~~Sorry if it's too long - my imagination got the best of me!~

Romione.

Ron breathed deeply and looked up into the fire. He watched as the flames rose and licked the top of the fireplace. He watched it tangle and caress the wood it was burning off. He just sat, transfixed, looking into the flames.
"What's up?" said a familiar voice. Ron jumped and looked into the concerned face of Harry Potter. He sighed and stretched.
"Nothing, I mean - nothing." he mumbled, scratching his head. Harry looked at him doubtfully.
"Ron, you're my best friend. Tell me." he commanded. Ron took a deep breath and turned to face him.
"You tell anyone this, and I'll break you." Ron threatened. Harry nodded. Ron looked at Harry's face, completely serene and expressionless. His dark hair left a shadow over his eye, and his scar was difficult to see. The light from the fire in the Gryffindor common room shone off his glasses and reflected the light onto the floor. Ron collected himself, cleared his throat and began.
"Have you ever been in love, Harry? Not liking someone, or caring about them, but in love?" Ron asked abruptly. Harry's eyes widened and his face went red.
"Err-ah-no. Why do you ask?" he asked, suddenly nervous. Ron shrugged.
"I just want to know what it feels like." he admitted. Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"Why don't you ask Hermione?" Harry suggested. Ron turned to face him, giggling nervously.
"Yeah, I guess I should. She has more worldly experience than us." he sighed. Harry nodded.
"So, is there a girl that's caught your eye?" he wondered. Ron shook his head vigorously, so Harry let the matter drop.
"Right." said Ron, picking himself up off the floor and brushing his robes. "I'll go find Hermione." He walked timidly out of the room, and soon Harry heard his feet on the stairs.
"She loves you back, Ron." Harry whispered to himself, before taking a book off the shelf and studying for his Potions exam.

Outside the girl's dorm, Ron took a deep breath. He caught his eye in the mirror that was hoisted up on the wall parallel to him, and fixed his hair. He raised his fist to knock, then sighed, laughing bitterly.
"Of course." he whispered to himself. "A girl like that could never fall for me." he mumbled, tousling his hair. He looked longingly at the door, behind which he could her her happy, carefree laughter. He placed his palm on the door, and walked away sadly.

"So did you ask her?" Harry asked Ron at the dinner table. The grand hall was filled with the happy chatter of Hogwarts students.
"Huh?" Ron asked, his mind being snapped out of a daydream. Harry sighed impatiently.
"Did you find out from Hermione what love is like?" He repeated. Ron looked down into his lap, his appetite gone.
"Er, no. I couldn't find her." he lied. Harry was about to say something, when Hermione plopped down in front of him.
"Sorry I'm late." she said, giving Harry and Ron each a one-armed hug across the table. "I was in the library." she admitted. Harry and Ron chuckled.
"What were you reading about?" Ron asked shyly. Hermione looked him in the eyes and his heart melted. Her pale skin radiated against her thick, dark, tumbling hair with it's beautiful waves and curls. Her dark eyes looked as if they could see into his soul, and her pink lips were slightly parted. His lips hungered for hers, but he put all these feelings into the bottom of his heart, like he had been doing for the past 7 years.
"Oh, nothing too interesting." she said dismissively. Ron gave her a quick, pained smile and turned his attention back to the meal. After a few minutes of meaningless chatter, Ron felt a soft touch on his shoulder. He looked up to see Hermione reaching across the table, touching him. Her lips were inches from him, and his whole body quivered.
"Are you okay?" she asked him, concernedly. He nodded, confused.
"It's just - you've been terribly quiet." she said quietly. Ron swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.
"I'm fine, I'm just thinking about this Potions exam." he lied. Hermione laughed a sweet, chirpy laugh
"Since when have you cared about school?" she asked, grinning. Ron couldn't help but grin back.
"I don't." He answered. The trio laughed and finished their meal with a happy, friendly atmosphere.

That evenining, Ron and Harry sat in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room, when they heard loud pounding coming down the stairs. From the shadows, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood appeared, their faces flushed and panting.
"Ron...Harry...Hermione...wants...you." Luna panted. Harry and Ron looked at eachother, and ran up the stairs. Instead of waiting to knock, Harry and Ron burst into Hermione's bedroom, where she lay on the bed, sobbing.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked, fear creeping into his voice.
"I...I can't..." she sobbed into her pillow. Harry sat near her feet, and rubbed her back calmingly. Her whole frame shook with violent sobs. Ron just stood there helplessly, his heart sinking to see her like this.
"What happened? You can tell us. We're your best friends, tell us." Harry commanded soothingly, brushing her hair back from her face.
"I can't." she sobbed. "I know I can't."
Harry sighed.
"You can. We love you, Hermione. You can trust us." he insisted. "Tell her, Ron." Harry urged.
Ron cleared his throat.
"Yeah, Hermione. We love you." he murmured. Hermione sat up shakily and looked into his face.
"I need a hug." she moaned. "I need the biggest hug in the world from my two best friends."
Ron sat down next to her and wrapped one arm around her waist, binding her to him. The other he put on the back of her head, holding her face to his chest. Harry helplessly rested his head on her back, wrapping his arms around her stomach. Hermione sobbed into Ron's shirt, and abruptly pulled her head away.
"Oh, I'm staining your shirt." she fussed. Ron laughed sadly and pushed her head back to his chest.

