As we sit down to dinner there's none of the usual loud talking coming from our group. Ginny and Hermione are sitting on one side of the dinner whispering to each other, and Harry and I are on the other side talking awkwardly about Quidditch. Everyone has noticed the elephant in the room, even mum. She's looking at me suspiciously, eyes travelling between me and Hermione.

Even if the four of us were being as loud as usual the kitchen would be eerily quiet. Bill and Fleur are still out doing wedding stuff, George is out with his new girlfriend, Darla Simmons, and Fred is on a blind date with one of Darla's friends. It's only me, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, mum, and dad.

To tell you the truth, it's sort of scaring me.

I glare at Hermione, trying to hold in my anger and all my questions until I've cooled off enough to handle it rationally. I know it's probably stupid to be mad, but I've been making myself look like a total idiot. I sent so many letters filled with nothing but feeling and sincerity, and I got absolutely nothing in return- just an uninvited houseguest.

Harry's looking really pale as well. I need to have words with him later. I know he had everything to do with Hermione showing up here unexpectedly.

Mum stands up, scraping her chair across the floor and making everyone jump a little. "Well, who wants dessert?" she says cheerfully, and with a flick of her wand all the dishes are flying into the sink.

"That sounds great Mrs. Weasley," Hermione says, smiling up at her. "Do you need any help getting it?"

Mum positively beams at the offer. "Oh no dear, that's quite all right. Thank you so much for offering though."

Great. She's going to butter up my family and get them on her side, and it'll look as if I'm being completely irrational.

This girl is good.

When we're done our ice cream, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and I all hurry upstairs as fast as our legs can possibly carry us. Ginny and Hermione fly into Ginny's room, and Harry and I continue up the stairs towards mine.

Once we're both inside and the door is safely shut, I let loose on Harry.

"What is she doing here Harry?" I ask out of the blue- there's no use beating around the bush.

Harry looks startled. "I thought you'd be happy about this," he says defensively. "Weren't you complaining that she hadn't written to you?"

My face suddenly turns almost exactly into the colour of my hair. "I wasn't really complaining, I was just casually mentioning-"

Harry starts to laugh. "Aw, you're blushing!"

"No I'm not!" I say hotly. "It's because I'm a redhead. It happens all the time."

"Since when does your face randomly start to look like a giant strawberry?"

"Shut up Harry."

He grins. "You know you're happy to see her. Come on, go down and tell her you're glad she's here. She was really nervous about your reaction and it'll make her feel better to know you're not mad. Trust me- she wasn't trying to snub you. She hadn't written to anyone, not even me or Ginny."

I sigh and flip myself onto my bed, covering my face with my hands. "It's my fault she hasn't been writing to anyone. I freaked her out with what I said in the letters."

Harry pauses for a moment, and then responds slowly. "Ron, she hasn't read them."

I sit up and stare at him. It takes me a moment for the words to sink in. "What?"

She didn't read them," he continues, staring at his feet. "All of the letters everyone sent her are unopened, except for mine- and she didn't read those until ten minutes before I got to her house."

Suddenly Harry realizes something. You can tell from the look on his face that a piece of information has clicked into place. "Ron," he says slowly, drawing as much drama out of his voice as he possibly can. "What did you write that would scare Hermione that badly?"

"Nothing," I protest quickly- I can feel my face going red again. "Just the usual-"

"Ron," Harry says louder. "Tell me the truth. What did you write in those letters?"

I stay silent, cursing myself for mentioning it at all.

Harry sits down beside me. "You know you can trust me, Ron. I'm not going to tell her."

I sigh again, frustrated to the very core. I might as well tell him now- he'll get it out of me sooner or later.

"…I was normal in the first one. I wanted to get writing out of the way for the summer, so I wrote the first day and sent it off. I figured that I'd get it over with and not have to write again."

I pause for a moment, trying to find the right words to say next.

"I thought it was over with, but a couple of days later, I got the urge to write her again. So I did, and the letter was longer. I wrote less about Quidditch and more about how I felt about everything that happened this year, and I wrote a lot of… personal stuff."

