Okay so when I started writing this I thought that I'd just write it as a one shot. But then those amazing reviews came! I'm really glad that all of you loved my story. I was telling my friend today that if I got one more person asking for more than I'd give it to them. Well I ended up with three more! I want to thank you all for reviewing! Please review as much as possible not just this one but also my other story called Love, Voldemort and Happiness? I'm dedicating this to my family and friends as well as all who reviewed my story. I hope you enjoy my next chapter.
It was a week after the almost 'kissing' incident and Hermione was still giving Ron the silent treatment. After crying about not getting her first real kiss, she had overheard Lavender smugly telling all of the girls about 'Won-Won's' kissing ability. This was like salt to an already open wound. She held her head high as she always did and pretended not to care about Ron Weasley…but late at night when everyone else was asleep; Hermione stopped pretending and would spend hours looking at the stars, wishing on every one that Ron would someday be hers. As you all know by now, she was sensible enough to know that it wouldn't come true but she was also yearning that her dreams would come true at least once in awhile.
Harry was her only friend at the moment. He'd sit beside of her, trying to convince her to tell Ron the truth.
"Hermione, couldn't you just…?"
"No!" Hermione would snap after about twenty minutes of pleading. "I am not going to degrade myself. I have lots to do, Harry and obsessing about our redheaded friend is pointless. I'm going to get over him" Hermione tried to say convincingly under Harry's knowing glance. "I am!" She said frustrated as Harry rolled his eyes at her weak tone.
"But Hermione, you love him" Harry said. Hermione ignored Harry at this point and go back to whichever essay she was currently writing or turn the page of the book that she was reading. That didn't mean that Hermione never would consider Harry's passionate plea. It was the fact that Hermione Granger was a control freak and she didn't want to lose control with Ron. She couldn't tell him that she loved him because Ron knowing it felt scarier than this pinning thing. Hermione was in the library when Professor McGonagall came running in. "Ms. Granger, your friend, Mr. Weasley has just entered the hospital wing. He was poisoned!" Suddenly the world started spinning wildly. Millions of questions sprung into Hermione's head as she struggled not to loss consciousness.
"What do you mean!" Hermione practically shouted, causing Madame Prince to glare at her.
"Ms. Granger, I can't elaborate further on his condition" Professor McGonagall said, still stunned by Hermione's outburst.
"Bloody Hell!" Hermione shouted in frustration as she raced to the infirmary. She felt sickened as she pictured Ron, pale and shivering, Ron, dying slowly and finally a black coffin. Those seconds running to the infirmary were the worst moments in Hermione's life. She had shed all of her levelness, her sensibility as well as her common sense as she ran up those cold, stone stairs. The first person she saw was Harry.
"Harry, what's wrong with Ron?" Hermione asked demandingly, her voice rising in fear, tears running down her face. Harry was shocked by Hermione's look. Her hair was bushier than normal and she looked wild with fear.
"Ron's going to be fine. He was poisoned by drinking some mead of Slughorn's but he'll be okay." He put his arm around her and led her into the infirmary. In a bed next to the window with Ginny, Fred and George was Ron. He was quite pale which made his red hair stand out even more. It took Hermione all her strength not to cry as she looked at him. Her Ron was stubborn and certainly didn't look so defeated. As the others talked about the poisoning, she stood next to the bed, trying so hard not to break down.
She only chimed in once when they were talking about Slughorn and after her explanation something really remarkable happened. "Er-my-nee," Ron croaked out from his bed. Hermione looked at Ron in shock which quickly turned into joy. Ron had tried to call out her name! Not Lavender's not even a member of his own families, not even his famous line of 'bloody hell'! No, instead he had called out her name. Hermione had never felt such a burst of joy in such a long time and even though she tried desperately to appear unmoved by this, she couldn't. Ginny glanced over at her knowingly while Hermione tried once again to look innocent. Hermione stayed as long as she could before they went back to the Gryffindor Common Room. However, that same night, Hermione couldn't sleep. She quietly grabbed her robe, putting it on along with her slippers and quietly left the room.
