A Crazy, Silly Hope

"I like the way you think, Hermione."

Hermione turned to look at me, an inquiring look on her face. "What's that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, my ears turning red. "Just...Just go on with your essay..."

I watched Hermione when she turned around, thinking. I did like the way she thought...the way she often came up with things out of nowhere...It just blew me away sometimes. The way she almost always had an answer straightaway when I needed help with homework. She was great that way. Yes, Hermione Granger was certainly a wonderful person. How could I have argued with her just less than an hour ago about something as trivial as her relationship with Viktor Krum? I suddenly felt horrible about it.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"Do you hate me?"

"Of course not! Whatever gave you an idea like that?"

"I've...I've always been so stupid...arguing with you all the time...You must hate me for it," I muttered, looking at my feet.

"Of course I don't! I like you!"

"But I-" I stopped dead in midsentence, gaping at Hermione. "Y-you what?"

Hermione laughed. "If you've just realized that I like you, Ronald Weasley, you're denser than I thought."

My ears went red again. "Wh-what do you mean?" I mumbled.

"Ron, why do you think I've been your friend for so long?"

My heart sank. "Oh." For one joyous split second I'd thought she mean she liked me the same way I liked her...but I'd been dead wrong, of course. I was crazy to think she'd ever feel that way about me. Crazy and stupid. Why keep hoping? It wasn't gonna happen. Trelawney would make a correct prediction before it happened.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing."

"You can tell me-"

"It's nothing."

"Fine! Don't tell me!" Hermione snapped, going back to her work.

I sighed-quietly, so Hermione wouldn't hear. I wanted to tell her, I really did, but I couldn't.

I wondered how Hermione would react if I told her then and there. She'd probably either laugh at me or give me a really strange look and confirm what I'd been thinking for some time: that I was going insane.

I seriously thought about going to the hospital wing to get my head checked sometimes. I mean, Who suddenly starts staring at a girl he's been friends with for five years whenever she isn't looking? That's not normal. That is definitely not normal.

No longer able to concentrate on my History of Magic essay that was about as interesting as a Flobberworm, I decided to go find Harry.

Just as I was about to look outside for Harry, he came funning towards me looking quite out of breath.

I looked at him, puzzled. "What's up, mate?"

"The strangest thing just happened, Ron! You won't believe it...I-I ran into Professor Trelawney, of all people, and she said something, and...and she was right! It happened just fifteen minutes later!"

I laughed harder than I'd laughed in a long time. I didn't respond to Harry-just laughed, and I didn't stop, even though Harry was looking at me like I belonged in a special ward at St. Mungo's, for I thought, "If Trelawney can make a correct prediction, anything can happen."

"Are you all right, Ron?" Harry asked, still staring at me.

I grinned. "I've never been better." I almost skipped with happiness as I followed Harry (who was still staring at me) back to Gryffindor Tower.

Hope was not lost.