If Only

This had to be the weirdest summer for Ron Weasley. He does not know exactly why, but he was thinking it had something to do with his best friend. Actually, this includes both his best friends. Harry Potter because the Dark Lord was in full power again and was probably devising a plan to kill him and Hermione Granger. Weird, why Hermione? He thought. She can take care of herself and she is the best witch in school.

Well, after the "thing" he had during the Yule Ball and Viktor Krum, he cannot seem to tell what his feelings for Hermione were becoming. One night after he came back from school, he thought of... Hermione. Why though. He always comes up with this question every time he thinks of her in a not so ordinary way, not perverted, but just not ordinary.

Well, tonight Hermione popped up in his mind again. This was becoming regular actually. She pops up once in the morning, preferable when he wakes up, once in the afternoon, and once before he falls asleep and before he dreams of her. Every time she pops up he could see her in her periwinkle-blue dress, the one she wore to the Yule Ball and she was with him, in his arms, not Krum. After minutes of pondering about Hermione in his arms, he finally fell in deep slumber only to dream of her.

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley called out as she placed the last plate on the table. "Wake up! Breakfast!"

"Mmm," Ron sat on his bed and rubbed his eyes. "Coming!" he yelled as he climbed down his bed and walked straight to the bathroom.

Ron washed his face. Then, he looked at the mirror and said, "Mmm... I wonder what Hermione is doing in Bulgaria or where ever she is..."

"Ron!" Fred yelled. "Are you talking to yourself again?"

"NO!" Ron yelled back. "No, now go away and give me a minute."

"If you're not talking to yourself," George but in, "then are you thinking of HERMIONE again... in the bathroom...?" George grinned at Fred.

"NO!" Ron hollered.

Now Ron is really annoyed. Lately, Fred and George have been bugging him about Hermione and how their little brother is in love.

"I'm not... okay," he told them as he exited the bathroom and went to the dining table to eat breakfast.

"What's wrong, Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked as Ron sat down, frowning.

"Nothing," Ron mumbled.

"I bet its Fred and George," Percy said. "They've been really annoying lately."

A few minutes later, Fred and George came down stairs and had some breakfast.

It was a quiet breakfast for the Weasleys this morning. Usually, Percy would be talking about his job and Mr. Weasley would be reading the Daily Prophet aloud for Mrs. Weasley. Fred and George would be badgering Ron or Ginny, but not today.

Then, as Percy stood up to put his plate in the sink, a couple of owls came swooping in. One of them was Hermes, Percy's owl, bringing him a letter from his girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater. The other was Pig bearing two letters from Harry and Hermione.

Ron immediately stood up and got Pig. He has been waiting for their reply since.

"Oooo," Fred said teasingly. "It that a letter from Hermione?"

"Your best friend slash love of your life?" George finished.

Ron ignored this and just went up to his room and read them.

When Ron reached his room, he opened Harry's letter first. It said:

Dear Ron,

Hi! I received you letter. I asked Uncle Vernon about spending the rest of the summer over there and he said yes provided that you do not use the fireplace again and pick me up in a "more normal" manner. I cannot wait. Did you ask Hermione to spend the summer over too? Well, cannot wait! See you soon!

Harry

Ron was glad that Harry would be spending the rest of the summer with him. Now, he would not spend the rest of his vacation listening to Fred and George. He then opened Hermione's letter. It said:

Dear Ron,

Hi! How are you? How is your vacation going? Well, mine is great. I have learned a lot of things about Bulgaria actually. Viktor is an awesome guide. He gave me a tour of the museums and libraries. Mum and Dad are enjoying it too. I asked them about spending the rest summer over there with you and they said yes. I am really glad they said yes, I have not been spending time with them and I had this feeling that they would not let me. Anyway, I have a lot of things to share with you. I bought you and Harry souvenirs. I also added Fred and George. He he. Well, have to go. Victor and I are going to the park. Cannot wait to see you soon! Bye!

Lots of Love,

Hermione

Ron sighed. He was glad that Hermione would be spending the rest of summer with him too. But he thought that I would be awkward for him. He does not know why it would be. He is still currently battling with is mind about Hermione and his feelings for her.

Ron shook his head and just thought of Harry and Hermione's arrival in the Burrow.

It was again night time, and again Hermione popped up in his mind. This time Hermione was not in his arms but in Krum's. He tried to shake it off but it would not. Now, Krum was laughing at him and he was taking Hermione away from him. "Come on Ron," he told himself. "It's just Krum and Hermione together, it's no big deal."

But it was. "

"No! I would not be able to stand the fact that Viktor Krum, an ugly git whose nose is bigger than Snape's, would be taking the girl of my dreams away." Ron thought.

Wait, did he just call Hermione the "girl of his dreams."

