Chapter 2

I, Ron Weasley, am a giant prat.

Looking at him sitting there, not even realizing that he's staring at her, knowing what he wants; how he really feels. I know I should tell her the truth and give them a try at happiness. The man isn't even sure he's going to see the end of the term and I knowingly robbed him of the one thing that could give him some happiness, some love.

I know it has been a rough time for Harry. After Sirius died he just shut down, poor guy, I can't imagine what it must be like for him. And believe me when I say I feel like the world's biggest prat for doing what I did to my best friend, Harry, the blind Boy Who Lived.

After fifth year, when Hermione kissed him again at King's Cross Station, Harry couldn't, or wouldn't, stop talking about it for weeks. He spent so many hours replaying that scene in his head that it turned into some grand declaration of love, rather than what it really was; a friendly, platonic "see ya in a few months, Harry" sort of goodbye. It was killing me because I hadn't said anything about my own feelings for her, and after listening to that bloke for three weeks straight, my confidence was in real need of a boost.

So I wrote her. Hermione always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. After a few letters back and forth, I bit the proverbial bullet and invited her to stay at my house for the week before term started again. To my great satisfaction she said yes, and that week was the closest to heaven I've ever been.

One day when we were sitting in the garden talking about nothing of any real importance. Laughing and reminiscing about years past, I realized I couldn't go another day without her knowing how I really felt about "us." The lavender smell of her, the way those beautiful cinnamon colored eyes sparkled, the way the setting sun made her look like an angel on earth and that glorious laugh. It was just too much for me. I kissed her, a sweet, tender kiss that will remain with me for the rest of my days.

I poured my heart and soul out that night and told her that I needed her. She told me that her feelings for me had changed and wanted to give "us" try. I couldn't believe my luck; I felt like the happiest guy in the world.

Unfortunately, those feelings were short lived when Hermione asked imploringly, "What about Harry?"

What about Harry indeed. We had to tell him, we had to tell everyone. I wanted to shout it from the top of the astronomy tower that I was with her. Then I remembered. How could I be so dumb? How could I forget? My best friend, Harry is in love with my girlfriend. Oh crap! The letters! Weeks of him telling me how he cared for her and here I was, doing this to him. What was a guy to do?

I told Hermione I would take care of everything and not to worry but she just gave me a look, one of those yeah right you're-more-likely-to-make-a-mess-of-things type of look. I let it slide; I didn't want her rethinking things a mere ten minutes into the relationship.

So we said our goodnights and I began planning what I like to call "The Great Deception". It all seemed easy enough. I only had to get Harry alone for a few minutes and tell him the "truth." I owled Harry to meet at the leaky cauldron for a butterbeer at noon the next day so we could talk.

Mum, Ginny, Hermione and I arrived at Diagon Alley via Floo powder to do some last minute school shopping and to see how Fred and George were doing at their new shop. The twins shop had been thriving these past few months and they were coming up with brilliant new ideas on how to prank people. I had almost forgotten what I had really come to do when I spotted some miniature exploding Snitches and was suddenly reminded of Harry. For the past few weeks Harry and Remus had been staying at Grimauld place sorting through the last of Sirius's things trying to get everything in order before school began. After grabbing a few snitches for Harry I said my goodbyes and made my way to a very uncomfortable conversation. I found Harry sitting in a booth in the back. I can still remember the talk; a year and a half later I can still remember it word for word.

flashback

"So… err… well, how has your summer been so far?" Ron said nervously.

"Ron, you know its hell with the Dursleys," Harry said, taking a sip of his butterbeer. "They never change and it hasn't exactly been shits and giggles going through my dead godfathers belongings, so why don't we cut to it and you tell me why we needed to meet right now when we are going back to school in a few days."

"Sorry mate, I just don't know how to say this..." Ron said slowly, trailing off.

"OK, I'll bite. Say what??

"Well a strange thing happened last week…"

"Really, and what was it?"

"Hermione came to visit Ginny and she just seemed kind of different. Sad really," he said. He was trying to avoid lying, but he didn't think it would sound as good if he said that he had been the one to invite Hermione over.

"And?"

"She knocked my door one night saying that her nightmares were just too much and asked if she could sleep with me," Ron said quickly, hoping that Harry would buy this story.

"She did?" Harry asked incredously.

"Well it went on like that for a couple of days."

"Was she okay with you?" Harry said in a concerned voice. "I wish I'd known, and then maybe I could have helped."

"So then two days ago we were in the garden talking and she just turned to me and kissed me."

"SHE WHAT!?!" Harry practically yelled. A few of the other people who were in the pub turned to look at them.

"She kissed me and told me her feelings for me had changed and she wanted to give "us" a try."

"God why? What did you say?"

"I told her the truth, that I felt the same way."

(I would rather face Voldermort with only a fork to defend myself then ever have to see the look that was on his face again)

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Harry, looking quite serious, said, "I'm happy for you, mate. She only deserves the best so you better not hurt her. Believe me if she sheds one tear over you, Voldermort will be the least of your problems, Azkaban be damned."

"You know I wouldn't hurt her."

"Right, right, as long as we're clear on the subject," Harry said even though he looked less than thrilled with all the information that he had received within the last half hour.

"Crystal. Wow! Look at the time we better get a move on before mum sends out a search party."

end flashback

I know I'm a big load of dung for doing this to my best mate, the guy who saved my only sister and the savior to the wizarding world. It was bound to happen sooner or later. If not me then it would have been some other bloke. Did he honestly expect her to wait? Well I'm glad I took that chance and if I had to do it again, I would in a heartbeat.