Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story. I just borrowed them and manipulated them to act in my fluffy little plot.

A/N: Ok, so basically, Ron says one thing and thinks another. That's what those short little sentences in italics are. (There are one or two of Hermione's thought floating around there though.) So if that was confusing you, now you know what it is all about. How many times have you said something and thought something completely different? If you're anything like me; way too many times to count.

Chapter 8 – Greasy Git

For the next week Ron and Hermione spoke to each other when they absolutely needed too. Otherwise they were to be found on opposite sides of the Common Room. Hermione sitting with Ginny and Ron sitting with Harry.

Everyone had noticed their behaviour but not one person had questioned them about it. They seemed to know that this time it was a little more important than the trivial things they used to fight over in their previous years.

Harry and Ginny had tried to get them to talk to one another but had soon given up, once Ron and Hermione had threatened to stop talking to them too.

Hermione was beside herself with frustration. She had absolutely no clue as to what she had done. Ron had yelled at her and Ginny and stormed off, Ginny following him. She had expected to be filled in on what was happening when the two of them got back. She was more than surprised when brother and sister returned, Ron making his way to his dorm and Ginny sitting down next to her on the couch but giving her a look that said 'Don't ask.'

She didn't know what to do. Numerous times she had gotten up from her seat in the Common Room over the week to talk to Ron but had stopped when she had seen him staring pointlessly into the fire as though it held all the answers.

She had no one to go to. She felt for the first time since her first year at Hogwarts that she was all alone. Never since the troll incident had she felt so completely friendless. Harry would still talk to her of course, but he would usually spend his nights in the Common Room sitting with Ron, playing Chess or pretending to do homework.

Hermione didn't mind spending extra time with Ginny at all. No, in actual fact it was a nice change for her to have female company but it wasn't the same as when she was talking to Ron. At least then she could joke with Ginny about how impossible her brother was but now Ginny knew something that Hermione didn't and she didn't feel as comfortable talking to her about Ron.

Ginny still talked to Hermione as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened and she was grateful for that, she needed some normalcy in her life. Or at least as normal as things could get at Hogwarts.

She just wanted, no needed to know what she had done. It was driving her crazy to say the least.

Hermione tossed and turned in her bed, trying to get to sleep. It was amazing how easy it was to sleep when she knew that everything was fine with her best friends, but when they weren't…it was never good.

***

"Why Hermione?" Ron asked her, looking as though he was staring right through her.

"Why what?" she asked, just glad that he was finally talking to her again at long last.

"'Why what?' You know what I'm talking about Hermione…" he said, staring at her now so long that it was making her uncomfortable.

"Honestly, I don't Ron. I can't tell you if I don't know what you are talking about." Hermione said, frightened of the height difference between them for the first time ever.

"Oh you do Hermione. Don't lie to me anymore. If you do, I'll never speak to you again."

Never ever again.

***

Hermione awoke with a start during the night. She rolled over in her bed and fell to the floor with a thud.

"Ouch." She whispered, rubbing her elbow as she stood up and straightened her sheets.

That was awful. Imagine Ron never speaking to me again. That would never happen…would it? She thought to herself as she climbed back into her bed under the warm covers.

***

Hermione entered the Potions classroom wishing that she were anywhere on earth but there at that point in time.

"Hello Neville." She said softly as she took a seat next to their fellow Gryffindor.

"Hello there Hermione. What brings you over here? He asked then seemed to realise as he looked at Ron on the other side of the Dungeon. "Oh…of course."

"I hope you don't mind Neville." She said looking at him and he shook his head.

"Not at all." He said as the two of the set out their Potion's ingredients.

"Now, today we will be brewing the Baffling Brew, you will work with whom you are seated next too. Any questions? No? Good." Professor Snape said as he waved his hand and the directions and ingredients for the previously mentioned potion appeared magically on the board.

Hermione sighed slightly and copied down the notes.

"Weasley," she heard and her ears picked up on hearing Ron's name. "Where is Granger?" Snape was at Harry and Ron's table. Hermione waited for his answer but apparently he had only pointed at her.

"See here class, finally, a rift has become evident in the Dream Team's friendship. What did you do this time Weasley?" Snape asked, clearly amused that Ron and Hermione were not on speaking terms and that the Slytherins were sharing his amusement.

Ron appeared not to have heard the Professor but his ears were red. From embarrassment or anger, Harry couldn't tell. All he knew was that Snape should keep his damn nose out of other people's affairs.

"That's none of your business." He said suddenly from Ron's right.

Hermione cringed inwardly. Harry, don't. Please don't.

