A/N:

Here it is as promised. Chapter 2. Enjoy

Disclaimer: Not mine..:D

Words

By Heaven'sSweetSymphonies

Chapter 2- Realizations

Nobody wakes up at four in the morning and is happy about it. Especially if this somebody slept way past midnight the previous night. This was very true for a certain Ronald Billius Weasley, who was not only suffering from a tremendous lack of sleep, but was also inflicted by a terrible heart ache.

Yet there he was, awake on a Monday morning before dawn. It should have been against the law to wake up after scant hours of sleep, but Ron couldn't have piled charges on himself. The quiet appealed to him because it allowed him to dwell on the severity of the situation he was in.

True, he had woken up dazed and disoriented for his head was fuzzy and his body needed more rest. But how can one rest when closing one's eyes would only result in fitful sleep and disturbing dreams?

When he had regained his common sense and alertness, the first thing his eyes sought out was his diary. He pulled himself from underneath the covers and noted that his roommates were still soundly asleep. This was a surprise as he was the last one to fall asleep the night before.

"Of course," he thought, "I spent hours writing and thinking last night, and barely getting any homework done." He got up off of his bed and walked quietly to his study table so as not to wake his dorm mates.

He picked up the red, leather notebook, which contained all of his most precious and most-guarded secrets. He opened it to his latest entry and perused his words indifferently.

With a sigh, he closed the notebook and placed it back down carefully. He had read his musings from a second person's point of view and was extremely miserable to note that the overall tone of the voice was sad, bordering on depressed or, if not, was hopeful bordering on desperate.

Trying to clear his minds from such melancholy thoughts his eyes were drawn to a small framed photo that had a special place on his study table. With a rueful smile, he moved closer and plucked it from its place of honor.

It was a picture taken just last summer by Ginny when they were all staying over at the Burrow. It showed, from left to right: him, Hermione and Harry. The two boys were unnoticed as Ron stared at picture. All he had eyes for was Hermione, who was smiling at the camera, amused and squeezing Harry's arm.

Ronald knew that like everyone, he was in the middle of an upcoming war, an impending crisis. Possibilities of pain, tears and anguish were more apparent than they had ever been before, but there he was, thinking of her.

He was thinking of what they might have together before the upcoming war drove them apart. He wanted to hold her for a minute if only so he might live with the memory for the rest of his existence or during the last minutes of his life. After all, he would never know what was going to happen during the looming dangers. He just wanted to be prepared for it. And he probably wasn't if he couldn't even muster enough courage to tell her of his true feelings.

With a start, Ron began blinking rapidly and was disconcerted to realize that he had almost burst into unexpected tears. As though wounded, he quickly put the photo back to where it had come from. He also swiped at his eyes with the hem of his pajama top to remove the evidence of his near-tear experience.

Unfortunately, if he had woken up with a heavy heart, it was certainly nothing compared to the intensity of what he was feeling at that exact moment. Though he was extremely reluctant to admit it, he accepted it. He accepted the fact that the only way to help ease what he was feeling was to write.

His gaze was drawn to the red notebook, which served as his journal, on his desktop and he sighed in defeat. Picking it up, along with a quill and his inkpot, Ron raced down the stairs to the common room on that early Monday morning.

He plopped down unceremoniously on his favorite chair and propped his legs up. He began writing with his journal on the table he had dragged over:

It's, oh I don't know, barely fifteen minutes after four o'clock in the morning and already I find myself in the emptiness of the red and gold common room of the brave and proud Gryffindors, finding myself to be anything but brave and proud.

I read through my journal entry last night. Don't ask me why, for all I know is that I wrote it in the dead of the night and I might implicate myself with what I'd written. Surprise, surprise--- I did. Thank heavens I woke up before any of my roommates did. That gives me ample opportunity to hide my, um, diary and forget that I'm feeling terribly girly by chronicling my life and pouring my hearts out to an inanimate object.

I know Tom Riddle had a diary and he's a boy, but he also turned out to be the one of the most powerful and most evil wizards ever. As I have no desire to be like him, I doubt that the thought of his having a diary serves to comfort me at moment.

And yet, the appeal of doing something so seemingly forbidden drives me to write when, at any moment, anyone could come down and discover me. I guess it wouldn't matter… much. Sometimes I think of what Hermione would think if she found out that I write in a diary and ninety-nine percent of it all about her.

Bloody hell, there I go mentioning her again after I'd gone through so much pain to avoid the topic altogether. Since I've started, I fear that I can't escape it anymore. I'm thinking of her so much and I'm beginning to fear that it might not be healthy. Who am I kidding though?

I was looking at our picture just a while back. We— or she (as I looked only at her)— seemed so happy. And that's how I want her to be for as long as we live. And with the war closing in on us, I don't know how long that's going to be.

So here comes my doubts, will she be happy if I tell her I love her? What if she loves another? What if our friendship is destroyed and the three of us are separated? I don't think I can handle the pain of losing them both. And, most particularly, I can not bear the thought of losing Hermione.

But then, I wonder. Harry took a chance when he kissed my sister last year. For all he knew, that could have ended up with her slapping him. Instead, they ended up together. And they're happy. I think about it, and I guess I don't know what will happen if I just blurt out my feelings to Hermione.

But I want to, ever so much. Even if she doesn't love me back. I don't care. All I want is for her to know that I love her when we're out there fighting. I'd be happy enough with the knowledge that she knows.

