Ch 8- Confessions?

A/N: Ok, this chapter is a LOT longer than the others, but it's been in the brewing for a very long time, and I think you'll enjoy it!

(One month later; approximately the 20th of December.)

It was the middle of December and the feeling of winter was in full effect. It was frigid outside, as snow lightly drifted onto the already foot high pile of snow that already covered the grounds. It was sunny. All in all, it was a beautiful winter day. Some could be found outside having snow ball wars, or skating on the frozen lake, or building a snowman. However, four students, two of whom had vivid red hair, could be found inside a warm circular room. Though, the feeling was anything but warm…

"Oh, so now I'm insane?" Hermione spat. "On top of your ever-growing list of things I am, should I list some? Hmm…prat, idiot, annoying, discommodious, need I go on?"

"You? What about me, and MY ever-growing list? Hm? Lets see, lazy, unorganized, thick, inconsiderate, oh and there was that whole I 'have the emotional range of a teaspoon' thing too!

"I can not stand you Ronald Weasley!"

"I can't stand YOU!"

"ARGUH!"

SLAM, SLAM!

It was dead silent. Harry and Ginny were the only two left in the common room. Harry broke the awkward silence and coughed.

"Well…that went well, right?"

"Er…yeah…what were they arguing about anyways?" Ginny asked.

"Um…I don't really know. I don't think they do either." Harry said.

"I think we're going to have to start moving a little faster on our operation H&R, or their going to kill each other…"

"Yes, I think so to. How's Hermione coming along anyways? Has she broke yet?"

"No, I almost had her." Ginny said wretchedly. "I expect she'll be breaking pretty soon though."

"Interesting." Harry said. "Still holding up that bet?"

"Potter, you know me better, I have made a bet and I am sticking with it until the end, no matter what." Ginny said matter-of-factually.

"Ok! What every you say Ms. Weasley." Harry mocked, bowing to her.

"Oh shut up!" she laughed. "So, have you started on Ron?"

"Oh, yeah, I got him to break like 3 days ago."

"Really?" Ginny said. "How did you manage to do that?"

"Well, it's like this…"

FLASHBACK

"Hey Ron, wanna play a game?" Harry asked.

"Sure!" Ron said, happy to abandon his homework. "What game?"

"Well, I made it up. Ok, I ask you yes or no questions and you have to say the first thing that comes to your mind, as quickly as possible."

"Ok."

"Ready?"

"I guess."

"Do like chocolate frogs?"

"Yes."

"Is your favourite color orange?"

"Yes."

"Do you prefer chocolate over vanilla?"

"Yes."

"Do you hate me?"

"No!"

"Have you ever farted in public?"

"Yes." Then he turned a deep shade of scarlet.

"Ron! That's disgusting"

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me you never have!" Ron retorted. Harry shrugged.

"Have you ever cried?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever lost in a game of chess?"

"No."

"Do you hate Draco malfoy?"

"Yes."

"Do you like the Chudley Cannons?"

"Yes."

"Do you fancy Hermoine?"

"Yes- NO! I mean NO!"

"Eh-eh-eh Ron, the first thing that came to your mind was yes! Your sub-conscious never lies!" Harry pestered him.

"Oh, come on Harry! You know that's not true! I don't fancy Hermione!" Ron protested.

"Well, you can always prove it." Harry said mischievously.

"Fine." Ron said. "How?"

Harry pulled out a small cubic object with a slight indent on one side.

"With this! Moody gave it to me. You know it detects lies!"

"F-Fine! What do I have to do?"

"Lick you thumb and put it on the indent and answer my question. If it lights up blue, your telling the truth, if it turns red, well…then it's a fact."

Ron gave Harry the fiercest glare he had ever seen in his entire life. Although his stomach lurched and he prayed to God that Ron wouldn't hate him after this, he held out the small die-like object. Ron pressed his thumb to his tongue for a second or two and then placed it onto the small indent. The detector turned green showing that it was ready for the question.

"Do you, Ronald Weasley, fancy Hermione Jane Granger?" Harry asked, with an evil glint in his eye. Ron took a large gulp.

"N-no."

