Some Things Are More Important Than Exams

Hermione walked out of the classroom with Draco close behind. The other three members of their very exclusive advanced ancient runes class, all Ravenclaws, turned the other way to go to their next class, transfiguration, while Draco and Hermione went towards the dungeons for their next class, advanced potions.

"So, did you like it?" Draco inquired.

Hermione replied, "Like what? The lesson? Yes, of course I liked it. The ancient runes of the Icelandic wizards are very interesting. Just last week I was doing some extra reading for a project when...."

"Not the lesson, you fool. The note," Draco snapped, "Honestly, are lessons all you ever think about?"

"Well lessons are very important. Exams are coming up soon. Only eight weeks, two days, and twenty one hours until the first one starts."

"I know when exams are. Just read the note!"

"Note? Oh yes, the note. Really, I thought a prefect like you would know better than to be passing notes in class. It's against the rules. "

"Just read it!"

Hermione pulled a folded piece of paper out of the pocket of her robes, quickly countered the curse Draco had put on it so no one who couldn't stop the curse would read it, and then read the one sentence that was written neatly in the center of the paper. On the paper written in the ancient Icelandic wizarding runes was the most disturbing and disgusting sentence Hermione had ever read.

"Ewww! Draco, was that really necessary? I will never look at our ancient runes professor the same way again or whipped cream for that matter. That verb was definitely not supposed to be used that way. Gross," Hermione wailed. She would have gone on about how he was murdering a beautiful language if she hadn't been too busy laughing and hitting Draco over the head with her potions textbook.

Just that second Ron came around the corner. Hermione knew at that moment that this was not going to end well. Ron gave Hermione and Draco a look that she had only ever seen him give Draco and Draco's posse (and Harry come to think of it, but that was only once in their fourth year). "Hermione, you don't..." and then looking like he had been slammed against the corridor wall, quickly hurried past them, but not without bumping into Draco and knocking the books out of his arms.

"Now look what you've done. Ron's mad at me. Draco, this is entirely your fault!" Hermione said exasperatedly.

"I thought you would be proud of me that sentence was written in perfect grammar, and it is not all my fault. You were flirting with me. I had nothing to do with it. It's not my fault some people find me extremely attractive," Draco said with a smug grin on his face.

Hermione could not help but smile. There was something about Draco. "Shut up, Draco," she said weakly.

"We could always do another memory charm. Remember like we did with Neville LongAss?"

"His name is Neville Longbottom, not Longass." She did remember. She remembered all too well. It was just last week when Neville saw them studying together in the library. He looked at them and fainted straight away. Hermione used magic to create a stretcher and carry Neville to the hospital wing, but only after Draco had modified his memory with a memory charm to make him believe that he had run into the wall and passed out. Both Draco and Hermione thought it was for the best. They did not want Neville telling everyone that not only were Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger on speaking terms with each other, but they were in fact friends.

"Longbottom, Longass, Ass, it's all the same," Draco replied.

"Neville and Ron should not care so much if we are friends. It's not that big of a deal."

"It is not a big deal if we are friends, and I don't think that is what is bothering them," Draco said matter-of-factly, "it is very surprising that we are friends. Considering that I used to wish that your teeth would grow so big that they would eat your brain and you would die, and you probably used to think along the same lines as I did. Longbottom fainted because it is very surprising to see two people who used to hate each other so much be friends, not because he did not want us to be friends. So, he fainted from the shock, which makes sense because he is weak. And it should be easy for you to tell why Ron is mad."

"No, I still don't understand why Ron is mad."

"You don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

"God, you have the social skills of Neville Longbottom. I don't understand how someone as intelligent as you, could be so oblivious to this all these years!"

"Oblivious? What am I oblivious to?"

"Oblivious to the fact the Ronald Weasley likes you."

"Well, I knew that. Of course he likes me. He, Harry, and I have been best friends since he and Harry saved me from that troll in our first year."

"No, not like that. He likes you," Hermione stared back blankly, "Yes, he has since second year."

"He thinks I'm... I'm dating you or something."

"Exactly!"

"He is never going to speak to me again."

"So maybe you should date me after all. Then at least one of would be happy."

"Are you asking me out?"

"That depends, are you going to say yes?"

"Sorry, Draco, I can't."

"Then I'm not. So, do you like Ron that way?"

"I'm not sure."

"I can't see how you could. His freckles and that hair..."

"Shut up. Let's go. We're going to be late for potions."

*******

Ron hurried down the corridor to potions class. He was walking very fast and not thinking about where he was going. He was in shock from what he had just seen. He could not have seen what he and just saw. No, definitely not. It was not possible. She wouldn't. She couldn't. He had been planning to ask her to that ball that Ginny and her stupid, little friends had petitioned for. He was sure she knew that he liked her by now. The whole school did. And let's face she wasn't dumb, and he wasn't subtle. How could she do this to him?

Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, of all the people she could have liked instead of him it had to be Draco. Ever since Ron came to Hogwarts he had hated Draco and now he hated him even more. He made fun of him, his family, his clothes, his possessions, and now he wanted to date the only girl he had ever really liked.

He definitely wasn't going to ask her out now. Lavender Brown liked him well enough and she wasn't bad looking. Fred and George always said that she was the hottest Griffindoor in Ron's year. Maybe he'd ask her instead. No, maybe not.

