Author's Note:Thank you all so much for reviewing. I really hope to here from more of you soon. Also I am terribly sorry that I haven't been in contact much lately. I've been incredibly busy with work and I have only been able to hurriedly post the new chapters before dashing to work. Not to mention my newly found love for the Twilight Series. So I do apologize for the lack of communication. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. PLEASE REVIEW! Any feedback is appreciated. I do not own anything from the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling. Who is fabulous, by the way.

Ron had learned self control. It had been over a week since he had last spoken to Hermione. He carefully avoided her, never making eye contact. Instead, he had distracted himself by clearing out the library on his side of the house. He had never been one for organization but Ron found that organizing the massive collection of books alphabetically by genre and author took his mind off the tension that enveloped the house. Hermione constantly looked timid and nervous in his presence and it annoyed him to no end. She tried making conversation a few times but he forced himself to ignore her mindless dribble. He didn't care what the weather was like outside or about the leftovers she had stuck in the refrigerator for his benefit. He pretended she was nothing more than empty space. Ron admitted it was hard to ignore her, considering she was persistent as hell but he noticed that lately she had been slower to force him to do anything. Even listen.

Ron chuckled to himself as he found himself in the library once again. Time in the library used to make him irritable but now he found peace. Maybe Hermione had it right all along. He thought immediately before he could stop himself. Ron scowled. It pissed him off that he always thought about her. He had tried to think about Rebecca over the last week but now nothing seemed all that special about her. He couldn't figure out why he had been such a fool to think that Rebecca could help him. That anyone could help him.

Ron really hated what he had become over the last week, and if he was being honest, two years of his life. He was a recluse. Here he was hiding in a library and organizing books and at home he was always at the ministry "catching up on work." It was irritating that he had to hide but he felt a little sense of accomplishment after a day of organizing.

"I am so pathetic." He said to himself as he looked down at the book he was holding. He set it on the shelf in its new home and turned to the pile of books teetering precariously on the table beside him. He looked around the room that now looked exquisite, as he spent the entire day before cleaning, the muggle way. Magic seemed too convenient for him these days and doing things "the proper way" always seemed more satisfactory and not to mention it did tend to keep him mind off his problems better when he was scrubbing the floor. Ron opened a window hoping to clear the room of its musty smell when a breeze flew in through the open window. It was freezing and Ron shivered involuntarily.

As Ron went to grab a sweater he heard voices down the hall, coming from the kitchen. At first, he thought Hermione had lost her mind talking to herself before a deeper, male voice responded. Ron instantly recognized it as Harry's voice. Ron's brow furrowed in fury. How dare he come back, that traitor. Ron was still irate at the possibility of Harry being so close to him. But curiosity got the best of Ron and he crept closer hoping to hear what they could possibly be talking about. He was the most curious about when he could leave and he wanted to know if there was any news of when he would be allowed to get out of this hell hole but he was too stubborn to ask. As he inched closer he knew they were talking about him. He couldn't make out exactly what they were saying until he reached the room closest to the kitchen and slid in carefully. Ron knew neither of them had seen him but he still waited a moment before he peeked out of the crack the door. He saw the pair sitting across from one another deep into the conversation.

"So he hasn't talked to you at all?" Ron couldn't make out Harry's features because his back was turned to him but he had a very distinct view of Hermione. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees.

"Well not in the last week. There may have been an incident." Harry cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"What do you mean an incident? Like a fight?"

"Well I didn't really have a chance to tell you this last time because you were in such a hurry but, well, Ron and I, well we may have kissed." Hermione's voice had lowered with every word and by the time she reached 'kissed', her voice was barely audible.

"Wait! Wha-kissed?" Harry sputtered. Ron frowned as he pictured Harry's mouth dropping. He was still upset with his initial lack of self control with Hermione but he couldn't help but stay close listening to what she would have to say about it.

"Yes."

"How the h-" Harry started. "I'm confused." He threw his hands in the air dramatically.

"That makes two of us." Hermione smiled bitterly. Good. Ron thought to himself. She deserves to be confused.

"Please put this in context." Harry requested.

"Harry I don't even know how it happened. One minute we were fighting about Thomas and whether or not he was my boyfriend and the next second he was kissing me. I don't know. Maybe it was the fact that I reassured him that nothing had happened with Thomas but I don't know." Ron wanted to spit at the name. Thomas. He sneered mentally. What kind of idiotic name is that?

"Nothing happened?" Hermione shifted in her seat uncomfortably at Harry's posed question. Ron didn't miss the move. He strained his ears even more so he could hear her response. Hermione took a moment to think and bit her lip and sighed before she answered.

"Just once." Ron couldn't tell but he thought Harry must have raised his eyebrow because Hermione answered quickly. "I was so lonely Harry. I missed Ron terribly and Thomas was nice and funny and well…"

"Well what, Hermione?" Harry seemed a little angry and Ron couldn't understand why.

"I stopped him before we, you know…" Harry's voice was calm but concerned as he responded.

