A/N: This is NOT a song-fic. I loathe song-fics to the bottom of my soul 95% of the time. HOWEVER, this WAS inspired by the song "I Think I Love You" by David Cassidy/The Partridge Family. If you don't know the song, SHAME ON YOU!!! Youtube it, you won't be sorry. Hehe.
Disclaimer: I don't own HP, nor am I JKR. That is all.
Ron had always known Hermione was a girl. Despite her accusations to the contrary, he was aware, sometimes painfully so, that she was female. And even if he hadn't realized it when he was younger, as a seventeen year old, he was sure she was now.
The attraction was strong towards her, he couldn't escape it if even he tried. Memories of her inundated his dreams. Usually they were centered on dancing with her at Bill and Fleur's wedding, and how she had felt in his arms as they swayed to the music. This night, he awoke from a particularly sweaty dream in which he and Hermione shared the tent alone, and Harry was nowhere to be found. But more than just the arousal, the hormone-driven images he concocted in his brain, he knew that Hermione meant more to him.
He covered the pillow over his head, stifling back the urge to scream. Was it possible? Could he be… in love… with Hermione?
He had avoided answering the question in his head for what felt like years. How could he love her? She was a know-it-all, and they certainly knew how to have spectacular rows which kept half of Gryffindor House awake. She was always quick to get on his case about school work, or Quidditch, or the filter that seemed to be absent from his mouth most of the time.
But she was also tender when he wasn't being an arse, and it seemed no one could draw emotions from her like he could. She was beyond brilliant, and always caring, whether it be about their mutual best friend or S.P.E.W. Her fingers were always stained with ink, in part thanks to her help on his homework. And he loved the way her pink tongue would dart into the corner of her mouth when she got a particularly good idea.
Was he ready to love her? It seemed as if that question were too late in coming, since he'd already fallen, but could he handle loving her? What about how often they fought? It couldn't be healthy if they were always at each other's throats… yet it seemed to be their way of telling each other how much they truly did care.
Yes, he was in love with Hermione.
He was so unprepared for this. The feelings were most inconvenient at a time like this, when they had to help Harry find and destroy the Horcruxes. Ron was in way over his head. His brief and disastrous relationship with Lavender had only helped him hone his snogging skills. He knew nothing of how to really love someone the way Hermione deserved to be loved. Loving her would mean forever, no turning back.
He looked over at her, as she slept in her bunk by his. She was tucked into her quilt, and all he could see what the top of her head, bushy hair spilling every which way. Could she love me? he wondered.
The timing wasn't right. Not today.
I love you, Hermione, he thought to himself.
A/N II: So, I know it doesn't have an entirely happy ending, but you have to think about it within the context of canon. They'll both get their happy ending. :-)