Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Harry Potter.
Authors note: This is a one shot fic. I wrote it because I couldn't get it out of my head until I put it down on paper. This is among many one shots that I've written in the last week due to writers block from my story THE POWER OF WORDS. I think this is the only one I'm going to post though and hopefully no more little fluff bunnies will hop in my head and slow down my story….
Hope you enjoy.
Confession
Most of the Weasley family and Hermione Granger sat in the living room of 12 Grimauld Place. They were waiting for the arrival of Harry. Molly Weasley sat in an arm chair by the fire lecturing each in the room. "I want every one of you to watch what you say. Don't force him to talk about anything he doesn't want to, and…"
"Mum! Nobody is going to force Harry to do anything." Ron said with annoyance clearly present in his voice, "You can stop lecturing us all now, we get it!"
Mrs. Weasley's mouth went thin, "Ronald Weasley you better watch your tone! I've been hearing it too much these last few days and I'm sick of it."
Ron looked over to where the twins were sitting playing chess and then to Hermione and Ginny sitting on the floor. They were all looking at him and he felt his ears turn red. He looked to the floor defeated, "Sorry Mum."
Molly sighed and shook her head, "its fine dear. But please, try and keep your spirits up and your tone less harsh." Ron looked up at his mother disbelievingly before she continued, "For everyone's sake, not just Harry's."
Ron shook his head in agreement and stood up. He walked out of the living room and went up the stairs.
It was incredible the transformation the house had went through. The screeching portraits were no longer on the walls; the rooms were now well lit and sparkled compared to what they were like before. It actually gave off the same kind of homey feeling as the Weasley's beloved Burrow.
Ron went into his and Harry's room. Chuddly Cannon posters were hanging on the walls, clothes were thrown askew on the floor, and Pig was standing on a perch in a corner. Lying on his bed, Ron couldn't stop himself from thinking about the late. His head swam with thoughts, about everything, but mostly about the mousy haired girl that sat in the living room downstairs. Since the attack at the Ministry of Magic, Ron couldn't stop thinking about Hermione. That night he realized that he fancied one of his best friends more then he should. Granted, he knew that he had some feelings about Hermione that weren't appropriate for best friends since the third year. They really came present in the fourth year when he saw her with Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball. But for the most part, Ron was able to keep his feelings to himself about Hermione. Unfortunately, bottling up his emotions was getting harder for him. When he saw her lying in a heap on the floor he was terrified. He thought he had lost her, and all before he could say the things he's wanted to tell her. He needed to apologize to her for all the stupid rows that they had, that he provoked; he wanted to tell her how he felt about her, how he felt when he saw her lying there…
There was a soft knock on the door that woke Ron from his reverie. He knew it was Hermione, only she knocked like that, but he didn't get up from his bed or answer her when she called his name. Instead he just closed his eyes; maybe if she thought he had fallen asleep she would just go away. He gave an inward groan when he heard the door creek open and footsteps come towards him. When the footsteps stopped, the bottom of his bed gave a little; she had sat down on the bed, HIS bed. His eyes flew open and suddenly he felt very nervous. Hermione was sitting at the bottom of his bed looking at him and as if sitting on his bed was an everyday occurrence. She gave a small smile, a smile that made Ron's heart leap, "I knew you weren't sleeping."
Ron swallowed a lump in his throat and started to sit up, "No, just thinking." His voice was a little shaky. Something he wished hadn't happened for now Hermione was looking at him with concern in her features.
"What's with you lately?"
He shook his head, "Nothing, just thinking a lot, that's all."
Hermione's brown eyes were soft as she looked at him, "What about?"
A lump formed in Ron's throat again and he swallowed it down. Shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head he said, "Everything. You know, what's going on, the Order, Harry, my family," he looked up to face Hermione, "you. Just everything."
Hermione's face turned a little pink at the mention of her, but she willed the color away as best as she could. "Well, obviously you've been thinking about Harry." Ron looked at her confused so she continued, "The way you keep snapping at your mum every time she goes on about what to do and not to do."
Ron sighed, "Yeah, well…" Then silence filled the air, a somewhat uncomfortable silence. Ron stared at the bed covers, Hermione at the floor. They stayed like that for a minute or two.
Hermione suddenly stood up, "I expect Harry should be here soon. I'm going to go back downstairs." She started towards the door.
"I'll be down in a minute."
She nodded her head and went to open the door. She didn't however, her hand just held the doorknob, "Ron?" Her voice was low and weary.
"Yeah Hermione?"
Hermione didn't turn around, just turned her head slightly to the side, "What were you thinking about me?"
