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Author: Zelthian Story: Match Maker Rating: Young Teens Setting: Pre-HBP Status: Completed Reviews: 7 Words: 28,830
A quiet knock on the door woke Harry the next morning. He grabbed his glasses, threw on his robe and opened the door slowly. "Ron! When did you…" Harry started, but stopped when Ron motioned him to be quiet. "Can I talk to you?" Ron whispered. "Sure, come on in," Harry said, opening the door. Ron hurried in and closed the door quietly behind him. He then turned back around. "My dad brought me home this morning. We had a long talk yesterday about the whole match-making thing." When Ron didn't continue, Harry said, "And?" Ron gulped. "I tried to tell him I didn't want to do it, but he kept saying something about being 'bound by tradition' or something. I don't think it's fair, Harry; what am I going to do?" Ron sat down on Harry's bed and put his face in his hands. Harry hadn't seen Ron this depressed since his dismal performance during his first Quidditch match. "Did your dad say there was any way out of it at all?" Harry asked, sitting next to Ron. "Yeah, but it's not much better. According to the tradition, if I'm already in some kind of romantic relationship I could politely decline to participate," Ron said, not sounding particularly confident. "You mean the only way out of this is if you have a girlfriend?" Harry asked, trying to sound astonished. "That's pretty much sums it up, yeah," Ron sighed. "This all sounds somewhat suspicious," Harry reasoned. "It's almost like some kind of a joke." "Oh, it's no joke, Harry," Ron said. "I was pretty upset with my dad last night, and he insisted the whole thing was very real." Harry stood up and paced around as he thought. Regardless of whether Ron did actually get together with Hermione or was whisked away on a forced courtship with Susan, things really wouldn't be the same after this summer. Faced with the choice, Harry thought it would be much better if Ron and Hermione got together. If Hermione did like Ron and he was forced into something with Susan, Hermione would obviously be heartbroken. If Ron did have feelings for Hermione and was pulled away, he might have to live out his life wondering what might have been. The best course was clear: Ron would have to come clean and be honest about how he felt about Hermione. There was not other way. "Okay, there's only one thing we can do," Harry said, as he stopped and faced Ron. "Run away?" Ron said, as if he'd already decided to do it. "No, you great prat! You have to get yourself a girlfriend," Harry said, somewhat angrily. "You're mental! How am I supposed to get a girlfriend so quickly?" Harry blinked. "What do you mean, so quickly?" Ron hung his head. "Dad said Madam Bones will be visiting before the summer is up." "Well, we'd better get cracking then, hadn't we?" Harry said, suddenly feeling a bit panicked. "Harry, please. I know you're trying to make me feel better, but nobody's going to agree to be my girlfriend just to keep me from having to face Madam Bones and Susan." Harry sighed heavily. "I'm not talking about anything like that, Ron. I'm talking about a real girlfriend." "Harry, if nobody would pretend to be my girlfriend, then nobody would be my real girlfriend either. It's hopeless." Harry groaned. "No, Ron, it's you who is hopeless, you know that? You're going to sit there and let this whole situation take over your life and you're not even going to do anything about it." "There's nothing I can do!" Ron yelled in frustration. Harry stood staring at him unflinchingly. "Of course there is. You're just too much of a coward to do it." Harry watched as Ron thought about this for a moment. "What are you…?" "I know you like her; Ginny knows you like her, your parents know you like her… Merlin, I bet the entire school knows you like her! It seems the only person who doesn't know you like her is you!" "WHO?" Ron asked in mounting frustration. Harry just stared at him, raising an eyebrow. Ron got the message. "You ARE mental!" "I'm not mental, Ron. It's the truth. Now, are you going to be a Gryffindor and admit it, or am I going to have to force it out of you?" Ron's jaw dropped. "You wouldn't…" "Try me." "Harry," Ron said, sounding very nervous. "Why are you doing this to me? I need you to help me, not threaten me!" "I am helping you, you git! Now, I'm going to ask you, and I want you to