Ron was so deep in thought he didn't realize where he was going until he ran straight into Harry who was heading back from Griffindoor tower. Ron had walked right past the potions room and had kept going.

"Ron, what's up mate?" Harry noticed that Ron's ears were bright red. Never a good sign, Harry thought to himself. "Are you O.K," he asked as he offered Ron his hand to help him off the ground.

"I'm fine," Ron said through gritted teeth although Harry found him very unconvincing. He could always tell when Ron was upset.

"Ron, you are not fine," Harry said, "You look like you just saw Ginny kissing Malfoy or something." Humor occasionally brought Ron out of his bad moods. Harry thought it was worth a try.

"Not Ginny. Hermione!" Ron said glumly. He still had not taken Harry's hand. He stayed sitting on the floor. Harry stared uncomprehendingly back at Ron, "and they weren't kissing, but they may as well have been." He paused for a while. Then began ranting again, "I can't believe Hermione would do this to me. She's knows I like her. Malfoy, it had to be him. I hate that evil git. What does she see in him? Cause all I see when I look at him is a total bastard." Ron remained on the floor seething in anger.

After a long pause Harry finally spoke, "You're kidding, right."

"No, I'm not." Ron's ears burned.

Eventually he stood up, and he and Harry walked to potions. Harry said nothing, but only listened to Ron fume about what he had seen. Harry didn't think he had ever seen Ron this mad before. Sure, Malfoy had pissed him off before, but never ever like this.

*******

Potions that day was a very interesting class. Hermione could not remember a lesson where she had been more distracted from what was being taught. She had come into class (by herself. She had gone ahead of Draco so no one would see them coming into class together) and had sat where she usually sat, in the back to left of Ron and the right of Harry so she could keep an eye on each of their potions (even though they had both vastly improved and didn't really need her help). Neither Harry nor Ron was there yet. She began to worry. Ron was never going to speak to her again she thought. What if she explained everything clearly to him? Would that make him understand? Yes, she was sure it would.

When Harry and Ron finally came Hermione let out a sigh of relief, but when only Harry came to sit with her she began to worry again. Ron walked right by her and sat down next to Lavender Brown. He never even looked at Hermione.

Hermione knew she should have guessed this would happen. After all shunning was Ron's way of getting mad. She just hoped that she could find a way to end this before it got any worse, but she didn't see how she could considering every time she answered a question Ron's ears turned red. Great, Hermione thought, the sound of my voice makes him angry.

Once Professor Snape had stopped lecturing and let them start brewing that day's assignment Harry turned to Hermione and said, "I was going to be subtle and try to get you to tell me without me having to ask, but I decided there is only one way to do this. Are you dating Draco Malfoy?"

"No, Harry, I'm not."

"Okay, because. If you were..." He shuttered. "You know Ron likes you, right?"

"Yes, Draco told me earlier today."

"He was going to ask you to the ball next week. You know the one that Ginny and her friends organized. He must have told me that he was going to do it a thousand times. It got kind of annoying actually." Hermione stirred her potion nervously. She did not know what she would say if Ron asked her out. She liked him, but what about Draco.

"Harry," Hermione said, "What should I do?"

"Hermione, you're the smartest which in our year, probably in the whole school, do what you think is best. You're judgment is better than mine."

"Don't say that Harry. You're just as smart as I am, probably smarter on this matter. You and Cho are very happy with each other." Harry blushed. He couldn't help it. He always did whenever anyone mentioned it.

"Yea, but I had nothing to do with that. She sent me a letter over the summer apologizing for fifth year and not letting go of Cedric, and then she asked me out. All I had to do was say yes."

"That's not the point. Harry, I could really use some advice," Hermione replied angrily.

"Then why don't you ask Draco," Harry snapped. He wanted to remain calm through this whole discussion, but it looked like it wasn't going to turn out that way. He did not want to tell her what to do. He knew she was capable of fixing this on her own. It would be better that way. He decided to change the subject, "What do you see in Draco anyway? Come on, you don't think I haven't noticed you staring at him before. I wasn't going to ask because I really didn't want to know, but now..."

"Well, I'm not quite sure," Hermione replied, "I guess I like him because he is very smart and he is really witty and funny, but I don't really know. There's something about him. It's hard to say."

"You forgot to mention totally evil bastard that goes out of his way to torment your two best friends and called you a mudblood more times than I can count."

Most of the class went on that way, Harry and Hermione quietly chatting and arguing about what Hermione should do. Hermione decided the first thing she needed to do was to tell Ron herself that she was not dating Draco. Then hope everything went well from there. She still wasn't sure if she liked Ron that way or not. This was a mess, and she knew it.

Every so often Hermione would look up at Ron and see him talking with Lavender or working on his potion. Come to think of it he was pretty cute. Once his eyes met hers, and he scowled and looked away. What was she going to do? It was going to be impossible to get him to listen to her.

Hermione tried to talk to Ron after potions, but he left for D.A. (Dumbledore's army) practice before she could even say a word to him. She no longer met with the D.A. because she did not like to sing. (After defense against the dark arts lessons went back to normal there was no need for the real D.A. anymore so Ron, Luna, and some other students had turned it into the school band of which Ron was the lead singer.) Ron had a surprisingly good voice.

