Ok, I have been getting some wonderful reviews, thank you to everyone. I appriciate all of you too much to just write out all of your names. So I love you all very very much. I am not going to be writing very much the next couple of days. My best friend, Rachel's brother just passed away this afternoon. He was only 20. So pray, chant, whatever your religion does, for her and her family.

Love,

Rizzzzzz

On with the tale:

"Hey, Hermione. Where were you?" Ron asked as soon as she hopped through the portrait hole. It was very late, almost three am now that they were back.

"I was..."

"Hermione, I'm supposed to be one of your best friends and I haven't seen you in months. At least since seventh year began. I want to know. I think I have a right to know."

"You do." Hermione said, submitting. She put down her bag, pulled off her boots and got under the gryffindor blanket with Ron on the couch.

"Where have you been. Harry doesn't know. Ginny knows, but she's been playing stupid. I miss you, Herms." he said, softly stroking the hair away from her face.

"I know you are going to be mad. But please, for my happiness, just let me tell you."

"I can't promise not to be mad, but I'll try." they settled into the big brown leather couch comfortably.

"I am seeing someone." she said quietly.

"I should have known. But, Hermione, it's always been you for me. You know that. It was hard seeing you with Krum, but then, I never wanted to make you choose. I love you too much to make you have to choose between me and someone else. I hope that he treats you well or I'll hex him into an oblivion."

"Don't worry. He treats me well." she said, leaning back on his lean chest.

"I almost don't want to know who it is. Because for a while I will want you to choose. But I just can't do that."

"I feel like I need to tell you. Because I met his family today. And Ron, they accepted me like I was one of them. I met his sisters and they are wonderful, and his older brother, he's sweet too. They gave no thought to the fact that I was muggle born."

"He's obviously not in Gryffindor, because Neville, Harry, Dean and Seamus were at the ball." Ron deducted.

"No, he's not." she said.

"Can we end this guessing game?"

"Yes. I guess we might as well. Ron, well, it's..." she started and stopped mid sentence.

"I may not like him but I will respect him." he promised, giving her a brotherly kiss on the forehead.

"It's Severus Snape." she said preparing herself for the onslaught of anger.

"If that's what makes you happy." Ron said, his grip tightening on her as he tensed, "At least we know that's one Slytherin that's on our side."

"I know you don't like it. But please, for me, just try to see him the way I do." she pleaded.

"I know all the girls say he's dishy and everything, and he's started to wash his hair, but I still think he's a downright scary git."

"I know."

"But once you mention it, he's very intelligent. And so are you. I knew I could never keep up with you intellectually." he said, reverting to stroking her hair again. "And he is very sexy."

"Ron?!" she exclaimed, looking at her friend in disbelief.

"What?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders. "He is."

"You're a poofter." Hermione said, hugging him close.

"Don't tell Seamus. He's been hitting on me for years."

"I thought you were in love with me, for so long, and I'm a girl." she said incredulously.

"I have no preferrance. I really don't. Who attracts me attracts me." he said, so blatantly honest about his sexuality.

"So you are attracted to Professor Snape."

"Do you call him that when he kisses you?" he asked, wiggling under her, tickling her sides.

"No. Then I call him Tiger."

"Don't kid with me." he said, turning red from the giggling.

"Are you really attracted to him?" Hermione asked after it subsided.

"No." he said, fully aware that he had just jerked her chain as far as it would go.

"Oh, Ron. Good, old Ron. I know you will never ever change. Now, who do you have your eyes on?" she asked, laughing a bit.

"She's that Slytherin fifth year, Bianca Zabini."

"You have your eyes on a Slytherin?" she asked, eyes widning.

"You know the houses don't mean much anymore, Hermione. Those are pre Vatican II, only you know, in the wizarding world." he said, referring to the meeting Dumbledore had to abolish the house rivalry. It had worked fairly well.

"I know. I'm just so used to automatically thinking they are evil. But I, myself, was considered to be put in Slytherin." she said, divulging a piece of information.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes. That old hat thought, well, she has a mind for Ravenclaw, the loyalty for Gryffindor, and Slytherin embodies both of these virtues. I think I may put you in Slytherin. But as soon as he was about to yell Slytherin, I begged him to put me in Gryffindor. So he did."

"Our Hermione, a Slytherin."

"I know. I could have been best friends with Draco and Goyle instead of you and Harry."

"Draco?" he asked, raising a red eyebrow.

"Oh, come off it. You know we are heads and on a first name basis."

"I know. It's just so weird to hear you calling Malferret Draco."

"Don't I know it..." she said, leaning back and closing her eyes. Sleep was quick to come and soon they were lulled to sleep.