AN: Thanks to all who reviewed! Means a lot to me! This chapter does not include anything from HBP, and the situation I wrote about (you'll see when you read) never actually happened but for the point of this story it is true. Hope you enjoy and please don't be mad at me! It had to be done!

Ron's Dilemma

Ron Weasley was pacing the corridor directly outside of the Gryffindor Common Room. Ignoring the impatient huffs and sighs from the Fat Lady's portrait, he frantically racked his brain for the right words to say. He knew Hermione was unhappy. He truly did want to be with her, more than she could possibly know. The only problem was that he didn't know how to express to her how he felt. He didn't know the right words to say or how to act around her. The truth was that he just wasn't that great with girls. And he and Hermione were not just friends anymore. Oh no. Things have definitely changed.

No words could express how sorry he was. Oh how sorry he was for treating Hermione in such a way. If only she could read his mind; then she would know how wonderful, beautiful, and smart he thought she was. If she could read his mind she would know how much he cared about her and how he longed to touch her, kiss her, and feel her soft locks between his fingers. He wanted more than anything to just suck it up and show her how much he cares. He wanted more than anything to hold her in his arms' to stare into those warm, brown eyes and tell her how much he did love her. But, alas, every time he even thought of doing something for her he got cold feet and lost all self-confidence. Every time she walked into a room his heart stopped and his throat clamped shut. He would look at his shoes to hide the shame in his eyes.

Then, in a moment of glory, a stroke of genius came to him. Harry. He could ask Harry for advice. Harry really came into his own after he got over that awkward relationship with Cho. Ron could ask him to help on his confidence. It was just like Quidditch. All Ron needed was one good thing to happen and the rest would come naturally to him. He just needed Harry to get him started; a best friend to back him up and help him figure out how to let Hermione know how he felt.

Deciding that this was exactly what he should do he abruptly turned on his heel and walked briskly towards the Fat Lady. "Capricus," he mumbled ("Finally! You've been pacing for twenty minutes!") as he climbed through the portrait hole, scanning the common room for a sign of his raven haired friend. Thinking Harry may have gone to bed early, Ron waved off the calls from Seamus and climbed the spiral staircase towards the Sixth Years' dorms.

"Harry?" He called, jumping the steps two at a time. "Harry, are you up here?" Opening the door he found five empty beds and sighed. "Where could he be?" Ron wondered aloud as he slumped down onto his own bed. Thinking he would check the library he got up to leave when another stroke of genius came to him. The Marauder's Map. He could save himself the hassle of running all over the castle with just one look at the map.

He kneeled down before Harry's trunk and rummaged through his possessions until he came upon the stiff, yellowed parchment. Pulling his wand from his robes he gave the parchment a light tap and spoke the words, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Instantly inked filled the parchment and the map of Hogwarts unfurled before his eyes. First scanning the library, then the kitchens, then the corridors. Nothing. Maybe he was walking the grounds? There were a few people walking around the grounds tonight, mostly in pairs. Maybe he should take a nice long walk around the lake with Hermione. That would be romantic, right? Shaking that thought and returning to the task at hand he noticed two people walking away from the Forbidden Forest. It was Harry and Hermione. Thinking nothing of it, as they were friends, Ron cleared the map ("Mischief managed") and left the dormitory.

Returning once again to the Common Room, said hello to Seamus and Dean, declined their offer to play a game of exploding snap, and entered the corridor once again. Taking the many shortcuts he and Harry used so often Ron found himself at the Entrance Hall in no time. Harry and Hermione should be close to the castle now, so he decided to wait. He waited for about three minutes. Thinking they should have been inside by now his curiosity got the better of him and he moved his way onto the grounds. Harry and Hermione seemed to be having a very serious conversation so he ducked behind a bush as not to disturb them. Although he didn't want to overhear their conversation he couldn't help but catch the end of their conversation.

Harry's voice, sincere and full of passion, entered his ears and the words that he said shocked and angered Ron to his very core.

