A/N: I want to thank ILuvRonniekins for this great idea. With out her I would have never had this brilliant idea for this chapter. So please read her fics and review them. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'll try to update as often as possible!

Chapter 4: Ron Confesses

The next day Ron saw Hermione in the Gryffindor Common room and decided to talk to her.

"Hermione do you have a sec, I mean could I talk to you for a bit?" asked Ron, while looking at the mass of books Hermione had lying on the table next to her.

"Sure Ron, but it has to be kind of quick I have a lot of homework to do." Hermione replied while working on Draco's Potions essay, and Pansy's summary on the Defense Against the Dark Arts chapter. Hermione looked up at Ron and saw deep concern in his eyes. She stopped doing her work so that she could give Ron her full attention.

"Well Hermione, I've been kind of worried about you lately and so has Harry. You're behind on your homework; you're up late almost every night. And the weirdest thing is that whenever you see one of the Slytherins you freak out. It's not like you Hermione."

"Oh Ron. I wish I could tell you but-" she paused suddenly. Should she tell Ron? 'I'll have to try,' she told herself.

"But what Hermione?" Ron asked, prompting her to continue. "I'm one of your best friends you can tell me anything, so what's going on?"

"Okay, well. the night the Slytherins took me, something happened," Hermione began in a slight whisper to make sure no one would hear her,"Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle broke into the common room and the girls' dormitory. They took Parvati, and me back to their common room," she paused again.

"What happened next Hermione?" asked Ron, he was curious and very concerned.

"Well then Draco put some kind of spell on us and told us not to tell any one about it," she stopped short of finishing her sentence when she suddenly remembered that she had to finish the Slytherin's homework.

"Ron I'm sorry but I really have to get back to my homework. I'll talk to you later." Hermione stated as she went back to working on the essay.

"No Hermione you have to tell me what happened! Why can't you tell anybody?" Ron began forcefully. He was starting to get angry. He didn't understand why she wouldn't talk to him. He looked down at her only to find her engrossed in working on the essay once more. He slammed his hands down on either side of her.

"Will you stop writing that stupid essay and talk to me?" he bellowed as he snatched up the parchment.

"Ronald Weasley you give that here this instant! I need to finish it!" she screamed back in a frightened voice.

"No! I won't give it back, not until you tell me exactly why you're so afraid of Malfoy!" He said in a concerned tone, but then dropped his voice to barley a whisper, and stared at his shoes when he continued. "Mione I love you. and I can't stand seeing you like this. I want the old Hermione back." he finished, daring to look at her again. Tears had welled up in Hermione's eyes when Ron had said "I love you", she looked up at him and began to speak shakily.

"I'm just afraid to tell you, I love you too Ron, but I just can't tell you."

With that said she ran out of the common room and up to the girl's dormitories.

Ron called out to her, but it was to late. She was already in her dormitory. He gently laid the essay down on the table. He felt so horrible that he had made Hermione cry; at least he thought he had. Ron went solemnly up to the boy's dormitories to tell Harry what had happened.

"So she just started crying and ran up to her dormitory?" asked Harry after Ron finished his story.

"Yeah, what am I going to do?" Ron inquired.

"Don't worry just leave her alone for a while. Give her some space," Harry replied.

"Okay I guess I'll do that," Ron said decidedly, and then let out a yawn. " Well I'm going to sleep, goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Ron. "

------------------Saturday---------------------

Hermione was feeling much better. Although she kept getting the feeling of wanting to go back to the common room and do some homework. She tried to fight it just as she had last night, although it wasn't working very well. Just as things could have gotten better they got worse when Pansy strolled into the library where Hermione had been reading. Hermione knew what she was after but didn't have anything to give her. She had left Pansy's summary and Draco's essay in the common room in her haste the night before.

"Hello Hermione," Pansy said with a sweet smile. Hermione couldn't understand why Pansy was being so nice. But then, if Pansy was in a good mood maybe she wouldn't be as upset when Hermione told her she didn't have her homework.

"Er.hi Pansy," Hermione said nervously.

"Why look so nervous Hermione? It's not like your trying to hide that you don't have what I'm here for." Pansy laughed. Hermione giggled nervously.

"So where are the papers?" Pansy asked.

"Er, it's funny actually; I don't have them. I mean I do have them, but just not here with me. I, er, left them in the common room by accident," Hermione stammered.

"Oh! You're right Hermione, that is funny. Too bad Draco won't think it as funny as I do whenyou tell him."

Hermione became even more nervous at this comment because at that moment Draco sauntered over.

"Oh there you are Pansy. I've been looking for you. It shouldn't have taken this long to get two assignments. Where are they Granger?" He asked.

"Well, I don't have them," said Hermione, her voice quivering in fear.

Draco started to get a little angry.

"And where exactly are they, and why don't you have them?" He inquired in the calmest voice he could muster.

"I accidentally left them in the common room," she sputtered, squinting her eyes and expecting the worst.

Pansy had started to giggle because she knew Draco was really upset. Hermione stood up in hopes that she could go back to the common room and at least get Pansy's summary. But then she realized that she hadn't finished a thing the previous night.

"Please tell me that they are sitting up in your common room finished and you were planning to go get them," Draco said coolly.

"Um, well how can I tell you this." Hermione squeaked. "I didn't actually get around to finishing them and." she tried to continue but was interrupted by a fuming Malfoy.

"You didn't finish them!" shouted Draco, "I can't believe this! The spell must not be working right. You should have finished them," He finished and raised his hand in an attempt to hit Hermione. But little did he know that Ron was in the next aisle listening to everything. When he saw Malfoy raise his hand he bolted out from behind bookcase to her rescue.

"Malfoy don't you even think about hitting her!" shouted Ron as he stood in front of Hermione so Draco couldn't hit her.

"Move out of the way Weasley, this is none of your business it's between Granger and me."

Ron didn't say anything, but just grabbed the thick book Hermione had been reading and hit Draco upside the head. He watched as the blonde boy sank unconscious to the floor.

"EEK! Draco!" shouted Pansy as she ran to his side and began fanning him with a thin book. "We've got to get out of here before he wakes up," said Ron as he gently lifted her and carried her all the way back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Ron, you saved me! Thank you!" Hermione squealed and gave Ron a kiss, but not on the cheek this time, "I love you Ronald Weasley! Now if you'll excuse me I still have to, uh, finish my work."

Hermione went back to work right away and was not disturbed the whole day.

To be continued...