Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter just as much as I own Lord of the Rings. Which is not at all.

Rated PG for: Some British swear words and violent pillow throwing.

AN: Yeah, well I guess I could technically call this my first (HP) fic, although it's not really…it's the first one I've posted here! Unless HPvs.LotR counts…Anyhoo, I was inspired to write one of my own R/Hr fics after reading some especially cute ones, and then Norah Jones song just inspired me even more! How crazy is that? Not very, I know…-_- So, read, review, flame, ignore, whatever! ^_^

Feelin' the Same Way

"Oh, I can't believe that I let that bloody prat get to me-"

"Don't swear."

"-He seemed so sincere, he told me he cared, I thought he did! Oh, Ron, I even fell in love with him!" Hermione Granger was attempting not to cry without very promising results. Draco Malfoy had successfully ruined her life. And she had tried to find Harry for reassurance, he would understand, but he been at Quidditch practice. She dreaded Ron's response.

It was still all too vivid in her mind the first time Ron Weasley had learned that she was romantically involved with Draco Malfoy. First, he had turned bright red and just exploded. The row was successfully their biggest one ever, each spitting nastily, glaring, yelling at the top of their lungs. Every student in Gryffindor tower (which was all of them) had heard it. The next day, Ron simply refused to talk to her. For a month, he scarcely looked her way. Hermione felt like he had stepped on her heart. Sure, he hated Malfoy, but that didn't mean he had to be so priggish about it! And poor Harry was caught in the middle, trying to be friends with the both of them. Finally, he managed to get the two to talk. A bewildered Ron had apologized when she burst into tears and threw her arms around his neck. Even so, it was another couple of months before their friendship had lapsed back to normal. That was impossible to achieve until Ron was about to threaten Draco about breaking her heart, which both boys had taken surprisingly well.

Now that Malfoy had revealed his true colors, she didn't want Ron taunting her. She had walked into the common room, unsuccessfully attempting to stifle her sobs. Ron had looked up from his chessboard the moment she entered. "'Mione? What's wrong?"

"Malfoy he-" she managed to choke out before sobbing fiercely. Ron had gone ballistic, as expected.

"What did he do! I'll tear the prat's throat out! Where is he, when I get my hands on him, I'll just-"

"Ron. Please." At the moment she loathed Malfoy more than she had though possible, but her friend was just making it worse.

"Oh Hermione, I'm sorry." Then in an incredibly un-Ron like way, he had wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She didn't mind though, it was nice to have somebody to cry on.

"Am I stupid?" she asked.

Ron shook his head, "Of course not, you're brilliant. It's that sodding arse Malfoy who-"

"I thought you told me not to swear."

"You shouldn't. Not you Hermione, swearing doesn't suit someone like you."

Who was this boy and what he done with Ron? This wasn't like him at all. Then again, she had never experienced Ron after she been crushed. Maybe he was reacting normally after all.

"Someone like me? You mean a sniveling, gullible girl? What would Malfoy see in me, anyway? I'm all brains."

"Stop it Hermione," Ron snapped, "you mustn't let him do this to you. I won't deny that you're mostly brains, but you're other things too. Beautiful, funny, clever, strong willed, compassionate, the list never ends. See, that's why swearing doesn't suit you. Fantastic girls, fantastic Head Girls weren't made to swear."

Had Ron just called her beautiful? Funny? Compassionate? "But you were, huh."

"Yep. Stubborn, block headed blokes like me who constantly lose their temper are prime swearing specimens."

So first Hermione was perfect, then Ron admitted how flawed he was. Rather, he had given her untrue compliments, and put himself down in a most abhorrent manner. "Well then forgive me for saying that Malfoy is the worst kind of prat, and I think you are bloody brilliant, and better than he'll ever be." The tears on her cheeks were drying now.

As expected, his face flushed bright red. "In the ways of torture, yes. Tell me, how would you like him killed?"

Well, was he ever insistent on that. She wondered if he would do the same thing for Ginny. She wondered if he felt the same burning outrage when Harry had been brokenhearted the year before. Then again, did that really matter? Harry and Ginny were together, and they always would be. Actually, in truth, they hadn't set a date, but Harry was seventeen, Ginny just a year younger. When you came across a love like that in the wizarding world, you didn't wait any longer than you had to.

"I'm afraid," she said, confusing Ron.

"How do you kill somebody like that?"

"No," she sighed, "I'm afraid of being alone. I thought that maybe Malfoy was right for me, and now I'm afraid because I'm a seventeen-year-old witch, and now 'the one' isn't showing himself. I don't want to be lonely again."

Silence from Ron.

"Oh Ron, I didn't mean it that way. I just, I-" she faltered. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She should have known better than to tell Ron her woes of love. After all, he had yet to procure somebody of his own.

"It's all right 'Mione," he looked at her, his soft blue eyes filled with honesty, "I'm afraid everyday. Afraid that the witch I love is going to find somebody else."

"Why would she do that?"

"She already did once."

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Well then, Ron Weasley, you'll just have to tell her how you feel, even if it means embarrassment. Don't be ridiculous, the both of us can't be pathetic, now can we?"