answer me honestly. Do you like Hermione?" Ron began to fidget. "Well, yeah, she's my friend, of course I like her." "Do you like her as more than a friend?" Harry asked. Ron gulped. "What do you mean?" "Well, I erm… She's pretty, and…" "Ron!" "Okay, okay, yes, she's very pretty, and I find her attractive." "Why?" Ron blinked. "What do you mean, why?" "Why do you find her attractive? I want you to explain it to me." Ron fidgeted some more. "Why are you asking me this?" "Just answer the question, Ron." Ron thought for a moment. "Well… I've always thought she had a pretty face. Then I saw her at the Yule Ball, and I realized just how pretty she was. She looked like a princess. Ever since then I couldn't help but see her that way." Harry took a deep breath. Finally, a first step for Ron. Harry couldn't dwell on this victory. Time was running out. "Were you jealous of Viktor because he took Hermione to the dance?" Ron's head shot up quickly. He glared at Harry for an instant, and then hung his head again. "Yes." "Why?" "Because she's too good for him. He's a troll, and she's the greatest witch of our age. She deserves better." Harry nodded his head. "We both made mistakes at the Yule Ball. We both acted like prats instead of gentlemen, and I don't think the Patel twins will ever forgive us. You probably weren't thinking about Hermione that way until that day in the common room, but you'll probably still need to apologize to Hermione for not asking her to the dance." "I tried, but Hermione was furious with me after the dance was over. I was sure she would never talk to me again." Harry thought back. "Instead, she just made it clear to ask her sooner next time." Ron's head slowly tilted up as he thought about this. A grin threatened to slip out one corner of his mouth. "I had forgotten she said that. But that doesn't mean she likes me, Harry. She was just mad that I got upset with her for going with Viktor, and she pointed out that I had neglected to ask her at all until it was too late." Harry sighed. "Sweet Merlin, Ron! You can be so thick sometimes." "What?" Ron said in his defense. "Do you think she would have specifically told you to ask her earlier next time if she didn't WANT you to ask her?" Ron smirked. "Now you're stretching things, Harry." "So here's the big question then: Do you want Hermione to be your girlfriend?" "It'll never happen," Ron said in defeat. "That's not what I asked." "I don't want to ruin our friendship," Ron dodged. "Ron! Be honest with me!" Harry could tell Ron was fighting himself. "Yes, okay, I really wish I had a chance to be Hermione's boyfriend, alright?" Harry smiled. "Alright." Ron glared at Harry. "I hope you're happy." He got up to leave. "Ron, this wasn't about me. This was all about you. How can you ever be happy if you don't admit exactly what it is that would make you happy?" Ron sat back down. "I don't want to think about it." "Why not?" "Because Hermione doesn't feel the same way about me. I know it's what I want, but I can't make her like me, much less want me as a boyfriend." Something about Ginny shifted in his mind. Harry thought he had realized something, something that Ginny was trying to do. He put Ginny aside for now, but the thought gave him an idea. "You don't know that for sure, do you?" Harry asked. "Well, no, I don't know it for sure, but it's not like she's asking me out on dates either, is she?" "Why would she do that? Traditionally, it's the guy that asks the girl." Ron nodded. "I just wish I knew for sure how she felt." "Maybe you need to tell her first." Ron looked at Harry in shock. "I can't just go up to her and do that!" "I'm not suggesting that you do. There are other ways to tell her." Ron suddenly looked interested. "Like?" "Like… well, pulling out her chair at dinner, or complimenting her on her clothes, things like that." Ron's eyes got big. "And telling her how pretty she is…" "Whoa, let's not get ahead of ourselves. You need to do this slowly, otherwise she might get suspicious. Start out with the friendly stuff first and see how she reacts. If things start looking good, then move on." Ron took a deep breath. "I'm not sure I can do this." "I'll be here to help you, Ron. This is very important to you, and I want to help you out." Ron smiled. "Thanks Harry." Harry nodded. "Now, you're tense and you need to relax, and I know just the thing."
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