Hermione Granger and the Half-Blood Prince

Oh, you still look good to me

But you're no good for me

I close my eyes and squeeze you from my consciousness

And in the morning, when I wake

I walk the line

I walk it straight

But the morning is so many miles away

Good God now

So take your hands off me tonight

I'm breaking free

This is the night

This is the night...

"This is the Night" The Weird Sisters, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

**

"--and we're dismissed," Kira Fowler finished the weekly prefect meeting with her calm authority that Hermione thoroughly admired. The Head Girl smiled at her fellow prefects before turning to quietly ask Randall something. Hermione couldn't help watching them as she packed up her belongings. As petty as it was, she couldn't help hoping that next year, it would be her and Ron up there running the meetings.

Speaking of Ron, he had already distractedly loaded up his books and was waiting for Hermione to turn her attention back to him. "So it's Destination, Dehibilitation, and Determin--?" he asked, picking up their conversation they had been having before the meeting had started.

"No, it's deliberation," Hermione corrected once again. Ron was really having a lot of trouble remembering the second 'D' of Apparition.

Ron rolled his eyes with annoyance. "Who actually deliberates? Besides you," he added.

"Do you even know what deliberate means, Weasley?" Pansy Parkinson asked shrilly before laughing as if she was the wittiest person alive. Malfoy, with his arm around Pansy, chuckled robotically, but didn't even add another snide comment. For her part, Hermione remained quiet, thoughtfully watching Malfoy. He looked really pale and he hadn't said anything hateful to her, Ron, or Harry for ages. It was clear that whatever he was up to wasn't going very well. She didn't think it was anything pertaining to Death Eaters, but she couldn't help wondering what it was.

Malfoy noticed her stare and gave her a weak scowl as he went past her and Ron. "Got a problem, Granger?"

Ron muttered something about giving Malfoy a problem, but Hermione just held up her hand so Ron couldn't get past and let Malfoy and Pansy leave. "I wish I could find out what he's really up to--then Harry might finally leave him alone and work on getting that memory," she said pensively.

"Yeah," Ron said distractedly. He somewhat thoughtfully gave Hermione another minute to reflect before pressing her again. "So destination, deliberation, and determination? That's it?"

"You've Apparated before, Ron," she reminded him exasperatedly as they finally left the prefect meeting room. "You know the three 'D's."

"But the exam is tomorrow," Ron moaned as if Hermione had no idea that she had an exam tomorrow.

"Then study," she said simply. Ron stopped and just looked at her. Hermione also came to a halt and let out a short exhale, knowing what he was asking. "Do you want me to help you?"

"Yes, please," Ron requested in such an endearingly, pleading voice that regardless of the fact that he had asked her this many, many times, a warm glow settled in the pit of her stomach.

Without answering, Hermione just smiled and took off towards the library. Ron followed with a new spring in his step, as if he was pleased with himself for convincing her to help him. Hermione rolled her eyes. As if she would really say no to studying.

They found that their favorite table, near the Restricted Section and safely out of earshot and sight of nosy, noisy students, was fortunately free. "So what do you want help with?" Hermione asked as they sat across from each other.

"What don't I need help--?"

"Okay, okay," Hermione interrupted with a smile. She always cut Ron off whenever he was about to get really self-deprecating. "Why don't you reread your pamphlet and tell me what points you want to go over?"

"Sure," Ron agreed as he somehow found his now-crumbled pamphlet from the bottom of his schoolbag. He frowned slightly when he saw the massive mound of books she was unloading from her satchel which she had had to magically expand to carry the load. "Damn, Hermione!" He leaned forward to frown curiously at the spines of the numerous volumes. "What are all these for?"

Hermione casually adjusted the books so he couldn't read the covers. About a quarter of the books she pertained to her hunt for a definition of a Horcrux, another quarter were her schoolbooks, an eighth related to Healing, and another eighth were about Apparition. The final quarter of her heavy load chronicles or volumes of Hogwarts histories that dealt with former students. These were the books Hermione didn't want Ron to see, because he could be having an astute day and guess that she was using them to try to find out who the Half-Blood Prince really was. Coyly, she plucked a safe book up and showed it to him. "Oh, you know, school. Apparition. Horcrux research," she said smoothly.

To her relief, Ron was appeased. He pointed towards the book she was holding. "You need any more help with that?"

She shook her head and stacked the book on top of the nearest pile. She couldn't focus on Horcruxes tonight. Tonight would be focused on finishing her Ancient Runes homework and Apparition. Somehow finding her Ancient Runes dictionary in the small mountain of books, Hermione settled into her chair without a word and began to read, hoping Ron would take the cue and start to study.

