It was all Hermione could do to keep her eyes open. By now, she had lost count of the hours she had been studying. No one ever said how stressful third year could be. Of course, no one had ever taken as many classes in their third year as Hermione had.

Finally, around midnight, long after the common room had emptied that Wednesday night, Hermione couldn’t stand it any more. Laying her head down upon her open Potions book, she promised herself to close her eyes only for a few minutes. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out quite as she had planned. She was sound asleep within a minute.

* * *

Hermione was alone in the common room studying for the Herbology exam, that was to take place first thing the next morning, when suddenly the portrait hole opened and Harry and Ron climbed through. She glanced up at them with an annoyed look and they appeared startled by her glare.

“What’s going on, Hermione?” Harry asked tentatively.

Hermione huffed imperiously. “You know very well what’s going on, Harry. Not only do we have a Herbology exam in the morning, but we also have a three-foot long essay due to Snape right after that, and I know for a fact that neither of you have prepared yourselves for either.”

Harry and Ron exchanged horrified glances. It was obvious they had completely forgotten both.

“Oh, bugger, Hermione,” Ron whined. “You’ve got to help us!”

Hermione’s eyes closed and she seemed to be thinking over her options. Finally she gave them both a look that showed her obvious annoyance, but reluctantly agreed to help.

“Fine, start your essays and I’ll prepare my Herbology notes for you,” she said briskly.

Ron and Harry thanked her profusely, but she brushed off their gratitude, and set them to work. They had been working in silence for a while, when Harry suddenly jumped up.

“Oh no! Quidditch practice!”

Hermione looked furious. “Go, Harry. I’ll look over what you have done of your essay and we’ll keep working when you get back.”

“Thanks, Hermione, you’re a life saver!” he called as he rushed out the portrait hole.

“And then there were two,” Ron grinned at her.

Hermione gave him a reluctant smile before going back to work on Harry’s essay.

They hadn’t been working for five minutes when Ron suddenly put his hand on Hermione’s forearm and whispered, “Hermione?”

Looking at him with an arched eyebrow to acknowledge she was listening, Ron continued.

“Listen, Hermione…uhh, I was wondering…would you go to Hogsmeade with me?”

Hermione looked bewildered. “Ron? What are you on about? We always go to Hogsmeade together.”

“Well, yeah, but you see, I meant…go…umm…together?”

Now Hermione looked beyond confused. “Ronald? Are you asking me out?”

“Err, well…yeah.”

“Alright,” she said sheepishly.

“Brilliant,” Ron grinned at her before going back to his essay.

Hermione attempted to go back to her work, but she was too confused. Ron likes me? Why hasn’t he ever said anything before? He’s never acted like he felt anything for me. Does Harry know? Why hasn’t Harry ever said anything?

Thoughts were racing through Hermione’s head at a million miles per hour. She just couldn’t contemplate why on earth Ron Weasley would be interested in her.

* * *

Hermione woke up with a jolt, and she raised her head sleepily. She wiped the small trace of drool off her cheek and off the page of her Potions book before looking around the common room, taking in the dying fire and mess of the end of the day. Her watch told her it was just after midnight and the jumble of parchment, quills, and textbooks before her reminded her that she hadn’t finished all of her work.

I can’t believe I dozed off for so long! Now I’ll be up even later finishing this! she thought. But thinking of studying made her recall the dream she had just had. Ha! she thought bitterly. To think that Ron would ever like me. That’s ridiculous!

She shook herself to wake up a bit more and set back to work. Exhaustion overwhelmed her soon after, however. And she began thinking about the dream once again.

What on earth would make me have a dream like that? Surely Ron’s never hinted anything like that…what if…No! Surely not! I couldn’t have feelings for him! she assured herself. Or could I?

Giving up her work as a hopeless case, she cleaned up her work area, slung her heavy book bag over her shoulder and trudged up the stairs to her dormitory. As Hermione crept around the room getting ready for bed, she tried to push the memories of the dream to the back of her mind, attempting to concentrate instead on her real Herbology test the next morning.

Crawling into bed, she hoped against hope it was only her weariness that was causing her odd dreams.

* * *

Hermione was walking down the street in Hogsmeade hand in hand with Ron. It never crossed her mind that this simple action was out of the ordinary. Harry was nowhere to be seen and Hermione assumed he was following the rules for once and wouldn’t show up.

Ron and Hermione chatted amicably as they made their way to the Three Broomsticks, and Hermione couldn’t help but think how wonderful this was.

“Ron,” she said just as they approached the door to the pub. She placed her hand on his forearm to stop him in his tracks.

He looked down at her and grinned. She returned it with a smile of her own and said, “What will Harry think?”

With a confused look, Ron asked, “What will Harry think of what?”

Hermione sighed exasperatedly. “About us…about this.”

“Well, it’s not really up to Harry, is it? He doesn’t even know.”

“W-what?!” Hermione spluttered.

“Yeah, I mean…oh, come on, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already! We agreed not to tell Harry how we feel about each other because we’re afraid he’d be angry.”

“He would?”

“Yeah,” Ron said with a shrug. “We said it’d be best if we hid it from him.”

Hermione’s face and heart alike fell. “That’s not right, Ron, and you know it. How could we not tell Harry? We’re betraying his friendship!”

“Guess you never though of how Harry would feel, did you?” Ron commented as he opened the door to the Three Broomsticks. Hermione stood perfectly still, staring agape at him.

“H-how could you let me do that to him?”

“Well, it’s your feelings for me that are important, right, Hermione?”

“I-I…well, I…” Hermione stammered, before turning and rushing back through Hogsmeade toward the castle.

She had almost made it to the gates when thump! She tripped on a rock that had appeared out of nowhere and she rolled over onto her back instantly.

* * *

Hermione sat upright with a gasp. She saw her roommates getting dressed for the day, and they all seemed too tired to notice how abruptly she had awaken.

“’Morning, Hermione,” Parvati said with a yawn.

“’Morning,” Hermione replied vaguely, climbing out of bed. Half an hour later, she was dressed and ready for the day and she descended the stone staircase into the common room. She hadn’t been waiting for a minute when Harry and Ron stumbled down the boys’ staircase, looking tired and haggard.

Ron greeted her with a sleepy, “’Morning,” but Hermione could only stare in reply. Luckily for her, the two boys didn’t notice.

You couldn’t call what Hermione was feeling love at first sight, for the obvious reason. But the first time she looked at him that morning, she knew she was in love. And she knew it had to be kept a secret.

(A/N: Hey all! This is my first attempt at a romance fic, so please tell me what you think!)