Complicated

Complicated
I like you the way you are / When we're, driving in my car / And you're talking to me / One on one / But you become / Somebody else / 'Round everyone else / Watchin' your back / Like you can't relax / You're tryin' to be cool / You look like a fool / To me--Tell me / Why do you have to go and make things so complicated? / I see the way you're / Acting like you're somebody else gets me frustrated / Life's like this, you / And you fall and you crawl / And you break and you take / What you get and you turn it into / Honesty Promise me / I'm never gonna find you fake it

-Avril Lavigne "Complicated"

Hermione had sat in the common room crying. The letter she had just been reading lay on the floor forgotten as she sobbed. As if on cue, Ron came into the room and saw an uncharacteristically upset Hermione.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked gently, walking over to her side.

"N...nothing," she sniffed. "Viktor broke up with me." She dissolved into tears again and pointed to the letter on the floor.

Ron picked it up and read it. From what he could tell from Krum's broken English, the famed Quidditch Seeker had met another girl at summer training camp, a member of the Holyhead Harpies.

"Oh Herm, I'm sorry. Its not like he deserved you anyways. He didn't even know how to say your name!" said Ron, patting his friend's shoulder awkwardly. Although he had been a friend with Hermione for five years, Ron still didn't know how to act around her when she was upset. "Come on Hermione, let's go for a walk, and you can talk about this."

Hermione raised her head to look at Ron. Her watery eyes showed disbelief at the sensitivity he was showing. None the less, she was pleased and grateful.

As they walked around the lake and talked, Hermione was shocked to see a sensitive side to Ron, something she had never seen before.

"Why do you need him to feel special, Hermione? You already know you are. Who else helps me with Potions homework? Who gets Harry out of every single one of his dangerous adventures? You. You are special," said Ron, turning to face her, "You don't need anyone else to tell you that."

Hermione grinned broadly and quickly hugged Ron. A jolt went through his stomach, and before he could wrap his arms around her, she had broken the embrace.

"Come on, Ron, we need to finish that History of Magic essay." she started towards the castle, but stopped and turned to face her friend, "And, Ron, thanks."

Ron sighed and followed Hermione back to the school. What was that I felt when she hugged me? He thought, Oh Merlin, I must like her! Could she tell? She must know how I feel! What shall I do?

His head was spinning by the time he entered the common room. All through Hermione's lecture about the ghoul convention of 1625, all he could think of was whether or not she could tell he liked her.

"Ron. Ron! Can you even believe what those ghouls did?" Hermione said, bringing him out of his daze.

"Erm, what did you say?"

Dean Thomas, who was sitting at the table next to them, chuckled. "A lost cause, he is. Don't bother trying to teach him Hermione, Ron's too busy staring at you. He likes you."

Hermione brushed off the comment, "Don't be ridiculous, Dean. Ron and I are friends, right Ron?"

Meanwhile, Ron was blushing furiously right up to his ears. "Listen Hermione. I don't care about the ghoul convention right now. I have to go." He abruptly left the table, leaving Hermione very confused. Dean left his spot as well and followed Ron upstairs, sniggering.

The next few days, Ron avoided Hermione like the plague. She desperately wanted to get his attention, to talk about his strange behaviour, but every time she cornered him, he found a way of getting away.

Frustrated, Hermione turned to Harry. She explained her problem with Ron, and he listened with a sympathetic ear.

"Why is he doing this? Just this Saturday, we were talking at the lake, and then Dean says this stupid thing and its like Ron doesn't even want to look at me anymore."

Harry goggled at her. "You mean you don't know? Hermione, Ron is head over heels in love with you."

Hermione stared at him. Harry, realizing his mistake, clapped his hand to his mouth.
"Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that!"

Hermione laughed, "Very funny Harry. Did you and Dean think this up?"

Harry, realizing the mistake had been made, decided to continue anyways. "No, I swear on my Firebolt. Ron realized over these past few days how much he really likes you, but he doesn't know how to act. Dean was right, and you should have listened to him. Stop laughing, I am telling the truth."

She glanced at her friend's very serious face and stopped laughing. "Really? You mean to say that Ron really does like me?"

Harry nodded, "Just remember, you didn't hear it from me. Now go talk to him. Who knows

Hermione shoved him and walked over to where Ron and Seamus Finnigan were playing chess. She cleared her throat, and both boys looked up. Ron immediately turned scarlet.

"Ron, may I have a word? Its important, and I don't want you running off like you've done for the past two days."

Ron didn't have a chance to protest before Hermione grabbed him by the arm and led him out the common room. As they past by Harry, Hermione saw him give Ron a wink and the thumbs up sign.

"I'll kill him." she heard Ron mutter.

Hermione dragged him out by the lake and sat him down by a tree.

"Ron Weasley, how dare you not be truthful with me! I know for a fact you have feelings for me. Why on Earth did you not tell me?" she demanded. Immediately, she realized how stupid that sounded and blushed almost as furiously red as Ron.

"Erm, well Hermione. I well... I...." Ron struggled for the right words.

Hermione was touched by his obvious lack of explanation and realized she didn't need one. She pulled Ron to his feet and kissed him quickly.

Ron stood there, shocked. "Well, what was that?"

Hermione blushed again. "I thought you liked me."

"I do. I just didn't want you to know. I thought ... I don't know what I thought. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what you would say. I was sure... I was sure you would laugh at me."

Hermione laughed. Ron looked hurt.

"You see, you did laugh at me! I knew you would. I told Harry that if I told you that you would just..."

But Hermione interrupted him, "Ron Weasley, shut up and kiss me."

Ron was most happy to oblige.

~Fin~