Wallflower

Hermione sat for a long time, pondering the situation at hand. There had never been a problem Hermione Granger hadn't been able to solve, but, truth be told, this one was stumping her. Why couldn't Ron see? She didn't mean to hurt him, she just wanted to be with him, have things the way they were supposed to be? She stood up, and walked back into the Great Hall, quickly making her way through the crowd, to what seemed like a quiet little corner, where no one would bother her, especially Malfoy.

The more she thought about the night, the more she was disgusted with what she had done. She had kissed Draco Malfoy! Snogged him, right in front of the whole bloody school! How revolting!

Of course, it had been a nice kiss, but seriously, Malfoy, the man slut from Slytherin, how gross. Hermione nearly spat at the thought, but a voice stopped herself.

"What're you doing here?"

Hermione jumped, startled, and turned to look at Ana Richards. She rolled her eyes.

"Damn it, are you everywhere, or do you stalk me?" Hermione said. Ana gave her an angry look.

"Where is Ron?" Richards asked. Hermione turned to look at the girl, with a sudden distaste.

"He turned me down, what do you think? Here you are, Miss Perfect, how am I supposed to compete?" she said. Ana shrugged.

"Well, kissing Malfoy sure got you far, didn't it," she said. Hermione slapped her across the face.

"Why don't you go stick your ugly blonde head in a toilet where no one has to look at it! Honestly, girl, stop being so goddamn perfect! Don't you think I know it was a dumb idea to kiss Malfoy? Jealousy does a lot to you, a trait, which I'm sure, has never graced your immaculate mind." Ana leaned back from the sting of the hand. Her mouth seemed to move, but no words came out. Hermione glared.

"Go on then, go find some other bloke to romance. And don't even think about going near Harry, or I'll rip your eyes out and shove them up your nostrils." Ana backed away hurriedly at this comment, quickly exiting the area. Hermione sighed.

It felt good, bossing other people around. She hadn't felt this good since, since,

Since bossing around Ron.

Hermione's mind stopped. Bossing around Ron. She was always good at doing that. Why, she was practically a teacher to him, he did whatever she told him to...

Hermione stood up, practically running out of the Great Hall, and dashing up the Gryffindor Tower. She whizzed through the Portrait Hole, to find the Common Room empty. She turned to the boys stairs, and quickly tackled those as best as she could. She slammed through the door, and found her dear redhead playing chess on the floor. He looked up, his face becoming contorted with anger, and his mouth opening.

"Ronald Weasley, close your mouth this instant!" Hermione snapped. Ron, though his mouth didn't close, stopped, in apparent shock.

"I can't believe that you would even think for one second that you're free of blame from this whole mess!" she ranted, only just beginning. Ron could only sit there, unable to defend himself from the oncoming lecture. "Of course I should have asked you to the dance, but if you would have gone with me even after you went with Ana, then by gods, you should have gone with me! And don't lecture me about going with Malfoy to make you jealous, what was I supposed to do, leave you and Miss Perfect and never let anything happen between us? I'm not one to watch things happen, or let things I care about get away."

Hermione stood there, catching her breath, her face returning to its normal color. She just stood there, more angry at him than wanting him to like her. Ron opened his mouth, finally.

"Hermione, I just, I can't believe you would do that to me," he said, standing up and going to the window. Hermione grabbed at her hair, which was becoming rather distressed from the events of the night.

"Ron, I can't believe that you accuse me of wrong when you do the exact same thing! I mean, honestly, I know that you've liked me for the past two years, but did you ever say anything? No, of course not! Is that not the exact same position that we are in now?"

Ron didn't say anything. Hermione sighed, sitting down on a bed; whose, she didn't know.

"I know that I hurt you, Ron," she said, quieter than before, "But I wanted to be with you so bad, I just, I couldn't think of any other way, and, well, it just didn't feel right to feel helpless. I've never felt that way before."

Ron was silent. Hermione sat until the silence became too uncomfortable to bear. She stood up, and walked to the door, wiping at a tear at the corner of her eye. Stay strong, Hermione, don't break down here...

"Stop."

Hermione stopped, biting back a gulp.

"Yes?" she asked as strongly as she could. She closed her eyes, bracing for the angry retort. She heard footsteps, and held back a gasp. She nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her face, but her reaction when she felt lips on her own was much less.

It was quick, polite, and nervous, but sweeter than anything that had ever graced her tongue. Hermione kept her eyes closed, reveling in the sense of pure happiness for one moment, then, opened her wet eyes. Ron stared back at her, his eyes not completely dry either. He smiled, nervously.

"Been waiting a long time to do that."