DISCLAIMER: I KNOW HARRY POTTER IS NOT MINE! Don't rub it in!
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Or so he thought.
Hermione sat up in her bed, contemplating whether to risk going back downstairs to retrieve her Transfiguration guide from the common room or to stay where she was. As compelling as her desire to stay away from Ron may be, she decided to walk down to get her book.
She lightly stepped down the stairs, hoping that Ron and Harry had already retired to bed. The common room fire crackled, causing her to jump slightly. She shifted her attention back to sneakily making her way down the old rickety stairs when she heard him.
"I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH HER EITHER!" Ron bellowed to retreating footsteps, which could only belong to Harry. She stumbled, taken aback at the conviction that resonated in his voice. Tears pricked the back of her eyelids and she forced herself to maintain her composure.
This is what I want. I should be happy that he isn't in love with me.
She attempted to convince her broken heart. However, Hermione couldn't lie to herself that blatantly.
As much as my logical brain wants us to be just friends, my heart craves his love. I WANT HIM TO LOVE ME AS I LOVE HIM, but he doesn't.
She suddenly felt extremely tired, her giddy spirit dampened at the redhead's words.
Hermione expected Ron to follow Harry into the boys' dormitories, but she was in for another surprise. Ron made his way to one of the cushioned armchairs by the fireplace and sat down, his head buried in his hands. Hermione sat down on the stairs slowly, not wishing to make known her presence in the room. She watched him with longing, torn between interrupting and being a silent spectator.
Ron raked his fingers through his unarguably soft red hair that caught the radiance from the fire burning merrily. Soft beams of moonlight flickered through the half closed drapes, illuminating one side of his face.
Sitting there, in what he believed to be solitude, Ron looked absolutely adorable.
Just as Hermione decided that she would go back to bed, Ron turned his head towards the flames and murmured inaudibly. Hermione strained to hear his unvoiced whispers and almost toppled off her place on the stairs.
"I can't be. I mean...No. It can't be. It just can't." He whispered slowly, his mind reeling.
Hermione listened intently, chuckling, knowing exactly what he was talking about. HOW many times had she attempted to convince herself of the same stupid ignorant niceties?
Could he be doing the same? Is he in denial?
Light feathered hope lifted her and she forced it down, refusing to believe anything until she heard it. Ron was talking again.
"I mean... She is my best friend. You don't fall in love with your best friends – you just don't. And yet...." He trailed off, sounding more confused than ever.
He abruptly came out of his trance, looking around him, re-registering his surroundings.
His brow furrowed as he frowned at himself.
"Merlin. I must be off my rocker. Now, I'm talking to myself. It's bloody insane!" he said, slowly lifting himself off the chair and trudging across the common room. Hermione watched him walk up the stairs and disappear into the shadows of the night.
Hermione sat in deep thought for a few minutes before making her way back to bed. She lay looking at the ceiling, tears now freely falling down her face. Golly. He had captured her heart, caressed it lovingly, letting his care help blossom her love for him. Then the next thing she knew, he had dropped it cruelly, shattered it and stomped the life out of it. Well, it isn't his fault I fell in love with him. Just because I want to corner him and envelop him in passionate kisses every time I see him DOES NOT mean he feels the same. Besides I have what I want. This will keep him safe. I don't have to worry about his feelings. Really, it is for the best.
She heaved a huge sigh and raised her arm to her forehead. ...Now, if only I can convince myself of this.
After what seemed like an eternity, Hermione drifted to a deep sleep feeling back at home, in Hogwarts at last.
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The next couple of days passed by without a great deal of things going on. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny spent all their time together, either in the common room or down by the lake. Hermione still kept to herself, not revealing anymore than she had to. Ron was extremely irritated at her reluctance, tried to coerce her into telling but decided against it fearing Ginny's wrath.
Ginny had kept her promise and hadn't told Ron about Hermione's fears. She continued to steadfastly support Hermione in all that she did, even if it did end up frustrating Ron.
Hermione missed Professor Flitwick's Charms lesson more than she missed anything at Hogwarts. The short, shrill-voiced man had been a favorite amongst many students. Hermione's favorite subject was charms and she took the loss very personally. Professor Vertura however, was an excellent teacher and she started to enjoy her charms lessons after the first couple of days.
A week had passed since Hermione's return to Hogwarts, and Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny were seated around the Gryffindor table eating breakfast. The first quidditch match of the season was right around the corner and Ron being the captain of the quidditch team was discussing strategies.
Hermione slowly munched her toast, reveling in her own private thoughts when a loud crack disrupted her, startled Ginny into dropping her marmalade and made Ron jump. They turned around to see Fred and George walking down the hall, sporting their newest fake wand inventions. These wands, it so appeared, were atrocious and known for their battling skills.