As Hermione walked down the corridor to dinner she remembered the last time she had heard Ron singing. It had been three o'clock in the morning in the Gryffindor common room. She had been worried about a transfiguration test the next day and could not sleep. So, she had silently crept out of her dormitory, down the stairs, and into the common room. She was planning to study, but the way things turned out she did not study at all.

(Flashback music)

Hermione hurried down the stairs. She couldn't sleep. She was too worried about the test. She knew she should have started studying weeks before. She was stepping on to the last step when she heard a voice coming from inside the common room. She listened more closely and then realized that she knew that voice. It was Ron. He was sitting with his back to her, next to the fireplace playing his old, beat up guitar (previously owned by Bill) and singing. She knew it was Ron. She wasn't sure how. She couldn't see him. She just knew. She had never heard him sing before. She knew he could sing because he met with the DA at least once a week, but she never knew his voice was this good.

Hermione sat there, at the bottom of the stairs listening to Ron singing. He sang muggle and wizarding songs. Some she knew and some she didn't. She was entranced by the sound of his voice. She relaxed and leaned her head against the wall. She had not felt that calm all day. She had been too worried about the test, but now the test didn't seem that important and all that matted was Ron's singing.

She was listening to Ron sing a song she had never heard before about a girl that "thinks that's that she's so smart, but she what doesn't realize is that every wave of her wand summons a piece of my heart" when she looked down her watch and noticed that she had been sitting there for an hour and a half. She decided that it was time to go back to bed, but she really didn't want to leave. Then she reluctantly walked up the stairs to her dormitory. Her head barely touched her pillow before she fell into a peaceful sleep with all thoughts of the test the next day out of her mind.

After she left Ron whispered, "Goodnight Hermione," into the silent, empty Gryffindor common room. He had watched her come down the stairs and then go back up the stairs in the mirror that hung on the wall he faced.

(More flashback music)

Hermione frowned. She missed Ron. He was just a short distance away, but he may as well have been a world away. She turned around and decided to find him. This had to stop, and it had to stop now.

*******

Ron sang, he sang for all he was worth. He stood on the stage in the room of requirement and sang, "She's the smartest witch is school, but she doesn't see how cruel, she thinks that's that she's so smart, but she what doesn't realize is that every wave of her wand summons a piece of my heart. Pieces of my heart, pieces of my heart, pieces of my heart..............."

He concentrated on his singing, on the notes and the words he wrote, and thought of nothing else, not Draco, not Hermione. He just sang. He didn't even process the words he sang. He just sang what came to mind first. If he had been sensible he would have realized he was singing about the one person he didn't want to be thinking about.

He did not notice that most of the band and some other students had walked into the room. He did not notice until he realized that there were people clapping somewhere. He looked up and saw his little sister, Ginny, staring intently at him from an audience of applauding fans. Ron felt his face go red. Once the clapping died down Luna shooed all the nonband members away.

She climbed up to Ron on the stage and remarked, "You've never sang like that before."

"What is that supposed to mean," Ron snapped back at her.

"I'm just saying you've never sang like that before."

"Like what?"

"Go talk to Ginny."

"Why?"

"Just go," Luna said and twirled away then jumped off the stage to find her tambourine. Her new string bean earrings swung with every step she took.

Ron walked across the room to Ginny who was tuning her bass guitar and said, "Luna told me to go talk to you."

"She did, did she?" Ginny said as she plucked at the strings. When Ron said nothing she knew the rumors were true. This and the singing confirmed it. "Is there anything you want to tell me Ron?" she pried.

"I flunked another potions lesson today."

"Anything else? Maybe something that happened before potions?"

"Nope," Ron said and with a very weak smile he added "We better get practicing if we want to play well at your dance (Ginny noticed a slight change in his facial expression as he said that word) next week."

He did not want Ginny to know what had happened. She didn't really need to know he thought. He cared a lot about what Ginny thought of him. After all she was his little sister, and he was supposed to protect her from anything bad, like hate, but the truth was Ron was reluctant to tell Ginny anything that reflected him poorly. She was so young he thought.

*******

Hermione stood outside the door of the room of requirement and waited. She had been standing there for at least ten minutes before the door opened and Luna and Ginny stepped out rapidly discussing something. She overheard the words "cute" and "do you think he likes me that way" before she stopped listening. They walked right by Hermione, but when they were almost out of sight behind the bend in the corridor Ginny called out, "Ron will be out in a minute. He is just putting away his guitar." Then they disappeared around the corner.

Hermione began to have the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach that she sometimes got around Ron and Draco and always had when she was with Victor, but not anymore since he had dumped her for Fleur. She didn't really mind that Victor dumped her, but if he hadn't dumped her, this whole ordeal would not be happening. That sounded pretty nice right now. Ron then walked out of the room of requirement, which pushed all thoughts not concerning Ron out of her mind.

"Ron," she began. He looked up at the sound of her voice, and almost smiled, but when he remembered the day's earlier events he quickly turned his head and walked away. "We need to talk. It can't go on like this." Ron walked away from her toward the great hall. "Please, Ron, please listen." He broke into a run. "Ron, I'm not dating Draco. He is just my friend." He was almost out of site around the corner. "Ron," she said between sobs, "Please don't go!" He was gone.

By that time tears were streaming down Hermione's face. She ran as fast as she could to the library. She wasn't looking where she was going and ran right into Draco. Who caught her in his arms before either of them could fall down. She leaned into his warm body and cried.

