When Your Best Friends Fall In Love

A/N: From Ron’s POV. I’ve never read a H/Hr fic that was from Ron’s POV, so I thought I’d take a stab at it.

The echo of our footsteps hitting the marble floor was the only sound that could be heard. It was very late at night - or very early in the morning, depending on how you look at it - so the only light we had to guide ourselves was from our wands, and even this light wasn't terribly bright.

I poked my wand out from underneath the Invisibility Cloak and whispered, "Let's start over here." I gestured with my wand to a nearby bookcase. The two followed me quietly; I knew that they didn't want to be here - they were obliged to be here. So was I. I would rather have been safe up in Gryffindor Tower sleeping in my comfortable four-poster bed, than be down in the Library studying. Honestly, who sneaks around to study?

The only reason that Harry, Hermione, and I were down here in the middle of the night under the Invisibility Cloak to study was because of the N.E.W.Ts. The dreaded exams were creeping up on us faster than we would have ever liked, and Hermione, panicking, suggested that we go to the library every few nights to catch up on our studying. Harry and I agreed only because we knew that we were far behind on homework terms and standards for the N.E.W.Ts studying. The reason we were so behind was simple - not because of the fact that we neglected studying or we were lazy (although that was debatable in concern to Harry and me sometimes), but because most of the time in which we should be studying was pre-occupied doing other things - Harry and I had Quidditch practice and Prefect Meetings with Hermione (Harry and Hermione had become Head Girl and Head Boy this year and therefore had to attend ALL meetings while I could get away with skipping every once and a while) almost every night, plus D.A. meetings. It was just so difficult

to manage all of these things.

And so there we were, skimming our wands over the books' bindings to look for any titles that might be helpful. My eye caught a few and I hastily took them off the shelve, wistfully wanting the N.E.W.Ts to be over and done with. I put down the stack of books I had collected on a table and spotted a few lamps across the library at the windows. "I'll go get us some lamps," I said to Hermione and Harry, who were still hunting for books to study from. Harry nodded and threw the Invisibility Cloak on the table.

The walk across the library was dark and eerie. I almost thought I saw Mrs. Norris's bright yellow eyes in the corner but convinced myself that I was just imagining things, due to the fact that I was so apprehensive about being caught. Snape had made it painfully clear last week that whoever was caught breaking any school rules would not be allowed to attend the annual end of the year ball for just those in Seventh Year. The ball was in less than a week, and I still didn't have a date. I was comforted by the fact that Hermione and Harry were dateless too so if by any chance that I couldn't find a date in six days' time and neither could they I wouldn't look THAT stupid. But that was putting my hope high - of course Hermione and Harry were going to find a date. And so would I ...

I was torn between asking Hermione to go with me or not. There were both pros and cons to it: Hermione would say yes, or Hermione would say no. I was afraid that it would be too awkward between us if she said no and I didn't want that, so it kept me from asking her. However, I desperately wanted to - every time we had time alone together I thought about it but never gathered the courage to ask her. I had no idea if she wanted a date or not - the topic only came up once in conversation between Harry, Hermione and I, and they weren't exactly over-excited about the whole thing. Or at least, if they were, they didn't show it.

I picked up the lamps and made my way back to the table in a rush. When I got back, Harry and Hermione had gotten their stack of books and were sitting at the table, waiting for the lamps. I lit them by magic and then took a seat, sighing heavily. It was going to be a long night. For a few hours the only sound was the ruffling of parchment, the turning of a page and the scratching of a quill. We worked fervently, catching up on almost all of the ample amounts of review questions the teachers had given us to prepare for the N.E.W.Ts. We hadn't realized quite how late it had gotten until Hermione glanced at her watch.

"Oh my - it's four thirty in the morning. We have to get back." She stood up and started shoving her things into her bag. Harry and I were careful to put the books back in the correct order and in less than five minutes, the three of us were under the Invisibility Cloak, heading out of the library and onto the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. Once we got there, we all breathed a sigh of relief that we didn't get caught and fell down into armchairs around.

"I must say," said Hermione, giving us a big smile, "I think it was a success. We got a lot done. We should do it tomorrow night, too. It was a relief to get away from the commotion in the common room, what with all of the Seventh Years fretting around about the N.E.W.Ts. I could actually concentrate for once."

"Me too," agreed Harry. "But I think I'm going to go to bed now. I'm exhausted." We all agreed and headed off to the dormitories, yawning.

***

Waking up at eight in the morning was brutal. The first thing that came to my mind when I opened my eyes was "Why? Why did we have to stay up until five? I need my sleep!" However, I did force myself to get out of bed, even though I was extremely tired and the thing I wanted most was to fall back into my cozy bed and sleep for a few more hours.

