Author's note: The Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I have simply used Ronniekins, Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ginny, Neville, Professor Trelawney, Snape and Parvati for my own purposes. Was that everyone I used in this story? I think so. Not that that really matters. Anyhow, this could be looked at as a sequel to So Brave because it begins where the other one ends. But reading the other is not necessary, and this is written in an entirely different manner and is slightly more fun...and was meant to stand alone in the first place. It just happened to follow the other. In any case, enjoy!

It all started when I walked in on Harry kissing my sister. I knew I should be angry. First of all, Harry told me he was going to Quidditch practice, which he obviously had not done. Secondly, this was Ginny we were talking about. My little sister, the one I have always thought I should be protecting. Of course, I was much happier catching Ginny kissing my best friend that I would have been had I caught her kissing someone like that no-good Draco Malfoy. But it was so unexpected that I felt I should be angry. Seeing the happiness on Ginny's face and the smile behind Harry's sheepishness made my anger quickly dissolve though. I gently reprimanded them, trying to sound disapproving, and I left.

I went to the library, knowing I would find Hermione there and hoping that she would take some time off from studying and play chess with me.

Hermione was in the library, but she was not studying. She was deep in conversation with that idiot Malfoy. I glared at her pointedly, but she did not see me, so I grabbed some books off a shelf and sat down. I piled the books in front of me, leaving enough room for me to peer through to see Hermione and Malfoy. I frowned; Hermione was actually smiling at him. First my best friend was kissing my sister, and then I was faced with the entirely inconceivable sight of Hermione Granger getting along with Draco Malfoy. Things seemed to be changing, and I did not want to deal with it.

At breakfast the next morning, Hermione acted no differently than usual. At the Slytherin table, Malfoy was smirking and no doubt making fun of the rest of us. Things seemed to be back to normal, but I could not forget what I had seen the night before. I wanted to talk to Hermione about it, but Parvati Patil started talking to me about the end of the year dance, which would not take place for months. Parvati had never been terribly friendly to me before, but she would not leave me alone that morning. Hermione left before I had a chance to speak to her at all.

That morning was long. I never got close enough to Hermione to say anything to her. Parvati kept dropping hints about the dance. Harry would not talk about anything but Ginny. We had double Potions with Snape, which was torture enough, but it was worsened by the fact that I managed to knock over Neville's cauldron and got a ten-minute lecture from Snape about how he expected more from the seventh-years. Hermione did not show up for lunch, and Malfoy was noticeably absent from the Slytherin table. I scowled at my mashed potatoes for the whole meal, but no one else seemed to notice that anything was different.

If I thought the morning was bad, the afternoon was worse. Professor Trelawney must have decided that she had not tortured me in a while because she kept bringing up predictions about me, generally tragic, although it was her last one that really got me down.

"Mr. Weasley, I had a vision last night. There will be much tragedy for you, but in the midst of this, you will find love. Love for someone you have known a long time. A love to end all loves!"

Parvati actually flickered her eyelashes at me. I buried my head in my arms for the rest of class.

In History of Magic I fell asleep and had a horrible dream in which Hermione and Malfoy smirked at me from a distant library while Parvati ensnared me with her eyelashes, which had grown to enormous lengths.

And finally, when classes were over, and I was headed back to Gryffindor, Malfoy cornered me in the hallway.

"So, Weasel," he drawled. "I hear Parvati Patil is set on you asking her to that dance at the end of the year. What she sees in you, I don't know. You look like a Weasel to me."

I growled at him, barely suppressing the urge to punch him in the face. "Just shut up, Malfoy."

"No problem," he smirked. "After you answer me this one question. Have you seen Granger around?"

"Stay away from my friends, Malfoy."

He laughed unpleasantly. "Perhaps you should tell your friends to stay away from me."

I was not in a good mood when I made it back to the common room. Parvati and Lavender were in the corner. They giggled when I came in, but I ignored them. Neville waved at me, and I gave him a grimace back before heading to Hermione, who was sitting in front of the fire, a book open on her lap.

"Malfoy's looking for you." I grumbled, turning to go upstairs.

"Oh, thanks, Ron. I'll find him later," she said calmly, as if this was a normal situation.

I took another step towards the staircase before deciding that I could not handle it anymore. I whipped around, pointing a finger at Hermione.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with him, Hermione? I saw you with him in the library last night. How many other little rendezvous have you had with him? When were you planning on telling your friends...if we are your friends anymore? You know damn well that Malfoy is a jerk. You shouldn't be talking to him. I won't have you talking to him!"

Hermione stood up, her face livid. "You won't have me talking to him? Since when do you run my life, Ron? Since when do you decide who I will or will not associate with?"

"Ever since I saw you with Malfoy last night."

"No, Ron! You've been doing it for years. Remember Viktor Krum? You reacted just as stupidly when I went to the Yule Ball with him. I told you then that you didn't get it, and you still don't get it."

