Fic: "New Year's Eve"

[redbrunja]

Title: New Year’s Eve (New Day Dawning)
Author: redbrunja
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Characters: Ron & Hermione.
Author’s Note: Written for the lightprincess89.
Summary: “This was the worst New Year’s Eve of Ronald Weasley’s entire life.”


11:57, December 31st.

Hermione was talking, while around them, the rest of the party was thronged through the Weasley's house, everyone circling around the clock, (not the old grandfather that bore the names of the family on hands, but a Muggle one that Ron’s dad had brought into the house just for the occasion). All around them, people were talking loudly, drinking, eating, some still dancing even though the music had been momentarily silenced for the count down.

11:58

Ron attempted to act suave and pay to what Hermione was saying, but all he could really think about was how he was going to have a socially expected way to kiss her in 60 seconds.

"Are you even listening?" Hermione asked.

"What?" said Ron

11:59

Hermione gave him a gimlet glare, but apparently that last year not-at-Hogwarts, when they'd been running around inches from death for nine months had worn down her temper. She just have him an amused and annoyed look and then turned as people started counting down.

"Ten..." they chanted.

Hermione was looking at the clock, her back to him.

Bloody, bloody, bloody hell... he thought as he tried to worm himself around the face her. There was a crowd pressing around them now, and Ron settled for tapping her on the shoulder.

"Five...."

She obediently turned around, lips slightly parted.

"Four...."

"Yes, Ron?" she asked.

"Three...."

"Er...."

"Two..."

Ron started to lean down.

“ONE!” the whole room shouted, and Ron flinched.

Hermione clapped dutifully as everyone started kissing each other. As couples fling themselves at their partner’s mouths, Hermione held out her hand.

Ron shook it, as over her shoulder, he saw his eldest brother kissing his dark-haired girlfriend.

Lupin’s niece pulled back with a laugh, and then delicately nipped Bill's bottom lip, her face flushed but her motions smooth and lithe and free of shame or embarrassment.

Hermione looked at the clock again, like there could be any doubt about what time it was. “Well, I’m off. I work early tomorrow, and I’d be very surprised if anyone else shows up.”

Ron tried to smile.

“Happy New Year’s Eve,” Hermione was saying.

This was the worst New Year’s Eve of Ronald Weasley’s entire life.

“It’s been fantastic,” he said.

Hermione gave a little wave and headed towards the door.

Ron stood stock still in the middle of the room. He blinked, and realized that Clancy and Bill were back in his line of sight.  His eldest brother had his arm around her waist, and her hand resting against his neck, one finger toying with his fang earring.

Are you a Gryffindor or not? A voice snarled in his head, and he bolted after her.

“Hermione!” he yelled.

She whirled around, wand in her hand, eyes scanning the surrounding area.

“Death Eaters?” she gasped.

Ron shook his head, stopping in front of her.

“No, sorry, I just forgot something,” he said.

Hermione leaned her head to the side.

“What did you forget?” she asked.

Ron expected this to be hard, to be a challenge, but maybe after all the near deaths and the almost losing, after all the danger over all the years, maybe Hermione wasn’t as intimidating as she used to be or maybe it was just that it was right, this was right, and his lips met hers with no fear at all.

Comments

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

I'm in support of anyone who can reasonably argue their 'ship. I've read an excellent fic where Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione were the pairings in thier school years, but they all grew up, moved on, and grew apart. They parted amicably and all remained friends, developing lives and getting jobs and normal adult stuff. Later, Harry and Hermione grew closer and developed a closer relationship than ever before. No one really 'won'; there's still plenty of room for fanon.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Quite true. I was just talking to someone else about how easy it was to write Harry x Hermion fic, or at least gain by belief that they could work: just say, 'she and Ron dated and then parted as friends' and it totally works.

Well, I know a bunch of people right after book 6 came out who where like, 'ha! It's canon now bitches!' So while it didn't screw up the actual writers, who look at canon and go off on tangets while staying true to it, I know there's a section of the fandom who's all smug and satisfied.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

They're still in school. Sure, some people find the love of their life in school, but others meet a good first boyfriend/girlfriend. They enjoy their time together, but grow apart and move on. It's life, it happens. I sincerely doubt anyone except Bill and Fleur will be getting married in book seven; while I figure that (if they live) Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny will be the 'ships JKR ends with, there's still a lot of room to grow.

*sigh* No matter which way it went, there would have been sections of fandom who were smug and satisfied. As it was, there were portions that claimed JKR was just wrong.

Thus, the only pairing I will argue for in HP fandom debates is Petunia/Snape. OTP all the way, baby!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I think you scarred me for life. I can handle Snap in ships, but with Petunia? my brain just imploded.

Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny will be the 'ships JKR ends with, there's still a lot of room to grow.

Agreed.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

What? You dare to slander my OTP? For shame! Petunia and Snape have so much in common! Snape loved Lily, and they both really hated James' guts and are taking it out on Harry . . . They sooo belong together!

I genuinely don't care about what pairings people write, so long as they write them well. I try to keep an open mind in the HP fandom, and I've seen interesting approaches for everything from Ron/Hermione to Hogwarts/Giant Squid.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

You know know that you mention it..... Snape x Petunia could never happen (I tease.) I agree with you about writing being what makes or breaks a fic. The best could take things you'd never in a million years have thought of and make it work great.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Are you crazy? I could get so much evidence!

. . . actually, I have an essay planned to argue in favour of Petunia/Snape. I'll only go through with it if the shippers get REALLY insane after book seven, another round of "JKR WAS WRONG!!eleventyone!" or something like that. Every time Petunia is mentioned as scrubbing the house, it's to get rid of the grease marks left by Snape's hair so no one suspects anything. Any time that Snape is mentioned as being missing with his location unaccounted for, he's off for a tryst with Petunia. I could go on like this for ages.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

You know, I think I've forgotten what the pairing 'discussions' used to be like. *flashback* *whimpers*

Yeah, how that would work, with Snape being so ..... and Petunia being so fastidious? I bet she scrubbs him down good before anything sexual happens.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

I've kept out of the "discussions" wherever possible, but I've heard about how bad it's gotten.

Foreplay in the shower, natch!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Foreplay in the shower, natch!

Oh, god, I've feed a moster, haven't I?

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

Please. I've been into this pairing for years.


And I still haven't managed to write one fic for them.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

And now I'm encoraging you. ^_^ Shipping them for years and not one drabble? For shame.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

I'll get to work! Really! *starts battling writer's block*

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh, the noblest (and most annoying) enemy!