Choice

As the Gryffindor trio headed down the hall to the Great Hall, Ron reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. "We'll be in there in a few minutes, Harry. Save us a seat, k?"

Harry nodded, sending Hermione an encouraging look. Harry started to walk into the Great Hall, but was stopped by Seamus, who wanted to know what he should get Dean for Christmas. "But Seamus, Christmas is months away. Halloween's not even for a few more weeks!"

Ron and Hermione smiled, and shook their heads. Ron looked at Hermione shyly.

"Hermione, I was wondering..."

"Yes, Ron?" Hermione was afraid she knew what Ron was wondering.

"I was wondering... ifyouwouldbemygirlfriend?" The redhead was so nervous, he spewed the sentence forth in one long gibberistic word.

Hermione looked around, hoping to see Draco. "Umm, yes?" She had no idea what to say, and certainly didn't want to hurt Ron's feelings. Besides, she liked Ron too. Didn't she?

"Really?" A beautiful smile broke on Ron's face. "That's wonderful!" He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. "Oh drats," he said, pulling away. "I forgot something!" He turned to hurry back to the Gryffindor tower.

Hermione turned away before Ron's footsteps faded, so she didn't realize that Ron had stopped a few feet away, in the shadows. Of course, no one else had, either. Ron had stopped because he saw a familiar flash of silver hair in the shadows opposite him, and he was filled with a sudden sense of dread.

Before Ron could confront Malfoy, he heard Harry's voice behind him.

"Well?"

"He asked me to be his girlfriend, Harry."

"You said...?"

"Well, what could I say? I didn't want to hurt him."

"Yes." Harry thought for a few minutes, staring into space. "Do you know what this potion does, 'Mione?"

"Um.. yes." She repeated Snape's words back to him. "It allows you to know what a person feels when you look at them, even if they don't know it yet themselves. What does that have to do with... Ohh"

"Yeah. Oh."

"So... you know how I feel right now?"

"Yeah."

"And you know how Ron feels? And... Draco?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah."

"Well?"

"Well what?" A smirk was playing around Harry's lips

"Harry James Potter. Don't toy with me, boy."

"Yes, 'Mione," he said, smiling gently. "I know how you all feel. Ron has a crush on you. You have a crush on Ron. Yes, I know that the potion you and Draco made was a love potion, and I know that because of it you have strong feelings for Draco, and he for you."

"Oh," was her soft reply. "Is that all the feelings he has for me?"

"You didn't let me finish. I was going to say that I also know that the potion-created feelings pale beside the real feelings the two of you have. 'Mione, Draco is just as much in love with you as you are with him. Tell Ron the truth. Go to Draco."

Hermione smiled at him. "You should have been a girl, Harry."

She turned to go find Ron, and then Draco, when she was suddenly surprised. Both of them stepped from shadows in the hall in front of her. Ron's face was dripping with tears, red and splotchy. Draco was grinning, his face lit up wonderfully. Hermione's breath caught. He's so gorgeous. But Ron... I hurt him so much... I should have said no at the beginning.

The three boys, and the girl they all loved, (if in slightly differing ways) stood facing each other in the early morning light.

"You don't have to tell me, Hermione," Ron said, his voice breaking. "I heard it all."

At that, he turned on his heel and hurried away. Harry followed him, stopping briefly at Draco's side. "If you hurt her..."

"Then I'll deserve whatever you and Weasel have planned, Potter."

Harry looked at him, and then nodded, satisfied with what he saw. "Just so you know."

"I know."

Harry gave Hermione a brief smile, before hurrying after Ron. "Ron! Wait!"

Draco moved in front of Hermione, stopping a few feet away. "Is it true?"

She looked at him, eyes unreadable. "You heard Harry."

"Yes."

"Well then. What do you think?"

Before Draco could answer, Blaise came out of the Great Hall, leading her Ravenclaw by the arm. "Draco, darling, I came to tell you its over." She smiled at him, motioning to the Ravenclaw with her eyes.

"Don't call me 'darling'."

"Yes. I know. But is that all you have to say? Don't you want to say anything about me breaking up with you?"

"Oh, I'm terribly heartbroken, Blaise," Draco drawled, clasping his hands to his chest dramatically. "What ever shall I do now?"

He turned to look at Hermione, waggling his eyebrows. She giggled, flushing a bright red. Blaise looked between the two of them, an eyebrow raised and a questioning look on her face. "A Gryffindor, Draco? That's the one person who's allowed to call you darling? Why a Gryffindor? And a... Mudblood, at that? "

"Because, Blaise, darling, I love her."

Hermione blushed, moving closer to Draco and taking his hand. "I love you too," she murmured softly.

Draco smiled at her, and the couple moved into the Great Hall to face the rest of the school.

***

Meanwhile, Harry had followed Ron to the Astronomy tower. Ron stood on the edge, looking out over the school grounds.

"Don't do it Ron. Its just a crush."

"What?" Ron looked back at Harry, surprised. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't jump."

Ron laughed. "Don't be silly. You're right, it was just a crush. I was just sitting here contemplating how I really felt, and about who."

Suddenly, a strong gust of air swept the Astronomy tower. Ron teetered on the edge, almost falling off. Harry leaped forward to catch him, strong arms circling his waist and pulling him back. They stood there like that for a few minutes, Harry's arms wrapped around the taller boy's waist.

"So who do you really feel for?" Harry asked. His eyes were filled with hope. I don't expect it to be me... But I can't help hoping.

Ron turned to look at Harry, tilting his chip up with one long, freckled finger. "You."

Harry blinked, and started to ask Ron if he was sure. But there was something niggling the edges of his memory... He remembered when he was sitting in the Great Hall 'reading his friends.' There had been an unidentifiable emotion with Ron... if this was it...

Harry didn't know whether Ron was using him as a rebound or not. And truthfully, he didn't care.

That said, it was some time before the snogging new couple made it down to breakfast.