Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me a Match

PROLOGUE: A COURSE OF ACTION IS DECIDED

Ron Weasley loved his girlfriend. Really, he did. True, at times he found Hermione Granger exasperating but for some reason that didn't turn him off. In fact, it was one of the things about her he enjoyed. It made their relationship (now six months strong, thank you very much) interesting. They never had a dull moment and when they had a fight (which was not as often as in the past, but did still happen) they made up for it with some pretty spectacular make-out sessions. But sometimes he was a bit afraid of his girlfriend. For instance when she got a notion in her head nothing and no one could change her mind. Those moments when she plotted and argued her notion to death made her very scary sometimes.

S.P.E.W. was a good example of this. Harry finally admitted to Hermione last year that Dobby had been the one to take all of the hats and scarves that she had knitted and that the House-elves were pretty livid with her for insulting them. Instead of admitting defeat Hermione sighed and said, "I suppose I should put S.P.E.W to rest until wizards and House-elves are more open minded to the idea of it." She did stop with the House-elf business (to Harry and Ron's relief) but didn't admit that she was wrong and was still arguing about their rights to this very day if anyone mentioned the creatures.

Unfortunately for Ron over the last summer, the one before their seventh and final year, Hermione got a new idea that she proudly announced to Ron in the Prefects compartment on the Hogwarts Express. "We are going to set Harry and Draco up," she said as though she was telling him what they were having for dinner.

Ron stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"We're going to set-."

"I heard you the first time," he interrupted. "But WHY?"

"Ron, don't be daft. YOU know how Harry feels about him."

Ron sighed and glanced over at Draco Malfoy, the new Head Boy. He did know how Harry felt about Malfoy, but that didn't mean he wanted to do anything about it. True, Malfoy had technically joined their side in the war last year and helped them by spying for the Order but that didn't mean he had to like the git. Malfoy had called a sort of truce between him and the trio last year and so far it had worked. The next thing he knew, he was listening to Harry prattle on and on about how "handsome" and "intelligent" Malfoy was. He had accepted that Harry was bi and was fine with it, but why did Harry have to go and fall for Malfoy of all people? Clearly, defeating Voldemort in June and rattled his brain more then anyone thought.

"Hermione, that was just a crush. For all we know, Harry could be over it by now and moved on to some other bloke or girl."

Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him. "Ron, I know you're not a big fan of Draco, but I don't think that was just a crush. Harry started to notice Malfoy, when, in January?"

"November," Ron corrected reluctantly. 'Four months after the truce started. Sure didn't take Harry long did it?' He thought to himself.

"Yes, that's over six months. Normal crushes do not last that long and you saw how Harry smiled at Draco when he saw him on the platform just now. He still likes him."

"Since when is Malfoy, Draco?" Ron asked her with narrowed eyes.

Hermione smiled. "it's all apart of the plan."

Ron looked at her wearyingly. "The plan?"

"To set Harry and Draco up. We'll need to take little steps because those two have fragile hearts and it wouldn't do to muck it up by locking them in a closet or something and ruining the romance before it begins."

Ron gawked at her. "a fragile heart? MALFOY? Are we talking about the same person?"

"Come off it, Ron. He just lost his Father and Mother in this war; you honestly think he isn't hurting?"

Ron refrained from pointing out to her that Lucius Malfoy killed Draco's mother and in turn was killed by Draco so he doubted Malfoy missed his father very much. "I guess, but why is calling him Draco part of 'the plan'?"

"Well, it will be easier for Draco and Harry to spend more time together if all of us are friends, won't it? Calling him Draco should hopefully start a friendship for all of us and then he and Harry can get to know each other better and then eventually we can leave them alone...well, you get the idea."

Ron stared at her incredulously. "You're telling me I have to be friends with Malfoy so he and Harry can snog?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Ronald Weasley, don't you want Harry to be happy?"

Ron sighed. 'Damn, she's going for the guilt trip. I HATE it when she does this.' "Yes, I want Harry to be happy, but the two of us sort of promised each other that we'd stay out of the other's love life."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No wonder you waited so long to ask me out."

"Well at least I got around to it," Ron retorted.

"The point is, Harry is lonely. He does his best to hide it but I know he is. I think he and Draco would be good for each other."

Ron sighed and glanced over at the Slytherin in question. Malfoy stood apart from the prefects with his arms crossed. Ever since he had been outed as a spy the Slytherins had been avoiding him like the plague and none of the other houses seemed to want to approach him. Harry had talked to the now gruff blonde a few times and Ron remembered being amazed at how once Harry had even managed to make him smile a bit, even though it was only for a few seconds.

After that Harry had chattered excitedly about how Draco had helped him with potions. That was when Harry had started to call him Draco. Remembering this Ron muttered, "all right."

Hermione blinked and then smiled. "You'll help me?"

'Damn her smile, gets me every time.' Out loud he said, "I'll help you. But if Harry finds out about this scheme, I had nothing to do with it. Understand?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course, of course. Come on, lets go say hello to Draco and get him to join us in our compartment." She took his hand and dragged him in the Slytherins' direction.

Ron sighed and thought 'Harry owes me big time for this.'