A/N:

Again, I'm saying things I should say at the end first, because it could destroy the mood I'm trying to create when suddenly I start appologizing for something... For what... Well.. You'll see... Sorry, anyway :(

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was getting dark outside while Hermione and Ron sat on the couch, snogging. Every once in a while Ron took a glance at the clock, making Hermione suspicious.

"Why are you checking the time, Ron?" she asked, raising an eyebrow towards him.

"Just for the fun of it" he said nervously.

This dishonest answer made Hermione flare up, cross her arms and narrow her eyes. Ron swallowed hardly, looking down at his legs.

"Swear you won't tell Harry I told you…" he said meekly.

"Unless it's something worth telling…" said Hermione simply, not changing her mien.

"Harry sort of… tells Ginny…" Ron whispered.

"Tells her what, Ronald?" asked Hermione, impatiently clapping her fingers on her arm.

"thathelovesher" he said quickly.

"that he…" repeated Hermione, not comprehending Ron's words immediately. Once she grasped what Ron just said, her eyes shot as wide open as her mouth. Hermione looked like she was all churned up inside, her legs were getting jumpy, her arms unfolded themselves and her hands shot in front of her mouth.

"AAAWWWW" Hermione bursted out.

"You can't show that you know!" said Ron immediately.

"AAAWWWWW" repeated Hermione.

"Hermione, swear it!" pleaded Ron.

"I swear, but… Oaw, that's so sweet!" she said, getting hold of herself, but nearly laughing.

"Yeah…" said Ron silently.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione.

"It's just… I hope he tells her…" explained Ron even more quieter.

"What happened to that protective brother in you? Doesn't it bother you?" asked Hermione wondering why Ron seems to support Harry completely.

"I don't know…" he said thoughtfully "Maybe I think it'll be easier for me when Harry already did it…"

"Make what easier?" asked Hermione. She tried to think of what Ron meant, but didn't quite follow his thoughts.

Ron, however, who just realized that he almost told Hermione that he, too, wanted to tell his girlfriend the three words, but was too afraid of her reaction, shot his eyes open and opened his mouth searching for a better word to say than 'Nothing'. For a split-second he even considered telling her, but then chickened out again.

"Nothing" he said finally.

Hermione looked at him suspiciously. All the happiness for Ginny and Harry had left her thoughts, which now tried to comprehend why Ron looked so shocked, what he was about to say.

Then it dawned to her. Her eyes shot as wide open as Ron's did, she opened her mouth, but no words seemed to come out. Ron's eyes fell down on the floor and his mouth showed his worries.

Hermione swallowed hard, looking desperately around the room, as if any of the objects within would help her to find the words she was looking for. Her heart pondered, screaming at her chest to say something, Anything!

Her legs stood up and before she realized what she was doing, she slowly went towards the stairs, climbing them up, heading for Ginny's room.

As Ron watched her leave, his heart sank deep, his throat seemed to close as he called Hermione's name after her, wishing – so hopelessly – she'd turn around to look at him. As he sat there, alone on the couch, he cussed himself in his thoughts. I'm such an idiot! I'm such an idiot! He felt like he was falling apart, living in a total eclipse.

Why had he to tell Hermione about Harry's plans? And why had he to insinuate that he loves Hermione. Why was he such an idiot?! But what troubled him above all else: Why did Hermione leave? Didn't she love him back? His insides turned at the thought. He looked up the stairs, hoping for Hermione to stand and look down. But she didn't. Ron was alone.

He considered going into his room, but dropped the thought. He'd be too close to Hermione there. The walls between the rooms would make him feel even worse. Too close and yet seperated He thought. He suddenly wished that Harry would fail in his love-confession as well, so Ron had someone to talk to, someone to make him feel better. But that wouldn't be fair for Harry, he thought. So Ron lay down on the couch, closed his eyes and fought of the tears that seemed to fight their way in his eyes.

When Harry and Ginny entered the Burrow, Ron still hadn't move – not even the slightest. Ginny laughed, what pressured Ron's stomach.

At first, Harry didn't notice that they weren't alone and kissed his beloved girlfriend solemnly. It was the posture that Ron lay in, that worried Harry the most, when he noticed him reclining on the couch. He curled on it, watery eyes he tried to hide from view and an expression on his face that Harry never saw Ron having before. Ron reminded him of the maimed baby he saw at King's Cross after Voldemort tried to kill him. This thought made him swallow.

"Ron?" he asked carefully. Ginny, who only noticed Harry's fearsome expression looked in the direction he was looking at and began to share Harry's fear. Ron didn't react to Harry.

"Ron?" he repeated, slowly stepping closer. Ron's head made the slightest bit of movement, as though trying to nod, but not having enough energy to do so.

"Hey," whispered Harry, reaching out to touch Ron's arm. He could feel light trembling when he touched it. "What happened?"

Ron's eyes moved to look at Harry for a second and then to Ginny, who sat down on the floor in front of Ron.

"Hermione…" swallowed Ron, turning his eyes away from both Harry and Ginny.

"Is Hermione okay?" asked Ginny slowly. Ron didn't respond, but Harry could feel the trembling getting stronger as Ginny mentioned the name. He looked at Ginny, looking back at him. She understood what Harry's eyes were trying to tell her and nodded.

Ron's eyes turned to watch Ginny leave his sight.

"What happened, Ron?" whispered Harry. But Ron merely shook his head slowly. Harry wouldn't understand thought Ron Ginny loves him back, no doubt… I'm the one who isn't loved back.

Harry looked at Ron desperately. There had to be something he could do, but he didn't even know what had happened. It had something to do with Hermione… Had she broken up with him? But Harry couldn't imagine that. Had something happened to her? He looked up the stairs, hoping to get an answer from there. There was Ginny, looking down, waving him up.

"Be right back…" whispered Harry and went to Ginny.

"Is Hermione okay?" he asked in a trembling voice.

"No" said Ginny. Would Harry's fears be true? He looked at Ginny's door, breathing heavily. "She was only staring at me… she tried to smile I think, but…" Ginny shook her head "She couldn't tell me what had happened. When I asked she looked away from me… What about Ron?"

"Nothing… Something must have happened between them, but I…" Harry stopped. He turned around to look at Ron, as though realizing what must have happened. "He might have told Hermione he loved her…"

"But no one would be so shocked by that… Let alone end up as such a mess"

"Ron was worried that Hermione doesn't love him back…" swallowed Harry.

"But she does!" said Ginny "She told me so"

"Then what happened?" asked Harry, now clueless again. If this wasn't it, what had happened? He sighed and decided that they couldn't do anything about it at the time being. "I'll get a blanket for Ron… He doesn't look like he's about to go anywhere and I won't lift him upstairs in the state he's in…"

Ginny nodded and pointed towards her room with her head "I'll look after Hermione…" She sighed and turned around to walk into her room when Harry stopped her, holding her by the hand.

Harry smiled weakly at her and kissed her. "Night" he said. Ginny returned his weak smile "Night, Harry". She turned around again. Harry walked backwards towards the stairs, looking after Ginny.

"Love you…" he whispered. He turned around to walk down the stairs. Ginny turned her head around and smiled weakly, whispering "Love you, Harry".