Finally, Hermione sniffed and wiped her tears.
"Thank you, guys." she sighed, leaning back onto her pillows.
"So, what was wrong?" Harry asked again. She looked down uncomfortably.
"It's not important. Just broke down. I'm fine now." she said plainly. Ron and Harry shared a look of doubt.
"I'll go get you a cup of tea, okay?" Harry offered. Hermione smiled graciously and looked at Ron.
"Er, I'll stay here. Y'know, to keep you company." he muttered uncomfortably. Hermione's eyes lit up. Harry ducked out of the room. Hermione and Ron were quiet until they heard his foot leave the last step on the stairway. Hermione looked up at Ron.
"So, I'm sorry about that." she sighed. Ron shook his head.
"It's fine, as long as you're better now." he mumbled. "I hate seeing you like that." he confessed. As soon as he said the words, he regretted it. He felt beads of sweat gathering across his brow, and his heart raced.
"Really?" Hermione asked, eagerly.
"Well, yeah." Ron said awkwardly. "I really care about you." he slipped. He stuttered a bit, but then managed to add: "like I care about Harry, or Neville, or Luna." he added. The new light that came into her eyes dimmed a bit, and she looked down at the floor.
"Oh, well, thanks." she mumbled, disappointed.
"Except that you're a bit cuter than Neville or Harry." Ron interjected, trying to make her smile. It worked, and she grinned, but then it faded.
"What about Luna?" she asked, afraid of the answer. Ron took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut and said
"You're cuter than Luna too." as if he were spitting out the words. He opened his eyes and saw her sitting, looking at him with tears in her eyes again.
"Oh, God. Don't cry." he whispered urgently. Hermione laughed and brushed the tears out of her eye.
"No, I'll be okay now." she smiled. Ron got up off the bed and put his hands in his pockets.
"So, what was wrong?" he asked. Hermione's face dropped and her eyes widened in fear.
"I...can't tell you." she mumbled. Ron's heart fell and felt as if it was smashing.
"Ah, not trustworthy enough?" he said, making his fears look like a joke. Hermione realized that she'd offended him, and jumped up.
"Oh! No! But, I don't know. It's silly. You'd probably never talk to me again if I told you." she said, perching on the edge of the bed.
"Try me." Ron challenged. Hermione closed her eyes, her heart racing and let the words flow.
"I hate feeling like I'm second-best. Like I'm not good enough. Every morning I wake up and put on this face, and make it look like I'm okay, but I'm not. I think about it when I'm reading, in class, when I'm eating, when I'm trying to sleep, and I'm sick of it. I love you, Ron Weasley. I've been in love with you for 7 years, and you haven't noticed me. Everytime I see you my heart melts and my face goes red and I feel like I might explode, but I don't show it, because I love you so much, that I don't want it to come between us. Everytime you hug me or stand to close, I just want to kiss you. My lips actually ache sometimes when I'm looking at you, and when you hug me, I never want you to ever let go. I could spend eternity in your arms, looking into your face - your stupid, goofy face that I love - and it will never be enough. I can't imagine myself with anyone else, but you'll never want me like I want you, so I've never told anyone." she confessed.

