Madam Puddifoot's

Summary: A take on Ron and Hermione's Apparation Lessons and Tests in Hogsmeade, and a visit to the cozy, Madam Puddifoot's Tea Room. Takes place in HBP. R/Hr.

Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews for my last chapter, this is the final one and hopefully you all like it. Also, I just wanted to add that I hope everyone loves Deathly Hallows, and that it's fully of Sidekicky moments. Happy Reading!

Chapter Four: The Steaming Tearoom

Ron's first impression of the small and cramped tea room was that it looked like the result of Cupid being sick. Pink doilies covered round tables with frilly white tablecloths, and every light bulb had an equally frilly pink shade. An array of china tea cups were piled high in towers on a back counter, with a stout, chubby witch standing behind it. Steaming pots of tea were hovering over each table, some of the older ones tipping precariously over the customers head. Ron now realized why Hermione had said that Madam Puddifoots was usually quiet, it seemed as though every couple was glued together at the lips.

"Shall we take one at the back?" asked Hermione gesturing to a table in the far back corner, beside a small, fogged up window.

"Oh-er yes, right then," said Ron awkwardly, his voice shaking as they pushed their way through tables filled with love sick couples. When they reached the small table, Ron hesitated. Should he pull out Hermione' chair for her? Was that the right thing to go? But before his mind could reach a decision, Hermione had already sat down on the lilac pouffe. Ron went to sit down as well, but his foot knocked in to the leg of the table and he ended up falling clumsily into his seat. Hermione put her hands over their tea cups to stop them from shaking.

"So, do-do you come here often?" asked Ron lamely, knowing full well that there was little chance she had spent much time here since all of their Hogsmeade visits had been taken together.

"No, only once," Hermione replied simply, looking down at her mug.

Ron was about to ask who with when he had an unpleasant jolt in his stomach. Krum.

"When?" he asked her savagely.

"A few years ago…" muttered Hermione, now smoothing out the doily on the table.

"Precisely?"

"If you're asking if I came with Viktor, then I suppose the answer would be yes," Hermione replied snappishly.

Ron narrowed his eyes and looked around the room. He noticed a large crystal bottle that seemed to be emitting perfume every few minutes; it smelt like the kind of perfume he had given Hermione for Christmas the previous year.

Hermione. Ron thought bitterly. Two timing Hermione.

Ron chanced a glance over his shoulder to see what she was doing, 'Hopefully wracked with guilt,' he thought. To his annoyance he saw that she was now rifling through her Apparation leaflet. Ron was just about to storm out of the tearoom when a stout lady with a tight black bun bustled over to them.

"What can I get you dearies?" she asked, looking expectantly at Ron.

He sent a furious glance at Hermione who seemed to be making a point not to look at him.

"Tea," Ron said as though this was obvious.

Madam Puddifoot gave a slight chortle, and twirled her pink wand.

"Yes, but what kind? We've got Morning Rose Tea, Amaretto Tea, Flower Tea, Ginger Tea, Passion Fruit Tea and Apple Tea," she prattled off.

"Oh, um…" Ron racked his brain as to which of those flavours sounded most manly. "Ginger, I suppose."

"That you are dear," Madam Puddifoot laughed and tapped her wand to a hovering tea pot. A thick jet of tea rushed into his tea cup. Madam Puddifoot now turned her attention to Hermione, who had finally looked up.

"Apple," she answered with a small smile, before turning to look out the window again.

Madam Puddifoot tapped her wand to the tea pot again, and tea rushed out of it.

"Thank you," said Hermione, taking a delicate sip of her tea.

Madam Puddifoot turned and trotted off through a back door.

For the next few moments the silence was immensely uncomfortable. Neither Ron nor Hermione could think of what to say (Not that he wanted to say anything, Ron reminded himself).

"So, how do you think Harry is making out with Slughorn," Hermione asked tentatively.

"How should I know?" Ron grunted into his tea.

Hermione's eyes flashed furiously for a moment before she stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ron demanded.

"Back to Hogwarts. I don't see the point in wasting my day with you here if you're going to behave like this," Hermione said in a prickly tone.

Ron looked as though he was about to retort, but then seemed to think better of it.

"Wait, just finish your tea? I won't say anything more," Ron appeased.

"I would think you'd love to be free of me, then perhaps you could run back to Lavender, or Lav-Lav as I suspect you call her now," Hermione said waspishly.

"No, I don't. Actually I'd much rather spend the rest of the day here-away from Lavender," Ron muttered. "Just stay?"

Hermione seemed to totter on the spot before reluctantly returning to her seat. She picked up her cup again and took a sip. Ron let out a sigh. He looked around the tea room and saw several couples, young and old, having a snog. Ron looked awkwardly back at Hermione. 'Hadn't Harry come here once? With Cho?' he pondered. 'As a date,' he reminded himself. 'Does Hermione expect this to be a date?' This thought had never occurred to him before. Now that he thought about it, it did seem rather unlike Hermione to drag him into such a peculiar tea room, filled with couples. In fact, it seemed downright insane of her.

