It's all J.K. Rowling's. Well, most of it anyway.

"I don't know what to do with myself. I could've sworn... but it's over. It was all a trick of Dumbledore's; some sort of muggle thing I'm sure. It wasn't real, none of it. It was all a trick of the mind, I guess. And now it's just... over. That's all."

Hermione softly shut the journal and muttered the password, painfully aware of the tears forming in her eyes.

She heard no familiar voice behind her. Instead, she just rested her head on the table.

"Why so down?" came a male voice from behind her a few minutes later.

She slowly turned to find Ron gazing down at her, a look of concern on his face. At the tears in her eyes, he immediately wrapped her in a hug. "What's wrong, 'Mione?" he asked against her hair.

She cried a little deeper into his shoulder, saying nothing.

"It's that prat, isn't it?" he asked harshly.

Hermione just nodded against him.

Ron reached down and gently cupped her face in his hand. He lifted her to look at him and brushed a tear with his thumb. "It's like I said," he whispered, "that git could never love you like I do."

Hermione gave him a soft, warm smile and covered his hand with hers. "Thank you, Ron," she said softly.

"Of course," he replied. "Any time."

Before Hermione could really register what was happening, Ron's lips were on hers. She was stiff at first, but slowly melted into him. It was soft, and sweet, and just—

Hermione broke away suddenly, having heard a book fall not far behind her. She turned just in time to see platinum blond hair exit the library.

Without another thought, she muttered, "I need to go."

"Now?" Ron asked incredulously, watching her gather her things.

"Yes, Ronald," she replied shortly. "Now."

And then she, too, exited the library in a rush.

Ron was left to touch his lips in amazement, where hers had been only a moment ago.

Hermione left the library just in time to see Draco turn a corner. She followed him all the way to the grounds, running to catch him.

"Draco!" she finally yelled.

He stopped, turned on his heel, and demanded, "What."

"I..." she began, looking away.

An awkward silence ensued.

"Look," he finally said. "Project's over. Just run back to your Weasel. We all know it's better that way anyhow."

"But," she stammered, "it's not like that."

"Oh, really?" he snapped. "So you mean you're not the same mudblood slut I just saw snogging the Weasel?" His voice was cold; his eyes so menacing.

Hermione instinctively recoiled in shock. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she looked away. "But you're over it," she muttered. "It was all a bunch of tricks, right?"

"It was whatever you wanted it to be," he replied ambiguously.

Hermione's tears came more quickly now. It had all changed so suddenly. "Were you ever really in love with me?" she whispered.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he replied coldly. "How could I ever love a mudblood?"

He turned immediately and walked away, ignoring the tears in his own eyes.

"Just give Ron a chance," Ginny said at dinner that night. "What have you got to lose?"

Draco, came her mind's immediate response. Outwardly, though, Hermione only sighed. "I don't think so, Gin," she muttered.

Ron sat beside Hermione. "You don't think what?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she whispered, looking away.

After a few moments of staring into what she thought was space, she realized she'd been staring at the Slytherin table. At him. Immediately regretting her decision to sit facing them, she brushed a stray tear from her eye and forcibly looked down at the table.

Curiousity overtaking her, she looked up one more time.

He was looking back at her, his gaze intense. His eyes bore into hers, a mixture of all emotions. She couldn't look away, it seemed.

Then a Hufflepuff walked past, obscuring her view of him for just an instant. When she looked back, though, Draco had looked away.

Hermione went out to her tree after dinner. She needed a break after everything that had happened. She hardly took note of her surroundings, just opened her journal.

"I'm so confused. I could swear he loves me. That look in his eyes... he does. I can see it. Maybe it was the potion that brought us together, but what does that really matter anyway? I still love him. I can't just be with Ron knowing that. It's not fair to Ron, and it's not fair to me. Why would Draco deny it if he really does, though? I just don't understand any of this. Maybe I should've never even told him about Pansy and Blaise. Maybe I never should've even agreed to do this project. Maybe I should've never taken that potion. Maybe I should've never fallen for the enemy."

She heard footsteps coming toward her, and her heart leapt in her chest. Could it be...

Ron. He turned around the tree, calling her name. "Are you okay?" he asked sweetly.

"I'm fine, Ron," she sighed.

"You didn't look so good at dinner," he said.

"Gee, thanks," she replied wryly.

"No, I mean..." He paused. Awkwardly looking around, he finally decided to sit next to her. "It's just... I'm worried about you." He tore a blade of grass from the ground and tossed it into the lake. "You're not yourself recently."

"I know I'm not," she whispered. "It's just... hard."

"I understand," Ron said. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "But I can help you, you know?"

She smiled softly, unsure of what to say.

"I love you," he said.

Then she let him kiss her. It was soft, and sweet, and almost right. Somewhere deep down, she knew it might not be. But she could deal with that.

And so what if she wasn't over Draco? So what if she still loved him? He had made it clear there was no chance.

That was all.

A/N: I understand how much you all must hate me right now. Please just stick with the story. I promise I'm going somewhere...

And review. Please.