Classes that day were rougher than usual, due to the little sleep I had had. It was harder to concentrate and more often than not I found myself day-dreaming. But soon enough it was dinner and I was back to my normal state. Harry, Hermione and I started debating on whether or not to go back to the Library tonight to do some more studying. Harry and Hermione wanted to while I disagreed.

"I got three hours of sleep last night," I said. "I need to catch up on my sleep. I don't function well without it."

"You functioned fine today," Hermione replied, raising her eyebrows and giving me her famous you're-wrong-and-I'm-right look. "We'll do it tonight again, and then tomorrow night we'll have a break. Don't look at me like that, you know you're not at all ready to take the N.E.W.Ts and they are in three days." Even though I was totally against going again tonight, I gave in just because I knew it would make her happy, plus the fact that, as much as I hated to admit it, I knew she was right in saying I wasn't ready to take the exams. I had barely touched on Potions or Divination and was in dire need to study them, since they were the subjects I screwed up in most and was most likely to do poorly in.

That night went exactly how the other night had been - we accomplished a lot and managed not to get caught. We returned to the common room at four thirty, a little earlier than we had before. I went immediately to sleep while Harry and Hermione stayed back to talk, saying that they weren't tired. I didn't really think much of it. That morning was worse, and I was contemplating on whether or not to skip class and sleep all day when I noticed Harry wasn't in his bed. It was strange, because he was the one who usually needed more motivation to get up than I did, and that was saying something.

I went down into the common room where people who had gone to breakfast already were loitering. I found Harry and Hermione in the Great Hall, looking extremely exhausted. I sat across from them and asked what time they had gone to bed.

"Uhm, not too late," mumbled Harry, resting his chin on his palm.

"I see," I said, sensing he was lying.

The rest of the day was pretty bad. Harry kept falling asleep during breakfast and accidentally sliding his elbow into his oatmeal. Hermione was fighting to keep herself awake as well, and was continuously shaking Harry's shoulder every time he dozed off. She failed at her attempt to stay awake and during History of Magic had fallen asleep on Harry's shoulder. The two of them had their mouths slightly open and attracted many stares from the fellow students as well as giggles and pointing fingers. At the end of the class Hermione was very embarrassed, but informed Harry and I that we were going back to the library tonight since it was the last night they could study before the exam.

I absolutely refused to. "Hermione," I began, determined to keep my 'cool.' "Are you crazy? We're barely awake here - one more night and we'll pass out during the exams."

"Ron," she said, shaking her head slightly, "we have to. It's not a "will we or won't we" thing. You're coming, and that's that. We won't stay any later than two, I promise." I relented, but planned on going back at least 1:30. An hour and half of studying was fine by me.

***

So, there we were again, in the library, studying. After a while, I asked Hermione what time it was and she said it was almost two. That's when the controversy began.

"I'm leaving," I stated, standing up from the table and closing my

book.

"No," said Hermione, not looking up from her parchment, "you're not."

"You are not going to tell me what to do and what not to," I said, getting angrier by the second. Who did she think she was?

"Ron you need to study." She still wasn't looking at me. "This is for your own good."

"Yeah and sleep is for my own good too," I retorted loudly. Harry

looked like he was going to say something but then decided against it.

Hermione finally looked up at me. Her facial expression showed how

irritated she was. "Bye, Ron," she said.

"Bye," I said bitterly. I shoved my stuff in my bag and grabbed the book off the table. I stormed off to the other side of the library and put it back onto the shelve. Why did Hermione care so much about my marks on the N.E.W.Ts? I probably wouldn't do much better if I stayed for another two hours and studied anyway. I left the library in a huff and didn't really pay attention to where I was going. When I cooled off, I realized it was strangely quiet in the corridor I was in and I paused for a second, listening hard - and then I heard the soft sound of footsteps coming in front of me and a low murmuring. My heart started pounding rapidly against my chest - I didn't have the Invisibility Cloak! Quickly I ran to the closest statue (I had no idea which one it was). I managed to slip behind it

even if there was barely any room.

I waited a few moments, breathing heavily. I stopped breathing altogether when I heard a voice. "Mm, yes, Mrs. Norris, we're going to catch them tonight... what they are doing in a library in the middle of the night is beyond me... perhaps they are vandalizing the books. Yes, I think that's it. What else could it be?" So that was Mrs. Norris I saw in the corner the first time we were in the library! "Just a little further, come on..."

