Written for Hogwarts Online II Prompt Of The Day Monday, October 22,2012

Prompt: "Deny it all you want, I know love when I see it."

Author's note: Page 83 in the 6th book. The story takes place where Harry asks Mrs. Weasley if Hermione was there, Mrs. Weasley's reply was that she arrived the day before yesterday.

Ron came down for a late night snack and couldn't help but see Ginny and Hermione talking in the kitchen. Hermione arrived a few days before Harry in their sixth year at the Burrow. Ron preferred Hermione being early. Sure, he liked his best friend around, but with Harry around he never fully got to stare at Hermione without Harry noticing anything was going on. Harry always caught Ron staring at Hermione. Several times Harry would make Ron stop or punch him lightly with his elbow to get Ron to stop staring.

Ron said goodnight to Hermione as she stood up from the table. She brushed past him, their arms momentarily touched as she walked past. He breathed in and smelled the air around him. Hermione smelled of Lavender shampoo again. Ron shook it off as he caught his sister watching him. He then opened the refrigerator, and got the chicken they had the night before. He then proceeded to heat it on the stove in a small skillet, taking it off when it was ready to eat, all the whole ignoring his sister's stares. Pulling out a chair at the table, he took a seat and focused on his meal.

"You are smitten!" Ginny's pointer finger accused he chewed on the chicken his mother made hours earlier.

"Excuse me?" Ron asked in between bites.

"Don't you ever close your mouth? You're like a cat chewing on a dead mouse. You just ate three hours ago," Ginny retorted as Crookshanks came through the threshold of the living room and kitchen.

"Why are you still here?" Ron accused his sister before taking another bite.

"I just want to know when you first fell in love with Hermione, then I'll go upstairs."

Ron chocked on his food and spat it into a napkin watching Ginny flinch in disgust.

"I am not in love with Hermione. It'd be like falling in love with my sister."

"Ew. Ron."

"I meant romantically. Of course I love my sister, but not in the same-" He caught himself as his sister glared and then grinned at him.

"So you do love her. When are you going to make your move?" She asked handing Ron a napkin now that he was finished eating like a cat.

"I don't love her." Ron looked down at his empty plate, and placed it on the floor so Hermione's cat Crookshanks could eat the bone.

"Deny it all you want, I know love when I see it." Ginny replied as she stood up. She scooted in her chair, pushed back her red hair behind her ears, and crossed her arms.

"Alright. I love her. At least I think I do. Maybe it's just a crush who knows. But I can't act on it. It's not like she'd take me anyways." Ron admitted as he scooted in his chair.

"You should." Her remark surprised him.

"What? I can't tell her I like her are you crazy?"

"Fine. Your loss. Just know she doesn't want to wait around for anyone anymore. If she's interested in someone this year, she's going to act on it." Ginny advised, acting like she knew something he didn't.

Ron stood up, cut her off her path and caught her by the arm as she started to leave the kitchen.

"What do you know?" He demanded.

"Nothing. I'm not going to tell you anything. My friend trusts me. I'm going to bed, if you'll kindly let go of my arm."

"Don't tell anyone okay? I'm not even sure of anything myself." Ron begged her.

"Sure you are. You know how you feel about her, you just don't know what to do with the feeling." Ginny said before heading up the stairs.

"I can't wait till Harry gets here." Ron muttered under his breath realizing he did need his best mate after all. He looked towards the cat as the cat licked his lips. "I'd rather trade places with you. You don't have to deal with girls." Ron said sadly.

The cat stared at him, licked his lips once more and walked away leaving Ron tired and alone. Ron yawned, and followed his sister upstairs to his room turning in for the night.

Special thanks to thegoodgirldoll for being my beta.