A/n. A huge thank you goes out to marissthemuggle. So nice to have someone read your stuff! You rock!

The flashback is still going on by the way, I will make sure you know when it ends, but that's not for a few chapters. Ok, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I never will. That's just the way my life is.

CHAPTER TWO: NO, NOT OKAY.

Ginny was standing behind him, a broom at her side, with a very scary look on her face.

"What do you want, Ginny?"

"I think the question is, what do you want, Ron? Because, for the past year or so, well, actually since the Yule Ball back in your fourth, I've suspected that what you want is Hermione. If I'm wrong, just say so," she said, matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about? She's my mate."

"Ron, she's more than your mate, okay? You know it."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Ron could feel his temper swinging out of control again.

"I'm talking about you fancying Hermione. And how that's a good thing, because I think you guys are well suited. And I'm talking about...you doing something about it because... as your sister and Hermione's friend, I can see what's happening here. I agree with you, Ron, Krum's a stupid git. He's horrible. Not right for her at all. You, on the other hand, I can see you making her really happy. I know how she feels...like she's gone too far with this whole Krum thing and she's thinking she shouldn't break it off unless she's got something better waiting for her."

Ron felt his heart sink. Ginny was telling him that he was going to have to tell Hermione how he felt. He was going to have to be honest with her and then see how she felt. What with Krum and all, there was no chance that she liked him too. Well, maybe a small chance. Was that what Ginny was trying to tell him?

"She's convinced herself that there's nothing wrong with Krum, but there's a nagging feeling there that...that there's nothing right with Krum either. There's no spark..."

"What do I do, Ginny?" Ron shouted, shaking himself back to reality. "I can't just say, I fancy you, wanna go for a butterbeer and talk!"

"Why not?"

Ron was feeling slightly embarrassed about talking so openly with someone about his feelings for Hermione, but he was sort of glad that it was his sister, someone he really trusted.

"It's a bit embarrassing...plus, what if she's completely disgusted by the whole idea and thinks I'm some gross pervert, having secret feelings for her for over five years and never saying anything until now!"

Ginny gave an understanding smile and then continued calmly.

"I guess it's a possibility, but I think it's pretty unlikely. How about this, you make up with her today... she crying her eyes out in the house right now. She wanted to be left alone. I promised her I wasn't going to come talk to you, told her I was going to play Quidditch with the boys. But I can't help it...hate to see you two like this. You make up with her...plead with her to stay...I can't believe you told her to go in the first place..."

"Krum!"

"I know...I know you hate him, I hate him too. I know its hard-"

"No! Krum, coming back to the house, I can see him in the distance- I know that slouch anywhere!" Ron grabbed Ginny's broom and raced back to the house.

"Come back here! How in hell can you see that far???"

But Ron kept going, he was determined, he knew he'd seen Viktor Krum walking through the back door to the Burrow.

Ron leapt from the broom and left it out in the yard. He crept towards the door. He knew what he had to do. He was going to sneak attack Krum. He was going to pommel the hell out of him.

The room was silent, save Hermione's soft weeping. Could he be kissing her or something??? Ron vaguely remembered when Harry had come back from his first kiss with Cho, saying that she'd been crying and that it was, well, not the best experience.

Ron didn't care what he'd find; he was going to be brave about this. He'd told Krum to leave and Krum had come back. It was time to show Viktor Krum that Ron Weasley was not to be pushed around.

Ron pushed the door in and looked about the room. Hermione looked up, startled, from the couch where she had obviously spent the last twenty minutes since their row weeping. But where was Krum?

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"KRUM- where is he???"

"He left. You got him to leave. Congratulations, he's gone. Please go away."

"I just saw him come back, Hermione. Now where is he, where are you hiding him???"

"I'm not hiding anyone! He's gone, really. One of the guards came in for a drink. He went back outside though. Harry came in to use the bathroom a few minutes ago. He's back out there playing Quidditch. And that's about it. Ok??"

"You mean Krum," Ron searched for a better insult than 'big slouchin' git' but none came, "he didn't come in here again?"

"Ron- why would you think that?"

"I saw him, Hermione! I saw him from the hill!"

"What? You couldn't have recognized who it was from that distance!"

"You get a clear view of the house from there! And I saw him. I saw him."

"You're imagining things, Ronald. He didn't come in here." Hermione's face had softened considerably. "And he's not going to again." She paused. "Because I'm going to Bulgaria."

"I didn't mean that, Hermione," Ron could feel his neck muscles tense with every word. Was she really going to leave? "I need to..." his chest heaved as he took a seat on the couch. She held her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. Her hair covered her face and she wept some more. Ron couldn't help thinking that she looked quite pretty like that. "I need to talk to you...I don't want you to go."

Hermione looked up at him briefly, but looked away, staring at the fireplace.

"I need you to stay...'cause...'cause this should be a really great summer for us...for both of us...for...us." Hermione still looked away but she wore a look of curiosity that Ron could just barely see out of the corner of his eye.

"Why do like Krum?"

Hermione shifted in her seat and looked up at him again.

"He's a good person... a great wizard... really clever. He's handsome...and I like him, okay?"

"No, not okay." Ron was feeling brave, but not brave enough for what he knew he had to do. He was going to take Ginny's advice.

"Why's that not okay? How can you even say that, you know, you're so selfish! Everything's not about you, Ron, despite what you think!" She got up and moved to walk away but he grabbed her hand.

"I fancy you."

A/n. Well that's the chapter- come back for more, you know you want to! Please review, I will love you forever if you review! The flashback is still going on by the way! I know its sort of an odd way to write, but if this were a novel, I reckon this would just be one big chapter! REVIEW!

All the best,

Gypsy the Centaur