*******

Draco sat in the common room. He was bored. He was often bored. Slytherins, other than him, were not known for their intellect. It was very difficult to have a decent conversation with anyone other than the portrait of Salazar in the corner of the room, but he had gone to visit another of his portraits that hung in the chamber of secrets. He was probably off to talk to rats, snakes, or something, slimy old git.

Draco sat on the couch thinking. His thoughts went back and forth between schoolwork and how he was not looking forward to going home to his abusive arsehole of a father. Then his thoughts settled on one subject, one person to be precise. He knew this was bad. Malfoys were not supposed to have these kinds of feelings. Feeling like this made you weak.

"Draco, you all right," asked Goyle, "You have a funny look on your face. You're scaring me. You look like Weasly when he stares at that mudblood Granger during class." Crabe began to laugh and did a horrid, in Draco's opinion, imitation of him.

"I'm fine, Goyle, but thank you for your concern," Draco said through gritted teeth. "I'm going out. I'll be back later." He stalked out of the common room, stepped out of the portrait hole, and started to walk. He did not know where he was going. He needed time to think. He looked up and realized he had walked to the library. Great he thought my subconscious mind takes me to the most likely place she would be. But now that I'm here I may as well look for her he thought to himself. He turned around, and the person who he was looking for ran right into him.

Reflexively he wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer to his body. She was crying. It was the ugly ass weasel Draco thought. He had hurt her. I'll kill him, I will. "Hermione, what's wrong," He asked. He wasn't really sure how to comfort people. He had never been comforted before in his life, and he had never had to comfort anyone before.

"He won't..... even ....... look at me," Hermione said between sobs. "I thought........ I thought....." She never finished the sentence for she was crying too hard.

The only thing Draco could think of saying was forget the bloody asshole and kiss me now, but he didn't think that would help. So instead he said, "Hermione, he's a Gryffindor. All Gryffindors are required to be noble and have chivalry. He'll come around eventually." He still held her close to him.

"I guess you're right. You must think I'm silly for crying over something like this," she said. She had stopped crying by now, but he still held her tightly. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Ron and Harry didn't hold her like this. She felt safe, but at the same time it felt so wrong. Neither of them spoke. They stood with arms around each other thinking.

*******

Ron ran around the corner. He did not want to talk to her. He forced himself not to care, not to turn back.

Suddenly Fred and George jumped out from an alcove, gagged him, and dragged him into the alcove they had just recently jumped out of. It was very dark. Ron could barely see his two older brothers. He tried to kick one of them, missed, and ended up kneeing himself in the face.

"Ron," George hissed, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Ron spat the old (and unwashed he imagined) sock that they had gagged him with out of his mouth. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question, honestly? I thought you two left the school last year? Why in the name of bloody hell are you here and let go of me!" Ron said as he pulled away from George.

"Well," said Fred, "Ginny told us you were having girl troubles. So, we came to help out our ickle ronnikins. We have been spying on you for the past few days. You know you really should try not to pick your nose during charms. It's considered rude."

"But that's not the point. Ron, you're letting her get away. We can't let you do that," George said, "You may not know it, but we do. You love her and have since, I don't know, the beginning of time."

Ron opened his mouth, tried to speak, closed his mouth then said, "You have no life."

"Ah, but we both have girlfriends, and if you do not hurry you might not even have a friend that is a girl," said Fred.

"Go, Ron," George commanded.

"I imagine she'll be in the library," added Fred. With that they ran out of the alcove, straight into the opposite wall, and disappeared. Great another secret passage that they know about and I don't, thought Ron.

Ron stood in the alcove pondering what had just happened. Since when had Fred and George cared about his love life? "Hermione," Ron said the darkness, "Oh shit." Then he picked up his bag and ran to the library like all of hell was chasing after him.

When Ron arrived at the library nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

*******

When he walked in he was trying to think of things to say when he saw her. He had gotten as far as "Hermione, I'm sorry. I've been such a prat," when he looked up and saw Hermione in Draco's arms with her head leaning against his shoulder.

Suddenly, all the lamps that lit the library exploded.

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about, Hermione," Ron screamed into the darkness. "Well, I have seen enough. I don't need to hear it from you. You have made it very clear already. If that is all I will be going now and leaving you with the cold blooded bastard you were snogging before I so rudely interrupted." With that he stormed out of the library tears of rage and pain pricking the corners of his eyes.

*******

When the lamps burst Hermione had known exactly what had happened. Two times in one day Ron had seen them together and assumed the worst. She thought that that must be a record.

When she heard Ron scream at her and storm out of the library she detached herself from Draco and ran after him. Draco's words still ran through her mind. He was right.

When she caught up with Ron he was half way to the Quidditch pitch, she thought he had calmed down a bit, but she did not know how wrong she was. "Ron," Hermione said with the most dignified voice she could muster in this situation, "stop running and talk to me." It was not a plea. It was a command.

"Hermione," Ron said as turned around. He said it in a voice that was almost too calm Hermione thought, "There is nothing to talk about."

"Ron, don't do this. Let me explain."

"I have seen all the explanation I need. Now leave me alone and go back to your death eater boyfriend before he resurrects all the armies of hell to come find you."

Hermione could feel her patience leaving her. He did not want to understand. Rage to match Ron's began to grow inside her.

"Fine, I will," she hissed.

