Amazing

LauriAnn

'And still cracking a joke at every moment, still finding every reason to smile, still being there whenever anybody needed you. You are amazing.' Ron/Herm missing moment from OotP

A/N: Hi, guys. So, I went one-shot crazy a couple of nights ago and wrote a ton of them. I know, I know, isn't there something else I should be working on? Yeah, but I decided to post this anyway. If you like, tell me, and I'll post some more.

I didn't originally know where I was going with this story, all I knew was that she was gonna fall asleep on top of him. So, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Thank you, JK. Thank you.

"Well, I think I've done all right in Arithmacy," she said, and both Harry and Ron sighed with relief. "Just time for a quick look at our star charts before dinner, then…"

-OotP, pg.718

"Where are you going, Harry?" Ron asked, looking up from the star chart he was attempting, and failing, to study at his table in the Common Room.

Harry shrugged. "I'm hungry."

"Yeah, me too. I'll be down in a minute," Ron said, beginning to clear his things up.

"I'll see you," Harry told him, walking toward the portrait hole, and away from his best friend.

Ron watched him walk out the portrait hole, his mouth hanging open. He turned back to his things and began forcefully banging them around. "Well, gee, Harry," Ron began muttering to himself, "you want to wait for me? Thanks! This way I won't have to walk down there by myself. It's so kind of you to offer, if you'll just give me a moment, I'll be ready to go. Maybe I could just--"

"Ron," Hermione said,throwing her books downat the table next to him. "If you could stop talking to yourself, that would be fantastic."

"Oh," Ron said, the tips of his ears going a bit red, "I didn't know you were coming back down."

Hermione took the seat next to him and pulled out her own star chart. "Why wouldn't I? I have to study. I have a feeling this Astronomy O.W.L. is going to be very tricky."

"Hermione, let's just face it, nothing's difficult for you."

"Oh, please, Ron. I don't just get these facts out of thin air, you know. If you studied even one more hour a night than you do now, you could…"

"I know, use my full potential and reach great heights," Ron said sarcastically. "I'll remember that, thanks."

"Whatever. I'm too tired to argue with you."

Ronwatched her eyes scanning the parchement. Their pretty cinammon color was harder to see as they had turned bloodshot and the bags that had formed under them were very apparent. He hadn't thought about it before, but he doubted Hermione had gotten any sleep for a week. When she wasn't studying, she probably just sat there, thinking about studying. He smiled to himself—he could just see her jumping up from her bed, getting a light, and making sure she knew some fact correctly. But that did cut in on one's sleep time.

"You ought to take a nap," he said, sounding concerned for her well-being.

"According to you, Ron, I know everything, and I should know when I ought or oughtn't take a nap."

"You're exhausted."

"Are not."

"Are."

"Are not!"

"Are."

"Are not!"

Ron turned away from her, mocking her face. "Are," he whispered.

"What?" Hermione breathed.

"Nothing." Ron glanced at Hermione out of the corner of his eye, and noticed, with some satisfaction, that the more she attempted to study, the more her eyes closed against her will, her head drooping further and further down each time. Half of her attention seemed to be directed at Ron anyway.

She suddenly stared up at him, giving him a questioning look. "Why were you talking to yourself anyway?"

"I was sort of peeved at Harry," Ron said, glad to have her full attention back.

Hermione's eyes rolled. "What did he do now?"

"He said he was going to get some food, and I told him I'd be down in a minute. I even started clearing up my stuff, but he didn't offer to wait for me or anything. He just left."

Hermione's eyebrow arched inquisitively. "And that made you mad?"

Ron found himself growing impatient. She could stomp around like a bloody vampire all day, but he wasn't allowed to ever be in a bad mood. "Well, you know Hermione, you're not the only one who's getting stressed out over thesedamned O.W.L.s. I have to make good marks too. I mean, you do know my mother. And my family. I think I have a pretty lofty amount to live up to."

Hermione looked up at him and dropped her nasty demeanor. "Oh, Ron,"she said, rubbing her eyes out. "I'm sorry I'm so snappish lately. I try not to be. I know you're stressed too, and I know I keep getting angry with you for no reason. I also know that Harry hasn't been the nicest version of himself all year and you don't need to hear it from me on top of that. But, I'm sure Harry didn't mean to hurt your feelings; he just needed some alone time, so try not to take it so personally."

