Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling except for Ron because she gave him to me as a birthday present! Woo-hoo! Any suggestions on what I should do with him? Just Kidding!

A/N: Thank you all for the good-luck wishes and the "happy birthdays". I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update but I've got a lot on my plate right now. School starts back in a week and I have to get a job! I passed my test and now I'm a licensed driver! Watch out for a retard in a silver Corolla because that'll be me. Thanks to GeekGurl for pointing out the missing word. I read that stupid sentence fifty thousand times and I still messed it up! Oh well! Thanks! Thanks to Jessjica for thinking I'm "awesome-er"! Thanks for reading my story and I'm glad you enjoy it. On to the story!

Hogsmeade

Once again time flew by but this time thoughts of Ron kept me sane throughout all of the turmoil. All of the students seemed to become even more ill behaved as the Christmas holidays drew closer but thankfully most of them had gone home to be with their families. I was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas this year because my parents thought I would be safer here. I didn't get to hear from them because of the mail issue but Dumbledore passed on messages from time to time. So far my nightmare had evaded me and the book containing the Combibo Cognatus potion seemed to evade me as well. It was now a few days before Christmas and I was finally on my long awaited vacation.

Ginny, Harry, Ron and I had permission from Dumbledore to head down to Hogsmeade to purchase Christmas presents so we were going take a trip over there today. I hadn't spoken with Ginny much lately so we had planned a "girl's night" for this evening. Looking into the gilt mirror attached to my vanity; I patted on some foundation, brushed some blush onto my cheeks, and slicked on a coat of pale pink lip-gloss. I wasn't much for make-up but I wasn't about to venture out into the harsh December without it on. I wasn't superficial by any means but I didn't want to look like Rudolph in front of Ron. Standing up from the bench I had been perched on, I slipped a dark gray peacoat over my red sweater, pulled my hair from underneath the collar, and grabbed my change purse. Ginny had told me that we were all going to rendezvous in the Entrance Hall at 1:00 and, glancing at the clock, I noticed that it was already a quarter till. Checking to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I pulled my bedroom door open, walked through the empty common room, and hurried down the carpeted hallway.

"Harry and I need to buy presents for you two so we're going to head off on our own. Let's meet up at the Three Broomsticks at 3 o'clock. Is that okay?" Trying to wipe snowflakes out of my hair, I nodded my head at Ginny who grasped Harry's hand and scurried off in the opposite direction.

Glancing over at Ron, I smiled shyly at him and blushed when he grinned back at me. To my annoyance the wind was whipping my hair around as we stood on the sidewalk and small chunks of it were sticking to my lipgloss. Before I could dislodge the hair from my mouth, Ron reached over and brushed away the wind blown pieces. His gloved fingertips resting on my cheeks for longer than necessary, Ron said, "I've only got to get Harry's present now so it won't take me long. What about you?"

Squinting my eyes against the biting wind, I replied, "I just need to pick something up for Ginny so I don't need to do a lot of shopping either. Where did you want to go?"

In a guilt filled tone he said, "Actually I have no idea what I want to get Harry. Maybe we should just head over to Zonko's and see what we can find there. Both of them love that shop." Nodding in agreement, I started to head toward Zonko's joke shop but Ron pulled me back. Frowning down at me he said, "You look cold and the wind is horrid. Come here. We can share my coat." Ron proceeded to pull me tightly up against his body, wrapped the edges of his jacket around me, and snaked his arm around my waist. We walked that way for a few feet and I couldn't help but feel light headed knowing that Ron was the one keeping me safe from the cold. Calming down, I realized that I could feel his heart beating rapidly underneath my hand and I wondered if it was from my closeness. Slipping my arms lower to encircle his waist, I snuggled closer to his side and rested my head on one of his broad shoulders. I hadn't gotten to talk to him about our argument before now but I fully intended on delving deeper into the issue today. We were alone together and now would be the perfect time to figure out what had gone wrong with our friendship. Of course, I knew why I had been mad at Ron but I still didn't really know what had caused Ron to act the way he had. I hadn't seen him hanging out with Parvati lately but that was still an issue I wanted to discuss. I needed to figure all this out while also trying to gauge whether or not he thought of me as girlfriend material. Wrapped up in his arms as I now was, I couldn't help but think that he might reciprocate my feelings.

