Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter books, nor any of the characters therein. If I did, I would have progressed Ron and Hermione's relationship a bit more in "Order of the Phoenix," LOL.

Hermione sighed heavily as she watched Harry leave with the Dursleys. "I do hope he'll be all right," she said quietly to Ron.

"Sure, he will be...that bloke Dursley was scared stiff of Moody," Ron said with a slight snort of laughter. "Besides, we'll make sure Dumbledore lets us go get him soon," he added more seriously.

Hermione nodded and turned to see where her parents had gone. She smiled at seeing them in an animated conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, no doubt trying to answer Mr. Weasley's many questions about Muggles. She was thankful that they genuinely liked the Weasleys and wouldn't get exasperated and rude. Moody and the others from the Order were gone, apparently having left after doing their duty and scaring the wits out of the Dursleys. The twins and Ginny were also nowhere in sight, and Hermione wondered what kind of mischief they were up to, hoping it didn't involve having people spout blood from their ears or grow an extra head.

"I hope my Dad's not driving your parents crazy." Hermione turned to see Ron looking worriedly at their parents.

"No, no...my parents understand. And they like your family...it's fine." She suddenly realized that the time had come to say good-bye to Ron. She had been dreading this, suspecting that it would be very awkward this year after all the time they had spent together, without Harry, over the past months. Ron must have realized this, too, because he stopped watching their parents and looked down at her awkwardly.

"So, um....will you be coming to London right away, or will you stay at the Burrow for a while?" she asked.

"Don't know. I think Mum wants to make sure we have some time at home first, but it depends on how things are going in the Order." Ron shifted his feet nervously, looking down at them. "Do you have plans to...go anywhere this summer? Maybe visit somebody?" he asked, not looking at Hermione, but clearly thinking about Viktor Krum's invitation to have her visit him last summer.

"Ron, if you're asking me if I'm going to Bulgaria...."

"I'm not!" he said, looking up quickly.

"To your credit, no, you're not," she said with a slight smile. "I think with all the recent excitement, though, I'm going to ask Mum and Dad if we can just stay quietly at home for a few weeks before I come to headquarters." She smiled at Ron's look of relief (which he unsuccessfully tried to hide by nodding seriously), then summoned her courage to mention something she had wanted to say for the past month. "Do you think maybe....maybe I could come to the Burrow for a few days before we have to go to headquarters? I really shouldn't invite myself, but...." she trailed off and looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling very unsure.

Ron brightened. "That would be great!—I mean...." he continued, trying to look serious again, "yeah, I'll ask Mum. It would be nice to have you there for a while....and Harry, too," he added.

"Thanks." Hermione smiled, feeling better about her own embarrassment when she saw how terribly he was blushing. They stood there awkwardly for a few moments, looking at anything and everything except each other. Hermione finally spoke. "Well......my parents will be ready to go soon, so...." she stepped closer and hugged him tightly around the neck. He was surprised for an instant, then he hugged her back, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

For a moment, Ron wouldn't allow himself to think this was any different than the hugs that Hermione sometimes gave Harry when saying good-bye (he had just watched her, feeling mildly envious, hug Harry good-bye not ten minutes before), but when several seconds passed, and she still hadn't stepped away, he realized there was a big difference. He could smell the clean scent of her hair which was tickling his face, and time suddenly ceased to be a factor in his life.

Hermione knew she shouldn't be hanging on to Ron, here in the middle of King's Cross Station, with their parents nearby, and Fred and George capable of popping up and making their lives miserable, but all the tensions of the past year suddenly overcame her, and she was incapable of letting go. They had gone through so much together this year--working as prefects, worrying about Harry, recovering in the infirmary after their injuries in the Department of Mysteries--the feelings for Ron that had been indistinct in their fourth year had developed into something much deeper. She would miss him terribly for the next month.

"Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said quietly.

They jumped apart guiltily and turned to Mrs. Weasley, who was regarding them with a slight knowing smile. "I'm sorry, dear," she said apologetically to Hermione. "But your parents have taken your trunk to the car. They're ready to leave."

"OK. Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said shakily.

Mrs. Weasley smiled again and turned, taking Mr. Weasley (who was also smiling knowingly) by the arm and leading him away. "Your father and I are going to look for Ginny and the twins, Ron...we'll be here shortly," she called back to Ron.

Hermione turned to Ron, who was blushing so furiously you couldn't tell where his face ended and his hair began. "I'd better go," Hermione said. She hesitated for a moment, then stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed him on the cheek, near the corner of his mouth. "I'll miss you," she whispered, then turned and hurried away.

Ron stood for moment, looking thoughtful, touching the place where she had kissed him, (again! his subconscious was screaming jubilantly somewhere inside his brain). "Hermione!" She stopped and looked back at him. "I'll write to you tonight and tell you what Mum says!" She smiled and nodded, then continued on her way to the parking lot.

Ron stood for another moment, still feeling Hermione's kiss, then he decided to find his parents and arrange for Hermione (and Harry, of course, his still-befuddled mind insisted) to come to the Burrow. Perhaps it would be an interesting summer, after all.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter books or characters, but I wish I did.





Later that night, Ron sat at the small desk in his room, chewing thoughtfully on the end of his quill. He was trying to write to Hermione to tell her she could come to the Burrow, but for some reason that hug and kiss at King's Cross kept getting in the way of his thought process.



