Chapter Four
The moon gave off the only light as Hermione lay curled up in her bed with tears dampening her pillow. She had hoped for so long that Ron would finally look past their friendship and actually take notice of her but it seemed like that was never going to happen. Even now, after she had accidentally let her feelings for him slip, he had just sat there staring at her.
As she sobbed softly, the door to her dormitory creaked open. "Hermione?"
Hermione sniffled as she looked over to the door at the sound of Ginny's voice. "Hermione, what's happened?"
She wiped her eyes as she sat up and lit the lamp on her night table. "I just made the biggest fool of myself I ever could have," she said.
Ginny stepped into the room and closed the door. She then walked over to Hermione's bed and sat down. "Is it really that bad?" she asked.
"It's awful, Ginny. I don't think I can ever speak to Ron again."
Ginny furrowed her brow as she said, "And why not?"
"I told him how I feel about him and… well; I don't think he feels the same way."
"I was wondering why he looked more confused than normal," Ginny joked.
Hermione sniffled again as a few more tears fell down her cheeks. "I really can't blame him," she confessed, "I told him something big. I'm sure if I had been on the receiving end of my little rant then I'd probably be feeling just as confused as he is right now."
"Ron's a git, Hermione; that's something we all know. What we don't know, is how he feels about you."
"Ginny, if he felt anything for me then he would have stopped me running off. As is was, he just sat there and did nothing."
"Well in that case, it could be that Ron just needs a bit of time to process what you've told him," Ginny offered.
"Perhaps, but there's no way I could face him again after…"
"Hermione Granger! You stop talking like that this instant!" Ginny practically snapped. "Now, whatever Ron's feelings might be, you're going to come out of this room holding your head high."
"How am I supposed to do that after Ron's reaction a bit ago?"
Ginny cleared her throat and looked Hermione dead in the eyes. "Alright, you want to be logical? You simply continue on as if nothing happened."
Hermione looked at her skeptically. "That's impossible, Ginny."
"No, it really isn't. Don't you remember how you tried making Ron jealous last year with Cormack?"
"Of course I remember, but I can't do something like that again. I can't walk around pretending that I'm alright when I'm not," Hermione told her. "The truth of my feelings is out now and I think it's high time that Ron either decides to take a chance on those feelings, or not. Until then, I'm going to give him time to sort it out and then when he's ready to make a decision, he can come and talk to me."
Meanwhile…
Ron was sitting with his back against his favorite chair in the common room, exactly where Hermione had left him about a half hour before. His mind was racing with thoughts of the fact that Hermione had feelings for him. Never in his life would he have thought that she would like him. They had been so close over the past several years that the thought had truly never even crossed his mind.
As he sat staring into the fire, contemplating what he should do, Ron suddenly felt the presence of someone next to him. He looked over to see Harry staring at him. "You're an idiot," Harry said simply when Ron gave him a questioning look.
Ron sighed heavily and ran his hands over his face as he said, "You really don't have to tell me that, mate."
"Well, I figured someone needed to tell you because you were too blind to see it for yourself."
"Harry, come on, how the bloody hell was I supposed to know how Hermione felt about me."
Harry chuckled. "It's called opening your eyes, mate," he replied. "Hermione's been mad about you for years."
"Oh and I suppose you've known all along?" Ron asked sarcastically.
Harry laughed and shook his head. "Ron, I didn't figure out Ginny fancied me until she told me," he said. "Hermione's another story though. It took me a long time to figure it out but I have to admit I felt like a ponce once I did. I mean, she's been putting it in front us for a while now."
Ron let out a deep sigh that turned into a groan. "What am I going to do, Harry? I mean; I'm not over Lavender, how am I supposed to take all of this?"
"Don't ask me, it's not my situation."
"But you're my best mate! You're supposed to give me advice on things like this!" Ron argued.
Harry nodded and furrowed his brow in thought. "Alright then here's what I think," he said after a few minutes, "I think you should give Hermione a chance. You know what a great girl she is; why not find out if there's something between the two of you?"