Harry left the common room, leaving Ron and Hermione confused. He had just taken the Felix Felicis in order to get the memory he needed from Slughorn, but then he told the two he had a good feeling he had to go to Hagrid's hut. To Hermione, none of it made sense.

"Why is he going to Hagrid's?" Ron asked her.

Hermione had no idea, and she told Ron this. What could Harry possibly find that was of use to him at Hagrid's? Unless he knew Slughorn was there…

"He's got a good feeling about going to Hagrid's, so I think he should trust it," Hermione said. "You should always trust your feelings, even if you don't want to."

Ron was silent; he seemed to be thinking about what she had just said. Finally, he spoke:

"Hey, do you remember that game we played right before fourth year?"

Hermione frowned, and put down her quill, trying to think of what Ron was talking about. Then it hit her.

"You mean the did-you-know game that we had a big row over?"

Ron grinned and nodded. "D'you have any new secrets you need to share with me?"

Hermione smiled while picking up her quill again and began writing again. "That depends; do you have any new secrets I need to know about?"

"Maybe."

Hermione shook her head, grinning, and continued writing, but she felt Ron's eyes still on her.

"C'mon, Hermione." Ron reached out and took the quill out of her hand. "Can't you give up the homework for one night to give me some attention?"

Hermione looked up and say pleading in Ron's eyes. If it had been any other night, she would've ignored him. But he looked as if he really needed a friend, especially after their three-month-long row with Lavender. He gave her his famous grin, which she knew now she was in love with.

Hermione sighed, and unable to resist Ron's look, said, "Alright, just let me finish this paper, I've got a few sentences to go, and I'll be free for the night, I promise."

Ron still looked impatient, nonetheless, he said, "Fine."

She worked in silence as Ron waited. When she finished, she put away the parchment and quills and joined Ron on the rug in front of the common room fire. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Wait." Ron reached into his pocket and pulled out a package out of his pocket. He held it up for Hermione to see: "Chocolate Frogs. A necessity." He passed one to Hermione, who bit the head off right away.

"All right. You wanted to play, so you go first," Hermione said.

"Right." Ron pulled that face that told Hermione he was thinking hard. "Got one."

"Tell me."

"Did you know…I love muggles?"

A strange smile creeped across Hermione's face. "What d'you mean?"

"Fascinated by them. 'Bout the only thing I am fascinated by, actually. Anything that has anything to do with muggles I love."

Hermione was confused. "Then why do you always make fun of your dad for liking muggles?"

Ron gave a guilty grin. "Well, because everyone else does. I think if everyone knows I like muggles just as much as my dad, they'll think I'm a suck-up or something."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with liking muggles, Ron. It's one of the reasons you're my best friend. Can you imagine me being friends with someone like Malfoy, who hates Mudbloods like me?"

"Don't call yourself that!" Ron snapped sharply. Hermione looked taken aback, but Ron didn't falter at her surprised look.

"I…can't stand that word," Ron stuttered. "I don't care who says it, you or Malfoy. I can't stand people who are so prejudice like that, especially the Malfoys, and I can't take that word."

"Ron, I'm sorry," Hermione said. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, which she was no longer afraid to do. "I didn't know you were so sensitive to that word."

Ron squeezed her hand back, somewhat hesitantly, and said, "It's alright. It's your turn anyway."

Hermione let go of his hand and searched her mind for a new secret.

"Did you know…I thought you were dead when you were poisoned?"

This seemed to spark Ron's interest. "I was fine, Hermione. Just a small mishap." He smiled an almost guilty grin and looked as if it was no big deal. This small gesture seemed to make Hermione's blood boil. Before she could stop herself, she completely lost the anger she had been building for the last three months.

"'JUST A SMALL MISHAP'? ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Hermione's voice was heard throughout the common room, and thankfully, she and Ron were the only students in it. "DO YOU HONESTLY THINK -" she was suddenly cut off by her own realization. Ron was unconscious when she had been told he had been poisoned. He had absolutely no idea how frightened she had been.

She sighed and sat back down. She hadn't realized she had shot up off of it only moments ago. "You haven't any idea, and you never will, how scared I was for you."

Ron looked confused and scared at the same time. He should be, Hermione thought. He deserves it after what he had me go through. After a silence that almost made Hermione shout out loud, Ron finally seemed to respond.

"Really?"

Hermione's mouth fell open with disbelief and exasperation. Was he really that thick? "Yes Ron, I was so worried, I spent more time in the hospital wing than outside for the whole time you were in it."

This seemed to amaze Ron, but Hermione continued. "I couldn't believe it had happened to you. I even got yelled at by Lavender a few times, but I thought it was worth it.

"When Harry told me you had been poisoned, I nearly died. I was so sure you were dead until Harry told me otherwise. I just can't believe you would be that stupid, Ron. I mean, didn't you realize the chocolate was filled with love potion when you tasted it? I just can't believe you most of the time, Ron!"

She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She didn't understand why she was crying for him. He had not only ignored her for the last three months, but he snogged her roommate as well. Hermione no longer could deny it: she loved Ron Weasley, and she was sure he was trying to make her jealous by dating Lavender. Hermione Granger wasn't stupid, whether the problem was about figuring out boys or finishing a two-foot long essay. She knew she was too stubborn to confront Ron about this, and he was the same. Knowing Ron, he probably was too blind to notice what his feelings were telling him.

Or maybe he doesn't feel that way about you at all, a cruel voice in her head told her. Hermione instantly shoved the voice away in the back of her mind.

"- I swear I'll never do it again."

Hermione was shaken from her own private world at the sudden realization of that she was still in the common room with Ron. She hadn't heard what he had said. "What did you say?"

Ron exhaled. "I said I'm sorry I made you so upset and I swear I'll never do it again. I know I'll never be able to make anything I ever did wrong up to you." He hung his head and stood up, about to make his way to the boy's dorm.

Hermione jumped up and before he could leave the room, she said, "Ron, wait."

Ron turned around and Hermione was able to resist the temptation to roll her eyes. Ron was giving her his best feel-sorry-for-me look, the look he had shot her many times after the Quidditch games he had lost Gryffindor the year before. Despite the fact that she knew Ron was feeling sorry for himself, her heart broke partially, even though he had ignored her for the so many months.

She took a few long strides to close the many feet in between them, and stood in front of Ron, staring at him for a few moments.

She sighed. "I do forgive you, and you're right. You probably will never make it up to me, for anything you've done to me." She hesitated, then rose on her toes slightly and kissed Ron on his cheek. "But I'll always forgive you eventually, even it takes years, I will always forgive you."