**Hermione's Point of View, Gryffindor Girl's Dormitory, first night back**
My fellow 6th year roommates and I were just finishing up the extremely frantic and long process of us unpacking our things and settling in, adding posters and touches of our personalities to the few square feet we were granted. After the final Witch's Weekly magazine had been placed precariously on a side table, we all sat down on our beds and began to talk about our summers. I had 3 roommates-Pavarti, Lavender, and Ginny. Ginny of course wasn't in my year, but seeing as how they're so many few 6th year girls, she was allowed to room with us. We had an extra bed any way, and McGonnagall has a soft side for me.
After the usual chatter of what we did, everyone's new haircut, polite compliments & inquiring on one another's outfits and things, we started on the one subject that particularly made Pavarti & Lavender giggle more vibrantly than usual- boys.
"Who does everybody fancy this year?" said Pavarti, looking around the room smiling wryly.
"I'm dating Dean," said Ginny, looking at Pavarti with a slightly disgusted look. Ginny didn't tolerate giggles very often.
"Oooh!" said Lav & Pav together, jumping up and down on their beds in union. I half-smiled forcibly.
"I've got my eye on Seamus, again," snickered Pavarti, who had fancied him the year previous as well.
"We all know who Hermione fancies, she's only liked him since first year," said Ginny, giving me an all-knowing grin that made my face felt hot with slight embarrassment.
She was right of course, I'd fancied him since I first saw him on the train in our first year. I dunno what was it about Ron that made me like him so much- I couldn't explain. We have such a love/hate relationship. I've gotten angry at people before, but no one really tugged at me like Ron did when we fought. I've never wanted to get someone's attention more than him-it was partially why I tried so hard in class. It would be an opportunity for him to look at me when I was answering a question, or reprimanding him for doing something wrong. I was of course naturally like this, but still...
I found myself looking at him constantly, desperately wanting him to smile at me, for me to have a chance to compliment him to see how he'd react. He was just so awkwardly handsome. His wonderfully bright red hair that was always unkempt but adorable, his freckles that stretched across his face, how abnormally tall he was and how all his clothes were just a bit too short or too small for him. His hand-knitted sweaters that were usually maroon and how annoyed that made him, even though I thought it was terribly cute. His lack of confidence on the Quidditch field, the way he looks when he smiles at me for finishing off an essay for him-I couldn't handle it, I loved it all, I loved everything about Ron. In fact, since the beginning of 4th year- I think I loved Ron. And I still do.
I never had a lot of hope that he felt the same way in return, although the Yule Ball was definitely not nothing. Was it normal for him to get jealous like that because I was 'fraternizing with the enemy?' Harry wasn't weird about it, but maybe that was simply Ron...but the way he didn't respond when I called him out about taking me to the Ball brightened my spirits.
This year I had to get Ron- I absolutely had to. It's been too long.
But, miraculously through all of this, there was Cormac McLaggen.
Cormac, what a womanizing, cocky, Quidditch-playing pretty boy with a lot of connections. He was rather good-looking, I couldn't deny it, and he really seemed to like me...
Since the Yule Ball, which seemed basically like an explosion of teen angst now that I look back- he had began to notice me, staring at me greedily, his eyes traveling up and down me as if they were two bright spotlights. Cormac got under my skin and made me feel uncomfortable, but at the same time I couldn't help but feel intrigued by him. The incident on the train was definitely more than friendly, but I didn't know what to make of this all. Of course I'd pick Ron over him any day but there was still something about McLaggen that-
"Hermione, you REALLY should try going for Ron this year, you guys would be too cute together!" Pavarti squealed. Ginny nodded feverently.
"You should see the way he looks at you, it's kind of-cute," Ginny spoke, laughing slightly.
"You're just saying that," I said, my cheeks turning the color of her hair. My eyes traveled to Lavender, who was being awfully quiet.
She was looking at me with a jealous and angry glare, her eyes half piercing through me. I shifted myself on my bed into a more comfortable position and looked away from her.
Was it possible that maybe Lavender liked Ron as well? I couldn't blame her- but- Ron wouldn't like her, would he? Does Ron fancy anybody? But more importantly-does Ron fancy me?
Now I was even more determined to get Ron this year, Brown in the way or not.