Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters therein. It'd be nice though...

A/N: This is just a one-shot, while i had a tiny bit of writers block on my other fic, but not to worry i'm over it now!

Accidentally in Love

Hermione entered the common room late after finishing her prefect duties, extremely tired and looking forward to a good night's sleep.

As she slowly walked into the room she stopped in shock as she noticed the room's only other occupant, Ron, intently reading a piece of parchment.

Conflicting emotions coursed through her as she viewed the object of her affections, and most of her grief, lost in thought, as he hadn't noticed her yet.

I wonder what he's doing up at this hour? I can't believe he can look so gorgeous when he's concentrating!

Suddenly Ron crumpled up the parchment angrily and tossed it over his shoulder towards the fireplace. Hermione watched it sail though the air and fall inches from the fire.

An anguished sigh tore her attention away from the paper and back to Ron. As soon as she saw him her heart ached for him, she wanted to run to him and comfort him.

I wish I knew what's been bothering him lately. Maybe I should just go over and talk to him, see if he's ok. She thought but before she could move Ron stood up and walked up the stairs to his room, never noticing his best friend watching him leave.

Hermione walked over to the carelessly discarded parchment, bent down, and picked it up with the intention of throwing it in the fire. I know he's upset but it's no excuse to leave rubbish laying everywhere. Wait, what's that?

Hermione stopped as she noticed her name on the crumpled parchment. Her curiosity got the better of her as she slowly sat on the couch behind her and smoothed out the paper in her hands. Her eyes widened as she read the letter:

Hermione,

I'm sitting here, moments after you left to start your prefect's duties, writing what has to be the hundredth letter I've written for you that I will probably never give you.

There's something that I have to get off my chest, that I want to tell you, that has been slowly eating me up inside. I'm sure you've noticed the fact that I've been distant lately. I can't help it. Being close to you has become one of the hardest things for me to do. It makes me want to do and say things that would ruin our friendship and I can't let that happen!

Now before I slip back into my depressive state because of my lack of courage I need to say this, I just wish I could do it face to face instead of writing it down, again, only to throw it away, again. It just shows my lack of Gryffindor courage that I can't even tell a girl that I like her.

That's right, I like you, a lot. In fact, forget that, I LOVE YOU!

I love your bushy hair and the way you can't seem to control it, yet it always frames your angelic face perfectly.

I love that you are so beautiful you don't need make-up, yet when you feel the need to use it you instantly become breathtaking.

I love your striking brown eyes and the way they seem to barely contain the intelligence and passion in them. When you look at me it feels like you're staring into my soul.

I love your dazzling smile and how it lights up every room you're in when you let it out. It's gotten to the point where I'd do anything to see it again. I'm addicted to it!

I love that you selflessly put others before yourself and how one look; word or kiss on the cheek can brighten my day and make me really feel like a king. The fact you believed in me made all the difference, especially in Quidditch.

I want to be able to hold your hand to class and show everyone just how much I care for you.

I want to be able to cuddle with you on the couches in the common room, staring into the fire and just being content in your arms.

I knew the first time I saw you that you were different. I didn't know how, I was only 11. It made me so happy when we became friends after Harry and I saved you from the troll. Did you know that was the first time I'd ever done a spell correctly on the first try! I guess some part of me wanted you to be safe.

It took me three years to realise that there was something more to our friendship, not that I knew what it could be, but it did make me more confrontational, for which I'm sorry.

It took me four years to really see you. I noticed you, a lot; I just didn't see you how I wanted to see you until the Yule Ball. It was when I saw you with Krum that I knew I was falling for you. I want to say here that I'm not looking to start a fight about Victor. I was jealous, really, really jealous and I'm not proud of it. In fact it's your sense of loyalty to your friends, Harry, Me, even Victor, that I admire about you.

It took me five years for it to hit how I really felt about you. It was THAT day. When I almost lost you. Seeing you unconscious, barely breathing, bleeding. I still have nightmares about that and losing you. It made me realise how much I needed you, how much I loved you.

I wish I had the courage to tell you this. I wish I could be to you what you are to me. My everything.

I grew up the youngest Weasley (boy), knowing I was nothing new, nothing special. I'm not the best looking, Bill, the best at Quidditch, Charlie, the smartest, Percy (Git!), or the funniest, George and Fred. I thought I'd escape that at Hogwarts but I became Harry Potter's sidekick. I happy with that now, I know he needs me and I'm happy to be there for him. It's you that make's it o.k. It's like I can sense that you see more than that. That you see me for me, who I can be, and I'm grateful for it. Also I feel special around you cause no one can make me happy and angry at the same time like you do, sometimes I feel afterwards that I only argued with you to be close to you.

So I decided I don't want to lose that and I must carry this unrequited love within me so I can still be with you, even if it's not like I'd want.

Seeing how concerned you've been lately has been hard for me, even the constant questions and your assuming that I'm upset over a girl is hard. What can I say? "Yes Hermione, I'm in love with you, it's always been you and always will." I couldn't take the chance of rejection.

Just know that I love you Hermione,

I always have and always will,

Ron

Hermione sat in shock as she finished reading the unsent letter and tried to gather her thoughts and emotions. So many were flowing though her; Guilt, at reading a letter Ron obviously didn't want her to see; Anger at him for not saying anything to her about it; Joy that he really felt the same way about her as she did him, instead of her just hoping for it.

She was brought back to earth by the sound of a creaking floor board and croaking voice as Ron approached her, having come back down to clean up after himself before Hermione got back.

"Hermione," Ron said quietly "What are you reading?" He asked, even though he knew what it was from the writing he could see.

Hermione stood up and looked at Ron, the parchment slipping out her hand as she locked her gaze with his pale one.

Ron opened and closed his mouth, obviously trying to say something but either too shocked to talk or not sure what to say.

Hermione couldn't take the silence anymore so she walked up to Ron and threw her arms around him in a crushing hug as the years of emotions and fear of rejection came flowing out of her.

Ron quickly snapped out of his stricken state and reached his arms around to complete the hug, both of them noticing how comfortable and right it felt.

Hermione slowly looked up at Ron and spoke softly. "Ron, you have more courage than anyone in Gryffindor. It's one of the reasons I love you so much."

Realisation dawned on Ron's face as he gazed back into his love's eyes. "You...Love...Me?" He stammered out.

Hermione couldn't help blushing, no matter how confident she acted. "Since the first time you saved my life and I realised I needed you. It just took me a while to see it."

Ron grinned lopsidedly down at her. "I know you read it in the letter, but I love you too Hermione." He said quietly before quickly closing the distance between them and kissing the lips he'd been dreaming of for so many years, both of them finally understanding what it felt like to be in love and to be loved back, even if it was an accident that it happened.

Nothing wrong with a bit of fluff! Now back to Erised stand for Desire. Read it if you haven't yet! Please R&R. Be nice but enjoy!