It Must Be Love

It Must Be Love

Chapter 1

Hermione's birthday was fast approaching - her seventeenth - how time had flown since Ron had first seen her on that train to Hogwarts in their first year... Since they'd become friends... Since he realised just how much he liked her...

Ron sighed and rolled over in his bed. He gazed at the empty dormitory, not focusing on anything in particular, his vision blurred by the constant image of Hermione's face swimming before his eyes. Blinking hard, he tried to think straight and decide on a gift for her. It had to be special - had to mean something... It should show that he listened to her and should convey a sense of love, but... Oh it was just so hard, what the hell was there to buy that seemed good enough for her?

He struggled to sit up, still exhausted from a hard day's Quidditch training. Longingly, Ron thought of Hogsmeade, where everyone else would be spending his or her Saturday - where Hermione would be spending her Saturday. Damn it! Why did he have to think like this? Why did every single thought and idea always seem to have to lead back to Hermione? It wasn't even as if they were going out... She doesn't even know how much she means to me, he thought bitterly. Picking up her last Christmas card to him (for he kept all of her cards, gifts and letters locked away in a box beneath his bed), he read:

Ron, Merry Christmas! I miss you and Harry so much, I can't wait to see you again - three weeks seems so long! Not that I've been idle though, Victor's been writing a lot and so I spend a lot of time replying, but I've been skiing and all sorts with my friends and family. I'll tell you more about it when school starts and I see you again, this little card has barely any space. Do you like it by the way? I thought the two little robins were sweet! Well, I'll see you in two weeks - enjoy the New Year

Love Hermione x x x

Oh Hermione! Why did she have to constantly remind him about Krum? Didn't she think it hurt enough? Couldn't she see his pain? He loved her so much - not the friendship sort of love she felt - he was in love with her... How could he not be? How could the sick, swooping feeling he got when he stood near her not be love? How could the dizzying effect of her touch that made his arms shake and knees buckle, possibly not be love?

Shaking his head to rid himself of these thoughts, Ron bent down and carefully replaced the card into the box, trying to focus his thoughts on a suitable gift for her. He paused beside the bed, thinking... Chocolate? Perfume? Flowers? All had been done before and were so common and unoriginal that Ron shuddered to think of him giving them to her. Clothes? A book? All useless, Ron thought in despair.

"What's wrong with you?" Harry's amused voice came from above him. Ron jumped - he had been so deep in remorseful thought that he hadn't even heard Harry enter. He scrambled to his feet hurriedly, shoving the box under his bed.

"Nothing, I just... lost a quill. I was looking for it," Ron said, his ears going red. Harry looked doubtful, but didn't pursue the subject.

"We just got back from Hogsmeade. Hermione's waiting downstairs for us, she wants to show you the new book she got." Harry rolled his eyes and continued, "She thought you might like to borrow it sometime."

He grinned, and Ron smiled back weakly. "You really should have come along with me after practice you know, it was great." Harry paused again, waiting for Ron to comment, but the idea of a response didn't even occur to him.

Oh why hadn't he gone? His heart seemed to wail. I'll tell you why, his mind responded, it might have seemed obvious to her, suddenly turning up just to spend time with her after complaining about how tired you were after Quidditch practice.

Ron knew how ridiculous this sort of thinking was - he and Hermione were friends, of course he'd want to spend time with her... And why was he so worried about her knowing his feelings anyway? Well, that one was a no-brainer - he didn't want their friendship to be ruined, that was why, so surely it would be easier if he just stopped liking her as anything but a friend? He sighed - if only he could control his feelings...

"Yeah, well... I just didn't fancy it I guess", Ron responded far too late. Harry looked closely at Ron for a moment and then shrugged.

"Come on then, 'Mione's waiting." He dumped his bag and made towards the door, but Ron suddenly blurted out, "No wait!" There followed a silence in which Harry looked at Ron quizzically and Ron went a deeper shade of red, but he decided that he might as well continue, "what... what are you getting Hermione for her birthday?" he said as calmly as possible. Harry looked momentarily surprised and lapsed into silence as he thought.

"I dunno... Chocolate? Hadn't really given it much thought," and then he left the room, purposefully leaving the door open for Ron.

Great, Ron thought. Just great. Harry hadn't been much help, and he of course didn't know how Ron felt, and there was no way he could tell him either. Harry couldn't possibly understand. Hermione was beautiful, smart, funny, considerate, thoughtful, kind... The list just went on and on, and Ron really knew her - not like Harry, who had only liked Cho because she was pretty. That was another thing, Harry had kissed Cho - he had hardly known her and hadn't liked her half as much as Ron liked Hermione, yet something had happened with them, they had actually gone out together - he sometimes hated Harry. He was famous, all the girls seemed to like him and he could get anyone he fancied. Ron felt a guilty pang thinking these thoughts, but knew it was no use denying them - Hermione meant the world to him yet it would never result in more than friendship, whereas Harry...

"Ron! Come on already, what the hell is taking you so long?" It was Harry, leaning in at the door looking impatient.

"I'm coming, just give me a sec," he said distractedly. Harry shook his head and left again. Ron watched the door where Harry had disappeared for a moment, a mixture of confused feelings surging through his head, confusing him and making him dizzy. Then at last he moved, to the doorway, through the door, and down the staircase to Hermione and Harry... and Hermione.