Ron stared at her. She would forget about Malfoy until Ron stopped worrying about rejection. And why should he anyway? After all, he was kind, and smart (when he chose to be) and funny, and good-looking, who would reject him? Especially if he was truly in love (that was another thing, he was honest), because any girl Ron loved wouldn't just be any ordinary witch. And she wouldn't have to worry about him (he was loyal), all of his good points were enough to make up for the fact that he got angry easily. Besides, most of the time he just got made because he was fiercely overprotective. Yes, Hermione would date a wizard like Ron Weasley. Better than a cheating, slime faced Draco Malfoy.

Ron blushed hotly when being frank and passionate, Draco didn't. Ron's eyes sparkled when he grinned, Draco's didn't. Ron had a splendid personality, Draco didn't. Ron knew how to treat somebody properly, Draco didn't. In fact, Ron was better than Draco in every possible way imaginable.

"You know me, 'Mione, I can't."

"Well, why not? There's nothing wrong with you."

"I'm not you or Harry. I don't have that kind of confidence."

"So what? Take a chance. You're not second to Harry in everything, you know."

Ron made an odd sound, "He's Harry Potter! What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, you're not as famous, that makes things easier. You have more emotion than Harry, you're better-" she stopped. What had she just been about to say? Did she, did she…fancy Ron? No! It was confusion! She had loved Draco…

Or had she? Hermione didn't feel like crying anymore, and Ron, well, he was Ron! The past few months with Draco…had they been as wonderful as she had thought? Well, they had spent time together every night, after she had done homework with Ron and Harry and right before she spent time with Ron and Harry. They had gone to Hogsmeade, but only for half the time, she had to spend time with Harry and Ron after all. She had told him that she loved him, but spent an equal amount of time talking about how much her friends meant to her. She wasn't worried that Draco had broken up with her because of that, he had assured her of otherwise.

Maybe that's why her heart skipped a beat every time she had told Malfoy, "I love you." Being a romanticist, she had just assumed that was supposed to happen. But now…she was beginning to doubt. Maybe she had never actually given her heart to Draco, maybe it had belonged to Ron the entire time.

What was she doing! Now, she was trying to get Ron to tell her who he, who he, he loved right after she realized herself that she loved him. Well, at least she would be forgiven if she sobbed some more.

"I'm better? At what? Being thick?"

"No!" Hermione exclaimed.

Ron looked taken aback. Good. He was too negative about himself. "You're wonderful! Besides, you're stalling! Just tell me!" Her mouth was not listening to her brain! She didn't want to hear him say it! Why didn't she just let him stay alone? Then, at least she could dream. Oh, who was she kidding? If Ron wasn't happy, then she wouldn't be either. With a giddy rush she realized that was due to their strong emotional connection. That was why they always got into big rows, because their anger just fed off of the other's.

He was blushing again to the roots of his red hair. "Don't get mad."

"I promise."

Who could it be? Cho? Lavender? Parvati? Fleur? Her stomach gave an almighty lurch.

"Ever since I first saw her on the Hogwarts Express…I've known it. Hermione…I love you."

She gasped, and started to cry. There she was, being "girly" again. What was she crying for?

"Err…" he grinned nervously, "…sorry?"

"You're so stupid!" she cried, "You should have told me ages ago! Oh, I love you so much!" Hermione noted, with relish, her heart beating steadily.

"That's what Harry started telling me fifth year."

"What? That you're stupid, or you should have told me?" she laughed through her tears.

"Both." Now the both of them were laughing stupidly, and Ron was even blinking back tears.

What are you doing! Hermione's brain scolded her. Kiss him already! She noticed that she was sitting firmly in Ron's lap, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Well, this time her mouth would obey her brain.

Ron didn't seem too intent on fending off that decision. Another reason Ron was better than Draco. He knew how to kiss.

"I love you," Ron said again, incredulously, relishing in the sound of the words. "I love you Hermione. And," he added in a whisper, "I told you he was bad news."

Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes, "I knew you couldn't resist telling me that."

"Well, I have to flaunt it when I'm right, because I never am."

"And now twice all of a sudden."

Harry entered the room, muddy and yawning. "Hello. Anything happen while I was out?"

Ron shrugged, "Malfoy dumped Hermione, then she beat me into telling her that I loved her, and what do you know, she loves me back."

"No? Good. I'm going to bed," Harry smiled, and shuffled towards the boy's dormitory.

Ron laughed and threw a pillow after him.

Harry paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned around, "Is Gin around? I'll have to tell her that I won the bet."

"Hey," now Hermione threw a pillow at him and knocked his glasses off.

Still amused by the whole thing, Harry snatched up his glasses, and then yelling "ambush!" in a ridiculous manner, dove on top of his two best friends. They were soon involved in a pillow fight. Hermione shrieked with laughter as Ron mercilessly tickled her. She would have to thank Malfoy later. He hadn't ruined her life. He had just started it.

The End

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This story was non-profit and was meant strictly for entertainment purposes. No money will be paid to those who had to claw their eyes out while reading this. Thank you.