I guess I should have seen this coming. Lavender kept making little remarks about how he "filled out over the summer" and is "looking date-worthy" in our room at night. I thought she was trying to get me to tell him how I feel. Could I have been more wrong? He's become tremendously handsome over the past year. I should have realized that I wasn't the only girl to take notice.

More than anything, I want to be mad at him. He deserves to be screamed at in the worst row of our lives. How dare he completely disregard my feelings for him? And doesn't he understand that my invitation of Slughorn's Christmas party was meant to be a date? The problem is, all I feel is sadness and a creeping feeling that I'm wrong. I'm far too subtle with my feelings. Everything would have been easier if I used the word "date" when asking him to the party instead of wrapping everything up in innuendoes that would have been unrecognizable to anyone. I can't assume that he can always read my like an open book. He may be more perceptible to my mood changes than the average person, but he doesn't always understand what motivates them.

And frankly, I know that I could kiss him better than any other girl at this school. I may not have much experience in the field, but I understand him more than any other girl does. He likes to be challenged. That's why he'll never back down from an argument. I imagine kissing him like I argue with him: with a ferocious passion that fuels a constant battle for dominance. She can't possibly understand that he wants the chance to earn his right to control things. Being handed gifts on a silver platter is a completely foreign concept to him. She also can't see how uncomfortable he is when she's constantly shoving her tongue down his throat in public. He's a private person who would prefer to be in a different location, like an empty corridor or one of the abandoned classrooms that we know about from prefect duties. I personally think that the back of the library, right under the section on the changes in goblin rights in the 17th and 18th century, would be perfect. It hurts me to know that I'm not going to get that chance. While I'm entirely practical and plain, he's has a girlfriend that's all fun and curves. I'd never stand a chance against a girl like that. The best thing that I can hope for now is that he'll still be friends with me. I know she doesn't like me and I dread the day when she starts persuading him to avoid me.

I look up from what I've just read to see Hermione sitting in the middle of my bed. Her arms are wrapped around her legs that are pulled tight against her chest and she's biting her lip, her tell that she's nervous. I will her to look at me without words to no luck. Her eyes are trained down to my bedspread.

When I begin to walk toward her, I can see her tense up even more. She clearly thinks that I don't feel the same way that she does and I don't get it. I would have sworn I've been obvious over the past two years. Reaching the edge of my bed, I sit down. She still won't look at me.

"Mione?" No reply. "Mione, please look at me." Slowly, she begins to look in my direction. Her eyes are on my face, but she won't meet my gaze. "You know that the stuff you said about yourself isn't true, right? Being practical isn't a bad thing and you are far from plain. Look I … I know I messed up dating Lavender. But you should know that I was only doing to try to make myself stop feeling the way I do about you." With that, her eyes met mine, full of questions. "I had no idea that you liked me. I mean, how could I? You're perfect and everyone always talks about how you and Harry should be –"

"Ronald Weasley, I know that you are not about to accuse me of liking Harry. That's revolting! I would no sooner date him than you would date Ginny. He's as good as my brother!" That look of anger that's always there right before we row has filled her eyes. I want to snap back, but I know it won't get me anywhere. I can tell that I've hurt her and I need to stay calm and fix it.

"I'm sorry. I should know that by now. It's just that both of you are always so put together and I'm the one that messes things up."

She let go of her legs and moved closer to me. There's a look in her eyes that I can't read as she reaches out and touches my cheek. I hold my breath, not sure what to expect next. "You don't always mess up, Ron. You're the one who always finds a way through the mess that gets thrown onto us. I become chaotic when a problem occurs, but you always manage to calm me down. Either through your jokes or caring, I find a way to become level-headed again and deal with the situation at hand. Why do you think I needed you last night? I felt like everything was falling apart. Everybody was laughing at me and I didn't know how to handle it, but I come up here and you wrap your arms around me and suddenly everything feels better. I… I know that I like to make it look like I'm perfect but frankly… I fall apart without you."

She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me into a hug. I move her curls out of my face and hold her. Has she really felt this way all along? I think she's a bit mental for feeling like I manage to hold things together, but I can't stop hearing her say that she needs me. She starts to pull back, but before she can get away, I kiss her.

At first, she tenses in surprise. I hesitate, thinking that she didn't want me to kiss her. Then, I feel her hands in my hair pulling me closer. A slight groan escapes the back of my throat. So this is why people are always going on about how incredible kissing feels. It never felt like this with Lavender. Hermione's lips are as soft as her curls that my hands are lost in. I give a slight pull to her hair and her lips part in surprise. I take my chance to deepen the kiss and get rewarded with an incredible moan that slips from Hermione's mouth. Merlin, she tastes delicious.

I could tell that she was out of breath, so I reluctantly pulled back and rest my forehead against hers. Her eyes are closed and she has a dreamy smile playing on her lips. It's taking everything in my not to kiss her again.

"It tastes sweeter than I imagined," she says. Confused, I pull my face back a little more to properly look at her.

"What do you mean 'it tastes sweeter'?" Her eyes fly open and her whole face begins to turn red. I thought that getting to kiss her would make it easier to look at her and not feel this way, but she's only fueled my desire. I might go mad if I don't do it again.

In a quiet voice she says, "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes you did. Now explain what you meant."

"I don't want to."

I spring at her and knock her back on to the bed. Her initial scream turns into a fit of giggles. I'm not sure if I've ever heard anything sexier in my life. "Too bad. Explain."

After an overly dramatic sigh and eye-roll, she turns her focus to my lips. Her right hand slowly comes up and begins to trace the outline of my mouth. "I've wondered what your spearmint toothpaste would taste like on your lips before. It was a lot sweeter than I imagined." Her fingers are now on my lips and making me loose complete control of my thought process. I kiss her smooth index finger and look down at her. She's looking back at me like I'm the only thing in the world and I can't remember how I managed to get here, but I know that I never want to leave. I lean down towards her and hear a sharp intake of her breath as her eyes flutter close. My lips land on hers and I'm lost in the most amazing feeling that I've ever encountered.

OOO

I have no idea what time it is. How long was he kissing me like that? Minutes? Hours? The only thing I know for sure is that it wasn't enough. I'm going to have to have more of it. But for now, I'm content. He has his arms wrapped around me and I can hear his even breathing indicating that he's asleep. I curl closer into his side and his arms reflexively follow me. My smile pressed into his chest, I drift off to sleep in my favorite place in the world, Ron's arms.

XXX

The end! I appreciate each and every one of you who took the time to read my story. I lost interest in writing for a long time, but the kind reviews that I've received so far have motivated me to begin writing again. It's time to start taking the Romione ideas that are in my head and putting the pen to that paper (or should I say my fingers to the keys). Thanks again!