Advice for the Summer

Author\'s Note: I realize that writing about a Hermione/Ron relationship is nothing new. But hopefully this will come across as a well-written, in character fanfic that is enjoyable and memorable. My idea is to explore the relationship between the two as teenagers just beginning to explore each other\'s sexuality, during the summer between their 6th and 7th year. This is not about love, although it is certainly not a PWP/Random Lust fic either. I apologize, this is still a work in progress.

Oh, and this is really trivial, but I am not using British spellings for words, like color/colour, practice/practise. I\'m American, I\'ll write American. (read: too lazy to figure out each and every difference in spellings) ;)

Disclaimer: I don\'t own the books or the characters of Harry Potter.

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Percy,

I got a letter from Ron the other day asking a very peculiar question. Maybe you could help him out better? To be honest I think you and Penelope went farther than I ever did. And Fleur isn\'t willing to until after marriage. Enclosed is his letter.

PS. Make up with Dad. Even Fudge admitted he was wrong.

- Bill


Bill,

I need some advice, and asking Fred and George is definitely out of the question. I figured you\'re the most likely to know about this and give me an answer. So here goes. Hermione and I have gotten really close lately. It\'s gotten to the point where I\'m starting to think about, uh, you know. Anyhow, got any advice for a younger brother nearing adulthood? I mean, you\'ve gotta know something, what with dating Fleur and all.

PS. Don\'t tell Mum or Dad.

Cheers,

- Ron




Ron,

I\'m surprised that you felt I wasn\'t able to give you an answer. I can certainly understand not asking Fred or George, as if those jokesters would have anything practical to say. But really, dear brother, I may not look it, but I\'m much more experienced than Bill. You know, Penelope and I had a very close relationship.

I want to first congratulate on such a fine choice for a companion! Hermione is certainly a bright and clever witch, and hopefully will have some influence in your future academic life. However, considering the fact that you two have known each other since first year and nothing has really changed, that isn\'t a likely possibility. But one can hope!

Sexual intimacy with someone you love is a wonderful thing. But you should be sure of what you\'re about to do. Ask yourself, dear brother, if you\'re ready to make that sort of decision. Are you ready for any consequences that might come with that decision? I do suggest using some sort of protective potion. If you need a recipe, please feel free to ask. Nevertheless, sometimes potions and charms fail. You must be prepared, Ronald. There is also the emotional aspect to consider. If you don\'t want to make the committment, I wouldn\'t suggest going too far! A woman\'s emotions are not to be toyed with. Remember that.

I do hope this helps. Enjoy your summer holiday.

Regards,

Percy

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\"Absolute rubbish,\" muttered Ron. He reread Percy\'s letter and tossed it into the fireplace. Best not to let anyone see this. As he was reading it, the tips of his ears turned pink, growing deeper in shade with each passing line. They were starting to fade back again, but the heat remained. Pigwidgeon had delivered the letter late at night, thankfully after everyone had gone to bed. Nobody would be intruding to see his face blushed as red as his hair.

He watched the parchment curl into itself and disintegrate into ash. With someone you love, Ron thought to himself. He didn\'t love Hermione. They\'d barely started getting cozy with each other. He didn\'t think Hermione was in love with him either. That\'d be too much. At this point, he wasn\'t ready for much more than a good snogging and a bit of fun. When he wrote that letter, he simply thought Bill could give him some advice for the future.

So much for that. How embarrassing, Percy, of all people writing about sex. Bloody disgusting. I can\'t believe he admits to it!



Not that Ron was surprised his snobbish brother wasn\'t a virgin. The way Percy was always doting after Penelope... But to openly volunteer the information! I\'m never going to look at him the same. Ron sighed and flopped onto his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, looking at a photo of Hermione tacked on top of a Chudley Cannons poster. She was reading Hogwarts, A History, but would occasionally pause to look down at Ron and smile or click her tongue disapprovingly.

Hermione certainly wasn\'t the cutest girl Ron had ever looked at. (Fleur tops Mione\'s looks any day of the week. \'Course, she\'s part Veela, and I really shouldn\'t think about my brother\'s girlfriend like that anymore, thought Ron.) Hell, up until the Yule Ball in his fourth year, he didn\'t really look at Hermione as a girl. They bickered constantly, and she was always bossing him or Harry around about grades or SPEW, or some other rubbish. Sixth year, however, had wrought a change in Hermione\'s figure. Instead of the skinny girl with bushy hair and slightly buck teeth, she was now the shapely girl with bushy hair and normal teeth, thanks in part to some Slytherins and Madame Pomfrey. Ron could deal with that. In fact, he liked it. Besides her figure, there was her eyes, her smile, her charm, her bossy manner. He discovered something the other day, when they were alone in the Burrow\'s backyard. He liked to bicker with Hermione.

Ron closed his eyes and thought about that day. They were fighting, as usual. What was it about again? Oh yes...