The detector began to vibrate as both Harry and Ron stared at it, hearts pounding. Then, it stopped. They stared at it, and gasped as it began to glow a bright, fiery red.

"HA! I knew it!" Harry shouted as he punched the air. Ron's face was the same color as the detector which was now slowly fading back to green.

"Fine! I admit it! I…like…Hermione, more than a…a…friend." Ron said miserably.

END FLASHBACK

"Wow." Ginny said. "I didn't think my brother was that thick!"

"Yeah," Harry chuckled. "Neither did I." He said nervously. He had left out a whole other scenario that had occurred after Ron admitted he liked Hermione to Harry. Harry thought back to what had happened next.

FLASHBACK

Ron's frown suddenly turned into a mischievous grin. Harry stopped laughing.

"What? What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing really. Harry do you think maybe I could ask you a question?"

"Ron-"

"Harry come on, you've embarrassed me enough! Please???"

"Fine, one question!" and he licked his thumb and placed it on the detector which once again began to glow green.

"Do you, Harry Potter, have a crush on my little sister, Ginerva Weasley?" Ron grinned wickedly.

"No!" Harry nearly shouted. For the second time, the cube began to vibrate, and stop, once again. Harry stared at it shaking with fear. Ron's mouth hung wide open as it turned a bright fiery red. He looked at Harry and beamed.

"Hahaha! You're in love with my little sister! Hahaha!" he said as he clutched his side laughing.

"So!" Harry shot at him, and began laughing at him. "You're in love with my best friend! No, no, wait, you're in love with your best friend!"

Ron stopped laughing.

"You tell any one Harry and I swear, I'll beat you to pulp."

Harry held up his arms in surrender.

"Alright, alright, it's not like it'd matter anyways! The whole school knows you two fancy each other!"

"What? How?" Ron demanded

"It's obvious Ron! The way you two argue about stupid things and then make up for it, and how you always stare at each other, and blush when you catch the others eye!" Harry said.

"Wait, did you say 'fancy each other? Meaning-"

"She likes you back mate!"

"Bu-but, how do you know?"

"I just do. You see, me and Ginny have been trying to get you two together since the beginning of this year."

"You what?"

END FLASHBACK

"Harry, Harry?" Ginny was waving a hand in front of Harry's face.

"Huh? What?" Harry said snapping out of his own thoughts.

"Do you wanna go for a skate?" she asked him.

"A-A skate?"

"Yeah, you know, on the lake?"

"Oh…uh…well, you see…I…er…don't know how to skate."

"What? You don't know how to skate?" she asked him.

"Well, it's not like the Dursley's ever took me." Harry said miserably.

"Yes. Well, come on then! I'll teach you!" and she took his hand and dragged him out him out of the portrait hole, to the doors leading to the grounds.

(Inside Hermione's head, in her dormitory)

"Arguh. Why can't he just do his own homework? Why, why, why do we always have to fight. If he really likes me like Ginny says he does, then why is he always so rude to me? Why am I always so rude to him? Maybe I should go apologize. I can't stand not talking to him. Why does this have to be so difficult? Why can't we just say it and get it over with? Arguh. That's it, I'm going to apologize. I don't even care if he says sorry back."

(Inside Ron's head, in his dormitory)

"Geese, all that I asked was if I could borrow her potions homework because I didn't understand it. She didn't have to be so mean about it. Harry's lieing. She doesn't fancy me! She hates me! Well, I guess if I ever want to get a good grade in potions I should go apologize and maybe she'll at least help me…"

(Outside on the lake with Ginny and Harry)

The snow was lightly falling as many people skated on the lake, many, holding hands. Harry struggled to get his ice-skates on. Finally, he had the last lace laced and was ready to go. Or so he thought. Every time he tried to get up, he slipped and fell back down. Ginny laughed and grabbed his arm.

"Here, let me help you before you break your back!" she said giggling. He managed to get up with Ginny's help, but couldn't move.

"Now just glide your feet like this!" Ginny told him skating around in a small circle. He attempted to copy her and ended up falling again.

"Ginny, do we have to do this?" Harry begged her.