He did. He actually opened his pamphlet and with a furrowed brow, began to intently read away. He really was putting a great deal more effort than he used to, and not just in Apparition. His schoolwork had been steadily improving this year even with the increased difficulty of the classes. Now that Ron had a career goal, he was really applying himself and working as hard as he could to accomplish his goal. Hermione couldn't help wondering if he only wanted to be an Auror because Harry wanted to be an Auror, but she wasn't going to push it. If this was what Ron thought he wanted to do, she was supporting it. She just wished that she could find a career goal so easily.

"Ahem!"

Irrationally, Hermione flinched and looked around for a foul, pink-cardigan-wearing former teacher. She hated that sound. Lavender Brown was standing behind Hermione, her eyes boring accusingly into Ron, head pointed pointedly towards Hermione. Hermione struggled not to let out a weary sigh. This did not bode well for her studying. Lavender tapped her foot impatiently, looking back and forth between Ron and Hermione for an indication of guilt. Hermione remained quiet, not giving anything away, while Ron just sat there as well, more out of stubbornness than anything else. He knew what was about to happen and just lifted his chin defiantly, daring Lavender to accuse him of cheating. He'd give anything to have a row right now; it might allow them to finally, mercifully breakup. "Well?" Lavender finally asked edgily after Ron refused to speak.

"Well what?" Ron asked.

"What are you doing with her?" Lavender hissed. She wouldn't even look in Hermione's direction; she just scowled straight at Ron.

He slapped his pamphlet shut with annoyance and grimly looked in Hermione's direction. "Hermione, you should go."

Immediately, Hermione nodded and started to gather her belongings. It was probably best she got as far away from Lavender as humanly possible. She just had so many books that it was going to take a few minutes to get everything situated and Lavender wasn't about to wait to begin her tirade. She walked past Hermione's chair to speak directly to Ron.

"I've told you what I think about her..."

"And I told you that I don't care; she's my friend--I'm going to study with her if I want to!"

Hermione colored slightly as she accidentally fumbled with one of her books and dropped it on the floor. She leaned out of her chair so she could scoop up the book without standing up and calling more attention to herself. She hated it when people talked about her like she wasn't there. She considered shushing them as they were in the library, but she didn't think it would be a good idea to call attention to herself. Instead, she distractedly looked over her shoulder to see if anyone had overheard them. Fortunately, the library was nearly empty and Madame Pince was oddly vacant from her seat at the front desk. They were safe for now. She hastily jammed three of her books into her bag as the argument intensified. Well, perhaps safe wasn't the best word to use right now.

"--you know what she'll try to make you do!" Lavender finished a particularly long rant with blazing cheeks and trembling lips.

"We were studying, Lavender," Ron snapped once again, patience clearly gone.

"I can help you; I've helped you before!" Lavender reminded him hotly.

"Yeah, but I learn better when Hermione teaches me," Ron answered honestly. "Besides, she's the bloody queen of Apparition while you--"

Hermione swiftly and surreptitiously kicked him under the table before getting to her feet. Although she had sworn never to interfere in Ron's personal life, she couldn't allow him to walk blindly down that hellish road. The last thing Lavender needed to hear right now was a description of her poor skills in Apparition.

"While I what?" Lavender said menacingly, her hands on her hips and eyes wide with indignation.

Ron's ears were bright red. "You--look pretty?" he tried apprehensively.

Hermione slung her overloaded bag over her shoulder and hid a groan. Ron had loads to learn about girls.

"I look pretty?" Lavender repeated distastefully. She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and unconsciously looked to check herself in the reflection of the nearby window. "I better look pretty, Ron, because I am your girlfriend." She shot Hermione a look of pure venom as if this was somehow all her fault. "You'd do good to remember that, Ronald Weasley--no, no, you stay here," Lavender turned onto Hermione as she tried to exit the library to give the couple some privacy. Hermione froze, somewhat surprised that Lavender was actually speaking to her. "You stay--study--see if I care--I'll see you back in the tower." With her chin high in the air, Lavender stalked out of the library.

The second she was out of earshot, Ron banged his head down on the table, repeatedly beating his head against the edge of the hard wooden table. "Why--haven't--I--chucked--her?"

"Because you're a coward," Hermione said matter-of-factly. She dropped back down into her chair and dug out her textbook, flipping it open to the page she had been reading before the interruption. "Maybe you should go after her."

"I'd rather eat corned beef and boiled toadspawn with pickled newt's toes on the side topped with Fred and George's Dark Mark candy," Ron said flatly. He banged his head one more time for good measure and straightened up to look at Hermione pleadingly. "How can I chuck her, Hermione?"

