CHAPTER TWO
Hermione had trouble falling asleep that night. So did Ron. So did Harry. All three of them were thinking their own thoughts....but on the same subject. When they all arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, they had the same expressions on their faces. Tired, confused, anxious. None of them seemed to notice the other two had had sleepless nights as well. They talked and laughed in much their old way, with Hermione and Ron bickering occasionally. Still, the whole time, there was a shadow over their happiness. Harry seemed to be getting on better than he had at the end of last year. He was ready to laugh again. And he knew that if he needed to talk to anyone, Ron and Hermione were there.
Ron was sitting the History of Magic classroom. He wasn't listening, of course. He didn't even listen when he wasn't thinking about something important. These past few days, Ron had gotten the impression that Harry fancied Hermione. But he couldn't. True, Ron had never told Harry that he cared for Hermione, but he should know anyway. Ron then realized he was being paranoid. Harry couldn't possibly like Hermione as more than a friend. Ron had never really let himself believe that Harry was over Cho.
Hermione and Ron sat together in the common room. Hermione was doing homework. How she had managed to get any on the first day back, no one ever seemed to know. Harry had left for Quidditch practice about forty five minutes ago. Ron was staring absently into the fire. Hermione sighed and sat down on the couch next to him. Ron looked up quickly. "Hi," he mumbled. Damn it, he thought, why can't I ever say anything interesting? She didn't seem to mind though. She was smiling at him. And Ron felt better. "I missed you." He said it without thinking. Damn it...... "I missed you too. Its so nice to have all three of us together again." For the third time that night, Ron thought, Damn it...... Then he controlled the disappointed expression on his face and said he was tired. That he should go to bed. Hermione looked vaguely confused at his change in behavior. He had been so attentive only minutes before. "You know, Ron," she started to say, without really knowing how she was going to finish...
Harry was tired. He trained hard during Quidditch, as usual, and he had barely had any sleep the night before. He brightened at the thought that perhaps Hermione was still in the common room. Maybe Ron had gone to bed..... and he could talk to her alone. The past few days, Harry had gotten the impression that Ron fancied Hermione. But he couldn't. True, Harry had never told Ron that he cared about Hermione, but he should know anyway. Then Harry realized he was being paranoid. Ron couldn't like Hermione as more than a friend. He just couldn't.