A Story with a Disappointing Ending

It was bothering her; she couldn't get him out of her head. She always prided herself on her level-headedness, on not getting caught up in some silly little crush that didn't mean anything anyway. I mean really, she thought to herself, I'm only in my sixth year... It's not like it'd last anyway... Yes, Hermione was always a very practical girl, and that's what was bothering her- the fact that she knew she was being silly, yet she still couldn't stop thinking about Ron. They had always been close, well since the troll incident first year, anyways, but lately she caught herself staring at him when he wasn't looking, and thinking about him when he wasn't around. Once or twice, she was almost sure he had caught her staring, but she had looked away quickly, so she couldn't be positive. It was all very unsettling to her.

I wonder how he feels about me, Hermione thought absently, and then quickly banished the idea from her head. Don't be silly, Hermione, she scolded herself, he doesn't think of you as anything more than a friend. I mean, how stupid can I get! In her absent-mindedness, Hermione had lost track of where she was going, and the time. Glancing down at her watch, she realized it was far past the time for being back in the common room, and she was utterly lost. She froze, hearing a soft meow from behind her, and she turned to look. Please oh PLEASE don't let it be Mrs. Norris, she thought. Her eyes lingered on the cat for only a moment before she broke out into a run.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Ron was pacing back and forth nervously, looking at his watch every few minutes.

"Ron, will you sit down? You're making me dizzy," Harry said, looking up from his parchment.

"Sorry," Ron replied, "I'm worried about Hermione, she should have been back ages ago...I hope Filch didn't get her."

"Oh, quit worrying, she's probably in the library or something."

"Yeah, but..."

"But nothing, she's fine, now will you sit down, you're driving me bonkers."

"Yeah, you're probably right Harry," Ron said, sitting down. A few minutes later, he stood up again and went over to the portrait hole.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked him.

"I'm going to look for her."

"Look for who?"

"Hermione, who else?"

"Oh."

"I'm worried about her."

"Why?"

"What if Filch finds her? Or even worse, what if she's hurt or something?"

"Ron, don't be stupid. She's fine."

"Oh, so I'm stupid now?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Harry replied.

"Then what exactly did you mean?"

"Ron..." Harry began, but Ron cut him off.

"Don't. I'm going to look for her and that's final!" With that, Ron stalked from the room, leaving Harry staring open-mouthed at the spot where Ron had just been.

Panting, Hermione leaned up against the wall, trying desperately to catch her breath. Her mad dash had brought her out by the library, so at least she knew how to get back to the common room. The only problem would be avoiding Filch and Mrs. Norris, both of whom she knew could not be far behind. Moving as quickly and quietly as she could, Hermione made her way down the hall. Suddenly, she stopped, seeing a figure moving in the shadows ahead. She froze, not daring so much as a breath, and yet, the person's silhouette seemed vaguely familiar. Just then, the moon came out from behind a cloud, illuminating the part of the corridor the other person was standing in.

"Ron?" Hermione whispered, incredulous.

"Hermione, is that you?" he whispered back.

"Yes, it's me...what are you doing out here? It's way after hours."

"I was looking for you. Where have you been all this time?" He almost added "I've been worried sick that you were hurt or something," but he didn't.

"Oh, I was just...uh," she paused. What could she say? I was just thinking about how madly in love I am with you? Even in her head, that sounded absolutely ridiculous. "I wasn't paying attention and got lost," She finished rather lamely. Well, it's not like it's a lie... I did get lost... I just don't have to tell him why...

"Oh," Ron replied, but Hermione knew he wasn't completely convinced. "C'mon, we'd better go before we get caught," he said after a moment. They walked in silence for a few moments, until they both caught the uneven sound all Hogwarts students feared... Filch's footsteps.

"Oh no!" Hermione whispered urgently.

"C'mon," Ron whispered, tugging at her arm, making chills run up her spine, "in here." He pulled her inside a nearby broom closet and locked the door behind him. The space was tiny, and they stood close to each other. Hermione could feel her heart racing, though whether it was her fear of being caught or her current nearness to Ron, she couldn't be sure.

"Ron," she whispered in a low voice.

"What?" he whispered back in the same low voice.

"You're standing on my foot."

"Oh," he sounded disappointed, "sorry." He shifted his foot over, tripping slightly as he did so. This had the effect of bringing them closer together. Hermione was sure her heart was beating so loud even Filch would hear it. Without meaning to, she held her breath.

"Breathe Hermione, before you pass out and I have to carry you back to the common room," Ron whispered.

"Oh," was all she could manage. She wasn't sure being carried by Ron would be such a bad thing. Of course, there wasn't any use if she was unconscious, she supposed.

"Ron," she started, and then stopped.

"What?" he asked, leaning forward to hear her better. He was dangerously close to her now; he had bent slightly so that their faces were barely an inch apart. As Hermione looked into his face, his eyes, she was startled by what she saw. It was an expression she couldn't place, one she had never seen on Ron's face before. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he feels the same way I do about him... But, unfortunately, she did know better...or thought she did. Hermione was a very practical girl.

She stumbled, lost for words. She knew what she wanted to say. Ron, I care about you more than anything, I need you, I LOVE you, please don't ever leave me, I don't ever want to be without you. I would go anywhere; do anything for you, even if you don't feel the same way for me. Please, say you care, tell me we'll always be together. I can't live without you. Every moment we're apart is like some kind of slow torture, I don't know what I would do without you. Please, tell my you love me too. They were so close, faces still only inches apart. It would be so easy to just reach up and kiss him, she thought. She faintly heard the steps in the outside hall retreat and fade away.

Slowly, Hermione snaked her hand around his side, reaching back. Ron looked back at her with surprise evident in his face. They were so close now, painfully close, and she could feel the unspoken things stuck in the air, the tension was nearly unbearable. She continued to reach back until her fingers reached their destination, their bodies now pressed close together. She curled her fingers around the cool metal.

"Filch is gone," she whispered, unlocking the door and turning the knob with one swift motion. She stepped out of the closet and walked off towards the common room. A very bewildered Ron followed her silently.