A Foretold Love

Hermione somehow managed to corner Parvati Patil in the sixth year girl's dorm before breakfast and, remarkably, Parvati was alone.

"You knew Lavender liked Ron?" Hermione said. It was more of an accusation than a question.

"Yeah." Parvati appeared confused, watching Hermione's angry eyes curiously.

"How long has she liked him?" Hermione demanded.

"Since last year," Parvati answered, looking at the bushy-haired girl suspiciously. "Why?"

"Since last year?" Hermione's interrogating expression fell away. "Why did she wait until now to show it?"

"She doesn't like rejection," Parvati replied. "She kind of shy when it comes to boys she really likes."

Hermione looked incredulous. "She certainly seemed outgoing last night."

Parvati nodded. "I know. It seems as though she gained more confidence over the summer. Quite strange, actually. She was so.... unlike herself. But I don't think she worries rejection anymore."

"Apparently not," Hermione commented dryly.

"I think Lavender's going to ask him out!" Parvati blurted suddenly, clasping her hands together in barely restrained excitement. "I think they would make a good couple, don't you?"

"No, I don't think so," Hermione snapped without thinking, and she immediately flushed. "I just -- I just think that Lavender is too much of a gossiper for Ron. Too girlie."

Parvati shrugged. "To each his own, Hermione. Why are you concerned, anyway?"

"Ron wanted to know," Hermione said quickly, but although Parvati nodded, it was fairly obvious she thought this untrue.

.

First period found Hermione on the Astronomy Tower. Since classes could only be held there at night, she knew it would be vacant. She leaned on the stone wall, watching some first years have their flying lesson far below. From Hermione's altitude the students appeared to be small dots racing around near the ground, but she saw without really seeing, so deep in thought was she.

Lavender had flirted with Ron outrageously all through breakfast and Hermione had been infuriated to see that Ron had begun to flirt back. It wasn't really the flirting, though, that had caused Hermione to skip class, and it wasn't really the flirting that she was thinking about. It was the fact that she had felt so angry. She didn't know why.

She sighed then. It was pointless to keep lying to herself. She knew exactly why she was feeling a boiling hatred towards Lavender. She was jealous.

Hermione felt petty just admitting it. It was a pointless jealousy for there had never been anything more than friendship between her and Ron. And, to her, it also seemed a bit improper for her to have a crush on one of her best friends.

She sighed again as she realized that most lasting relationships were friendships first. Frustration rose up in her as she realized how different things could have been had she only admitted to both herself and Ron that she had liked him for two years.

Her thoughts became more intimate as she imagined his arms wrapped around her protectively, his soft lips silencing her with warm kisses, his --

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun around to face the speaker. Her eyes narrowed as she saw him. "I could ask you the same thing, Malfoy."

"You could," the blonde, gray-eyed boy admitted, "but I asked you first. Therefore, I get an answer first."

Hermione sniffed and turned away. "It's none of your business."

"Then nor is my reason for being here any of yours." He approached the jagged wall and looked over the school grounds. "Now go away. Class has already started, Granger."

"I should hope so," Hermione remarked coolly. "The professors' would be terribly off-task if they hadn't."

"Not afraid to miss an invaluable lesson then, Mudblood?"

"Piss off, Malfoy," Hermione snapped, her cool composure breaking at the foul name.

Draco only smirked.

"Did you come here just to bother me?" Hermione asked.

"No," Draco replied, "but why skip such a great opportunity?"

"Then why are you here?" she demanded angrily.

"I asked you first, remember."

"I was thinking, Malfoy!" she shouted. "Is that a problem?"

"Depends on what you were thinking," Draco drawled. "Let me guess...." A smirk formed on his lips. It was a strange smirk, one that Hermione couldn't decipher. While it seemed to hold amusement, it was also mirthless. "You were thinking how great it would be to be in my bed while I actually--"

A crack across Draco's face ended his sentence and turned his head. He was motionless for a moment, a red mark appearing on his cheek, before he swiveled his head back around to fix Hermione with a piercing glare, his gray eyes hard and smoldering. She had slapped him, and what was worse, it wasn't the first time.

A sudden image of the same girl slapping him in third year appeared unbidden in his mind. Furiously, he shook the thought away, his eyes darkening as he saw Hermione's head lift triumphantly.

