Troubled Trio

Ron Weasley was going to confess his love for his best friend today. He had a speech all worked out. He was going to tell her how he liked her ever since they met but didn’t know it until second year. He remembers when she came in after being in the hospital wing and ran over to him and Harry. Her smile had been amazing. Her smile was always amazing. Ron was going to tell her that Harry was no good for her. That he could never love her the way that Ron did. He was going to do it today. Now.

“Ron, are you ok? You seem kind of distracted,” Hermione asked him. They were studying in the common room. Harry was at Quidditch practice as he had been all week. Some boy friend.

“Hermione... I... well... um...”

“What is it Ron?” Hermione put down the book she was studying from and looked at him with a concerned look on her face.

“Can you pass me my Potions textbook?” Tomorrow. He’d do it tomorrow.

“Are you sure that’s all you wanted?”

“Positive,” Ron could feel himself turning as red as his hair. “Well... can you help me with my Potions homework?”

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Ron wanted to kiss Hermione when she made that face. It was an hour later and Harry just got back from practice. He had asked Hermione if he could copy her homework and she gave him that disapproving, cheaters never learn anything look that she always gets. She was even prettier than usual. And she was always very pretty. Even though she still had that bushy brown hair. He remembered the first time he’d met her and she was looking for Neville’s toad. She was always so nice to Neville. She hadn’t been nice to Ron at first. Or maybe he hadn’t been nice to her. After all, every one always says that she’s so nice. She is also pretty. Very pretty.

“I’ve had Quidditch practice every day this week and I don’t have time to do it,” Harry was pleading. “Please.”

“No, Harry,” Hermione replied in a stern voice. “You know how I feel about cheating.”

“She’s not going to give in, Harry,” Ron laughed. “You guys have this same conversation everyday.”

Harry made an exasperated sound and went upstairs to the dorm rooms. Ron looked around the common room and noticed that he was all alone with Hermione. He might as well try to tell her again.

“Hermione,” he said very quietly. She didn’t hear him so he scooted over closer to her. This time he yelled. “Hermione!”

“Ron, why are you yelling?” Ron had startled her and she turned to look at him. She didn’t realize he was three inches away from her.

“Hermione, I... I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what?”

“Tell you that I love you,” Ron could not believe he had just said that. And he couldn’t believe it when he leaned forward and kissed Hermione. He believed it even less when she pulled away from him, slapped him, and stormed upstairs to her dormitory, crying.

“How thick could I be?” Ron wondered out loud. “She doesn’t love me. I know she loves Harry. She can’t love me. She never has and now she never will.”