Like A Bridge Over Troubled Water

Chapter Four- I Can't Do Anything Right

Disclaimer- Only the plot is mine….everything else belongs to JK Rowling, P.O.D, and whoever else.

(A/N- Someone commented on the OOC behaviors of Hermione, Draco, and Ron. Let me explain this quickly….Hermione believes that the guy she likes doesn't like her back…duh she is going to be a little ummm angry. Draco….hmmm….can you say teenage boy? Ron is hurt….enough said. When people are angry, upset, and hurt they tend to not act like themselves.)

Ron dragged himself up out of the bed and over to the trunk at the foot of his bed. He ran his hand along the cool, smooth wood towards the latch. The latch clicked open and he eased the lid back on its creaking hinges. He released the lid and paused a moment to make sure that it would stay where he intended it to be. He reached into the trunk and retrieved a small metal box. Inside were the letters that Hermione had sent to him….every last one of them. Back in first year he had begun to save them, at the time he was not quite sure why except that he felt that he needed to. Since that first letter he had compulsively saved everything that he could get his hands on that somehow related to her. Ron pulled a bright blue strip of ribbon from within the box. It glided between his fingers as he remembered.

'She wore this ribbon in her hair last summer at the burrow. That day we went out to the meadow and just talked. That was until Harry convinced us to race. I won every race, of course. We returned home that night late and yet we sat down on the couch in the parlor to talk about our day. Harry was the first one to head upstairs to go to bed. After what seemed like only moments, I later found out that in reality it was three hours, Hermione too decided to head to bed. She walked over to me and hugged me. If that wasn't good enough she kissed me…on the cheek of course. She wished me a good night and hurried up the stairs. My cheek tingled where her lips had touched it, I raised my fingers to touch it as my eyes strayed to where she had sat. On the cushion lay her hair ribbon, without a second thought I picked it up and pocketed it. I should have told her then how I feel…'

A single tear glided down his cheek. She was gone now. 'There is no way that she would leave someone of Draco's caliber for someone like me. Why shouldn't she have someone who has what I don't? Draco is smart, rich, attractive (or so he had heard from nearly every girl within a hundred mile radius.) charming…in a sort of evil way. I on the other hand am not anywhere near clever, I'm dirt poor, and I never do anything right. Girls supposedly like the tall dark and handsome type. I have the tall part, but that doesn't count for anything if you don't have at least one of the others. Draco is tall too and he is definitely dark….as in dark magic.' Ron smiled slightly at the thought.

Ron placed the ribbon and the box with the letters on his bed and reached to close the trunk's heavy lid. At the last moment he reached in and retrieved another package. This he laid it on his bed before closing and latching his trunk. He then opened it and revealed his Christmas present from Harry and Hermione from last year…a muggle music player and some music for it. He turned it on and slipped the headphones over his ears. A/N- Harry and Hermione taught Ron to use the 'muggle music player' right after they gave it to him. The 'muggle music player works at Hogwarts because, with the help of Mr. Weasley, it was bewitched to do so. From the package he removed a music disc. The picture on the front of it appealed to his mood, dark. Ron placed the disc into the machine and snapped it into place. He flipped through a few songs until he found one that interested him. He lay back on his bed and let the words flow into his head…

"So much to say so little time for me to explain the way I feel.

You only see things the way you want to see them,

It makes sense to you all these things you do.

You got it all figured while everyone is confused.

How do you do it?

In your mind I'm just blind.

You're right all of the time.

If I think for myself I guess I'm way out of line.

I'm not who you are.

I'm sorry…I'm so sorry.

I can't do anything right

You don't know me stay out of my life

Kick me while I'm down, I want you to.

I can't be like you…be like you.

No matter what I do it's never good enough

I give you all that is me; still it's never enough

So why try, I give up.

What does it feel like to be in your shoes?

And walk over everyone like you do?

Tear me down again, I want you to.

Your lovely, so beautiful

You're perfect in every way

Your interior rusted and I'm so disgusted.

Can't trust it

Your busted.

"I will never give you up Hermione….never." Ron whispered as he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"The Draco Malfoy…as in…ferret boy?!" Asked Harry who was in a near stupor.

"Hermione! I can't believe you! You ditch my brother for that!" Screamed Ginny Weasley as her family's temper got the better of her too.

Hermione, gathering all the courage that she could, stood and faced Harry and Ron's siblings.

"What the bloody hell do you mean by saying that I ditched Ron!? I did NOT ditch him, we are friends not anything more! I had a crush on him since I first met him so it is his own bloody fault if he is too much of a coward to say anything or maybe he enjoyed being a prat and taunting me all of the time!"

The jaws of all those nearby dropped instantaneously.

"Hermione….you swore…" Harry said looking rather taken aback.