Hey guys. I know, I know. I already have two stories going, one postponed, but this was the second story I wrote, and it's already written out. I plan for this whole story to be up on the website in the next week. It will not be my main focus. My main focus right now is the other three incomplete stories on the website and all my ideas.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters

It had been five years since she had seen him.

She had ran out the door, bawling her eyes out, hoping he would follow her. He didn't, just slammed the door behind her. It had been some rumor having to do with her cheating on him with an unknown guy. This was told to him by Seamus. He, of course, believed the bloke. Although, she hadn't thought it would last this long! Five years!

Five years since she had seen Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, anybody really.

Harry and Ginny, who she considered her best and only mates, had begged her to come back to the Burrow for all those years, but she just wasn't ready. She couldn't face him yet. Another invitation came from them, and finally, she accepted.

It was a few days before Christmas when she apparated to the Burrow, bag in hand. They had invited her to stay for the holiday.

Harry and Ginny greeted her at the door, both giving her a hug.

"I've missed you guys so much!" she exclaimed, smiling warmly at them.

"We've missed you too, 'Mione." Harry said. She let other people call her 'Mione now, since she convinced herself she was over Ron.

"So where's…" Hermione started, but her thought was forgotten when he walked in.

Ron Weasley. And Lavender Brown.

His arm was around her neck, while her arm was around her waist. They were as close to each other as possible, both laughing at something she was sure Ron had said. Hermione remembered when it had been her in his arms, making jokes and laughing at his. Her eyes burned and blurred with tears.

As they stepped more into the kitchen, Ron's eyes fell on her. Now his complete focus was on her.

"Hermione?" he asked incredulously, looking her up and down. Lavender moved closer to him, if that was possible.

Hermione spun on her heel, walked out the door, and slammed it behind her. When she was a few feet away from the door, she let her tears fall silently. Someone came out and patted her on the back.

"For the record, we all hate her." they said. It was Ginny's voice.

Hermione hugged Ginny and started to sob. After a few moments, Hermione pulled away.

"I don't know, Gin. Maybe he never really loved me at all. He probably liked me, but took it as something more, when he really only liked me as a friend. It wasn't a true, deep love, like you and Harry have. How I love him." she said sadly, wiping away some tears.

"Hermione, don't say that!" Ginny scolded.

"Ginny, it's the truth! He seemed happy when he was with her. Maybe when he kissed me in seventh year, it wasn't what he expected. He probably made up the rumor to get rid of me."

"Hermione Granger, you listen to me! That is not true. He moped around for the longest time after the fight. You know what he did all the time? Sat by the fireplace. He'd get up, grab some floo powder, get in position, then drop the powder and sit back down hopelessly. Mum hid the floo powder from him after that…. Didn't you see the way he looked at you in there? He couldn't take his eyes off of you. For all those years at Hogwarts, whenever you walked in the room, his face lit up with happiness. He smiles at you differently than everyone else. Not once has he smiled at Lavender like that."

Hermione smiled a little. "Really?"

"Yes really!" she said, laughing a little. "Hermione, he loves you, not her."

She considered this for a moment, then smiled.

"Come on, let's get inside. It's getting colder out here."

When they walked in, everyone was eating. Hermione and Ginny passed them on their way to Ginny's room. Hermione looked at Ron when they walked in. She noticed his face curve into a slight smile and he watched her, not even looking at Lavender when she talked to him or pulled on his arm. The rest of the family seemed annoyed by Lavender's nonstop talking.

Hermione and Ginny walked up to Gin's bedroom. Hermione thought of Ron and Lavender being together, and it made her cry, until she thought of Ginny's words. They calmed her down, but there was a huge hole in her heart still. A hole that could only be filled with one thing.

Ron.

Whoa. This story has some more detail and a few changes from the rough draft, and it's 10 times better than before. I think my writing skills have really improved since last year and since I got a fanfiction.