Chapter Two

Hermione stayed in Ron's arms for what felt like hours, crying onto his faded robes, leaving a water mark, making two spots darker than the rest on his faded black robes. Ron was frozen, in one sense, it was because he didn't want to move from Hermione's grasp, which was comforting her. In another, it was because he was frozen to his feet, not able to move for that one girl, who was always on his mind, was in his arms.

Ron felt movement in his arms, Hermione leaned back, he still held her shoulders making sure that she wouldn't fall back. "Thank your Ron, I-I don't know what I would've done . . . ," Hermione stopped talking, thinking of what to say, "I-If y-y-Draco had spread that rumor farther." She said to change her sentence at the last second. She looked up at him, staring into those beautiful Green eyes. She went on tiptoe, kissing him on the cheek. Smiling as she pulled away, then quickly walked the stairs, which led to her dorm, "Remember, don't tell Harry."

Ron smiled, and waved, "I won't." He watched Hermione go up the stairs, then started going up the stairs himself. Ron walked past the Girls Dormitory, Hermione was standing right outside of it. "Hermione?" He said, Hermione didn't even look back to even see him, just went into her dormitory. Shaking his head, he turned to go further up, then turned right. He opened the door, Harry standing about four feet away from the door. This surprised him, forcing him to jump back. "What are you doing, trying to get me to die young?"

It looked like Harry was staring at Ron, so Ron moved aside. Harry's eyes didn't move, he was staring at the door. Ron walked up to him, "Hello, is anything in there?" He waved his hand in front of Harry's face.

Harry shook his head, coming back to reality. "What?" He said with a dull sounding voice.

"What'd'ya mean 'what'? You were staring into space. I don't think you would've wanted to stay there all night, would you?" Ron said rather sarcastically.

Harry stared at Ron, "Listen, do you like Hermione, I mean, more than a friend?" Ron was about to answer his question with a 'no', just so he either wouldn't hurt his feelings, or so he wouldn't think that he would break up the friendship. But Harry continued, "Don't lie Ron, and I won't lie to you. I'm being truthful when I say this: I like Hermione. But I'm pretty sure you've figured that out by now." He continued to use the same unchanging tone of voice.

Ron stayed silent, waiting for Harry to continue. Also thinking of how to answer him, 'Why is he telling this to me? At least I might've had a chance if he didn't tell me, I wouldn't be scared that I was hurting his feelings."I just noticed now, when I saw you and Hermione together in the common room. I felt so . . . so . . . " He didn't finish his sentence, but started a new one, "I've been distracted, all these years, thinking always of Cho. Asking her to the Ball, and getting rejected, when I should've been asking Hermione instead. You can talk you know, I'm not the one to be talking for you." He looked over at Ron. His normally bright, luminescent Emerald Green eyes were a dull, faded Grey Green.

Ron wanted to change the subject, he just felt like he couldn't tell Harry his feelings after all that Harry had just told him. He stayed mute, hoping for Harry to continue or get the idea that he did not want to talk about it.

"Ron! C'mon! You have to tell me, I trusted you not to tell Hermione about the way I like her. Why aren't you telling me? I'm your best friend, and you should know that I wouldn't tell anyone!" Harry was now staring at Ron, but Ron couldn't tell if the stare was out of anger or if it was out of sadness that he wouldn't tell him.

"Okay! I like Hermione!" Ron practically yelled the first sentence, then quieted down the next, not wanting anyone to hear him. "Does that make you feel any better?!"

"Yes! It does!" Harry said, his face had a look between happy that Ron had told him, and sad that someone else had also liked Hermione.

Ron was trying to figure which look he was giving him, but didn't have the chance to figure out.

Harry turned away, looking at his bed, "I-I'm going to sleep now. 'Night Ron."

"G'night Harry," Ron said, rubbing the back of his neck. 'Now me and Harry like Hermione, how could I win? Harry is so, not like me. And I'm not like him, but he's the better one . . . ' He thought, now walking over to his bed. 'I guess it's all up to Hermione . . . ' The thought scared him, would Hermione really choose him over Harry? After all, Harry was 'Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived,' the most famous wizard next to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

(A/N: Sorry this chapter wasn't that long, sometimes I hate not having enough time to be on the computer. But I hope you like it!))