Speaking with experience

Hermione felt a little odd as she headed towards Professor McGonagall's personal quarters. She had been invited to tea and she was looking forward to it but it still seemed a bit odd to be having tea with a professor. The day she had spent in Hogsmeade with Harry and Ginny had been nice but it still was only a shadow of what it should have been. Both of them had been really good about not making her feel like a third wheel and she was very thankful. It still didn't make up for the fact that Ron wasn't there. Hermione started to get just a bit misty eyed thinking about how she and Ron still hadn't been able to do all the things in Hogsmeade together.

Doesn't he know I need him, you can't just make somebody need you so much then disappear.

Ron hadn't really disappeared she knew. In fact she saw him every day in classes but that was it. He never came to the great hall to eat anymore and Harry and Neville told her that he wasn't sleeping in the dorms.

Merlin knows where he's sleeping, for all I know he could be sleeping in the Hufflepuff girl's dorms.

Hermione immediately knew that she was way off base there. Not only had all the Hogwarts girls said they would leave Ron alone but also that just wasn't the kind of person Ron was.

When Molly Weasley teaches a young man to respect women, they respect women.

That made her think of what Mrs. Weasley must have thought when she found out about what had happened.

I bet I never get to go to the Burrow again.

Hermione calmed down for a second before knocking on the door to McGonagall's quarters.

Professor McGonagall opened the door 'Right on time as always Miss Granger, please come in and sit down."

Her sitting room was warm and homey though not in the same way as the Burrow. It was a bit more refined but not stuffy. Hermione guessed that was the difference between not having six boys and a girl constantly tearing things up.

"So tell me Miss Granger how was your trip to Hogsmeade?"

"It was fun Professor but in all honesty it wasn't what I had hoped it would be."

"Would that have had anything to do with a certain redheaded Gryffindor boy not being there?"

Hermione nodded "It's just so frustrating, I waited three years for him to notice me. Then he comes back from Egypt and he's perfect and I think I'm in one of those stupid novels that Lavender reads. Then I have to deal with him being almost as big a hero as Harry. It seems like I've gotten used to the fact that Harry has to be in danger but now Ron is the one getting hurt as well. I thought when he lost his eye he might not take so many risks but it hasn't slowed him down at all. He's just so...."

"Gryffindor?" McGonagall questioned.

"Yes he's so very Gryffindor and I love him for it but it scares me. Now I guess I don't have to worry about it since he and I aren't seeing each other."

"Well I take it you still have feelings for him then?"

Hermione blushed fiercely at the question "Yes I do Professor and it's driving me crazy. For years I have done my best to take care of Harry and Ron and now when I want to take care of Ron even more I can't."

Professor McGonagall handed her a small plate with biscuits on it. "Well tell me Miss Granger, have you let Ron know what you are feeling?"

Hermione looked down "No I guess I really haven't. I have been so ashamed about what happened that I haven't gotten the courage to tell him how I feel about whats is going on."

"So it's possible Mr. Weasley thinks you really do want to be with Harry?"

"He shouldn't, the whole school knows I only think of Harry as a friend."

"If you will take some advice Miss Granger I would talk to him before the holidays. It will be the last chance you have before you and Mr. Potter leave for the Burrow."

"So Harry and I are going to be staying at the Burrow? Then I could talk to Ron then."

"No Miss Granger you will not be able to. Mr. Weasley has informed me that it is his intention to stay here at the school over the holidays."

"But the Burrow is his home."

"Yes it is but Mr. Weasley is feeling very isolated mostly by his own hand I'm afraid."

"Then I will talk to him before I leave."

"I should caution you Miss Granger. Do not expect for one talk to solve everything. Just let him know how you feel and give him something to think about over the holidays"

"I will Professor. Can I ask you a couple of questions Professor McGonagall?"

"By all means Miss Granger."

"Firstly where is Ron sleeping at night and why does he always look so tired?"

"Well the answer to your first question is easy. He is staying in a shed behind Hagrid's cabin. It's not very nice but it's where he chose and since I was worried he would go the way of the twins I relented and let him stay there."

"The second part of your question is a bit more complicated. Mr. Weasley is training very hard in his Directed Studies classes. In addition he is spending a great deal of time working on keep his transformations under control. Then there is the fact he takes Quidditch train seriously. He has also managed to improve his grades a bit during this time as well and finally he and Mr. Longbottom are working on some sort of project together. I also believe that Mr. Weasley is skipping meals and not sleeping very well. In short he has wound himself pretty tightly lately. I doubt it can continue for very much longer."

"Thank you for everything Professor but I feel like I should be going now. I have some things that need to be taken care of."

"That wouldn't include taking a walk down by Hagrid's cabin now would it?"

"It just might Professor, it just might."

"Oh one more thing before you go Miss Granger. I think you might want to have a look at this. It's the research Mr. Weasley did during detention. It's a pretty through look into the process of becoming an Animagus. I think you will be surprised by the quality of work."

She handed Hermione a folio full of parchments.

"I look forward to it Professor but I bet I'm not surprised. I've known for a long time Ron was much smarter than he got credit for but he didn't believe it until recently."