"You have to do it yourself," Hermione answered immediately. She had made it perfectly clear that she was not going to be involved with Ron and Lavender's relationship.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron begged. "You're a girl--"

Hermione's eyes flashed. This was bringing back not-so-pleasant memories.

"--what should I say so she doesn't start shrieking like a banshee?" Ron finished, trying to use his smile that charmed her multiple occasions. He even risked brushing his foot against hers. "Please?"

But Hermione would not be persuaded today. No matter how charming he was, whenever he acted like a total prat, she was going to react accordingly. She slammed her pamphlet shut so he could feel the full wrath of her glare. "Ron, you've already upset one girl tonight. I wouldn't press your luck."

Disgruntled, Ron muttered something undoubtedly vulgar under his breath, but he didn't ask again. He distractedly tried to settle back down and study his Apparition pamphlet, but from the way he was shifting and muttering, he wasn't getting any work done. It was just the way he had been acting the days after Ginny had told him about Hermione and Viktor's occasional snogs. Slightly annoyed, Hermione leaned forward intently; she was only going to offer Ron advice about Lavender once so he better listen. "Look, just break up with her. You're miserable like this. The next time you see her, just take her aside and tell her you want to end it. If she's unhappy as you are, she'll just be relieved."

"She'll cry," Ron predicted edgily.

"Then she'll cry," Hermione said simply. "But in the long run, you'll both be a lot happier."

"She'll yell."

"Then she'll yell."

"She'll--"

"Ron." Ron clamped his mouth shut and stared down at the table. "Do you want to date Lavender?"

"No!" Ron answered immediately.

It was awful, but Hermione had to fight a smile before nodding soberly and fixing him with a knowing look. "Then you have to end it."

"Yeah," Ron agreed dully. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes resignedly. "Fine. I'll do it." He lowered his hands from his face and Hermione could see from the steady gleam to his eye that he was deadly serious this time. "Next time I see her, I'll end it."

**

Ron however couldn't exactly end anything if he didn't see Lavender.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron once again started and hid behind her at the sight of a girl coming around the corner. "It isn't Lavender," said Hermione wearily. He must have woke up this morning having second thoughts about his plan, for he had been playing this game all morning, even going as far as skipping breakfast so he wouldn't have to run into Lavender in the Great Hall. Hermione had had to bring him some toast so he wouldn't starve before lunchtime. He was going to need his strength to pass his Apparition exam today. Of course, he had had to see Lavender in class but he couldn't very well have broken up with her there. Lavender was still hacked off about the night before so she had been ignoring Ron, much to his relief. It would be really difficult to break up with her if she was wrapped around him like a bloody squid.

"Oh, good," said Ron, relaxing and popping up from his crouch behind Hermione.

"Harry Potter?" said the girl, a little second-year Gryffindor by the name Marianne. Shyly, she held out a scroll. Hermione could see from the adoring glow in her eyes that Marianne was one of the many girls who were quite taken with the amazing Harry Potter.

"Thanks," Harry said apprehensively. He looked at the scroll curiously. "Dumbledore said we wouldn't be having any more lessons until I got the memory!"

"Maybe he wants to check on how you're doing?" suggested Hermione as Harry unrolled the parchment. He scanned the note quickly and handed it off to her with a solemn look on his face.

"Look at this."

Hermione read Hagrid's shaky writing and although she was flooded with a wave of sympathy for Hagrid's loss, she couldn't help being a little exasperated as well. Hagrid was asking an awful lot of them for something that was, she was sorry to say, a little ridiculous. "Oh, for heaven's sake," she said before passing it to Ron, who read it through looking increasingly incredulous.

"He's mental!" Ron said furiously. "That thing told its mate to eat Harry me! Told them to help themselves! And now Hagrid expects us to go down there and cry over its horrible hairy body!"

"It's not just that," said Hermione. She knew that Ron would not want to go down to the burial; he wouldn't get anywhere near a spider, large or small, dead or alive. Harry was the one she had to convince not go to down there. From the way he was looking at the note, she could tell that Harry was actually considering going. "He's asking us to leave the castle at night and he knows security's a million times tighter and how much trouble we'd be in if we were caught."

Sure enough, Harry shook his head and tried to argue with her. "We've been down to see him by night before," said Harry.

"Yes, but for something like this?" Hermione pointed out. "We've risked a lot to help Hagrid out, but after all--" Hermione paused, starting to feel slightly guilty. Hagrid was their friend and he was in a lot of pain. If she had lost a loved one, she would want her friends to risk hell and high water to be with her. But at the same time, she reminded herself, if she was in Hagrid's place, she would understand if her friends couldn't come because it was simply too dangerous. Hopefully, Hagrid would too. "Aragog's dead," she finished with new determination. "If it were a question of saving him--"

"--I'd want to go even less," said Ron firmly. "You didn't meet him, Hermione. Believe me, being dead will have improved him a lot."

