Author's note: Oh my, I bet you all thought this story was dead. It's not. I've just been having a terrible time lately with fanfiction.net and other things. Sorry. Now that I'm out of school I should have more time to write. :)

It was midnight. Ron and Hermione were scrunched together under an Invisibility Cloak, carefully going through books in the Restricted Section of the library. The cloak had been a gift from Ron's godfather; Lucius Malfoy. Thinking about his godfather just about turned Ron's stomach. Every day seemed to give Ron a new reason to feel queasy. If only he could be back where he used to be.

"Ron, what about this?" Hermione whispered, holding a book up near to the lantern Ron was holding.

"Muggle Fairy Tales and Mighty Myths. Er, I don't know Hermione. Why would the muggles know anything?"

"Magic encompasses the world, Ron. It's not limited to wizards and witches. For instance, my mother is a muggle; but she's got the most amazing luck . . . which is really a sort of magic in and of itself, don't you think? Anyway, she once wished on a star for - "

"Wait a minute. Wished on a star?"

"Yes. You know," and at this Hermione started to sing softly, "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are . . . when you wish upon a star your dreams come true."

Ron simply stared at her, eyes bulging. "Hermione. I didn't know. That's what's got me into this mess! I made a bloody wish on a star!"

Hermione boggled, shaking her head like a dog shaking off fleas. "You're kidding me. You didn't know? Don't they teach anything in wizarding families?"

"Yes! They teach wizardly things! Not stupid Muggle songs!"

"It's not stupid! Pretty mighty of you calling something stupid considering it's your own ignorance that got you into this situation! Honestly!"

Ron sputtered for a moment, then stopped. And finally took notice. "Hey, Hermione . . ."

"What?" she spat back, furiously.

"I didn't notice, I mean, I didn't know . . . you're cute when you're angry."

It was like diffusing a human time bomb. Hermione's face softened in an instant. "Really?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. You're pretty cute all the time."

"Ron . . ."

They stared at each other, letting the lantern's glow wash the blushes from their faces.

Then they both looked away, at approximately the same time.

"Um . . ."

"Well . . ."

"You really ought to go wish everything back to the way it should be, right?" Hermione said.

"I guess so, yeah."

But maybe I don't want to go back anymore.

After all . . .

In the back of Ron's head had always been the idea of him being second best. And while he had avoided dwelling on how he felt about Hermione most of the time, he always knew that if it came down to being a battle between him and just about anyone else for her affections, he would lose.

But in this altered reality, he was first rate. Only surviving son of a pure-blood Wizarding family that was murdered by Voldemort. Rich off his godfather's back. He had a lot more to offer her. He no longer felt like his heart would be a complete and utter burden to her . . .

"Sky's overcast tonight. I'll try it tomorrow."

Hermione blinked and nodded, unaware of the turmoil in Ron's head.

How can I even be contemplating keeping things like this? Wasn't I desperate to go back up to a minute ago? My family. I can't very well go on without them. But Harry does seem pretty happy in Slytherin - and now his parents are alive, too. If I change this now, it's like I'm murdering them. God, Ron. You sure know how to make a mess of things.

Abruptly, Hermione gently took Ron's available hand into hers, letting her thumb tickle the palm of his hand. There was a jolt in Ron's brain and then all his thoughts stalled. Hermione was holding his hand. That's all that mattered.