Unraveling his arm from around me, Ron said, "Here we are. Err...Hermione can you let go?" Realizing that I hadn't taken my arms from around him, I dropped the offending appendages to my sides and followed Ron into the store. The shop owner welcomed us both, told us to "give a yell" if we needed help, and left us to our own devices.

Making my way over to a promising stack of self-igniting toilet paper, I glanced sideways at Ron and said slyly (or not), "Soooooo...Ron. How's everything with Parvati? I know you said you weren't worried about her but...you know." Score for me! Blunt enough so that he wouldn't get confused but somewhat vague so that he wouldn't get suspicious.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ron look up at me from a pile of dog poop flavored toothbrushes and I saw his delicious mouth move as he said, "Parvati and I were never really a "couple" so to speak. To be honest with you I just flirted with her to make you jealous. I know she gets on your nerves a bit. I'm really sorry about that you know. I can be quite the prat sometimes."

Raising my eyebrows up, I said very inconspicuously (yeah right), "You say jealous. Why would you want me to be jealous? " Inside I was screaming at the top of my lungs and I felt like doing a jig. Ron never really liked Parvati! He admitted that he did it to make me JEALOUS. He wouldn't want me to be jealous over another girl if he didn't like me in a "girlfriend" way! He was a bloody idiot for doing it but I was so happy I could forgive him anything.

His cheeks turning an appealing shade of pink, Ron mumbled, "I just...wanted to see how you would act...not that I...well I...you know." Before I could ask him to explain further, a bell over the door jingled and Draco Malfoy waltzed jauntily into the room.

A smirk engraved on his pale face he said, "Ah Granger and the Weasel! What, are you two on a date? Good Lord! Let me soak this in for a second." Malfoy guffawed until he was blue in the face and I thought he might pop out a baby hippo at any moment. "Weaselby please tell me you weren't planning on buying a crap flavored toothbrush for Granger. Her breath's already bad enough! Besides, you don't want your family to starve this winter. You had better conserve!" Malfoy really was nice when we were in Potions but he was still overly cruel about Ron's financial status. He claimed he was just keeping up his image but I knew he just loved to get Ron into a huff. Plus the comment about my breath was a little overboard!

Ron looked ready to blow so I grabbed his arm and two of the rolls of toilet paper. Whispering soothingly under my breath, I paid for the presents and maneuvered a reluctant Ron away from the shop. Once we were far enough away I loosened my grip on Ron's arm but I couldn't bring myself to end the contact. Sliding my trembling hand down his forearm, I slipped my index finger into his palm and after a moment Ron wrapped his hand around the digit. It felt as if a bright light had gone of in my body and I couldn't help but beam at everyone who passed by.

Squeezing my finger lightly, Ron said in a frustrated voice, "I don't know what's wrong with Malfoy. He just acts like such a jerk! I don't like it when he makes fun of you like that Hermione. You know I would beat him senseless if you'd just let me. I still don't trust him even if Dumbledore does. I really don't like the fact that you two share a common room. He hasn't tried to...do anything to you has he?" Ron had stopped underneath an overhang from a nearby boutique and was now banging a fist into his open palm.

Shaking my head no, I grinned at his over-protectiveness, pulled him down by his jacket lapels, and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. As Ron straightened up to his full height he wrapped his arms around my hips and I felt my feet dangle several inches off the ground. Giggling like an idiot, I swatted at his shoulder and squealed that I wanted him to let me go.

Toffee eyes met sapphire ones as I heard Ron huskily mumble what sounded like, "I wish I never had to let you go Hermione."

Just as I was about to ask him to repeat what he'd said, I felt him stiffen up and then I was being plopped down on a spot a few feet away from him. Missing his warmth, I looked up into his flushed face only to find that he was staring at a point directly behind me.