"You'll regret that, Mudblood. You got away with it once -- you won't get away with it again. It's no bloody wonder Weasley chose that perky, gossiping Brown girl over you."

Hermione's eyes widened and she took a step back. How had he known? Her mind was turbulent with questions and panic.

"How -- how --" she stuttered.

Draco snorted. "Who couldn't tell? You fixed that girl with such a look of contempt when she was flirting with Weasley at breakfast.... But honestly, Granger, who could want a girl as hideous as you?"

Hermione could think of no comeback, too stunned and hurt was she. Her eyes welled with tears and she fled the Astronomy Tower without so much as a backwards glance.

Draco's smirk, smug and victorious, followed her until she was out of sight.

.

It was during Potions when Ron felt someone press a piece of paper into his hand. As he looked up from his cauldron he saw Lavender pull her hand away and glance nervously over at Snape. The Potion's Master had his back turned and Lavender sighed quietly in relief.

Sending his own inconspicuous glance at Snape, Ron unfolded the parchment and read.

Ron, it said, the handwriting small but neat,

Please meet me in the kitchens at midnight tonight. I have something to tell you. If you are unable to make it, please write back. And please don't tell anyone.

-Lavender

Ron raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Lavender. She looked back inquiringly.

"I'll try," Ron mouthed.

Lavender grinned and nodded, and turned back to her potion. Pocketing the note, Ron did the same, flinching as Snape shouted, "No, Longbottom! Can't you do anything? You useless boy...."

.

Ron waited until Herbology to tell Harry and Hermione about the letter, because Lavender's table was across the greenhouse. Despite Lavender's request for him to keep it a secret, Ron felt he had to tell his two best friends. He was certain they would tell him if they were in his position.

"What did I tell you?" Harry said smugly. "She really likes you."

"I never doubted you," Ron pointed out.

"You're not actually going to go, are you?" Hermione asked.

"Why not?" Ron inquired. "Just as long as I can get out of the common room."

"You can use my Cloak," Harry offered, referring to the Invisibility Cloak that had been passed down to him from his father. "What I want to know is how Lavender, of all people, found the kitchens."

"What I want to know," Hermione said, her voice obviously angry, "is what she wants to say. What could be so important that it can't be said in the common room?"

"Maybe she doesn't want eavesdroppers," Harry suggested as he scribbled down the actions of his lethargic Carthile.

"Exactly!" Hermione said. "So what does she want to say? And there are House Elves in the kitchens anyway. That's not exactly the best place to go if one doesn't want eavesdroppers."

"The House Elves don't give a damn," Ron said, prodding his snoozing Carthile with a stick. "I'll tell you what happens. Why are you so concerned?"

Hermione didn't answer. She was thinking about the conversation that had taken place with Parvati that morning.

"I think Lavender's going to ask him out!" Parvati blurted suddenly, clasping her hands together in barely restrained excitement. "I think they would make a good couple, don't you?"

"No, I don't think so," Hermione snapped without thinking, and she immediately flushed. "I just -- I just think that Lavender is too much of a gossiper for Ron. Too girlie."

Parvati shrugged. "To each his own. Why are you concerned, anyway?"

.

"I'm going to bed," Harry announced at about eleven that night.

"Yeah, me too," Ron agreed, yawning.

"Fine, g'night," Hermione said sourly as Harry and Ron made their way to their dormitory to fetch the Cloak.

Harry pulled the sheer material out from his trunk and ran it through his hands. It had been quite a while since he'd used it.

"I wish I had an Invisibility Cloak," Ron breathed. "It's so useful."

Harry nodded in agreement.

"Shut-up!" Harry heard Dean laugh. "You're such a stupid git."

Eyes wide, Harry threw the Cloak over Ron, hiding him instantly, then grabbed his pajamas off his bed. Dean and Seamus appeared in the doorway and they entered the room laughing.

"Hey, Harry!" Dean called cheerfully. "That was a great Quidditch practice, don't you think?"

Harry had to agree. "'Twas. We're have a great team."

Harry had chosen third year Ilona Kervoska to be their third Chaser. She had amazing skill and fantastic aim, succeeding in getting all her shots past Ron. Though she was using one of the school's old Shooting Stars (a very difficult broom to steer), she flew magnificently and she told Harry she would ask her parents to purchase a broom of her own for her before their first match.

