Morning had come around once more, as it did every day. Today was particularly dark, with grey clouds engulfing the sun. For 7 am, it seemed far more like the dead of night. Had it not been for the owls and early spring birds tweeting, most students would still be fast asleep, dribbling into their pillows. It was just another groggy day in Britain as many were used to during winter.

Harry's sleep cycle was was extremely regular, he never overslept and was always up and motivated. It was therefore a tell-tale sign that oversleeping meant that something was wrong. Ron on the other hand, would drag himself out of bed at half 7, get dressed, skip showering and trudge down to the hall. If it wasn't for Harry or Neville, Ron would probably sleep though breakfast and maybe even first period. That was even after being poked and prodded for an hour.

"Are you going to wake up or what?" Harry would never leave Ron to his own devices, he always waited for Ron to be ready every morning. Ron only groaned and tossed about. Sometimes Harry thought about leaving Ron, his stubbornness made him insufferable.

"Mnn, yeah." He murmured, still making no effort to pull himself out of bed.

"Seriously Ron, breakfast's already started." The last resort would be physical violence. When Ron still wouldn't get up, even when Harry pulled off the blanket, he began to try and push Ron out of bed. Ron was a heavy lad but Harry's will was strong. It seemed that sometimes Ron would trade Harry and drive him into madness.

"Alright, alright." Ron laughed, Harry's bony fingers digging into his sides, tickling him unintentionally. Grabbing arm arm to stop the torture, he pulled Harry over, yanking him over the bed. Harry froze, his eyes locked in place, fixed on Ron's.

"You...need...to...ermmm." Energy was surging through his body, it was making his heart thump and his body temperature rise. He didn't understand why things like this kept happening, why he would get so anxious and nervous when accidents happened. Nothing made much sense anymore, it was like there had been a significant dynamics change between them, as if they were strangers again.

"Get up, yeah I know. You can stop bugging me now. I'm up." Ron had been working on becoming desensitised to the connection. Getting him hopes up every single time they made any meaningful eye contact was excruciatingly painful. The moment lost its spark quickly.

"Right." Harry slowly withdrew himself, sensing that whatever was there has since apporated away. "I'll meet you down in the hall." Harry couldn't stand the akwarness that ripped apart the room. Filled with confusion and unexplainable heart ache he swept out of the room, his long robes swaying along the floor as he hurried away.

Harry's emotions and sanity managed to catch up to him after stepping out of the common room. He took a deep breath, shocked by his own emotions. Having never felt like this before, it was impossible for him to even contemplate being in love. Such a concept has never really crossed his mind before. Having never witnessed love between his own parents, and with Molly and Arthur's relationship was hardly one to base romance on. All Harry was able to take from the experience was that it was positive, he liked it. It reminded him of the dream he had before Christmas and the illness induced coma kiss that felt too real to have just been his imagination. Still he couldn't come to a single conclusion. When he reached the dining hall, he was met with a concerned scowl from his female friend. She had obviously been waiting for a while for the two to show up. The fact that Harry was alone only made her frustration more expressive.

"Where have you been?" She asked him, gesturing to her watch.

"I know Hermione. Ron wouldn't get up, I left him up there." Harry avoided her invasive eye contact. Hermione watched on with a skeptical look, Harry's cheeks were red and his collar was proper up awkwardly. There seemed to be something more in the air that Harry wasn't letting on.

"Will he come down at all? He knows he's not allowed to skip meals." Hermione persisted.

"I'm not his keeper Hermione. He'll come down." She flinched slightly at Harry's tone of voice. In anguish he slumped down on the bench. Luckily he hadn't missed the post, he'd sent a letter to Sirius not too long ago and he was desperate to hear back from him. Under his psydonym, Padfoot, it was much easier and safer to exchange letters without the heavy weight of fear. Sure enough, Hedwig flew towards him in the sea of birds with a letter tied to his foot. Swooping down to the table she allowed Harry to carefully remove the note. Hedwig waited for further instructions, pecking at the food in the middle of the table.

"Who it It from?" Hermione whispered covertly. Harry didn't answer but instead gave her an answerable look. Harry unravelled the parchment and read the letter:

Harry my boy, It's been a while since I've sent you a letter. This is well passed due. I wanted to ask how your Christmas was and whether you loved my gift - I have no doubts that you loved it. I trust that Molly took great care of you, fattening you up!