Filch passed me in a rapid pace, Mrs. Norris at his heels. I let out a sigh of relief that he hadn't seen me. But.. Hermione and Harry! They aren't going to be able to go to the End of the Year Ball if they are caught. And even though I would have been much better off going back to Gryffindor Tower, I found myself sprinting the alternative route to the library to get them out of there.

I almost thought I went the wrong way a few times but luckily got to the library in less than ten minutes. I burst in and didn't see Harry and Hermione at the table. My heart sank, thinking that Filch had gotten here before me - but the lamps, books, and their bags were still on the table. I hesitantly made my way over there. There was a bookshelf behind the table and I could hear low voices coming from behind them. Eavesdropping is something you should never do - but who could resist? I leaned against the bookshelf and listened to their conversation, ignoring the fact Filch was going to be strolling in any moment give us all detentions."So going to the ball with anyone?" Harry was asking Hermione. You

already know the answer to that, I thought.

"No," sighed Hermione. I heard shuffling of books. "You?"

"Nope. Hey, look, the Hippogriff," Harry said. "Do you remember

Buckbeak?"

"Ooh," Hermione muttered sadly. "Yeah, I do."

"Wow, it says it's the sign of love," Harry said in a surprised voice.

"I didn't know that," Hermione whispered.

She began reading a passage from the book out loud, but Harry wasn't listening. Instead he leaned over and whispered,"Hermione, do you want to go to the ball with me?"

That's when I didn't want to hear Hermione's answer. My fear that it was going to be a 'yes' was too much for me to handle. We needed to get out of there, anyway. Hermione was about to answer when I jumped around the bookcase and started yelling orders.

"Filch is coming - grab your stuff - let's go!" Harry and Hermione immediately jumped up and started frantically putting away the books they had scattered around the floor. "No - no! No time for that! Come on we have to -" The sound of the library door across the room slamming shut stopped me from finishing my sentence. The two of them desperately shoved their stuff back into their bags and then pulled the Invisibility Cloak over our heads. Of course Filch heard the scuffling and banging, so he came rushing over to where we were.

We were careful to hold our breath as we tried to slide past him. He sensed someone there judging from the fact that he kept flailing his arms in an effort to touch somebody he could not see. Luckily, he didn't sense us going past him and continued to search in the corner, talking to himself ("I know you are here, just show yourself... books all over the floor... quite obviously you are still here, so there’s no use in just hiding..."). None of us uttered a sound on the way back to Gryffindor Tower. I think we were still shaken up by being so close to getting caught. But we relaxed when we fell into chairs in front of the still blazing fire.

"It's almost three, I think we should go to bed," Hermione said, yawning. "That was a close call."

"You're telling me." Harry's voice had amusement in it. "I mastered the impulse to fool around with Filch, though. You should be proud. It was funny the way he was trying to feel around for us."

I let out a short laugh. My mind was completely somewhere else... specifically concerning the ball and Hermione and the words "Hermione will you go to the ball with me," from none other than Harry. Did he have feelings for her? If he did he had never mentioned them to me... or even hinted at them. I wonder ...

"I'm going to bed," I said emotionlessly. I didn't even look at them as

I headed up the stairs. I collapsed into my bed exhausted, loving the idea of forgetting the stress of a seventeen year-old boy and crushes, for a couple of hours.

***

I woke up early enough in the morning to be able to lay in my bed and just think about things. Today was the day we took the N.E.W.Ts yet my mind couldn't seem to concentrate on that just yet and instead contemplated on asking Hermione to the ball or not...afterall, she hadn't given an answer to Harry yet. That I know of, at least. I vaguely wondered how long Hermione and Harry had stayed up alone together in the common room last night.

After a while, I got up and went down to the common room where I saw my

two best friends asleep in each other's arms. It was still early and the

sun had just started rising, casting a soft stream of light on them. They looked quite peaceful and it could just have been me, but I thought I saw a faint smile on Hermione's face. I shook Harry's shoulder and told him to wake up. When the two of them opened their eyes and saw me there, they jumped and started blushing.

"Oh, uhh, good morning Ron - whoops, kinda fell asleep last night -"

said Hermione, getting up and attempting to tame her bushy hair. Harry

adjusted his glasses and yawned.

"N.E.W.Ts today," he grumbled. I nodded, thinking that maybe something

else happened here last night rather than just falling asleep. But I

shrugged it off with the pretense that they were my best friends and their

relationship is platonic and will always be platonic, while the three of us headed

down to breakfast. The Great Hall was already swarming with Seventh Years

who were nervously eating quietly, studying frantically, or fretting about

in an effort to question all of their friends on how long or how much they

had studied and comparing the amounts to their own.

