"Hermione…"
'What is so different about Ron this year?' Hermione thought to herself as she snuck a glance at Ron through her bushy brown hair. "Why do my feelings for him keep changing?'
"Hermione…"
'First he was that annoying guy that kept picking on me in the first year. Then we became friends, although he was still a bit annoying then too. Then we've developed a sort of love/hate relationship that not even I could find any answers to in any books.' Hermione pondered. She picked up her book and smiled as he scrunched up his face in concentration as he played wizard chess with Harry, who was unbelievably in the lead. 'Okay, I'll admit last year the relationship may have traveled more toward the love side rather then the hate side. Yet something about him this year is different. Something that made him more a friend rather then boyfriend material.'
"Hermione…"
'Maybe it's because we spent the entire summer together.' Hermione wondered. 'Living in the same house at Hogwarts is one thing. But practically living together in that horrid house was another. Ron's best side wasn't really shown this summer. But of course nobody's best side could be brought out in that house! Perhaps if I just try to make it work we cou-'
"HERMIONE!!!"
Hermione jumped as the loud yell broke her train of thought. Dropping her book on her lap, she blushed as everybody in the commonroom stared at her, including Ron. Ginny was standing on the couch with her hands over her mouth yelling Hermione's name. Hermione straighten up and cleared her throat.
"You first years should go to bed now," She said as she waved them up to the dormitories. She gave Ginny a glare. "What's the matter with you? You didn't have to yell my name that loud."
Ginny gaped at Hermione dumbfoundedly as she swept a red strand behind her ear. "Yes, I did! I called your name three times! The only thing left to do was to smack you on the head with your Hogwarts, A History book. But I couldn't find it. What were you thinking about so intently anyway?"
At Ginny's question, Hermione felt a warm blush creep up her face as she tried not look at Ron. Harry, the wonderful friend that he was, realized her embarrassment and tried to distract Ron, who was trying to listen intently.
"Check!" Harry called out as he dramatically moved his queen to face Ron's king. He let out a whoop of glee. "This might be the first time I've ever beaten you mate!"
"Wait what?" Ron stammered, still distracted as he tried to hear Hermione's answer.
Ginny rolled her eyes at the two boys antics and stood up. "Come on Hermione, let's go up to your room."
Ron's eyes followed the two girls go up the stairs laughing to one another. He then felt a prod in his shoulder. Harry was still looking at him expectedly and pointed to the waiting chessboard. The remain pieces were making rude gestures to the other team. As he heard the door upstairs slam shut, Ron flopped back down to his seat and moved his knight.
"Checkmate."
"So Hermione, do you want to tell me what problem had you so engrossed in your mind that you didn't hear me calling you four times?" Ginny said with a grin as she sat on top of Hermione's comforter at the foot of her bed. "I mean I have an idea of what or rather who you were thinking about but I want to hear it from you."
"Well, I was just thinking about how much things have changed. Life isn't as simple as it used to be a few years ago." Hermione said with a sigh to dodge Ginny's question. She leaned on her headboard. "And I'm not even going to get started on all the troubles with the Ministry and You-Know-Who."
Ginny echoed Hermione's sigh. "Yeah, but what could we do about it now? Nothing. Mum's insisting on keeping us in the dark as long as she's able to. Not to mention we're back at Hogwarts. What could happen at Hogwarts under Dumbledore's rule?" Ginny speculated. "The only difference I've seen this year is that horrible Umbridge woman. But don't think you've changed the subject about the person you were thinking of earlier."
"Well, I suppose after this summer I've started seeing him in a different light. I was just thinking about how we became friends in the first year and all we've been through until now." Hermione explained as she played with the red fringes on her pillow. "I mean we've always been friends before and nothing more. Yet now I don't know what we are."
Ginny cringed her nose at Hermione's words. "Well, as much as I don't like to talk about THIS particular guy, who you like Hermione. You don't get a choice on that. No matter how imperfect others see him. You like who you like."
