Disclaimer: JKR owns everybody you know.  Literally. ^.^

Author's Note: This is a response to the challenge that Sinbin issued at the Sugar Quill.  So I guess that this is dedicated to Sinbin.

In a Word

"I reckon she likes you, mate," Ron's voice was a dull, embarrassed rush.  "I mean she fancies you."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, which shoved his glasses up and caused the pads to bite into his skin. "But you like her."

Ron's ears colored.  "I never said that."

"Still."  Harry waved one hand to indicate the validity of the hitherto fore unspoken admission.

"And all."  Ron shrugged, repeating the motion.

"But you think she…and that she wants me to…I mean…she's Hermione."  Harry gestured again, at a loss.  "I mean…how could I?"

"Dunno," Ron muttered.  "'S not that hard to…you know.  'Cause she's Hermione and all that."

Harry shrugged.  "I guess she's alright," he watched the color in Ron's ears wash into his face.  "But I just couldn't."

"Because I…well, you know?"  Ron asked shrewdly.

Taking off his glasses, Harry closed his eyes.  "Dunno.  I guess that's a little part of it.  Mostly it's because she's Hermione."

"Yeah, but I li…" he trailed off and Harry cracked one eye open just in time to see a beet-red Ron bite his lip.  "Because she's Hermione.  See?"

Harry reached for his glasses and sat forward.  "Well, if she does fancy me…" he studied Ron uncertainly.  "Well, why would she?  She's been around me loads of times without seeming to…you know…"

"Which doesn't bode well for me," Ron sighed softly.  "Not," he stuttered suddenly, "that that matters…anyway, you're famous.   And when Parvati said you were cute, Lavendar was on about how Hermione was so lucky; she said it right out in front of everybody and Hermione got this look…you know that look she gets."

"Yeah," Harry frowned in concentration.  "And she didn't say anything, did she; just went off to the library."  His heart sank at Ron's solemn nod.  "Oh no…she does fancy me."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Hermione's voice admonished from behind them.  "I don't fancy Harry at all."

"You don't?"  Harry noted that both he and Ron sounded entirely relieved.

"Of course not."  Hermione sank into the other chair in front of the fireplace and dropped her Rune translations on the low table.  "Romantically speaking, Harry, you and I would get on like cabbages and crocodiles."

Ron nodded, apparently relieved as Hermione settled, businesslike, to work.  "Sure…of course.  Cabbages."

Harry waited until Ron had returned to his essay before asking mischievously, "So, what about you and Ron, Hermione?  Romantically speaking."