"What do you think I don't get?" I yelled. "The fact that you're an idiot who likes to hang around with jerks?"

"Oh, grow up, Ron!"

The rest of the room was staring at us. Neville looked as if he wanted to tell us to calm down but was afraid we would bite his head off. Parvati and Lavender were no longer giggling. I lowered my voice. "Get some sense, Hermione."

Hermione glared at me, and I wondered why I had never noticed what beautiful eyes she had. It was a strange thing to think of then, as she was shooting looks of hatred at me, but there it was. "Why don't you get some sense, you stupid git?" she hissed. Her eyes, to my surprise, suddenly filled with tears. "Get some sense and see what's in front of you!" She stormed out of the room, and I stomped up to my room.

"You're in a foul mood," said Harry as I threw myself onto my bed. I grunted. "Seen Hermione lately?"

I made a face and grunted some more. "Did you know she's been meeting with Malfoy?"

Harry did not look surprised. "Yeah," he said, a little uncomfortably. "They got put together for a class project. Malfoy's been pretty uncooperative about it, and they've had to meet a lot to get it done. Hermione didn't want to tell you about it. She thought you'd overreact."

I made a noncommittal sound.

"You overreacted, didn't you?" Harry asked.

"Maybe."

"Big fight this time?"

"Yeah, pretty big."

"If she's crying again, I might have to hurt you."

I felt miserable. Perhaps I was a stupid git. It was just that I did not want to see Hermione hurt. She was my friend. I loved her.

I loved her.

Before I could dwell too long on that particular train of thought, Harry spoke up again. "Don't take this wrong, but you could be one of the dumbest people I know about certain things. You need to learn to see what's right in front of you."

"Funny," I said. "That's just what Hermione told me."

"Maybe you should go talk to her."

I winced. I did not particularly want to get yelled at again that night. But of course, Harry had a point. I had overreacted. She probably deserved an apology. I headed down to the library, sure I would find her there.

She was there, again with Malfoy. They seemed to just finishing their project when I came in; Hermione grimaced at Malfoy as he got up to leave. It was the same look I had seen on her face the night before, and I did not know how I could have possibly mistaken it for a smile. Malfoy left, smirking at me as he walked by, and Hermione buried her head in her hands.

I sat down quietly next to her. "Hermione?"

She looked up right away, her eyes still angry. "What do you want, Ron?"

"To apologize," I murmured. "Harry told me what you and Malfoy were doing. It's just that Malfoy was a jerk about it earlier, and I let my imagination get the better of me, and it was just stupid. I'm sorry."

Hermione smiled. That was one of the things I liked best about Hermione. She always forgave her friends quickly. "I'm sorry too. I should have told you. Then you wouldn't have got the wrong idea." She laughed quickly. "I heard Parvati is planning on asking you to the end of the year dance."

I snorted. "That's months away. And she must know that I would never go with her."

"Why's that?"

Hermione's voice sounded strange, and I looked over at her. She was biting her lip, and I could not look away.

"Ron? You okay?" She sounded genuinely worried.

I could not answer, for I was too busy looking at what was right in front of me. Hermione. It finally clicked, and I wondered how I could have been such an idiot all those years. Hermione was right in front of me, beautiful and smart and friendly. What's more, she liked me even when I was a stupid git who could not see beyond the nose on my face. I realized what our fights had all been about. I was not merely trying to protect a friend; I was jealous. I was insanely jealous because...

"I love you," I whispered, still amazed at the realization. I fought with her because I loved her.

Hermione choked. "What did you say?"

I met her eyes. "I get it now. What you've been saying to me for years. I finally get it!" I laughed, with happiness and relief.

Hermione was staring at me in disbelief. It was not particularly heartening, and I calmed down a bit, feeling embarrassed. "Er...sorry. Got a little carried away with..."

I was interrupted by Hermione's lips on my own. I was not prepared for that, and I bumped my nose against Hermione's, although she did not seem to notice or care. "Finally, you stupid git," she said after pulling away. "I thought you'd never get it."

A couple of young Hufflepuff girls were staring openmouthed at us from a nearby table. I knew I was glowing red. Hermione did not seem notice. She simply smiled at me, and I smiled back.

"I guess this means you won't be taking Parvati to the dance?"

"Let her flicker her eyelashes at someone else."

Hermione kissed me again, and this time even the Hufflepuff girls' giggles could not embarrass me.

"So exactly how much time did you spend doing that project with Malfoy?" I asked as we headed back to Gryffindor.

Hermione immediately bristled. "Don't tell me you're still jealous."

"Well, I'm sure it was more than was needed, knowing your obsession with perfection. I was just wondering."

"Obsession? I'm not obsessed with anything. I can't help it if I like to get good marks. You could do with spending more time studying. You do realize that there are only a couple of months until final exams and then..."

Hermione continued to chide me, and as her voice rose, my smile grew. Hermione and I were fighting, and I knew it was because I loved her, and she loved me, and there was no better reason than that.