When We Try To Deceive...

Chapter Five: He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

Author's note: Thank you to Twinkey for reviewing.  This chapter is a proper chapter, if you will.  So read, and enjoy (oh and read my other story- just one chapter at the moment so it won't take long to read and review!!!)  Toodles...

***

"Ron- I really need to talk to you." Harry was standing in the middle of the boys dorm with a towel wrapped around his just-washed hair. He smelled of a mixture of soap and a special rose show gel that Cho had given him a while back, when they had been dating briefly. He'd never used it before, but was hoping Ron would notice and the smell would somehow make him realise just what a perfect couple he and Harry would make. God, Harry was sad.

Ron didn't reply in quite the way Harry hoped.

"Can it wait? I'm kinda busy," Ron muttered as he searched everywhere for his Potions textbook. Harry could see it sticking out of his underwear drawer and pulled it out, handing it to Ron while trying not to think where it had just been. Ron grinned.

"Thanks mate." Hardly a declaration of everlasting love, but it made Harry melt on the spot all the same. After an awkward silence, Ron spoke.

"So- what did you want to talk to me about?" He was looking at Harry strangely, and considered waving a hand in front of his eyes to check he was still awake. Harry cleared his throat and tried to talk, but it came out all high and squeaky. Ron laughed, but then seeing Harry wasn't sharing the joke he stopped, and tried a different approach.

"What's up?"

"Um... yeah." Harry really did try to pull himself together. Honestly he did. But Ron was so close to him; staring into his eyes... it was hard to believe that he couldn't feel the chemistry too. 'Get a grip. He loves Hermione. You know that!' Harry told himself. And it almost worked. But he must have blushed something dreadful, for Ron took the opportunity to state the obvious.

"You're bright red." It was probably due to the fact that Ron was always red, and was constantly being reminded of this fact, and so when the chance came along to turn the tables, he was so excited he couldn't help it. Even it was his very dazed best friend.

"You sure you're alright?" Ron asked again, this time leaning a little closer towards Harry. Harry looked down, trying not to meet Ron's earnest gaze. He was so, so close to telling Ron how he felt. He just needed that extra push... some reason to believe Ron might not just push him away, disgusted. That he might even feel the same way...

A lock of Harry's hair fell over his face. Harry ignored it and continued to look down, motionless, his face red and his heart beating madly.

"Harry?" Ron lifted up Harry's hair and looked up into his face. Harry allowed himself to look at his friend and suddenly he was overcome with emotion. Ron was so close to him; gazing into his eyes, touching his hair... he HAD to feel the same. He simply had to. All the signs were there!

Ron noticed Harry's change in expression and began to say "What is-" before he was cut off by a sudden pair of lips pressing against him and Harry's hand pressing against his cheek.

***

Hermione climbed the stairs tentatively. What on earth was she going to say to Ron? It wasn't like her to do things like this... on the spur of the moment. Oh God she hadn't even written any notes. She hadn't rehearsed!!!

At the top of the stairs, Hermione stopped outside the door. She discovered she was breathing rapidly and her hands were shaking. Mentally she pulled herself together. She also pulled her bra strap up, as it had a habit of falling down. Forcing herself to breathe calmly and slowly, she opened the door and started talking.

"Ron? It's me. I-"

Hermione stopped just inside the dorm room, staring open mouthed at the scene in front of her. Ron pulled away from Harry and looked at Hermione frantically, like a rabbit trapped in the headlights of an oncoming car.

"Herm-"

Hermione was doing all she could to stop herself from crying, but the tears were welling up in her eyes and her throat had suddenly blocked up and was refusing to operate properly. She blinked in quick succession to try and stop the tears spilling down her face.

Ron started to walk towards her. He was pale and his eyes had a strange red tint to them.

"Hermione please, just listen," he pleaded as she backed away, glancing from Ron to Harry and back again.

"I'm so stupid," she whispered before turning around and pelting it down the stairs, trying to get away from there as fast as possible, without any regard as to where she was going. Tears were streaming down her face but she didn't even bother to wipe them away.

***

Ron tried to call after her but when he got down to the common room she had disappeared and no one else was there to tell him where she'd run. Harry followed Ron down the stairs, panting.

When he reached Ron he put a hand on his shoulder, but Ron whipped round and shoved Harry's hand away.

"What the HELL are you playing at?" he shouted furiously. The kiss had only lasted a couple of seconds, while Ron was in shock and unable to think clearly. And then Hermione had come in, and... Hermione saw them.

"What's the matter with you?" Ron continued to yell at Harry.

Harry didn't know what to say. He tried to reach across the Ron but he got pushed away and knocked into the back of the armchair. Harry was trying so hard not to lose control. O.k. so it hadn't gone very well. But at least he'd got his feelings out in the open, and that was better than bottling stuff up, right?