"Then go and tell Malfoy to burn for me," Ron yelled as he through his potions book at her and missed.

"I'm leaving," she screamed, "but before I do I just thought you should know that you are unbelievably self centered asshole that doesn't even try to understand and I never want to even look at your not understanding, presumptuous little face again." With that she ran back to the castle with tears of rage burning on her cheek.

Ron sank down where he was. What have I done was the first thought that came to mind, but then that thought quickly left. It was replaced with the burning anger of before. This was not his fault. If she had not been groping Draco none of this would have happened. This was her fault. And if this was the way she wanted it to be, he didn't care.

*******

Draco stood in the library surrounded by shards of glass. This would not do. He could not see anything. And if he tried to leave he might cut himself on the glass. He waved his wand "Repairo." The glass flew back in to place, and then the lamps immediately relit themselves.

Draco sat down in one of the hard, wooden chairs and pondered what he should do now. He couldn't study that's for sure, and going back to the common room where there was no one to tell his recent experiences to seemed like an overly depressing idea. He could tell Harry, but they didn't have a meeting arranged until tomorrow. Luckily for him another option arose.

Hermione walked into the library. Her hair was windblown, her cheeks bright red, and her face was wet with tears. She pulsed with a rage that Draco had only seen her have once before, and that resulted with him being slapped across the face.

He stood up. Once again he did not know what to say to her, but this time he was saved because Hermione immediately began to rant (very loudly) about all that had happened outside. This might have been good because she seemed to have calmed down a bit by the end of her story. Little did Draco know how wrong he was.

Then suddenly she said, "Draco, you know that question that you asked me earlier today. The only thing that kept from saying yes can fall of his broom during practice today, and I won't care. I've changed my answer to yes."

This might not turn out to be a bad trip to the library after all Draco thought. He pulled Hermione close to him, and it turned out that Hermione Granger was not a horrible kisser after all.

"You know you're even cuter when you're pissed off," he said. Hermione kissed Draco harder, more with anger than with passion he thought, but he was being kissed so it didn't really matter. Looking back on this incident Hermione decided anger was like a drug.

*******

Harry was thinking about him again. He was in the great hall studying when he heard a loud bark from the other side of the room. Then he heard Colin Creevy yell, "Professor some sixth year Slytherin turned my little brother Dennis into a dog. Will you please turn him back?" Harry looked up and saw the spitting image of Sirius barking wildly and snapping his jaws at a boy.

At first Harry was overjoyed. He thought that Sirius had come back to him just like Harry had dreamt he would. All his troubles were over. He would never have to go back to the Dursley's again, and Sirius would know what to do about Hermione and Ron's fight. But when the boy who cast the spell turned around Harry saw a bunch of Slytherins staring back at him he knew that the dog was Dennis Creevy and that Sirius was not coming back.

That was too much for Harry. There was always the dull ache of sadness that plagued Harry in all his waking and dreaming moments, but this was too much. He could already feel that familiar lump forming in the back of his throat.

He quickly shoved his books in his bag and attempted to walk calmly out of the hall. He walked into the nearest empty (or so he thought) classroom and slammed the door. He threw his bag down on the floor and for the first time looked around the room. By this time his body was shaking and his eyes were pricked with tears.

The first thing he noticed in the room was the figure in the corner of the room. He was a bit taller than Harry with brown hair flecked with gray, and like Harry he was crying, but unlike Harry he made no noise when he cried. The tears flowed down his face, but that was the only sign of Professor Lupin's sadness. He said to Harry, "You saw it then?" Harry nodded. Lupin sat down in one of the empty chairs. "I had hoped you didn't. This must be very hard for you." He was calm. Lupin is always calm thought Harry.

"More," Harry sobbed, "than you know." Harry could almost speak in coherent sentences again. He had stopped sobbing, but he did not feel any better. How could have been so stupid. It was entirely his fault. If it hadn't been for him that dog could have been Sirius. He began to cry again. Not so much tears of sadness, but more of rage at his utter stupidity.

"I'm not so sure about that," Lupin said. What was he hinting at? Harry thought. He had almost had a taunting edge in his voice. What was he getting at?

"What do you mean?" Harry screamed in between sobs. "You can't possibly understand what its like to have everyone you've ever loved taken away from you and have it be your fault. You don't need Sirius like I do. You didn't even care when he died." Lupin winced as he heard Harry say those last words. How could he think that he didn't care?

Harry was shaking violently now. Lupin put a hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry pulled away and stomped to the other side of the room.

"Harry, it was not your fault. It would have happened anyway." Lupin tried to comfort Harry, but there was nothing he could say. "And I do care, Harry, more than you know." Harry felt the spite of his own words coming from another's mouth. He noticed that silent tears were falling down Lupin's face again.

They both sat there in silence for a few moments, both thinking about their friend, lost behind the veil. "Harry," Lupin said after five minutes of silence, "there's something I've been meaning to tell you. I've been waiting for the right time. This isn't really it, but it will have to do." He was silent once again.

"What did you want to tell me?" Harry inquired.

"Harry, Sirius and I," he paused, "we were... we were..." He couldn't say any more. The tears fell harder.

"You were what?"

"We were, well, I'm not quite sure how to tell you this, but here it goes. Sirius and I were lovers," Lupin said at last. "We had been since our last year at Hogwarts."

