Ron's Underpants

Hermione sat in her room crying her eyes out! What was going on? Ron was her best friend! How could she be so nasty to him??

Ever since she'd slept with Malfoy she hadn't wanted Ron to look at her. He made her feel so awful and filthy when he looked at her so lovingly!

And now he knew! Now he knew the disgusting, despicable, dreadful, Draco she'd done! How could he like her? How could he look her in the face again?

At around half one Ginny peaked round the door to check on Hermione. She saw Hermione's tears and couldn't bring herself to be angry at her.

"Tell me!" she commanded, slouching down next to Hermione. "It'll make you feel better!"

Hermione turned her tear stained face to face Ginny's.

"Won't!"

Ginny thought she was just being defiant and opened her mouth to speak, but then Hermione continued,

"If you only knew what I've done! You wouldn't comfort me! You wouldn't even be able to look at me! I hate myself! I don't love Draco! I hate him but I'm trapped! It's Ron!"

"Firstly," Ginny began, "I would understand a lot more than you think! Secondly don't hate yourself! Channel all that hatred to Draco! And lastly, what's Ron?"

Hermione looked at her, sad but comforted.

"Ron's..." She turned her voice down to a whisper. "Ron's the one I love!" She blushed and looked away.

Ginny pondered this information for a moment.

"Then you'd better sort yourself a mighty good apology if you ever want him to talk to you again!"

--*--

Ginny went to have a bath leaving Hermione on her own.

Hermione slipped softly down the stairs and out into the common room. She spotted Ron sitting cross-legged on the rug in front of the fire. He was writing something on a pad of paper.

"Hey Undies!" yelled Dean, crashing into the common room! "That was a great practice! Angelina's going to kill you for not going! You know how she's been about the game against Slytherin next week!"

Hermione watched him run up the stairs (hopefully to take a shower 'cause he was stinking of sweat) then turned her attention back to Ron.

"Hi," she whispered.

He glanced up at her then went on writing.

"I know, I was an absolute bitch, but, Ron, I feel so awful and filthy when you look at me! I hate Malfoy, really I do, but I feel that I'm contaminated and no one else could ever want me! Like, like I have to stay with Malfoy because he owns me!" she blurted this out before he could speak.

Ron uncrossed his legs and slowly stood up.

"Do you really think that an apology can excuse what you've done?"

She went pink and bowed her head.

"Hermione." She felt Ron's hand on her shoulder. "You're my friend. I've seen my sister go through this! I've seen what that bastard can do to lovely people like you! Why wouldn't you let me and Ginny and Harry help you?"

"I told you, I can't stand you guys looking at me! I feel lost, alone and unwanted! I know you all liked me but could you honestly treat me the same if I came back?"

Ron thought about this.

"I don't know about Harry, he's got real issues with Draco, but I know for sure that I could!"

His words were slow and deliberately clear. He gripped his hands firmly together, closed his, eyes and turned towards the fireplace, and spoke;

"I love you!" He could feel his ears going pink and shuffled his collar up in an attempt to hide them.

"Aww shucks, Ron, I love you too!" Fred exclaimed, before hugging Ron sarcastically.

"Gerroff!" Ron exclaimed back.

Hermione giggled but inside her stomach was bouncing. Ron loved her back! Nothing could be more perfect, except... She had to find out exactly what Ginny had gone through with Malfoy, sorry dick-face, and how it would help her. She smiled a truly happy smile at Ron (who was receiving a rather nasty nouggie from his older sibling, before slipping up to Ginny's dorm to begin her enquiry.