"I'm sorry."

"SORRY? You're bloody SORRY? Do you have ANY idea how I feel about Hermione? You've just ruined what little chance I had with her!"

"Well that's how I feel about you!"

Ron stared at Harry in shock.

"What?" Ron managed to croak out.

"I love you."

***

Hermione stopped when she reached a deserted corridor on the fourth floor. She collapsed on the floor, sobbing. How could Ron do this to her? She thought they shared everything with one another... But apparently he couldn't even bring himself to tell her he was in love with Harry. Hermione was slowing down her sobs, and taking control of her breathing again. 'You couldn't tell him you loved him' a little voice inside her head kept saying. 'Maybe if you had, that would be you he was kissing...' Hermione was on the brink of launching into more hysterical wails, but out of the corner of her eye she saw a boy with bright orange hair standing and look at her.

She jumped up and was about to run off again when she realised it wasn't Ron.

"George!" she exclaimed.

"Um, ac-" the boy began, before Hermione fell into his arms and buried her head in his shoulder.

"I'm so glad to see you." She didn't really know what made her act so forward, but by this stage she'd pretty much lost all her reservations... until she calmed down a bit anyway. And it felt so good to be held in someone's arms. Someone who cared about her.

***

George was having a whale of a time. He'd been working on his self- correcting quill all morning in lessons and about ten minutes ago he'd completed it. Now he was on his way to show Fred, who was stuck helping out McGonagall after he was caught vandalising the spell books in a classroom on the fourth floor. Well, he was on his way, until he bumped into someone.

"Hey Ronny! What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be in lessons?" George grinned at the scared look on his brother's face.

"Free potion before Periods lesson," he mumbled in response.

George burst out laughing, and Ron blushed.

"You know what I mean. Look, you haven't seen Hermione have you?"

"Had a lovers tiff did you?" George teased.

"Listen, George- this is serious. Do you know where Hermione is?!" Ron was getting more and more agitated and was beginning to lose his temper.

"Jeez, calm down. No I haven't seen her, but if I do I'll tell her you're looking for her alright?" replied George, before nudging past Ron and carrying on his way. He didn't really expect to meet Hermione, and he couldn't wait to get on his way to show Fred.

***

Harry sat on his bed, crying bitterly. Why was he so stupid? He must have known deep down Ron would never look at him that way. And now Ron was mad at him and Hermione was freaked out. Plus he'd ruined their chances for happiness together. He was such an idiot.

As for telling Ron he loved him; well, that hadn't gone too well. Ron had just gaped at him for what seemed like an eternity, before exclaiming, "You could have just told me!" and marching out, presumably to search for Hermione. Harry hit himself on the head to try and punish himself, in a Dobby-esque way. He hit a little too hard, and accidentally knocked himself out cold. So at least he wasn't worrying about Ron anymore.

***

Fred stood in the corridor, with Hermione, the girl he loved, pressed against his chest. He stroked her hair soothingly. He tried to savour this perfect moment. Well, almost perfect. She thought he was George. But now they'd been holding each other for so long it was too late to correct her. So he pushed that thought to the back of his mind, and concentrated how good she felt pressed against him.

"Hermione," he whispered, after several minutes holding her close.

She pulled back slightly to look at him and he wiped the last of her tears away.

"Yes?" Hermione could feel "George's heart beating fast and as he moved his hand to brush back her hair she felt her own heart do a little flip flop.

"Um... well... for a while now, I've... um... had feelings for- for you," Fred gabbled. He looked into Hermione's eyes and she smiled up at him.

"But there's something-" he began, hating himself for even bringing this up.

Hermione ignored him. Instead, she leaned into him and as their lips connected Fred felt the world around him explode. Hermione thought it was pleasant, but she knew there was something missing. She pulled away, and Fred leant in to carry on, but Hermione stepped back.

Before she had time to explain, she heard someone walk up behind her.

"Hermione?" she turned around, and there was the other Weasley twin. But Hermione was confused. Now her heart was beating faster, and her mouth suddenly felt dry.

"Fred? What are you two doing?"

Hermione whipped around to look at Fred.

"You're Fred?" she whispered, not wanting to believe it.

Fred was bright red, and staring at them both. He gulped loudly.

"Uh... yeah. Funny story-"

Hermione started to walk off, feeling unbelievably stupid and so confused.

"By the way, Granger..." George continued, "Ron's looking for you." And Hermione broke into a run.  This was the worst day of her life.

***


Audrey:  Woo!  You reached the end!  So what did you think, huh huh?  Please say you liked it!  Or, if you didn't, tell me!  I'd like to know!  JUST REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!