She was careful not to get caught and felt a bit of a thrill as she cautiously made her way down the hall. Hermione had never done this unless it was with Ron and Harry. She felt a bit proud of herself for not doing what was expected of her for once. Hermione looked around carefully before entering the infirmary. Luckily, since it was after all a little after midnight, Madame Pomfrey was already asleep in her room connected to the infirmary. Hermione quickly took out her wand from her robe pocket whispering, "Alohamora" and entered the room. Ron was asleep as she crept over to him. He looked even more handsome in his sleep than when he was awake. Hermione sat on his bed and she boldly grabbed his hand. Ron made no movement, which insured Hermione that he wasn't anytime soon. Suddenly, without warning, her eyes filled with fat tears. "Why did I have to fall for you?" she asked Ron's sleeping form.
Shockingly, Ron started moving. Hermione gasped in surprise as his eyes opened slowly. "Hermione, what are you doing here? I thought you were still mad at me and why are you holding my hand?" Ron asked. Hermione quickly dropped his hand and wiped away her tears, furious that he'd seen how vulnerable she was. She was going to lie about it but she decided to tell him the truth…partly anyway.
"I was worried about you, you git" Hermione said, almost stuttering over her words.
"At two fifteen in the morning?" Ron said, obviously enjoying himself immensely at her expense. Hermione's eyes narrowed.
"Don't let it get to your fat head! I promise you that I won't worry about you again!" Tears blurred Hermione's vision as she stood to leave. For the second time, Ron surprised her. He grabbed her wrist.
"Hermione, wait!" She looked at him questioningly. "Don't go," Ron said quietly "I don't want you to go. I actually would like to talk to you." Hermione hesitated. Ron obviously sensed her hesitation. "I'll call a momentary truce" he said seriously. Hermione smiled in spite of herself.
"Okay"
"Good," Ron said as she resumed her place by his bed "so who came to visit me?" "The twins, that left you your birthday present. Hagrid, Harry, Ginny and your parents. Lavender wanted to come but we had too many in here." Hermione said almost grudgingly bringing up his girlfriend. Ron sighed.
"The best birthday present given to me was having her gone." Ron said as he grabbed the present that the twins had given him. Hermione looked at him with shock as her heart continually beat with hope.
"Ronald, she's your girlfriend!" Hermione said.
"Ahh come off it, Hermione. I know that you don't like her either." Ron said as he unwrapped the large, purple wrapped gift.
"Well I have a right to dislike her." Hermione said indignantly. "However, if you don't like her so much then what the Merlin are you dating her for?" Ron turned silent, fiddling with the wrapping paper that had revealed new Quidditch robes.
"I don't know" Ron said finally after about two minutes of silence. "I guess because I wanted to prove Ginny wrong." Hermione's heart sank. She had really hoped that Ron would've said it was for her but Hermione also knew that the whole idea was wishful thinking in itself.
"Well that's a really stupid reason to go out with someone. If you only date a person for something like that, then why not someone you actually like?" Hermione said, taking the wrapping paper from his bed and straightening it. Ron watched as she carefully folded it and put it away.
"Because I was being impulsive" Ron said, clearly full of regret. This made Hermione feel a bit sorry for him.
"Which is why you always should think about things before you do it" Hermione said smoothly.
"I'm not like you, Hermione. I don't go over and make charts or pro or con lists to figure out what's best. I'd rather make the mistake myself so I'll learn from it. While you fold wrapping paper, I just throw it away without a second thought. We're different people, Hermione" Ron said kindly. He didn't make her feel inferior or indifferent. Instead, he made her feel like it was a good thing to be sensible instead of being perceived as such a negative aspect.
However, this also scared her. Hermione wasn't sure how to cope with being so close to Ron. She looked down at her hands for a moment. "Are you still mad at me about the kiss?" Ron asked hesitantly.
"Yes but not for the reasons you think" Hermione said truthfully. Ron looked at her curiously but she plunged ahead before he could figure it out. "I really have to go but I'll visit you tomorrow." She promised him as she stood to go.
"Okay"
"Hey, Ron?" He looked up at her expectantly. "If you're not breaking up with Lavender because you don't think that anyone else likes you, just know that's not the case." Hermione said carefully. He looked at her in surprise. "End of truce" She said quickly and raced out of the room, leaving Ron to ponder all she said, ending her first insensible adventure.