Turning slightly to my left, I saw two people who both appeared to be grinning like fools. Harry and Ginny were snuggled up against each other and they both had expressions on their faces as if they were on the verge of winning Wimbledon. Giggling uncontrollably, Ginny said, "You two Look up." Wrinkling my brow in confusion, I looked up at the roof we were positioned under and blushed deeply at what was dangling above my head. A scraggly looking clump of mistletoe was hanging by a grimy piece of yarn and it seemed to be indicating that Ron and I should kiss. Butterflies took flight in my stomach as I looked at Ron only to find him staring heatedly at my mouth.

Neither of us moved a centimeter but I heard Ginny say exasperatedly, "It's 3:30 if you two didn't know and I would venture to guess that you didn't. We came looking for you after you didn't show up at the Three Broomsticks. I need to borrow Hermione so we can go have our "girl's night". Ron, you don't mind, do you?" Ginny didn't seem too concerned with Ron's answer because she had already grasped my left arm.

A hitch in his voice, Ron stared into my eyes and said, "That's fine. I needed to... talk to Hermione...but I guess it can wait till later."

I tried to give him a goodbye hug but Ginny was already pulling me down the snow-blanketed street. Waving wildly back at him, I turned around towards Ginny and said, "Ginny! What'd you do that for? We were...enjoying ourselves. He was about to snog me you loon!"

Frowning sideways at me, Ginny replied, "Yes, I noticed. I know you two are meant to be but don't you think you're moving too fast? You and Ron just started talking again."

Gasping in outrage, I shot back, "I'm not moving too fast! He already said that he didn't like Parvati and he only wanted to make me jealous! He wouldn't tell me why he had been acting so strangely but I trust him to tell me when he can."

In a teasing voice Ginny said, "Ron's strange all the time so I don't know what he has to tell you. Maybe he wants to tell you he's in love with you but he doesn't know how to do it."

Groaning aloud, I said, "I only wish that "love" was why he acted the way he did but it's really not a good excuse. He could have just told me!"

Wrapping my coat tighter around me, I glanced over as I heard Ginny snort and laughed when I saw her roll her bright blue eyes. Poking me playfully in the stomach, she said, "That's the pot calling the kettle black! You ignored Ron because you thought he didn't like you and there's no way you would ever admit to being in love with him. You're a couple of chickens if you ask me! I would have thought your house getting burnt down would have scared Ron into telling you his feelings but apparently that didn't work. Something big is going to have to happen if you two are ever going to get together." Wrinkling my brow, I thought about what she had said. Could she be right? Would Ron ever admit to his feelings? I didn't know if I would ever drudge up the courage to spill my guts to Ron and Ron wasn't exactly a suave debonair ladies man.

After a few more minutes of trudging through the heavy snow we made it back to the castle and quite a while later we were both lazing in front of a blazing fire in my Head Girl room. A pillow cushioning my head, I was sprawled out on a fluffy red rug before the grate and Ginny was lying next to me with her long auburn hair spilling across a golden hued throw pillow. Grabbing a handful of cheese doodles from a plastic bowl beside me, I stuffed the junk food into my mouth and flopped over until I was facing Ginny. Mumbling through my snack, I asked, "Ginny, how's everything going with Harry? How...far have you two gotten?"

Pretending as if she didn't know what I meant, Ginny scrunched up her nose in mock confusion and asked, "How far in what?" Rolling my eyes toward the ceiling, I turned over, pressed my face into the thick carpet, and mumbled, "I mean how far have you gotten...physically?" Ginny gave an unconvincing "Ohhhhh!" and I heard her squirm around on the floor trying to get comfortable.

"Well...we've done a bit of snogging...of the French variety. He's quite good at it you know."

Making a fake gagging noise in my throat, I yelled in a strangled voice, "Stop! I don't need to know about Harry's...prowess in the art of kissing. Is that as far as you've gone?"