"Do you want detention Potter? I was speaking to Weasley. Though apparently I'm not going to get an answer out of him." Hermione heard the swishing of robes and suddenly found herself under the watching gaze of Severus Snape

"Granger. Would you care to tell me what is going on?" he asked, smirking evilly.

"I beg your pardon Professor, but I do not believe that it is any of your concern." Hermione said, staring down at her potion, in fear that if she looked up, she would say something far worse.

"Five points from Gryffindor for being unnecessarily rude to a teacher and detention with me tonight, eight o'clock sharp. Understood?" He said before sweeping up to the front of the classroom.

"Yes Professor." Hermione barely whispered as she stirred the ingredients in her potion.

She couldn't believe that he would do something like that to her, the top student in the class? Obviously that meant nothing to the Potion's master. How could he be so rude and get away with it, yet when she was polite she ended up in detention. It wouldn't be the first time of course but that wasn't the point. She hadn't been rude.

***

Ron bit down into the roast chicken that had been served that night for dinner and snuck fleeting glances at Hermione out of the corner of his eye.

She was holding her head up with her left hand as she pushed her food around on her plate, sighing every so often. She had been overly quiet after their Potion's lesson. It was no wonder, she had earned herself a detention during it and it was partly his fault. If he had said something she wouldn't have been punished. At the very least, he would have been there with her.

Hermione started suddenly and looked at her watch. Ron discreetly looked at his too and saw that it was five minutes to eight. He felt sorry for her but reminded himself that he was mad at her for lying about her feelings for him. Well she hadn't really lied, she hadn't said anything, and it wasn't like she had denied it or anything…

She stood up and grabbed her book bag and was preparing to leave when Harry stopped her.

"Off to Snape's?" he asked her, probably attempting to cheer her up a little. She sighed and nodded, smiling weakly.

She looked at Ron briefly before continuing out of the hall quietly.

Ron frowned at himself. He was supposed to be mad at her, not feeling sorry for her. In the past it had been so much easier. When they had fought, he could stay mad at her for hours. Now…well it was a completely different thing. But why? What had changed? Only that she fancied him and as far as everyone knew, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Only she and Ginny knew.  So why…unless…

He fancied her too…

But that wasn't possible was it?

Oh gods no.

It would explain why he couldn't stay mad at her for long…but there had to be another explanation too. That couldn't be the only one!  Though from the way that Ron was thinking right now, it might as well have been the only explanation.

***

A/N: Thought that it was time I updated again. Shame on me. This chappie hasn't been BETAed so there are probably a few mistakes. Deal with it guys lol. I like this one. I just read over it again and decided that I write fairly well lol. I'd forgotten I could write like that. Uh oh, I'm going to get flamed for saying that aren't I? Lol. Whoops.

Reviewers:

Vels  I agree. Ron is stupid sometimes but I've noticed that people seriously make him look really dense and I've probably been guilty of that too. From now on, I shall be nice to Ron, seeing as he's my favourite character of them all. That's my promise lol.

Jamie Bell Glad you're enjoying it. I'm done with this story just about. I've got another one planned, actually seriously planned this time, and I'm just going to upload this one until it's up and done with then I'll start to write the new one probably.

MyOwnLittleWorld Hey! I hope you have a great time away from your teachers, I know I did when I went interstate. I love long reviews, provided they're full of nice comments. Hint hint guys. Lol, just kidding, I don't really mind either way, as long as they make sense.

HermionesTwin1 Gah! I do that all the time. Apparently the average person has about 6 words that they have trouble with…apparently that's one of mine lol. There are probably mistakes in this one, but I have checked it over if that's any consolation.

GryffindorGoddess28 Thanks! Lol. I'm impatient too when I read a good story and the updates are few and far between. Not that this story is spectacular or anything lol.

Yami Boy I love your reviews! Always thanking me for my time and effort. I really appreciate them. Such a nice thing for you to do. Thanks! For that you get a =D.

Bella Ergh…they must? And if they don't?

Juxtaposed Woo! You like my humour? So do I, I love writing Ron's comments because he's so funny. I just love that aspect. As you wish, the next chapter is here! And hopefully over by the time you've read this lol. Wait, that didn't make sense.

Swishy Willow Wand Here here! You're so right, on both accounts. Woo hoo!

Harry-potter-luvs-me The Harry/ Ginny action? Hmm…well I was thinking of writing a sequel to this story about the two of them but I don't think that I will anymore, I'm planning out another story that I like better lol. Try my other stories, some of them are Harry/Ginny. =).

Xgirl66 It's a fanfiction, things happen that wouldn't normally happen in the books. Besides, have you seen Chamber Of Secrets? She has some of it up in that movie! Lol.

Well that brings me to the end…of the reviews…lol.

~Nesserz.