Unfortunately, a small part of me is saying that I'll be a fool if I go out on a limb and risk everything just to end up hurt. That would be my ego talking. It's there; I'm not ashamed to admit, but what do you do when you're heart and mind are telling you two very different things?

What I need is help. Just someone to guide me. I need someone, who's well-versed in the art of romance and who knows Hermione well. I need Ginny! Yes, I know that I said I wouldn't bother her for Harry's sake, but, please, I'm desperate.

So, on that note, I'm going now to break down the door of the girls' dormitory and beg Ginny for help.

Right?

Ron stood up so abruptly that he knocked the inkpot off the table, causing it to spill on the carpet. Not caring, Ron rushed to the door of the 6th year girls' dormitory, and began shouting to call Ginny's attention. After all, boys weren't allowed to enter the girls' rooms so he had to content on making a complete fool of himself. He didn't even stop to consider to sir and wait for her to wake up. No, he considered the situation to be a matter of complete urgency.

"Ginny," shouted Ron, "wake up!"

He banged on the door with his right hand balled to a fist.

"Ginny, please. I need your help," screamed the desperate teenager.

More banging.

Suddenly, a grunt and a frustrated scream was to be heard from inside.

"Uh-oh," mumbled Ron, fear filling his stomach when he began to realize the conaequences of what he had just done.

BANG! The door opened with such force and behind it, was Ginevra Weasley, also known as the possessor of the best Bat-Bogey Hex in Hogwarts.

"Ronald Billius Weasley," shrieked Ginny in a voice uncannily like their mother's, "what on earth possessed you to try and wake up the entire tower by your screaming?"

"Well, you're not helping any by shouting too, you know?" replied Ronald amusedly.

"For your information, brother dearest, I cast a Muffliato before I started screaming. So, only you and I can hear my shouting!" shouted Ginny, irritated.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. It's just that I needed your help," said Ron, with an apologetic grin.

"Well, since I am already up and about I guess I could listen to you," said Ginny, with a sigh of defeat.

"Did I wake you up, though?" asked Ron sheepishly.

"No. I'm supposed to go to the Head common room to visit Harry. We planned it. That's why I turned in early last night," she replied truthfully.

"Oh? Am I keeping you then?" inquired Ron.

"No. Not really. It is still a bit early. We planned on quarter to five," said the female redhead.

"Oh."

"Well... What were you screaming about, anyway? You sounded so desperate."

"I have a problem."

"You have mentioned that. Again, I suppose you wouldn't shout at the top of your lungs at four in the morning, if you only wanted to say hello. But then again…"

"No, no, Ginny. Of course I have a problem. I, uh, well… you know?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

A sigh and a weak smile.

"What is it Ron? Tell me, I promise I won't bite."

"Ha ha."

"Why didn't you just talk to Harry about it?"

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because, I don't think I can handle talking about something like this with him."

"Well? What is it? Just spit it out."

"It's Hermione."

"Really? Did you have a fight?"

"No. That's not it."

"Well then, what is it? I can't help you when you're being so vague you know?"

"I know. It's just that I like her." Sigh.

"Yes. That's why you're going out together, right?" Eye roll.

"We're not."

"What do you mean you're not? Did you break-up?"

"We couldn't possibly break-up. We were never together in the first place."

"Never together? But, you were always with each other. Everyone just assumed that… Ugh, I'm confused."

"I never wanted to admit it, Ginny, but we planned it."

"Planned what?"

"You know, spending time together so you and Harry would get together."

"What!" A look of pure outrage.

"Yes. Sorry, Gin. I didn't mean to."

"Well. It's all right, I guess. Since it worked and all. But didn't the spending more time together lead to the two of you being together?"

"Unfortunately not."

"Why?"

"I didn't give her the words."

"Well then, why don't you?"

"I'm scared. And firstly, I don't know how."

"You don't know how? You just tell her that you like her. That's it. End of story."

"But I don't just like her, Ginny. I love her."

Wide eyes and a girly shriek. "Oh my god! That's so sweet. My brother in love."

"Calm down. I am in love with her, but I don't know what I'm going to do. That's why I need your help."

"Hmm. Of course. You're absolutely right. You do need my help."

"I do."

"So, I'm going to help you."

"Thanks. So, what's the plan?"

"I'm going over to the Head common room to talk to Harry."

"Ginny, no! You have to promise not to tell anyone what I told you today. Especially Harry and Hermione."

"Oh, all right. No need to fuss. But I do need to go to the Head common room, you know?"

"Yeah, you did say that."

"Want to come with me?"

"What? Uh, no. No thanks."

An amused smile. "I can't believe I have such a coward for a brother."

"Hey!"

"Well? Isn't it true?"

"I guess."

"I told you so."

Sigh.

"Don't worry, Ron. I still love you, even if you are such a coward."

"Ginny!"

Laughter followed and Ginny was out through the portrait door and sprinting off to see Harry before Ron acan throttle her.

A/N:

No killing me, please. I will continue about the knock on the door next chapter. I just wanted us to see Ron first.

There, a shout out to my reviewers:

Dueler312, hurricanerosie, Hermione-and-Ron-forever-together, LitaFanForLife, Snow-Leopard-Patronus, MrsGrint105, paulalou, ecrire.claustrum, LaughSpazm, reptileXtitch

All beta-ing is thanks to Doroteja. Love you lots, girl!:D

Oh, and kindly read my one-shot, "Dinner Time," (It's in my author page) it's really close to my heart. The lack of reviews for it disheartens me. And to think that it had so many hits… Anyway…

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