Disclaimer: Blah, blah... J.K.R. …blah, blah… I don’t own anything… blah, blah…Oh c’mon, you catch my drift, don’t you?



"Bloody hell.



Bloody hell.



Bloody hell.



I can’t…



Can I?”



Ron tossed and turned under the covers of his bed, mentally arguing with himself.



"She did ask you….”



“But she never said that it was really a big deal…”



“She was bright red.”



“So? I was, too. I don’t like her or anything…’



“I mean….I can’t…



Can I?”



It was nearing Christmas in his sixth year at Hogwarts. Earlier that day, Ron had been asked to attend a Christmas party by a friend. He didn’t understand why it made his brain act up like this. Then again, he also didn’t understand why his face had turned crimson when she’d asked him. Or why he suddenly noticed how her eyes looked when she was working hard on accomplishing her schoolwork. Or why he had actually thought to himself that he might be falling for one of his best friends.



“Get a grip, you prat. You don’t love her. She just surprised you.”



“Although, it was definitely the nicest surprise you’ve ever gotten…”



“No. STOP. You can‘t say that.”



“Well, yea, actually… you COULD.”



“No, I can’t.



Can I?”



Ron suddenly realized that he was grinning like an idiot, and cursed himself under his breath. He hated all this… this sudden change of heart. It suddenly dawned on him that he would have to face her the next day in classes. His eyes widened in horror, and he began to wonder what on earth he could possibly say to her. It wasn’t as if he could simply walk up to her and say:



“Why hello, by the way…did you ask me out yesterday?”



He shuddered as he thought of the consequences of what might happen if he asked her THAT. Suddenly however, he started to think instead about those entrancing eyes of hers, and how determined and strong she looked when they fought. He thought about how his skin prickled when she hit him playfully, or even when she hit him not so playfully. He pictured in his mind's eye the exact way she walked to class, her hair swaying in the breeze, and how her hips swu-



“NO. I did NOT just think that”



“Yes, you did-”



“But it’s only because she made me. Why’d she have to go and freak me out with all this party nonsense, anyway? I mean, who asked her? She probably only asked me because she felt bad that I didn’t make it into that stupid Slug Club. Oh... I’ll bet that’s what it is. I’ll bet this is her way of showing sympathy. I’ll bet…”



He gasped softly to himself.



“I’ll even bet she thought that I liked her because…because… She thought I was jealous of Vicky….That’s why she told me to ask her to the ball in fourth year, too! Well…I’ll show her. Stupid little know-it-all…probably thinks I can’t even figure out whether I like her or not for myself.”



“Well, can you?”



“I dunno…



Can I?”





Ron liked being angry with her for her actions. It felt more familiar to him. It was something he felt often. This hatred pulsing through his brain was normal, and he actually thought he was okay, until it dawned on him that he loved to fight with her. But, the question was, why?



“Because it helps you deny the fact that you love her with ease.”



“Ugh…SHUT UP. I do NOT love her. She’s a know-it-all, she nags, she yells, and she snaps at me. What’s there to like about ANY of that?!”



“Well, you do love the way she answers questions in class. You love the way she makes Snape angry for knowing the answer. You love when she nags, and you purposely throw out comments that will make her yell at you, just so you can watch her face form that malicious expression, which, coincidentally, you have also grown to love. Oh, and also, you love fighting with her so that you can watch her fight back. Notice the LOVE yet?”



“But it’s HERMIONE.”



“Exactly. It’s Hermione.”



“Which means I can’t like her, or love her for that matter...



Can I?”



Ron’s eyes snapped open when he felt his body‘s reaction to that thought. He looked at his arms, where thousands of little goose bumps had erupted. His head was sweaty, and his hands were clammy. His chest felt like there was someone squeezing his heart. Why had simply thinking of her name led to all of this? He hated it, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but smile a little to himself.



It occurred to him that maybe liking- no, loving her wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Maybe he could go to the party with her, under the pretense of being friends, and just…let things unfold. She had asked him… So maybe… Maybe she liked fighting with him, too. Maybe she noticed his eyes. Maybe she noticed the way he laughed, or the way he walked.



Ron smiled a little bit to himself, and rolled over one last time.



“I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see. I mean, I can’t possibly screw this up that much…



Can I?”



A/N: Well, that’s it! Hope you enjoyed it! Please review, because I would like to know what everyone thought. I promise to respond, too!