I've been waiting to tell you something very important, it may come as quite a shock. Remus and I are together - as in romantically. It hasn't been too long but it's an old flame from long ago that just never seemed to fade. He'd been extremely over protective lately and I asked him to answer me as to why, it felt just like before. Love is a tricky thing, I can tell you that much. Next time I see you I should probably explain the whole concept of love - you're old enough. Harry, never let love go. Its complicated, confusing and exciting. You may be too young to experience love but finding somebody that gives you palpitations and makes you unconditionally happy is rare. If you do have somebody in mind right now, make it know my son. Me and Remus missed out on so many golden years because of my imprisonment and because of my denseness.

As my Godson I've entrusted you with this knowledge before anybody else. Feel free to tell your friends Ronald and Hermione. I just want you to know that I'm happy. Happier than I've been in a long time. I just wish I could have told you in person but as you well know, that's not an option at the moment.

Which brings me to ask about the tournament. How's everything going? Figured out the clue? I won't pry, you probably get a lot of that as it is. I urge caution when replying to my letter. The ministry is too nosey for its own good - always has been. Write back as soon as you can so I know you're alright.

Love Padfoot.

The letter left Harry in awe. In disbelief over what he had just read - his God father and his old defence teacher were now in a relationship. He understood that they had a history of close friendship and that they, alongside his father went to school together. He kept re-reading the letter over and over again. No matter how many times he read the letter, the impact was still the same. Harry wasn't a homophobe, he was raised in a prejudice household but he only resented his aunt and uncle for their ignorance. Harry was baffled by the news, utterly bewildered.

"What is it?" Hermione interrupted Harry's endless cycle of muttering. She was worried, the expressions on Harry's face seemed far from positive and it made her heart rate soar.

"Follow me." Hermione picked up her things and quickly followed after Harry, leaving the hall and rushing into the court yard where they wouldn't be seen or heard by anybody. Harry couldn't wait to hand her over the piece of parchment.

As she read her frown softened, "he's dating? That's a good thing isn't it?" She asked, puzzled by Harry's reaction to the letter.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm just surprised." This was perhaps the best news he'd heard in a long time. Usually all letters were discreetly depressing, with Sirius trying to mask his suffering with some sarcasm or anxious joke. Harry always saw through the positivity.

"He's happy, thats the main thing. His happiness is long overdue." Hermione found the letter revealing. Sirius' words seemed to lend themselves elsewhere which to her made an even greater revelation. Hermione was a smart girl, it didn't take much to be able to piece the signs together. From what she'd seen and what she'd heard was just evidence on an already forming theory that has been resignating at the back of her mind. Ron was in love with Harry. And that she was in love with Viktor. Both truths made her head spin and her toothy grin overwhelm her face.

-Meanwhile-

Ron had gotten up shortly after Harry had left. The encounter he had put him off breakfast, he wasn't in the mood to eat, whilst he was desperately trying to control his emotions it was proving to be extremely difficult. After all, he was human. He decided to have a shower, clear his head and refresh the mind. After running the water, he stood, demotivated, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His own misery was beginning to make him depressed, he was constantly trying to overcome his feelings and pretend that they didn't even exist to avoid arousing suspicion. It was killing him already. Giving him stomach cramps, sleepless nights and migraines. He was absolutely love sick. It made him frustrated, frustrated enough to forcibly punch the glass mirror in front of him, shattering the mirror.

He instantly regretted his actions, whilst his hand was numb to the pain, blood trickled from the open wounds and into the sink below. He ran his hand under the cold tap but the blood didn't stop pouring. It was obvious after a gentle wash that he had a small shard of glass stuck in his index knuckle, with little knowledge on what to do about it, he simply cursed aloud "Bullocks."

"I'll see you later Harry. I've got to talk to Ron, immediately." Her decision to leave do hastily made Harry sceptical.

"What for? Lessons start soon." Harry reminded her, oddly her mind was too busy to care about lessons. "Never mind that, I'll meet you later." Hermione left without explaining herself anymore than she had to, desperate to find Ron. As quickly as she could she rushed to the common room, climbed the stairs and began eagerly banging on the door to the boy's dormitory.

Being a girl, she was barred from entering the boy's room, this prevented any unplanned frivolity between students after hours. She called out for Ron, hoping he would still be inside, hoping that her voice was loud enough to be heard.