"Well, there is nothing wrong with that," he thought. "Okay, so maybe Hermione is the girl of my dreams but it's just that... nothing more..."

But again he thought wrong.

"No, she's not just the girl of my dreams... she the love of my life." Ron clapped his hand onto his head and just thought of the revelation he just did. "Love of my life?" Ron shook his head. "NO, but she's my best friend. Besides she will never see me more than a friend. She has Krum now."

Ron sat on his bed and looked around his room. Then he found the letter that Hermione wrote him. He grabbed it and smelled it. "Hmm... Even her handwriting smells good," he said.

He lied back down on his bed, still holding Hermione's letter and slowly fell asleep.

~*~*Two weeks and three days later*~*~

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley called as she let Harry and Mr. Weasley in.

Ron ran to the door and met Harry. "Harry!" he exclaimed.

"Ron!" Harry grabbed his bag and met Ron half way. "I'm so glad I'm here. I was about to blow Dudley into pieces. Thank you for the ride Mr. Weasley."

Mr. Weasley waved at Harry and walked to the garden with Mrs. Weasley.

"So, what have been up to Ron?" Harry asked they climbed the stairs to Ron's room.

"Well, nothing much really," Ron said as he opened his bedroom door for Harry.

"Thanks," Harry said as he entered Ron's room.

"I did a lot of de-gnoming and mum made me clean my room," Ron said.

Harry walked to the window to see Fred and George playing Quidditch in the backyard. "Is Hermione coming?" he asked.

"Yeah," Ron said, his eyes lit up.

"Okay," Harry said. "What's with the glow in your eyes?"

"What glow?" Ron blushed. "I can't let Harry know how I feel about Hermione," he thought.

He recently admitted to himself that he loved her, but he does not plan on telling anyone about it, especially Hermione, just yet.

"Nothing," Harry said. Harry sat on a chair across Ron's bed and grabbed a book. Then suddenly, Harry said, "HERMIONE!"

"What?! Where?!" Ron jumped up and started fixing his hair and clothes.

"Aha!" Harry exclaimed as if he just won the world cup. "I knew it. I knew it. You can't fool me Ron Weasley."

"Harry!" Ron walked up to him and slapped him. "You don't do that."

"You like her don't you?" Harry said teasingly. "You like her... You don't need to admit it, we can see it."

"No I don't," Ron denied. "She's our best friend Harry. Besides, she likes Krum. I'm not stupid enough to-"

"Ron," Harry sighed, "if I were you, just admit it. It will really save you. If you keep on denying it, you are going to blow up one day and it will come out the all wrong and then you will just regret it. So, just tell me Ron. I promise I won't tell a soul, even Hermione."

"Especially Hermione," Ron said.

"Okay, especially Hermione," Harry said reassuringly.

"Okay, fine," Ron said as he sat back down on his bed. "I like her, okay. No, let me rephrase that, I love her. I did not mean to feel this way toward her. She keeps popping in my mind. It happens everyday. I was confused at first but then when I received her letter and was telling me about how great Bulgaria is and how Krum is a great guy and all, it made me feel jealous and then BOOM! I felt it. I love her," Ron finished with a sigh.

Harry nodded his head. "It's okay Ron. I promise I won't tell anyone."

Ron smiled and then Mrs. Weasley called, "Ron! Harry! Hermione's here!"

Ron jumped up and quickly fixed his hair and bolted out of the door.

"Hermione!" Ron said.

"Hermione!" Harry said panting.

"HI!" Hermione said. "How are you?"

"We're fine... you?" Ron said as him and Harry picked up Hermione's trunk and lead to Ginny's room.

"I'm fine," Hermione replied. "I can't wait to tell you all the things Viktor and I did in Bulgaria. You're both going to love the things I bought for you."

Ron and Harry both smiled. Harry opened the door to Ginny's rooms and settled Hermione's trunk on one side.

"So," Hermione said. "What are we going to do?"

"Tell us about your trip to Bulgaria," Ron suggested.

"Okay," Hermione said as the three of them made their way out of Ginny's room and entered Ron's room.

For about thirty minutes, Hermione talked about her trip. Ron tried to listen but he cannot seem to take his eyes off her. Hermione had not change since the last time he saw her. She was still as beautiful as she ever was.

Hermione reached in her pocket to get something. Then she handed both Harry and Ron a book about Quidditch featuring the Bulgarian team.

"Thanks," Ron said trying on a smile while looking at Krum's face.

"Oh its nothing," Hermione said. "I got it for free. Viktor had it lying around his house and he decided to give to me to give to you both."

"Real thoughtful of him," Harry said.

"So," Ron said, "are you and Krum a couple?"

"Oh no," Hermione said. "Well, he thought I'm pretty but he can't be my boyfriend because-" she looked at Ron who was looking down.