Lupin thought Harry looked so shocked he might go into a coma. Then after a few seconds he simply said, "Fred owes me some money." He was half smiling, not a real smile.

"You, you bet on us." Lupin stammered.

"Yes, but the betting was Fred's idea."

"Who else did you bet on?"

"Well, I thought McGonagall and Snape for sure."

"Oh, you don't know." They were both smiling pretending to be happy and amused to cover up their sadness smiles by this time.

"Know what?"

"Do you know about Minerva, Ms. Norris, and Crookshanks?"

"You're kidding, right," Harry had a look of utter most disgust on his face.

"Yes, I am."

"Good." Harry said looking relieved. Then he suddenly looked very worried again. "Professor, I'm so sorry, this must be just as hard for you as it is for me. You might be the only one that understands. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's all right, Harry," said Lupin.

They sat in silence again.

"I miss him."

"Me too."

There was more silence.

"You're going to be late for Quidditch practice."

"Who cares?"

"He would have," Lupin said.

"You're right," Harry admitted, "See you around professor and. .........Thanks."

"No problem, Harry." Harry left the room and walked to the quidditch pitch. The sight of the pitch reminded Harry of a black dog that once sat on the side of the field and watched him fly.

"Sirius, why did you have to go?" Harry whispered. His words identical to Professor Lupin's thoughts as he remained in the empty classroom after Harry had gone.

*******

Ron was already in the locker room when Harry walked in. He was sitting on a bench kicking someone's red and gold striped duffel bag. Ron looked up when he heard Harry walk in. The first thing Ron noticed were the tear stains on Harry's face. The first thing Harry noticed was the way Ron kicked the bag. It was not an absentminded kick, but it was hard forceful blows.

Harry sat down next to the Ron on the bench. "So...," Harry said, "You want to tell me what's up?"

"Only if you'll tell me."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Me neither."

"This is going nowhere."

"You're absolutely right." They sat in silence.

"We're going to have to talk about it eventually."

"You're right. I'll go first," Harry took a deep breath, "I miss Sirius. It's all my fault he's dead."

"I had huge fight with Hermione and I never want to speak to her again."

"Wow. On the grand scale of good days, I would have to give this a negative million."

"Agreed." They sat in silence a while longer.

"Just out of general curiosity how long have you been sitting here kicking that bag?"

"About an hour." The silence continued.

"Guess what I found out today?"

"What?" Ron said with very little enthusiasm.

"I was right Sirius and Lupin were lovers."

"Fred owes you money."

"I know," replied Harry.

"Guess what I found out today?"

"What?"

"Hermione's dating Draco."

"Gross."

"Tell me about it."

"The rest of the team will be here soon."

"I know," Ron said. He took a deep breath. "Harry, it's not your fault Sirius is dead. You can believe me. It was not your fault. Sorry to say, but with Sirius' lifestyle, it would have happened eventually."

"Thanks, Ron." Harry wiped a tear from his eye. "I wish I knew what to tell you about Hermione, but all I can say if you want to try to get her back. I'll help."

"No, I don't think I want to speak to her for a while, the little bitch. Besides I think I'll ask someone else to the dance. I don't need Hermione."

"Ooooo, Ron's got a new crush. Who is it this time?" Harry teased. Ron threw the duffel bag at Harry, but Harry sidestepped out of the way just in time. For a moment they forgot their troubles, mounted their brooms, and flew out the locker room door and on to the pitch. Ron some how managed to throw the duffel bag at Harry and stay on his broom at the same time. It was truly a sight to see, and Harry did manage to execute an amazing dive, catch the bag, and hit Ron squarely in the back with it before practice started.

*******

Lavender had liked Ron for some time, but she knew he fancied Hermione. She always came to watch him practice Quidditch. Not that he ever noticed she was there, but today was different. Today during potions he had sat with her.

She sat in the stands doing her divination homework. Lavender really liked divination. She was really good at it too. Sometimes Professor Trelawny even said she might have the sight, but she didn't really believe her.

She looked up from her book to see Ron hovering a few feet away from her on his broom. She was very shocked to say the least. "Hey, Lavender, What's up?" Ron asked.

"Not much," she replied. She didn't really know what to say. So she said the first thing that came to her mind. "I heard you had a fight with Hermione." An expression of pure malaise flashed across Ron's face at her name. "Is that true?"

"Yea, it is," Ron said moodily. At the mention of her name Ron was even more sure that he was about to do the right thing. She didn't like him. And he couldn't care less. "You have a date for the dance yet?"

"No."

"Me neither. So, do you want to go with me?" Ron asked a little hesitantly.

"I'd love too."

"Ron, we need you," Harry called from the other side of the field. "Stop flirting and come play Quidditch."

"Shut up, Harry. I'm coming," Ron shouted back. "So, I guess I better go. See you around." He turned his broom around, dived to the ground, picked up what Lavender thought looked like Parvati's missing duffel bag, and threw it straight at Harry's face. All Harry could do was laugh. Go figure Lavender thought. Boys are weird.

What just happened? Lavender thought to herself. After she got over the shock of one of her biggest fantasies coming true the rational part of her took over, and she knew exactly what happened. She wasn't the cleverest witch at Hogwarts, but it didn't take a genius to figure this one out.

She was, in a sense, the rebound girl, although there wasn't really anything to rebound from. Ron must have been planning to ask Hermione to the dance. Then they got in a fight, and Ron didn't have a date so he asked her. She felt disappointed, but she knew what she should do.