"Dear Hermione..." he wrote. Wait a minute, he thought. Maybe I shouldn't say "dear". Maybe that's pushing it. Have I ever written "dear Hermione" before? He couldn't remember. He crumpled up the sheet of parchment and started writing on a fresh one.



"Hermione," he wrote. That's better...I hope. Maybe I should write "dear". "Oh, bloody hell," he muttered to himself. "Just write the stupid letter already."



"Mum says she reckons your parents would like to have some time with you, but she says it would be fine for you to come on July 20th, if they agree. Dumbledore says Harry can come here on his birthday, then we'll all leave together for Snuffles’ place on August 5th." (He had been warned repeatedly not to write "headquarters", "London", or worse still, "#12 Grimmauld Place".) "Mum insisted to Dumbledore that we have as normal a holiday as possible (unlike last summer, right?), and he agreed. I just wish 'normal' for Harry didn't mean spending it with those Muggles."



He paused for a moment. July 20th. Less than four weeks until he saw her again. And he couldn't help thinking it...he would have 11 days with Hermione without Harry. He felt guilty at the thought. He was worried about Harry, about his state of mind after Sirius' death, and he knew the Dursleys would be no help. But he couldn't help feeling glad that he would be alone with Hermione. And nervous. And... could he admit it?... hopeful. That hug and that kiss had opened up a world of possibilities that he had never allowed himself to think about...well, almost never.



"Anyway, write me back and let me know if this is OK with your parents. Mum said that she and Dad will be glad to come pick you up and talk to them about our plans. So, let me know, OK?



---Ron"



Should I write "Love Ron"? No... no, that's pushing it. He sat for a moment, staring at the letter. She told me she would miss me. The feel of her kiss still lingered on his cheek, and he could hear her whisper those three words again..."I'll miss you."



He put his quill back down to the parchment, then lifted it again quickly, changing his mind. "I'll miss you," he heard her say again. He hadn't said it back to her, everything had happened so quickly. Did she even know he would miss her?



