Author's Note- Guys, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. I'm sorry that it's cheesy beyond belief but you know, I tried. Any reviews at all would be soooo appreciated and please be honest with what you think.
Sunlight peered in through the windows of the common room, the light landing on my face and causing my eyes to flutter open. I sat up on the worn couch and saw that Ron had left just recently, for his warmth was still present. I carefully tip-toed to the stairs that led up to my dormitory, being extra careful to skip one step that squeaked, because I knew if others heard they would ask questions that I didn't want to answer. I quietly pulled my blankets over myself, feeling uncontrollably happy and sure I was going to cause serious damage to my face from all this smiling. I felt myself slowly fall asleep, until I was woken by the chatter of the others getting ready for the day. Strange looks were tossed among the girls being that I was usually the first to stir in the morning. They looked down at my clothes that I hadn't bothered to change out of, but I ignored their eyes.
The rush of kids headed to breakfast was sweltering but I hardly noticed. Memories from the previous night and questions about the future clouded my mind. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act around Ron now and my stomach was taking the toll of all my feelings. I arrived to the Great Hall before the boys, so I slid in next to Ginny.
"I never saw you head upstairs last night," Ginny stated, and I just shrugged. Gosh, I didn't know so many people kept track of my sleeping habits.
"Lots of essay work last night but I eventually went to bed. You were probably just asleep." She gave me a look and opened her mouth to disagree, but Harry and Ron slid across from us just then. I looked down to my lap and my face broke into a grin again. Ginny and Harry started to talk about the next Quidditch practice, swearing that if the Slytherin team turned up, something would happen. I snuck a peek up at Ron to see that to my relief, he was beaming across the table at me.
"What, are you just not going to talk to me now?" I was blushing for sure, and looked up right into his clear eyes.
"Of course not. How are you doing, Ronald?" He chuckled and nudged my foot under the table. We both picked a roll up from the table and buttered them in blissful silence, clownish grins still plastered onto both of our faces. By this time, Ginny and Harry had finished their conversation and I saw Ginny staring at me, her mouth in an O-formation.
"No way," she said and burst out laughing. Harry gave her a puzzled face, hopelessly oblivious, and both Ron and I turned red.
"What?" Harry asked, looking first to Ginny, then to Ron, and ended at me. "Ron, aren't you going to eat more than a roll? Usually by this time your mouth would be stuffed to the brim." Ginny continued laughing like an idiot and Ron's hair was now identical to his hair.
"You know Harry, you're right. Ginny, maybe you'd like some food too to, I don't know, shut you up." He glared at her and she rolled her eyes.
"Honestly Ron, being in love is nothing to be ashamed of," she sneered. Ron's brow furrowed and Harry looked at me, pleading for any information.
I felt my whole body get hot and felt like I was going to cry. Honestly, Hermione, you are the biggest baby. Ginny's just teasing you, like she does everyone. It's nothing to get upset about. But maybe that wasn't why I was upset. I pushed myself off of the bench and started to the door, eyes blurring. I heard Ginny's laughing stop and Ron's yell but I continued on. I just kept walking, not really sure where I was going, not really sure why I was crying, but just needing to get away. I found a staircase to sit down on and just hoped it wouldn't decide to move.
I heard footsteps but I refused to let whoever was walking by see my tearstained face, so I kept my head down, studying the old floors.
"Hermione?" I knew who it was but I stubbornly kept my head down. Ron sat next to me on the old stairs and put his arm around my shoulders. "Ginny's really sorry you know. She didn't really realize what she was doing and she-"
"I don't think I'm crying because of Ginny. I think I'm just somewhat confused." I said, cutting him off.
"We could talk about it, if you want." I smiled at the familiar words, so similar to last night, and looked up. I knew what I needed to ask and I needed to stop being afraid, because in the end it's just making me feel unlike myself to be acting this way.
"Ron, do we- do we like, like each other?" I closed my eyes, waiting for the awkwardness that was bound to set in after his rejection. Gone were the days of their so-called 'Golden Trio' all because I had let my emotions become more important than my friendships.
"Hermione, I don't think you understand right..." And here it comes. Eyes watering, I hated myself for being so sensitive and letting my usual walls fall down. "-but you've always been the one." I looked up, surprised by this sudden proclamation.
"But- but I never thought..." drifting off, wondering if I forgot to wake up this morning.
"Seriously, you can be so daft sometimes," he said, chuckling. "What did you think all the blushing and foot nudging was for this morning?"
"Well, what about the part this morning where you seemed embarrassed?" I said, not sure if I should have brought it up.
He grabbed my hands in his, a gesture I usually found sappy but when Ron did it, it was truly sweet. "I might have been embarrassed, but it was only because I wasn't sure if you had the same feelings. Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age, why would she like me, another red-headed awkward Weasley? You are truly amazing."
I didn't know if this uncontrollable smiling was going to become a regular thing, but it wasn't so bad. "Well, to say the least, the feeling is mutual." He chuckled quietly.
"You know, you can be funny when you want to." I shrugged, feigning a nonchalant look, while my insides swirled.
"I try." He slowly put his hand on my cheek and kissed my forehead, with a kind of gentleness you would never know Ron possessed. A feeling of content washed over me, and I knew this was real. There was no more needing to hide when Ron was around because he knew me and he felt me. And for the first time, I knew that he felt it too.
Please review and tell me if you think I should end it here or if you want to read more. Thank you so much for reading! Hope you didn't die from sappiness...