A/N: I guess I lied. I didn't write a one shot. GASP! My one shot has morphed into a story. WHOO HOO! Once again this story is based off stuff that's happened to me. In fact, I used to go around and ask people random questions and take polls and stuff – those were the days (I wish I had the time to do that now). On second thought, this chapter is more of a parody than a story based on things that have happened in my life. True, I have asked people questions like, "Do you think they like each other?" or "Wouldn't they make a good couple?" but… well, now I'm just babbling , so I'm just going to let you get on with the story. Anyhoo, I hope everyone likes this chapter, I know I do! (If you hate it umm…. it not my fault, you told me to update duck and covers)

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.

When Taking Polls Aren't So Fun

Finally absorbing what Harry had said, Ron stood up and ran to catch up with him, in order to clarify some things with him. "I…. do… not…. like… Hermione," he said. It would have probably had more of an impact on Harry if Ron hadn't been panting and out of breath.

Harry just looked at him with a large smirk on his face and kept walking.

When Ron finally caught his breath, he looked up only to find Harry walking away.

"Harry! Wait up!" Ron called. Ron wanted to give his next clarification more of an impact, so he resolved to make Harry stop and then catch up to him.

Harry stopped and turned around slowly. "You know I'm right," Harry began as he started to walk toward Ron. "You know that you like Hermione. You know that you don't want to believe me. You know you're just afraid of what she'll say and how she'll react." Finally reaching Ron, he stopped and looked Ron right in the eyes. "And you know what? Everyone knows it and acknowledges it, except for you. So stop being ignorant, it's annoying the whole school." And with that, Harry turned to leave.

Not to be left alone again, Ron quickly added, "I'm not sure about those other things, but I'm sure that that's not true."

Harry looked at him with one raised eyebrow as if he was trying to decipher what Ron was attempting to say, but he couldn't. "Umm… Sure Ron, whatever you say," Harry said to Ron as he began to inch away from Ron as if he was a mad man.

Ron was starting to get frustrated at the fact that Harry wouldn't answer him, at least, not in the way he'd been expecting. "Fine, I'll… I'll… I'll bet you for it."

Harry scoffed. "Ron, 1) You don't have any money 2) I know I'm right, so their's no point in betting you and 3) you're going to lose," Harry told Ron, ticking off each reason on this hand before he began to walk away again.

"Wait!" Ron began to fumble around his robe pockets for something. "I have that sickle I won from you in that game of exploding snaps…"

"That was the most intense game I've ever played," Harry interrupted excitedly, "At first, I didn't think it was smart to add that sling shot or that Hufflepuff girl's cat, but man, that was one awesome game," Harry said as he reminisced.

Ron nodded vigorously. "I know and I can't believe that Ginny did that…" Ron paused mid-sentence as he remembered what he had been arguing about only moments before. Shaking his head he continued seriously. "I will bet you that sickle that people don't think that I like Hermione."

Harry thought about it for a moment. Perhaps by losing, Ron would finally realize what the rest of the world found extremely obvious, maybe even a little too obvious. "Alright, it's a bet. You have to prove that it's not obvious that you like Hermione and that I'm simply imagining it."

After they shook on their deal Ron tore down the empty hallways to find someone, anyone who agreed with him, but he was in such a rush (thinking and running was a bit much for him these days) he didn't see where he was going…

"Oy, Ron, watch where you're going! You nearly flattened me."

Ron looked down to see he had run into Dean Thomas. "Sorry," Ron mumbled and got ready to walk away, but then he remembered why he was in such a hurry in the first place. "So…" Ron began nonchalantly, "Dean, do you think I like Hermione?"

Dean looked at him with his head cocked to the side for a moment, then asked, "Why? Do you like Hermione? Is that a confession?" Dean looked up to see a very confused Ron, but took it as nothing and continued before Ron could object. "Well, it's about time. Oy, everyone! 6 Years 3 months 2 days 1 hour and 9 seconds! That was…"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" Ron nervously asked as he saw a number of heads pop out of classrooms, students as well as teachers.

"We're all just glad that you and Hermione finally realized that you fancy each other," Dean paused a moment to look at Ron's shocked face, this time he realized something was wrong, "but um… if you and Hermione haven't gotten together yet, just ignore everything I just said and go about your normal business." Dean began to laugh nervously and inch away slowly.

"You've been betting on when Hermione and I will start dating?" Ron said as his face began to turn a brick red, either from anger or embarrassment.

"Umm… no?" Dean replied unsurely, but seeing the expression on Ron's face, he quickly added, "I… um… I have to go…"

And with that Dean was out of sight, as were many other heads peeking out from doors and corners, before Ron had a chance to reply or protest the bet.