He lowered the quill again, and quickly, before he could lose his nerve, he scrawled, "I'll miss you, too." Grabbing Pig from mid-flight (a trick which he sometimes thought would be an excellent training technique for a Seeker), he tied the letter to the small owl's leg and took him to the window. "Take this to Hermione," he told him. "Fast, before I change my mind." Pig hooted happily and took off into the dark sky.



~~~~~~~~~



Hermione was also sitting in her room, but she was writing a letter to Harry. She was very worried about him, and she had promised herself she would write to him as often as possible. And to her delight, just as she was wondering if the Dursleys would give the letter to Harry if she mailed it, Hedwig showed up at her window.



"You wonderful bird. You always know when Harry needs something, don't you?" she said, taking the snowy owl on her arm and stroking her head gently. She sat Hedwig on her dresser and gave her an Owl Treat, which she kept handy for any visiting owls, then returned to her letter. "I'll be finished in a minute, Hedwig, then you can take this to Harry."



"Hedwig just showed up, she really is quite wonderful. Anyway, as I was saying good-bye to Ron today at King's Cross, we talked about the three of us getting together at the Burrow, so hopefully I'll be seeing you soon. Take care of yourself, Harry, and please stay in touch. Ron and I care about you, you're our best friend, so please let us know how you are.



---Love from Hermione"



She looked over the letter again, and her eyes stopped at the words "as I was saying good-bye to Ron." She sighed, embarrassed, as she thought about how she had clung to him when she hugged him good-bye. She consoled herself with the thought that he hadn't seemed to mind. But she cringed as she remembered how she had almost, almost, kissed him on the lips. She had realized what she was doing at the last moment and kissed him on the cheek near his mouth. "You're going to have to watch yourself, Hermione," she muttered. "He only thinks of you as a friend." She did wonder sometimes, such as when he jumped in to defend her or when he seemed to be jealous of Viktor, just exactly how Ron did feel about her. She rolled up her letter to Harry and secured it to Hedwig's leg. "There you go, Hedwig. And look out for him, will you?" Hedwig hooted very seriously and soared off into the night.



As she was watching Hedwig's silhouette disappear, she noticed what appeared to be a small cannon ball with feathers hurtling toward her. A moment later, Pig flew in through the open window and started careening around and around her room, hooting crazily. "Hold still, you silly little thing," she laughed, making a grab for Pig and missing. "You're supposed to give me the letter, not make me dizzy!" Pig finally landed on her bed, and Hermione was able to take the letter from his leg. She gave him a couple of Owl Treats, which temporarily distracted him from bouncing off the walls.



As Hermione sat down and unfolded the letter, she noticed that her heart was pounding. "Get a grip on yourself, Hermione," she muttered and began to read.



July 20th. That meant she would be seeing Ron again in less than four weeks. A very long four weeks. She also noticed that they would have 11 days together without Harry, a thought that made her feel breathless. And immediately after, guilty. Well, she would just have to make sure she wrote to Harry every day. But 11 days with Ron! She and Ron had spent a lot of time together without Harry over the past year, but that had been first at Grimmauld Place and then at Hogwarts. This would be at the Burrow, a place where they could relax (she hoped) and maybe...maybe things would start progressing.



She finished reading the letter, stopping at the bottom of the page. What had he written? She could barely read it; it was almost illegible. She squinted and finally made it out. "I'll miss you, too." She smiled, her heart beginning to pound again, afraid to let herself read too much into the meaning of those four words. She looked at them again. It looked as though he had scrawled them in a hurry; the ink was slightly smudged, as if he had folded the letter immediately after writing it. Had it taken courage for him to write that? And if it had, what did that mean?



"You're going to drive yourself mad, Hermione. See? You're already talking to yourself." Smiling, she put Ron's letter on her desk and headed downstairs to talk to her parents about the plans. And to start contemplating two letters she needed to write: one to a certain red-headed boy which she would write immediately after talking to her parents, and one to another boy, farther away, which she would have to write soon.

Disclaimer: I own nothing remotely related to Harry Potter or the characters in J. K. Rowling's wonderful books.


July 20th had finally arrived. Hermione was up early, making sure she was completely packed. She wouldn't be coming back home before leaving for Hogwarts, and she didn't want to forget anything. As she was rummaging in her dresser, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Sighing, she ran her hand through her hair, only succeeding in making it look even bushier. She opened a drawer and pulled out her container of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion (which hadn't been touched since the Yule Ball in her fourth year). Though she wasn't like many girls who thought their appearance was their most important asset, Ron's fascination with Fleur Delacour still lurked in the back of her mind. She decided she could at least try to tame her mass of hair.



Fifteen minutes later, her hair lying smoothly on her shoulders, she finished packing and locked her trunk. She straightened up as her mother first knocked briefly then entered her room.



"Are you packed, Hermione? Oh, your hair looks lovely, dear. You should fix it like that more often."



Hermione smiled. Maybe she would. After all, the Sleekeasy's was now packed in her trunk.



"I've been meaning to ask you, how are Ron's parents coming to pick you up? Do they have a car?"



"No, Mum. I hope it's OK, but I had Ron tell his father that they could temporarily hook up our fireplace to the Floo Network. Remember I told you about traveling by Floo Powder?"



"Er...yes," Mrs. Granger said uncertainly, not entirely sure she was ready to see her only child jump into a fire and disappear. She changed the subject. "They'll be here at 10?"



"Yes." Hermione looked at her watch. "In just about an hour." She hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you so much for letting me go to the Burrow. I'll miss you and Dad very much."



"We'll miss you, too, dear. I know you enjoy being with your friends, though, and you'll have a lot of fun." Mrs. Granger stepped back and looked seriously at Hermione. "I realize you don't like to worry us, but I know there has been some trouble surrounding Harry. Do be careful."