Ginny laughed hysterically for a while but she eventually replied, "Well...you know. A little fondle here; a little fondle there. Just kidding! You don't have to look so sickened you cow! We show our affection but I'm not Parvati for heaven's sake!" Grinning at that, I rolled onto my back and gazed into the orange flames casting shadows around my room. Ginny continued in a more serious voice, "It was tough at the beginning of the summer. Harry still isn't totally over losing Sirius but he's gotten loads better. He puts on a front for everyone but I can tell he's really hurting inside. In a way it hurts me to see him in pain but there's not a great deal I can do about it."

Rolling over until I could see the tears glistening in her eyes, I said softly, "I know what you mean Ginny. Harry probably won't ever completely get over losing Sirius but I think you're the main reason he's come as far as he has. I just wish Ron would open up to me as mush as Harry has to you. Watching him play chess is sometimes too much for me to handle! Did you know his left ear twitches whenever he spots a really fantastic move? Or did you know that if you connect the three freckles on the back of his neck you could draw a perfectly symmetrical heart? I notice idiotic things like that! I used to count the stupid freckles every night when Ron would fall asleep doing his Potions homework in the common room! Sometimes I wish I didn't love him so much because it hurts knowing that he has no idea! It's maddening thinking that he might never know because I'm too much of a coward to tell him the truth!" By this point Ginny and I had both started leaking tears but I was semi-relieved to find that I wasn't the only one who "counted freckles". After we had calmed down, Ginny and I cleaned up the food wrappers and we applied a soothing chamomile facemask that happened to be a vibrant shade of chartreuse. Settling onto the king size bed like a strange green alien, I slipped cucumber slices over my eyes and waited for the paste to dry. A half-hour later I felt pieces crumbling from my face and I woke Ginny up from her doze. We scrubbed our faces until they were bright red, brushed our teeth, and slipped into snug flannel pajamas. Climbing under the covers, I whispered a sleepy "good night" to Ginny and pretty soon I had sunk into a familiar dream...

"Draco, it's time for Potter and his little friend to die. I'll let you do the honors." Lucius Malfoy was standing in the shadow of an aging oak tree but you didn't have to see his face to know he was pleased with the situation. Draco Malfoy, wand at the ready, was standing facing a boy with unruly black hair and another taller boy with flaming red locks. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley were being held up against the side of an unkempt brick house and the looks of unadulterated fear on their faces would have chilled anyone to the bones.

Smirking widely, Draco said in his pompous voice, "Yes, father. It is time." A swirling fog enveloped my line of vision and I felt myself free falling through an almost pitch-black tunnel of clouds. White light flooded through small openings in the dark but I flew by too fast to catch a glimpse out of the holes. Suddenly I stopped tumbling through the air and I found myself looking up at a hill. Something seemed to beckon my up the grassy knoll and my legs started climbing of their own volition. As I reached closer to the top I glimpsed two robed figures conversing quietly but as I moved in I saw that a third figure was lying still on the ground. Blood was pooling under his or her head and I tried to get the attention of the pair who was hovering beside the fallen individual. When neither of the two responded to my cries, I kneeled down in the puddle of blood and pushed back a mass of blood smattered brown hair...

Heart pounding violently, I shot up out of bed screaming and I stubbed my toe on the nightstand in the process. Ginny, who had awakened at my scream, sat up in a flash and gawked at me for a few minutes. Recovering from her shock, she asked in a bewildered voice, "What in the blue blazes is wrong with you Hermione Granger?"

Sinking to my knees on the carpet, I could barely gasp out, "It...it was me Ginny! I saw myself...in my dream. I was dead!"

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! The part in italics was a dream sequence. Hope you all got that. I guess this was another cliffhanger. I'll try to get another chapter up as soon as possible. I may only be able to post a chapter every other day. The only way I can get them out that fast is if you wonderful people keep reviewing! Reviews keep me writing and writing keeps me sane!

Lots of Love - Miss Dissendium

P.S. When I had Ginny say kissing "of the French variety" I think I read that in the Georgia Nicolson series. It sounds exactly like something she would say so she probably did say it about the "Sex God". Those of you who have no idea what I am talking about just ignore me and go about your happy lives. Bye for now!