Harry and Hermione kept sneaking looks at each other and trying to communicate through the eyes or through gestures thinking I wouldn't notice, but I did. It was strange - I would look at Harry shaking his head fervently and then at Hermione who was nodding and giving him a strict look. Then the two of them would notice my staring and blush and avoid eye contact for at least five more minutes before resuming. I finally got fed up.

"Harry, Hermione - is there something you want to tell me?" I said. They said 'no' too quickly and with a false cheeriness. "Then, what is with the looks and shaking of the heads? Can you explain to me why you two are acting so odd all of a sudden? Is there something I don't know; something you are refusing to tell me?"

"Don't be silly, Ron," said Hermione. "We tell you everything and you

know that."

"Apparently not, since you two are so caught up in keeping secrets from

me." With that, I went back to the common room in such a visibly bad mood

that when Ginny came down from the girls' dormitories she asked me what was

wrong.

"Nothing," I snapped. "I have to go to class."

"Aren't N.E.W.Ts today?"

"Yeah. Bye."

"Wait! Ron!" I turned around. She was looking at me with sympathy in

her eyes.

"Just... just get it over with and tell her." I gave her what I hoped

was a I-have-no-idea-what-you-are-talking-about look while trying to overcome

the shock. How did she know about Hermione? I never once even mentioned my feelings for her. Maybe it was more obvious than I thought ...?

***

N.E.W.Ts didn't turn out to be as bad as I had expected. I probably

flunked potions - but that was expected, anyway; I think I did alright in

Transfiguration and Charms; no doubt horrendous in Divination; good in

Care of Magical Creatures and around average in everything else. I went to

bed that night without saying one word to Harry and Hermione, even though

they had tried talking to me throughout the day. However, I had refused to

answer them, still entirely pissed off about what had happened earlier.

***

Finally the day of the End of the Year Ball had arrived, and as usual the girls were chatting away in the common room in the morning about their robes and their dates - something I hadn't managed to get yet. Feeling depressed, I sulked around by the fire and played a few games of chess with Neville, who was going with Hannah Abbot. Even Neville has a date, I thought. Why do I have to be the one who doesn't?

When Harry came down, he immediately spotted me and went over. I was still feeling a bit resentful towards him, but listened to what he had to say anyway. "Ron. I'm really sorry about yesterday. We should have told you straight away."

"Told me what?" At that moment, Hermione showed up behind Harry. She

nodded at Harry and then looked down.

"We should have told you that Hermione and I are going to the ball together." My insides plunged like they do when you're going full speed down the top hill of a roller coaster, and a horrible feeling paralyzed me. I couldn't believe it. Hermione was suppose to be MY date. Not my best friend's. I felt betrayed even though Harry or Hermione hadn't really done anything wrong. I guess that I looked angry, because Hermione asked me if I was.

"No," I responded harshly. Then I thought, slow down. Why are you working yourself up about this? They are just friends. And they had no one to go with - so they went with each other. It made sense. "I'm not angry," I added in a lighter tone. They relaxed and let out a smile.

"Good. We were hoping you would understand."

***

The Entrance Hall was crowded when Harry and I went down there at seven. Most of the girls were dressed in fancy, elaborately decorated robes, and where clinging to their date’s arm, giggling and looking happy. I, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more miserable, especially when Hermione came down the steps to meet Harry and I: she looked absolutely gorgeous. She was wearing royal purple robes with a trim of gold and she had done her hair in soft spiral curls that laid across her shoulders perfectly. She smiled at us, and I must have had a dazed look on my face because she raised her eyebrows at me.

“Are you alright, Ron?”

“Yeah … yeah, course,” I muttered, scowling as I watched her slip her arm through Harry’s. Everybody started entering the Great Hall at that moment, so we followed them. The Great Hall looked marvelous - it always did on special occasions. There was a band playing for tonight called The Goblins, that consisted of four boys. They weren’t as popular as other bands like The Weird Sisters, but they were moderately popular. More with the girls than with the boys. I could see some girls swooning across the room as the lead singer started playing the first song.

Harry, Hermione and I got some drinks of butterbeer and then found a table in the back. We observed our classmates and their dates - Malfoy with Pansy Parkison, as usual - Seamus with Parvati, Dean with Lavender ... All of them were dancing and having fun, and I couldn’t help but feel jealous. I saw Hermione and Harry grinning at each other and I felt guilty that they were stuck with third-wheel me, so I told them they could go dance and I wouldn’t mind even though it was a complete lie.