Hermione just nodded absently, really thinking about how touched she had been when she heard that Ron had willingly gone into the Forest to face spiders to help stop the basilisk after her Petrifaction. He had gone for her. That pleasant memory wavered when Harry took the note back and stared down at all the inky blotches all over it. Hagrid had obviously been crying when he had written it and the fact was making Harry want to go help more than ever.

"Harry, you can't be thinking of going," said Hermione. "It's such a pointless thing to get detention for." She hated how callous she sounded, but it was the only way to get Harry's attention. And in some ways, it was true.

Harry sighed. "Yeah, I know," he said. "I s'pose Hagrid'll have to bury Aragog without us."

"Yes, he will," said Hermione, greatly relieved. Pressing her luck, she decided to remind Harry of a golden opportunity he would be given later today. "Look, Potions will be almost empty this afternoon, with us all off doing our tests...Try to soften Slughorn up a bit then!"

"Fifth-seventh time lucky, you think?" said Harry bitterly with a scowl. Apparently, it hadn't been the best idea to press her luck.

"Lucky," said Ron suddenly, his eyes lighting up. "Harry, that's it--get lucky!"

"What d'you mean?"

"Use your lucky potion!"

Hermione's eyes went wide. She always knew Ron was brilliant. "Ron, that's--that's it!" said Hermione. "Of course! Why didn't I think of it?"

Harry stared at them both. "Felix Felicis?" he said. For some reason, he looked positively doubtful. "I dunno...I was sort of saving it..."

"What for?" demanded Ron incredulously.

"What on earth is more important than this memory, Harry?" asked Hermione although there was something about Harry's change in posture and the faraway look in his eyes that made her wonder if he was thinking about a certain red-haired girl who could turn the world on with her smile. He didn't answer, confirming Hermione's guess and with a smirk, she raised her voice. "Harry? Are you still with us?"

"Wha--? Yeah, of course," he said, pulling himself together. "Well...okay. If I can't get Slughorn to talk this afternoon, I'll take some Felix and have another go this evening."

Thank God, Hermione thought with utter relief. They were finally getting somewhere. If they could get this memory and find out what a Horcrux was, this could really change the whole war. Hermione had a feeling that whatever this Horcrux was, it was the key to everything. With this one memory, they could end the war. She got to her feet and performed a graceful pirouette, more out of excitement than for practical practice purposes. "That's decided then." Relieved, she pushed her thoughts back to the exam she would be taking in less than an hour. "Destination...determination...deliberation..."

"Oh, stop that," Ron begged her in the curt voice he often adopted before or after a particularly stressful exam. "I feel sick enough as it is--quick, hide me!"

She rolled her eyes. "It isn't Lavender!" said Hermione impatiently as he dove behind her again. The war may be changing, but some things never would: Ron Weasley being idiotic was one of them. He proved that once again by showing his complete lack of tact by rudely talking about the Montgomery sisters. He had been properly abashed when he had realized what had happened to them. Hermione shuddered as she followed Ron down to Hogsmeade, where the Apparition examiner was waiting. Fenrir Greyback had to be the foulest human being that ever lived. The thought of a werewolf getting so out of control that he actually killed--he actually loved the taste of human flesh so much that he would attack defenseless children even when there wasn't a full moon--

Hermione shuddered again before increasing her stride. As she had told Harry, he had to get that memory. They had to do whatever they could to end all of this suffering. If it was the last thing she ever did, they had to end this.

**

Despite her dark thoughts on the way to the exam, Hermione had managed to perform quite admirably on the exam. Twycross had requested that she go first--as expected--and she was informed that she would have to Apparate successfully three times in a row to pass, the exact locations increasing in difficulty. After perfectly arriving at three different locations, the examiner gave her a smile and a sheet of parchment proclaiming that she was qualified to Apparate. Hermione stepped to the side, reading the license with a smile. This was going to simplify her life immensely. Whenever she felt antsy about her parents' safety, she could pop home and see if they were all right. And if she ever missed Ron so terribly that she had difficulty breathing, she could go straight to the Burrow. She rolled up the parchment with proud satisfaction. Apparition was certainly going to come in handy.

