Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling. I wrote this fan fiction as a complement to her. All fan fics are because if we weren't fans, we wouldn't be writing them!

CHP 3: Ron & Hermione

            Harry looked at Ron's face and decided not to press the issue. He remembered that at the end of last year, Ron and Hermione were arguing a lot. One night it had escalated to a full out shouting match, one that had cleared the common room. What they were fighting about no one knew. Tired of trying to break up their arguments, Harry left, unnoticed, for his dormitory. After a couple of minutes of muffled shouting, there was complete silence. Oh, no, Harry thought, one of them killed the other! Hurrying down the staircase, Harry found Ron and Hermione standing in front of the fire, staring at each other. Both had weird expressions on their faces.

            "Ah, Ron? Hermione? Everything okay?

            Hearing their names seemed to jolt them out of their daze. Hermione swung around to look at Harry, blinked, than fled to her dormitory.

            "Ron, what happened?"

            "Um…nothing happened. Nothing at all. I think I will go to bed. Goodnight."

            Harry was left standing in the common room, very confused.

            For the rest of the term, Ron and Hermione were very awkward around each other. They didn't look each other in the eye, and barely talked to each other. They sat as far apart from each other as they possibly could.

            On the Hogwart's Express on their way home, Harry asked Ron what happened between him and Hermione. She had left to go scold some second years that celebrated the end of the school year by setting off a dung bomb in the car.

            "Oh, it's nothing, really stupid, don't worry about it."

            "Ron, you two barely talk, and if you do, I forced you to. And when I do force you to talk, it's one word answers, like, sure, ok, yes, no…"

            "Harry, don't worry about it. Really."

            "What happened? Did you say something to her?"
            "No."
            "Did she say something…"

            "No."

            "Did you do something that made her mad?"

            "Not really."

            Harry was getting angry. "Ron, come on. I know you too well. It feels like I am talking to two brick walls and I really am getting pi…"

            "We kissed."
            "Excuse me?"

            "I told we kissed."

            "Why did you…"

            Ron got up to pace the compartment. "I don't know how it happened. Really, Harry, I don't. We were arguing and then all of a sudden we were kissing."

            Harry was speechless. His two best friends kissed. "Well, um…that explains a lot."

            Ron turned to look at Harry, a worried expression on his face. "I don't know what I am going to do. I mean we have been friends for six years."

            "Why don't you talk about it?"

            "Talk? Harry what if she laughs?"

            "Ron, why would she laugh? She kissed you, too."

            "I think I like her."

            "I know you like her."

            "Harry! A little more than a friend."

            "I know." Harry smiled.

            "What? Oh, never mind. What am I going to do?"

            "Maybe you should talk to her. You know maybe she feels…"

            Hermione burst in with a look of anger and triumph on her face. "I swear. Those second years will never learn. Wait until I am Head Girl, they will wish they never did that!"

            Back in the ministry car, Harry was smiling at the memory. It was one of the funny moments about the end of last year. He knew Ron wouldn't talk to Hermione about the kiss, and Hermione would not talk to Ron. They would act like friends, only a little more cautious. Harry didn't think he could handle that. He turned to Ron.

            "Why not?"

            "Why not what?"

            "Why don't you talk to her? It is only going to get worse."

            "Harry," Ron was talking to him as if Harry was the child and he was the all knowing adult, "she is my friend. One of my best friends, in fact. I cannot just go up to her, a couple months after, and say, 'Hermione, could we talk about that night in the common room.'"

            "Sounds pretty good to me."

            "What if she laughs?"

            "She won't. She's Hermione."

            "It will be the end of our friendship."

            "Ron, how long have you known her?"

            "Well, a little over six years. Why?"

            "Do you really think that Hermione, would end a friendship just because you tell her you like her a little more than a friend?"

            "Who says I like her more than a friend?"

            "Please, Ron, you told me yourself on the Hogwart's Express. Besides, she'll probably suggest that the both of you should first research the topic, than discuss it."

            Ron gave a feeble attempt at a laugh. "I guess your right. But are you okay with this? I mean she is your friend too."

            Harry laughed. They had no idea how obvious they were. "Of course. She'll still be my friend. I think that everyone has been waiting for you two to figure this out since 4th year."

            Ron stared at him incredulously.

            The car stopped. Mr. Weasley turned in his seat. "Well, we're here. We better get a move on. It's 7:20. Everyone out!"

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