A/n: I think this is my favorite chapter so far! It's based on a poem I read a while ago. A little corny, so just be prepared. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Hermione turned the corner, and saw Ron sitting in one of the cushy arm chairs in the Common Room. She had the urge to turn around and run back to the dormitory. At the same time, she had the urge to run up to him, throw her arms around him and scream, "Ron! I love you!" She suppressed both urges immediately, and walked slowly forward to follow through with her plan.

In her mind, the questions she asked would reveal Ron's true feelings. Even if he didn't answer honestly, she would be able to gauge from his reaction what his answer truly was.

She cleared her throat, and Ron turned around in the chair. "Yes?" he said.

Hermione smiled. "Ron, do you think I'm pretty?" she asked brightly, although she did not feel cheerful - more like deathly nervous.

Ron's face flushed pink momentarily. He looked her over, and the pink from his face strangely faded. An odd look overcame his face and then he said, "No."

Hermione was slightly taken aback by his response, and was surprised at him. She thought that he would go red and purple and mumble out a "sure" or something similar to that. She was a little hurt, but undeterred.

"O-ok... um, do you like me? You know, more than a friend?" She asked, much less brightly. Hermione was sure that Ron would go red at this one - especially if it was true.

Ron slightly shook his head. "No."

Hermione felt her cheeks go hot. She suddenly wanted to run away - really fast. She swallowed hard. She always finished what she'd started. The problem was that he was saying it so... so... well, with so much conviction. Like he really meant it. She definitely had not been expecting this. How could this be? After all the little things, even though she constantly wondered, she'd been so sure. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she blinked hard so Ron wouldn't see them.

"D-do you... I mean, a-am I in your heart?"

Ron shook his head and firmly said, "No." Whatever was going through his head was a mystery. She couldn't read the emotion on his face, nor the thoughts behind his eyes, and it was making Hermione very uncomfortable.

Hermione's cheeks were hot and burning with embarrassment. Her hands were shaking. The tears began to blur her vision, so Ron was a red-haired streak. There was an enormous lump in her throat, and she tried to swallow it down. One last question...

"R-ron, i-if I w-walked away, and n-never c-c-came back, would you care? Would you c-cry?"

Ron stared at her and firmly said, "No."

The tears spilled over her eyes, and ran like rivers down her flushed cheeks. She was deeply hurt. She had thought that there was no chance of him having that response. He was her friend, after all, so she'd assumed he would've at least been polite.

Hermione turned away from him and slowly headed towards the dormitory steps.

Ron suddenly stood and caught her arm.

It's the tears. Hermione thought bitterly. He hates to see me cry. Now he's going to try and make it all better.

"Hermione," Ron said softly, his voice barely more than a whisper. Hermione was staring at the floor, letting the tears drip off her face. Ron put his fingers under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his.

"I don't think you're pretty." he said. "I think you're beyond beautiful."

Hermione made a small choking noise. Could she really be hearing what she thought she was hearing?

Ron continued, "I don't like you. I love you, with everything I have. You're not in my heart, because you are my heart. And if you walked away and never came back, I wouldn't care and I wouldn't cry. I would die."

Ron cupped his hands around Hermione's flushed cheeks and used his thumbs to wipe the tears away. Then he gently pulled her into a wonderful kiss, full of long awaited passion and love.

Hermione was ecstatic, relieved and surprised all at the same time (ecstatic above all, of course). She felt like she was flying, time stood still and it was just her and Ron.

Kissing.

A/n: Aww... Three cheers for Ron and Hermione. :) Thanks for reading. Reviews are well-loved.