"Because..." Harry said eagerly.

"Because I don't like him, I mean he's a great guy and all but I just don't see him and me together like that."

Ron looked up and his eyes were dancing. Harry looked at him and could tell that Ron was pleased to hear this from Hermione.

The sun was setting and the trio was exchanging stories about their summer, well, Hermione talked most of the time. Then, a knock on the door came. Ron, who was closest to the door, stood up and opened it. Ginny was standing here and said, "Dinner's ready."

"Okay, we'll be down in a minute," Ron told her and she headed down stairs again.

"Ready for dinner?" Ron asked.

"Yeah," both answered him and the three of them headed down stairs.

Dinner was excellent. The food Mrs. Weasley prepared was just superb.

Harry was once again in deep conversation with Mr. Weasley about muggle things and Ginny and Hermione were talking about Bulgaria while Fred and George were bugging Percy again.

Ron, who sat across Hermione, kept glancing up at Hermione every once in awhile. "You can't glance all the time git!" Ron thought. "She'll know and so will the rest of the people in this table." But he cannot help it.

After dinner, every one got ready for bed. Both Ron and Harry were in Ron's room while Hermione was in Ginny's.

Again, Hermione popped in his mind. "When will this ever stop?!" Ron thought angrily at himself.

"So Ron, Hermione doesn't like Krum and they're not a couple, what's your next move?" Harry asked Ron as they were staring at the ceiling.

"I still don't think I should tell her. I don't think she'll feel the same way," Ron said.

"Maybe she does," Harry replied. "You'll never know unless you try."

"I guess," Ron said. He just stared outside his window and just thought of Hermione and then he slowly fell sound asleep with dreams of Hermione.

~*~*September 1^st in Hogwarts*~*

"It's good to be back!" Hermione said as they entered the common room.

"Yeah," Ron and Harry said.

"I guess we have to go to bed and be ready for the work we have to do for tomorrow," Hermione said as she made her way to the girls' dormitory.

"I guess so," Harry said.

"Night, Mione," Ron said as he and Harry walked to boys' dormitory.

"Night," Hermione replied.

~*~*Next Day (after dinner)*~*~

"Git!" Ron said. "Why does Snape have to give us homework? It is the first day of classes for Merlin's sake!"

"Just do it Ron," Hermione said. "Besides it the easiest homework he ever gave us."

"Sure," Ron replied. "But it's still homework."

Hermione tried to argue but she was doing her homework so she decided not to.

Harry and Ron did their homework to but Ron, once again, was drifting into Hermione. He stared at her for a good three minutes until Harry kicked his foot.

"Ouch!" Ron exclaimed.

"You're staring too much, you're practically drooling," Harry whispered.

"Oh," Ron said. "Thanks."

The night deepened and now the trio was off to bed once again.

Once again, before Ron feel into deep slumber, Hermione was inside his head.

~*~*Four months of School have past*~*~

"I can't take it anymore!" Ron suddenly exclaimed in the middle of homework.

"What?" Harry asked. "Ron, you scared me, you don't do that when we're studying."

"I'm sorry Harry but I think Hermione is going out with Krum she's just not telling us," Ron explained.

"No she's not," Harry said. "You're just being paranoid. Besides she told us, remember?"

"Yeah," Ron said, "but she could lie you know."

"You know what Ron?" Harry said.

"What?" Ron replied.

"I think you should tell her," Harry said sincerely.

"Tell her?" Ron exclaimed. "Tell her?! Are you crazy?! If I tell her then she'll turn me down then we won't be friends any more."

"Are you sure?" Harry said. "You haven't even tried. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to try."

"You can say that because it's not you," Ron said. "I just don't have the guts to feel this way towards her. Every night last summer, she would be the first thing I think about and the last and it would be happy thoughts. But lately, I see this vague picture of her and me and suddenly tearing apart, straight in the middle..."

"Ron," Harry said. "Listen, I'm not gonna force you to tell her, I know you know what to do about it but you will never know how she feels about you unless you tell her and I have this feeling that she feels the same way about you."

"Thank you Harry," Ron said.

The boys then fixed their books and got ready for bed.

Tonight, Hermione was still in Ron's mind but Ron finally told himself that he's gonna tell her.

~*~*Friday, in the common room*~*~

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed. "No homework! So, what are we going to do?"

"Well, I'm gonna read the book I bought from Bulgaria. I never really had the time to read it since school began."

"Ron?" Harry asked.

"Well, I'm doing some writing," Ron replied.

"Oh," Harry said disappointedly. "Well then, I guess I'll have to hang with Seamus and Dean or Fred and George."

The trio, well actually, Harry went to find Seamus and Dean while Hermione seated herself by the fire and Ron went up the boys' dormitory and got a quill and a piece of parchment.