Hermione nodded, knowing her mother didn't realize the full extent of the "trouble" and reflecting dolefully that it was nearly impossible to be careful when Voldemort and his Death Eaters decided they wanted to kill you. But she was determined not to worry about such things (aside from her concern for Harry) until they had gone to Grimmauld Place.



***



Ron also woke up fairly early and, unlike most mornings, jumped out of bed anxiously. Hermione was coming today. Stretching, he went into the bathroom and stopped before the mirror. Same freckles and messy red hair as yesterday. He also noticed a small streak of mud on his face, which he had missed when having a quick wash the night before. "Why in the world would she look twice at you, mate?" he muttered to his reflection. On an impulse, he started digging through the cabinet, looking for some special soap or something, anything. He came across the bath crystals that belonged to his mother and Ginny and wrinkled up his nose. No. Too "girly". Finally, in the very back of the cabinet, he found some soap that he remembered Percy buying when he was dating Penelope. He smelled it experimentally. Not too bad. He got ready for a shower.



Nearly an hour later, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood by their fireplace, waiting impatiently for Ron. "Come along, Ron, we're going to be late!" Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. "Where is that boy?" she muttered.



Ginny snorted. "He's still in the bathroom, making himself pretty for Hermione," she said, giggling.



"Now, Ginny, that's not nice. I'm sure Ron is..."



"Honestly, Mum!" Fred interrupted. "He's been in the bloody bathroom for an hour! We can't..."



"...even use the loo!" George finished.



"Watch your language, George!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.



"I didn't swear, Fred did!"



"Well, watch your language, both of you!" Just then, Ron came down the stairs and sheepishly entered the room, knowing what was coming from his brothers.



"Oi, look! Ickle Ronniekins even tucked in his shirt. And how did you get that mess of hair to actually lie down?" George exclaimed.



Fred sniffed dramatically. "And I don't think I've smelled that particular scent for a while. Not since Percy was..." He shut up quickly at a sharp look from his father. Percy was still a touchy subject in their house.



Ron was blushing furiously. "Why don't you two keep the shop open on Sundays, too, then we wouldn't have to endure your presence all day. It's wonderfully quiet here the other six days of the week!"



George clapped him on the back. "But then who would be here to guide our little brother through his first romance?"



"Maybe we should close the shop for a while and help Mum keep an eye on you two," Fred said, grabbing George and running upstairs to escape Ron's fury.



"You two will NOT behave like this when Hermione is here, do you hear me?" Mrs. Weasley shouted up the stairs. She turned to Ron. "Now, dear, you look very nice." She glared at Ginny who promptly stifled her giggles. "Let's run along now and pick up Hermione."





***



Hermione was nervously sitting on her trunk, watching the clock on the mantle when Mrs. Weasley suddenly appeared in the fireplace, followed closely by Mr. Weasley. They stepped into the room and greeted the Grangers warmly.



"Hello, Hermione," Mr. Weasley said, smiling and shaking her hand. He then stepped away to talk to the Grangers about their plans (and also to discuss Muggle life).



“Hello, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, hugging her tightly.



"Hello, Mrs. Weasley." As Mrs. Weasley released her, she looked toward the fireplace. "Where's Ron?"



"Oh, he'll be along in a minute." Mrs. Weasley smiled. She guessed correctly that Ron had gotten nervous and had hesitated at their house. In a moment, though, he appeared, blushing.



"Hi," he said softly to Hermione.



"Hi," she almost whispered.



They stood there quietly for a moment, Mrs. Weasley watching them knowingly. Mrs. Granger interrupted the silence by greeting Ron and commenting on how tall he had gotten. Ron smiled and thanked her, his ears turning red. Then Mr. Granger stepped over and shook hands with him.



"Hello, sir," Ron said, standing up straight and shaking hands firmly. He had never been nervous meeting Mr. Granger before, and he suddenly realized why this time was different: he was now thinking of Mr. Granger as "her father". And was it his imagination or was Mr. Granger looking at him appraisingly, sizing him up?



"Well, we'd best be on our way," Mr. Weasley interrupted, clapping his hands. "Ron, if you'll grab Hermione's trunk, you can go ahead and head back to the Burrow." He turned to the Grangers as Ron lugged the heavy trunk toward the fire. "Our older sons are visiting us on holiday, and we'll be having a large family dinner tonight." Hermione noticed that he didn't mention that one member would be missing--Percy.



"We would love it so much if you could join us," Mrs. Weasley offered graciously. The Grangers politely declined, saying they had some paperwork to attend to in their dental office, but promising to come some other time. They watched nervously as Ron stepped into the fire, declared, "The Burrow!" and disappeared.



Hermione hugged her parents tightly and somewhat tearfully, promising to write often. She noticed her mother turn away as she walked toward the fire, not wanting to watch her daughter use the Floo Powder, and she realized there were some things her parents would never get used to. The next thing she knew, she was at the Burrow.



She stepped out of the fireplace and was hugged by a beaming Ginny. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you! It gets so hard, being the only girl around with these idjits," she exclaimed, meaning her brothers. Hermione hugged Ginny back, laughing. She noticed Ron standing nervously by her trunk as Mrs. Weasley bustled over.



"Now, Ron, why don't you take Hermione's trunk up to Ginny's room. Ginny, you go find Fred and George. No doubt they're up to some mischief somewhere." She turned to Hermione. "You're part of the family, dear, so just make yourself completely at home," she said kindly.



Hermione smiled, touched. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Mrs. Weasley patted her on the arm and hurried into the kitchen. Hermione saw Ron lifting her trunk and starting toward the stairs. "I'll help you, Ron," she said, hurrying after him.



"S'Ok, Hermione. I've got it," he said, straining. They went slowly up the stairs and into Ginny's room.



Ron set her trunk down with a grunt and straightened up. He caught his breath for a moment. "So, had a good summer so far?" he asked, not quite meeting her eyes.



"Oh, yes. I've done some shopping with my parents in London, we went to the shore for a few days one weekend, but mostly we've just relaxed at home. It's been wonderful. And I needed the rest after...well, you know."



Ron nodded and looked toward the window. "No trips...out of the country?" he asked, trying to be nonchalant.