"Ron! Ron! Are you still in there?" She continued, heavily banging her fists against the door. "I've got something to tell you!" She feared Ron was hiding from her encase she yelled at him. Ron had heard her cries from beyond the door, he wrapped his fist in a towel to hide the injury, and slowly opened the door just enough to make face-to-face contact.

"What Hermione? I was about to get in the shower." He told her, between coughs that tore apart his throat.

"Can you step out from behind the door? This is important." Ron clenched his burning fist, contemplating what to do. "Well?"

"I'm naked." He spat out, in a sorry attempt at a lie.

"No you're not, don't play games with me Ronald! Just come here, there's something important that I need to tell you." He couldn't hide his position anymore, being hopeless at glamors he stood no chance of Hermione not noticing. He slipped out of the doorway, hiding his hand behind his back.

"What is that?" She grabbed his arm, pulling it towards her.

"Its nothing." Hermione unraveled the towel, blood staining the layers wrapped around the flesh, progressively growing in size. She gasped loudly at the sight of Ron's mangled hand.

"What happened?!" She shrieked, immediately blotting the blood away with a non-soiled area of the towel.

"I fell." He stuttered anxiously.

"You don't get something like this from a simple fall, there's glass all over your hand." She inspected the open wound, grimacing at the extent of the damage.

"I said its nothing, just let it go." Ron's hand wriggle in Hermione's tough grip.

"Spit it out Ron, or I'll take you down to Madam Pomfrey and she'll slip something into your tea and make you talk." She warned. Her wrath was a lot friendlier than the medi-witch's and Ron knew it. Ron didn't want to be sent down to the infirmary otherwise he'd have to tell them that he broke a mirror, he had been in enough trouble already this week.

"I punched a mirror, happy now?" Ron let the words slip out as if they were no big deal. Of course Hermione didn't see it as such

"Is this because of Harry?" She asked boldly. Ron blushed, his cheeks burning a chestnut red, "It is isn't it?" She badgered on.

"Don't know what you're talking about." He rejected.

"You're not pulling one over on me Ronald Weasley, it's obvious. Although, I'm ashamed of myself for not seeing it sooner," She began to ramble on. Ron became ever more embarrassed, bouts of apprehension kicked in and his heart reach climaxed, being several times faster than physically human.

"Seeing what?" Gulping with every heavy breath he took, whilst still trying to act normal, supressing the heart burn and nausea beginning to accumulate.

"You love Harry." The words made her smile, her professionally and religiously looked after teeth, blinding in an enthusiastic way. The revelation made her practically giddy, bubbling with excitement. "That's who you wouldn't tell me about." Flashing back to when Ron had come out to her but refused to reveal who his crush was.

"You're mental. Absolutely mental. He's my best mate!" He cried out in defence. Hermione didn't seem to buy into his performance, tilting her head to the side and coxing a disapproving brow.

"I am not crazy, Harry heard word from Sirius today, telling him that he and Remus were romantically involved." The shocking truth distracted Ron's mind for a brief moment. "From what I read, you're acting just like Remus had done."

"Remus and Sirius? Mum's going to go nutty when she finds out." Hoping to steer away from the awkward and uncomfortableness of the situation he was now.

"Don't try and change the subject." His efforts wasted, "Just tell me the truth. Are you in love with Harry?" Ron could see how serious she was, there wasn't much point in lying. He trusted Hermione more than he trusted his own sister. Sharing the burden of carrying such an enormous secret was hard to sustain by himself.

"If it'll get you off my back, then; yes, I am." Hermione's hands celebrated by her sides as she danced merrily on the spot. Ron rolled his eyes, she was perhaps overly excited. Unprecedented concern began to slightly crush him, fearful that Hermione would turn into a meddlesome friend.

"I knew it! Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me." She couldn't help but scoop him up into a hug. For a while she had underestimated him, wondering if he would ever get past gawking that the Bauxbatton girls and develop some real emotions. "I won't even tell Viktor." No matter how much she wanted to run to him at this very moment and spill her brains all over the floor. "Your hand!" She pulled away after hearing Ron wince as she lightly bumped into lacerated hand.