"Hermione, how far did it get?" Ron's mind shut down. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to hear about some stranger touching Hermione. He didn't want to know anything. It hurt too much. So, he did the only rational thing he could think of, he ran. He knew that by doing this he gave himself away, he heard the door slam against the wall. He knew Harry and Hermione would now know he had been spying on them but he didn't care. He was trying to get the mental picture of that idiot with his Hermione. His Hermione. Ron was surprised that the thought came into his mind.

Once he locked himself in the library, Ron all but ran to the bookshelf grabbing a book at random. He flopped down on the couch and tried to read. He opened to page 132 without thinking. This is rubbish. He thought as he looked at the cover. Moby Dick. I'd rather die. Ron thought. He tossed the book to the side making a mental note to put it back properly, later.

Ron knew he couldn't keep running from his problems. They were here, in the place where he slept. He wasn't going to be able to escape despite how hard he tried. He sat for a moment just thinking and two facts became perfectly clear to him. Firstly, he realized that he couldn't, no matter how badly he wanted to, stay mad forever. The second was harder to swallow. Ron, at that moment became absurdly aware that he'd never stop loving Hermione. He could try as hard as he wanted to escape her but he would never let her go. He was obsessively in love with her. It was ludicrous to think that after it all he could still want her so badly. Not just physically but everything. He wanted everything. His pride was going to get hurt, he was going to know things he wished he didn't, but he couldn't give up on the only person he could ever or would ever be in love with.

Just as Ron's mind came to this realization he heard the door handle shake. Ron knew he had locked it but someone outside had unlocked it magically. Ron stood to brace himself for Harry and Hermione to walk through the door and lecture him on eavesdropping. But he was surprised when Hermione walked through the door. Ron held his breath as he looked at her. She was wearing a fitted tank top and skinny jeans; Muggle clothes that looked exquisite on her. His head was swimming with his new self-revelations.

"Ron, I-" Hermione was soon interrupted.

"Is Harry still here?" Ron asked suddenly. He didn't want to talk anymore. He wanted to act. He could feel these new manifestations rising in his chest. Talking seemed trivial. He wanted her to show him how she was feeling and he wanted to do the same for her. No more talking.

"No he left." Hermione raised an eyebrow confused. Neither of them seemed to realize that they were slowly walking toward one another.

"Good because I really wouldn't want him here for this." Hermione looked puzzled but Ron just smiled. He closed the gap between them, moving his lips to hers. He thought she might object, tired of him jerking her around. Yet he was thankful when she didn't pull away. He couldn't bear the thought of more distance between them. The kiss was slow and teasing at first. His hands held her face softly and stroked her hair, something he hadn't done in what felt like centuries. Hermione reciprocated, placing her hands on his face as well. His face felt stubbly underneath her soft fingers. It was clear to her that Ron hadn't really cared for himself much lately. She moved her hands to his hair entwining them through the red strands. Hermione wasn't sure how long this would last so she couldn't stop herself. She pulled him tighter, hoping she could stop him from retreating. Ron's lips left hers and moved to kiss down her throat. Hermione bit her bottom lip and sighed.

Ron backed them onto the couch, lowering her slowly beneath him. "You know I'm still furious with you right?" Ron murmured into her ear as he continued kissing her. Hermione nodded, but her eyes were still closed, enjoying the familiar warmth of Ron's hands and lips but she couldn't help but be annoyed at the lack of physical contact between their bodies. Ron was still hovering cautiously over her, his body a few inches from hers. Hermione slid her hands up the back of his shirt pulling him closer. Ron pulled away and smirked down at her.

"What?" Hermione asked irritated. Still chuckling to himself, Ron shook his head and lowered himself onto her. One of his hands remained on her face while the other moved to the base of her shirt sliding over the smooth skin of her stomach and side. The kiss became more urgent as his caresses became needier. He was pulling her hips to his, craving more physical contact. He groaned when she moved her hips against his. She was torturing him. One of his hands moved up and down her thigh wishing he could feel the soft skin underneath the jeans. Hermione sat up slightly, trying to get a better angle as she started tugging at his shirt attempting to get it over his head. Ron sat up pulling her onto his lap, never keeping his eyes off her. He slowly lifted her shirt and bra off. Ron took in every inch of her. He was breathing heavily as he looked at her, half naked and straddling him. His hands moved to cover her breasts. Hermione let out an excited moan when he touched her. This is really happening. She thought to herself praying it was the truth. This is not a dream. Hermione had missed Ron desperately and his actions tonight served as proof that he would forgive her. Maybe not tonight, but eventually. There was still something there.

Ron suddenly didn't know what he was doing. He felt his hands moving but his brain was frozen. He wanted her so badly that it literally hurt him but he knew that if he slept with her it would be like he had forgiven her. And he hadn't. His body was aching with desire but he knew what he would and wouldn't regret in the morning and he would regret having sex with her. Ron grunted angrily at himself, knowing what he couldn't do and controlling himself with all him might to not do it. It pained him to look at her one last time. He sighed when he dropped his hands and reached for her discarded shirt. And just like that it was over.