“Don’t be stupid, Ron,” Harry said. “Just because Hermione and I decided to go together doesn’t mean we don’t want you around.” I stopped from retaliating with “then why did you go together in the first place if it wasn’t going to mean anything anyway?” and sat there watching Hermione fidget with her necklace. It was white and studded with diamonds - I’d never seen her wear it before. Suddenly, as she was holding the clasp, the necklace snapped in two.

“Oh no!” she cried, standing up and looking at Harry in horror. “Look

what happened!”

“It’s okay, I’ll fix it.” Harry stood up and went over to her and as I watched with discontentment, he pulled out his wand and fixed it back together. She smiled graciously at him and they stared each other in the eyes for a little longer than normal.

A few songs and staring contests between Harry and Hermione later, the first slow dance song came on. There was a weight on my heart that refused to lift and I couldn’t stand to see Harry ask Hermione for a dance and then guide her onto the dance floor. I couldn’t bear to watch her put her arms around him and him take her hand into his. I hated how Harry was the only one that could make her smile like that. I hated the way she glowed whenever he was in her presence and the fact thatI could never make her smile or feel the way she does whenever she was with Harry.

Hermione had always been the girl that I had a crush on. She was the one I taunted and teased just because I loved her eyes when she got angry. But as I watched the two of them dance and the way that they looked at each other like there was nobody else in the world that could even compare to each other - I knew. I knew that they were in love. And it broke my heart.

I didn’t want to watch them anymore so I decided to go outside for a bit. I headed towards the lake which had always been my source of comfort, and idly

kicked at the water with my feet. I was partly furious at Harry for taking the girl I had always had feelings for, but for the most part I felt miserable. I should have realized it - they had always had a connection I never understood - they always knew what the other was thinking, they could predict what the other was going to do, and they knew each other unlike anybody I’ve ever known. It was meant to be, even if I couldn’t have wanted more for it to not.

I must have spent a long time thinking at the edge of the lake because before I knew it Luna Lovegood was tapping me on the shoulder asking me why I wasn’t inside for the last dance.

“But you’re not even suppose to be at the ball,” I said.

“I’m not. I was passing through and I peeked in.” She grinned at me

mischievously. “Why are you even outside anyway?”

“Why would it matter to you?” I asked coldly, turning away. She was

beginning to annoy me.

“Well,” she said slowly, “I for one wouldn’t want to be sulking around

on at the last ball of Hogwarts.”

“I’m not sulking.”

“Yes you are. Unless, of course, if you don’t consider secluding

yourself from everybody else and moping about sulking.”

“I am not secluding myself from everybody else and moping,” I said stubbornly, turning around to look her in the eyes. The wind was blowing her blonde hair around her face and her eyes were twinkling in the moonlight. I must admit that she had gotten much better looking than I remembered…

“Whatever you want to say. I’ll let you continue your depressing thoughts by yourself, then. Goodbye, Ronald.” She began to walk away, but for some

odd reason I heard myself calling her back.

“Luna, stop, wait -” she stopped and turned around.

“Yes?”

“I… I need someone to talk to.” I felt my cheeks glowing red. Who would have ever seen the day when I would be asking Luna to sit down and talk to me?

“I would be more than happy to listen.” She walked over and we sat down on the grass together. I then told her everything that happened in the last few days - how Hermione, Harry, and I had started going down to the library to study. Then how I left early one night and came back to get them before Filch caught them and saw them studying the Hippogriff together. I told her about how it was the sign of love and how they rode it together in our third year at Hogwarts; how I had a huge crush on Hermione yet never seemed to be able to tell her; how I thought I lost her forever because she and Harry were obviously in love.

“Ronald,” Luna said, “you have much to learn. One of the most important

lessons in life is that love hurts.”

“Can’t you see I’ve figured that part out?”

“You’re feeling it right now, and I empathize with you. However, you must learn to let go. Most of the people that we think we fall in love with will not return our love, and it will break out hearts. But they will repair and then we will find another person to give our hearts to - only sometimes that turns out like the first, and our already fragile hearts are broken again. The process is repeated until you find somebody unlike all the rest, somebody who is as much in love with you as you are with them. Some people never find that person because they either never let go of somebody or refuse for their hearts to be put back together again. I know it takes time, Ronald,” Luna said, touching my cheek softly. I couldn’t believe how much her words made sense to me. “But I wish for you the best.”

And with that, she left me down there at the lake. And as I entered the Great Hall a while later and saw Hermione and Harry sharing a soft kiss, I actually smiled and couldn't help but think that I was going to be thinking about a certain blonde head more often...