Hermione dug through her trunk, pulling out her muggle first aid kit, despite attending Hogwarts, her parents still made sure that she had the muggle essentials such as plasters, bandages, anti-septic spray and pain relief. Having learnt simple spells to heal minor wounds, she still wasn't confidents enough to plug the holes in Ron's hand. Even before she attempted any form of magic she had to pick the glass out from underneath the skin with her tweezers.

"You should really go to the hospital wing. I bet you wouldn't be the first Gryffindor to punch in a mirror." Ron shook his head reservedly. Hermione had since rinsed the clotting blood off of the wound and was ready play surgeon, "I'll be careful." Holding the hand, she gingerly began to pluck the shards of glass out of Ron's skin.

Needless to say that it was extremely painful, piece after piece, until Hermione was satisfied that it was all gone. Only then could he open his eyes, upon first glance everything seemed disorientated because of how hard he clenched his eyelids shut.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, why did you punch a mirror?" Hermione began ripping apart small balls of cotton wool to give the site a thorough clean in order to prevent infection.

"Frustrated, guess it got to me." His words lacked the depth Hermione craved.

"Frustrated at what? It must have been something big for you to be this angry." She popped the lid off of the anti-septic spray and shook the canister, "This will sting." She forewarned. Of course it did and Ron squealed and withdrew his hand away from the mist.

"Bloody hell!" He blew on the grazes until the spray dried up, trying to shake away the burning sensation that resonated across his hand. "I can't do anything Hermione. Not a thing, so it makes me annoyed, y'know? I'm trying to set my head straight." It was an unconcious decision he'd made after receiving the howler from his parents, his own feelings were going to get him into trouble. That, and after a really critical analysis, he came to the conclusion that somebody like Harry Potter was destined for greatness, a young, attractive and wealthy woman was somebody more to the Boy Who Lived's standards. Not a penniless ginger like himself.

"You're torturing yourself, you know that?" She felt like slapping Ron across the face, try and beat some sense into the boy.

"What good would it bring? He'd probably resent me if I told him, keeping him as a friend isn't work risking." Ron had, had his fair share of worries before starting school, one of which was that he wouldn't be able to make any friends. Whilst he was a pureblood, his family was far from being recognised as such. Fred and George luckily had each other, Percy was friendless, and his brothers before him. Luckily he met Harry on the platform in Kings Cross Station, otherwise he was sure that he would be as lonely as ever.

"Do you even know Harry? He's supposed to be your best friend, you and I both know that he wouldn't hate you." Hermione was done wrapping up Ron's hand with bandages, Ron wiggled and clenched his fingers judging the comfortability of the bandages.

"Suppose." He replied in a heavy breath.

"You ought to tell him, at least if he declines, you can begin to move on. This maybe some closure and comfort for you." If course Ron had thought about it, but every alternating scenario his proposed in his mind ended badly. This made him extremely reluctant to confess. He thought it brave of himself to even reveal that he was the other way inclined.

"How? How'd Viktor ask you out then?" Hermione shook her head with slight embarrassment.

"Rather boldly. I didn't quite understand him at first but he just sort of grabbed my hand and shooed away all of his friends." Feeling hot in the face she continued, "he repeated his words, 'never have I met somebody as beautiful as you, do you want to date me?'" She put on her best Viktor impression, lowering her voice and faking an accent. Ron chuckled at the attempt. "Obviously it's not the same, but had the feelings not been mutual, I wouldn't have hated him for admitting his affection."

"This was no help." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Fine, ignore my advice, despite knowing I'm absolutely right." Hermione stood up, stretching her legs and yawning extravagantly. That's when the clock chimed 10. "10? Already? I'd better get to class." She threw her robes back on and picked up her satchel.

"I'll be there in a minute, gotta get dressed." Ron was still in his pyjamas from the night before, having seen that his attempt at showering was wasted.

"Just don't come moaning back to me when you're about to breakdown, I've given you advice, so stop tormenting yourself." She hurried away, running quick on her feet. Ron, made no effort to match Hermione's pace, he slugishly rose to his feet. All he could think about was what Hermione had told him, now he had to plan some kind of epic reveal.

Sorry I've been away for so long, I can't promise I'll be back to regular updates like normal because I've got my A level exams in June so I don't have all that much free time between revising and going to school. I hope you'll stick around though! I love all of your kudos, follows and comments. So please keep them coming, kick me in the as s to get active! Thanks guys!