Disclaimer: This writing is based on characters, settings and situations created and owned by JK Rowling.

Authors note: This is a re-write of the third chapter. I hope you like this one better. Let me know what you think of it and tell me what you would want to see in the future. (Just to clear any confusion, this is not following canon completely)

Chapter 3: Hermione's Discovery

The next week saw Hermione arrive at the Burrow to stay for the rest of summer. Just like Harry, Hermione was always welcome at the Weasley's and most summers, Hermione would join them for a week or two and they would all head to Platform Nine and Three Quarters together on the first of September. Hermione was a very clever witch. Achieving 'Outstanding' in all her O.W.L's except DADA in which she got 'Exceeds Expectations', she was the best in her year at Hogwarts; the brightest witch of her age. This is one of the things that her friends admired most about her. Harry and Ron used it to their advantage, always getting her to help them with their homework but she didn't mind. She loved it because not only did she get to do more school work, it meant that she got to spend even more time with her two best friends.

In more recent years, Hermione had become more popular with the boys in her year. Starting after the Yule Ball in her fourth year, she had received many letters telling her how amazing and incredible she was and even some asking her to their girlfriend. In her fifth year, someone even tried to give her a love potion. She could tell what was going on even before she opened the envelope by the smell and so foiled the plan before it started. For Hermione, love wasn't something that she was usually interested in. She always thought it would get in the way of school and would be too much work to handle on top of her already large pile of school work.

However, over the last two weeks of summer staying at the Burrow, she found herself noticing someone in a different way. As said before, Ron was one of her best friends and had been since he and Harry saved her from the troll in their first year but now something was different. She didn't know what and she didn't know why, but something about him now made her feel like there was more of a connection.

To everyone's delight, September 1st came quickly and that morning everyone rushed around the small house of the Weasley's making sure everything was sorted and ready for their departure to Hogwarts for their sixth and in one person's case, fifth years at the school. By means of Floo Powder, one by one, they travelled to Diagon Alley. As they made their way to Kings Cross station, Hermione walked with Ron, talking to him about school and quidditch. Not only did she just love his company, over the past two weeks, she had been trying to figure out what was causing the new feelings for him.

They made it to the platform with 10 minutes to spare. Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Mrs Weasley were all talking about the year to come.

"So, everyone," Mrs. Weasley started, "are you looking forward to this year?" Everyone nodded and smiled. Even though they seem to have a new problem every year everyone wanted to start the year off positively. After five minutes of talking about Ginny's O.W.L's and the other's starting their N.E.W.T's, the students made their way onto the train with everyone else.

"Hermione, could I speak to you for a second?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Hermione stopped and walked back to her, telling the others she would meet them on the train in a second.

"What is it Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione thought it odd that the Weasley mother wanted to talk to her. She looked over Hermione's shoulder for a second and smiled. Then, looking back at Hermione, she said "I just wanted to check something, dear."

Confused, Hermione looked behind her to where Mrs. Weasley was looking. There, at the door to the train, was Ron, waiting for her. When their eyes met, they both smiled. She turned back to Mrs. Weasley. Her cheeks turned a light shade of red.

"I don't want to intervene," she began again, "but I think you might feel the same way he does."

After a second of silence form the two, Hermione headed for the train. She heard Mrs. Weasley say goodbye to them and the two waved goodbye to her. The train began to move just a Hermione shut the door and they made their way to find the others.

"What did mum want?" Ron asked Hermione as they made their way past a group of fourth years trying to scare some firsts years. Hermione, who was a well-known prefect around the school, gave them a stern stare and they moved on looking slightly worried.

"Wow, I forgot you could scare people with just one look." Ron said. They both laughed. "So, what did mum want?" he asked again.

After a moment of hesitation, Hermione replied "She just told me not to stress to much over our N.E.W.T's this year." She didn't want to reveal to Ron that his mother knew about his feelings…and hers. Mrs. Weasley knew more about what Hermione was feeling that she did. When she had looked back at Ron waiting for her, she had realised why she felt differently. Deep down, she had known all along that Ron cared for her. All the fighting and arguing, even though it contradicts the thought, was his way of showing his affection. And her arguing back, showed hers. However, it was Ron showing his affection in a different way, waiting for Hermione, that really tipped the scales. It was a more direct way of showing her that he cared and Hermione liked that. Even though she now knew of her feelings for Ron, she didn't want to rush into anything. She decided not to say anything hoping that things would fall into place naturally. At least she hoped they would.

When the group reunited on the train, the prefects – Harry, Hermione and Ginny – made their way to the front to the prefect's compartment. Upon arrival, they sat near the back of the compartment as to not disturb the meeting that had already started. Once they had been introduced to the Head Boy and Girl and had been briefed about their duties as prefects for the following year (this was more for the fifth-year prefects) they all dispersed with the Hufflepuffs being chosen to monitor the train corridors. Harry, Hermione and Ginny were the last to leave. Just as Hermione went to slide the door open, she turned to the other two.

"Oh, congratulations by the way." She said as she winked. She saw the two of them turn red in the cheeks then turned to lead the way back to Ron.