A/N – I know this one was waited for a little longer but bear with me here, I had a debate and a WC test in one day, then the next day I had a science test and while I have to do all that stuff I have to finish my WC project too, over spring break that is. UGH! Anyway, here it is. R&R

Thx to: Shna1234, IceAnge89, lemon-light, izzie, and Heaven and Earth for reviewing!

6 – Closer – 6

The familiar, sick feeling of having a million rubber bands wrung around your insides was back as Harry and the rest of the Weasley's apparated to platform 9 ¾.

Harry didn't get a chance to see Ginny, however, since she wasn't old enough to apparate yet. She had to travel by floo powder still.

The vision of the Hogwart's Express came into view as Harry landed next to Ron and Hermione.

"I still can't get over that feeling." Said Ron.

"Com on you two. We're going to be late if you don't hurry up! Especially us Ronald. You're a prefect and I'm head girl. We will have to patrol the train." Ron made a fact that looked much like the one he made the first time they ever met Hermione.

"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up. Just wanna say goodbye to Sirius." The two quickly walked onto the train and Harry immediately looked around for Ginny. He didn't see her just yet, so instead he walked to where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Sirius were. "Bye Sirius…for now. I'll be sure to go back to Grimmauldplace with you over the holidays."

"I'll hold you to that" Sirius replied with a laugh. They hugged one last time before Harry said his last goodbyes to the Weasleys.

On his way back to the train, Harry's eyes were still gracing every inch of the platform, searching for Ginny. He finally just gave up and entered a compartment.

The ride was going to be very lonely without Ginny or Ron and Hermione. Maybe Neville would turn up. For now, he just lay back and listened to the train start up.

The soft lulls of the engine almost made Harry fall asleep when the door to his compartment opened. Rona and Hermione walked in and sat opposite Harry.

"They finally gave us a break." Said Ron, looking exhausted.

Harry looked disheartened since he hadn't seen Ginny since yesterday. He was determined to find her on the train. He had to at least talk to her for a little while.

"So what have you been up to Harry?" asked Hermione, noticing his expression.

"Not much…um…I think I'm gonna walk around a little. Is that ok with you guys?"

"Yeah, sure." Said Ron.

With that, Harry got up and left the compartment.

"That was weird." Ron said to Hermione.

"Yeah. I hope he's not mad at us."

"I doubt it. If he was mad he wouldn't have been so polite about it."

After a few seconds, Ron sighed and said, "Have you noticed that?"

"Sorry…noticed what?"

"Every time we're alone we always talk about Harry."

"Oh, um…yeah…a bit." There was a silence that seemed like hours.

"So…how are you doing?" Ron asked tensely.

Hermione hesitated. Just being in the same room with him made her feelings for him increase. "I'm fine…I guess." She added the last part under her breath, although Ron could still hear it.

He could sense that Hermione was feeling uncomfortable right now. She wanted to tell him, but now? On the train? What if Harry came back?

"There's something on your mind…I can tell."

She looked at him and replied, "Well maybe instead of making me share my thoughts you could share yours…"

There was a tinge of nastiness in her voice, but Ron chose to ignore it. He didn't want to make things worse considering what he was about to tell her.

"Alright, if you really want to know what's on my mind, I'll tell you."

"Alright then, tell me." She said matter-of-factly.

"You."

"What?"

"You're what's been on my mind."

Is he serious? Or is he just trying to mock me? Thought Hermione. "Yeah, sure Ron. Me…why would I ever be on your mind? Hermione Granger…a clever, know-it-all mudblood…"

"Hermione, don't say that about yourself. You're perfect just the way you are. Maybe not to someone like Malfoy, but you're perfect to me."

"Ronald…what are you getting at?" she was pretty sure she knew, but she didn't want to say anything in case she was wrong.

Instead of answering, Ron just leaned in and kissed Hermione.

"Something along those lines." He said after they had pulled apart.

Hermione just smiled, put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him in for another snog. Feeling confident, he put his hands on her waist, slightly under her shirt. His cold fingers gave Hermione a rush, a rush that was soon extinguished however, for they heard a knock on the compartment door.

They quickly pulled apart as Draco Malfoy's face appeared in front of them. Hermione was nervously tugging her shirt down as far as it would go, afraid that Draco might have seen them.

"Well, if it isn't Weasley and Granger. You two aren't causing any trouble in here are you? Me being Slytherin Head Boy, of course, would have to know if there was."

Ron shot him a glare. He had been hoping for the position of Gryffindor head boy, but McGonnagal stuck him with Prefect again.

"Nothing to see here Malfoy."

"Well that's hard to believe, seeing as I just caught your pal Potter snogging your filthy sister." Both Ron and Hermione's jaws dropped. "Pathetic" Malfoy continued. "He can't even find himself a decent girlfriend his own age."

