Disclainer: Own nothing.... J.K. owns all.
Just Friends? :: Chapter Five – Ron
"Mione." he stared at her. She turned to face him.
"Ron." She looked at him, and he took his chance; he kissed her. She blushed a shade of red he had never seen her turn, and ran up to the girl's stairs. He thought to himself, What did I do that for? I've gone and upset her now. Bloody hell, I don't know what to do when it comes to her.
"Ron?" He jumped. He hadn't even heard the portrait squeak.
"Yeah?" It was only Ginny. She was bound to tell Hermione everything he said. He knew she would. It what she did, she was Hermione's best friend, her best friend who happened to be a girl. The only girlfriend she had, to be exact. He was glad that she had Ginny as a best friend, he didn't want anyone else besides himself and Harry as her best friends. He couldn't explain it, but he wanted to protect Hermione from everything the world wanted to throw at her. That could be anything, but Ron didn't care, he was ready to take on anything. Whether it Draco Malfoy, Viktor Krum, Snape. He'd do anything for her, he wanted her to know that, but wasn't sure if he wasn't ready to look at Hermione as a love interest. Of course he was, he was thinking it now, but the voice in his head told him no.
"Where's Hermione?"
"Up in her dorm."
"What happened?" Ginny had that twinkle in her eye, Ron noticed, the twinkle that told him she knew.
"I, um, I kissed her." He turned crimson, while Ginny squealed with delight.
"Really?"
"I think, I upset her. Ginny, you know how I feel about her, and sadly, so do Fred and George. Thank Merlin they aren't here, or else-"
"They would have told Hermione," Ginny cut him off, "and you two would be together already."
Ron didn't doubt that, but he was still glad they were not here. His mind raced, how much of this would Ginny tell her? "It was an accident. I couldn't help it. She was so close, and I thought- it was a good idea at the time."
"Oh Ron, you wanted to kiss her, it was no accident. Do you want me to talk to her?"
"Oh, I don't know. I don't like that I've upset her, I don't know what I want right now."
"Ron, it's up in the air until I talk to her."
"I know, Gin, I know. I've upset her, by doing something I thought was right, it felt so natural. I don't want to hurt Hermione anymore than I already have."
"Which means, you want me to talk to her."
"Sure." She gave Ron a pat on the head, and walked up to the girls' dorm.
He placed his face in his hands. He was unsure of what to do now. He sat staring in the fire for several minutes. When he did look up, Harry was there.
"Trouble with Hermione?" Ron looked at him shocked, it looked like everyone knew.
"What?"
"Oh, come off it Ron. Everyone knows you like her. That is, everyone but her."
"I do not!" He denied, they had played this game for years, Harry and himself.
"Yes you do. Its not a secret anymore, Ron. Come off it and tell her. It's been what, three years? Four? This little game you like to play is old." Ron knew very well what Harry was getting at. He was right. He had been having these intense feelings to be around her, to touch her. To kiss her. None, he followed through with until two hours ago.
"I kissed her." Harry's emerald eyes grew wide.
"You what?"
"You heard me. I kissed Hermione tonight."
"Really?"
"It didn't go well, obviously."
"Damn, why not?"
"I don't know! If I knew, I'd be up there, fixing it, and not here, talking to you."
"I know, mate, I know. I'll talk to her for you."
"Everyone is talking to her. I think, I should be the one talking." Ron could not have been more right. In any case, he wanted Harry to talk to her. He wanted to talk to her. Of course, he had no words to say.