Author's Note: Whoo! On to chapter 2!
The night before September the first was a long one... To me, it felt like the longest one. Ron and Harry were together in the den playing wizard chess while Mrs. Weasley sat knitting. Mr. Weasley had been called to work and Fred and George were upstairs with Ginny in her room most likely teaching her all they knew about the secret passageways of Hogwarts. I sat on the couch, petting Crookshanks, and reading a new book that was to be used this year for Transfiguration class. The only noise that was heard was the sound of the chess game and the crackling of the fire. I sighed and peered over my book to look at Ron, careful to not let him see me.
What had I been missing all these years? Why did it take so long for me to realize that I liked him? I shook my head. I may have been smart but I wasn't the smartest when it came to figuring out what boys likes about girls especially one that you consider your best friend. I shook it off and continued to my book. I yawned soon enough and looked at my watch. It was ten o'clock still a little early but I decided to head off to bed anyways. I stood up.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked.
"To bed," I replied.
Mrs. Weasley looked up from her knitting. "That's a good idea. Ron, Harry, you should get to bed too. We have to be up early tomorrow if we're going to make it to the train on time."
"But, mum, do we have to?" Ron complained.
"Don't complain to me, young man. Go on, shoo!" She stood up from the couch.
"All right," Ron said as he and Harry both stood up. "Goodnight, mum."
"Goodnight, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.
"Sweet dreams, boys." She looked at me. "Goodnight to you too, Hermione."
"Oh, goodnight, Mrs. Weasley. I suppose I'll see you in the morning." I followed Ron and Harry upstairs. I went into Ginny's room to find it empty but I heard noise coming from Fred and George's room. I hurriedly changed into my nightclothes, afraid of what Fred and George were doing to Ginny, and hurried up to Ron's room, making sure Mrs. Weasley didn't hear me.
I opened the door to find Ron in bed and Harry lying on the floor in a sleeping bag. "Are you guys actually going to bed?" I asked.
Harry yawned and replied, "Why not? I am rather tired."
"Yeah, 'Mione. We're going to bed."
"But I—" I started to say but decided not to. "Okay. Fine. Goodnight, Ron, Harry."
"'Night, Hermione," they replied.
I shut the door and walked back down to Ginny's room. I crawled into my sleeping bag after moving Crookshanks from my pillow. I felt my cat cuddled next to my legs and then I soon fell asleep.
I woke up to what I thought was night. I looked around to find no light but the moon shining brightly from the open window. Ginny was lying in bed, covers thrown everywhere while Crookshanks was curled under my sleeping bag. I smiled. I looked at the clock in the room which read two o'clock. "Whoa," I mumbled. "Why am I awake?" I shook my head, walked out of Ginny's room, and down into the Weasley kitchen. I put on a pot of water to make some tea deciding that maybe it would help put me to sleep. I sat down on a chair by the table and looked out the window, pondering mindlessly.
Then I thought of Ron sleeping peacefully in his bed upstairs. I smiled as butterflies came to my stomach. Guts, Hermione, guts… Just tell him. I'd been telling myself that for quite a long time and I never seemed to be able to tell him but it was our final year at Hogwarts and maybe…just maybe I could. I shook my head. "What am I thinking?" I mumbled. "I can't to that."
"Do what?" a voice said.
I turned around. It was Ron wearing blue and red striped pajamas which were apparently hand-me-downs as I could see how short the pant legs were for him. "Oh, hi, Ron. Nothing…"
"You okay, Hermione? How come you're not in bed?"
"I should be asking you the same thing."
"Well, I was heading toward the bathroom when I noticed that Ginny's bedroom door was opened. I walked in and saw that you were gone so I just came downstairs to look for you," Ron replied calmly.
"Were you worried about me?" I said, smirking.
"I just wanted to know where you were. I don't want one of my best friend's being kidnapped."
Best friend… I sighed silently. Will that be all you ever think of me as, Ron? Quickly, the pot of water started to whistle just at the right moment and I jumped up and removed it from the stove. "Want some?" I asked Ron.
He shook his head.
I took out a cup and a tea bag and poured some water out.
"Hey, Hermione?"
I looked up. "Yes?"
"What are you doing after this year?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you working? I mean, for the Ministry?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know." I took my cup over to the table and sat next to him.
"I hope so," Ron said.
"Why is that?"
"Harry and I are hoping to go into Auror study and we can't be at the Ministry without you. What fun would that be? You're our friend too."
I smiled. "Yeah…well, I always thought of going into the Ministry but it would be great if I got a job at Hogwarts."
"As what?"
"A professor… I would like to teach Transfiguation."
Ron chuckled.
"Oh, you think it's funny, do you?"
He tried to stifle his laugh while shaking his head.
"I don't think it's funny at all."
"You? A professor? C'mon, Hermione, I know you're smart but use your brain for something else," he managed to say.
"Like helping you and Harry at your studies this year and for becoming Aurors? I don't think so." I set my cup on the table while Ron – being who he is – continued to laugh. "And I don't find anything funny, Ron Weasley!" I grumbled and ran upstairs and back into Ginny's room, covering myself with the blanket of my sleeping bag.