Chapter 6

Most of November proved to be cold and rainy. Castles in Scotland aren't nearly so appealing in winter, especially if you're trying to stay warm. The huge fireplaces are great, but even between classes we were all bundling up because the corridors were so chilly. Professor Snape's classroom, which was down in the dungeon area, was colder than most since it was below ground, and he seemed to prefer it that way so his fire never seemed to match the need we felt for warmth. All of us got really good at taking notes with our gloves on, but invariably we had to remove them to make our potions. At least most of those were done over a heated cauldron that provided a little additional warmth.

Even though Harry and I had become officially a 'twosome', we still spent most of our time with Ron and Hermione, though I think they occasionally got annoyed with our giggling at each other or playing footsies under the table. Usually Hermione would roll her eyes and simply try to ignore us, but more than once I caught that wistful look again. She'd glance at Ron and then quickly back down at her parchment.

It took several weeks before I found the opportunity to talk to her about Ron. I felt certain she wouldn't admit anything in front of our dormmates, especially Parvati and Lavender who would have it known all over the school within an hour. Finally, we were in a corner of the library, away from the few others in the room and enclosed on two sides by walls. I figured this was as private as we were likely to get, and the guys were at Quidditch practice so they wouldn't turn up unexpectedly.

I took a deep breath and frantically searched for the right words, "Uh, Hermione?" I stopped, fighting back a brief attack of cowardice.

"Yes?" she asked questioningly, looking up from the book she was perusing.

"Um, if I ask you something, will you promise to be honest with me?"

I certainly had her attention anyway, because she set the book down and looked at me perplexed, "Well, of course. Why would I lie to you?"

I couldn't think of any way to sneak up on the subject so I just sort of attacked it head on, "Well, I've kind of noticed that you...you seem to really like Ron. Do you? Like him, as in 'boyfriend', I mean?"

She was startled, yes, but that wouldn't explain the red that quickly covered her face and neck. "Wh...what?"

"You heard me. I've seen you two together and I really think you like him, but it never seems to go anywhere."

I really think she considered lying to me, denying she had any feelings for him, but maybe she was glad to have someone to finally confide in. Having two guys, one of whom you like, as your best friends has its downside. They aren't exactly the best ones for heart-to-heart girl talk. As much as Hermione thinks she's much too sensible to act as silly as, well, say our fellow Sixth Year girls, that doesn't mean she doesn't still feel some of the same things they do.

She dropped her head so I couldn't see her face and nodded, "Yeah, I do like him." She sat there miserably a moment and then added, "But he just doesn't see me like that. He likes sweet, pretty girls. Not know-it-alls like me. I'm just a friend who helps him with his homework."

"I think you're wrong," I told her quietly. "I've seen the way he looks at you sometimes, usually when you don't see. I think he's just scared you don't like him back." She shook her head, unable or unwilling to believe this was possible.

"Hermione, I asked Harry if Ron liked you and he said he does. He just can't see you ever being interested in someone like him - poor, not too smart, not good-looking."

Her feathers ruffled at that, "That isn't true! Ron is very good-looking and he is smart. He just doesn't like to study is all. And he can't help being poor! There are more important things. He's funny and he's kind and he always stands up for me whenever anyone says or does anything mean to me!"

She suddenly realized I was smiling at her in amusement, and flushed red again at her tirade, looking quickly back down at her book.

I reached over and touched her arm, "Hermione, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. I agree that Ron is a great guy, and I think you're a great girl, too. The problem is, both of you are so scared that the other one doesn't feel the same way, you aren't admitting your feelings. But you both DO feel the same way, and somehow, some way I'm going to get one of you to take that first scary step so you don't have to keep looking longingly at each other from a distance!"

She looked a little panicked, "Oh, no! Don't do anything like that. It would really embarrass..."

I cut her off, "Do you really want to finish school and go off into the world, not knowing if you'll ever see him again without at least having had a chance?"

I could tell she was torn between fear and hope. "Don't worry," I added. "I'll try to make it as painless as possible for the both of you! But I'm determined to see you happy."

She smiled hesitantly but, I think, a little gratefully. She returned to her studies and I leaned back in my chair, wondering what I had just gotten myself into. I mean, it's not like I'm some world-class expert on love and romance or anything. Heck, Harry is the first real boyfriend I've ever had so I can't even claim years of experience with this stuff. But I knew it would be a shame if they couldn't get past their fear, and soon. I just had to figure out a way to pull it off.

