Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand through Hogsmeade back to Hogwarts. The sky was still a deep gray, but it was no longer raining. The plants around them were heavy with raindrops, and the dirt under their feet was moist and slippery.
Hermione was still amazed that she, the nerdy, frizzy-haired girl that had never been popular with boys was now walking with Harry Potter's hand entwined with hers. She felt as though her heart was soaring hundreds of feet above the ground, dancing along the clouds. He had never been so happy in her life!
Harry felt the same way. True, he did still find it a little odd to hold Hermione's hand, just because he never in a million years did he think he would be so in love with one of his best friends. But he knew the feeling was only temporary, because there was a deeper feeling inside of him that made him feel that he never wanted to let go of Hermione. Like he wanted to spend every second of his life with her and her alone. She was the only friend she needed. Just then Harry realized something---
"Ron," Harry said under his breath, and suddenly stopped walking.
"What?" said Hermione.
"Ron. How are we going to tell Ron?"
"Oh no, I never thought of that!" An anxious face came over Hermione. It looked like that really had taken her by surprise. "Well, I don't see why he should have a problem with it," said Hermione with authority.
Harry could tell she was mainly trying to convince herself that that was true. However, she did keep a stern face about it. "Are you serious?" said Harry. "I mean, it's obvious he's always fancied you."
A look of shock now came over her face. "Ron? Ron has liked me?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, the way he's always bickering with you about the smallest things, and he always talks about you, too."
Hermione suddenly became very flushed. "But…how…why would he like me? I've never show interest him, "that way"…have I?"
"Um…" Harry didn't want to lie, but also didn't want to upset Hermione. Up until last night he was sure that she also like him. "Well," he started, "he could interpret some of the things you do around him as liking him."
"Like what?" Hermione sat down on a vacant bench. Harry then sat down next to her.
"Uh, well like in our third year. Ron told me as I was going up to Buckbeak for the first time, you grabbed his hand. I know that's rather small, but way he talked about it, it was if he was bragging or something."
"Well I was worried about you! Buckbeak looked like he was getting ready to maul you! I just grabbed the nearest hand I could find!"
"Ok, um…well how bout our fifth year? Right before our first Quidditch match you gave Ron a kiss on the cheek."
"Well he was so nervous! I thought that might calm him down. And I wanted to give you a kiss too, but I had all these emotions inside me and I felt that if I did you would automatically know that I liked you."
"Hm," said Harry, taking in this new information. "Still, you can see why Ron fancies you. I know you didn't mean to lead him on, but that's what he picked up one. I don't know how he's going to take us getting together."
Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder. She seemed to be thinking of a logical way of telling Ron without him getting hurt. "What if you told him?" Hermione said looking up at Harry.
"Me? Why me??"
"Well I can't! How you like it if the girl you fancied came up to you and said that she's now dating your best friend? Harry, you need to do it."
"But…" Harry tried to argue, but he knew she was right. Ron had grown up feeling like a third wheel, and Harry didn't want him to feel completely left out. However, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that dating one of his friends and leaving the other one behind wasn't right. "Ok, fine. I'll talk to him."
Hermione looked up at him with a large smile and then gave him a big kiss on the lips. That was all the proof Harry need that he was doing the right thing. Harry and Hermione were in love…surely Ron could understand that. Plus it wasn't like they were never going to talk to Ron again. They'd all still be best friends.
With these reassuring thoughts in his head, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand, and they continued their walk about to Hogwarts.
The skies were fairly clear when Harry and Hermione returned to school. It was a Saturday, so most of the students were scattered around the halls. Harry and Hermione went up to the boy's dormitory to check on Ron.
The room was empty, except for one large lump in the middle of the last bed. It was Ron curled up into a ball with his eyes wide open. His face was still rather pale, but he definitely looked better then the day before. Harry and Hermione walked slowly over to the side of his bed.
"That was the most miserable night of my life," said Ron in the same, sickly voice from yesterday. He hadn't even turned his head to speak.
"How are you feeling?" said Hermione in a compassionate voice. She was obviously trying to put Ron in a good mood.
"Better, but still not great." Ron slowly turned over to the other side of the bed the face them. "I bet it was those Sludge-filled Salamanders that did me in. I knew they didn't taste like chocolate when bit into them." Hermione gave a forced giggle. "So, how was your night? Didja manage to get two rooms to stay in?"
"Oh, well, they only had one room open," started Harry, "so we kinda had to share one." Harry quickly looked over to Hermione. Her face started to turn the same pale color as Ron's. He knew she was extremely uncomfortable. "Oh, hey, Hermione! I think I left my book bag in the common room. Would you mind going to look for it?" Hermione gave a smile of relief and quickly left the room.
"What was that about?" said Ron as he sat up in his bed. "And what's this about have to share a room?"
Harry sat down on Ron's bed and took of his glasses. He started to massage the spot where they had been resting on his nose. "Um, yeah, about that," said Harry replacing his glasses. "Well, the thing is, is that last night when we stuck in the room together alone, we-"
"You didn't do IT, did you?!?" Ron said in a very flustered voice. He looked like he was at the point where he was ready to jump out of bed.
"NO! No, no we didn't do that!! But we did talk. We found out the feelings we have for… each other," this was harder for Harry then he thought it would be, "were more than just friendship." Ron looked very confused. "We both have liked each other for a while now. And I know you've fancied Hermione too, mate!" Harry quickly added with the look of shock that feel upon Ron's face. "That's the reason I never said anything to her. But last night we both realized how strong our feelings are for each other. We--… we're in love."
Harry paused for a moment to see if Ron would say anything. He didn't. He just sat in his bed, staring at Harry. He couldn't tell if it was a stare of anger, disgust, or total disbelief. Whatever it was, Harry couldn't bare to look at Ron.
"But…just…wha-" Ron was trying to form a thought, but nothing comprehendible was coming out. Finally, he said, "I-I think you should go now." Harry didn't want to argue with Ron. He thought Ron was about ready to punch him, so when Ron asked him to leave he happily obliged.
As Harry shut the door behind him, he saw Hermione sitting in her favorite armchair. She perked up and said, "How'd it go?"
"Not too good." Harry collapsed into the couch next to Hermione. He felt that was a safer place to sleep for the night.