Disclaimer; I don't own Harry Potter

Author's Greeting: I would like to thank you all for your sympathy and the general outpouring of nice reviews. I appreciate it. You know, since I've moved, I think I may have lost my list of ideas for this story. I sort of looked. But I remember most of what's there. I just haven't been thinking about the story as much lately. You know, there was this really annoying guy who kept coming over to hang out. But he hasn't in a while. I'm passive aggressive you see, so the last time he came over, I was so exasperated. I think I gave him some "this is getting a touch old" vibes. So he hasn't been back. Yet.

You know what else? I just went through a lot of (and I mean a LOT) of stress and worry over a song. See, yesterday I went to walmart and downloaded some 88 cent songs. That is a deal you know? I think so. Anyway, I had downloaded this song my sister played all the time when I was little. She is 10 years older. So it was nostalgic. It was "The Sign" by Ace of Base. I played it a few times and then it wouldn't play. It was apparently lost somewhere in the vast abyss of my computer. My computer gets internet off of wireless signals for now. They aren't very trusty and keep disconnecting. So I had to wait until today. I was seriously mad and stressed because this song is in my top 10 or even 5 favorites. But I managed to get it after all. Ok, well, as for the story. I am going to struggle through it and write a chapter. Ok well, onto the story.

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Erena G. T. Rose: Well, I've never gotten a response like that before. About how people read these because they take you away from the present. I relate.

professionaldooropener: Thank-you. And say hi to your sister and that I know exactly what she is going through.

Fiona McKinnon: Thanks for the correction. What is PAMS?

pottersgirl91: I names the chapter "Keith Urban" because I mentioned him in my authour's greeting. Just a random addition. You like country? I do like several songs. Although I wouldn't consider myself a groupie or anything. Or a "country chick." Haha. Do you like Pure Country's George Strait? There are some awesome songs on there.

Thanks to the rest of you too! I read them all but I can't open them now for some reason in my email. Well, onto the story. Oh yeah, before I forget. I got a review that said there was an inconsistency with the story. I see what they meant. In the first part, it said Hermione would be glad to have her own dorm so she wouldn't be in the same one as Ron. I thought I had gotten that but I missed it. I will correct it. But it is supposed to be: Hermione is in Gryffindor Tower even though she's head girl. Ok then.

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Breakfast ended and students started to file out. Hermione wished Harry would say something to Ron and get him absorbed in a conversation.

But Harry seemed intent on being quiet. Poor Hermione.

"I need to go back to the common room to get my things." Said Hermione to Ron.

"I'll walk you." Said Ron. "I have to ask you something anyway." He said in an undertone.

He couldn't know. I was through the door before he saw! Right? Hermione thought frantically as they headed toward the stairs.

"You don't have to walk me all the way there. You'll be late." Hermione tried feebly.

"We need to talk now." Ron said.

Harry walked on ahead to his first class.

So Ron and Hermione strode alone up to Gryffindor Tower. They got there and said the password. The Fat Lady swung open and they crawled through.

Hermione headed for the girls dormitory stairs, waiting, expectantly, for Ron to speak.

As Hermione opened the door, Ron spoke.

"Why are you sneaking around?"

Hermione hadn't thought he would address it this way and was momentarily thrown off. Ron noticed her hesitation which was exactly what he was looking for.

"So it was you then." Ron stated more than asked.

"What? What are you talking about?" Hermione tried to lie.

"Last night. I had come downstairs and all of a sudden the girl's dormitory door slammed shut." Ron said. "Like whoever it was didn't want to be seen. Or, didn't want to be seen by me." Ron continued.

Hermione's insides were twisted into a knot now. Instead of trying to make up a lie which Ron would most likely figure out early on, She decided to just say it wasn't her.

"I went to bed early last night. I was in bed all night. It was probably one of the other girls who had been out in the castle and were jumpy from trying not to be noticed." Hermione said in a mouthful.

Ron looked skeptical. "Why would they be jumpy in their own common room?"

Hermione was ready for this one. "Because I'm head girl. They would be afraid I would report them."

Ron seemed to consider this. But only for a moment. "Well, I'm not totally convinced. I know you are always trying to evade me."

Ron looked to be in thought for another few moments.

Finally, "From now on, I am not letting you out of my sight. I can't trust you. Whenever you go somewhere, I'm going with you. No more of this sneaking off."

This was just too much for Hermione. She had to say something. "Why don't you just break up with me if you hate me so much?"

Ron looked at her. "I will never break up with you. And you will never break up with me." What a scary statement.

Ron continued. "This is because I love you."

(blank)...He does love me. He just wants the best for me. He wants me to be happy. It's just his way of showing it, that's all.

Hermione nodded.

Ron said, "You needed to get something here?"

"Oh yes." Hermione turned to go.

Ron said, "Be down in 2 minutes."

Hermione paused, then continued upstairs. She gathered her things and came back down.

"Hurry, I'm going to be late." Ron said.

"Sorry." Hermione said. Part of her wanted to say that if he hadn't talked for so long, he would be on time.

They climbed out of the portrait hole and continued on to Hermione's classroom. Arithmancy.

"I'll meet you here after class." Ron said. Then he turned and went down the hall.

Today's Arithmancy lesson would have been much more interesting had Hermione been able to pay full attention.

Her mind was back in the common room where Ron had just issued a bad blow. (not a pun).

I won't even be able to go to the bathroom! He'll walk me there and then give me a time limit. I feel like a three year old. Except worse! I don't think I can evade this one. No way. Never.

The other side of her. Maybe it won't be so bad after all. Maybe if you stopped trying to "evade" him. If you just tried to get along, things would get better.

Right now, Hermione was torn between the two sides. She knew in her head which one was right. But in her heart, what she really believed, was different.

She knew that what Ron was doing was wrong. But she didn't believe that deep down. Deep down she had the consistent thought that Ron loved her. This was what kept her from leaving him. That and fear.

The bell rang and the class started to file out. Hermione went outside the class and waited for Ron.

One minute.

Footsteps.

One and a half minutes.

Draco came into view. Hermione started to color and pretended to flip through her notes.

Draco came astride with her and paused. "Why are you still standing there? Don't you have a class?"

Hermione looked up, looked past him for a sign of Ron, then looked back at Draco.

"I'm just looking through my notes." Hermione replied.

Draco looked about ready to say something but didn't.

He came up with something else. "We have to patrol tonight. Don't forget." Then he walked on down the hall.

"Oh." Hermione said, mostly to herself.

Ron came around the corner. Hermione walked over to him. Ron's eyes flicked to Draco, now towards the other end of the hall. Then he turned with Hermione and they walked the other way.

Just before Draco turned the corner, he looked back and saw Hermione walking with Ron.

He wondered why she didn't say she was waiting for Ron. Curious.

He was also thinking about tonight. He would be patrolling.

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That's enough for now. That took a while. Time for a break. Macaroni and Cheese sounds good. What do you think? The homemade kind with tons of cheese, baked to a golden brown. Yum.

-drewtoo