�Herm-own-ninny? Did you hear?�
�Y-Yes, yes I did. Shall we go down? It�s getting late.�
�You don�t hate me, do you?� he asked tentatively.
�What? No, of course not. I could never hate you.�
He smiled as they climbed through the portrait hole and downstairs. She then said goodbye to him, and watched him leave to get to the Durmstrang ship. She brushed her hair back from her face and turned to go up the stairs when she came face to face with none other than Ron.
She stared at him and then remembering the argument, gave him a cold look and stormed past him up to the common room. She flung herself onto a nearby sofa, breathing very fast. What was she going to do now, now that she had recognised her feelings for him? How was she going to behave, what was she going to say? She took a deep breath, she was just going to have to act normally, as if nothing had happened. After all, he didn�t feel the same way, she was sure of that�.
Suddenly the portrait swung open with a bang. Hermione looked up in surprise. Ron, looking extremely bad-tempered, was standing at the doorway.
�Oh, it�s you.� Said Hermione, coldly, her eyes on the floor.
�Look Hermione,� started Ron, angrily.
�No, you look, Ron!� interrupted Hermione, as she jumped off her sofa. She could feel tears filling her eyes again but she told herself to keep it together.
�I don�t know why you have such a problem with me going to the ball with Viktor. Why is it such a big deal with you? Harry didn�t mind, you heard him say so! So come on, I want to know your reasons.� Hermione glared at him.
�Well�you know�Krum�s from Durmstrang�.he�s against Harry!� Ron shouted.
�No! I don�t want that pathetic reason! I want to know what�s truly bugging you, Ron, because we both know you are not behaving normally or civily for that matter. Come on! Why can�t I go with someone to the ball? Is it because I�m not pretty enough, or good enough for a Quidditch star?� Her voice was starting to break, but she took deep breaths and stared at him.
�What? No�I never said that�.� Ron stuttered, looking more uncomfortable. His eyes avoided Hermione�s.
She moved closer to him and she felt her heart leap.
�Ron,� she said softly. �Tell me, what�s wrong?�
But he wouldn�t look up or speak. She stared at him, feeling completely helpless. When she imagined them going out, she pictured them constantly arguing like this, but she couldn�t think of anyone else she would want to be with. She had never felt this way about anyone and it was tearing her apart. Every time she saw him with that Veela girl, she felt like pulling out every one of her silvery hairs. She knew Fleur had a spell over him but shew couldn�t stand him giving attention to any one else.
Suddenly Ron looked up. He gazed into her eyes and opened his mouth as if to tell her something. She gazed back longingly to hear his words�..
�FAIRY LIGHTS!� shouted someone who sounded like Harry outside.
Ron started, stood up straight and, like he couldn�t think of anything to say, shouted �You were fratinizing with the enemy, that�s what you were doing!�
Hermione felt the anger rising in her. She was mostly angry with herself for having feelings for him and for thinking he was going to admit his feelings for her just then. Why oh why did she have to like such an idiot?
Harry walked in at that moment and Hermione shouted back at Ron.
�Well, if you don�t like it, you know what the solution is, don�t you?� She felt her hair fall down from its bun but she didn�t care.
�Oh yeah?� Ron yelled back. �What�s that?�
Hermione paused for a second. She couldn�t tell him her feelings, not now anyway. She didn�t think she could ever do it, but she could hint, boy could she hint!
�Next time there�s a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!�
He looked surprised, lost for words, but Hermione was so embarrassed that she quickly ran upstairs before she could hear his answer or see what Harry thought about it. That was a point, thought Hermione. Did Harry know her secret feelings for Ron? She didn�t even know until this evening, but maybe it was obvious � Krum certainly had noticed. Maybe even�..Ron knew. She shuddered. Too much had happened tonight for her to think about, she needed to sleep. But one thing was for sure, nothing would be the same between her and Ron�ever again.