Sooner or later, feeling like this would fade, Hermione told herself. Her thoughts echoed those of the previous week, and jarred horribly in her head. She couldn't say everything was a phase, she thought, slightly horrified. Perhaps thinking everything was just a phase was just a phase. Her mind began to swim around in circles, thoughts colliding with other thoughts and somewhere in the middle of it all a warm fuzzy feeling refused to subside.

            "You've probably just still got concussion," she said aloud, attempting to calm her thoughts down.

            "No, you haven't," Madam Pomfrey commented, happening to arrive in the doorway, and Hermione flushed scarlet. "You're perfectly alright. Didn't you go back with your friend? There's no need for you to stay here now, and it's easier to keep the hospital wing closed."

            "Yes, I'll just go now." Hermione stood up, feeling slightly dazed, and began to walk towards the door.

            "Hope you have a nice time!" Madam Pomfrey called cheerfully after her. "See you when Harry wakes up!"

            Hermione called something in reply, but she wasn't quite sure what it was, so intent was she on trying to work out her thoughts. She shivered a little in the castle corridors, crossing her arms to keep herself warm. She was dressed in a hospital nightgown, which although felt wonderfully comfortable, and almost like wearing cotton wool, was rather thin and flimsy, and not well insulating. Never mind, she consoled herself, it wouldn't be long until she reached the dormitory and then she could change.

            She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Ron until she'd practically bumped into him. He'd been walking slowly, equally lost in daydreams, and they both blushed when they noticed each other.

            "I… I was just on my way to the dormitory," Hermione said, trying to remain calm.

            "Yeah, so was I," mumbled Ron. He noticed Hermione was shivering, and spoke kindly, "Shall we hurry? You look cold."

            "Alright then," Hermione agreed, quietly, and they began to walk together up the stairs.

            Ron tried to catch discreet sideward glances at her. Now that he had sort of accepted the whole idea (although he didn't like to think about it directly and think the actual words) he had expected things to feel different, more exciting. But nothing really felt any different than it had last week. Things were still slightly awkward and he had no idea what to say. Even last week though, Hermione had acted pretty much her usual self, he recalled. Now she was quiet and uncomfortable around him, as though something was on her mind too. She must remember, he realised, with a disappointing thud in his heart, and obviously she didn't feel the same, not according the chapter on body language anyway. Unless, he brightened up hopefully, she was in denial.

            "So," he asked, choosing his words carefully. "How are you feeling?"

            "I feel much better," she said, and didn't look up to meet his gaze. "Just a cold."

            "I've got one too," Ron said, sympathetically. "But Fred and George sent us a huge box of their new cough sweets, I don't think they've fully tested them yet but they seem alright…" He tailed off. Even this bait had not worked in tempting Hermione to act like her former self. She seemed as though she hadn't fully taken in what he'd said.

            "Oh, really?" she seemed distracted, when she spoke at last. "I'm sure they'll be alright."

            That was it, Ron decided firmly, she really wasn't herself after all. But how was he supposed to fix things?

            "Ron..."

            "Yes?" Ron quickly replied, guiltily. She had stopped, hovering awkwardly in the corridor outside the dormitory and he followed her lead, standing next to her, but not too close.

            "Thank-you, for saving my life yesterday," she said, awkwardly. "I should have said that before, but I forgot." She forced herself to look up at him and smile. Her thoughts spun around a little again, but she fought to remain in control.

            "No problem," Ron muttered. "It was sort of my fault, anyway…"

            "No, it wasn't," Hermione frowned. "It was just the lightening that startled me, that's all…" she tailed off, feeling her cheeks becoming red. Ron had also turned scarlet and was absorbed in examining his fingernails. Then they both spoke at once:

            "Ron…"

            "Hermione…"

            They both tailed off into nervous giggles, and Ron said, "You first."

            "I… did I dream it?" Hermione spoke seriously suddenly, playing carefully. If it had all been a dream, he wouldn't know what she was talking about. But if he reacted to this sentence, she'd know.

            "Dream what?" Ron said, a defence mechanism kicking in.

            "Oh, nothing," Hermione said. "I guess I must have done then."

            She moved towards the door, suddenly relieved that it had been a dream. There were less complications now, less things to work out. But then she seemed to feel disappointed, and she was surprised at herself. She hadn't expected to feel that, after all, it wasn't like she'd been expecting – hoping – for it to be anything other than a dream? She frowned slightly, and then felt Ron's hand on her wrist, stopping her gently from opening the door.

            "Hermione," he blurted, suddenly. "It wasn't a dream."

            Hermione stared at him in surprise. Something inside her was telling her to say 'oh, I did beat you at chess then?' or some other kind of unrelated confident answer, but somewhere else inside was perhaps… glad. He was looking at her, waiting for an answer, looking increasingly more worried by the minute, but she was at a loss for anything to say to him. She tried to find words, but the rest of her seemed unable to respond to her mind, and so finally she gave up, and let herself talk without thinking.

            "Ronald Weasley, did you really try and kiss me yesterday?"

            Ron broke out into a grin. This was the old Hermione back, no more 'in denial' or feeling shy. "Yeah, that's right," he said, firmly. "I did."

            "Then…" she began, equally grateful she had found herself again, "Perhaps we'd better try it again." She stepped closer to him, surprised but pleased at the words coming from her mouth. Besides, the look on Ron's face made it worth the effort.

            He felt the return of that warm tingly feeling but this time, knowing what it meant, he could fully enjoy it. It was like that nice stage of pins and needles, when it was all warm and fuzzy, before it went into the painful part. This wasn't going to get painful though, he assured himself of that, as his arms slipped around Hermione's waist, and she put her hands on his shoulders.