"Yes! It's so much fun once you get the hang of it!" She said pulling him up by the arm once again. "Here, take my hand, and I'll sort of pull you around until you get the hang of it. Harry blushed but took her hand. She began to skate as he held tightly onto her hand, feet wobbling. Finally he got the hang of it.

"Hey I think I got it!" He said.

"Good! Now you can do it yourself!" Ginny said.

"No! Don't let go! I'll fall!"

Ginny laughed, but held onto his hand. They glided around the lake a few times hand in hand. Then, Harry had no idea what came over him, but he slowed his skating a bit, bent down and kissed her on the cheek. She gave him an awkward sort of look.

"S-Sorry." He said, turning towards his skates, realizing what he had just done. She stared at him for another few seconds, (the longest three seconds of his life) before saying,

"You missed."

"What?" He asked turning towards her again

"You missed!" she chirped, and she leaned forward grinning, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips to his. After the moment of shock Harry had, he wrapped his arms around her waist. After quite some time, they pulled away.

"Oh, I missed!" Harry joked. Ginny laughed.

"Come on, lets go back up to the castle."

And the two trudged through thick snow up to the castle, hand in hand.

"Thanks for everything Ginny…I mean like, getting my mind off things…and Sirius."

"You're welcome. So, got any plans for Ron and Hermione yet?"

"No, not- wait, mistletoe!" Harry exclaimed

"What?"

"Mistletoe!" Harry repeated. "We can use mistletoe on them!"

"Yes, but- well actually, that's a pretty good idea!" Ginny said thoughtfully. Harry grinned.

"I think there's some hanging in the common room. We can jinx it to float over them if we can't get them to stand under it." Ginny suggested.

"Yeah, and once their under it, they won't really have a choice! Hermione knows the rules of wizarding mistletoe!" Harry said enthusiastically. "Come on, lets go!" And they began to sprint up to the castle faster than before.

"Look, they must have made up!" Ginny said, because not only were they sitting in the same room, but on the same couch- opposite ends all the same though.

"Well, lets ask." Harry said. "So, have you two made up again?" Harry asked grinning.

"Yes, fortunately or misfortunately, your call." Hermione said half-heartedly.

"Where have you two been anyways?" Ron asked, ignoring Hermione's comment.

"Oh, um skating!" Harry said. He only just then realized that he was still holding onto Ginny's hand. He made to let go, but Ron was too quick to notice.

"Were your hands cold?" he asked smirking.

"Er…sort of…" Ginny said blushing.

"So are you two a couple now?" Ron asked. Hermione looked up from her book, interested in the outcome of this conversation. Harry and Ginny looked at each other.

"Uh…if it's alright with you mate." Harry said uncertainly. Ron grinned even wider.

"It's about time!" he said.

"Look who's talking." Ginny whispered so that only Harry could hear her. He smiled. Then, he thought, trying to come up with a scenario to have Hermione and Ron stand next to each other. Much to his surprise, Ginny was way ahead of him. She bounded over and sat in between Ron and Hermione on the couch. Then she let out a fake gasp.

"Oh, no! I left my diary in the library!" she said. Harry looked at her skeptically but just listened intently. "Do you think you can get it Ron? It's 9 o' clock and prefects are aloud out until 10, so do you think you can get it?"

"Er…sure Ginny, I guess." Ron said.

"Oh, Hermione can you go with him and make sure he doesn't read it? He knows what it looks like but I just want you to make sure he doesn't read it. Can you go with him?"

"Uh…I guess so."

"Thanks guys you're the greatest!" Ginny said. Harry noticed the false note in her voice but he had a feeling he was the only one who heard it. Ron and Hermione got up and climbed out through the portrait hole.

"I thought Ginny had abandoned diaries after the incident in her first year." Hermione said.

"No, mum bought her a little purple one with flowers on it and reassured her it was from a muggle shop." Ron told her.

"Oh."

And they headed towards the library.

"So, do you plan on telling me your plan?" Harry asked her.

"Yeah, hold on one second." And Ginny sprinted up and back down the girls dormitory stairs holding a little purple notebook with flowers on it. Harry looked at it and grinned.

