“Talk about what?” Hermione asked apprehensively, her voice higher than usual.
“Come on, Hermione,” Ron said in exasperation. “About this. About us.”
“What about us?” Hermione said unnervingly.
“Well, I…” Ron stuttered, unable to find the right words.
“Well what, Ron?” she asked. Ron was a little taken aback. She sounded annoyed with him.
“I don’t know,” Ron said, embarrassment mounting on him.
“Well if you don’t know, then I don’t see the point of talking about us. After all, we are just friends right?” she said, her voice rising as she spoke.
Ron stood looking at his feet for inspiration. He wanted to tell her how he felt, he really did. “I suppose,” he mumbled sullenly.
Hermione let out a small laugh. Her brown eyes seemed to penetrate him, searching desperately for what he really wanted to say. Hermione spun around, her bushy hair swishing behind her as she walked to the Burrow.
“What was that for?” Ron shouted after her angrily.
She stopped and turned around briefly to face him, “Why did I even bother? I knew you weren’t going to actually… never mind.”
“How can I even talk to you when you won’t open up?” he said, advancing toward her.
“You want me to open up? Me to open up? Ron, if anyone is a closed book it’s you; so don’t you dare tell me to open up,” Hermione hissed.
“You shut me down the first time,” Ron said irately. “Admit it! You were the one to say what happened after playing chess was nothing, not me.”
“That was different,” Hermione said. “I was afraid, but I’m not anymore.”
“How was that different from what is happening now?” Ron said, focusing on what Hermione’s first sentence had been rather than her last.
“It isn’t. I just wanted…” she broke off abruptly. “You’re trying to pin all of this on me and it isn’t only my fault. I don’t even want to be having this conversation. If you can’t see what is standing right in front of you, I am certainly not going to point it out for you.”
“You act as if all of this is my fault. How is it my fault? All I wanted to do is have a civil conversation with you,” Ron let out a fake laugh. “But I should’ve known, you can’t have a two-sided conversation with Hermione Granger.”
Hermione looked at him stunned. Tears began to well up behind her eyes as she managed to choke, “I didn’t mean to… I didn’t…” she acted as if she couldn’t take it any longer. For the last time Hermione turned and walked slowly to the Burrow, tears streaming steadily down her cheeks.
Ron sat down heavily on the grass and sighed deeply. What did I do to deserve this? All I wanted to do was tell her how I felt. Why does it have to be so difficult? Why does she have to be so difficult? He heard the Burrow door slam. I probably just lost any chance I had at being with her. The one person I ever thought was worth being with.
*~*
Hermione quietly crept up the stairs, not wanting to talk to anyone. She went to the attic and climbed through the small trapdoor that led to the roof of the Burrow. Ron had taken her up there a few summers back.
I don’t want to think about Ron. I can hold a civil conversation; it’s him that can’t. Why do I even bother if that’s the way he treats me?
Because I love him.
Hermione shut her eyes as if she didn’t want to admit to the truth. Why can’t he just come out and say it? I love him; I know he feels the same way. Why does this have to be so hard?
She watched as Ron got up and turned to go back into the Burrow. He began to walk towards his home but immediately stopped. Hermione knew that Ron must have felt the uncomfortable sensation of someone watching him in the shadows. He looked up onto the roof and she knew immediately that he had seen her, but she didn’t care.
Hermione climbed down into the attic, walked into Ginny’s room, and crawled into her trundle bed. From her bed she had a perfect view of the window and the stars in the inky black sky. They twinkled happily, making anger rise up in her chest. She threw a pillow at the window in disgust.
If what he wants is to be just friends, that’s fine. I’m not waiting anymore. With that final thought, Hermione’s eyes slowly shut, allowing her to fall into a deep sleep.
~*~
Ron walked into the Burrow, noting that whatever was going on in the living room had to be fun due to all the noise coming from it. Just as Hermione did, he crept silently up the stairs trying to avoid attention. He rounded the corner leading to both Ginny’s room and his room. On the left was Ginny’s door and a little further down the hall on the right was his door. He quietly placed his hand on the doorknob leading into Ginny’s room hoping to find Hermione. Peeking his head into the room he found that the lights were out. The dim light in the hall shone upon Hermione’s sleeping face. Why didn’t I tell her?
Ron quietly shut the door, to prevent Hermione from waking up and inflicting her wrath upon him. He then made his way into his room and collapsed on his bed heaving a great sigh. Just as he was beginning to shut his eyes the door to his room opened and someone came in. Ron groaned. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone, not even Harry.
“Ron?” Harry said uncertainly to the darkness of the room.
Ron remained silent.
“I know you’re awake, I just saw you come in,” Harry said.
Ron rolled over to face Harry who was sitting on the bed opposite him. “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”
“Come on, Ron,” Harry pleaded, with a grin on his face. “What happened?” The look on Ron’s face seemed to tell Harry that he wasn’t going to talk. Then it dawned on him, “You two had a row, didn’t you?”
Ron put a pillow over his head. He didn’t want to see the light of day ever again. He felt as though someone had ripped his heart out and was pounding on it with an oversized mallet.
“Why can’t you two just act normal?” Harry said exasperatedly.
“I don’t know!” Ron said, his voice muffled underneath the feather pillow.
Harry reached over to grab the pillow. “So what are you going to do now?”
“She’s not going to speak to me ever again,” Ron said miserably. “This was my one shot with Hermione and I blew it.”
His face suddenly became flushed, “But it wasn’t just my fault, it was hers too! She was acting all annoyed and flustered, as though I was a complete idiot who didn’t know right from left. She was the one who blew me off first. It isn’t my fault at all.”
“Are you going to talk to her?” Harry said, confused at his friends’ sudden change of mood.
“No! It wasn’t my fault. If she wants to start a relationship she needs to come to me. I am not going to go begging to her again,” Ron said finally.
“I can’t believe you two,” Harry said as he got between the sheets and rolled over to go to sleep.
Ron lay on his back thinking of Hermione. But it wasn’t really all her fault…
A Fighting Chance by Artemay
Chapter Notes: Thank you kingbobrules for helping with the italics situation! The story will probably be easier to read now... Thanks to all who have reviewed so far, I live for the reviews! :-D
*~Artemay~*