Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling but the plot of this story and any characters you don't recognize are mine so don't steal them.

Author's Note: I know, I have a whole bunch of stories going at the moment but it gives me variety when I'm writing so depending on which mood I'm in I'll be working on at least one of them. Anyways, to set the stage for this particular story…

This story is primarily about Ron mostly because he is one of my favourite characters. It takes place the summer after the trio's fifth year so if for some reason you haven't read Order of the Phoenix yet you may not want to read this because of spoilers. I still haven't worked out an entire plot for this yet but don't worry, I will. Anyway, hope you enjoy and please review! Thanks!

P.S. Thoughts are in italics

Always Second Best

Chapter 1: Some Things Never Change

16 year old Ron Weasley had just completed his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry two weeks ago, and was quite glad to be able to relax. Granted, now that the wizarding world had accepted that Voldemort had returned relaxing had a new meaning attached to it, but at least he didn't have much homework. He pushed some of his flaming red hair out of his face as he gazed around his cluttered room with its many posters of the Chudley Canons, his favourite Quidditch team. He sighed and lay back on his bed.

At least my room hasn't changed, he thought with a slight smile. He, however, had changed quite a bit in the past few years.

He was no longer the gawky and clumsy pre-teen boy he had been in his first few years at Hogwarts but was a tall, athletic looking young man, with broad shoulders and strong facial features that made him look much more mature then he actually was-a fact which made him grin in a way reminiscant of the twins. He still had a sprinkling of freckles across his face but didn't mind, they'd fade eventually. And, if they didn't, he could always use magic.

He looked over at his bedside table where his prefect badge lay, but instead of making him feel proud, it made him feel guilty.

It should've been Harry's, he thought, He deserved, not me.

But why should he have all the glory? nagged a voice inside his head. Why can't he be second best to you for once? You've put up with his arrogance for years and you know it. Him being better then you at Quidditch, him being so popular just because some guy tried to kill him, him always being the center of attention and he never wants to talk about your problems. His problems always come first because his problems are so much more important because he's a celebrity.

Its not his fault, Ron argued with himself. He didn't ask Voldemort to come try and kill him. I know he'd rather his parents and Sirius were alive then be famous.

You don't know that for sure, nagged the voice, For all you know he craves the attention and is addicted it. He probably wouldn't give it a second thought if you suddenly dropped dead at his feet.

That's not true!

Oh really? Care to prove that statement? the voice argued. Face it Ronnie boy, no one gives a rat's ass about you and your pathetic hand-me-downs. You're just there and you're hardly important at all. Let me put it this way, if someone decided to write a book about you and Harry, you'd be Harry's little sidekick that's only there for comic relief and to provide a little variety. Harry, on the other hand, would be the star. The book would be from his point of view and only his point of view. Everyone would think you were just a little pasty wuss who can't even afford proper school supplies because your so damn poor.

"STOP IT!" Ron yelled suddenly. He sat up breathing heavily. He couldn't think like that. Harry was his friend, no matter what, and he knew it.

Sure Harry got more attention but it wasn't like he went looking for it, it found him. The poor guy hadn't really had an easy life because he grew up with those god-awful muggle relatives of his who had treated him like dirt his whole life. He hardly talked about them but Ron had met them and knew what kind of people they were. Harry had also never really known his parents and now he'd lost his god-father, Sirius, the closest thing he'd ever had to a parent.

Ron shook his head to clear his thoughts.

His younger sister, Ginny, poked her head into his room, "Were you yelling at me?" she asked.

"No Ginny," Ron replied as he rubbed his forehead.

"Who were you yelling at then?" Ginny inquired, eyebrows raised.

Ron sighed, "It's nothing," he replied curtly. "Just go away will you?"

Ginny knew better then to argue and left, closing the door behind her.

Ron picked up his journal/sketch book and flipped through it. It was mostly drawings with the odd scribble here and there in his untidy scrawl. Some of the drawings were actually quite good, but he wouldn't flatter himself, he'd seen better and he wasn't going to pretend to be some great artist. Drawing was a way for him to relax and take his mind off things.

He looked up briefly at the picture of himself, Hermione and Harry from the previous year that sat on his desk. They were all smiling and waving back at him which made him feel better. The photographic Harry winked and slid out of view, leaving only the images of himself and Hermione. Ron blinked in surprise as he stared at the picture.

It was true, he wouldn't deny it, he did like Hermione, quite a bit actually, and really did want to be 'more then friends'. Every time he heard her talk about Viktor Krum or pretty much any other guy, he felt a twinge of jealousy. What did she see in Krum anyway? Sure, he was a famous Quidditch player but she didn't even like Quidditch. Why did girls have to be so damn complicated? You never knew how they'd react to things because they were so friggin unpredictable. One minute they'd be smiling and laughing and the next they'd be bawling their eyes out for no good reason. Ron returned to looking through his notebook.

After awhile, he came across a sketch he'd made of an angel. He frowned as he studied it, there was something very familiar about it but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Suddenly, it clicked and he gasped.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed in a soft voice, "It's Hermione!" He stared at it for several more second before closing the notebook and tossing it onto his desk. "I think my subconscious is trying to drive me insane," he muttered to himself as he stood up and stretched. He looked around his messy room and sighed. He needed to clean up at least a little bit since Harry and Hermione would be arriving the next day to spend summer vacation at the Burrow. He squared his shoulders and got to work, it was going to take awhile.

I know, it was a short chapter but it seemed like a good place to end it. The next chapter should be up soon, we'll see what happens. Originally it was going to be part of this chapter but I changed my mind and since I'm the author, I'm allowed to do that. For all you people who are tired of reading Ron/Hermione pairings this will turn into another one so you are under no obligation to continue reading this but for those who want to continue reading this feel free to do so because I will greatly appreciate it. Anyway, please review with any constructive criticism (that means no flamers please and thank you!) or even just to say you liked it if you did because reviews make me feel very happy and it will give you the satisfaction of having made my day. Thanks!

Megan