Ron was near the end of the line, so he didn't get to go until mid-afternoon. He Apparated over to Honeydukes' with only a slight hesitation, primarily from nerves. Once he had Apparated once, he gained more confidence and appeared at the Three Broomsticks as if he had been Apparating his entire life. Even the examiner--a middle-aged, balding wizard with an almost lopsided nose that Hermione was certain would be mocked relentlessly by those who hadn't passed--looked impressed as he asked Ron to Apparate ten feet down the road towards Hogwarts. But Ron's downfall had always came from his confidence, either his lack of or being overly so. Emboldened by his earlier success, he didn't focus on his destination intently enough. He appeared precisely on the spot he was requested to go to, and thinking he had passed, Hermione had shared a wide grin with him as he proudly strode back to the examiner. But the examiner was frowning down at the place Ron had Apparated from. Hermione looked back and forth between the examiner and Ron in confusion. Ron hadn't splinched himself.

From where she was standing, Hermione couldn't hear what the examiner was saying, but she saw him point to the ground and shake his head apologetically. Ron's mouth dropped open as he reached up to feel the left side of his forehead, his fingers running over his eyebrow. "Oh, come on!" he protested, but the examiner only waved his wand, producing a loud bang and a small cloud of purple smoke. He apologized again and turned to request for the next applicant to step forward. Scowling, Ron slouched over to Hermione, still rubbing his eyebrow.

"What happened?"

"I left an eyebrow behind," Ron explained testily. He sputtered indignantly. "No, no, I'm sorry--half an eyebrow! Half an eyebrow gets left behind and you fail! If it had been a quarter of an eyebrow, maybe, but half--that's just too much!"

"I'm sorry," Hermione said sincerely. As stringent as she was for perfection, she had to admit that half an eyebrow was a bit much, especially given Ron's earlier performances. Clearly, he could Apparate very well; he had just had a momentarily lapse of concentration. That could certainly be overlooked.

With a quick, fleeting, jealous glance at her license, Ron grunted and wandered off with his hands jammed in his pockets. Hermione watched him go, her heart clenching as Lavender, who had also failed, came up to offer her sympathy. It didn't look like he was going to break up with her today.

Hermione walked back up to the castle by herself, contemplating about Hagrid and Aragog, Harry and Slughorn, her parents, Ron and Lavender...a whole myriad of things flooded her thoughts as she walked under the late afternoon sky. As she often did whenever she was particularly distressed or overwhelmed, Hermione took a moment to tilt her head back and marveled at the glory of nature. It had felt rather nice to get out of the castle again, to feel the air stinging her cheeks, the sun beating on her shoulders. Usually, she never wanted to leave school, but this year, as much as she loved school, Hermione was starting to want other things. She wanted to find a career, she wanted to help with the war, she wanted to be outdoors, she wanted to learn how to fly, she wanted to help her family...there were so many other things that were more important than school. It was slightly troubling for a girl like Hermione who had always depended on education and academia, but it was rather exhilarating at the same time. New possibilities were being opened to her and she was starting to be ready to seize them. Apparition was the first step, and now who knew where she could go and what she could accomplish? Anything was possible.

So by the time Hermione entered the common room and spotted Harry, her good spirits had returned. Harry told her that he hadn't been able to get the memory, but since he would use the Felix Felicis tonight, there was a very good chance that he would achieve that goal tonight. Anything was possible.

After dinner--during which Hermione was not surprised to hear Ron rant about Apparition and his examiner's particularly garish nose--the three of them lingered in the common room to give Slughorn time to return to his office before trooping upstairs so Harry could take the potion. Harry immediately went to the trunk and after extracting the tiny bottle from the socks he had stowed it in, he raised the little bottle and took a carefully measured gulp.

"What does it feel like?" whispered Hermione, infinitely curious. Not much was documented about Felix Felicis and the concept of a potion determining your luck fascinated her. Perhaps she should research brewing some of that potion for herself.

Harry did not answer for a moment. He just stood there and looked quite like Harry, waiting with slight impatience for something to change. And then slowly but surely, his posture straightened, his shoulders squared, his face brightened, his eyes lit up, and a large smile passed over his face. Hermione and Ron exchanged a look of anticipation; it definitely seemed as if the potion had worked.

"Excellent," Harry finally answered as he got to his feet. "Really excellent. Right...I'm going down to Hagrid's."

The excitement flooding Hermione's stomach screeched to a shuddering halt. "What?" she asked with Ron, looking aghast. "No, Harry--you've got to go and see Slughorn, remember?"

"No," said Harry confidently. "I'm going to Hagrid's. I've got a good feeling about going to Hagrid's."

"You've got a good feeling about burying a giant spider?" asked Ron, looking stunned. He looked over at Hermione, clearly asking for help, but Hermione only shook her head at him. She was just as lost as he was.

