Title: Afterschool 'Studying'

Author: AnitaB

Author's Notes: We all know that Ron and Hermione were meant to be together, but sometimes smart people can be really stupid in matters of the heart. And it's always the weirdest little things that clue them in on what they really want and need. Ron/Hermione romantic smut ahead. I am the queen.

I own nothing and nothing I do own would be worth getting in the lawsuit.

Afterschool 'Studying'

By AnitaB

Chapter one: Thirty percent of our term grade

She was talking to him. And while Ron knew he was supposed to be listening to Hermione, he'd heard this lecture dozens of times. But each time her eyes burned and her hair flew about her face as she talked and gestured.

So pretty, even as those words set annoyance into all his nerves. /Such a blimy know-it-all.\\

Standing in front of the many pages of notes she'd stuck to the Griffindor common room wall, Hermione looked at him over her shoulder, eyes angry. "You're not paying attention, Ron. This presentation is worth 30% percent of our term grade. You know that, don't you?"

It must've been something about the flash of her eyes, or the way her hands rested on her hips. Or something else all together, but the next thing Ron knew his hand was half-buried in her pony tail and his lips were pressing against hers, trapping any words inside. Hermione tensed against him before her hands moved up to rest lightly on his arms and her head tilted towards his lips.

Not believing he was doing it, Ron moved his free hand to the curve of her waist, pulling Hermione closer. /Bloody hell, I am kissing Hermione Granger. And she's letting me…\\ More than letting, Hermione was leaning into her splayed fingers on his shoulders. Her lips pressed against his. /Hermione is kissing me…\\

Disbelief made him lift his head, needing to see her face. To know if this was making her feel like it was making him feel. Dazed and dizzy. Almost like he was flying. Slowly opening his eyes, Ron watched her face. Waiting to be slapped or turned into a toad or something.

But, Hermione, speechless for once, merely touched a hand to her lips. Her eyes held the shocked, soft of misty look Ron could feel on his own face. "You, Ron… you kissed me…" Ron could only bite his lip and nod as her hands moved to his chest and his hand moved from her hair to her cheek. Almost without their knowledge, the space between them closed and disappeared. Ron's hand curved around her hip to flattened in the small of her back. Both of Hermione's hands slid upward to support herself on his shoulders as her eyes rose to meet his. The puzzled heat on her face melted something inside Ron. And then she tried to stop his heart. "Do it again?"

The hesitant question nearly disappeared in the sound of Ron's breath rushing out of his lungs. "Hermione," She rose up on her toes, her lips meeting his halfway. What had been a chaste press of skin before changed with the curl of her arms around his neck. Hermione groaned into his lips, pressing closer as her fingers clenched in his hair.

It was Ron's turn to groan as Hermione's lips opened against his, the tip of her tongue hesitantly touching the corner of his mouth. /Hermione,\\ Flattening both hands in the small of her back, Ron pulled her tight against his body and invited her closer with a soft meeting of tongues. And did Hermione ever take him up on it, exploring the inside of his mouth with shocking skill and agility. Ron couldn't help but respond in kind, meeting her move for move until they both ran out of breath. Keeping her tight against his chest, he gasped against her lips, relearning how to breathe. Moving one hand to her cheek, Ron tilted her face up to meet his eyes. "Bloody Brilliant, Hermione."

Hermione smiled, touching the tips of her fingers to his lips. "You know, Ron, you can't just kiss me anytime you want me to be quiet." Her voice tried for a true scolding tone but fell ridiculously short of the mark.

Ron couldn't help but notice and delight in the heat in her eyes. Hermione liked him, liked kissing him. "I don't know, Hermione. If I did it in Potions, Professor Snape might give Griffindor 50 points just for keeping you quiet through his lectures." Smiling, he kissed her exploring fingertips and pulled her closer. "We could win the house cup by the end of this term."

Leaning more comfortably against his chest, Hermione smiled at the way his arms tightened around her. "I think you just want to avoid listening to those lectures yourself." On their own, her fingers moved over his shoulders, sliding against the warmth of his skin through his shirt. "Never were that good of a student, were you, Ron?"

"And you learn everything from books, right, Herm?" His eyes dropped to her lips, one hand rising to meet them. "Even how to kiss like that, huh?" Ron felt her smile against his fingertips, her body leaning closer along his. /So beautiful, my brilliant Hermione.\\

"As a matter of fact, yes. Would you like a little tutoring?" Hermione's hands climbed his shoulders, sliding into his hair. Her breath shuddered past his fingers as her body pressed flat along his. Firm breasts pressed against his ribs even as his hips were cradled by the flat line of her stomach. She was, she felt… absolutely perfect.

And her lips… "I'd love that, Hermione." Fingers tilting her chin up, Ron showed her how much he'd learned in his first lesson, lips coaxing hers open to explore the sweet warmth of her. Hermione fit him perfectly, her lips against his, the curve of her waist under his hand, the curl of her hair through his fingers. Ron would do nearly anything to keep her in his arms like this forever. "Hermione, luv."

She trembled, her eyes slowly meeting his. "Quick study."

"Good tutor," He was leaning down again, eager for another lesson. "Hermione,"

"Ron, Hermione,"

"Harry,"

The downward motion of Ron's head stopped and suddenly reversed. Hermione's head straightened and spun, sending her hair flying across his throat.

However neither one managed to step back or even untangle their arms before their friend and co-conspirator stepped around the door jam, a question half on his lips.

A question that died as Harry actually looked up. "Have you guys figured out how to…" The words died halfway out and his eyebrows jumped almost above the lightening-shaped scar.

Ron stood frozen, Hermione motionless in his arms waiting for some response. Eyebrows slowly lowered and lips twitched, then smiled. "About bloody time already." He felt Hermione relax ever so slightly against his chest at Harry's words. And Ron found he could breathe again. "You've been dancing around it for years now." Harry grinned and leaned against the door jam. "And it's been so obvious, I mean really obvious."

Somehow it made sense to the small functioning part of Ron's brain that Hermione found her voice first. Incoherent as it was. "But, Harry… we haven't… we didn't… I mean."

"Hermione, stop it." Harry Potter, the scourge of evil, smiled a little darkly. "First year, everyone saw it. We all knew you'd either end up together or kill each other trying." Still smiling, he turned to leave, then popped his head back around the corner. "While I'm glad it happened this way, don't forget dinner's in an hour and our projects still need work."

And then he was gone. And Ron was speechless. And Hermione was still in his arms, her hands resting comfortably on his chest. "Since first year?" Her hair brushed his chin as Hermione rested her forehead on his chest. "So, neither one of us should go into theater, huh, Ronald?"

"Apparently," He missed her eyes, fingers automatically tilting her chin up to get them back. "More important right now, Hermione, is that we have an hour before we're expected at dinner." Ron knew his brilliant girl knew exactly what he meant by the way her eyes dropped to his lips.

"We really should get to work on our project." The words were trying to discourage him, but her arms around his neck had something else to say. So did the way her lips tilted up for his.

/That's my girl,\\ "Be quiet, Hermione."

Her lips met his halfway, opening in an invitation Ron wasn't about to refuse. /My sweet beautiful girl.\\

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