"I'm going to buy a Nimbus 2001," Dean Thomas said to Harry as he walked to his bed. "I'd get a Firebolt, but they're too expensive for me. At least I'll be able to match the Slytherins!" He grinned and closed the curtains around his four-poster. Seamus had disappeared into the bathroom.

Harry elbowed the air behind him, successfully hitting Ron. "Let's get going," he hissed, dropping his pajamas back on the bed and hurrying out of the room. He went through the portrait with Ron and walked with him down from the tower where they parted, Harry making his way back to the Gryffindor Tower and Ron continuing on his way to the kitchens.

Ron made it to the picture in no time. He hadn't run into any trouble at all. No teachers, no Filch or his stupid cat, and no Peeves. Ron tickled the pear and the picture swung open. He stepped inside the kitchen and shed the Invisibility Cloak. If Lavender had already arrived, she was nowhere in sight.

The House Elves seemed startled by his sudden appearance but were glad that he had come to visit.

"I'm waiting for someone," Ron told them. "A girl. Is she here yet?"

"A girl?" the House Elf called Dobby asked, grinning stupidly. "Dobby hasn't seen a girl, sir."

"Winky saw a girl, sir!" Winky exclaimed excitedly. "She was here earlier, sir. Winky saw her talking to Comi, sir." Winky pointed to a cheerful looking Elf with a duster.

Ron smiled his thanks at Winky. He remembered when she had first arrived at Hogwarts, how depressed she had been about having been sent away from her family. But she had coped and adjusted, now admitting that she was treated better at Hogwarts than she previously had been.

Walking over to the Elf called Comi, Ron learned that Lavender had merely been there to ask permission if it was all right to use the kitchens for a quick rendezvous. "Lavender Brown said she would be here around midnight, sir," Comi told him blithely. "You're a bit early, sir, if you're the one coming to meet her." She pointed to a clock on the wall and Ron saw that he still had five minutes to wait.

"Thanks," he said, then turned to Dobby. "D'you think I could have some pumpkin juice while I wait?"

"Of course!" Dobby said, straightening his vest importantly as he hurried away to fetch the refreshment. Ron grinned. He always liked taking the trip down to the kitchens.

Dobby returned not a minute later with a pitcher filled with refreshing pumpkin juice and a cup. Taking both things from the Elf, Ron poured himself a glass and gulped it down. Then he put it aside for later. He nodded his thanks. Dobby beamed and hurried off again.

The picture swung open once more and all the Elves grinned as they hurried to usher Lavender Brown inside. She looked surprised at the hospitality but pleased. Then she grinned as she spotted Ron.

The House Elves snickered to themselves and hurried out of the room, leaving the two alone. It was then that Ron began to feel uncomfortable.

"You asked said you needed to tell me something?" Ron reminded her.

Lavender nodded. "I do." She took a deep breath and seemed to be gathering her wits. "I really, really like you Ron," she said and a flush crept up Ron's neck. "I've liked you since fifth year. I was just too afraid to tell you. But I've gotten over my fear of rejection." She said this proudly and tossed her head as she looked up into Ron's blue eyes. "Ron... will you go out with me?"

The question left Ron speechless. "Um... I...." His ears were flaming, almost camouflaged with his vivid hair.

"You don't have to answer right away," Lavender carried on hurriedly. "I mean, all of this was just suddenly... there. You can think about it overnight, but I would like an answer sometime tomorrow. If that's all right."

"I -- I...." Ron stammered, bewildered, then lowered his gaze to the floor. "I can't, Lavender. I'm sorry."

He saw Lavender's body go rigid and there was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before she spoke. "Okay. Thank-you for telling me," she whispered. "But I would like to know one thing...."

Ron looked up again. "What's that?"

"Why?"

"I don't know," Ron mumbled. "I don't know you well enough, I guess."

"That's reasonable, I suppose," Lavender said, straightening her back almost arrogantly, though Ron could tell she was merely trying to hold onto her pride and composure. She managed a smile. "But if you only go out with girls you know well, you might want to give Hermione a try." Her eyes twinkled mischievously at this statement before she turned and left the room.

Ron stared after her, stunned.