"Ron?" Harry asked.

"Yeah?" Ron replied.

"Is this yours?" Harry pulled out a crumpled letter.

Ron looked, in disbelief, at the letter Harry was holding. It was the one he had written to Hermione on the train. He clutched his bag. It must have fallen out on his way to the Great Hall.

"'I love you, Hermione Granger'? I didn't know you liked her." Harry grinned.

"Never mind that, Harry. It's trash." Ron mumbled.

"Here. I'll keep it for safekeeping. I know you want it." Harry said, stuffing the letter in his pocket.

"Don't tell her." Ron demanded.

"Don't worry, Ron."

"I'm going to sleep. G'night." Ron shut the curtains around his bed and took out another quill and parchment.

Hermione,

My love for you has grown. I think about you every day and every night. The moment I wake from a dream full of you, I think of you. I love everything about you. Your soft brown eyes are the most beautiful I have ever seen. When your hair, full curls of brilliance, falls into your face it is a magnificent sight. I love you more than anything. I would die for you.

Ron

He smiled weakly into the parchment and ripped it in half. His feelings needed to be let out, but not for anyone to see. He ripped it into fourths and threw it away into his bag. If only he could have her in his arms...He would give anything for her touch. Anything for her...

"Ron!" Hermione yelled, giggling.

"Yes?" Ron asked, grasping her hand.

"I love you." Hermione said, capturing his lips.

He moaned quietly, putting his hands around her waist.

"Ronnie! Oh, I didn't know you felt that way!" Dean Thomas whispered in his ear, laughing with Seamus, Harry and Neville.

"Mum calls me that. Silly name." Ron said, still in his dream.

"Ron, get up!" Seamus yelled.

"What?" Ron asked, getting up.

"Who's the girl you were moaning about?" Neville asked.

"Oh no one. Someone I met a long time ago." Ron answered, discreetly.

"You love her?" Harry asked, knowing whom it was anyway.

"Yes." Ron answered.

Ron walked down to breakfast with the guys. He saw Hermione and motioned for her to join them. She smiled sweetly and shook her head. He felt a little disappointed, but laughed with the others as Seamus told a joke. The walk to the Great Hall was utterly boring. Dean kept making fun of him for having a dream about a girl. Oh well, he thought silently, Maybe he's a late bloomer. He laughed at this, just in cue for another bad joke. Dean, Seamus, and Neville sat away from Ron and Harry. Hermione came and sat next to them. She pulled out a few books and took out her Arithmancy homework.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"Just a bit of homework." Hermione answered.

Ron looked at the assignment. It was a project to be completed on 40 inches of parchment. His jaw dropped. He thought double potions homework was hard! She filled out the 40 inches in about 15 minutes, just enough time to get a piece of toast. Ron looked, amazed, at Hermione.

"What?" Hermione asked, wiping her face, "Do I have jam on my face?"

"No, No. You're just...amazing." Ron said with a sigh.

Harry grinned. He knew his friend had fallen HARD. The tip of Ron's ears had turned bright pink. Hermione was now looking at him.

"So, Harry, Has your scar hurt at all lately?" Hermione asked.

"No." Harry said, feeling guilty as Ron munched unhappily on his toast.

"So, would you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend, Hermione?" Ron asked, ready for the mental slap.

"Sure. We always do, right? Me, you and Harry." Ron winced at the last word. Harry.

"I didn't mean it like that." Ron said, a little flushed with embarrassment.

"What did you mean?" Hermione asked, clearly having no clue what he was getting at.

"Nothing." Ron answered, feeling a deep pang of remorse.

Harry started to cough loudly. Ron gave him a what-are-you-doing-mate look. Harry smiled through hacking coughs. Ron slowly got the idea. Hermione obviously did not.

"Oh Harry, are you ok?" Hermione asked, looking very concerned.

"I'm (cough) just (cough) fine. Don't (coughing attack) worry (wheeze) about me." Harry struggled and ran upstairs.

"Hermione." Ron said, pulling her arm.

"What is it, Ron?" Hermione snapped.

"Herm-own-ninny!" A familiar, yet DISGUSTING voice came from behind them.

"Krum." Ron muttered, feeling his breakfast coming up.

Hermione looked shocked, but excited as Viktor Krum pulled her into a warm embrace. He had attracted much attention by yelling like an idiot. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the Slytherin table, yelling 'Herm-own-ninny!' Ron felt sick to his stomach. At that very moment, Krum turned to Ron.

"Ah, hello Ron Vheeze-ly" Krum said coolly.

"Hello Vicky!" Ron said, getting a glare from Hermione.

"Vhat? Vhat did you call me?"

"I called you Vicky. Sorry but you kind of remind me of my great aunt." Ron replied, letting his jealousy take over him.

"I see." Krum answered.

He turned his attention to Hermione.

"Herm-own-ninny, I vas vondering is you vould like to come with me to Hogsmeade this veekend." Krum asked, taking her hand.

She blushed and every ounce of patience drained from him. Was he that repulsive? He didn't get it. She likes some Durmstrang wart instead of you, Ron Weasley. Get over it. Maybe she doesn't like redheads, Ron thought, feeling rejected.

"Of course I will. Why are you here?" Hermione asked.

At this, Ron ran from the Great Hall. Almost in tears of rage, he ran to the commons. Harry was sitting next to the fire with his little sister, Ginny, in his arms. Ron stopped abruptly, staring at the two. He blinked, not believing his eyes. What was happening to this world? The big 'look I've got an accent' boy was back to bring forth hell at Hogwarts and Harry was making the moves on his LITTLE SISTER! He gave himself a second to cool off, which was not successful.

"Hello Harry." Ron said softly, after whispering the password to the fat lady portrait.

Ginny and Harry both jumped. This brought a bit of satisfaction to Ron, but he ignored it.

"Ron! Oh hello! I was just, er, helping Ginny with her (cough) homework." Harry explained, which Ron knew was a lie.

"Yeah. Harry, we don't have a Sex ed. Class here!" Ron replied, dubiously

"Ron, you're overreacting." Ginny said in a small voice.

"Oh no, Gin. Wait until you hear Mum! She'll be bouncing off the walls." Ron responded.

"She'll be happy." Ginny said, on the verge of tears.

"No, she won't! You'll get too much publicity with the Daily Prophet! They still think he's a nutter!" Ron yelled.

"I can't believe you!" Ginny yelled, running to her dorm.

Ron sat down slowly next to the fire as Harry ran up to the boys' dorm. What was amazing was that this could be, single-handedly, the worst day he had experienced at Hogwarts. That was including his deadly chess match in 1st year, his meeting with the 3 headed dog in 1st year, Riddle about killing his sister in 2nd year, and his rat, Scabbers, turning out to be a mass murderer in 3rd year. So yeah, pretty bad day.