Hermione smiled. "No, Ron, I haven't been to Bulgaria."



His head snapped back toward her. "I didn't ask that!"



She was still smiling. "No. You didn't have to." Their eyes met and neither looked away. Hermione slowly stopped smiling as she felt some type of tension building between them. She was acutely aware of how close they were standing. She could smell the soap he must have used and without thinking said, "You smell nice." She groaned inwardly when she realized she had actually said that out loud.



Ron didn't look away, but he reddened slightly, looking mildly surprised that Hermione had said such a thing. "I do?"



"Um, yeah...clean." She winced when she realized the implication of that statement. Maybe he thought she meant he was not usually clean. "I...I mean..." she stammered.



"Your hair looks nice," he broke in, then blushed furiously.



"Oh," she said, reaching up and touching her hair as though to remind herself what was different about it. "Thanks..."



They continued to stand there, staring at each other, whatever was building between them still growing. Ron swallowed hard and moved a little closer to her. "Hermione..." he whispered. He was interrupted by the door slamming back against the wall as Ginny stormed into the room. Hermione and Ron jumped apart guiltily.



"Honestly! Fred and George are going to drive me crazy! Look what they did!" she exclaimed, pointing to her hair, which was a lovely shade of puke green. "I'll be glad when they go back to their shop tomorrow!" She looked from Ron, who was lying on the bed laughing in great gasps, to Hermione, who was politely trying to hide her laughter behind her hand (and failing miserably). "Am I interrupting anything?"

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, places, situations, etc. Do I look like I belong on Forbes' list of billionaires?




Their laughter about Ginny's hair had relieved some of the tension between Ron and Hermione, and they felt more normal around each other. They left Ginny in her room fussing at her mirror (which had intoned, "My dear, I don't think that's the most flattering shade of hair color for you") and came downstairs to find Mrs. Weasley giving the twins a severe dressing-down.



"...but, Mum, you'd think she'd know by now not to take any sweets from us!"



"And we told her it will wear off...eventually."



Mrs. Weasley shook her finger warningly at the twins. "I don't care! I've told you both I don't want you trying out your concoctions on the family!" She threw up her hands and looked heavenward. "Oh, what am I going to do with these two?!" She turned and hurried outside, still muttering.



Fred and George looked at each other and broke into laughter. Then they noticed Hermione.



George bowed low before her. "Well hello, Hermione, simply smashing to see you again!"



Fred shook her hand regally. "Yes, it has simply been too, too long. How wonderful you look!"



Hermione cocked an eyebrow and looked at them warily.



George continued, "You will forgive us if we didn't fancy ourselves up for your arrival like our dear brother here, but as usual, we..."



Fred finished, "...were up to mischief. And besides, our little brother hogged the bathroom all morning, so really, we didn't get the chance."



Hermione looked at Ron questioningly. He was turning a dangerous shade of red, but Fred and George were saved from being hexed into next week by their mother's voice. "Fred! George! Get out here and help me set up these tables!"



"Ta ta, dear friends, 'til we meet again!" Fred said, waving dramatically, then hurrying out the door behind George as Ron made a grab at him.



Hermione put her hand on Ron's arm, trying to calm him. "Don't mind them, Ron. It's okay. I know how they are."



Ron was still glaring after the twins. "They drive me bloody bonkers sometimes, Hermione." He took a deep breath and blew it out forcefully. "Well, at least they're better than Percy. C'mon, I'm sure Mum will be yelling at us next, we may as well get out there and help."



They spent the next hour or so helping Mrs. Weasley get the garden ready for the family picnic they would have that night. Bill and Charlie welcomed Hermione warmly and filled her in on what had been happening in their lives. Around noon, Ginny showed up, wearing a large hat, prompting teasing from all five of her brothers until Mrs. Weasley ordered them to leave her alone. They had a quick lunch of sandwiches, then Ron and Ginny played Quidditch with the twins and Charlie as Bill and Hermione watched and cheered. After a wash-up, they all helped Mrs. Weasley prepare a huge meal and then sat down together to a wonderful picnic dinner by candlelight. Though no one mentioned him, it seemed to Hermione that they all noticed Percy's absence, Mrs. Weasley especially.



During the picnic, Ron watched Hermione as she talked intelligently and knowledgably with first Bill and then Charlie about their careers, noticing that they truly seemed to enjoy talking to this much younger girl. He watched as she helped his mother, Molly beaming at her and thanking her with a hug, then laughed and chatted with Ginny about school. Fred and George even treated her with a certain amount of respect, though this didn't prevent them from teasing her mercilessly.



She's so beautiful and kind and intelligent and beautiful, (OK, so I said that twice). She's so wonderful with my family and a loyal friend to me and Harry, Ron thought. It's no wonder I love her. Whoa...did I just say "love"? Ron looked at Hermione as she patiently answered his father's questions about Muggle life, Arthur listening to her intently. Yeah, he thought, love is exactly what I meant. I love Hermione.



Almost as though she were hearing his thoughts, Hermione turned and looked at him, then flashed him a smile that just about made his heart stop. She turned back to Mr. Weasley as he patted her hand and thanked her for explaining Muggles so well. She excused herself with a smile, then came over to Ron. "Jupiter is supposed to be in conjunction with Venus and the moon right now. I can't see the night sky very well at home...could we maybe walk to where it's darker, away from the candles, so we can see better?"



"Sure." Ron got up, ignoring Fred, whose catcall was cut short by a slap on the leg from Mrs. Weasley.



They walked slowly toward the pond, out of the circle of candlelight. "I love your family, Ron. They're wonderful...well, maybe not Fred and George," she said with a laugh while Ron snorted. "I'm glad I can be a part of it sometimes." Ron thought but didn't say that he wished she could be a part of it all the time. They reached a tree, and Hermione sat down on the ground, leaning against its trunk. Ron plopped down beside her. She pointed at the sky. "See? There's Jupiter...there's Venus...and you recognize the moon, of course. If we had binoculars, we could see Jupiter's visible moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto." She laughed. "I hope Harry doesn't still think Europa's covered in mice!"



