A/N: Okay this has taken the longest time to do, this story has. I have completed the story now, but all the chapters are really really short. And I apologize. I just wanted to get this out of the way. I'm winding down to the end in a few of my in prog stories and I wanted this finished. It's not my best, I admit. It's not great. But it's finished. And I'd appreciate feedback. Though if you're just going to say it's bad, I'd rather not hear it cause I already know that. It just has it's moments. It's not very good because of how long it took. But it's complete or it will be once I post the rest of the chapters. Enjoy. R&R. Thanks. -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, well not that I know...hmm...maybe I really do:) No, I guess I don't. Unless JKR would like to hand over the rights to me for my birthday next week? No. Okay.

Chapter Six

I Can't Fake A Smile

My relationship with Ron was a rocky one at best. And that was from the beginning. We had problems from the start--problems that never seemed to resolve themselves. I always imagined it would get better. If I just gave it time, it would get better. But it never did. In fact, it seemed to get worse as each day passed. I thought if we were both in it, we could make it work. But I've realized that Ron was never really in it--and I never should have been.

I can finally see what I should have seen a long time ago. Every horrid little detail that, if I was thinking logically and rationally, would--should--have made me want to break up things off. He was never the boyfriend he should have been--the one I needed him to be. But I was too preoccupied with him to see.

I had never wanted to hurt Ron. I never wanted him to hurt for any reason. So even when he hurt me, I did everything I could to not hurt him. Even when I was unhappy, I didn't want to hurt him. So I put on a happy face and dealt with it. It didn't matter how much he hurt me, I always put a smile on my face. I took everything he dished out to me. It didn't matter as long as I never hurt him.

He never saw how much he really hurt me. I didn't let him. The only person who ever saw when I was really hurt was Harry. And that's not because I let him see--not everytime at least. Harry just had this way of knowing. He could just see it--even when I didn't want him to. He came to my rescue everytime.

He just knew when I needed someone and he was there. Everytime. No matter what, he was there for me, to make sure I wasn't hurting for too long. The person I was to Ron, was the person Harry was to me.

The funny thing is, it should have been Ron. Everything Harry was doing for me was what Ron should have been doing for me. Harry was there for me when Ron wasn't and the thing was he should have had to be. Ron should have been. Harry took care of me when I was upset, when Ron hurt me. Ron never should have hurt me. He should have been taking care of me. He should have been trying to protect me, the way Harry always did. The only problem with that was, Harry was always trying to protect me from Ron. But no more.

Maybe I chose the wrong friend?