AN ~ You know the drill by now. You pick the year, although I think sixth or seventh might work best. :-) Dedicated to Colleen, a.k.a. *sniffle*, who requested a fanfic to this lovely song. enjoy ;-) oh yeah, and something else, too. When I was researching Astronomy for this fanfic, I found out that there is a star called Sirius, and guess which star it is. The dog star. J.K. is a clever woman. :-)
Ordinary Day
-dutchtulips-
It was close to midnight, and Hogwarts castle was still and serene. It was a warm Spring night outside, and the crickets were chorusing, with the occasional swish of the breeze flittering through the trees. The beautiful silver moon was full, cascading inside the school's windows, shedding light on empty classrooms, the Great Hall, and dormitories of the students and teachers alike, whom were all sleeping soundly.
All, save for one.
Hermione, after having consulted her Astronomy book earlier in the day, had to her pleasure discovered that that night, tonight, would a wonderful night for star gazing. She'd grown very interested in space lately, and had become a book hound for Astronomy.
So of course, on this particular night, Hermione was up, outside at the top of the North Tower, with a heavy Stars and Planets book in her hands, along with a fancy blue telescope pointing towards the sky, and some scrolls and Harry's Invisibility Cloak lying nearby.
Hermione sat quietly, enjoying the warm breeze, as she sat on a stool she'd conjured up, reading the thick volume that was the Astronomy book. After several moments, she finally put the book aside and got up, stepping over to the telescope and peering through it.
"There you are, Orion," she whispered to herself, adjusting the lens and looking through it once more.
However, though, she was so engrossed in her study that Hermione hadn't heard another person approach her from behind. He'd first appeared in the doorway, but was now walking towards her, careful not to make a sound. An attempt to scare her wasn't his motive, but it was another. Just to be able to watch her, watch her as she studied the stars, looking so simple, yet - so beautiful.
Just a day
Just an ordinary day
Just trying to get by
Just a boy
Just an ordinary boy
But he was looking towards the sky
While she was still looking through the telescope, he finally leaned forward and put a hand on her shoulder. " 'Mione."
A terror-filled gasp erupted from the young witch as her whole body tensed up from the surprise. "Hermione!" He said, grabbing onto her arms to calm her down. "It's me!"
Upon looking at him, Hermione felt relieved, but angry at the same time. "How dare you sneak up on me like that! You scared me to death! I thought you were Filch or Professor McGonagall or someone!"
Ron smirked at her, gently releasing her from his grasp. "I'm the only one who calls you 'Mione, 'Mione."
She rolled her eyes, turning back towards the telescope. "Well, excuse me being too startled to notice such a petty thing."
Normally a remark like that would have gotten a smart-alecky comeback from Ron, but after these years of knowing her, he'd discovered that there were better ways to react. So he just smiled lopsidedly at her again.
Her brow furrowed. "What?"
"Oh, nothing." Ron watched as Hermione opened up her book again. "What are you doing?"
"Well, according to Stars and Planets," she replied, lifting up the navy blue book, "tonight is an excellent night for star gazing." Putting it back down once more, she took hold of Ron's wrist and gently pulled him closer to the railing.
A warm chill passed through Ron, upon Hermione's touch, but he was used to it by now. Shaking the feeling off and turning his attention to her, he listened to her speak.
"Look," Hermione said, pointing. "The moon is full tonight, and all of the stars are out. Maybe we'll even get a glimpse of a planet or two."
"We? You mean, you want me to stay?" Ron asked, drifting off the topic.
She looked at him. "That's why you came up, isn't it?"
The night's stillness filled the space between them for a moment, before the redhead finally responded. "Er, yeah. Yeah."
Hermione beamed. "Well, hurry, come here and look at this." She rushed over to the telescope, readjusting it to another part of the sky. While she was doing that, she asked him, "How did you get up here, though? I mean, I have the Invisibility Cloak."
He put his hands in the pockets of his cloak. "I just, uh, snuck up on my own."
She straightened, giving him an interested look. "You risked Filch catching you?"
He merely nodded, and walked over to the telescope where Hermione was standing, and he could still feel her heady stare upon him. "So, what'd you want to show me?" Ron asked, hoping for a casual tone.
"Well, er, I, uh. . ." She gestured that he peer through the telescope, and continued to look at him as he did so. "See if you can find it."
And as he asked if I would come along
I started to realize
That everyday you find
Just what he's looking for
Like a shooting star he shines
He said, "Take my hand"
"Live while you can"
Don't you see your dreams are right in the palm of your hand?
A trail of foggy white stars slipped into Ron's vision. "Wow. The Milky Way," he mused, staring through the eyepiece. "Pretty fab, 'Mione." He looked back up at her, only to find that she was still staring at him.