\"Ron, how can you ignore what we\'re doing? Doing to him?\" said Hermione as she glared at Ron. They were sitting under the shade of a tree, during the noon hour. Everyone else had retreated inside to keep cool. It was scorching hot outside, but there was some measure of privacy. Hermione\'s hair was tied back to keep off her neck, and she was wearing a wonderfully small tank top to keep cool in the heat. Easy there. Pay attention. Ron forced himself to keep his eyes on her face.

He cleared his throat and said, \"Harry would understand. He\'s a great bloke. You and I, we\'re still his friends you know. We\'re just more than friends now. I mean, uh, you and I, we\'re more than friends. Not us and Harry. Er,\" He stopped, feeling like the more he said, the worse. Hermione sighed loudly and slumped back against the tree.

She frowned. \"You just don\'t get it. Of course Harry understands, but is it fair? After all he\'s been through, with Voldemort,\" Ron hissed at the mention of the name. \"and the Death Eaters, and losing Sirius, and now you expect him to deal with his best friends dating each other? Ron, he\'ll feel like we\'re abandoning him!\"

Ron shrugged. She cares too much for her own good sometimes. \"But we\'re not abandoning him. And we can prove it. And he\'s not here right now, Hermione! So why worry? I\'d rather worry about us than Harry right at the moment,\" he said and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. She moved out of the way, and Ron\'s lips pressed against rough bark instead of smooth skin. Next time keep your eyes open, he thought. \"Eugh! Okay, you\'re still not convinced. What\'ll it take?\"

Hermione pursed her lips. \"I don\'t know. I\'m just worried about him. He hasn\'t been quite,\" she paused, trying to find a suitable word.

Ron offered, \"Stable? All together? Happy?\"

\"Oh, you know I don\'t expect happy, not in his situation. But you realize that this will only make dealing with him more difficult than before,\" said Hermione. It was Ron\'s turn to frown.

\"Sometimes,\" he growled, \"I wonder if you like him more than me.\"

Hermione snorted derisively. \"Don\'t be absurd! Harry\'s my friend, I\'m just worried.\" Ron wasn\'t convinced. \"Jealous, are you, Ronald?\" She taunted him, wagging a finger in the air. His face began to blush almost immediately.

\"Now who\'s being absurd,\" said Ron. \"Do I look like the jealous type?\"

She grinned and said, \"Oh definitely.\"

\"Hah!\" He exclaimed and turned his body away from her, looking in the opposite direction. They were silent for awhile, sitting in their own thoughts. \"My point is,\" said Ron eventually, \"We can worry about Harry when we\'re around Harry. I really don\'t want to think about him right now, so could you please drop it?\" He craned his head around and stuck out his lower lip in mock-pout. \"Please?\" he repeated.

She stared at him with a blank expression. \"But what about when he is around? We could really hurt his feelings, you know--\"

\"Will you just shut up for one moment?!\" Ron interjected and kissed her on the mouth before she could protest. He pushed hard against her lips, ignoring her muffled protests. After a bit she quieted and stopped struggling. He felt her hands sliding up his back, wrapping around him, as she slightly parted her mouth. Better, he thought, until he felt her fists pounding against his back. \"Ow ow ow! Stop it!\" He bellowed and scooted away from her quickly.

\"Don\'t you ever try to shut me up,\" she spat out, \"like that again, Ron.\" Her face was flushed and her breath rapid. She looked furious and ready to punch him square in the nose.

\"Yeah?!\" He grabbed her arms roughly and kissed her again, keeping her body restrained. She squirmed around a bit again and then stopped. She wasn\'t exactly kissing back, but at least she wasn\'t trying to injure him either. He relaxed his grip on her arms and gently slid one hand up to her neck.

See, look, this is nice, eh?

\"Ron,\" she murmured softly. \"You\'re rotten.\" He gently pushed her down onto the grass, and laid next to her on his side.

He started planting soft kisses around her mouth for a bit, and then paused, feeling hesitant. Oh hell, now look what you\'ve done, mate. He tried to ignore the throbbing, hoping Hermione wouldn\'t notice. She was starting to kiss him now, but it wasn\'t helping things. Well, actually in some ways, yes, it was helping. Probably best not to poke her in the thigh or something, though. He tried shifting his hips away from her slowly.

Hermione pretended to be oblivious and snaked an arm around his waist, pulling herself closer to his body. Oh god. What is she doing? Alarm bells in Ron\'s brain were starting to set off. Mayday! Mayday! \"Er,\" he ventured. \"Y\'know, maybe we should be getting back inside, isn\'t it warm out?\"

She seemed to ignore him, and instead slid even closer to him. She\'s gotta know what\'s going on! Bloody hell. Is she doing this on purpose? Not that Ron didn\'t want to take things further with Hermione, but he certainly didn\'t expect her to willingly get this close. The most they\'ve done is kiss each other for a bit in the past. Oh GOD! What does she think she\'s... At this point Ron\'s mind stopped thinking in fully formed sentences, for Hermione had grabbed Ron\'s hand and slid it up along her waist, underneath her shirt...



Ron\'s face started to turn red as he thought about that part, and he felt the need to visit the bathroom and relieve some pressure. Sighing heavily, he climbed out of bed and made his way to the toilet.