Sooner than I expected, an opportunity presented itself and I dove in before I could chicken out. Ron and I ended up alone in the common room. Harry and Hermione had turned in earlier, but Ron was teaching me Wizard Chess. The room was empty except for us as it was a Friday and most wanted to be up early to enjoy their weekend, which looked like it might actually be rain free.

As Ron studied his pieces, planning his next move, I began, "Hey, Ron?"

"Yeah," he asked, only half listening to me.

"How come Hermione never goes out with anyone?" That broke his concentration and he looked up in alarm.

"What?" When I just looked at him, he added, "She's gone out with guys before. She went to the Yule Ball in our Fourth Year, with Viktor Krum." He rather spat out the guy's name, I noted.

"But that's only one guy in six years. I mean I know she's a brainiac and all and guys don't find that too appealing, but she isn't half bad looking. Do you think maybe she's just shy? I could try and fix her up with someone. I know of a few guys I've overheard making nice comments about her..."

Ron's ears turned red but it looked to be more anger than embarrassment. "Who's been talking about her?"

"Well, I'm not sure of their names...but I could find out."

"Look, they can just leave her alone! If they can't see how beautiful and wonderful she is and they're too stupid to ask her out without your help, then she doesn't need them! She could have any guy she wanted."

"Including you?" I asked quietly.

His head jerked back in astonishment, as if he feared I had read his mind. "Wh...what? Me? Hermione's not interested in me! Why would she be? We're just...just friends."

"Then why would you care if other guys asked her out?" I asked, and after a pause added, "And why did you tell Harry you liked her?"

His mouth worked wordlessly, trying to find something to say to throw me off the path I was coming down. All he could muster was, "Harry shouldn't have told you that."

"But I asked him. He would have had to lie in order to not tell me." I waited for that to sink in then told him, "Ron, my question didn't come out of the blue. I see how you two are together. I see you blush whenever you bump up against her for any reason. I see how protective you are of her. I see how you protect her from anyone like me suggesting she's not the most wonderful thing on the planet. And Ron, I happen to know she feels exactly the same way about you as you do about her."

His head jerked up from where he was trying to stare a hole in the table, wanting desperately to believe me but not daring to allow himself to do so.

And then, and I couldn't have timed it better if I had planned it myself, Hermione came down the stairs. I guess we had been sitting there longer than I realized and she noticed I still wasn't in bed when she got up to use the toilet. "Are you two still playing Chess?" she asked in amazement. "It's almost midnight."

Without missing a beat, I looked up at her and replied, "No, actually we've just been sitting here talking, about you." I glanced at Ron who looked mortified and was giving me a pleading look to please shut up. But Hermione's interest, or was it suspicion, had been piqued. "Talking about me?"

"Yeah. Ron was just admitting that he likes you a lot, as more than a friend." Ron was sliding down in his chair, bright red in the face, apparently hoping the floor would open up and swallow him. So I added, "He likes you about as much as you like him, in fact." Now it was Hermione's turn to go bright red.

Both were now studying the floor with the greatest interest. I stood up, "So, either of you want to call me a liar, or would you finally like to admit it to each other?"

Ron seemed to be frantically trying to find some courage, any courage, to even utter a sound either for or against what I had just said. But apparently Hermione finally decided she might as well know once and for all whether or not there was even a glimmer of a chance that I was right. "Well, actually, Ron...uh, I did tell De that I like you. I have for a long time. But it's okay if you don't feel the same way about me. We can still be friends." Her voice had trailed off to almost a whisper and I wasn't even sure he had heard her last few words.

It didn't matter though. He'd heard the first part, the most important part. "But...but I do like you 'Mione! It's just...just...you can do a lot better than a git like me," he mumbled.

Hermione's eyes had gotten very big, and teary, and a moment later she was sitting in his lap, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "Oh, Ron! You may be a git, but you're my all-time favorite git! And, you're wrong, I CAN'T do any better than you!"

When Ron got over his astonishment, his instincts kicked in and he kissed her. I took that as my cue that we were done with Wizard Chess for the evening and I beat a hasty retreat upstairs. Okay, so maybe it wasn't as painless to them both as I had hoped, but at least my mission was accomplished. Besides, now they'd be acting goofy too and wouldn't complain so much about how goofy Harry and I were being.