Ginny looked up from reading her book, "Amazing Quidditch Secrets and the People Who Exposed Them." She had the unpleasant feeling that someone was watching her. She scanned the library looking for someone who's eyes or body would jerk straight as she looked at them, an obvious sign that they had been watching her. As Ginny looked at the people working and writing at the oak tables directly across from her, she heard Draco Malfoy whispering somewhere on her right. Ginny slowly turned her head towards the now snickering voice. "There," she thought, as she spotted Malfoy sitting in the balcony with Blaise Zambini, textbooks and parchments scattered in front of them. Malfoy stopped his snickering and met her gaze as Blaise continued to chuckle. Ginny and Malfoy stared at each other for several seconds, just looking each other in the eyes, then Malfoy sneered and broke his gaze, looking back at Blaise. Ginny smiled thinking, "Ha! I stared down Malfoy! He probably was embarrassed from looking, much less staring at a Weasley. Whoa. Where did that thought come from? I don't know that he was staring at me. And why do I have the feeling that he was staring at me? Oh well, I want to finish this book before Professor Binn's History class." She ceased smiling and returned to reading her book.
Yes, Malfoy had been the one staring at her. Blaise had noticed at once and Malfoy had said that he was trying to decide the exact shade of Ginny's hair, raw meat or burnt carrot? Which had resulted in Blaise's chuckling and his snickering. Malfoy watched Blaise continue chuckling for a few seconds, then he glanced down at the parchment directly in front of him. He had written across the top: "Top Ten Most Obnoxious Girls From Various Houses" under those words was the following list: 1. Hermione Granger, 2. The pretty Patil, 3. The other Patil (Yeah, their twins, but still!), 4. Pansy Parkinson, 5. Lavender Brown, 6. Hannah Abbott, 7. Luna Lovegood, 8. Neville Longbottom (at least he acts like a girl), 9. Susan Bones, 10. ….." Malfoy picked up his quill and quickly wrote in Ginny Weasley's name in the number ten spot. Malfoy looked up and stared at Ginny again. "It puzzles me," Malfoy thought, "how Ginny can be so annoying, and yet intrigue me so." Blaise finally quit chuckling and returned to working on his astronomy essay on this month's positions of the planets. Malfoy stole one last look at Ginny, ignoring the impulse to stare and the odd feeling's the sight of her induced, then Draco Malfoy did the unthinkable, he began his Advanced Runes essay on ways to translate runes. Malfoy had entered the class partly to learn skills essential to his future, and partly to annoy Hermione Granger, who was in his class. Hermione could not stand how Malfoy could just enter the class, and know just as much as her, even though she had been in the class longer. Malfoy knew this by the unpleasant looks she gave him in class, when the teacher called upon him to give answers and not her. Malfoy shook his head to rid himself of thoughts of Granger, then continued on his essay.
Harry and Ron were engaged in a heated wizarding chess game in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione was using the free time between lunch and the next class to reread "Hogwarts: A History" for the eight-billionth time. Ron looked up suddenly and stared at Harry.
"Checkmate, Harry," Ron said cheerfully. Harry grumbled something about cheating and Hermione. "What was that Harry?" Ron asked.
"Oh, nothing, I just said that you probably wouldn't cheat if you played Hermione," Harry said as he looked Ron in the eyes.
Ron's cheeks went slightly pink and he said, " I wouldn't if I played Hermione. Uh, I mean…." Ron's whole face was turning red now.
"I know, I know," Harry said as he laughed, "You never cheat." Harry leaned over the chessboard and motioned for Ron to do the same. Ron followed his movement. Harry whispered, "And I know that you like Hermione." Ron recoiled back into his chair, stood up, and went even redder in the face.
"I do not!" Ron protested loudly. Several people turned to look at Ron because of his outburst, but Hermione did not even lift her eyes from her page. Ron sat down again, then whispered, "I do not like Hermione." As the words came out of his mouth Ron's mind shouted, "I DO like Hermione, I DO! Whenever I see her she makes me want to hug her, kiss her, touch her in someway, but I can't because she's my friend. If she knew that I liked her she would not spend nearly as much time around me and she would distance herself from me. I NEED to be around her."
Harry looked at Ron knowingly, "I've seen the way you look at her sometimes Ron. Like you just want to be beside her all day long. You didn't even look at Lavender like that last year. Maybe you should admit to it, and tell her." Ron stared at Harry, thinking about what he said. "How could he see all that? I thought I was keeping it hidden so well! He's right though. I should tell someone, maybe not her right now, but at least Harry." Ron thought. Ron took a deep breath and looked around.
"What are you looking at? Shove off already!" Ron yelled at several fifth years still staring in his direction. Harry smiled and shook his head at Ron's behavior. Satisfied that no one was listening, Ron turned back to Harry. "Ok, I admit it, I do like Hermione."
Harry nodded and watched as Ron struggled with himself openly. "I know that I shouldn't like her. I mean, I've been her friend for seven years! I try to tell myself that I don't like her, but my mind keeps overruling itself. I just can't get her out of my head Harry. Last year, when she got upset over me and Lavender, I was secretly happy. I thought that maybe she had the same feelings for me as I did for her. But since then she hasn't gave me a comment, motion, or word that suggests that we are more than just friends, or that we could be more." Ron buried his face in his arms.
Harry patted him on the arm and spoke quietly to him, "Gosh Ron. I didn't know that you had it that hard. I sort of understand though."
Ron's head snapped up from his arms. "You like Hermione too?" He asked, anger flashing across his face. A dangerous glint that Harry had learned to avoid appeared in his eyes.
"Um, No Ron. I was talking about um, Ginny, yeah, Ginny." Ron visibly relaxed and the glint left his eyes, only to be replaced with a look of hopelessness.
"I just don't know what to do Harry." Ron said despairingly as he stared down at the chessboard.
"Me neither Ron." Harry said as he patted Ron on the arm again. Harry sat back in his chair and continued to watch Ron stare at the chessboard, as if it yielded an answer to his internal turmoil. Harry thought, "Why did I have a problem naming Ginny as the one I like?" A little voice from the back of Harry's mind answered him, "Because you like Hermione idiot!" it squeaked. Harry blinked and carried on his conversation with the little voice, "I do not like Hermione! She's my friend, how could I like one of my best friends?" The little squeaky voice laughed and retorted, "That's exactly what Ron said, and look where he's at? Between choosing to lose a friendship for the sake of his heart, or choosing to stay the way he is and live with the consequences of him not chancing his friendship with Hermione." Harry cut off the voice thinking, "I don't like Hermione, and that's that." then a thought occurred to Harry, "Ron said that he tried to convince himself that he didn't like Hermione, but his mind overruled himself. Maybe that's what will happen to me! Ok Harry, just shut up. Ok, shut UP!" All this took place in the few seconds that Ron continued to stare at the chessboard. Hermione placed a book mark in her copy of "Hogwarts: A History", and looked over to see Ron staring at the chess board, and Harry looking at Ron intently.
"Harry, Ron, it's time for our next class." Ron blinked, got up, grabbed his school bag, and left the common's room. Hermione eyed his retreating back. "What's gotten into him?" she asked out loud.
"It's nothing." Harry said solemnly. Hermione shrugged and gathered her school supplies, books, and spare parchments and put them into her bag.
"We better get going Harry. We don't want to be late." She said as she stood up and prepared to leave.
"Alright." Harry replied, standing up and grabbing his bag. They exited together, Hermione wondering about Ron's strange behavior, and Harry pondering Ron's impossible, yet very true words.
