Hermione managed to beat Ron to the Common Room and was on her way up the stairs to the Girl's Dormitory when Ron caught up. "Hermione, come on!" Ron panted as he climbed the stairs after her. "Can't we just figure this out?"

"There isn't anything to figure out, Ronald! I don't like you and you're being a smug jerk!" Hermione said as she reached her room. She opened it up and slammed the door in his face. Ron recovered quickly and came in after her. She gasped. "Ron, this is the girl's room!"

"I know and this is definitely making me uncomfortable. But, Hermione, we have to talk about this."

"There is no this, Ron! There isn't a we and I think that there isn't anything to be discussed." Hermione said. Her heart pounded wildly, the butterflies returned, her palms sweated and her whole body shook. Hermione missed the days were she read about loved and just dreamed of it. Those books had never prepared her for the horror love really was.

"I think that there is" Ron said quietly. "You've been visiting my room, you've been noticeably happier and you keep having these moments of pure spontaneous energy that I never imagined from you. It's not a bad thing and I think that it's because you like me."

"And I think that you need your head examined" Hermione said weakly. Ron smiled.

How dare he smile like that!

He knows you too well

What if he's making fun of me? I can't handle this

But you also can't handle not having him!

That's stupid!

No, it's the truth!

"Hermione, I know you too well." Ha, the voice in her head interrupted. "Whenever we talk about something that makes you uncomfortable or me uncomfortable, we argue. That's how we are. But we can't keep hiding it. 'Mione, I know that you're feeling what I'm feeling."

"And what are you feeling?" Hermione asked softly. She was almost scared to hear his answer. She worried that he might not even recognize her true feelings or worst he matched her feelings. The reason this was worse is because Hermione wouldn't be able to hide anymore.

"This" Ron said and he leaned forward and kissed her. Fireworks exploded along with the blooming of flowers and the cheers of hundreds inside Hermione's head as Ron's lips softly kissed her own. She felt amazing but at the same time fear tugged her heart. She quickly broke the kiss and ran from the room…and Ron. Ron raced after her calling her name. Hermione ran faster than ever before. "Hermione, you can't hide from this anymore! Please, Hermione!"

She raced down the stairs until she left the school until she got to Hagrid's gardens. She didn't know what possessed her to go there but she needed to be there. Hermione sat in the garden and sobbed as the moonlight hit the fountain in front of her. She thought of all the times she would hide from life and with Ron she wasn't so sure she could. Hermione sobbed as she thought of all of the shallow things Ron had done like: dating Lavender, ruining her Yule Ball and making fun of her. Then she thought of all the non selfish things Ron had done like: helping her with her books, sharing his family with her, fighting with her for fun, hanging out with her in Hogsmeade. Ron's good qualities always outweighed the rest. As she sat on the stone bench, crying, Ron finally caught up with her. Hermione didn't run this time. Ron sat down next to her, patting her back awkwardly. "I'm afraid" she started tearfully. Ron waited for her to continue. "I'm usually sensible. I do my homework, I help others and I think logically. But I can't do that with you."

"No matter how hard I try, I can't get you out of my head, Ron. And that scares me. It scares me that I have to hide my feelings or that I lose my head when I'm around you. And that kiss was wonderful but it…" Hermione struggled to hold back tears as she turned to him. "It made me scared that I might lose you forever." Ron put his arms around Hermione and she put her forehead on his neck and broke down. He kept whispering "it's okay" and rubbed her back. "Loving you scares me" Hermione sobbed as she clung to him. Ron kissed her forehead.

"Hermione, I love you too but do you think that it doesn't scare me? You scare the bloody hell out of me sometimes" Ron said smiling at her. Hermione grinned through her tears. "But I love you. I will always love you. I want us to be together." He smiled as he put his hand in hers. "But I'll wait until you're ready."

"Thank you, Ron" Hermione said as she brushed away her tears. "We better go in. We don't want to get in trouble."

"Awwhh don't you want to watch the moon for awhile?" Ron whined as she dragged him by the hand towards Hogwarts.

"Oh come on, Ronald. That's what windows are for and besides we're Head Boy and Girl. We can't set a bad example."

"This is coming from Queen Sensible herself, ladies and gentlemen" Ron said into his hand. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"As the Sexist King signs off" Ron looked at her shocked.

"I am not sexist!" Ron said as he turned her around.

"Truce?" Hermione whispered as he bent his head to kiss her.

"Truce"

The End