Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Summary: An impulsive moment leads Harry to a situation he had hoped he'd never be in. After revealing his feelings, Harry is faced with the consequences. SLASH.

A/N: Constructive Criticism is appreciated. Flames are taken for what they're worth, meaningless drivel. This story will probably come in three parts, one told from each POV of the trio, but that may change. Please review.

* * * * *

"What are you going to do about it?" she asks, breaking the comfortable silence between us.

The sun is directly behind her and it's hard for me to see her face when I turn to look at her.

"Do?" Why do I have to do anything? Hasn't he done enough?

"Yes," she says with a sigh, "What are you going to do? You can't just ignore it forever."

I look out towards the lake feeling the knot that's been in my stomach all day tighten. I'm not ignoring it. I just don't want to think about it.

"He said he loved you," she says quietly.

"What am I supposed to do? My best friend kissed me last night. And now you say he says he loves me? Just tell me what I'm supposed to do, because I have no idea," I say feeling something like panic overtake me. This is what I've been trying to fight all day. This spinning feeling, this feeling of having everything fall down around me. I wish she would tell me what do.

"You have to tell him how you feel. Even if it isn't the same way," she says looking down at her hands. Easy for her to say.

"What if he tries to kiss me again?"

"He said that was an accident. Just tell him you don't feel the same way about him," she says quickly. I watch her as she pulls grass out of the ground in clumps. She's agitated, I can tell, even if she's not willing to show it. And why shouldn't she be? Everyone knows she's been in love with Harry since...well since first year, probably.

"This is hard for you, isn't it?" I ask, wishing I knew the right thing to say.

"No," she says grimacing slightly, "I'm perfectly fine that Harry is..."

She seems to hesitate, and for the first time in my life I think Hermione is at a loss for words.

"Is...?"

"Confused," she says blushing, "He's confused."

"He's confused!"

"Look, Ron, I have to go study," She says getting up abruptly, her cheeks still scarlet. "Talk to him, after practice all right? Promise me."

"Hermione..."

"Ron, just talk to him, will you?" she says tersely as she wipes the grass off her skirt.

"All right, Hermione. I'll talk to him," I promise feeling the knot tighten so much I think I'm going to be sick.

* * * * *

I know he knows I'm here.

I can tell by the way he's flying. The stiffness in his movement, almost as if he's concentrating extra hard on the task at hand, trying not to look at me. I watch as he narrowly dodges a bludger that gets past Ginny. She's a Chaser for the Gryffindor Team, though secretly I think she just joined to be near Harry. If she only knew.

I stand up suddenly. I can't do this. I can't talk to him. Not right now. What am I going to say? What am I going to do? It's like I don't even know who he is anymore.

But you gave Hermione your word, a small voice inside me says quietly.

I sit down, putting my head in my hands. Dammit.

I know I can't ignore it. I've tried, but I can't, even if I want to. Last night keeps repeating over and over in my mind like some sick play.

We had been the only ones in the Common Room, having put off our Divination homework until the very last minute. Hermione had given us a hard time about it and then disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dorms. We had sat there coming up with answers for a good while and talking about the upcoming Quidditch game. It had been like any other night, until he kissed me.

I had looked up at him to find him staring at me, a funny expression on his face. Then, before I could ask him what was wrong he had closed the space between us and kissed me softly on the lips.

Even now, in my mind, I can see it all playing out as if in slow motion. I had been so surprised that I pushed back from the table too hard and fell back in my chair. He was instantly by my side, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

"What the hell are you doing?" I had asked my heart pounding in my chest.

"Ron, I'm sorry. I..." he had said frowning at me and reaching down to help me up.

"Don't touch me," I had said scrambling away from him. He withdrew his hand quickly, as if he had just been burned. The look of hurt on his face almost made me feel guilty, until I remembered what had just happened.

"Ron..." he had said, his voice almost pleading, but I didn't wait for him to finish.

"I'm going to bed," I had said quickly cutting him off and walking halfway around the room to give him a wide berth.

It had only taken a couple of minutes for last night to happen. Five at the most. But those five minutes had changed everything. Everything.

How could he have done that? I mean, he's my best friend.

Best friends don't go around kissing one another.

What does he want from me? Does he want me to kiss him? Does he want me to...to...

I shudder and cross my arms.

I just don't understand.

I wonder how long he's felt this way. How long has he been thinking about this? How long has he been watching me. I think of all the times that we've been alone together. Sneaking down to the kitchens at Midnight, talking in the dorms, playing chess in the Common Room, was he thinking about kissing me those times too?

