Title: What Really Happened

Summary: (formerly called 'A Ron and Hermione Fic'.) This is what happened at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the summer before the trio's 5th year. *WARNING* OotP Spoilers ahead! R/H... Rated PG13 just to be safe. :)

Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not own any of the elements in this story besides the plot (and any original characters that I may come up with.) Thanks. :)

By the way, this will be the last disclaimer I put in this story. So don't sue me...

Lastly, I should tell you that the 'italicized thoughts' and the 'bold thoughts' are both thought by Hermione, they are just conflicting parts of her personality; and the 'italicized bold thoughts' are thought by Ron. Now, on with the story!

~*~

Hermione was strolling down Diagon Alley, looking at her school supplies list, trying to figure out what she should buy next. Luckily, the Hogwarts staff had decided to enchant the supply lists to magically cross out everything that the student had bought, so it wasn't too hard to figure out. She looked down the list and saw that the only thing left uncrossed was a book called 'How to Avoid Vampire Attacks' by Madame Maldena. She was heading towards the bookshop when she heard someone call her name.

"Hermione! Hey, over here! Yo, bookworm, look up!" She recognized that voice.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. She ran up to hug him. "Oh my God!" she cried. "You must have grown at least 7 inches over the summer!" Hermione just couldn't contain her excitement. She had waited a whole summer to see him, and here he was, four weeks earlier than expected. 'Wait. Since when did I wait the 'whole summer' to see him?' 'Since you first realized you loved him' 'I do NOT love him! He's just a friend!' 'Riiiiiiiight... You have got to stop this silly habit of lying to yourself'

"Well, I sure am glad you're happy to see me," Ron replied, cutting her inward battle short. "You've changed quite a bit yourself," he added. For the first time, he was noticing just how beautiful Hermione was. She had grown as well, about an inch. She also was curvier than when he had last seen her. 'Wait that just not right. I'm not supposed to be noticing her curves. She's my best friend, not my girlfriend!'

"Hey, I oughta get going, or my dad is gonna get way mad!" Hermione said, interrupting Ron's thoughts. "You know how he overreacts to everything."

"Yeah... Hey, how did you get those blonde streaks in your hair? You know we aren't allowed to use magic over the summer..." Ron asked. Hermione totally forgot that she had gotten highlights over the summer. She laughed lightly, thinking about how totally different wizards were from muggles. "Oh, these? I've had highlights in my hair for a while. I used hair dye, the only way to change your hair color known to muggle-kind," she said, with a hint of amusement.

"Ok, whatever," he said, not even concentrating on what she was saying. He loved the way she laughed. It was like... well... it was like no other laugh that he'd ever heard before.

"Hey, 'Mione. Think your dad would let me stay at your house for the rest of the summer vacation?" Ron asked. "I know you have a brother. Maybe I could stay at with you, but tell your dad that I was staying with him. Wait, no. That's not right. Um... I mean... Um... Maybe I could stay with him, but tell your dad I was staying with you. Wait, that wouldn't work... Maybe I could stay with him. Yeah! That's what I meant. Uh... Yeah, yeah." He was a bit nervous. He hoped she hadn't caught on that he liked her... 'Wait, what am I thinking? I don't like Hermione that way! She's just a friend! Right...?'

"Sure, he should let you stay," Hermione replied absentmindedly, trying to figure out whether he just unwillingly admitted that he liked her, or if that was just an honest mistake... 'Nah, he can't like me. I know he doesn't like me. I wish he did, though...' ... 'Wait! I didn't just think what I think I thought did I? I'm confused!'

~*~

A/N I wasn't sure how long they were there before Harry got there, and I wasn't sure how long Harry was there before they left for school, so I just improvised. : P And as for them getting the supply lists early, the Hogwarts staff decided to help the poor wizarding families out by giving them extra time to buy the stuff that they needed, I guess. : P

Just so you know, all of my Author's Notes, review-reviews, etc., will go down here from now on, so you wonderful readers can get straight to the story! :) By the way, I need a beta! If you want to be one, just leave me your email in a review, and I'll get back to you. It's on a first come-first serve basis. Thanks! (Btw, this is the last time I will update the first chapter, I promise! I should have the next chapter up within the next week.)