"I know! But we've been friends forever! I mean how could it ever work? I mean its Harry for goodness sake!" Hermione moaned as she turned slightly to the side to hide her smile from Ginny.
"Yes, I know you and Ron have been friends fo- Wait what?!?! Harry?" Ginny shrieked as she turned to face Hermione.
Hermione started laughing at the shocked expression on Ginny's face. "I'm just joking Ginny! I know Harry is only yours."
"But he…I…we couldn't…he's never…" Ginny sputtered as she struggled with her explanation.
Hermione patted Ginny on her back. "Don't worry. In time, I believe he'll feel the same way. But meanwhile you are still taking my advice and getting to know other guys aren't you?"
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, Michael Corner and I've been in contact all summer and he's asked me to become his girlfriend last night. I haven't given him a reply yet."
"You should go for it! He seems like a genuinely nice guy and he's not bad to look at. Althought he may not be The Boy Who Lived, but it's good to meet other people and enjoy your life while you're young." Hermione replied with an encouraging smile.
"I suppose you're right. I'll talk to Michael tomorrow." Ginny said with a determined nod. She turned to Hermione in surprise. "Before you were talking about Ron weren't you? Or is that what you want to do? Play the field before you date him?"
Hermione fluffed her pillow behind her head and looked up at her enchanted ceiling. To make herself go to sleep each night, she would practice enchanting colorful stars to swirl around on the ceiling. She practiced so often that the stars became permanent and constantly swirled. Hermione suspected that they still swirled all through summer when she was away. Her eyes followed a particularly fast purple star on the left.
"I…I haven't decided. I've started to see Ron in a different light after this summer. He started to grow on me and doesn't annoy me quite so often anymore. Yet, and I know this may sound weird but, it made me see him more as a friend I've gotten used to hanging around with. I've always wondered what it would be like when we get together but now…I just wonder what life would be like without him by my side as nothing more than a friend." Hermione explained slowly, as though trying to sort her words through herself.
Ginny cocked her head to one side. "Perhaps you just need to take your own advice and get to know more guys. After all your experience so far is basically Viktor Krum? And you've had like two snogs with him?" Ginny asked. Hermione's cheeks reddened as she nodded slowly. "And now you're stuck with his letters. Granted to many witches he's a great catch but not for you. Maybe you need someone nearby. And nothing too serious, just a fling for the experience. Are there any guys at Hogwarts that might interest you?"
Hermione grimaced at the thought of the guys in her year. "If the guys in my year are my only choices I think I'd rather stick to Viktor's letters."
Ginny laughed at the look on her friend's face. "Come on! They all can't be that bad. How about Terry Boot? He seems nice and smart. And he's not 'bad to look at' as you phrase it. And he's very interested in Muggle Studies, you'll have something to talk about."
"He's okay, I don't see him as anymore than a friend, if even that." Hermione said with a sigh.
"Hermione! You have to be open minded and give people a chance. You can't just rule them out so quickly!" Ginny ranted.
"But-"
"No, no buts, you are going to get to know him and see if it could work." Ginny said with a determined look on her face.
"But he's-"
"I know he's not exactly your idea of a perfect guy but this is just for experience! Surely you could get to-"
"Ginny!" Hermione yelled as she threw a pillow at the fierce redhead.
"What!"
"He's for house elves enslavement. He laughed at my S.P.E.W pin."
"Oh," Ginny blushed and was quiet for a moment. "Okay, he won't work at all. Hey, how about Dean Thomas?"
"Dean?" Hermione repeated as she winced at the thought. "No way, I see him too much to like him in that way."
"Really?" Ginny asked thoughtfully with a devilish gleam in her eye.. "I think he's kind of cute. Maybe after Michael." She shrugged her shoulders. "So it has to be someone you don't know too well? That does limit the choices down a bit. Unless you date a Slytherin." Ginny joked.
Hermione gagged. "Don't even joke about something like that! Well, you keep thinking for me, I have to go to the library to work on an essay for Potions."