Hermione got to her feet. "For your information, Draco, I'm Head Girl and you've no business to be insulting other students. Now, if you don't want your authority taken away because of a bad rep, then I suggest you leave." She said, her voice laced in ice.

"Fine. But don't think I'm not onto you." He retorted.

After he had gone to finish his patrol, it was time for Ron and Hermione to converse about what they learned. "I don't believe it…" said Ron in bewilderment.

"Yeah." Hermione replied with a small smile on her face.

"They finally told each other." This was said in unison.

Both heads snapped towards each other.

"You knew?" asked Hermione.

"Well yeah. Harry came to me for advice and Ginny…well, she's fancied him since 2nd year."

"Ginny came to me as well. It's really brilliant that they are finally open with each other. Ginny was miserable."

"Harry couldn't think of anything but her." Hermione laughed.

"What?"

"It's just that…well, doesn't this remind you a little of ourselves?"

It's true. Hermione, like Harry, couldn't get her mind off of Ron and Ron, like Ginny, was miserable not being with his true love.

"At least we're all happy again."

"Yeah. It would be a shame to return to school where everyone was sullen."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"How long have you known…you know…about me?"

"Let's just say it hit me once you and Harry saved me from that troll."

"Wow. And just to think. All those years and we never knew about the other. If only this had happened earlier we could have been snogging all the time."

"Ronald!" Hermione laughed, hitting him playfully on the shoulder.

"Just sayin."


A few compartments down, Ginny sat on Harry's lap, who was saying, "Maybe you can come with me to Sirius's house over the holidays."

"I'd like that." She said, kissing his neck.

"I mean, I'm sure he'll be fine with it. As long as we stay in separate rooms."

Ginny laughed. "That may be, but it's not to say we can't arrange something without his knowledge." She said, working her way to his ear.

"I like the way you think, Gin."

"Me too."

She leaned in and kissed him hard on the lips. A few minutes of this passed when Ginny pulled away. "Harry. I still have to tell Dean."

"Oh." Harry frowned. "I thought you might have sent him an owl."

"No. I thought I should tell him in person. I don't want to seem bitchy about it, you know? He should know I have some heart."

"Yeah, I can understand that."

"Good." she said stroking his hair.

Suddenly, the train came to a slow halt.

"Are we already there?" Harry said, looking out the windows.

"I guess so."

"Okay. Then I should better get back to Ron and Hermione. I'm sure they'll want to know where I've been the past 40 min." Ginny laughed and slid off Harry's lap.

"What will you tell them?"

"Dunno… maybe I'll say that I went to catch up with Seamus for a while."

"Okay. I just hope they didn't already find out from Malfoy."

"Yeah…anyway, I'm sure we'll be able to see each other again sometime…late night common room meetings, you know." He laughed and exited the compartment.

Walking back to see Ron and Hermione, he was thinking of other possible late night plans to make with Ginny. He opened the door.

" – It's not a requirement. Oh hi Harry." Ron smirked at him.

Suddenly, Harry's eyes widened. That's it! He thought. He couldn't wait to tell Ginny of his new scheme.

Hermione gave a small giggle.

"What?" Harry said, feeling his face, thinking they were laughing at him for something that was there.

"Been snogging anyone lately?" Ron asked unable to cover his laugh.

"What do you mean?" he said, acting like he didn't know.

"We know Harry." Hermione said. "Draco told us thinking we already knew. But hey, you shouldn't be ashamed. You finally got what you wanted, you both did." Harry noticed that she smiled at Ron after she said this.

Mostly all the other kids had already gone off the train. "C'mon. We better get going." He motioned them out ahead of him. "By the way Hermione, your right."


After everyone was into Hogwarts and the sorting had finished, Ron got to ask Harry about this new news. "So when did it happen?"

"Just yesterday…you know when I said I went to the bathroom?"

"Yeah…ooooh!"

The conversation went on like this for half the feast. Hermione would occasionally join in, but turned away when she heard something she didn't approve of.

"Enough about me…what about you? You seem more cheerful than usual."

Ron gave a small laugh and looked over at Hermione, who was engaged in conversation with Neville.

"Well, there is something."

"It's Hermione isn't it?"

"…"

Harry laughed

"Yeah…" Ron laughed too. "We kind of, uh, well…let's just say, you weren't the only one with snogging on your mind."

The rest of the feast was spent laughing and having fun. Everyone was happy to finally be back at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione and Harry we're some of the last few kids to get back to the dormitories. The portrait hole had just swung open when a crash sounded behind them.

Thinking it was just Peeves, all three ran into the common room so he wouldn't catch them. Only, it wasn't Peeves…

A/N – dun dun dun! Yes, I am trying to make cliffies a lot more often cuz they are fun! Well enjoy thinking about what it could have been until the next chapter is up! Bye bye!