Without opening her eyes, Hermione started sobbing again, uncontrollably. Ron stood, staring at her. His heart leaped in his chest, and a smile spread across his face. Laughter threatened to bubble out of his lips. The world was perfect. Every inch of the entire Earth was perfect to Ron. Nothing could make him have a negative view of anything, ever again. He plopped down on the bed next to her and put his arm around her. Hermione looked up at him with a tear-stained face.
"Kiss me. Just once. I need this, to be able to live through the rest of my life." she pleaded quietly. Ron took her head into his hands, leaned forward and touched his nose to hers. He inhaled the scent of her, and her eyes fluttered shut. Slowly, Ron moved down her face and looked at her lips. They were still pink, still slightly parted, and he still hungered for them. He slowly brought his face to hers and hovered a millimeter away from her lips. He couldn't believe this was happening. In a second, he would have everything he's ever wanted for the past 7 years. Tenderly, he brought her beautiful face that one little bit closer to his, and his lips were on hers. Obviously, she only wanted a short kiss, as she went to pull away a second after that, but Ron held her close to him. She sighed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. His lips moved in rythmic time to hers, like they were dancing. He groaned and moved one hand down to the small of her back, and the other to the back of her head. He soon felt her tounge against his teeth, so he pressed his against hers, and soon enough, they were in the middle of the most passionate kiss Ron or Hermione had ever experienced. Ron pulled away from her lips and she whimpered impatiently. He laughed throatily and kissed her cheek, tasting the salty tears that poured down it. He kissed her cheekbones, her temple, across her jawline and finally worked his way back to her lips.
"I love you." she whispered into his lips. "I love you."
"I love you too, Hermione." he replied. She smiled against his mouth, and pulled away.
"Ron. Do you mean that?" she asked between sobs. "Do you really mean that? Don't lie to me, because I'd rather know the truth and be hurt than feel happy because of a lie. Tell me, Ron." she said passionately. Ron grabbed her face and held it in his hands.
"Hermione Granger. I love you. You're beautiful, and I love you. You're smart, and I love you. You put up with my crap, and I love you. You make me smile and laugh, and I love you. You're perfect, and I love you." Ron replied, feeling an emotional lump in his throat. Hermione let out a happy sigh and kissed him again.
"I love you. I love you. I love you!" she whispered.
"I know. I love you too. I've always loved you, and I always will. Nothing can tear us apart. I mean it." he whispered back into her lips. "Stop crying." he mumbled, wiping her tears.
"What're you crying about?" he asked. She sat away from him, playing with the front of her robes.
"I just...I never thought..." she began, then a sudden rage came into her eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me!" she screamed. Ron jumped off the bed, his hands above his head.
"Woah, what?" he said, alarmed.
"You're such an idiot! Why didn't you tell me that you loved me? You're so stupid, Ron!" she screamed, throwing a book at his head. Ron ducked, just missing the flying book, and took a step to the door.
"Bloody hell, Hermione!" he said, hands still raised. "Calm down."
"I will not calm down, Ronald. All these years!" she said, calming down slightly. "Just get out." she commanded.
"Fine." he answered, storming out.
Harry was sat on the floor outside the dorm when Ron came out.
"Were you listening?" he asked, embaressed. Harry smiled gleefully.
"Yep. And it's about time too." he answered.
"Hermione doesn't want tea anymore." he said, clearing his throat.
"I guessed as much." Harry replied.
"I have to go back in there." Ron said, putting his palm to his forehead.
"Why?" Harry asked, confused.
"Because I love her." he answered simply. "But bloody hell, she's frightning."
Harry laughed and walked into the common room. Ron took a breath and stepped into the room.
"Ronald. Which part of 'get out' is hard for you to understand?" Hermione said, sharply. She was approaching Ron, and he cautiously stepped forward.
"The get out part." he answered. Hermione rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. Ron kept moving forward, and eventually got close enough to wrap his arms around her waist.
"I'm sorry..." he said, kissing her cheek.
"Not. Fair." she mumbled, melting into his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Mm. I love you." he said, resting his cheek on her head.
"I love you." she said simply. She pulled away and bit her lip. "there's...something..." she began, holding his hand, "that I want to talk to you about." she confessed.

The couple sat on her bed, and he held her to him.
"What?" he asked, curiously.
"I'll tell you later." she smiled. "Just kiss me again."
Ron smiled and pulled her close to him again. This moment was so perfect. His heart was beating so fast he could hardly breathe, his palms were sweating and his whole body was shaking. He kissed her on the forehead, then her cheeks, then her lips. His tongue traced her lips, and eventually hers did the same to him. They were doing a rythmic dance with their mouths, each step was choreographed perfectly. Hermione wrapped her legs around him and curled his hair in her hands. He gasped and rocked her until she was under him. She put her hands under his thick robes and pushed them off. She was just undoing his buttons when he pulled away and looked down at her.
"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked. She nodded. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her again.
"Are you sure?" he asked her. She nodded.
"I've never been more sure, Ron. I love you with all my heart." she confirmed. Ron sighed happily and gave in to her.

Harry sat alone in the common room, hearing the 'noises' of his best friends. He adjusted his glasses, put his potions book away and sat in front of the fire.
"Hey." said Ginny, awkwardly. Harry smiled up at her and patted the seat next to him. She sat down and looked into his eyes.
"So, that's pretty loud." she noticed. Harry laughed in agreement.
"Forever alone, right?" she giggled. Harry sighed.
"Yep. Forever alone."