In Ginny's Eyes
Ginny Weasley was always very perceptive. Living as the only daughter with six very boisterous and sneaky older brothers, she learned at a young age how to watch out for herself by watching others. So when the youngest of her brothers returned from his first year at Hogwarts, she began to pay very close attention to him. At first, it was because one of his best friends was none other than the Harry Potter. However, as the weeks passed, she noticed how his voice seemed to quiver with excitement and his cheeks turned a slight pink color whenever he mentioned his other best friend, one Hermione Granger.
When she started at Hogwarts the next year, she was surprised to see just how Ron and Hermione actually interacted. She expected Hermione to be loud and tomboyish and more prone to playing pranks like the twins. She actually met a young girl much like any other with bushy brown hair and large front teeth but who loved to study and could usually be found in the library or the Gryffindor common room helping Ron and Harry with their homework. However, Hermione could be loud - she and Ron were often engaged in blazing rows that could clear a room within seconds. How could this be the same girl Ron spent his summer gushing over? From the looks of it, they despised each other.
The years went on, and Ginny continued to watch Ron and Hermione. Her second year was accompanied by constant bickering and one big fight which resulted in their not talking for weeks. In her third year, the Yule Ball fiasco proved to be a turning point. She could have hexed Ron for being so unobservant. Hermione had always been, in fact, a girl, and it was obvious to everyone but her dear brother that Hermione's first choice for the ball was, in fact, Ron.
Her fourth year went on without much of a hitch. Ron even went as far as to get Hermione a bottle of perfume for Christmas (albeit one with a very unusual scent). Ginny supposed this was Ron's way of letting Hermione know that he thought of her as a girl and not just one of the guys. She watched Hermione the days after Christmas for signs and concluded that Hermione took this gesture as proof that Ron was finally maturing. However, he would have to mature even more before she would take things past the friend zone.