He shifted under her gaze. "What is it?"
Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away. "You risked getting yourself up to your neck in trouble? For me?"
Ron nodded. "Er. . .uh hu," he mumbled, moving to pick up one of Hermione's star charts. "Hey, do you think we might be able to find Alpha Centari?" He tilted the telescope to locate the star, awkwardly avoiding Hermione's eyes. "Yeah," he said softly, after a moment. "There she is."
He straightened to give her a look, and she gently leaned over to peer through the eyepiece. "I always liked that one," she smiled. Moving the long scope over, she suddenly gasped and said brightly, "Hey, look, Saturn!" She waved Ron over. "Come have a look."
The redhead looked up at the sky, and the gently pulled on the sleeve of Hermione's cloak. "I can see it right now."
She straightened and walked over to stand next to him, looking in the direction of his pointed finger. "Yeah," she smiled. "There it is." Suddenly, without warning, Hermione moved forward a little so that she could lean against Ron.
And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words
Although they did not feel
For I felt what I had not felt before
You'd swear those words could heal
And I as looked up into those eyes
His vision borrows mine
And to know he's no stranger
For I feel I've held him for all of time
The redhead's breath caught in his throat as he could feel the warmth of her body up against his. Deep down, this moment was one he'd being hoping to share with her for a long while, and so Ron did the only thing he could think of, what seemed to come almost natural for him to do.
Gently, he slipped his arms around her waist, squeezing gently. Tilting her head to look at him, Hermione smiled, which simultaneously had Ron smiling back, that adorable lopsided smile of his that she secretly loved so much.
The pair looked back out at the stars again, and Hermione whispered, "Look what else. . .I think I can see Jupiter, too."
"Really?" Ron's eyes followed her finger, pointing out at the faraway glimpse of the multicolored planet. "Cool." He stared at it for a moment, and then reached one of his hands up to grasp hers.
And he said, "Take my hand"
"Live while you can"
And if we walk now we will divide and conquer this land
Don't you see your dreams are right in the palm of your hand?
Right in the palm of your hand
It was quiet between them again, as they held each other and stared out at the midnight sky. As they intertwined fingers, Hermione whispered to him, "They are truly beautiful, aren't they?"
"The stars?"
"Yeah," she replied. "I can't believe it took me so long to become interested in them. I mean, see the way they just twinkle down at us? It makes me feel, almost. . .well, protected, knowing that they're watching over us."
Ron blinked and then smiled at her, sharing her sentiments, the moment revealing yet again to Ron why he loved her so much.
There was silence among them once more, and then Ron decided to just go ahead and say what he'd come up to say. "Hey, Hermione, look over there." He turned slightly, Hermione following suit, and pointed his finger out to a star.
She nodded. "Polaris, Ron?"
"Yeah. The North star. That's my favorite, because. . .it's a guide for someone who's lost. . .a guide to show them they way home. And. . ." He paused, giving her hand a squeeze, and then continued. "When I was lost or confused, you know, feeling bad or upset about something. . .I had Polaris to guide me home, back to the way to my heart."
"Polaris did that?" Hermione asked gently, looking up at him.
"Yeah. . .because," he returned her gaze, "Polaris was you, 'Mione."
Just a dream, just an ordinary dream
As I wake in bed
And the boy, that boy, that ordinary boy
Or was it all in my head?
Did he ask if I would come along
It all seemed so real
But as I looked to the door
I saw that boy standing there with a deal
Hermione's eyes filled with emotion as she looked at Ron, whose eyes were reflecting back into hers, sharing her own feelings. Tentatively he leaned his face down slightly, as she raised hers, and their lips met, mouths mingling together in a romantic kiss.
When their kiss at last ended, Hermione's cinnamon brown eyes blinked at him. So this is what it feels like, she thought to herself. This is what it's like to share a truly, perfect moment with someone. And with who else than Ron, who's always trying to help me see the side of myself that I never thought could be? Who else than Ron, who's forever cared about me and has had a bigger heart than he was reluctant to show? And with who else than Ron, who's already as perfect as he can be?
And he said, "Take my hand"
"Live while you can"
Don't you see your dreams are right in the palm of your hand?
Right in the palm of your hand
Right in the palm of your hand
Without saying a word, Ron leaned in once more to kiss her again, and Hermione did so as well, letting one arm break free and wind up around Ron's neck to pull him closer. His arm tightened around her waist, relishing in the ability to at last have her this near.
And ironically enough, as the pair were sharing their perfect, romantic moment, a shooting star suddenly appeared overhead, sending a band of light behind it and enveloping Ron and Hermione into the peaceful night.
Just a day, just an ordinary day
Just trying to get by
Just a boy
Just an ordinary boy
el fin