"It's Hopeless"

Disclaimer: As much as I would enjoy the benefits of owning the Harry Potter series, I do not! That right belongs to J.K. Rowling and company. This is a fan work, therefore the term fan fiction! I just enjoyed the original so much I decided to right my own story for the fun of it. No copyright infringement intended, just good old-fashioned fun here, please don't sue! Thank you!

Chapter Five: It's Love!

The school year had started off pretty well for Ron, at least after the Malfoy fight. Ron was feeling pretty good about himself considering he had won the fight, at least until Crab and Goyle showed up. Things were back to normal now. It was great to see Harry again, and hear all about his visit with Sirius. Ron was sad he was stuck being alone and bored this summer, but he was happy for Harry. As much as Ron was sometimes jealous of Harry, he was still his best friend and was happy when Harry was happy, especially considering Harry seemed to never have a good summer at all. It was nice to have Harry talk about nice fun things. Since the end of the Triwizard Tournament last year, Harry seemed so depressed all the time. It was great not to see him worried.

As for Hermionie, the school year started and that meant studying. She had mellowed somewhat since first year, but when it came to studies, she was as dedicated as ever. This year was the year they took the OWLS after all. She was studying for them, when she didn't have anything else to study for.

One thing Hermionie did do other than study was use her time to put her plan into action. Her plan to find someone else to crush on, and then being around Ron, wouldn't be so weird. Being around him made her so nervous, she felt sick. This was getting to be a problem, because he was one of her best friends, so she was pretty much always around him. Except of course for the classes she had by herself, and sleep, and even then he seemed to find his way into her head. There seemed to be no way out, but to find someone else to think about.

She was now looking at almost every boy she saw, and sized them up to see if they were worth her thoughts. She was quickly getting tired of this. Nobody seemed good enough to spend valuable time thinking about, time she could use to study. She had thought about just focusing on her studies alone and not find someone else to like, but that didn't work, so she was forced to look.

The problem was, if somebody was cute, they seemed stupid or shallow or just plan rude. If they were nice, they weren't attractive to her. Hermionie wasn't just into looks, but she needed someone to get her mind off Ron, so she had to be attacked to them in some way, considering she was very attracted to Ron. Hermionie was getting so desperate she was starting to look at Slytherins just to see if anyone caught her eye, telling herself that they couldn't all be bad.

Ron was starting to notice, Hermionie checking out almost every guy she saw, and this didn't make him happy, needless to say. They were sitting at breakfast one morning and Hermionie seemed to be starring at the Hufflepuff table. 'What is she doing looking at Justin Finch-Fletchley? He wasn't anything to look at, at least I don't think so anyway.' He was starting to think Hermionie was going mental. 'Oh no, she's becoming a girl, I mean a real girly girl, soon she'll be all giggly and stuff.' Ron was really worried now. He didn't want Hermionie to change, especially into a giggly girl.

'I doubt Vicky would be happy seeing her look at all these guys! Oh, who cares about Vicky! I'm not happy seeing her look at all these guys, but who am I to say anything!' Ron was in deep thought now. On one hand he was happy to be back at school with his friends, on the other, he would rather be back home, bored, than have to watch Hermionie checking out other guys. 'Ok, just try to forget it Ron, forget it, forget it!', but forgetting Hermionie looking at other guys was not easy to forget. He had never been more jealous, even with Krum, well, maybe he was as jealous with Vicky come to think of it.' now he was cringing.

That night Hermionie was sitting in the common room studying, like usual. Ron and Harry were across the room playing chess, Ron winning of course. Hermionie was trying to keep her mind on her studies, or at least on some seventh year Hufflepuff she had seen at breakfast that morning setting next to Justin Finch-Fletchley. He was cute, and a prefect, just like her. She didn't know his name though, and couldn't be bothered asking to be honest. She was finding it hard to keep her mind focused on him rather than Ron, especially when Ron was so near. She couldn't help starring. He seemed so cute when he was happy. He was winning, like always, and was having lots of fun doing it. She couldn't help smiling at him. This whole plan of hers was harder than she thought.

"Oh, he really has gotten cute don't you think?" giggled Lavender Brown to her friend Parvati Patil. "I hear he tried out for keeper, and as from what I hear, he did really well, and will probably get it." Whispered Parvati back. At this Hermionie's head shot up, and she started listening intently. "Though I have to say, he wasn't to nice to my sister last year, they went to the dance together, but maybe he has changed, he certainly has gotten cute over the summer. Hermionie knew who they were talking about from what they were saying. She wanted to yell, 'He's mind, stay away from him.', but she knew she couldn't say that, because he wasn't her's.

'What do they mean he got cute over the summer? He's looks the same as always, just older! And besides, he was always cute! Stupid girl!' Hermionie was somewhat mad they were talking about Ron like this. 'Only she was aloud to think he was cute. Ok, so she wasn't the only one that would notice, but she wanted to be the only one who could say it.'

Then it came to her! Like a flash of lighting, the revelation came into her head! 'How could I be so stupid?', she asked herself, 'I'm in love with him!' She had only ever thought, that love may feel this way, never actually believed it love and not a crush. 'I can't get over my crush, because it's not a crush! It's Love!', she jumped to her feet and ran straight upstairs.

A/N: REVIEW PLEASE! I desperately want to know what you think! PLEASE REVIEW! If I don't get reviews, I will not continue, so please review!