The Matchmaker

The Matchmaker

"Have you lost the little sense you were born with?"

Ron looked blankly at the brown eyes, wide with shock, that were looking at him as though he had sprouted an extra head that was covered in green boils. He grinned. "No, I don't think so...could be wrong though."

"Oh, I'm fairly sure you have," Hermione said, taking a bite of her toast. She looked around the Great Hall. It was early for a Saturday morning, and the room was nearly deserted. "Maybe I didn't hear you correctly. Tell me again what this brilliant plan is?"

"I think we should set Harry up with Ginny," he repeated. Ron looked at Hermione expecting to see the flash of understanding on her face. Instead, she frowned.

"I still don't get it. You are the last person in the world I would expect to EVER, purposely and without intervention from an Imperius Curse, try to set up your little sister with a guy. It's driving you nuts that she's seeing Dean, why would you want her to go out with Harry?"

"Exactly!" Ron sighed. "She keeps going out with all these guys, just to make me crazy."

Hermione smiled. "You know, Ron, I really don't think that's the only reason."

"I don't need to know!" Ron exclaimed, quickly covering his ears with his hands. "The point is, now she's going out with Dean. And I have to listen to the disgusting things he does with my sister --"

"He doesn't really talk to you about it does he?"

"Well, no, he stops whenever I come in the room but I still end up overhearing way more than I need to."

"Well, Ron, I still don't see what that has to do with anything. It's not like Ginny is going to swear off guys just to make you feel better."

"That's just it," Ron explained, "I can't expect her to. But none of these gits are good enough for her. So I asked myself, who do I know that would measure up?"

"Harry," Hermione sighed, realization finally settling in.

"Right," Ron continued, "I mean, he's my best mate. And I know I wouldn't have to listen to him go on and on about things they did together. You know how he is, and anyway he wouldn't do that to me."

"Ok, let's just say that somehow, by some miracle this plan of yours works and they end up together. How are you going to handle it if Harry breaks her heart?"

"It'll be fine!" Ron said, trying to reassure her. Hermione gave him a suspicious scowl.

"I highly doubt that," she replied.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Ron asked, trying to give Hermione his most pleading, 'I-can't-do-this-without-you' look. He hoped it was working.

"Ron, I really don't think this is such a good idea--"

"What's not a good idea?" Harry asked, plopping down next to Ron and grabbing his own piece of toast. Ron and Hermione stared at each other blankly.

"Oh, Ron wants to put off all of his homework until tomorrow and waste the day away," Hermione covered quickly, exasperated.

"What do you mean waste? I've been busting my bum for months! It's about time I took a day to relax," he said, giving Hermione an undetectable wink. She fought the grin working it's way to her mouth. Harry, of course, was oblivious.

"Well, you can't relax too much today. Don't forget we've got Quidditch practice later this morning," Harry said.

"That's right, and our battleaxe captain will work us like dogs again, I expect," Ron said, grinning widely at Harry, who grinned back and cuffed him on the shoulder.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Harry said sarcastically. "Well, if you're not going to study today, I don't see why I should have to either. What were you thinking about doing this afternoon?"

Ron had not really thought that far ahead. But now that he knew that Harry's day was basically his to plan, he needed some time to work on his strategy. "Hadn't really thought about it," Ron said, finishing his toast in one bite. "But give me a bit and I'll come up with something."

"Well, I'm going to leave you two to your slacking and head to the library," Hermione stated as she stood up and grabbed her bag full of books. Ron suddenly remembered that she hadn't given him an answer to his earlier question. He watched her start to walk away from the table.

"Hey, Hermione, wait up!" Ron said, jumping up. "I just remembered I.... I've got to look something up for one of our assignments. I'll go with you."

"I thought you said you weren't studying today!" Harry's voice echoed through the Great Hall as he watched Ron and Hermione make a quick exit from the room.

*****

Meanwhile in the hallway...

"So?" Ron prodded as he trailed Hermione through the halls. "What do you think?"

"What do I think - oh!" Hermione exclaimed as she remembered what he was talking about. "I thought I told you I didn't think it was a good idea?"

"Well, yes, but that still doesn't answer my question. Are you going to help me or not?"

Hermione sighed deeply as she turned to look at her friend. "Well, I suppose you won't take no for an answer anyway. Exactly what is your scheme for getting Ginny and Harry together?" she asked.

"Well, I was kind of hoping that you would help me with that part," he said with one corner of his mouth twisted in an impish smirk. Brown eyes stared back at him in disbelief. Hermione shook her head in exasperation and groaned as she turned on her heel to continue toward the library. Ron walked silently beside her for a few moments. The last thing he needed to do today was push Hermione into a temper.

"What we need," Hermione whispered, giving Ron a sneaky smile, "is a plan."