After a few minutes, Ron came down and seated himself by the fire hoping to catch a glimpse of Hermione before he was going to start his task. Sadly, Hermione was not sitting there anymore. "Oh well," Ron sighed. He then unrolled the parchment and opened the ink bottle and dipped the quill in.

"How do I start this," Ron thought.

Ten minutes have pasted and still not a word was written down except for Dear Hermione. Then he remembered the time when he and his dad went to a muggle store to buy plugs and this muggle song was playing. He remembered the lyrics to the songs and it expressed the way he feels about Hermione. And so he started to write it down.

Slowly, people were going to bed. Ron and three first years were in the common. Ron finished the letter he was writing. The first years were now out of sight; Ron decided to go to the toilet and left his letter on the table knowing that no one would be awake this late at night.

Hermione entered the portrait hole. Apparently, she went to the library because the common room was too noisy for her. She was on her way to the dormitory when she saw a piece of parchment dropped by her feet. She wondered where it came from then she saw that a window was open and the wind had carried it to her. She picked up the parchment and walked to the window to close it.

After closing the window, she looked at the parchment.

A letter, in fact, was written in this piece of parchment. She started to read it. It said:

Dear Hermione,

I really do not know how to do this but I will start by writing the lyrics of a muggle I once heard, there it is:

Well every single time I see you I start to feel this way

It makes me wonder if I am ever gonna feel this way again.

There's a picture

tearin

in the back of my head

I see it over and over

I wanna hold you and love you

In my arms and then

I wanna need you

cuz I need to be with you till the end

Then I hear myself reply "You've got to hold it in" this time tonight

If only I had the guts to feel this way, if only you'd look at me and

want to stay, if only I could take you in my arms and say, I won't go cuz I

need you

Sit here waiting, wondering, hoping that I'll make this right

Cuz all I think about is your hands, your face and all these lonely nights

There's a feeling screaming in the back of my head

Saying it over and over

I wanna hold you and love you

In my arms and then

I wanna need you

cuz I need to be with you till the end

Then I hear myself reply "She'll never let you in" this time tonight

If only I had the guts to feel this way, if only you'd look at me and wanna

stay, if only I could take you in my arms and say, I won't go cuz I need you

I wanna hear you say it'll always be this way

And we'll be hand in hand for everynight and everyday

I wanna scream and shout cuz rules are never doubt

And all I care about is you and me and us and now

If only I had the guts to feel this way, if only you'd look at me and wanna

stay, if only I could take you in my arms and say, I won't go cuz I need you

Please don't go cause I need you now

Yeah. Cuz I need you

If only, yeah cuz I need you now

If only cuz I need you, I need you

If only , cuz I need you

If only cuz I need you

If only, yeah, if only...I need you now....

I chose that song because that is how I feel every time I see you and every time I think of you. I know I should not be feeling this toward my best friend but I just cannot help it, I did not mean for this to happen. I woke up one day realizing how much I love you. Ever since Viktor Krum asked you to the ball, I got jealous, but not just jealous but crazy jealous. What I am trying to say is that I love you; I think I already told you that. I will completely understand if you do not feel the same way. I just did this to tell you because these feelings I have been keep is like going to blow up one day and maybe I will not be able to tell you. So, I will just end this right there. I love you Hermione.

Love,

Ron

After reading this, Hermione's hand trembled. She was surprised at this revelation, but she was glad that he finally told her how he felt, for she too felt the same way.

Ron was now at the bottom stair when he saw Hermione with the letter.

"Ahh..." Ron stuttered. Hermione looked up. "That's my letter."

"I thought it was mine," Hermione finished.

"Well," Ron said scratching his head and still stuttering, "yeah. Did you read it?"

Hermione walk towards him. "Yes," Hermione smiled.

"I understand if you think it's stupid and I'll understand if you don't feel the same but if only you could give me a chance and-"

Hermione place a finger on Ron's lips to cut him off, "Ron," Hermione started, "you don't have to worry about that. I feel the same way too, I have ever since. The reason I did not go out with Viktor was because of you. I thought of you when I was in Bulgaria and before I knew it I was in love with you." Hermione's eyes twinkled.

Ron managed a smiled. Hermione moved a little more closer and then their lips met into a soft gentle kiss.

They were the only ones in the common room with the crackling fire burning by them.

A few moments later, Ron and Hermione could hear clapping. They broke off and looked around. The whole Gryffindor house was now wide awake and clapping, lead by their best friend, Harry Potter.

Ron's ears turned a dark shade of pink while Hermione blushed.

"We were right!" Fred whispered to George.

"I know!" George replied giving Fred a high five.

Now, everyone was glad that Ron and Hermione got together at last. As for Ron and Hermione, they could never be happier.

The end