Disclaimer: Don't own anything and I'm getting no money.

A/n: This story is a fairly short romance, where everybody gets hooked up with somebody. No specific timeline.

[Edit: Written pre-HBP, years and years ago. It has since been edited for spelling and the like, though not thoroughly. Some pairings changed slightly from original version, and some pairings are obviously AU. This was my first fic ever when I was a complete writing newbie, and as such, it is quite weak and excessively fluffy. I leave it up to show how far I've come, and because some people stumble across it and still inexplicably enjoy it. Read on at your own risk. ;) -Red]

Ultimate Romance

Chapter 1

Hermione stared blankly out the window as the snow lightly grazed the grounds. It was nearly Christmas, everyone seemed to have someone to be with, and here she was sitting up in the girl's dormitories thinking longingly about being with one Ronald Weasley.

Why wasn't she down in the Common Room, right now, with him? After all, she believed she loved him. But did he love her back? That, she supposed, was what was keeping her from just rushing into his arms.

She sighed heavily. She couldn't say that she had always loved Ron, but she could say that she had always liked him. That's why it had hurt so deeply when he'd commented that he wasn't surprised she had no friends, way back in their first year.

And still the biggest question remained, there, and completely unanswered. Did he love her back?
For at least three hours (since she had woken around dawn), she had been forming a small set of questions in her mind. The problem, was the large lack of courage she had in asking them. Everyone else had gone to breakfast nearly an hour ago. Parvati had offered to walk with Hermione, and Lavender concernedly asked what was wrong when Hermione declined having breakfast at all. Hermione had told them simply that she wasn't hungry and that she needed to finish up some homework before Christmas.

Well, that was half the truth. She really wasn't that hungry, but not because she didn't want to eat. It was because she was sick to her stomach thinking about actually asking Ron the questions she'd thought up. And her homework had been done easily on the first day of holidays. Her books lay open and unneeded at the edge of her bed.

For the hundredth time, she wondered if Ron liked her back - more than a friend. She had to know! What if he did? What if, like her, he had just been keeping it quiet all this time? But what if he didn't? What if he only thought of her as a friend? Only ever did, and only ever would? But what if he didn't like her at all? And he merely put up with her because... because why?

Hermione clenched her jaw and stood. That was it. She had to know. She couldn't sit here wondering her life away. And if she was hurt... well, then she was hurt. She'd have to take the risk.

She took a deep breath to try and collect herself and started down the stairs to the Common Room.

A/n: Super short chapter! The rest will be longer. Thanks for reading. Reviews always appreciated! (Also, you have been doubly warned that this was my first fic!)