I stop again. Should I tell Harry how I feel about Hermione? I mean, I have no idea what he'll say. It's not that I think that he likes her too- he's still way hung up over Ginny as far as I can tell. I just think that he might get protective of her, especially if it's me she's dating. Hermione's the sister Harry never had.

On the other hand, if Ginny noticed that I like Hermione, Harry's probably known for much longer. In which case, he's had plenty of time to threaten to bash my head in if he felt it was necessary.

Okay, I'll take the chance.

"Harry," I blurt out unexpectedly, "I like Hermione."

I flip back onto my bed, hiding my face from view- I can only imagine how red my face is right now.

I wait for a gasp, a scream of horror, even a "Ewww, what the hell Ron?" or a "You stupid little bastard, if you ever hurt her I'll break your legs."

But nothing comes.

I peek out from under my arm, and see Harry staring at me in amusement.

"What?" I say crossly, sitting up. "Why aren't you surprised at all?"

Harry laughs very loudly, and I have to throw a pillow at his head to make him stop. I don't want anyone coming upstairs to find out what's going on and just happening to hear what we're talking about. Living with Fred and George for fifteen years makes you paranoid.

"Hey, watch it," Harry says. "You actually thought I'd be surprised?"

I look at him dumbly.

"Um… yes?"

Harry chuckles again. "You think I hadn't noticed? You two are my best friends. I'd have to be deaf to not notice the jealousy problem you two have. First Krum was the problem, and then Lavender had you and Hermione ignoring each other for at least two months."

Comprehension dawned on me. "Oh my god Harry, is Hermione the only person who doesn't know about all of this?"

He laughs even more at this one. "Oh, she knows Ron. She knows that she likes you. The problem is that neither of you can fully see what's dancing right in front of you."

I stand up, glaring at him. "What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

He stands up as well, looking at me like I'm stupid. "It means Hermione likes you and you like her. Yet neither of you get it. Ask her out. She'll go, I promise. Just do it soon. You two have put me in the middle of your fights for six years Ron, and you're not doing it again over a stupid letter."

With that he walks out of the room. I stare out of my window, and a few moments later I see him walk swiftly to the broom shed and grab his Firebolt. Without two seconds he's gone, and I'm left alone to think about what he said.

He's the second person to confirm that Hermione likes me- in fact, the two people who've told me she fancies me are the two people besides me who know her best. I guess if both Harry and Ginny say it's true, then it must be.

I suddenly realize that I have to do something. I race out the door and down the steps toward Ginny's room, where she and Hermione are probably catching up after a long month apart.

I have to ask her to go for a walk. I'll see if she wants to go down to the muggle town and get an ice cream. Anything in the world there is to do, I'll do. I just want to see for myself if it's true.

I knock on Ginny's door, lightly at first and then gradually louder as no one answers. I'm practically banging on the door with both my fists when the door is wrenched open.

A very scary looking Hermione is standing before me. Her clothes are wrinkled, and her wild bushy hair somehow seems bushier than it ever has before. Her eyes are very red as well, as if she'd just been crying.

Somehow, she looks gorgeous.

"What do you want?" she growls. I take a step back, careful not to make any sudden movements. This girl is dangerous when she's pissed.

"Um…"

I try to get the words out, but I just can't do it. I'm absolutely petrified. I've never asked out a girl I fancied before, and apparently that isn't going to change today.

"Well, get on with it," says Hermione. "I'm not going to stand here all day if you're not going to say anything."

"Umm… I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I'm glad you're here, Hermione."

Her face changes dramatically once I say this. Her eyes brighten a little bit, and I can almost see a smile tugging at the edges of her mouth.

"Thanks, Ron. I'm glad too." With that, she closes the door in my face.

I remain standing there for a long time, staring into space. I can't believe that I actually had the chance to ask her out and I didn't.

I am such a prat.

Thanks to my reviewers, you don't know how much it means to me to hear that you like it:)! If you liked this chapter, let me know. The more reviews I get the more I'm going to write, and if you want me to update again before I leave for Europe in two weeks, PLEASE R&R!