"Yeah," said Harry, pulling his Invisibility Cloak out of his bag. "I feel like it's the place to be tonight, you know what I mean?"

"No," Hermione said with Ron again--they really did that an awful lot--as they exchanged another alarmed look. It wasn't like Harry to be so cheerfully irrational. She took the bottle from Harry. "This is Felix Felicis, I suppose?" said Hermione anxiously, holding up the bottle to the light. Dumbledore was having Harry doing all sorts of new precautious, like carrying his Invisibility Cloak around him; he could have given Harry some potion to slip an enemy that Harry had accidentally used. "You haven't got another little bottle full off--" She faltered, trying to search through her memory for a potion that would produce Harry's symptoms, "--I don't know--"

"Essence of Insanity?" suggested Ron.

Harry laughed loudly as he swung his cloak over his shoulders. Hermione looked at him with increasing alarm. She had never heard Harry laugh so openly and heartily, especially these days. It made him sound a bit unhinged. Perhaps there was an Essence of Insanity.

"Trust me," Harry said to her and Ron, looking unperturbed at their blatant anxiety. "I know what I'm doing...or at least"--he strolled confidently to the door--"Felix does."

He pulled the Invisibility Cloak over his head and vanished. Hermione and Ron exchanged one more look of mutual anxiety before taking off after him. Hermione frowned in concentration as she clattered down the stairs after Ron. They had to stop Harry before he went outside and did something stupid, but they very well couldn't accomplish that if they couldn't see Harry. She searched for a flash of Harry's trainers as he was getting rather tall, maybe too tall for the Cloak, but she didn't see a thing until they nearly reached the bottom of the stairs, when she saw a flash of white near the floor as Harry slipped through the open door. There he was.

"What were you doing up there with her?"

Hermione froze on the last step at the sound of Lavender's shriek. Uh oh. This had to look rather incriminating. With a heavy sigh, Ron covertly indicated for Hermione to hang back and stepped down into the common room to face the music, sputtering helplessly as he tried to explain himself without giving Harry away. Uncomfortably, she remained in place, unsure what to do or say, if anything. Although she had wanted Ron to break up with Lavender for ages, she didn't think a row in the common room would be the best place to do it. She considered retreating back up to Ron's room and waiting for him there, but then decided against it. It would probably only be worse for Ron if Lavender realized that she had gone up there again. Ron and Lavender were standing directly in front of the doorway--Lavender must have been just sitting there, just waiting for Ron to appear, as if she had nothing better to do--so there was no hope for Hermione to slip past them. With a sigh of resignation, she gripped the banister and kept her mouth shut. She would just have to wait and unfortunately listen.

Ron finally had stopped sputtering like an idiot and was giving Lavender what he thought was a charming, reassuring smile. "Lavender, we were just looking for Harry. Have you seen him?" Hermione raised one eyebrow, begrudgingly impressed. Obviously, the twins had taught Ron had to fast-talk his way out of a bad situation with your girlfriend.

Of course, it would have been much more convincing if he hadn't obviously spent the past few minutes thinking up that excuse which was why Lavender gave him the foulest stare in the history of existence. "Oh, so you had to go looking for him together? In your bedroom? Where you won't even let me go?" Lavender accused. Hermione couldn't stop her eyebrows from shooting up; that answered a question she had been dying to know. "I'm not stupid, Ron--I know there's something going on between the two of you--I just didn't expect to see it!" She fluttered her hands hysterically near her eyes to keep from crying. "See you with her!"

Hermione pressed her lips shut to keep from retorting. She really hated the way Lavender didn't call her by her name, as if she was so low and whorish that she didn't deserve one. It was amazing that she could feel so dirty, as if she had really done something wrong with Ron, just by the way Lavender said the word her.

Ron blanched when he saw that Lavender was about to cry. He glanced edgily around the common room and stepped closer to his girlfriend. "Lav, let's go outside--come on--don't cry--"

Ironically, it was Hermione who suddenly wanted to burst out into tears. He did use that voice with other girls. And yet--yet, it was different somehow. It wasn't nearly as potent. Perhaps because his eyes weren't behind his words. Hermione shook her head. To distract herself, she too looked around the common room. Ron and Lavender were attracting quite an audience. The only two people who weren't paying attention to them were Ginny and Dean who--Hermione's eyes narrowed--who were having a very interesting conversation of their own. It appeared as though the couple had just come in: Dean had just sat down, his hand still on his schoolbag, while Ginny remained standing, talking heatedly to Dean. Dean looked annoyed and tried to take her hand. Ginny stepped back, indicating her back. Dean rolled his eyes while Ginny looked away in frustration. Her eyes rested on her brother and his girlfriend before traveling up to Hermione on the stairs. Understanding the situation in a heartbeat, Ginny barely had time to send Hermione a sympathetic look before she was pulled down into a chair by Dean. Dean tried to engage her in a conversation, but Ginny just impatiently shushed him and pointed over to Ron, furiously telling him to shut up, she wanted to listen. He looked disgruntled, but he sat back and obliged, probably because Ron and Lavender were talking so loudly that a private conversation would be almost impossible.