Ron's hands became sweaty in a matter of seconds and his heart started to race. He swallowed the lump in his throat and calmed his voice as best he could, "Umm, nothing really. Just, umm, things." He shook his head in disgust of himself. He wanted to tell her the truth, but couldn't, not yet anyway. "The OWLs mostly. Our scores should be coming soon."
"Oh, okay, well I'm going downstairs." With that she turned the knob and left.
Ron stared at the open door, ashamed of himself. "Oh, and by the way I fancy you."
Suddenly Ron heard a giggle come from the hall just outside his room and his heart stopped. It didn't start up again until his sister Ginny stepped into the doorframe, "Just wanted to let you know that Harry Just arrived." Ron stood up and pushed past Ginny with a scowl on his face which only made her laugh even more.
"I really hope you're not going to tell her like that."
"Shut it Ginny, you don't know what I was talking about."
"Like hell I don't know what you meant."
Ron turned his head to look at his little sister, "And Mum tells me to watch my tone!"
Ginny smiled sweetly and shrugged her shoulders as she went past him into the living room. Ron followed her.
Harry was standing in the middle of the room, greeting everyone. He had a weak smile plastered on his face and his eyes looked dead. To most in the room he looked like he was fine. But Ron knew better. He kept looking around the room and he wasn't talking much, just nodding his head when someone spoke to him.
"Want help with your trunk?" Ron had asked Harry after he said his hellos.
Harry looked around the room, everyone one was watching him. "Yeah, let's go." He grabbed one end of his trunk and Ron grabbed the other side.
Hermione started to follow them, "I'll come too."
Ron turned around, "No!" Hermione and Harry both looked at him, "I mean, umm," Ron swallowed hard, "I have to talk to Harry about something." Hermione's face fell slightly, hurt, she bit her lip, nodded and walked back into the living room.
The two boys continued up the stairs and when they were out of earshot Harry spoke, "What was that about?"
"It was nothing."
Harry looked at him questionably, "Okay. What do you want to tell me?"
"Never mind that." Ron crossed the room once he put down his side of the trunk. Harry just stared at him with an odd look on his face. "You look like hell mate." Ron said trying to get Harry to look away from him like that.
This only made Harry's face twist even more, "Thanks?"
Ron shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I'm not going to lie to you. You've been lied to enough haven't you? Why should you're best mate lie to you too?"
Harry nodded his head, "Sounds good to me."
"Good."
"Alright well, if you're not going to lie to me, then tell me what's going on."
Out of habit Ron shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "I don't know anything about the Order. Mum won't let us know anything."
"I wasn't talking about the Order. I meant what's going on with you."
Ron sighed, "Oh, well…"
Harry waited to see if Ron was going to continue, but he didn't. "Fred and George said you've been acting edgy ever since Hermione got here. And she said you've been acting weird too. Then just before, downstairs, what was that about? Did you and Hermione have a row?"
"No."
"Then what happened?"
"Listen Harry, what would you say," Ron sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "what would you say if, if I told you I fancied someone?"
For the first time this summer Harry smiled, "I'd say it's about bloody time." Ron looked at him surprised. "It took you long enough to realize it. Hermione will be thrilled."
Ron stared at Harry, stunned, until he found his voice, "What? What you mean she'll be thrilled?"
Harry laughed, "Oh come off it Ron. She's fancied you as long as you've fancied her."
Ron's eyes went wide in shock, "How do you know?"
"It's obvious. Anyone with half a mind knows that you two fancy each other."
"I have half a mind, and I didn't know she liked me?"
Harry laughed again, "Yeah well, you're a bit slow on the uptake of things sometimes."
Ron swallowed, "If everyone knows that I fancy her, does she know as well?"
Harry nodded his head, "She's known for a while mate." A horrified expression crossed over Ron's face and Harry laughed. "Oh come on, she fancy's you too, so that's gotta relieve half the pressure of telling her you fancy her."
Relief past over Ron's face, "Yeah, 'spose so." Ron grinned, but then it faded again. "You're alright with this?"
Harry made a confused face, "Why wouldn't I be? You're my two best mates, you two deserve to be happy."
Ron smiled, "Thanks Harry."
With a shrug of his shoulders and a grin on his face, Harry said, "Well it's true. You two deserve happiness."
"And what about you?"
"Don't worry about me; I have enough people doing that right now." Harry said looking Ron straight in the eye. Ron felt pity for him. "My peace will come. Now just isn't the time for me. But it's time for you. You should go talk to Hermione."
Ron took a deep breath and nodded his head. With that he and Harry went back downstairs. When they reached the living room Ron took one last deep breath and put on a determined face. They walked over to Ginny and Hermione. "Hermione, can I talk to you in the other room?" Hermione looked at him oddly for a moment and then to Harry as if asking what was going on. Harry had a smile on his face and nodded his head.
"Okay." With that Hermione and Ron left the living room.