"I want to be that person, Hermione. I want to be able to hold you and tell you how much I love you whenever I want to." Was Harry declaring his love for his girlfriend? How could he? His best friend trying to take his girlfriend! "And I don't know if you do, or ever will, feel the same way but it doesn't matter because I will always love…"

Angry tears rolled down his face. And what he saw next made his hands shake. Hermione threw her hands around Harry's neck and kissed him. Kissed him! For a moment Ron couldn't speak, couldn't move, and couldn't think. He watched, paralyzed, as Harry twirled her in the air. He didn't hear the rest of their conversation, all he could register was the happy looks on both of their faces and feel the betrayal and heartbreak course through his body. Harry was his best friend! How could he do this to Ron? How could she so openly cheat on him for the whole school to see? Albeit, Ron wasn't the greatest boyfriend, but that thought was far from his mind at the moment. She was resting her head on his chest! Harry was running his fingers through her hair! His heart was breaking into thousands of pieces.

He couldn't stand it anymore. His hands clenched into tight fists, knuckles turning white, and breath coming out in ragged huffs Ron emerged from his hiding place and stomped his way over to the two people who he thought he could trust. Pulling Harry from Hermione, both with shocked and scared faces, Ron pulled back his arm and release all of his anger, hate, betrayal, and heartbreak into one punch. Hermione shrieks filled the air as Harry fell to the ground, clutching his right eye.

"You bastard! You are supposed to be my best friend and I find you snogging my girlfriend? How could you do that to me?" Ron was yelling at the top of his lungs as he bent over Harry. Harry got to his feet, trying to resist the urge to hit Ron back.

"Well, maybe if you didn't ignore Hermione and treat her like dirt this wouldn't have happened! She deserves someone who would treat her right!" Harry was seething. He was determined to make his point and defend Hermione in anyway he could. He wasn't about to let someone like Ron try to guilt him. Harry's eyes widened as another fist cam his way, but never connected with his face.

"Ron! No!" Hermione finally spoke. Ron stopped mid punch as Hermione's hands grabbed his. "Ron, I'm sorry! I didn't want to do this to you," Hermione pleaded him with her watering eyes.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry. But you should have talked to me! Do you know how much I love you? I've tried so many times to tell you, to show you how much I care. But every time I see you I can't think straight! I can barely even breath!"

Ron's anger was ebbing away now as he looked at her. All he felt was pain. He wasn't afraid anymore.

"I'm sorry Ron, but you've had your chance," Hermione sobbed. She turned her back to him and went to Harry, fawning over his eye. Harry was trying to tell her he was fine, Ron could tell he didn't want to make another scene. But it was too late.

"I can't believe I trusted you," Ron whispered. Harry's gaze dropped to his feet. This was all Harry's fault. He shouldn't have done anything. Ron was his best friend and he betrayed for a girl. How could he have done that?

"No, Harry, don't go feeling guilty!" Hermione could read him like a book. "It's not your fault! It's Ron's." It was Hermione's turn to be angry. She shot Ron a scathing look. "It's your fault this happened, Ron. This never would have happened if you had been a good boyfriend. You neglected me and I found someone who actually cares about me."

It was time for Ron to feel guilty. But he wouldn't show it. He wouldn't. Instead he allowed the feeling to fill him up and then turned it into anger. He couldn't be angry with Hermione, if he was he might do something he regretted- like hit her. So he turned back to Harry. "No! None of this would have happened if Harry could keep his damn mouth shut! And you think he actually cares about you? Do you know how many girls he's actually been out with? And all of those girls were having relationship problems. Harry boasted about all the times that he swooned vulnerable girls just to get a good snog out of them! Want me to name them for you?" Ron took great satisfaction in their reactions as his words settled in. Harry's mouth turned into a grimace, his eyes narrowed to angry slits, and his hands clenched and unclenched. Hermione's eyes widened and mouth dropped. She was looking back and forth between the two of them, hands shaking, not knowing which boy to believe.

"What the HELL Ron?" Harry yelled. "I told you that in confidence!" Harry was fuming. Hermione turned to face him. "WHAT! THAT'S TRUE? YOU ASSHOLE!" Hermione smacked him so hard there was a handprint on his cheek. With that she turned and began to run towards the castle.

Harry turned to Ron, anger etched in every inch of his face. "It was different with her! I care about her! I LOVE her!" He was inches from Ron's face. "I love her too, Harry! And you took her from me! My best friend! I did her favor and told her the truth, she deserved to know that much!"

Harry opened his mouth, thought better of it, and punched Ron in the nose, who immediately began to bleed. As Ron lay on the ground, trying to stop the blood, Harry tore up to the castle after Hermione. He needed to make things right.