Friends?

The pain Hermione felt was unexplainable. As she watched Ron slowly retreat, she thought about what had just happened. The last few hours were so unreal to her. They were like a dream, and any minute she thought she would just wake up and it would all be forgotten. But that wasn't the truth. The truth was real. So real she couldn't take the pain. She had hurt her best friend so badly that he would never forgive her. But what could she do? She didn't like Ron in that way. She looked with all her power deep inside her heart to find the tiniest shred of love for Ron, but it wasn't there. Ron wasn't charming and handsome and dreamy to her. He was just... Ron. The Ron that sat next to her in Charms everyday. The Ron that could make her angry even if she was having a wonderful day. The Ron that she had chatted casually with for the past four years. Before now she wouldn't believe that same Ron loved her. But she believed it as she stood there alone- and it hurt her more than she could bare.

·~··~··~·

Ron was crushed. No, worse than crushed. He had melted. No, vaporized. Actually, words couldn't describe how he felt. He didn't exist. He just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. But he couldn't. There was no escape. Stupid Hogwarts. He hated living here now. Stupid friends. If it wasn't for them he wouldn't have this problem. Stupid Hermione. Why did he like her? Her hair was bushy and her teeth were huge and she was such a know-it-all that Ron just... he just... he just loved her.

Ron wiped his nose and eyes on his robe sleeve and looked around. Well, he thought. I'll just have to live with it. People will make fun of me. I'll have no friends. I'll be an outcast. But what can I do? I just have to be strong. It'll be okay... somehow.

With a final sniffle and blinking back fresh tears, Ron thrusted out his chest and walked down the hall, ready to accept the world for what it had become. As he rounded a corner, Professor McGonagall appeared with her eyes wide and her mouth thin.

"Weasley!" she boomed. "That behavior in the Great Hall was unexceptable! You shall report to my office immediatly for your punishment! Come on! NOW!" she turned and walked briskly down a flight of stairs, Ron close behind. He didn't care that he was in trouble. At least he didn't have to face the other students right away. He could wait for the heat to die down a little.

·~··~··~·

Hermione had already started off towards the common room. On her way she bumped into Harry. There was a short silence between them while they both thought of something to say.

"Er... care for a walk?" Harry asked with his hands in the pockets of his robes.

"Sure," Hermione said. Even though she was dreading talking about this with anyone, seeing Harry now was a surprising relief.

They started walking down the corridors together, Hermione explaining everything that happened, everything she felt, everything she thought would happen to Ron.

"You were in denial for a long time, Hermione," Harry said. "I think that hurt Ron the most. You thought of it as so absurd you couldn't believe it was real. That could be what drove him over the edge."

"Maybe you're right," Hermione said. She sighed. "I just," she shook her head, thinking of how to explain. "Couldn't believe it. You see, logic controls the way I think about everything. I know it sounds corny, but I didn't listen to my heart. I blocked out reality with how I felt the way things should be, or were supposed to be. Does that make sense?"

"So you're saying you couldn't accept what Ron's feelings were because in your mind you thought it wasn't logical?" Harry gave a shallow laugh. "I knew your genius would get you in trouble one day."

Hermione's eyes watered. Her lip trembled. She couldn't say anything else. She was lost.

Harry sighed and clasped his hands behind his neck, his elbows on the sides of his face so Hermione couldn't see his expression.

"Things will work out. They have to work out," was all he said.

They walked in silence for the rest of the way. When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Hermione decided she couldn't go in. Instead she would do what she did best- drown herself in books at the library.

"I'll see you later Harry," he started to climb in when she caught him by the arm and thought she had to say something. "Oh, and Harry. Thanks for listening."

Harry just smiled and said, "You're smart, Hermione. You'll think of something."

Hermione wished he was right. She just gave a weak smile and nodded as he disappeared behind the painting. Then she turned on one heel and heading for the library.

·~··~··~·

She opened the doors and wandered off to the back shelved and wished to find something that could take her mind off everything. As she read the titles of a few history books, the one person she could never expect to be here was. That's right, Ron Weasley was standing just a few feet away, dusting the volumes with an old grey featherduster. He had seen her enter, so only turned bright red when she saw him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Detention," he responded in a voice very unlike his own.

"Oh. I see," Hermione said. She rocked back and forth on her heels while Ron fiddled with the handle of his duster.

"Oh Ron. This is so stupid!" Hermione said finally.

"I know! But what can we do?" Ron cried.

Both just stood breathing deeply for a minute. Then Hermione thought of Harry's words from just a moment ago. She was smart. She could think of something. But this was more than just equations and homework and potions. This was love!

Love! Hermione thought suddenly. The most powerful of all magics! But could it work? No, it's not strong enough. Or is it? Well, it's worth a shot!

"Ron, kiss me," she said faintly.

"What?" Ron said, turning red once again.

"You know that night we played truth or dare? And you didn't want to kiss me?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide and bright.

"Yeah," Ron asked, puzzled.

"Was it because you didn't want to, or not just with everyone watching?" Her eyes were now the size of walnuts now.

"Of course I didn't want to! You are my friend!" His face didn't lie.

"Then do it now," Hermione demanded.

"But-"

"Don't you see?" she asked. "Love and friendships are more powerful than some silly charm. If you choose to be my friend and don't want to kiss me, then that would mean you would rather us not fall in love! The truth is how you feel, not how you think! The Honestiluccia charm makes you say what is in your head, not your heart," Hermione whispered dramaticly.

As skeptical as Ron was, he had to trust her. "Okay," he whispered. He looked around. "No one's in here but us. On the count of three, then."

"One," Hermione muttered.

"Two,"

"Three!"

Resentfully, they pulled together at last. They eyes were closed and they were trying to remain calm, but they still looked very odd; Ron holding a featherduster and Hermione twisting her robes. Their lips stayed closed together for a few seconds, but then Ron pulled away.

"That was so... weird!" Ron said. he looked like he was going to be sick.

"YES!" Hermione screamed and she jumped into the air. "That means you don't love me! You don't love me!" She clapped her hands.

"I don't! I DON'T!" Ron started clapping, too. Both of then cheered and clapped loudly. Good thing it was a weekend; no one was ever in the library on the weekends. It was just two friends, jumping up and down and laughing their heads off in the quiet room.

Just two friends.

I know I'll get burned to a crisp by some reviewers. But I couldn't have them get together! Think about poor Harry! Poor, poor Harry! I would have liked this story to be longer, but the truth was I was totally brain dead until I thought of this ending in the middle of the night. I know, a lot of you wanted this to be some sappy ending, but you have thousands of stories to read that have Hermione and Ron get together! I wanted to be different! I hope most of you liked it anyway. It was fun to write. By the way, thanks SO MUCH to Angelfall and Weasley_gurl for the Snape Suckers story. I'm not sure if I already mentioned that, but a million thanks again.

Okay, don't forget me now that my story ended! I have another posted and I'm gonna write more. So y'all come back now, hear?