Author's Note: Well, this sucker was inspired last night, when I saw the guy I'd had a crush on for a year and a half, for the first time in months! And I realized, as I saw from a distance…that he'd changed. College changed him greatly.

Disclaimer: Who do you think I am, JK Rowling?

((I wish!))

You've Changed

It was a sunny day in London. June 23rd, right in the middle of the summer. I remember that day well…

I was living in my apartment. It was spacious, but lonely. Every day was the same routine; wake up at six in the morning, shower, eat breakfast, then head off to work.

I work at St. Mungo's. I'm an intern there. I work until about noon, then leave for my Healing class. It's rather difficult; much more so than Hogwarts. However, I love it none-the-less.

And that's my routine for five of the seven days in a week.

That day was one of my days off. I was lying on the couch, watching television. My head was wrapped in a towel, absorbing some of the moisture from my freshly washed hair. I was in the middle of an interesting commercial when I heard a pop! behind me. I whirled around to see a bright smile and flaming red hair, belonging to my best friend, Ginny Weasley.

"Goodness, Ginny! You frightened me!" I exclaimed, raising a hand over my rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry 'Mione," Ginny replied, grinning. "I just thought I'd let you know, Ron's visiting the Burrow."

Ron. I felt my heart skip yet another beat at his name. In my mind, I still could picture him at age 17, when I'd last seen him. In my mind, he was still the same, red-headed, freckled, blue-eyed man I always knew him to be. He still was as comical as ever, the reason I'd fallen so in love with him in the first place.

It'd been three years, and finally I'd see Ron again. We'd been apart too long; I had to go to school for Healing. He had to leave for Auror training.

"Really?" I asked Ginny, enthusiastically.

"Really. Now let's go pick out something else for you to wear," Ginny noted, pointing out my sweatpants and baggy T-shirt.

"Okay," I said, getting up and turning off the television. I walked with Ginny to my room, and opened my closet door. I chose a red halter top, a pleasant black skirt, that hung down to almost my knees, and sophisticated black heels.

After my clothes had been changed, Ginny and I Apparated back to the Burrow.

"Hermione!" I heard a familiar voice call my name. I turned to look.

"Ron!" He looked different. Older, well-toned from those years of Quidditch, and now from his Auror training. His hair was surprisingly shorter; looking freshly cut.

Ron ran to me, and I embraced him, taking in his scent. He gave me a giant bear hug…one a friend would give a friend. I felt a bit disappointed. Ron and I had never actually gotten together…we hadn't had enough time. During school, there was the war, and the final battle; and afterwards, we went on our separate ways. There was definitely a connection there, though. Ron and I often held hands, snuck quick pecks on the lips, and those sorts of things. Because of the war, however, we didn't want to draw too much attention to us…so we never got together, officially.

"You look great!" he commented politely. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," I replied, smiling. "How about you? How's Auror training?"

"It's…complicated. But, I love it. It's going pretty well," replied Ron, nodding.

"That's good!" I replied, beaming like an idiot. Gosh, I was obvious.

We looked at each other in silence for a while. I studied his face. He seemed more…mature. It was all in his eyes. He had grown up.

Suddenly, I had a desire to bring him back; the same Ron I always knew. The same, jealous, over-controlling Ronald. "So, I had lunch with Viktor last week..," I began. I knew he couldn't resist not calling him Vicky like he used to.

"Really?" Ron asked, the expression on his face unreadable. "That's great! I always thought you two were good together!"

I looked at him in confusion…not out of the fact that I wasn't dating Viktor…but that Ron seemed to accept it. No, it was more than that…he seemed to be happy about it. "Oh, we're not dating. We're just friends..," I informed him.

"Oh."

"So…do you want to do something? Play Wizard's Chess?" I asked him, hoping he would be the same old Ron.

"Hermione Granger, are you actually asking me to play Wizard's Chess? You hate that game!" I just shrugged. "You know what? No, thanks. I…don't really like that childish game anymore," he replied.

"Childish? Ron, you love that game!" What was he talking about? I wondered.

"Not anymore," he replied.

I could have sworn I hadn't taken a breath in nearly a minute after that. My heart dive-bombed into my stomach. I felt a little dizzy and thought I must be hallucinating. Yes, that's right, I'm hallucinating, I told myself. What else could have possibly explained Ron's change?

--

A little while later, while walking through the Burrow, Ron and I found Fred and George playing an old game of Exploding Snap.

"'lo there Ron," greeted George.

"Wanna have a go?" Fred asked.

"No, thanks." Ron shook his head. "I've grown from such childish game," he explained.

I looked at Ron questionably. I just could not comprehend what was different. I just want him back…the boy I fell in love with…I wanted him back. For some unknown reason, maybe in the disappointment of it all, I began to cry. I couldn't help myself; I just did. Hot tears flooded from my eyes and down my increasingly flushing cheeks.

"Hermione…Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked me.

"What happened to you?" I asked him.

"What do you mean?" Ron had a puzzled expression on his face.

"I want him back…I want the old Ron back. The jealous, fun-loving Ron. The Ron I fell in the love with. The Ron that got jealous any time I mention another guy. The Ron who loved Wizards' Chess, and Exploding Snap…and Quidditch! The Ron who always made me laugh, even when I was in the worst mood." I began to cry even harder. "The Ron who always knew what to say. The Ron who was always there when I needed him…the Ron who cared…" I looked away, not bearing to be able to look at Ron anymore.

"Hermione-" Ron began, but he was interrupted.

"See? You won't even call me ''Mione' anymore…you always called me ''Mione!'"

"I-"

"Tell me you love me Ron." I looked up into Ron's big, empty blue eyes.

"What?" he asked.

I was silent for a moment, as I continued to stare into his eyes; so empty, and emotionless. And that's when I knew—Ron just wasn't the same anymore. His eyes used to be so filled with love, every time he looked at me…and now…it was gone. He didn't love me anymore. He'd moved on.

I'm not so sure what made him change so. It could have been Auror training, and I was strongly suspicious that it was.

As much as it broke my heart to say it—it felt like a ton of bricks were heaved onto my chest, crushing until my heart was barely beating, I could hardly breathe—I had to say it. As I walked around Ron, to the door, I said my two final words to Ron Weasley.

"You've changed."

Author's Note: Well, there you go! It's kind of dumb, I know…but like I said, I was inspired. I thought my little experience would be a good oneshot for R/Hr.

Anyways, please R&R!!