They watched in admiration as Fred and George took a seat beside Hermione, wide identical grins pasted on their handsome faces.
"Hello Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ickle Ronniekins" Fred said looking around at the table, a mischievous glint in his eye. Ron flushed angrily and muttered curses under his breath.
"Why are you here?" Ron asked grumpily
"Well well dear brother, to visit you of course"
Ron merely grunted in response.
"But... If I didn't know better, I'd say you are almost unhappy to see us." George said, gasping.
"I am unhappy" Ron muttered under his breath.
"OHH the heartache" Fred cried, his hand on his forehead in an attempt to strike a melodramatic pose.
Everyone chuckled heartily before Harry's eyes fell on some colored parchment that couldn't have been cut larger than in 2X2 inch squares.
"What's THAT?" Harry asked curiously, pointing to the pieces lying haphazardly on the table now.
"Ah. These things. Well... watch and learn." George responded.
"We need-"
"Two volunteers-"
"How about Harry and me?" said Hermione.
"How about... Harry and Ginny?" Fred asked, winking at Hermione.
Both Harry and Ginny blushed and protested vehemently. After much persuasion, they gave in. Ron looked thoroughly confused with what was going on. Clueless as he was, he still smelt something suspicious in the winks and nods that the twins and Hermione exchanged.
Ron who was sitting on Hermione's side nudged her and raised an eyebrow inquiringly. A wicked smile played on her lips that hadn't been noticeable since her return to Hogwarts. Ron grinned back, suddenly glad that Fred and George had decided to visit.
If they could bring a smile to her beautiful lips, then anything was worth that. Ron didn't turn away from Hermione long after she had resumed talking to Fred and George. He couldn't take his eyes off her
I never do get tired of her smiling do I? I've missed it. I really have. OH GOOD HEAVENS! There I go again, talking to myself.
He shook his head, turning away quickly, his ears tinted red with embarrassment, hoping that no one else had noticed him staring at Hermione.
However, luck was not in his favor today. One glance at Harry told him that Harry knew what was going on in his mind.
"Not in Love eh?" Harry asked sarcastically, an amused grin never leaving his face.
"Shut up Harry. A bloody mind reader, are you now?"
Harry simply laughed and turned towards Fred and George who were now hastily scribbling Harry and Ginny's names on two separate sheets of parchment.
They then placed the pieces of parchment of two ends of the table and said
"Amoura Attracio!"
For a few seconds nothing happened, but then as if propelled by a magnet, the two pieces of parchment started vibrating, slowly nearing each other. As the onlookers watched, the pieces of parchment drew together and flashes of red light was emitted by the two pieces into the air, that converged creating a red heart above the heads of the Weasley twins.
Fred and George grinned and turned to Harry and Ginny who looked thoroughly flushed and confused.
"Revealing relations" Fred and George chimed together, still grinning widely.
"Our latest invention. It's a genius idea if I say so myself" Fred said.
"What do they do?" Ron asked, now curious too.
"They reveal the potential relationship that the two names are destined for. Now Harry here and our dear sister Ginevra Weasley have a bright future together as more-than-just-friends, which is indicated by the red heart and the attraction between the pieces of parchment"
Harry and Ginny blushed further and Ron started to question this prospect angrily when Hermione kicked him in the shin under the table.
"But – OW! What did you do that for!?" Ron glared at Hermione angrily. Hermione gave him another small smile and a knowing look and all thoughts of Harry and Ginny escaped his mind.
"If the pieces of parchment are attracted but emit green light ending in a heart, it means the relationship will be purely platonic but will indicate a very close and deep friendship"
Fred continued, his eyes twinkling.
"And if the pieces emit yellow light and refuse to show any signs of attraction towards each other, it will indicate loathing"
Ron cast a look of hatred towards the slytherin table where Draco Malfoy and his cronies sat, sniggering at what most definitely was an insult thrown at the whole lot of them. Interested Gryffindors had gathered around the table and Fred and George proceeded to sell their pieces of parchment.
"Revealing relations! Only 25 sickles for a pair" They chanted over and over again as silver sickles and gold galleons poured through the eager chattering crowd. Ron turned to Harry but noticed that he had vanished, taking Ginny with him.
"C'mon, let's find them" Hermione whispered into his ear, her breath warm on his earlobes, letting another shiver race pleasantly down his spine.
Ron nodded and walked out of the Great Hall along with Hermione after waving goodbyes to Fred and George. They searched the common room, the owlery, the kitchen and the grounds before coming to a halt panting from exertion.
