Regardless of the fact that Snape had been out of the room at the time, he had miraculously found out that Ron had done magic in his class. Gryffindor lost 5 points and Ron got detention for a week with Snape. Oh joy. Hermione was angry with him for disarming Harry, because she didn't know WHY he disarmed Harry and he didn't intend on telling her. Harry wasn't angry at all. In fact, he found the whole matter hilarious. Today was the first say of Ron's detention week. He was walking down the hall when he heard sobs and whimpers coming from an empty classroom. Curiosity overcame him and he opened the classroom door. Sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her face, was none other than Hermione Granger. His stomach churned with hurt. Who would make her cry?

"Hermione...?" Ron asked softly.

She looked up, startled, wiping away tears. The look on her face was forbidding, but the look in her eyes told him to come closer. He walked over, sitting down next to her. He grabbed her hand, caressing it softly.

"Ron..." Hermione whispered.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Ron questioned, wiping a few tears from her face with the back of his hand.

"Harry." Hermione said, choking on an upcoming sob.

All at once, Ron filled with the most intense anger he had ever felt. She was crying because of Harry. She was so helpless that she had been sobbing, alone, in an empty classroom with no one to comfort her. She looked up at him with watery eyes and broke out in another burst of tears.

"'Mione, what did Harry do to you?" Ron asked softly, even though he was shaking with rage.

"He...He loves Ginny...and not me." Hermione replied, gasping.

Ron was so caught off guard by this that he gasped. There was no way. There was absolutely NO way she loved Harry. A new gush of anger came at this not at Harry, but Hermione. No wonder she didn't want to go with him or Viktor to Hogsmeade alone. She didn't like EITHER of them! Ron was okay with Hermione liking Viktor because it was so hilarious. He had never even CONSIDERED her with Harry. How dumb could he have been?

"You...you love Harry?" Ron asked, flabbergasted.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I would have told you but there just wasn't a right time." Hermione answered, not looking him in the face.

Ron slowly got up. She didn't love him. Of COURSE, she didn't love him. No one loved Ron. His famous friend overshadowed him. Why would Hermione love him when she could love Harry? Harry was better than him in every way. Looks, Attitude, Grades, everything Harry was better at. The one thing Ron wanted most...Harry had too. Harry had Hermione. For Pete's sake, Harry had Hermione and he didn't even WANT her! Feeling overwhelmed and horrible, he left Hermione by herself even though he shouldn't have. He ran down the hall to his Potions' detention. He looked down at his watch. He was 15 minutes late. Snape looked up at his angrily from a parchment sheet.

"So Weasley, too good for detention?" Snape growled.

"Uh...No sir." Ron stuttered.

"For that, another week's worth of detention." Snape replied, standing up slowly.

"Ok...sir." Ron muttered.

"You're going to make Veritaserum." Snape said. "And you're going to drink it."

"Why?" Ron asked, skeptically.

"I want to know why you were late and I KNOW you won't tell me by free will." Snape replied.

"What if I screw it up?" Ron asked.

"I guess that will make you more determined not to screw it up then." Snape answered. "Get started."

Ron brewed the potion without ANY help from Snape that night. He was mostly afraid that Snape would bite his head off if he asked. He walked up to the Gryffindor Tower, not wondering about Hermione. Snape would find out everything anyway. He muttered the password and walked in, seeing Harry waiting for him. Harry looked up happily.

"Hey Ron. What potions did you have to brew?" Harry asked.

"Veritaserum." Ron replied.

Harry stared at him. Ron told Harry about him being late and the consequence. He didn't tell Harry WHY he had been late though. He wouldn't dare tell him that. But sure enough, Harry asked.

"Why were you late?" Harry questioned.

"Hermione was crying in an empty classroom." Ron muttered.

"WHY?" Harry asked.

"You." Ron answered so simply, Harry just stared.

"What?" Harry wondered.

"She was crying because she loves you." Ron replied darkly, picking at his fingernails. Hearing himself say it hurt more than thinking about it.

"She loves ME? But I thought she..." Harry said.

"You thought wrong. You know Harry, I HAVE to wonder! How come you get everything I want? Fame, Money, GIRLS, grades! You have everything!" Ron yelled.

"YOU HAVE A FAMILY!" Harry yelled.

"YOU HAVE HERMIONE!" Ron yelled, knowing he was being selfish but he didn't care. "YOU CAN HAVE A FAMILY OF YOUR OWN!"

"What?" A voice behind them said.

Standing by the Common Room entrance was Hermione, looking sad and confused. Ron suddenly felt horrible. They were arguing over her feelings. Her face was tear-stained, her eyes were red and puffy and her voice cracked when she spoke.

"Ron...how could you? I TRUSTED you!" Hermione said, running up to the girls' dormitory in sobs.

After she left, Harry and Ron both just stared at the girls' dormitory steps. Neither of them really wanted to go after her, but Ron knew he should.

"HERMIONE!" Ron yelled, running up the dormitory stairs.

When he reached the top step of the first stairway, the second one started to move. He looked in shock as a flash of green light pummeled him with pain. He fell down the staircase, holding his leg. He got up stiffly, taking another try up the stairs. The green light hit him again, but he retained his balance. He ran up the second flight of stairs before it moved too far away. Burned and bruised, he opened the dormitory door. Lavender Brown was sitting, in her small pink robe, on a bed.

"Lavender!" Ron whispered urgently, knowing he was going to get a slap or scream in response.

She looked over at him with wide eyes. No one had ever managed to get up those stairs before.

"Ron Weasley! What are you doing?!" Lavender whispered fiercely.

"I need to see Hermione." Ron stated, looking around the dormitory. It was a lot better than the boys'.

"She's busy." Lavender replied.

"Is she crying?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Lavender said quietly.

"Get her!" Ron whispered.

"All right!" Lavender replied, running up another flight of stairs.

Hermione came down, looking worse than she had before. The moment she saw him, she turned white with horror or shock.

"Ron...What are you doing? You're in the GIRL'S DORM!" Hermione whispered.

"I need to talk to you." He said.

"I don't want to talk right now." Hermione replied, walking back up to bed.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled, not caring if the other girls woke up.

"Ron, not only have you broken a school rule, but you have betrayed my trust. Go back to bed." Hermione said, closing the dormitory door.

AH! I can't believe I wrote that! Ron...so cute! Hermione was being so mean!! Anyway, thank you for reading and please review. I love all Ron/Hermione shippers!