A/N: Well, several people seemed to want a sequel to Ice-Cold Roses, and to tell the truth, I wanted to write one. So, here 'tis! :) Just don't ask me where the title came from, it just hit me for some reason. Warning....this will make NO sense unless you've read the first fic, Ice-Cold Roses. Oh, and as always, I own nothing. While I'm at it, though....I'd like to thank all my faithful reviewers for keeping my confidence up. You know who you are. ;)



Weeks passed. Christmas was fast approaching, and nothing had changed between Hermione, Ron, and Harry. They would speak to her if necessary, but if she tried talking to them, all she received in response were haughty answers and disdainful looks. Especially from Ron. If he wasn't around, Harry might consent to talking to her, but with Ron, he grew silent. They had done nothing else related to the cruelty of the rose incident, but their coldness was enough to tear her apart.

So she watched them, silently, hoping to somehow observe what was going on that had caused them to be so distant from her. If Professor McGonagall knew what went on in their lives simply by watching, surely it couldn't be that hard! In time, it was apparent that, while Harry still conversed with his old friends and acted almost the same as always, Ron had stopped talking to almost everyone. He was brooding, standoffish, unsociable. It was just so unlike him.....

The week before Christmas vacation, Hermione decided it was time something was done about the situation. She approached Ron when he was alone in the common room, studying from his Potions book. Taking a deep breath, she sat down across from him. He glanced up momentarily, then went straight back to his book.

Hesitating, she said quietly, "Ron? Can we talk?"

The freckled boy shifted slightly in his chair. "Go ahead."

"Well, that's better than a 'get lost'...." she thought wryly. "You haven't been acting like yourself lately, and I don't understand. I wish you would tell me what's wrong. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I don't think that all of this bitterness is simply because you're angry at me."

Silence. Hermione waited, idly picking at one of her short fingernails. She had almost given up on getting an answer when Ron finally replied, "You're right. It's not."

Breathing an almost inaudible sigh of relief, she kept her composure outwardly. "If it's not me...then what's really the matter?"

Ron sighed, putting his book down and running his hand through his hair in a way that made Hermione think of his father. "Everything. I guess this has just been building up for a long time....you try growing up as the little brother in a family that can't afford the clothes we wear." he remarked bitterly. "All my life, I've never been good enough. There's always been someone else ahead of me. And then you come along, and you're perfect in EVERYTHING.....I don't know. Maybe it just got to me after while. I'm always second best..."

Slightly shocked, Hermione took a moment to digest this information. "But...I don't understand. If that's why you're angry at me....why didn't you get mad at Harry? I mean....he is the famous one....and why are you being so bitter towards everyone else?" she asked hesitantly. Ron sighed in response and shook his head.

"Harry's on my level in a lot of things, though. Sure, I get jealous of him from time to time, but then he does something stupid and we're even again. With you....well, sometimes I can't ever catch you doing anything stupid, so I have to harp on you about it when you do." He paused, thinking about his next words. "And I guess I've stopped speaking to everyone else because...well...they like you, Hermione. I didn't think they'd want to talk to me."

She began to nod slowly, somewhat understand where he was coming from. Hesitating again for a moment, she knelt down beside him, one hand covering his. "Ron...can't we just let things go back to normal? I'll promise to try and stop being so.....what's the word....."

"Showoffish?" Ron supplied, grinning slightly. Hermione couldn't help but return the grin.

"All right then, I'll try to stop being such a showoff. I know I can be a know-it-all at times, but it's not done on purpose. Forgive me?" she asked sincerely.

"Of course. I'm sorry I was such a bloody ass to you in the first place." Ron replied, shaking his head ruefully. He withdrew his hand from under hers and held it out. "Friends?"

She paused.....was friends all she really wanted to be? "Better leave that for another day." a voice somewhere inside her said, so she shook his hand firmly, smiling. "Friends."