Ron glanced up. Hermione really did have such a way with explaining things. He felt a sort of weight lifted from his shoulders. "Ok."

Hermione sat there staring at him, and he suddenly looked up, feeling uncomfortable.

"Am I doing something to annoy you right now?" he asked tentatively.

"No." She grinned with those perfect teeth of hers. "You're amazing, you know that, Ron?"

Ron tried in vain to keep his face from turning as red as his hair. He was…amazing? Did Hermione Granger, smartest witch in the entire school, his best friend, and the girl he found he was staring at more and more everyday just say he was amazing? Him…plain old daft Ron Weasley?

"I'm…amazing?" He grinned sheepishly. "I'm a joke, more like it." And a real romantic, he added silently, feeling very stupid.

Hermione smiled weakly. "No, you really are amazing. Putting up with me and Harry this year. And still cracking a joke at every moment, still finding every reason to smile, still being there whenever anybody needed you. You are amazing."

Yeah, it was official, he was in love. Ron turned his head away. "I'm not amazing. You are."

Instead of brushing him off, she grinned. "Thanks. You really think so?" She sounded so insecure, Ron sort of just wanted to tell her he loved her right then and there. Of course she was amazing. She was beautiful and smart and charming. He just wanted to tell her that. But how could he? How did you tell someone that?

"'Course."

Her features lit up. Then, she yawned. Loudly and obviously.

"Ron?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I am tired."

"Nap?" he suggested, almost too confidently.

"No."

"Well, at least take a break from work. Go sit on the couch. It's much more comfortable."

"I guess, but only if you will too. To keep me company, you know?"

Ron thought longingly of his warm meal downstairs, but then made the mistake of turning to Hermione. She was smiling at him, in an almost hopeful kind of way. How could he say no to that?

He groaned. "All right."

He went over and plopped on the couch, and she fell next to him. Close to him. Too close, come to think of it. It made him want to do something. Something more than just sit next to her and watch her. He wanted to put an arm around her, to see what her hair really felt like. But you just don't do that sort of thing. Not to your best friend.

"Don't let me go to sleep," Hermione muttered, stifling another yawn.

"Never," he said in a playful voice.

"Talk to me. To keep me awake."

"About what?"

"Anything."

"Well, what's Jupiter's biggest moon?"

"It's covered in…mice? No, that's not right. Ice, it's covered in ice."

Ron giggled. He took a good long look at Hermione and saw her head beginning to fall. Ron didn't have the heart to keep quizzing her about Astronomy, the poor girl was exhausted, he thought. He began to talk to her about Quidditch.

After three minutes, her head hit his shoulder. Her breathing slowed. She was out, that was obvious.

Now Ron had a good chance to stare at his best friend.

She looked so pretty when she slept. She had tried to push her hair behind her ears, but it had escaped. It was as stubborn as she was. Fitting, Ron thought, she deserves it.

She wasn't snoring, that was no fun. He would tell her she did later, just to see if he could get a rise out of her. It was worth a try, just to see her eyes sparkle.

Ron sighed inwardly. When had he fallen for Hermione? How could he like someone like her? Someone who could be so evil to him one moment and make him so angry, he sort of just wanted to kiss someone else right in front of her. He didn't know why he thought that would make her mad, it just seemed like it would.

And then, the next moment, she would just be the most wonderful, perfect girl in the world. She would say something to make him feel like the greatest person on the planet, and she would really mean it. Why did she say things like that? Did she only say it to him? Maybe it was something she did only for him.

Oh God, Weasley, quit doing that to yourself, he thought, if she fancied you, she would have said something by now, done something.

But hadn't she kissed him? Had she not blatantly said, 'Good luck, Ron' and blatantly kissed him right there in front of the entire school? So, she had kissed Harry. But not like that. Not over something as minor as Quidditch. Sure, it wasn't a proclamation of love, but God, it had seemed close at the time.

His stomach rumbled. He was hungry. What if he just got up?

No, no, that was all wrong. She was sleeping way too peacefully. She probably hadn't gotten this much sleep since she'd realized O.W.L.s were only two weeks away. It was amazing really, how easy it had been to convince her to take a break. No one else had convinced her to stop for one moment. No one else had gotten her out of her foul mood.

Maybe it was because he was her best friend.

Then again, maybe not.

Maybe it was because she thought he was amazing.

Amazing.

Amazing.

FIN