"--and you are never here, Ron--you won't let me see in here!" Lavender was shrieking. She stabbed her finger violently into his heart. "I want to be in here!"

Ron embarrassedly lowered her hand. "Lavender--"

"But you don't want me to see, do you? You're just like the rest of them--I thought you were different, but you're not! You're just a stupid boy!" Lavender's eyes glistened with tears as she pulled away from Ron and stamped her foot with frustration. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"Uh--ah--I--" Ron's brothers apparently hadn't prepared him for a hysterical girlfriend yelling at him in the middle of the common room. He gaped like a fish out of the water, his mouth opening and closing uselessly. He had absolutely no idea what to do.

Exasperated beyond belief, Lavender whirled around to a fresh victim who just happened to be standing less than ten feet behind her. "And don't you try to pretend you're not involved with this--get out here!" Lavender shouted, her hands on her hips. The section of the audience in the common room who hadn't been able to see Hermione on the stairs, craned their necks and let out an ah of understanding when she emerged from the doorway. Now they understood perfectly. "This is just as much as your fault as his!"

"I didn't do anything!" Hermione protested. "We were just trying to find Harry!"

"You did plenty!" Lavender hissed. Her cheeks were so red with outrage that she resembled a furious tomato. "You told me that you didn't like him, that you wouldn't stand in my way, but that was your little plan, wasn't it? Letting me date him while you stood off to the side and just waited, pining for him, biding your time, waiting to make your move, trying to make him jealous with McLaggen and Neville, and playing all of your little games: you're just so clever, aren't you, Hermione?"

"Jealous of Neville?!"

"Now just hang on," Ron finally found his voice and had shook off the dumbfounded look of shocked horror, loudly overriding Hermione's surprised exclamation. "Hermione has nothing to do with this," he reminded her tightly. Hermione made a mental note to herself to thank Ron later for calling her by her name and not saying the hateful her or she. "So just back off."

"Ever since you got poisoned and she suddenly became friends with you again, you've been different! She made you fall out of love with me, Ron!"

"No," Ron spoke very slowly and deliberately so there was no mistaking what he was trying to tell her. "She didn't make me do anything."

Lavender's breath stopped momentarily in her throat, her chest hitching with surprised hurt. "So you wanted--you never--" Her hand fluttered up to her breastbone as she blinked hastily and painfully. It always hurt horribly to hear that a boy never wanted you.

Blanching, Ron stepped forward and tried to comfort Lavender. "I'm sorry," he tried weakly.

"Don't touch me!" Lavender wailed as she yanked free of Ron's hands. Without further ado, she pivoted on her heel and fled, howling all the way up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Parvati immediately slid out of her chair by the fire and followed her best friend.

No one else however moved an inch. Scenes like that didn't take place in the common room everyday. Petty squabbles between couples happened, yes, but nothing like this. There was actually a true, real undercurrent of love causing this row. Lavender had been in love with Ron. Hermione thought she was going to be sick.

Ron shoved his hands in his pockets and looked over at the girls' dormitory mournfully. "Well. That's that," he said anticlimactically.

"I guess so," Hermione said quietly.

He continued to watch the door as if he expected Lavender to come back down for round two. His ears were still crimson with humiliation. "So, Harry really went to Hagrid's?"

Hermione nodded, wondering if they should follow him. Even with the Felix Felicis, Harry probably could use all the help he could get, considering that he needed to get to Slughorn's office before the potion wore off. She honestly had no idea why he had gone down there after the three of them had decided that it wouldn't be safe to go to Aragog's funeral.

"Don't touch me!" Ginny Weasley suddenly screamed loud enough for the entire common room to hear. Her tone was so similar to Lavender's that Hermione instinctively turned towards the girls' dormitory to see if Lavender had come back down for another screaming tirade before realizing who had really yelled. Ginny had jumped to her feet, wrenching her arm as far back from Dean's hand as she could. Everyone's eyes shot over to the couple, breathless with anticipation; they couldn't be lucky enough to see two very public breakups in one day.

Dean quickly got up, eyes flashing as he reached out to grab Ginny. "Sit down, Ginny!" he ordered as if she was a recalcitrant puppy.

"Excuse me?!"