"Stupid git… really needs to work on his gambling problem…can't believe him… thought we were friends…" Ron kept muttering profanities, insults, and other rant like words under his breath until he reached the inside of the Gryffindor common room. In the common room he found Parvati Patil who was calmly reading her magazine (Witch Weekly to be exact) on a couch by the window. Thankfully, there was no Lavender in sight, so Ron had a second person to ask.

"Hey Parvati!" Ron greeted the girl. She continued reading her article about the latest gossip intently.

"Oh, hello Ron," Parvati said in a dull tone, probably because she was still a little awkward around Ron due to the "Lav Lav/'Won Won" thing. (A/N: Was Lav Lav even in the book, my sister seems to think so)

"So… Parvati…I know this may seem like an odd question, but do you think I like Hermione?" Ron asked tensely.

"No…" she replied slowly. Ron nearly hugged her, and probably would have if she hadn't continued. "I don't think you like her… I think you love her!" Parvati was gushing now. "I mean the way you two are always arguing and the way you look at her and turn pink," She paused as if she was trying to figure out if she should continue. She decided she should. "And just between you and me, the relationship you had with Lav only had like 1/100000000 of the chemistry that you and OH! Hermione have and the way…"

Ron had heard enough. He got up to leave, but Parvati called after him, "That's right Ron! Go tell Hermione how you feel."

"I DON'T LIKE HERMIONE!" he yelled one last time before he stormed out of the common room.

Ron continued to storm until he reached the lake. Frustrated, he decided to sit down next to the lake and let his feet lightly touch the water. "Stupid Dean… Stupid Parvati…" with each name he pulled another chunk of grass out of the moist ground. "…Stupid Harry… Stupid Hermio… I mean, I don't like Hermione… where'd they get that idea… they're all stupid, the whole lot of them. Completely stupid…."

"Ron, you know it's weird that you're muttering to yourself, don't you?" a sarcastically sweet voice said from the sky.

Ron looked up to see his baby sister, Ginny climbing out of the nearby tree. "What were you doing in the tree?" he asked, only partly caring about the answer.

"Just thinking about, you know, stuff, probably the same reason you're out here," she answered as she sat down next to him on the damp grass.

"I don't think so," Ron said sharply.

"I heard about your 'incident' in potions today," Ginny began as if his behavior earlier was completely normal and it didn't interest her at all. "Don't you think that that was just a little too obvious?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ron insisted.

"Yeah, and my hair isn't red," Ginny retorted as she rolled her eyes. "Look, Ron, I know it's hard for you to see, but you and Hermione will always be, well 'you and Hermione.' This whole school has been waiting an eternity for you two to get together. I mean, there's even been a bet going around…"

"So I've heard," Ron said as he thought of how much he wanted to kill Dean and not just for having dated his sister.

"Yeah, well," Ginny said nervously, "then you can see why you and Hermione are meant to be together."

"So, you're telling me that Hermione's my 'soul mate' because the whole school thinks we would be a 'good couple.' Gee Ginny, remind me why that doesn't make me feel like proclaiming my lifelong love for Hermione."

"So you do like Hermione! I knew it! Take that Katie!" Ginny exclaimed as she punched the air. "You know what? You should tell her at exactly 5:49 tonight while there are lots of people around, like Dean and Collin and..."

"Ginny," Ron began calmly.

"…And you'll get married and… I'm going to have a sister in law! I'm sooooo excited, I have to call mum and… oh, yes Ron?" Ginny ended slightly dazed because she had been shaken form her daydream.

"I DON'T LIKE HERMIONE!" Ron said, close to having a conniption (A/N: If you don't know what that is, look it up, I had to. In honor of my friend, Michael). And once again, Ron stormed off. "I have to find Harry, this is completely pointless," he said to no one in particular.

After hours of searching the grounds for Harry, he found him lying on his bed in their room. He had his head hanging off the bed as he stared at the ceiling. When he saw Ron walk in, he sat up.

"So, how's the bet going, Ron?" Harry asked, knowing full well the answer.

Ron just glared, with an "I really hate you" look plastered on his face.

A/N: Sooo… how was it? Like it? Love it? Hate it? No matter what you thought of it, I KNOW you want to review. At least, I think you should review, because this story is defiantly very… reviewable? See? See how desperate I am? I've resorted to making up my own words to get reviews!

P.S.: I'd like to thank all my reviewers, I love you all! Winona Corinne, BAGGE, Love – is – Everything, rgluvr13, and Alaska Steele, WHOO HOO! (reviews make me very sniff sniff emotional sobs)