Hermione was now stirring her tea slowly with her spoon.

"So…read any books lately?" Ron asked lamely.

"Do I have to dignify that with answer?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Guess not," said Ron with a sheepish grin.

There was a moment of silence before Ron asked,

"Written any letters to Krum lately," as he strived to maintain a casual voice.

Hermione's eye narrowed.

"Why do you care?"

"Because he's a bloody git!" Ron shot back before considering the consequences. But Hermione didn't react the way he had thought she would. She merely looked amused at Ron's blatant outburst.

"I thought you didn't like him because he was too old, and trying to beat Harry at the Triwizard Tournament," said Hermione, her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, well that too," Ron mumbled darkly, "But honestly, you could have done better than Krum," he finished with a sneer.

"Yes, well it's not like you've ever dated anyone who you could have improved upon," seethed Hermione as she set down her tea cup.

"If you're talking about Lavender-" Ron began, but Hermione interrupted.

"Well of course I'm talking about Lavender; you've never dated anyone else!"

Ron scowled.

"And at least I didn't hide every time Viktor came near me, and he didn't think to make up stupid nicknames like 'Won won'."

"That's because he couldn't say your initial name, Hermowninny!"

"Rubbish," snapped Hermione.

"You only liked him because he was older and famous," Ron scoffed.

"Oh and I suppose you like Lavender for her 'inner beauty' do you? I've never seen anyone so shallow!"

Ron looked uncomfortable. Couples were turning to stare at them.

"I'm not shallow," whispered Ron.

"Chatted up Eloise Midgeon lately have you?"

Ron gave a defeated sigh.

"Can't you just drop it Hermione?"

"I don't recall bringing it up," said Hermione, her hair bristling.

"You implied that you came here with Krum!"

"You asked me!"

"Well, well…" Ron trailed off, his mind stretching back to the very beginning of the conversation, "If you hadn't dragged me in here, I wouldn't have thought of it. Look where we are Hermione, do you see anyone in here besides randy couples?!"

"Oh, so I dragged you in here, did I?" said Hermione, now looking hurt.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." Ron instantly regretted his words. He didn't think he could take another fight with Hermione, not when they only just regained their friendship.

"I think it's pretty clear what you meant, Ronald," Hermione said in an undertone, her eyes now brimming with tears.

"No, I just can't stand the though of…of Viktor," Ron stuttered, "And...and you."

Hermione fleetingly looked at him.

"So I can't be in contact with Viktor, but I'm supposed to be perfectly fine and understanding of you and Lavender while watching you make out in the Common Room every night?"

"You're not supposed to be fine with it! That wasn't the point of anything!"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione gave him a confused look.

"How could you snog Viktor Krum?" Ron blurted out.

"What…? Since when-Did Harry tell you?"

"No, I mean, it was pretty obvious," Ron mumbled.

"Why does it matter if I did? That was ages ago Ron," Hermione said, looking calmer.

"Because you weren't supposed to kiss him. It was supposed to be me…" Ron trailed off, waiting for Hermione's reaction. But she seemed to be expecting him to say more.

"Lavender was just…she was just there. Harry had had Cho, you had had Viktor, and I had had no one, and I just thought that…"

"You'd see what you were missing?" Hermione finished for him.

"No," Ron sighed, "I thought that you could know what it feels like to be replaced by someone else for once."

"I never replaced you with Viktor," Hermione said, her eyes now shining again.

"No, but you still went to the Yule Ball with him, even after I asked you-"

"You asked me as a last resort," reminded Hermione.

"Well I didn't expect someone else to ask you by the time I came around to it."

"You really are an idiot you know," said Hermione with a small, watery laugh.

"Come to that conclusion just now have you?" Ron joined in.

Ron and Hermione stared at each other, over their now empty tea cups.

"So do you still want to…?" Hermione started.

"Want to what?" Ron asked.

"Kiss me?" Hermione whispered.

And Ron, taking this as a command, slowly leaned forward across the table to meet Hermione.

Their lips met fleetingly, before they leaned back in again. Ron's mouth captured Hermione's, and she slowly opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. Ron's tongue met hers, and they sat there entwined in each other, Ron's hand on the side of Hermione's face, and her's on the back of his neck. Ron's heart was beating faster than it ever had; much faster than all of his kisses with Lavender combined. He could smell the flowery scent of her hair and longed desperately to pull her closer over the table. The hovering tea pots beside them were now steaming and whistling. Ron and Hermione had joined the group of couples who were passionately making out over their tables.

"Ahh, young love," whispered Madam Puddifoot.

THE END