"Hey!" Ron snapped loudly the second Dean's hand closed over his sister's arm. "Don't talk to her like that!" Hermione tried to stop him, but Ron was already striding over. For once, Ginny looked extremely grateful for Ron's interference. She yanked forcefully free of Dean and stepped behind Ron.

"You heard him," Ginny mocked spitefully. "Don't talk to me like that."

"Ginny," Dean tried again, attempting to talk over Ron to his girlfriend. Hermione had never seen Dean look so flustered and furious; Dean was normally one of the most level-headed people in their year. "Let's just talk about this--sit down--"

"There's nothing to say," Ginny hissed. "I'm tired of you--I'm tired of everything--so let's-let's--" Ginny finally seemed to realize that they had an audience and she lowered her voice somewhat. "--let's just end this."

"No--come on, let's not talk about this with him here." Dean indicated the glowering Ron. "Let's go for a walk; we can work this out..."

"Work what out? I'm in love with Harry, remember?" Ginny scoffed maliciously. Everyone let out a low 'oooo' even though they all knew it was true. The entire school knew it was true. Everyone except Harry, that is. "I'm mad about Harry, you're controlling and manipulative and possessive and all you want to do is grope me--"

"Son of a b--!"

"Not now, Ron!" Ginny grabbed his arm and pushed him behind her before Dean lost any body parts. Hermione picked up on her cue and slipped through the crowd to grab the back of Ron's robes. Ginny wheeled back to Dean, her eyes blazing with intensity. "--we're miserable together so we're over. We're done." She shoved her hair fretfully out of her face and looked distractedly around the crowded room. She flushed slightly and stepped away from Dean. "Excuse me."

Dean reached out to stop Ginny as she too retreated up the stairs to her dormitory, but a low growl from Ron halted Dean's progress. "Ginny--" he tried weakly. But she was gone. With a sigh, Dean shifted his eyes away from everyone else and strode straight out of the portrait hole.

Someone let out a low whistle. "Damn!"

"All right, back to studying!" Ron abruptly yelled in his rarely used prefect voice. "Nothing more to see here!" Everyone just stared at him. "Go on!" It took a moment, but everyone jumped and settled back down in the seats and commenced studying or returned to their previous conversations. He let out a long breath before turning back to Hermione, shaking free of her hold. "So, Harry?"

Hermione considered the option as she folded her arms over her chest and looked toward the portrait hole. "I don't know if walking out to Hagrid's at this hour is the best idea. Hopefully, Harry was just joking and he really went to Slughorn's in which case, we probably shouldn't disturb him." She bit her lip. "I just hope he gets that memory."

"Me too." Ron raked a hand through his hair, looking unusually tired.

"I can't help thinking that everything will fall into place once we get that memory," Hermione continued breathlessly, starting to get worked up as she always did when talking about Harry and the war. "If we could find out what the devil a Horcrux is..."

"Whoa, hang on." Ron shushed her and nodded his head toward the crowded room. Several pairs of eyes were still on them, hoping that they would get to witness a new couple in the making. "Let's not do this right now, okay?"

"Sorry," Hermione agreed. She didn't know what had gotten into her. Besides, the last thing Ron probably wanted to do right now was discuss war and death. "And I'm sorry about Lavender."

Ron rolled his eyes. "No, you're not."

"I am too," Hermione protested, stung. "I admit I didn't think Lavender was the best match for you, but I am sorry you're upset." She nodded toward the doorway of the dormitory, indicating the heated row that had just occurred there. "No one should have to go through something like that. It had to be awful."

With a shrug, Ron straightened up, looking more alert and alive; the unrestrained sympathy in Hermione's eyes really made him feel loads better. "It's alright. Had to end sometime."

Hermione fought a smile. Ron bruised quite easily, but he also bounced back with vigor. "I should go see if Ginny's okay."

"Good idea," Ron agreed with a slight frown. "Think she's okay?"

"She will be." Hermione brushed some hair out of her face and flicked a finger toward the portrait hole while backing away towards the stairwell to the girls' dormitories. "If Harry comes back with that memory, send Pig for me--I'll be in Ginny's room for most of the night."

"Why would you stay in there--oh, right," Ron flushed as he realized just how awkward it was going to be for Hermione in her dormitory for the next few days. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Hermione said honestly. "I'll see you in the morning."

"'Night." Ron waved and gave her that smile that added a skip to her step as she flew up the stairs. It was really nice to know that finally, mercilessly, incredibly, Ron Weasley was a free man again. She knocked on Ginny's door with a secret smile of her own as she thought back to her thoughts earlier that afternoon.

Now, more than ever, anything was possible.