" What was up with that???" Hermione had acted really strangely, not herself, but he couldn't think of any reason why.
"Unless...." Ron thought suddenly, as he pushed open the door to his dorm. His heart was pounding as he reached under his bed. His fingers closed around a familiar leather surface.
" There is a god," Ron thought, as he pulled his journal from its hiding place. He ran his finger over the metal clasp.
" If Hermione ever read any of this..." He pushed the thought away. He didnt' even want to think about what would happen. Of course, there had been moments where Ron wondered what would happen if Hermione knew how he felt, because at some moments it almost seemed possible that Hermione returned his feelings. But even if she did, she never made any move to act on them. And then of course there was Harry. As far as Ron could tell, Harry and Hermione were perfectly happy together, and Ron wasn't about to risk their friendships and mess that up. So he was stuck. Ron sighed and slipped his journal back into its spot. Even right now, Hermione was down in the Great Hall, waiting for Harry. Harry Harry Harry. Ugh. Ron got up and went out the door, down the steps, out the portrait hole,and headed towards the Quidditch feild. He had promised to meet Harry there after Quidditch practice, and as he headed down the hall, he started mentally coaching himself on how to act normal, and fighting the urge of wanting to deck his best friend.
* * *
Ginny Weasley was walking quickly towards the common room when she saw Ron heading walking through the corridors. She called out to him, and hurried to catch up with him.
"Oh, hey Gin," said Ron. He seemed a little downcast, but Ginny was worried about other things.
" Hi, have you seen Harry?" she asked anxiously. It was a little known fact that Ginny had had a very big crush on Harry, almost since the moment she saw him. Although she knew he was with Hermione, she couldn't help but want to talk to Harry, and be with him as much as possible.
" Yea, he is meeting Hermione in the Great Hall pretty soon," Ron said, with a touch of barely noticable bitterness in his voice."Look, I have to go. I'll talk to you later.
" Oh," said Ginny, her heart sinking as she watched Ron walk off. Of course he was with Hermione. He was ALWAYS with Hermione. Ginny sighed as she stepped into the common room. Why couldn't she be Hermione?
* * *
Hermione leaned against the back of the chair in the Great Hall. Students were pouring in for dinner, but she hadn't spotted Harry yet. Then Harry, with Ron at his side walked through the door. Hermione spotted them immeadiatly, and she started playing with her necklace, trying to arrange it so Harry would notice her wearing it. She looked across the Hall to the two some again, and smiled. It was the same old Harry she always had known, with his messy black hair, his confident way of walking, the sparkle in his green eyes from the exciting Quidditch practice. And Ron, with his adorable crooked smile, his soft red hair falling in his eyes, the endearing way his robes were always a little too short....
"Whoa," Hermione mentally shook herself," Whats with all the extra descriptions on Ron's part?" By then Harry and Ron had reached the table, and right before Harry sat down he said ,"Hey, I see you wearing the necklace," and giving her a kiss on the cheek. The "Of course" got stuck in Hermione's throat at the look on Ron's face. She suddenly felt a flash of anger at Harry for hurting Ron. But then her sensible side came through.
" Harry has no idea he is hurting Ron. He not doing it on purpose!!!" Hermione scolded herself. Harry was still looking at her, so she replied," Of course Im wearing it! I love it." Harry smiled, and the three of them began disscussing the upcoming Quidditch match.
* * *
Later that evening, Harry was sitting by himself in his dorm. He absently ripped off his calendar page, and stared at it. He still couldnt' believe how he had forgotten Hermione's birthday so easily. Harry sighed and layed back on his bed. It seemed like there was something missing from them lately, and Harry didnt' know what it was. There wasn't anything he could put a finger on. Harry sat up. He was just being silly. In fact, he would go find Hermione right now, and spend some time with her. Prove himself wrong. Harry took the stair two by two, and when he reached the common room, he was disapointed to see that Hermione wasn't in it. Then he spotted Ginny sitting by herself, working on her homework. She looked up with a start as Harry sat down next to her.
" Hi Ginny," Harry said.
" Oh, hey Harry!" said Ginny, giving him a warm smile. Harry continued,
"Listen, have you seen Hermione?"
" Yes actually," Ginny replied, rolling up her scroll," She and Ron went down to the library to work on their Potion's project awhile ago."
"Oh," said Harry. Snape had given them a large project a few days ago, and Ron and Hermione had been lucky enough to get paired up together.
"Well, at least I have you to keep me company," Harry said, smiling at Ginny.
"That you do," she responded," Care for a game of Exploding Snap?"
* * *
"Hey Herm, have you found that thing on the Confundus thingy yet?" Ron asked, clearly puzzeled.
"No, not yet, Im working on it!!" replied Hermione. They had been working hard on their project for almost an hour now.She sighed and closed her book.
"Well," said Hermione with a tone of finality," I think we have had enough for today, dont you?"
"Yes, definatly," agreed Ron, eagerly pushing his books into his bag.
"But we'll have to come back tomaorrow to get it all done. Same time?"
"Works for me," said Ron with a grimace at the thought of more work. Hermione grinned at him. " But I think tomaorrow you should do most of the work, because I did most of it today!" said Hermione teasingly.
"Hey," cried Ron in mock anger," are you accusing me?" Hermione laughed," What if I am?"
"Then I will have to punish you," said Ron, pushing her back on the couch and tickling her stomach. "Ooooooo, Ron, stop!!!!!" Hermione giggled. Ron put his face right up close to hers, so their noses were almost touching. "Do you surrender?" He asked, raising and eyebrow. Suddenly Hermione felt short of breath. "I surrender," she said softly, frozen. He was so close...His lips were only inches away from hersThen suddenly the image of Harry burst into her mind. She immeadiatly snapped out of it and sat up. She felt rather dizzy. "Im going back," Hermione said to Ron," I dont feel so well." And as she walked out of the library, leaving Ron behind, she tried not to think about the fact the she had almost kissed her best friend.
* * *
