Disclaimer: This is all JK Rowling's...I just work for her as her secret secretary...it's real hush-hush...(haha I wish!)

Thank you soooo much to everyone who reviewed. It means so much to me when I get little bits of joy in my mail (sigh) I only write this for all of you, so be cool and keep reviewing...actually just keep reading and that's fine with me! Well, here it goes...I don't know where I'm going with the story or how long it will go, but probably not much longer! Remember...take your C's, catch your Z's, avoid disease!

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"Oh, look! Here comes Hermione," said Harry to Ron, who quickly stared down at his breakfast. They were eating in the Great Hall with Ginny, Neville, Dean and Seamus. Ron was still feeling a bit awkward from his talk with Hermione last night. He had trouble looking Hermione directly in the face.

"Hi, Hermione." Ginny smiled at her, brightly, and made a space on the bench next to her.

"Hi, Ginny. Good morning, boys. Hello, Ron." Whoa...what had made her put Ron in a separate category for morning greetings? Was it the way he was blushing so adorably? Perhaps it was how his freckles seemed even cuter today...what was Hermione thinking? One little, meaningless kiss and her brain was going into hysterics! Little? Meaningless? They kiss with Ron was not exactly what she would classify as meaningless. They moment their lips touched, it was like a fire went off inside of her. It had been a fire threatening to explode more and more ever since she had witnessed Ron performing that stupid spell on his rat in their first year. Fred and George said it would turn Scabbers yellow, but it was only a fake. Sunshine, daisies, butter, mellow...Fred and George could be really devious sometimes. Hermione had to smile when she thought about all the silly tricks the twins used to play. She missed them a lot. They had been like brothers to her. Maybe someday they might just be her brothers-in-law-no! She didn't let the thought cross her mind.

Ginny obviously noticed the tension between her brother and Hermione.

"Erm...is everything alright, Ron? You look quite warm." She tried unsuccessfully to hold back a small smirk that was threatening her lips.

"What? Yes, of course. What do you mean, Ginny?" He attempted to regain composure frantically. In his efforts, he knocked over his goblet of juice, spilling it all over himself and Harry. Hermione casually cleared away the mess with one of her useful little spells.

"You must be tired," Dean piped up, "I woke up at midnight and you weren't in bed. You woke me up with your constant pacing across the room before you went downstairs. Not that I care about you waking me up. It's not a big deal, but what were you doing up so late?" Ron and Hermione stole a brief glance at each other.

"Er...er...I was nervous about the Transfiguration test today. I couldn't fall asleep so I went to the Common Room to study some more." He lied well. Everyone seemed to believe him. Almost everyone. Ginny looked at Ron strangely and opened her mouth to speak.

"It's not like you to be nervous about an ex..." Hermione cut her off.

"It should be really difficult. Professor McGonagall hinted that it might be." Ginny noticed the speed of Hermione's reaction and the apparent worry in her eyes. She saw Ron look gratefully at Hermione over the top of the Daily Prophet. Ginny was intelligent. She could put two and two together.

There was something going on between Ron and Hermione and she had a suspicious feeling that it might have to do with 'late night studying.' ___________________________________________________________________________

Hermione was alone in her dormitory. The book of the night lay forgotten on her bed, while she sat peering out the window.

Lately, she hadn't been able to sleep. She hadn't gone down to dinner that evening on the account that she hadn't been hungry. It was also, strangely, a difficult task to focus on her studies for the past few weeks. She assumed she must be coming down with something. Yeah, like a sickness...a sickness called love. LOVE? Where had that come from. Her lack of concentration, lack of hunger and insomnia was definitely not due to a certain red-head that she was watching play Quidditch out her bedroom window. Definitely not.

She rested her chin on her knees and began to ponder the idea. Love? Sigh. It had been two weeks since she and Ron had shared the kiss. She still wasn't entirely certain it hadn't been another one of her dreams.

Most people had gone home for Christmas vacation. Hermione had only remained at Hogwarts because Harry and Ron had. Mr and Mrs. Weasley had gone to Paris to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary. Mr. Weasley's salary had increased significantly since he had been promoted to the head of the department for the Misuse of Muggle Articfacts Office. They had truly deserved this holiday in France.

So Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were the only Gryffindors left at the castle. The few Prefect meetings Ron and Hermione had attended together had been a bit awkward...ha! That was an understatement! She had turned practically magenta when her chair tipped over as they decorated the Great Hall Christmas trees. She found herself falling into the strong (well, actually they were rather scrawny, but to Hermione, they felt strong) arms of Ron. She hadn't purposely fallen off the chair, but she wasn't going to lie to herself...she had enjoyed the fall very much...what was she talking about...of course she was going to lie to herself!

Hermione smiled softly to herself as she watched Ron make a particularly daring save by taking both hands of his broom handle. _________________________________________________________________________

Harry and Ron had been playing Quidditch almost every night of the break. The practice was turning out to be long and tiring, but Ron enjoyed it despite the fact that he was drenched with sweat and snow.

The Quaffle came flying toward the hoop to his right. He reacted quickly and took both hands off his broom handle in order to catch it. Bloody hell, that was a great save! A tiny piece of Ron wished that Hermione had seen that one. Okay, it was more than a tiny piece. _________________________________________________________________________

Calming shadows were cast on the walls from the dimly glowing fire in the hearth. The Common Room was empty except for Ginny and Ron. They were cheerfully sharing some old family memories of playing hide-and-seek around the Burrow. Ron's favorite hiding place had been the attack until the day he came face to face with the resident ghoul.

A short silence came about, but Ginny was quick to snatch the opportunity. Her mind had been on it for two weeks.

"Ron," she began timidly. However, when she continued, her tone was confident with a hint of irritation. "When are you going to tell Hermione the truth?" Ron's elbow that had been resting on the arm of the couch slipped off when she spoke these words.

"Wh-what?" His eyes gave away the fact that he did know what Ginny was on about. "I don't know what you're on about, Ginny." Ron was such a horrible liar.

"You do too know what I mean!" she snapped back, taking on a fiery glare surprisingly similar to Mrs. Weasley's. "When are you going to tell her how you feel?"

"How I feel about what?" This was too much for Ginny. His act of ignorance got old fast. She punched her fist into a nearby pillow.

"Tell her that you are in love with her and have been for five years! Stop acting like a prat and answer me! I can tell something happened between you two. I've got woman instincts!" She narrowed her eyes, daring him to put on another stupid facade. Ron surrendered with a sigh.

"I know, Ginn," he punched himself in the forehead with the heels of his hands, "I should tell her."

"Well, why don't you?" Her tone changed. She suddenly felt sympathy for her love-stricken brother. Ginny had never seen him like this before. He was definitely in love then.

"It's not that easy," he explained, "she doesn't feel the same way about me." Ron told himself the words. Even when saying them out loud, he felt a swell of doubt grow within him. It was Hermione that had kissed him. Then again, it was also Hermione that had explained to him, very clearly, that she had made a mistake.

"Ronald Weasley," Ginny really sounded like her mother now. She nearly let out a snort of laughter. "You and I both know that isn't true. Can't you see it in her eyes? She loves you...and I'm not talking about brother-sisterly love." There was an intense silence while Ron considered these words.

"But...but," he couldn't make himself believe it was true, "...but she told me that..."

"That what," Ginny asked, gently urging him to continue, "what happened between you two the other week?" Ron looked at his baby sister. He found it hard to believe how much she had matured in such a short time. When had this happened? Why hadn't he noticed before? Then he realized, he could tell her about it. She would understand. Besides, he had to tell someone or he was likely to go mad like Pigwidgeon.

He took a deep breath and explained to Ginny about the events that had occurred a couple of weeks ago.

"She loves you," she replied simply when Ron had finished. "As sure as I'm a witch, she loves you." Ron blushed, but didn't tried to argue. He wanted it to be true so badly. Ginny was grinning like Dobby upon seeing socks. "How are you going to tell her?"

"What? Ginny, I'm not ready to..."

"Shut up, Ron. You have to."

"Well," he said, reddening a bit, "I did have an idea..."

The siblings stayed up for another hour, formulating the perfect plan...

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A/N: Aight! Word...(Or for Spanish speakers...Palabra!...or for french speakers...Mot!)

So there is chapter four. I'm reeaaally excited about the next one, so stay tuned. Ron is going to do something adorable.

I'm so glad that if I can't read more new (real...JK real) Harry Potter stories...I have fan fiction here to get me through this next long stretch before book six. (Sniff) I love you guys!

Anyway...enough of that mush...please read and review and stay cool!

~*Marmell Adium*~ PS-This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated (thanks to Mitch Hedburg...amazing comedian)