            This was a much better location than the broomstick, what had he been thinking last night? He closed his eyes slowly. Now he wouldn't have to read that stupid book anymore, either. Lips barely inches away…. And, he remembered, his mind still not quite able to slow down, they still had three whole weeks all alone…

His lips finally met hers with an intensity that would've surprised him if it hadn't dissolved all conscious thought in his head. He forgot all about pins and needles, books and even time, as he was suddenly absorbed in kissing Hermione.

Various events of the last week vaguely began to make sense to Hermione, but she didn't really care anymore. As long as it was alright now, and forever, it didn't matter. And it probably would be, she considered, lazily. This wasn't just a phase. She wondered why the idea of being in love with Ron hadn't occurred to her before, not even once. Maybe she'd been thinking too much. Maybe she was thinking too much now, maybe she should stop thinking and just feel. She'd never been good at clearing her mind, but now suddenly it seemed so much easier. She didn't even have to try, all she had to do was focus on Ron's warm body against her cold one, his hands on her waist, his tongue against hers… and then she was so overwhelmed with sensation that all the thoughts in her head didn't matter.

Suddenly the dormitory door opened and their was a brief excited squeal, and the sound of Ginny running back into the room and jumping on her bed.

Ron and Hermione broke apart, a little breathlessly and blushing, hastily reminded that they weren't alone in the castle anymore.

"Don't worry!" Ginny called, facing away from the doorway and scrambling under her bed for her quill. "Carry on! I'm not looking!"

"Hermione Granger," Ron whispered, still grinning. "Did you just let me kiss you?"

Hermione looked up at Ron, smiling warmly. "Yes I did," she whispered back, glancing over at Ginny, who was scribbling frantically on a piece of parchment. "And I'm glad I did, too."

"So am I," Ron said, quite needlessly.

"You don't have to hold me quite so tightly," Hermione teased, I've got nowhere to fall this time."

"Maybe I just like holding you tightly." He told her, squeezing her so much that she giggled.

Ginny put her head round the door, eyes closed. "Carry on," she said again. "I'm just going to the Owlery…" She ran past them quickly and skipped down the stairs before an alarmed looking Ron could catch her.

"Leave it…" Hermione smiled, pulling him back gently. "People will find out sooner or later."

"I suppose so," Ron agreed, although he didn't look certain. "But anyway, you should change. That nightie is horrible."

"I know," Hermione pushed open the door of the dormitory and led him in, holding his hand. "It's not very romantic, is it?"

Ron lay back on his bed happily as Hermione changed behind the closed curtains of her own bed. With an air of smugness about him, he tore up his carefully scribbled diagram and threw it out of the window. He almost threw the book out after it, but decided against it while Hermione was around. She might not think much of that book but he had a feeling that wouldn't stop her protesting. He slid it under his bed where he didn't have to see it.

Hermione, now fully dressed, emerged from her bed just as Ginny appeared, breathless from running all up the stairs. "Tell me to go away if you like," she said, hopefully, "But I just wanted to ask a few questions…"

Ron sighed, and looked slightly annoyed, but Hermione came and sat on the end of his bed, and smiled good-naturedly. "Go on then," she said.

Ginny squealed with excitement and sat down on her own bed, opposite them. "So what happened? Was it terribly romantic? Are you going to live happily ever after?"

At that moment, Pigwidgeon arrived at the window, cooing persistently as Ginny jumped up to let her in. She reached to get the parcel that the owl was clutching, but Pidwigeon swooped around her and dropped the parcel in Ron's lap. He read out the accompanying note, suspiciously: "Dear Ron and Hermione, we have just heard your great news and want to thank you for allowing us to win our bet against Harry. When he wakes up, you can tell him that he owes us five Galleons and when school starts he has to fly around the Quidditch pitch in his underwear – and we'll come and see it personally. As for you two, please accept this further box of our merchandise as a thank-you, and let us know how things go with Harry and Ginny for the purposes of our bet against Bill. Cheers! Love, Fred and George."

Ginny's smile had turned into one of outrage. "They said they'd give me half the proceeds from the bet if I told them!" she cried. "But they didn't tell me it was against Harry, or that they'd make him fly around in his underwear… or…" She stood up, blushing crossly. "I'm going to go and write them another letter. And one to Mum too!" she disappeared towards the Owlery, and Pigwidgeon had disappeared again, picking up her quill and more parchment on the way.

Ron was also looking rather annoyed. "I can't believe they made bets on us! You too, Harry!" He looked over at his sleeping friend, reproachfully.

"I knew actually," Hermione admitted. "Ages ago… I just never thought anything of it, cuz I didn't expect…" She paused, and smiled at him. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, does it?"

"I suppose not. And they were only right by coincidence," Ron insisted, not wanting to let his brothers have anything to do with something so important.

"Of course," Hermione agreed, although secretly she wondered if it hadn't been so obvious after all. Now that she looked back, everything seemed to make sense. She didn't want to look back though, she just wanted to look forward. Three whole weeks practically alone here, to make the most of the newly discovered feelings, and then plenty of time to reprimand Harry about his bet with Fred and George…

***

A/N

Well here you go! It's finally happened. Hope it's been worth the wait and stuff… and don't worry, it doesn't mean it's the end. I've got more stuff worked out for the next bits.

Codypup, I know exactly what you mean now, and no… it wasn't intended to be dirty, but I did think as I was writing it that it could be misinterpreted but then put that down to my own dirty mind! So, no, technically it's not supposed to be dirty…  but I can totally see how it could be interpreted as such.