said now smiling at me, and after a quick peck that surprised me to no end, she shyly reached for my hand and snuggled closer.

"I still can't promise the happy normal Christmas, 'Mione." I said accommodating my arms around her shoulders.

"Don't worry Ron, I'm more than happy with the normal guy."

And as I stopped to think about all that happened on that Christmas Eve, I just couldn't help but be happy that for once being normal wasn't that bad. Just not that bad at all.

THE END

// Authors note: Well I was just up for a Christmas fic. It's incredible how all this lights and Christmas trees and carols just get to me. Hope you all enjoyed it. Please review.