Ron shook his head, amazed. "Is there anything you don't know?" he asked.



She turned serious. "Actually, there are a lot of things I don't know," she said quietly. She didn't elaborate.



They sat in companionable silence for a while. A gentle breeze was blowing, and Ron caught the faint scent of Hermione's perfume.



"You're wearing the perfume I got you for Christmas," he said.



She nodded. "I wear it every day." She paused. "I was really surprised when you gave it to me."



Ron shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, well...I saw it in Hogsmeade and I thought of you...I mean...I thought you might like it."



She smiled. "I do. Thank you." He returned the smile, and they lapsed into silence again.



Ron noticed that their hands were resting on the ground, just inches apart. He moved his hand a little closer to hers until his fingertips were touching the side of her hand. She looked down, surprised, and he drew away. "Sorry," he muttered, blushing.



"It's okay." Both went back to studying the sky, intent on looking anywhere but at each other.



"Just do it," a little voice inside Ron said. "The worst that can happen is she pulls her hand away." Yeah, the worst, Ron thought. I would be mortified. He sat for a few minutes, summoning his courage. "You're a Gryffindor, for pity's sake!" that annoying little voice spat. "Do it!" He was sure his heart was going to beat out of his chest, but he casually (he hoped) laid his hand on top of Hermione's. She glanced at their hands, but he pretended not to notice. After a moment, she gently turned her hand over so that their palms were touching. As they intertwined their fingers, they looked at each other, both a little surprised. Then she smiled at him, and he smiled back, relieved. She scooted a little closer and rested her head against his shoulder.



They sat there like that for a long time, listening to the night sounds and to the distant conversation of the others. Ron looked at their hands, marveling at how small Hermione's was against his own. After a while, he noticed that her hand had relaxed and her breathing had become regular. He looked over at her and saw that she was asleep. Her head was still on his shoulder, but it was tilted back against the tree, too, so that he could see her face clearly. He had never been able to look at her so closely, and he couldn't stop watching her. Her skin was smooth with a few freckles scattered here and there. Her lips were slightly parted and moist. His longing to kiss her was almost overwhelming. He watched her, wondering if he dared. Would she wake up? What if he kissed her and she woke up mad? But what if she wasn't mad? He thought about kissing her and having her wake up, her lips responding to his, her hand going to the back of his neck, running her fingers through his hair as she pulled him closer. The mere thought made his breath catch in his throat, his heart beating like crazy. He sat there for a very long time, looking at her face, her lips, and thinking about that kiss. He leaned closer; now he could feel her breath on his face. He closed his eyes, just about to touch her lips...



"Ron! Hermione! We're going in now, it's getting late." His mother's voice made Hermione stir and open her eyes. Ron quickly sat up straight, sighing deeply. He had been so close.



"Oh, Ron, I'm sorry. Did I fall asleep?" Hermione asked as she too sat up straight, taking her head off his shoulder.



"Yeah, but that's OK. It was...nice," he said, blushing slightly. He was both disappointed and relieved about the missed chance of a kiss. He stood up, still holding Hermione's hand, and helped her to her feet.



"I guess I'd better get to bed, I was more tired than I thought," Hermione said, stifling a yawn. Ron noticed Ginny coming toward them, and he released Hermione's hand regretfully.



Hermione leaned toward him. "I had fun," she whispered. "Good night." She turned to Ginny and the two girls walked toward the house, Hermione looking back at Ron and smiling.



"Good night, Hermione," he said quietly, then smiled to himself. He started back to the house, too, looking forward to the next day.



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Next Chapter: Lies and Accusations

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Wish I did.



A/N: This chapter is a bit short. Sorry, but that's how it turned out.



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The next morning, Ron woke to sunshine streaming through his window. As usual, his first thought was to go back to sleep. Then, also as usual, his second thought was about Hermione. He smiled as he remembered the night before, the tentative handholding, Hermione falling asleep with her head on his shoulder. Yawning, he put his feet on the floor and sat up, scratching his head, thinking that maybe he should ask Hermione to go for a walk today. He got up and scrounged around in his dresser until he found some jeans and a blue T-shirt (he was finally realizing that Chudley Cannons-orange was not his color). He pulled them on and went into the bathroom, where he combed his hair carefully and brushed his teeth before heading downstairs to breakfast.



Hermione and Ginny were already at the table. Ron noticed that Hermione had again done something to her hair to tame its bushiness, though truthfully (and secretly), he loved her hair's natural wildness. Maybe someday I'll get up the nerve to tell her that, he thought. He sat down next to her, nonchalantly, he hoped, and reached for some toast. "Hi," he said in greeting.



"Glad you finally decided to join the living, Ron," Hermione replied with a playful grin. It was nearly 10 am, after all. Ginny only yawned at him.



“I'm still growing, I need my sleep. Do you think I plan to be six feet two forever?" He waited until Ginny got up from the table to get more milk, then gathered his courage. "Er...would you maybe like to go for a walk today?" he quietly asked Hermione.



Before Hermione could answer, Ginny snorted into her glass of milk, stifling a giggle. "What's the matter with you?!" Ron demanded, reddening slightly. "Where is everybody anyway? Where's Mum?"



"Bill and Charlie went with Dad to the Ministry, and the twins finally convinced Mum to go see the joke shop. They left for Diagon Alley a bit ago; she said she'd be back shortly. And before she left, she told me to keep an eye on you two," she added mischievously.



"Ginny Weasley! I was here when your mother left, and she said no such thing!" Hermione said, blushing. Ginny headed into the other room, still giggling. Hermione turned to Ron. "Yes, I'd like to go for a walk." She smiled and turned back to her breakfast.



Ron helped himself to more toast, thinking. Maybe they could hold hands again. Maybe, (did he even dare let himself think it?) just maybe he could kiss her. He was interrupted from a nice visual image of standing under the tree by the pond, kissing Hermione as the wind blew through her hair, by a pecking sound.



