Always the Sidekick
By Misha

Disclaimer- Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling and is not mine, however much I might wish differently. However, I am not making any money off of this, so please do not sue me!

Author's Notes- This is just a short, bitter Ron fic. Sorry, I know I write a lot of those, but this one came to me in the spur of the moment and I couldn't resist. It's angsty unrequited R/Hr, which is the only form of that pairing I can write, as well as some H/Hr. Well, that's all, enjoy!

Pairing- Ron/Hermione, Harry/Hermione.

Summery- In one moment, he realized that he was always going to be the sidekick.

Spoilers- All four books, I guess.

Rating- PG

Have you ever had a moment where it all just explodes? Where you realize that you're always going to be second best, no matter how hard you try?

I have. Christmas Day, my fifth year at Hogwarts.

By that point I had already accepted that I would always be Harry Potter's best friend, the sidekick. I wasn't meant to be the hero, I knew that.

I knew that there were many things that Harry was, that I never would be.

But at the same time, I thought that there might be at least one thing that right. That just maybe I'd get the girl I wanted.

I don't know when I fell in love with Hermione, I think my feelings were always there. And as our fifth year started, I thought I might have a chance.

And better yet, I thought this one thing where I wouldn't have to compete with Harry.

So, I gathered my courage and thought up a way to let her know how I felt. I didn't tell Harry about my plan or my feelings, I wanted to keep it secret until the moment came.

Anyway, I saved all the money I had, tracked down a rare magical history book that she hadn't read yet and got my mom to purchase it.

I was so excited when I presented it to her Christmas morning, I planned on telling her about my feelings right afterwards.

We all stayed at school for the holidays, like usual.

I'll never forget that morning...

"Merry Christmas, Hermione." I said with a smile, handing her my gift.

She smiled and took it. "Thanks, Ron."

She opened it and her eyes lit up.

"Ron, this is wonderful!" She exclaimed, her brown eyes lit with happiness.

I was so happy, I thought I would burst. I couldn't wait to tell Hermione how I felt, sure that she would feel the same.

However, I decided to wait until we were done opening presents.

After a moment, Harry handed her his gift.

"Merry Christmas, 'Mione." He said with a slight smile.

For the first time the pet name that he had been using constantly since the start of the year bothered me, but I let it go, figuring I had nor reason to be jealous.

Boy was I wrong.

Hermione opened Harry's gift and then stared in shock.

"How?" She asked breathlessly, holding up a book.

I looked at it and gasped. Beauxbatons: A History.

I felt suddenly deflated. Once again Harry ahd shown me up.

"I thought only students of a particular school could by the history book?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

"Yeah, I got Fleur to send me a copy." Harry said with a smile. "We keep in touch, you know, and she asked if there was anything she could do for me. Well, I thought of Hermione and..."

I didn't know that he and Fleur kept in touch. But it didn't surprise me. Of course Harry had developed a close friendship with the stunning Fleur.

That was what he did.

Hermione looked at Harry adoringly.

"This is such a wonderful gift." She breathed, throwing her arms around him.

"Open it." Harry instructed with a smile.

I watched the scene in a horror, terrified of what would happen next.

Hermione pulled a way and opened the book.

"To my beloved Hermione, with all my love Harry."

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Do you mean it?" She asked softly.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Hermione, I love you, will you go out with me?"

Hermione nodded frantically. "Of course I will."

She threw herself at Harry and their lips met in a perfect kiss.

And all the while, I watched in stunned horror as the girl I loved and my best friend shared their first kiss.

It was just too cruel. It wasn't fair.

Harry had everything, why did he need Hermione too? And why did she have to love him? Couldn't I have been the victor just once?

The answer was evidentially no.

It's been ten years since that day.

I wish I could tell you that Harry and Hermione broke up and that she realized that I was the one she wanted all along, but of course that didn't happen.

Harry defeated Voldemort once and for all in our seventh year. He and Hermione got married right after graduation and are the proud parents of three beautiful children. They're living their happily ever after.

And me? Well, I've found happiness of a sort.

I'm married to a nice girl and have a son. It's a good life.

But in the back mind, I can't help wishing for what he has.

I can't help but feel that I've settled for second best. That, that's all I'll ever have.

You see, I finally learnt the lesson.

I'm never going to be the hero. I'm always going to be the sidekick.

No matter how hard I wish it was different, it's not.

The End