Disclaimer: I own everything...muahaha...in my dreams anyway. It's all JKR's dear readers.
A/N: Hope you enjoy this guys. I had fun writing it!
"But she'll hate me! Well, no , she won't…but she'll give me one of her 'looks' as though she knows something that I don't – which technically – she does. Not to mention the fact that if she doesn't say anything back I'll just be standing in front of her looking even stupider than usual. Argh! What am I going on about? It can't be this hard!"
Ron Weasley paced around his bedroom. His mind was working furiously, but nothing seemed to be falling into place. It was the summer after his sixth year and he and Hermione were at the Burrow, waiting for Harry to arrive after his birthday. Things had been very awkward over the past few days whenever Ron and Hermione were in the same room and he had finally decided to resolve the problem, but the fact was he didn't know how to.
To him, Hermione had started of as a friend, but he had gotten to see a side of her that not many other people had had the good fortune to see. The caring, friendly, ambitious (well, actually everybody could see that) person she really was. Her kindness, courage, will to never give up…he could on forever.
When Viktor Krum had taken Hermione to the Yule Ball three years ago, Ron had felt a peculiar sensation in the very pit of his stomach. He hadn't known what it was then, but as Hermione grew into the beautiful young woman she was today, he had come to find it was jealousy.
He had yelled at her after the Ball. He knew he shouldn't have but Hermione didn't know what she had done to him that night. When he had asked Hermione to the Ball she had gone all huffy and shouted at him. That was definitely not the reaction he had been expecting. Weren't girls supposed to be flattered when guys asked them out? Then he found out she had been asked out by that Quidditch star, Viktor Krum and he had lost it completely. That feeling that kept bugging him didn't help things either.
Then there had been Lavender. He hadn't really liked her. But if Hermione could have a boyfriend, why couldn't he have a girlfriend? It had been fun at first, but Lavender was too clingy and wouldn't leave him alone. Besides, how was he to enjoy this relationship when mind was already fixed on another girl? A girl who he had come to see as more than a friend…for the past three or four years.
Now, Ron had made up his mind. Today he, Ronald Bilius Weasley would tell Hermione Jane Granger that he – (swallow) he loved her.
"Yeah right," he muttered to himself. "I don't even have the courage to ask her out and now I want to tell her I love her?"
Ron sank backwards onto his bed, staring at the ceiling, not knowing that someone else was having the exact same problem…
"He won't believe me and then I'll end up standing in front of him like a gormless idiot. Besides, he wouldn't like someone like me anyway. A bookworm, always pestering him to study. I'm not the prettiest girl in our year. I' m not even the friendliest or the most outgoing…Argh! What's gotten into me these holidays? I never used to think twice about my looks before. Ron Weasley, what have you done to me?"
Hermione Granger flopped backwards onto her bed in the Burrow and closed her eyes. All thoughts of Ron fluttered into her head and she groaned softly.
"Why does this have to be so hard?" she asked herself. "How can I tell him how I really feel?"
Hermione put a pillow onto her face and screamed into it. "There," she thought. "I feel better. Now I can think."
She had had feelings for Ron ever since her fourth year. When she had heard about the Yule Ball, an excitement had crept upon her like never before. Maybe Ron would ask her! But her excitement had turned to bitter disappointment when she had seen Ron asking Fleur to the Ball before running away, finally only turning to her as a last resort. She had told him roughly that she already got a date and stalked out of the room, a small rupture in her heart.
She had fought with him after the Ball, but even through her anger she could see that Ron was trying to mask another emotion: jealousy. From then on, she had always hoped but Ron had never said anything of value to her.
Then there had been the whole Lavender disaster. Hermione knew that Ron had heard her sob that day when he and Lavender had got together, but he had never even bothered. She had chosen Cormac McLaggen to take to Slughorn's party in a fit of anger, hurt and despair after that little episode. She shuddered slightly as she remembered how McLaggen had tried to kiss her under the mistletoe.
Now, Hermione could see where her heart truly lay and she had made up her mind to tell Ron Bilius Weasley that she, Hermione Jane Granger lov – (gulp) loved him. If he wouldn't accept her, so be it. But she had told him how she felt and her conscience would be clear.
As she walked towards the bedroom door, she thought about Ron again (she seemed to be doing that a lot these past few days). He was clumsy and slow sometimes, true, but he had a noble heart and was a loyal friend.
She opened her door and almost screamed out loud. Ron was standing right in front of her, his hand raised as though he had just been going to knock on the door.
They both stood there for a few seconds, just staring at each other, but then Hermione shook herself mentally.
"Yes, Ron?" she asked. "Do you want to come in?"
Ron nodded. He seemed at a loss for words. He entered the room and the silence spiralled awkwardly.
"I was just going to find you," Hermione said suddenly.
"Really?" asked Ron. "Why?"
"Well, you see, I have something to tell you…" she trailed off. Her tongue was exceptionally dry.
"Er, I have something to tell you too," Ron said hurriedly.
Suddenly both of them started talking quickly as though they had just found their nerve and unstuck their tongues.
"You see Hermione; I don't really know how to say it –"
"I'm not sure how to start, Ron –"
"Ummm…we've been friends –"
"I've known you for a long time –"
"There's something I feel in my stomach when I look at you –"
"I can't think straight when you're around me, Ron –"
"I really need to tell you before I explode –"
"I've been thinking and I really need to tell you something –"
"But it's hard –"
"It's difficult to say though –"
"Hermione, I really think – I mean – I know, that –"
"Ron, I've come to realise –"
"I LOVE YOU!" they both said loudly at the same time.
"You love me?" they echoed in unison. "Really?"
"Really," they said together.
A grin spread over Ron's face and a radiant smile over Hermione's.
"Ron," Hermione said just as Ron said, "Hermione,"
Hermione put a finger over Ron's lips.
"I've waited so long for you to say that," she whispered.
"I just can't believe it took me that long," answered Ron quietly.
They leant towards each other and shared a kiss, their hearts doing dances in their chests. For right now, even though the death toll was rising and their futures were bleak, they had found love in a war struck time and that was all that mattered.
A/N: So there it was! I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave me a review. All reviews will be responded to. :)