She would play matchmaker. She always loved to play matchmaker, but for once she wished things would work out well for her for once.

She picked up the divination book she had been reading. She had been reading a book on stars and how they can tell the future, in particular in the love life area. She had nothing better to do so she read her own stars to best of her abilities. The particular chapter she was reading dealt with a very advanced and extremely difficult method; even some centaurs had trouble with it. And after much work this is what she came up with, "What you desire will come your way, but you will no longer desire it. What you dread will come your way, but you will no longer dread it."

Great, Lavender thought to herself. That does not sound very good. I'll probably end up dating Professor Snape, Crabe, Goyle, or worse Semeus Finnegan. She and Semeus had never been fond of each other, but this year things had gotten even worse.

That's it, she thought, I give up on divination. I'm going back to reading Shakespeare. Shakespeare was her first love, but when she came to Hogwarts divination and Ron sort of usurped his place. She picked up her copy of A Midsummer's Night Dream, and with that she packed up her things and went to find Hermione.

*******

Hermione left Draco in the library and went back to her common room to study. She wished she had someone to tell what had happened. She couldn't tell Harry. He wouldn't understand, and Ginny would be bitter about the whole hurting her older brother thing. So, she sat in one of the armchairs near the fires place studying and kept her feelings to herself, but she longed for someone to tell her that what she had done was right, that she had made the right decision. That Ron was being stupid, and he didn't deserve her. But there was no one there to tell her these things. So, she pushed all these thoughts to the back of her mind and began to write her essay on the ancient Icelandic runes, and how they affect spells that are cast today.

When she had just finished planning her essay Lavender Brown walked in and sat down next to her. Hermione found this kind of odd because she and Lavender had never been really close, but when Lavender said, "Hermione, we need to talk. It's about Ron. He asked me out, but I don't think I'm right for him. I could use some advice and I'm willing to give any advice if it's needed." She couldn't help herself from blurting out the entire day's events to her.

Hermione told her story, and Lavender listened. People walked in and out of the common room, but neither of the girls noticed. Hermione was too busy recounting all of the day's difficult events and Lavender had been a good listener all her life so she concentrated on the story.

She only interrupted once. That was when Hermione said she had kissed Draco. "Lucky little freak, Draco is by far the hottest boy in the whole school. You stink," she had said. By the end of the story there was only one question left in Lavender's mind. Did Hermione really like Ron or not?

When Hermione was done she asked, "Do you think what I did was right? Or was I being to mean."

"Well," Lavender said, "I do think what you did was mean, but Ron might have deserved it. He wasn't being all that great either." That wasn't exactly true. She did think Hermione had been a little harsh.

"Oh thank God I thought I was being way too mean. I would never want to hurt Ron..."

"So, do you like him way that?" That was the second time today Hermione had been asked that question, and it was already getting old.

"Well, no I don't think so. How could I?" The old anger was once again rising within her, "After what he did? No I don't like him, not at all." There was silence. "Lavender, I really have to be getting back to work," Hermione said coldly. "But thank you for listening. Now I know what I did was right." With that she picked up her parchment and quill and started up the stairs.

"Hermione," Lavender called, "I'm going to break up with him. You may not know it, but you are right for him. You will realize it someday and me dating him isn't good for either of us. He doesn't really like me."

Hermione never turned around, but she called back, "Lavender, I don't know what you're doing or what you're hinting at, but all I ask is don't hurt Ron." She added softly, "He has been hurt enough for one day." Then she disappeared around the top of the stairs.

"This was going to be more difficult than I thought," Lavender said to the empty room. Better just control what I can and hope it works out from there she thought.

*******

The next morning Ron sat in the common room by himself waiting for Harry to be ready to go to breakfast. Harry, unlike Ron, was not a morning person. Ron sat by the fireplace poking at figures on chessboard attempting to develop new strategies.

Lavender watched him stab one of his nights with his wand from the stairs. She took a deep breath and walked over to him. God, I hope I'm not making a huge mistake she thought.

"Hey, Ron," she said.

"Morning, Lavender," Ron replied, "Did you sleep well?"

"Ummmmm," she stammered, "not really. I was kind of worried about some stuff."

"What stuff?" Ron asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

This was it. She could keep him for herself. She could. After this point there was no turning back. It was her time to decide. "Yes, Ron there is something you can do."

"Well, what is it? I'll do anything if it will make you feel better."

"You can dump me and go get Hermione back."

"What?" Ron stammered. Old anger flashed in his eyes.

"Don't think I didn't see you looking at her during dinner last night. You love her, and all I know is after what happened only you can solve this. She won't come to you, but if you come to her I'm sure she'll say yes."

Ron opened his mouth to reply that he didn't want Hermione, but somehow hearing this from his girlfriend (well now ex girlfriend I suppose) made him realize that he did. When he realized this Lavender noticed the expression of anger on his face turn to one of despair.

"But she's dating Draco," he said, his voiced etched with misery.

"Somehow, I don't think that matters," Lavender replied.

"What am I going to do?" The sadness from his voice was almost gone, but it was replaced by a feeling of utter loss and confusion.

They sat in silence and thought. "Lavender, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you out. It was..."

"It doesn't matter, Ron," she interrupted, "We've got more important things to think about."

"What am I going to do?" Ron repeated.