There was an owl at the window, one he had never seen before. It was almost solidly black, with piercing yellow eyes and tufted feathers over its ears. Ron went to the window and opened it. The owl hopped in, held its leg out, and watched almost menacingly as Ron took the letter it was carrying. With a sharp cry, it turned and flew away.



Ron brought the letter to the table and opened it. Hermione leaned over to see, turning pale when she saw the handwriting.



"Ron..." she started, but Ron was already reading:





Dear Ron Weasley,



I am writing this in hopes that you can help me. Hermioninny said she was going to your house next. When she was here last week, she left behind some personal items, including some of her clothes. I am hoping that I can send them to her at your house. Please owl me and let me know if this will be acceptable. And please tell Hermioninny that I miss her.





It was signed by Viktor Krum.



"Ron..." Hermione started again. Ron was turning a dangerous shade of red, almost purple. "Ron, I didn't...."



Ron was staring at the letter, feeling his face start to burn. She had lied to him. And just when he thought he might have a chance, that they might have a chance. That hurt more than anything, having his hopes dashed. And that line about her leaving clothes behind. For some reason, that made him angrier than anything else in the letter, even the comment about Krum missing her.



"You lied to me," he said quietly, crumpling the letter. He turned to look at Hermione, who was shaking her head. "You lied to me!" he said violently as he hurled the letter to the floor.



"No, Ron, I didn't. Viktor wrote that because I told him...."



"Because you told him what?! That you felt like you better squeeze in a visit with poor old Ron Weasley because he asked you to come see him?" Ron was conveniently forgetting that it was Hermione who had wanted to come to the Burrow.



Hermione was starting to get angry, too. Ron wasn't giving her a chance to explain. "It's not like that at all!" she insisted. "Will you just listen...."



"Oh, I'm supposed to listen to you talk about your adventures with 'Vicky'? I think not! Especially not if it involves your leaving clothes behind!"



Hermione stood up, furious, and Ron stood to face her. "Ronald Weasley, how dare you insinuate such a thing! You know me better than that! Just shut up and listen for one min..."



"I thought I knew you better, too, but apparently I don’t.�



"Fine! If you're not willing to listen to me, then I have nothing more to say to you!" Hermione stormed out into the yard, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the windows. Ron was quick to follow her, slamming the door even harder.



"Oh, but I'll bet you had plenty to say to 'Vicky', didn't you? Or were you two too busy to talk?" he asked sarcastically, trying to catch up with Hermione.



Hermione, still walking quickly away from Ron with her head down, threw out her arms to her side, her fingers tensed. "Ron, do NOT do this!"



Ron followed, unrelenting. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? You LIED to me, Hermione!"



Hermione didn't slow down. Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Oh, you hate the guy, but you believe him instead of me! Thanks a lot, Ron!"



"What am I supposed to believe, Hermione? Just what am I supposed to believe after getting that letter?"



Hermione stopped suddenly and faced him. "Fine! You want me to tell you that I went to Bulgaria, stayed with Viktor, had a few snogging sessions with him, then hurried along here to see you? Fine!" She brushed past him roughly and started back toward the house.



Ron turned to follow her. "No, I do NOT want you to tell me that! You might as well rip my heart out and stomp on it!" He was so furious he didn't even realize how close he was to admitting his true feelings.



Hermione abruptly halted and turned toward him, confusing Ron into stopping, too. "Why?" she demanded, crossing her arms.



"Dammit, Hermione, because I'm bloody crazy about you!" Ron suddenly realized what he had said, and he lost a lot of his steam. "I...I mean....you're...you're one of my best friends, and I don't want to see you get hurt," he finished lamely.



Hermione stared at him icily. "Wrong answer," she whispered, then turned and hurried across the yard into the house.



Ron blew out his breath forcefully and ran his hand through his hair. He wandered over and sat under the tree near the pond (our tree, his subconscious insisted). He idly picked up a rock then flung it, hard, into the water. "Dammit, Weasley," he muttered to himself.

Disclaimer: I really, really, really wish I owned these characters, but alas, it's not to be. They're not mine, they never will be. Oh, horror of horrors! Oh, wrenching dreaded consternation! Oh...oh, read the final chapter already.



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It had been a long three days since the letter from Viktor. Ron and Hermione still weren't speaking except to throw the occasional snide comment at the other. After the first day, Ron's family had realized this was something more than just the typical Ron/Hermione fight. Fred and George had even stopped teasing them after both Ron and Hermione had snarled at them several times to "shut up!" Only Ginny knew the argument had something to do with Viktor Krum.



The morning found Ron, Hermione, and Ginny having a very quiet breakfast. Mr. Weasley had gone to work, Charlie and Bill had gone into the small village with their mother, and the twins were presumably selling havoc-wreaking concoctions to their customers in Diagon Alley. Ron was attacking a bowl of porridge as though it was the source of his anger, and Hermione was reading a book while morosely picking at a piece of toast. Ginny was watching them both as though she was expecting an explosion any second. The uncomfortable silence was broken by a peck at the window.



"Oh! It's Dean's owl!" Ginny exclaimed, jumping up and taking a letter the owl was carrying. She gave the owl a treat, then sat down happily to read the letter.



"Better hope Dean never lies to you, Ginny, sometimes you just can't trust people," Ron said pointedly.



"There's a big difference here, Ron...Dean and Ginny are going together. You and I AREN'T," Hermione huffed.



"Well then, I suppose that just makes me lucky, doesn't it?" Ron winced when he saw the look of astonished hurt on Hermione's face, and he realized just how harsh his words had been. Hermione stood up slowly and, taking her book, left the house, shutting the door quietly behind her.



"You are such a prat, Ron Weasley, and a stupid one at that!" Ginny said angrily.



"This is none of your business, Ginny!"



"I'm the one who hears Hermione cry herself to sleep every night." She pointed at the door. "That's your best friend out there! And you're treating her like dirt. You're too blind to see past your own feelings and realize just how much you're hurting her!" Ginny took her letter and stormed up to her room, slamming the door.