"Where are they?" Ron asked, sweat beads rolling down his forehead. Hermione flopped down near a tree, faint with exhaustion. She managed to shrug and grin at him as he sat down beside her.
Suddenly Ron's face lit up as though he had just won the Quidditch cup.
"The Astronomy tower!" he yelled. Hermione shook her head in dissent.
"I am not walking another inch right now" she said worn out.
"B-But who knows what they are doing!?" Ron cried in frustration.
"RON!"
"I don't trust Harry with Ginny, definitely not."
"RON!" Hermione said again
"If he tries to touch her, I swear he won't recognize himself after I get through with him"
"RONALD WEASLEY! GET A GRIP OVER YOURSELF" Hermione said in exasperation
"Huh? What did I do now?" Ron said, looking adorably confused as ever
Hermione sighed and snapped angrily "You're overanalyzing. They probably went for a walk or something. And even if they were doing SOMETHING, which they probably aren't, it is really none of your business"
"NONE OF MY BUSINESS!! THAT'S MY LITTLE SISTER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT" Ron snapped back, his blue eyes aflame with anger and protectiveness
"She's not so little anymore Ron, she can take care of herself. Besides, Harry won't hurt Ginny. He's your best mate! I don't know what you are worried about."
Ron grunted in response but said nothing else. He knew it was futile to try and win this argument with Hermione. And frankly, his idea of spending quality time with Hermione didn't include fighting about Harry and Ginny.
Hermione smiled again, her large brown eyes twinkling with amusement. She scooted closer and laid her head on his shoulder casually.
Ron's heart thudded painfully in his rib cage enclosure and he tried to breathe slowly, trying to avoid the recurrence of the fluttering of butterflies in his stomach.
It's platonic. She means nothing by it I'm sure. But what if I'm wrong? Is she feeling the way I do? I wonder... GAH! HERE I GO AGAIN! This talking-to-myself thing REALLY needs to stop.
Unaware of circumstances and uncaring of the world around him, he laid his chin on the top of her head and sighed deeply. His arm made its way around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him, reveling in her warm body next to his.
Harry's words echoed in his mind as he mindlessly traced circles on Hermione's shoulder.
Am I in love with her?
How can I be in love with her? HER? The girl I've mercilessly teased for the past 6 years. The girl who fights with me every chance she gets. The girl who has always nagged me. However, she was also the girl who always had had steadfast faith in me, who has always cared for me looking past my humble background, my hand-me-down articles of clothing, and my clumsiness. She was the girl who had been the brains behind every task, every operation.
He looked down at her and smiled slowly. Hermione Granger. His bushy haired, intelligent, funny, loyal, sensitive best friend. These were truly what made her worth all the trouble in the world.
I feel a strange emotion around her. I laugh at her presence and pine at her absence. The distinctive urges to reach over and touch her. The strange calming peace that fills me when she's around. The desperation when she's not. I can't bloody understand it.
He ran his fingers through his hair again, and heaved a frustrated sigh. He wanted answers. Answers to how she was feeling.
But how can I expect answers from her when I can't even figure out what I'm feeling. I'm such a clueless prat sometimes. Actually NO. Strike that. I'm such a clueless prat ALL the time.
He looked down at the now-sleeping Hermione and tranquil peace settled down on him. All his worries and sorrows fled and he drew closer to her until her head rested gently on his chest. He wrapped his arms protectively around her and inhaled her perfumed scent of wild flowers and strawberries. Feeling decidedly more lightheaded and happy, he leaned back against the bark of the tree and stroked her curls.
Realization dawned upon him, untainted with disorder and without any traces of uncertainty.
Oh lord. I love her. I always have and always will. Good heavens. How did I fall in love with my best friend? More importantly, what am I going to do now?
ARGH! If I don't stop talking to myself soon, I'm going to drive myself insane. In fact, I think I've gone mental already.
He neither knew when or how he had, only that he did. The deepest depths of his soul echoed this realization. He sighed heavily again.
Wisps of curly hair grazed the bare skin on his neck, tiny ripples of pleasure tickling his senses.
"Merlin. What are you doing to me Hermione?" He murmured, his words soft yet as clear as the last ray of dusk disappearing into the horizon. Driven by instinct, he brushed her forehead with his lips in a gentle kiss. Hermione smiled in her sleep and snuggled closer to him, unconsciously wrapping her arms around his waist.
Ron inhaled sharply at the sensations running through him at her close proximity. Even if the gesture was unconscious and innocent, Ron couldn't help but hope beyond hope that she felt the same way.
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LONG CHAPTERRRR but how was it??
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