"When they come back, I'll just tell them that it was here all along, and well, they'll be trapped under this when they step inside!" Ginny said as she flicked her wand. "Windguardium Leviosa!" and a small red and green plant flew across the room, stopped and floated in mid-air, just a few feet from the portrait hole.

"Brilliant!" Harry whispered. Just then, two people came climbing into the portrait hole.

"Ginny we searched the entire library, and we didn't see it." Hermione told her.

"Oh! Here it is!" Ginny said in that sarcastic voice that only Harry could hear. He began laughing quietly until Ginny jabbed him hard in the ribs. Ginny grinned and gave a fake laugh.

"Haha, silly me, it must have been here the whole time!" then she gasped, and pointed above Ron and Hermione's heads. They both looked up and turned scarlet.

"So what, it's just some stupid little tradition." Ron said making to walk away, but Hermione grabbed his wrist.

"Ron, don't." she said to him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Ahh, I see Hermione knows what mistletoe means in the wizarding world doesn't she?" Harry said grinning.

"What? What does it mean?" Ron asked. He was now turning an even brighter shade of red. Hermione had not yet let go of his wrist.

"Well, it's like this," Hermione said. "if two people, of different genders happen to be standing under the mistletoe, and they realize it, and know what it means, and still decide to walk away with out… kissing each other, they'll have the worst luck for an entire three months."

"So, your saying, if we hadn't noticed it was there, or we didn't know what it meant, it wouldn't do anything?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded. Harry and Ginny now couldn't hold in their laughter and were covering their mouths with their hand and trying for the life of them not to giggle louder. Hermione and Ron glared at them.

"I think…we've been set up." Hermione said to Ron.

"Yeah," he said still glaring at Harry. "I think we have."

"Well, there's nothing you can do about it now, so kiss already!" Ginny said. Hermione shrugged.

"Ok." And she kissed Ron on the cheek who froze, and had a confused look on his face.

"There." She said. "I kissed him." She said nonchalantly (aside from her blushing the color of the sofa that is).

"Hermione!" Ginny whined. "You know that's not how you play this game!"

"I'm not playing any games! You never said where I have to kiss him!"

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione." Harry ticked. "Do you really want to take the chance and step out from underneath that mistletoe and possibly have bad luck for three months?" He asked

"Maybe." Hermione said.

"What would it do to your perfect academic reputation?" He asked. Hermione looked scared. But not as scared as Ron. He still hadn't moved from when Hermione kissed him on his cheek. Nothing but his eyes that is. He was staring bug eyes at his wrist which was still being gripped tightly by Hermione- who had in fact, just kissed him. Oh the things he was thinking…

Blood-y. Hell. I am standing under mistletoe with Hermione Granger. She just kissed me. On the cheek. I can't move. Harry says we have to kiss on the lips. I want to, but does she? I want to, but I can't. I want to but I don't know how. Why is she still holding my wrist? Not that I mind…she's looking at me…what do I do? She's talking to me…what do I do? I'm going to kill Harry when this is all over. What is she saying?

"Ron. Ron? Ron!"

"Wha-what?" stammered Ron.

"Did you hear what Harry said?" Hermione asked him. He looked into her chocolate brown eyes. They were full of fright and nervousness and…anxiousness? She had let go of Ron's wrist and was now wringing her own and pulling on her shirts sleeves.

Oh. My. God. I'm going to kiss Ronald Weasley. This feels so awkward, and yet so…right. Agh, what am I thinking? It's Ron! Yes, exactly it is Ron. If I had a choice if I wanted to kiss him or not, what would I choose? I don't know. That isn't that case though. In this case, I have to kiss him. Unless I want to fail all of my classes and I could certainly not have that. I have no choice. I have to do it. I want to, but I don't, but I have no choice, so there's no point in arguing with the fact.

"Well…" Hermione said.

"Uh, yeah…right…" Ron said. And he took a hesitant step closer to her. For the second time that year, he was extremely close to her. Again, he could make out the small lone freckle below her right eye on her cheek. Again, he could see where each one of her chestnut locks fell.