Ron took a deep breath and blew it out forcefully. He made his way slowly up to his room, softly closing the door behind him. Through his open window, he could hear Hermione crying. He looked out and saw her, sitting under the same tree where they had held hands only a few nights before. She had her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them and her head down, sobbing as though her heart was breaking. He groaned, hanging his head in shame.



Ron walked out into the yard to where Hermione sat crying. When she heard him approaching, she grabbed her book and pretended to be reading, though the tears streaming down her cheeks told a different story.



Ron sat down next to her and pointed to the book. "I hear it's easier to read one of those if it's right-side-up," he said quietly. Hermione slammed the book closed and threw it down. She crossed her arms on her chest, staring angrily at the ground.



Ron reached over and tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek. "I never could stand to see you cry, Hermione," he whispered. When she didn't respond, he sighed and leaned back against the tree. "I'm...sorry. I've been a real prat." Hermione snorted derisively, but he continued. "And I especially didn't mean what I said about being lucky we're not going together." He sighed again and shifted uncomfortably. "It's none of my business if you went to see Viktor or not." Hermione started to say something, but he interrupted her quickly. "I'm not saying you did. I shouldn't accuse you of lying. You're my friend, one of my two best friends, and I should trust you. And I do trust you. It's just that...that letter...really got to me. I thought that maybe...you and I...well, never mind," he trailed off. He stood up, walked a short distance toward the pond and stood there, looking out over the water. Hearing Hermione come up behind him, he turned to face her. Her face was wet, and he reached out again and wiped another tear from her cheek. "I hate to see you cry, Hermione. Please don't. I'm truly sorry...I...."



Hermione reached up and touched her fingers to his lips, silencing him. Her touch on his lips had a profound effect on him; he felt incapable of breath and couldn't have said another word even if he had wanted to. She apparently felt something similar because she stood there and stared at her fingers and his mouth for a few moments before taking a deep breath and lowering her hand.



"I did not go to visit Viktor. I have never gone to visit Viktor, not last summer, not this summer. I haven't seen him since he left Hogwarts after the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Yes, I've written to him. And the reason he wrote that letter is because, in my last letter to him, I told him I only want to be friends, that I'm sorry, but I've never felt more than friendship for him, and I never will. Because my heart belongs to somebody else."



Ron stood for a moment, taking this information in. Okay, Hermione didn't fancy Viktor. She hadn't been snogging with him. But she still liked somebody else. And this information was slowly wending its way into his brain.



Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Ronald Weasley, I know you're not that thick," she said. When he still stood there, she shook her head, sighing loudly, then said, "Think, Ron. Why would Viktor send that letter to you?"



Ron looked at Hermione for a moment. "Me?" he whispered. She nodded, blushing slightly. "You like...me?" She nodded again and stepped closer to him.



"Yes...you. Viktor was angry because I told him I fancy you, so he tried to make trouble between us. He's suspected for a while, because I mention you so often, but I didn't admit it to him until I sent him an owl just before coming here. I finally decided that what I was feeling for you was real, and I..." She broke off, suddenly embarrassed and looking down at the ground. "...I decided that I had to give us a chance, hoping maybe...maybe you felt the same," she finished in a whisper.



Ron put his hand under her chin, turning her face up to his. Their eyes met and held. Ron swallowed hard and licked his lips, searching her face. "Why...?" He left the question unasked.



Hermione looked at him, her eyes shining. "Because you're you," she whispered. She bit her lower lip nervously. "Do you maybe...feel the same?" Ron didn't answer right away. He continued to gaze at her, then he leaned down slowly and touched his lips to hers. She gasped softly as their lips met, making him wonder if he was rushing things until she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He slipped his arms around her waist.



After a few moments, they separated, both breathless. Ron rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. "Does that answer your question?" he whispered.



"Quite nicely," she said with a sigh. They stood forehead-to-forehead, arms around each other. After a while, Ron opened his eyes as he stood up straight. Their eyes met, and they spent several minutes just gazing very seriously at each other. Then Hermione stretched up and gave him a series of lingering, gentle kisses until Ron was out-of-breath, dizzy, and convinced he was going to take leave of his senses. As she touched her lips to his again, he slid one hand up onto the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her close and kissed her hungrily.



Surprised at the fervor of his kiss, Hermione could feel her knees turn to jelly, her heart pounding. She was very glad Ron was holding her; she felt too weak to stand on her own.



The kiss lasted several minutes, then Ron suddenly pulled away, afraid maybe he had gone a little too far, too soon. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I shouldn't have done that. That was..."



"Incredible," she breathed, looking amazed.



He blushed. "Are you OK?" he asked, noticing that he was practically holding her up.



Now she blushed. "Yes. I just feel...well...a little weak." He looked at her doubtfully. "That's a good thing," she said, blushing harder.



"Oh", he said, relieved. She stepped closer and put her head on his shoulder. He held her, stroking her hair. After a while, she turned her head. Ron felt her lips against his ear, her breath tickling it, and for a moment, he thought that she was going to have to hold him up. Then...



"I love you, Ron Weasley." A very faint whisper, but there was no doubt what she had said. He stepped back and looked at her questioningly. She nodded, small tears in her eyes.



He stroked her cheek with his fingers then gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "And I love you, Hermione Granger. I think I have forever."



She smiled, a small tear escaping one eye and running down her face. He wiped it away tenderly, smiling back at her. She caressed his lips with one fingertip then cupped the back of his neck, pulling him into another kiss. And as she relaxed against him, Ron realized that he was living out his vision of three days before.



He was standing under the tree by the pond, kissing Hermione as the wind blew through her hair.