Disclaimer: I just realised that I never had a disclaimer on the last chapter. I don't own anything; if I did I'd be a billionaire and writing a novel of this.
Chapter 2: The feeling is getting harder to ignore
The first year went smoothly for Ron, well as smoothly as it can be having Lord Voldermort hunting down your best friend, and he was completely content when the summer started. The only thing that had ever so slightly got in his way was the fact that he was unable to stick to his resolution of not hanging around Hermione. It started out easy enough and he constantly teased and taunted her just to maintain the pretence that he didn't like her. But then Halloween had come and a troll came after Hermione in the girl's bathroom. Ron would never forget how worried, completely terrified and sick in the stomach he felt when he saw Hermione cornered by that troll, looking absolutely petrified herself. He had known that he had to do something and, upon remembering the spell that Hermione herself had snobbishly taught him earlier that day, immediately raised his wand and yelled "Wingardium Leviosa". He had saved her and he felt incredibly proud and, when she beamed up at him having realised she was out of danger, also felt that squirming feeling in his stomach again, yet dismissed it immediately as being purely out of mixture of hunger and being frightened.
After saving her life Hermione, Harry and Ron became inseparable and at the end of the year faced a giant wizard chess game, a strangling plant and killer keys together before Harry went on to face Voldermort, Ron having been knocked unconscious in the game of wizard's chess. Spending so much time with Hermione was a great thing in some aspects as Ron got to know her and realised she was a lot more then just a know-it-all, though this aspect came in handy when he needed help with homework, yet being with Hermione all the time did nothing to help Ron ignore the feelings he had when he was around her. Yet all in all Ron thought his first year went rather well, he had even passed his exams.
Ron's second year at Hogwarts had so far been just as eventful as the last with someone, the heir of Slytherin, holding a reign of terror over the school. Hermione, Ron and Harry had been busy doing everything they could to try and find the person capable for petrifying numerous muggleborns, in an attempt to wipe them out. The fact that Harry was suspected by the rest of the school was what was driving the trio even harder to try and find the culprit. After having a lazy Saturday relaxing and trying to eat as many chocolate frogs as was humanly possible Ron decided to make his way down to the Quiditch Pitch to watch the match that would occur that afternoon. He was halfway down the corridor when he ran into a very frightened and concerned looking Harry. Failing to notice that anything was wrong with his best friend, Ron chuckled slightly before saying "Harry mate, you didn't have to come get me I was already on my way down. Anyway aren't you supposed to be at the match?"
"No, I'm not worrying about that," Harry snapped looking disbelievingly at Ron and then, realising that Ron didn't know what had happened, regained his composure, "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. Hermione's been….she's been petrified," he finished in a low voice, looking like he was about to throw up. All of the colour drained from Ron's face upon hearing this dreadful news, he felt like his whole world was falling apart. If Hermione Granger, brilliant Hermione- the smartest witch in their year, had been petrified then what chance did the rest of them have?
"Why are we just standing around then Harry?" Ron yelled as he started to bolt towards the hospital wing, "we have to get to the hospital wing, NOW" he finished as he turned around to see a stunned Harry giving him a perplexed look.
"You coming or what?" he snarled and Harry begrudgingly followed in Ron's wake as Ron himself continued his mad dash to the hospital wing. He didn't understand why he was losing control; he hadn't meant to snap at Harry. But he felt like his whole world had come crashing down the moment he heard the words Hermione and petrified put together in the same sentence.
Why was he going mad? I mean sure Hermione was his best friend but he didn't remember feeling this devastated and empty when Harry was unconscious at the end of last year. Finally he found his way to the hospital wing and, after glancing frantically around for a minute or so, he saw Hermione and he rushed to her side, Harry following closely behind him. She looked utterly hopeless lying stiffly on the bed with her hand outstretched clinging to a small silver mirror. Ron felt a tear slide down his cheek as he sat down and held onto to her cold still hand, its coldness making his heart slowly break.
It had been a few weeks since Ron had heard the crushing news of Hermione being petrified. It was well past curfew and Ron found himself again in the hospital wing, like he had been every night since the incident, clutching Hermione's stiff, cold hand. He didn't know what it was the possessed him to be there every night with her but he felt as though it was his duty and he also couldn't stand not being with her. Ever since the incident Ron hadn't been his normal bubbly self. He was no longer loud and energetic and was not always laughing and joking. In fact he was constantly snapping at everyone and was being a right out prat. But he couldn't seem to help it, with Hermione not around he just didn't feel like himself. So here he was sitting next to a girl who had no clue he was there and whispering reassurances that she couldn't hear. "We're going to find out who did this to you, don't worry about that," he whispered as he, without really realising what he was doing, began to trace circles on her hand.
"I don't know how exactly but Harry and I will be able to, well hopefully anyway. You're bloody brilliant, you know. You've made it a right difficult task for us to try and figure this out without you," he continued, feeling like he had to get this all out even if she couldn't hear him.
"I…um…miss you Hermione. I miss you so much that it hurts. I don't know what it is that I'm feeling but it's so strong. I feel… I don't know what I feel" he finished rather lamely. He was finding it so much harder to ignore his feelings towards Hermione and he didn't even really know what they were exactly. Yet he did know they were something more then friendship and he also knew that he valued his friendship with her too much to risk it. So he hid them deep in his mind and, with one last wistful look at her lifeless form, he let go of her hand and walked out of the hospital wing.
He couldn't believe that his own sister, innocent naïve little Ginny, had been the one attacking the muggleborns. Not that she had done it intentionally, she was under the control of Lord Voldermort, yet it was still frightening to think someone like Ginny could, even unintentionally, set out to wipe out all the muggleborns. Thankfully Harry had saved her and Ron, as well as the whole Weasley clan, would be forever grateful. Ron felt his heart, a heart that had been heavily weighed down upon in the past few months, lighten and lift a little as he realised that, now that all this terror had stopped the teachers would be able to help those who were petrified, Hermione would wake up again. Almost as soon as this wonderful thought had popped into his head he turned around to see a positively beaming Harry walking towards him.
"Ron, the Mandrakes are ready. Hermione's going to wake up," he said excitedly. Ron smiled the first genuine smile he'd had for weeks, months even, and grabbed Harry's arm and said, "Then what the bloody hell are we waiting for, lets go see Hermione," as he ran, dragging Harry, to the hospital wing, a place that was now far too familiar for comfort. When he reached the hospital wing he searched frantically for Hermione until he spotted a glimpse of a bundle of bushy brown hair.
"Hermione!" he yelled, a smile covering his entire face as he raced over to her. He reached her and, for the tiniest moment, they moved forward as if about to hug yet, for some strange reason, they both drew back as a feeling of awkwardness set upon them. Ron regained his composure and offered his hand,
"It's great to have you back, Hermione" he added sincerely as she shook his hand. Ron was unsure as to why he felt so shy all of a sudden and why he couldn't give Hermione a friendly hug, while Harry did so without hesitation. That feeling was back again and it was getting harder to ignore.
Author Note: I hope you're enjoying this story so far. I haven't had many reviews and if you hate it review anyway cause constructive criticism is always appreciated.