I feel betrayed.

If this was someone like Seamus or Neville, I'd never talk to them again. Never. I'd just avoid them for the rest of my days at Hogwarts.

But this is Harry.

It all comes down to this.

Harry Potter is my best friend. I could avoid him for the rest of my days at Hogwarts, I could if I made myself do it, but I'd be miserable.

He's more than my best friend, he's like one of my brothers. More than that, really. Sometimes I feel like he knows me better than my family does. Better than Hermione does.

I've thought alot about what my life would be like without Harry. Ever since he barely got away from You-Know-Who in the Triwizard Tournament in fourth year. I realized then what it meant being Harry's friend. I realized the danger he was in and that there may come a day when he won't get away. I tried to picture my life without Harry by my side making me laugh, making me worry, and getting me in trouble, but I just couldn't. The thought was too painful to even consider.

Everything would just be so empty without Harry. So wrong.

And it just seems wrong that Harry would be here ... alive and well, eating at the same table, going to the same classes, sleeping one bed over and that I wouldn't be talking to him.

I could do it, if I wanted to. I managed to do it in fourth year when I had thought he had put his name in the Goblet of Fire, but it had been so hard. I had to remind myself constantly that I wasn't talking to him. I just don't think I could do it again. If anything was to happen to him...I'd never forgive myself.

"Ron?" I look up to see him standing a couple of rows below me.

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I don't know what to say.

His face turns slightly pink as he rushes forward, "Ron, I want to apologize for last night. I didn't mean to..." He hesitates, and adjusts his glasses, something he only does when he's extremely nervous, "I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine," I hear myself say.

He looks up at me startled, "What?"

Yes, exactly what did I say? It certainly isn't fine. Is it?

"It was a mistake. It never happened," I say quickly.

Harry looks down at his feet for a minute and then back up at me. I'm surprised to see determination in his eyes. "It did happen."

"It was an accident," I insist. "It didn't mean anything."

"Is that what you think?" he asks searching my face.

I look away, "That what I'd like to think, Harry."

"Think what you'd like, Ron," Harry says and I can hear the frustration in his voice, "But it did mean something."

"Not to me," I say quietly.

He suddenly looks very unwell as he stares blankly at me for a moment. He opens his mouth to speak and then shuts it. I watch as he turns and begins walking away without another word.

I watch him make his way down the bleachers and disappear into the locker room. I feel as defeated as he looks. That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

It was harder.

* * * * *

I wait for him to emerge from the locker room.

He doesn't smile at me when he comes out fifteen minutes later.

We fall in step with one another and make our way towards the castle silently. Halfway there I stumble and he reaches out a hand to steady me. I flinch and he lets go of me quickly.

"I can't do this," he says stepping away from me.

"Can't do what?"

"I can't stand you acting like you're scared of me."

"I'm not scared of you," I say, my cheeks burning. "I just don't understand you."

He shakes his head, "What's not to understand? I've done the stupidest thing I could ever have done. I've fallen in love with my best friend. It's quite simple really."

"Why me?" I ask.

"Because you're you," he says simply. "Look, Ron, if I could explain it, I would. If I could change it, I would. But I can't. Do you think I'd really choose to be in this situation? Things are complicated enough as it is with Voldemort and Dumbledore, do you really think I would choose to distance the person that's closest to me, on purpose?"

"Maybe," I say. The truth is I had thought about this lying awake last night. Maybe this was some insane ploy of Harry's to get me to distance myself from him. Maybe he thought that if I wasn't targeted as one of his best friends I'd be out of danger.

He blinks at me, "What?"

"Maybe you think I'd be safer. Maybe you think I can't handle things."

"No, that's not it," He says frowning. "That's not it at all, Ron. I need you too much to do that."

"Okay," I say, turning away from him and walking toward the castle. He catches up with me and we walk the rest of the way without another word.

I feel strangely relieved. Strange as this situation is, it would have been much worse if he was doing it because he thought I needed protecting. It's strangely comforting to know that he needs me. Because even if I don't feel the same way he does, I need him too.

* * * * *

A/N: Thank you to those of you who have stuck with me to the end. I know many of you readers wanted some beautiful slashy happy ending, but unfortunately those are rare in real life. I tried to make this story as realistic as possible. I'm thinking about maybe continuing this story in a sequel, but I'm not sure. Let me know what you think.