Disclaimer: sadly, I own nothing....
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I finally beat Hermione's stupid mind games and she gets up and runs crying to her dorm. Girls are confusing. I almost felt bad, like maybe I was wrong, and maybe I should go apologize and maybe that feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I look at her is more then just well, then just a feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I decided to go down to the ball, maybe find that girl that had asked me to dance or something. I almost turned back a couple times, getting this awful feeling that I'd made a huge mistake, but then the feeling of pride and triumph took over and I kept going to the Great hall.

"What are you doing down here? I thought you were staying up with Hermione tonight," Ginny said. I looked suspiciously at Harry who seemed to be much too close to her; he scooted away instantly, also moving his hand from her thigh... ahem...

"I was going to, but she um, well, we had this little... thing-"

"You got into a fight?" It was really more of a statement of a question. I glared at Harry.

"Well, yes, but it was NOT my fault this time-"

"What did you say to her?" Harry asked in this incredibly exasperated sort of way, like this happened every bloody day or something, which it really didn't- er, doesn't, more like twice a week... ok maybe three times a week.

"Well, for one you were wrong about her REALLY wanting to go with me. It WAS a bloody hidden message thing; she was just trying to prove that she was a girl by wearing these red skimpy robes and making me all... Interested," I explained matter-of-factly. "She was just trying to prove how bloody superior she is compared to me, so I told her I had figured her out and, well, she got a bloody girl-ish on me, which now that I think of it, may have been part of the plan-"

"Ron, you're an idiot." Ginny muttered plain as ever.

"Well, excuse me, what is it, make Ron look stupid day?" I asked dripping with sarcasm.

"Is it so hard for you to imagine that just maybe Hermione actually liked you? That maybe Hermione just wanted to go with you because she likes spending time with you?" Ginny was starting to sound like some sort of guidance counselor and it was making me uncomfortable. I had won, I had figured her out! Why did everyone just suppose I was wrong?

"Because girls like that don't like guys like me," I said evenly. Harry and Ginny exchanged glances. "Stop doing that! She doesn't like me! Stop looking at each other like you know something I don't!" I exploded, mostly because I was getting really sick at the idea of Harry and my little sister.

"Ron be quiet," Harry hissed, that was when I noticed everyone was staring at me. I swallowed hard.

"Maybe you should just go and apologize," Harry added. I scowled at him.

"Apologize to her?" I hissed, "She's the one that should apologize! She was trying to make me look stupid, she was using her female-ness to, to... well... I'm not apologizing!" I shouted in a hoarse whisper. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Did you even ask her, if she liked you, like that? Hermione doesn't lie Ron, she'd tell you," Ginny said trying not to get angry with me, like I was a little kid or something.

"Well, no, but I know she doesn't, I mean, she was even trying to get out of going with me-"

"Maybe because she knew you'd make up some bullshit assumption, like this," Ginny spat. I gaped at her.

"Don't curse Ginny," I scolded, realizing I sounded very much like Hermione.

"Why would someone intent on tricking you into looking stupid, offer not to go with you? It would ruin her so called plan," Harry said logically. I scowled at him.

"I don't know. Girls are confusing!" I shouted. I got looks from all directions again I glared at the nosy people.

"Or maybe we're a lot less confusing then your making us out to be," Ginny said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not apologizing," I said stubbornly. They exchanged looks again, and got these little secret grins.

"You like her don't you?" Harry asked. I felt my face heat up.

"No," I muttered too quickly.

"Then ask her, if you don't like her what would it matter?" Ginny put in.
"Because it would be embarrassing for both of us-"

"So your too embarrassed? Because you know she wasn't trying to trick you and you don't want to face her."

Sometimes I really hate Harry.

"I'm not doing it," I was feeling a little sick, this was not going the way I had planned, I had expected them to be as angry at Hermione as I was and be on my side.

"Then I'm not talking to you," Harry said quickly.

"Why not?" I sputtered.

"Because I don't talk to people who accuse my friends of things they didn't do," He muttered, taking Ginny by the hand and leading her onto the dance floor.

Damnit.

"Hermione!" I shouted at the foot of the steps to the girl's dormitory. No answer. "I'm coming in whether you say I can or not, I just want to make sure, your, you know, dressed," I informed her. Still no answer. I nervously walked the steps and opened the door peaking my head in. I very angry looking Hermione was sitting facing the door on her bed.

"I wanted to ask you something," I started slowly.

"What? If you're a jerk? I guess the answer to that one's a yes," She snapped.

"A real question," I said slowly.

"I don't want to talk right now Ron, please go away," She said turning around so that her back was to me. It really amazes me how cool she can stay when she's angry.

"I will, but Harry and Ginny won't talk to me unless I ask you this question," I told her seriously. She was quiet, I took that as an invitation to ask, knowing I wouldn't get any better invitation.

"I was wondering, um, well, do youlikeme? I mean, well, like, likelikemeyouknow?" I stuttered. She was quiet.

"Hermione?"

"How could you ask me that?" She said in this shaky voice.

"Well, they said they wouldn't talk to me unless-"

"Ron you called me a slut, you said I was trying to make you look stupid, you said that the only reason you asked me to the ball was because Harry bribed you," She broke in shakily.

"I know, and I'm sorry about the uh, slut thing, but seriously Hermione, why else would you come to a ball with me?" I asked matter-of-factly.

"Maybe because you're my friend, and I thought it would be fun," She said glancing at me over her shoulder. "You wanted to go as friends." She reminded me.

"Oh," I muttered feeling dumb. "If, well, if I had asked you to go as... more then friends... What would you have said?"

"I would have said 'what have you done with Ron Weasley?'" She said sarcastically. I grimaced.

"So then that's a no?" I asked slowly.

"Ron," She started turning and looking at me coldly, "We can't be like this. We can't dance around each other."

I gaped at her, "So then, you mean, yes or no?"

"Ron do you like me in that way?" She asked keeping herself detached.

"Christ, I don't know," I said feeling very stupid. I hadn't decided that yet.

"When you do know, then come back and ask me that question," She said calmly. I nodded slowly turning to leave, but stopping before I got to the door,

"Hermione,"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about accusing you of, well, everything, your not a, erm, slut, you looked, uh, look nice," I mumbled feeling dumb, before walking out briskly, and shutting the door behind me.

God I'm so confused.