Bold= Ron's thoughts.

Italics= Hermione's thoughts.
Ron and Hermione walked in Hogsmeade, fully aware of how bizarre their reconciliation was. They just smiled, hand in hand, completely content with their surroundings...until...

"Do you love me?" Ron asked.

"Ron..." Hermione pleaded.

"No, Hermione, I'm sick of this game we play. Just tell me, straight up, if you love me." Ron demanded.

She shook her head.

"I'm not sure." Hermione replied.

"'Mione, I can't believe you."

They walked around in silence for a few minutes, still hand in hand. Ron was getting angry with her, but he just couldn't let go. Hermione was getting more confused by the minute. She really wasn't sure if she loved him. Just...the feeling she got with him told her something. She got so overwhelmed with emotion. But she knew...He's a Weasley. How would that project my image? He would make me too emotional, less focused. Harry would give me a better image...but he loves Ginny. Supposedly he loves her. He loves a Weasley, why can't I? Another voice nagged in her head. You can. Ron's right here. He loves you...he's everything you want. Hermione was almost in tears. She smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek. She finally knew what she wanted. Who cared about image? She didn't love Harry. She loved the thought of Harry. How famous and rich he was. That didn't matter. I love Ronald Weasley. Ron looked over in Hermione's direction.

"Earth to Hermione! Hello?" Ron said, laughing.

She grabbed his shoulders suddenly and pushed him against the brick wall of the Three Broomsticks. He looked at her in fear. What did I do now?

"Bloody 'ell, 'Mione." Ron said.

They were no more than an inch from each other's faces. Hermione looked into his eyes, the tear still rolling down her cheek to her chin. He took his hand and brushed away the tear. In doing so, he brushed his lips against hers on accident. They both blushed. Laughing, Ron brushed his lips against hers again. This time it wasn't on accident. Gazing into each other's eyes, Hermione pulled Ron into her, closing the space between them. They kissed passionately, as if they had both been waiting forever. Ron broke away quickly.

"Hermione...all these people...aren't you embarrassed?" Ron asked, flustered.

"Why would I be embarrassed of you?" She smiled. "I love you."

Ron beamed. Then he thought this over for a minute. Could this just be another dare? A crueler, sinister joke on me again? He pulled away from her. He looked into her eyes, tears filling his eyes.

"Hermione, I love you. But you must know that I don't trust you. You pulled a joke on me that ruined our friendship. I can't be a friend to you. I love you too much to do that. Unless you actually own up to your mistakes...I can't see you." Ron stopped when Hermione started to whimper softly. "Oh 'Mione, don't cry. Please." He pleaded.

"Ron, don't leave me alone." Hermione said, tugging on his shirt.

He kissed her softly; savoring it for it would be the last time. He walked away, wiping a tear from his eye. He walked into the Shrieking Shack, not even noticing. He used to always come down here with Harry after Sirius died. Harry would always say that the place gave him the feeling Sirius was right next to him. He sat down, putting his hands on his bent knees. He looked to his side and noticed, Sirius WAS right there. Sitting to his right was none other than Sirius Black. To be technical, Sirius' ghost was there. Ron gasped.

"Ron, what are you doing man?" Sirius asked.

"S-Sirius?" Ron stammered.

"Yeah. What is going on with you and Hermione?" Sirius repeated.

"It's a big mess. Hey, shouldn't you know this? Haven't you been, like, watching over me?" Ron asked.

"Well, yeah. But just because I'm dead doesn't mean I 'see all'. I stay in the Shrieking Shack. It would bring up an uproar if people saw my ghost. I can see the Daily Prophet headlines now. 'Sirius Black back from the dead to avenge his death'." Sirius said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess. What should I do?" Ron questioned, feeling more hopeless by the minute.

"Don't leave her." Sirius said seriously. (mwahaha)

"Sirius, I can't trust her." Ron said.

"Oh Ron, cut the crap. I saw you snogging her in the street."

"I was NOT snogging her." Ron said, blushing.

Sirius grinned. Ron knew what Sirius was thinking. He thinks that I am just like my brothers. George has these girls 24/7; Fred 'came out of the closet' last year. Percy was disowned a couple months ago. Last we heard he was living with some Amish muggles in Sweden. Bill was engaged to some clerk from Gringotts. Charlie was single; every girl he dated claimed he loved his dragons more than them. Poor guy. So either Sirius thought he was gay, a player or desperate for a girlfriend.

"Sirius, she'll just hurt me. If it's possible that she can hurt me more, she will." Ron sighed. "This isn't the Hermione I fell in love with when she said I had dirt on my nose."

Sirius laughed.

"I'm sure it is. Maybe she's just shy?" Sirius tried.

They looked at each other, shrugged and said "Nah.". At that moment, the door to the shack opened, revealing Hermione. She had tear-stained cheeks and a swollen bottom lip. Ron looked at her funny.

"Ginny and Harry both punched me after you left." Hermione said, sniffing.

"Oh..." Ron said, feeling some sympathy for her.

Ron looked to his right. Sirius had vanished. He looked up at Hermione. Ignoring his sympathy, he stared up at her with cold eyes.

"What do you want?" Ron questioned, dispassionately.

"Own up to my mistakes." Hermione said, smiling weakly.

"How do you suppose you do that?" Ron asked, angrily.

"Ron, I love you okay? I only did that dare for Lavender because..." Hermione trailed off, turning red.

Ron paused for a moment. This ought to be interesting.

"Because what, 'Mione?" Ron interrogated.

"Because I wanted to know what you tasted like..." Ron raised his eyebrows, in a what-in-the-bloody-'ell manner. "And because I wanted you to be my first kiss...and my last." Hermione explained.

"Look, You're making it seem like you're proposing to me. Just STOP IT, okay? I just wanted a little fling! I just wanted something fun, spontaneous, and lovely! I'm obviously not going to get THAT from a relationship with you! So just leave!" Hermione choked on a sob. He started off softly. "I don't love you. I love the girl you used to be. The girl who used to always know exactly what to do and what to say, the girl who always corrected me for being a stupid git, I loved the insufferable know-it-all. Where did she go?"

"She grew up, Ron." Hermione said.

"Honestly, I don't know you anymore."

"I can't scold you anymore. I love you." Hermione replied.

"NO YOU DON'T! You love Harry. So let's just go on with our lives. I don't know you. You don't know me. THERE! Goodbye!" Ron said, running out the door.

Hermione sat down and started bawling. She started shaking, with loneliness grasping her. I'm so stupid! I let him walk away!

"He loves you, you know?" Sirius said, creeping from the corner.

"SIRIUS?" Hermione gasped.

"That'd be me. Ron loves you. He's just angry." Sirius explained. "He was talking to me when you came in."

So THAT'S whom he was talking to.

"He just talked about how you've changed." Sirius looked at her and smiled. "I have to agree with him. I heard you're quite the heartbreaker."

"Sirius, you have to believe me! I didn't mean to hurt him!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I know, I know. It was a joke. Just because I'm a ghost doesn't mean I have to be all morbid. Jeez. Weird. Well...are you going to go after him?"