She was close enough to him to count the freckles on his face. They both stared into each others chocolate brown orsapphire blue eyes. At last, Ron leaned forward in towards her. They quickly brushed lips and jumped apart. Hermione muttered something about having to finish an essay and ran up to the girls dormitories. Ron said something to the same accord and ran up the boys dormitories, leaving a dumbstruck Harry and Ginny alone in the common room. They turned towards each other.

"That went well." Harry said.

"Yeah…I'll go talk to Hermione, and you Ron."

"Ok."

And they set off after their friends. Ginny knocked softly on the dorm door.

"Just go away Ginny!" Hermione said shakily. Ginny ignored her and opened the door.

"Hermione-"

"Ginny, please, just let me be!" Hermione pleaded between sobs.

"No." Ginny said. Hermione stared at her incredulously but didn't protest.

"Listen. I know you fancy Ron and I am not going anywhere until you admit to me the truth!" Ginny demanded.

"Ginny, I do not like Ron! Ok?"

"Then why were you so nervous about kissing him?"

"Because he's my best friend Ginny!"

"Why do you always blush when you 'accidently' brush hands?"

"I-"

"Why do you always stare at him? Why do you always think about him? Why do you always argue with him?"

"Because he's an inconsiderate prat, that's why!" Hermione snapped. Ginny ignored this and continued pestering her.

"Why do you always dream about him?" Hermione looked like she had been slapped. "Yes, Hermione, I said dream. Yes Hermione, I hear you say his name in your sleep. Tell me Hermione, why are you crying?"

"Because-because-" but Hermione was at a loss for words. "Stop pestering me!" She said.

"Hermione, you know you like him, I know you like him, the whole school knows you like him! Hell, he knows you like him, he just doesn't believe it because he thinks you are too good for him!" Ginny shouted.

"H-, w-, t-, g-, him?" was all Hermione could get out.

"Hermione, just admit it! It's not doing you any good keeping it a secret!" Ginny demanded.

"B- Fine!" Hermione retreated. "I admit it! I can't lie anymore! I give up! I do! It's true! Yes, every time he smiles, my knees go weak, no, I can never stand being mad him or him being mad at me, no, I can't resist his puppy dog face when he begs for me to do his homework! Yes, every single time he touches me, I get all tingly! I'm so pathetic! Every time I look into his deep blue eyes, I drown in the whirlpool they create in my stomach! I can't ever say no to him with out feeling guilty or hurt! I am madly, hopelessly, head-over-heals in love with your brother!" Hermione said, then burst into tears. This wasn't really how Ginny expected it to go.

"Hermione," she said sympathetically, "Then why did you run away just now?" she asked.

"Because, Gin, he's my best friend and kissing him just felt too…or so awkwardly…awkwardly…"

"Right?" Ginny offered.

"Yeah." Hermione said. They both sat in silence for about five minutes. Finally,

"He really likes you, you know." Ginny said to Hermione.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked her.

"Hermione, I know it's hard to believe, but I've known my brother longer than you have." Ginny said. Hermione smiled slightly. "Well, that's good isn't it? She's smiling." Ginny thought.

"Well, what I'm trying to say is, well, I've never seen him look at anyone, in my entire life, the same way he looks at you."

"Honestly?" Hermione asked her.

"I swear on my mothers' name." Ginny said truthfully. Hermione blushed a bit, and wiped away her remaining tears.

"If he really likes me…that way…then why doesn't he just say so? And why do we always argue?"

"Hermione, come on, I know you're not that thick." Ginny joked. "You, know Ron! He isn't really one to come out and say 'I love you Hermione now lets go snog!' now is he?" Hermione laughed and whacked her with her pillow.

"I think the question is why don't you just tell him?" Ginny said.

"I don't know really. What if he doesn't want to get together? What if he does, and we do, and things don't work out? Then our whole friendship would be ruined. I mean, I guess in the back of my mind, I kind of feel like, if I did tell him, and he felt the same, then Harry might feel like I was using him to get close to Ron." Hermione said thoughtfully. Ginny started laughing.

"What in the name of Merlin is so gosh darn funny?" Hermione asked whacking Ginny again with her pillow.

"You really think Harry would think that?" Ginny asked her. Hermione shrugged. "Hermione, Harry and I are trying to get you two together! He wants you to get close to Ron!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Y-Your what?" Hermione said.

