"Harry, d'you think we can practise some more?" Ron called hesitantly to Harry, after their Quidditch practice. The rest of the Gryffindor team was heading back towards the changing rooms already, but Ron had stayed behind. Harry looked back, apparently lost in thought for a second, then nodded and walked up to Ron.

"Do you want me to just throw the Quaffle at you?" Ron nodded at this, so Harry walked over to the crate containing the balls used in the game, and mounted his broomstick once he had grabbed the Quaffle. In no time Harry was at the same height as the goal posts, but Ron got there a bit later, seeing as his broomstick wasn't nearly as good as Harry's firebolt. Harry flew over to the goal posts once Ron had gotten there.

"Why do you want to practise more? I mean, I don't mind, but you flew well today," Harry said, noticing Ron's reddening ears. Ron muttered something about still not being good enough, so Harry just nodded and flew over to the other side of the pitch. Words seemed to be filling up Harry's head. 'You'll always be good enough for me,' for example. Shaking his head slightly, he forced himself to focus and started gathering speed as he flew towards the goal posts. He was nearly there... he threw the Quaffle, and Ron failed to block it.

"Better luck next time!" Harry yelled as he flew towards the fallen Quaffle.

Once they were back in the changing rooms, Ron looked incredibly sad, seeing as he failed to save a single Quaffle, and his entire face was red now, in addition to his ears. While removing his quidditch robes, Harry was trying to think of something to cheer Ron up. He noticed Ron was staring at him as he did so.

"You all right there?" Harry asked, sitting down next to Ron. The latter only shook his head and looked down at the floor. Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder, and noticed Ron's body stiffening.

"You were probably just worn out, it was a long practice we had," he said, hoping to improve his best friend's mood.

"Should probably shorten them a bit, now that I'm captain," he added quietly.
Still unsure of what to do for Ron, he acted on an impulse and put his head on Ron's shoulder. Again he noticed a change, but this time it was his breathing, which became faster. Harry cursed under his breath.

"I- I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He stood up, planning on putting his regular robes back on, but Ron grabbed his wrist and tugged it slightly downwards, non-verbally asking Harry to sit down. Once Harry was seated next to Ron again, slightly farther away, he looked at the ground, his mind racing as to what he should do now. He was just about to open his mouth when Ron moved closer and this time, it was Ron who put his head on Harry's shoulder. And now it was Harry's turn to start breathing faster, did Ron have any idea what he was doing to Harry? Thoughts and feelings raced through his mind, because, even though he hadn't admitted it to anybody, there was no mistaking that he had fallen for his best friend. Hard.

They were sitting like this for a while, when Harry decided. He would have to tell Ron.

"Ron, there's something I-"
"Harry, mate, we need to t-"
Both stopped talking at once, looking at each other with mixed expressions of hope and fear.

"You go first," Ron said quickly. Harry took a deep breath, but found himself unable to speak.
Eventually, he found he couldn't hide it much longer.

"Do you remember that time when we had to make up dreams for Divination? It was all great fun, but something happened that moment. I was watching you laugh, and I realised-" Harry broke off, looking down at the floor again. "Irealisedthatilikedyou," he blurted out, now feeling his own face reddening.

"What was that?" Ron asked quietly, "I- I don't think I heard you correctly," he added.

"I realised that I liked you," Harry said, this time speaking clearly even though his voice was trembling slightly. Ron said nothing to this, and Harry's mind was racing once again, wondering what Ron walked to talk to him about. Surely it couldn't be the same he'd said?

But Ron replied with a question after a while. "Do you remember our first DA lesson?" Harry nodded.
"That's when I realised that I liked you," Ron said quietly. At first Harry wasn't sure he heard it correctly, but what else could Ron have been talking about?

"I was watching you speak to us, about what you believed to be right, and I couldn't help but feel so much admiration for you. Then I realised I didn't just want to be friends. I wanted to be more, experience every side of you. And it-" but Ron closed his mouth as Harry moved his hand to Ron's. Joy had just filled Harry's heart, surely he couldn't ever feel more happy? But he was mistaken. It was possible for him to feel more happy, and it was when he felt Ron's hand on his cheek, moving Harry's head towards his own. The pair didn't say anything, but just leaned in closer, until their lips met. It was the most amazing feeling Harry had ever experienced. They broke off after a few seconds, and both smiled as they went in for a heartfelt hug.

As they were walking back to the castle, holding hands, Harry remembered something.

"What was it you wanted to say before? I mean, before I grabbed your hand." Ron let out a chuckle.

"Well, I was going to say that it was me who left all those sweets on your nightstand," Harry stopped abruptly, remembering all the heart-shaped chocolates that mysteriously appeared on his nightstand nearly every morning.

"You-?" but Ron interrupted him. "Actually, it was Dobby, but I asked him to put them there for me, seeing as, well, he's an elf, and he could put them there without waking you up. I'd probably stumble and wake up the entire dormitory." Harry just smiled and pulled Ron closer for another kiss, this one less tentative, and more passionate.

"Can't wait to hear what Hermione has to say about this," Harry laughed.