"Yesss Hermione, we are trying to get you together! Why do you think we put that mistletoe there?"

"Oh…well…what now?" Hermione said. Ginny grinned and squealed.

"So you don't mind?" she squealed again.

"Well, no, why would I?" Hermione asked her skeptically.

"I don't know." Ginny shrugged.

"Well, I don't really want to rush into the relationship…I mean, if there even is going to be one." Hermione said.

"Oh, I know, I know. We're going to take it very slow." She told her. "Hermione, I have to ask you one question though." Ginny said.

"Ok. Shoot."

"Why do you always fight with Ron?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "I don't know, to tell you the truth…it's…sort of like this vibe, or our way of communicating I think." She said.

"I think you do it to get attention from one another." Ginny said calmly. Hermione blushed a bit and turned her head to the side and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well," Ginny said, "there are other ways of getting attention from each other besides bickering."

"Enlighten me Ms. Weasley." Hermione said as she faced Ginny, laying on her stomach and propping her head up with her hands, with her feet in the air, crossed.

"Well," Ginny said with a menacing grin on her face. "It's a little something I like to call flirting…"

"Ginny! I can't flirt with him!"

"Why not?"

"Because- because I- I don't know how!" Hermione admitted.

"Well, that's what I'm for now isn't it?" Ginny grinned. Hermione gave her a playful glare and smiled.

(With Harry and Ron in the boys dormitories)

"Uh…Ron?" Harry asked from the outside of Ron's bed hangings.

"What?" he said coldly.

"Er…do you um…wanna talk about what just happened?" Harry asked apprehensively. He expected a big shout or an order to "GET OUT!" from Ron, but to his surprise, he didn't. There was a few seconds silence as Harry stood there, ready to run if he had to. Finally, Ron pulled back the bed hangings. Harry let out a sigh of relief, seeing that Ron didn't look like he was going to scream or yell.

"Why did I run away?" He blurted out.

"Er…because she did?" Harry asked.

"Why did she run away?"

"Er…because she was embarrassed?" Harry asked again.

"But if she likes me like you said, then why is she embarrassed?"

"Well, think about it Ron. She has been best friends with you since we were eleven. Now, all of the sudden she starts getting these feelings that are more than platonic towards you. She's probably a little scared." Harry said knowingly.

"Scared of what?" Ron questioned.

"Well, she's probably first scared that you don't like her back,"

"But I thought you said it was obvious."

"Well, yeah, obvious to everyone but her. Anyways, she's probably second scared that if you do like her back, and you do get together, and then things don't work out, and then you break up, then your whole friendship will be ruined. Harry said all in one breath. Ron stared at him dumbly.

"Oh." He said stupidly. "Well…then how am I supposed to show her that I really do like her, and that everything will work out because I know it will and even if it doesn't that I wouldn't ever stop being friends with her?" Ron asked.

"Well, there's always that theory of not making fun of her, or yelling at her, or fighting with her, or-"

"Ok, ok, I get it!" Ron said. "But seriously, what do I do?"

"Like I said, don't argue or make fun of her. Try complimenting her, or making her laugh. Yeah, make her laugh." Harry told him.

"Are you sure this is going to work Harry?"

"Well, I have this strange feeling that Ginny is giving Hermione almost this exact speech at this very moment so…yeah, I'm pretty sure it's going to work." Harry smiled.

"Thanks mate." Ron said.

"Yup!"

Harry went back downstairs to find Ginny sitting on the couch by the fire.

"So, how'd it go with Hermione?" He asked her.

"Brilliant!" Ginny said with enthusiasm. "Oh, and Harry, you owe me five galleons." She said smugly.

"For what?" Harry asked.

"There's still one week before Christmas…don't you remember out little bet?"

"Oh…yeah…wait, you mean Hermione admitted she likes Ron to you?" he said unbelievingly. Ginny grinned and nodded her head with her hand held out. Harry mumbled something about it "being a stupid bet" as he dug in his pockets for his gold and placed it in Ginny's outstretched hand who said, "Thank you!" and ran up to her dorm.