"I don't know, Ron, I don't know, but I do know that you have to do it. No one can talk to her for you. You have to talk to her."

"Ron," Ginny called from across the room, "Is band practice still on today? We really need to practice for the dance. It's in three days."

A small smile crept over Ron's face. "I think I may have an idea." He ran off humming and mumbling something Lavender thought vaguely sounded like "If my eyes don't deceive me there's something going wrong around here."

*******

Hermione sat on her bed and watched the other girls in her year prepare themselves for the ball. The room was best described Hermione thought as utter and total chaos. Kind of like my life for the past three days she thought. Ron and I haven't spoken since... She immediately pushed that thought from her mind and got up in search of her dress.

Her dress was a lovely shade of pale yellow. It was ankle length, bell sleeved, and off the shoulder. It was one of the prettiest things Hermione had ever owned. She loved the dress. I wonder if Ro... I mean Draco will like it she thought to herself. She then went in search of the circlet made out of white flower she has bewitched not to die until the ball ended. Once that was found she began to venture under her bed in search of her dress shoes.

Hermione was amazed at how calm she was. She drifted around the room readying herself in a dazed, almost sedated manner while shouts of "Lavender, have you seen my orange earrings?" and "Where the hell are my shoes?" echoed around her.

When Hermione was almost ready she sat on the edge of her bed, and ran the brush through her curls one last time Lavender (in a soft purple dress that went beautifully with her very pale complexion) came up to her. She and Lavender hadn't spoken since that day in the common room.

"I dumped Ron, you know," Lavender said.

"So I heard," Hermione replied.

"So, ummmmm, are you still going with Draco?"

"Yep."

"Well, I hope you have fun," Lavender said with a hint of sharpness in her voice.

"Yea, you too," Hermione said. Her tone matched the other girl's. Lavender turned around and stalked away. I gave it my best shot. I hope Ron has thought of something she thought desperately.

The portrait next to Hermione's bed in the dormitory called down to Hermione, "Hermione, sweetie, the fat lady wants me to tell you that a certain blond Slytherin is here."

"Thanks," Hermione replied, "Tell her to tell him I'll be right down."

"Wait, is he you're date?" The portrait sounded shocked.

"Yes, he is."

"You mean you're not going with the red head?" Hermione threw down her brush, ran down the stairs to the common room, and stepped out of the portrait hole to see Draco there waiting.

*******

Students mingled in the great hall. They waited for those who were fashionably late (mainly the feminine half of the school's population) to arrive before the band would begin to play. Two students in particular were lurking in a dark corner discussing the night's planed events.

Harry and Ron stood together near the back of the great hall in a dark alcove. "Harry, are you sure I should do this?" Ron asked nervously.

"Do you want her back? Ever?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Ron said quietly.

"Then you got to go for it, mate, it's the only way." They stood in silence. More people slowly began to trickle into the room. Harry watched Cho across the room talking with Luna and some other Ravenclaw girls he didn't know. Ron eyed the entrance to the great hall anxiously.

"Harry," Ron gasped, "there she it." Hermione entered the great hall on Draco's elbow. Ron had never seen her look more beautiful in his whole life. She was like, well Ron didn't know what she was like, but he knew that he liked it. "She looks.....amazing," he stammered.

Ginny ran up to them. "What are you two doing back here," she asked. They both started back blankly. "You two got to get out of here. People are going to think you're gay."

"We are not," Ron replied furiously.

"No need to get up set, I was just kidding. A joke, haha," she replied. When no one laughed she said, "I came over here to get you, Ron. We are going to start playing soon, and we need you."

"Okay I'm coming." Harry and Ron exchanged glances, Ron's worried and Harry's sympathetic.

"Don't worry, Ron," Ginny said, "Hermione is going to love what you're doing."

"It will be fine," Harry said.

"I hope so," said Ron.

*******

The great hall was dim, Luna and Ginny were singing a slow song in angelic, very high voices, and all of the school couples were slow dancing. Sadly not all of the couples were enjoying themselves. Harry was worried, and Cho could tell.

"Harry, are you all right?" Cho breathed into his neck. "You seem worried about something."

"I'm fine," he replied. He didn't want to ruin the night for Cho by ranting about all his problems.

"Are you sure Harry? You aren't acting like you are fine."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"I am fine," Harry paused for a second, "but I'm just not so sure about Ron."

"Really? What's wrong with him?"

"Well, you know how he likes Hermione?"

"Yes, I know, they got in a fight after Ron saw Hermione with Draco but they weren't actually doing anything, and now Hermione is going to the dance with Draco to spite Ron."

"How did you know that?" Harry asked in amazement.

"The whole school knows."

"Oh, wonderful."

"But, Harry is Ron really taking it that hard?"

"Yea, he is, but I think he is about to do something really stupid or really smart, and things are about to get a lot better or a lot worse. I haven't decided which."

"What is he going to do?"

"Well, he actually hasn't told me his plan in its entirety, but I think he is dedicating a song that he will sing with the band in front of the whole school to Hermione."

"Really? That's sweet. Coming from a female point of view I am almost positive Hermione will like it."

"I hope so." Harry was beginning to get very nervous for Ron. He could barely handle them in the small fight they were in now. He knew life would be hell on earth for all three of them if the fight got any bigger.

Cho was unhappy that Harry was unhappy. He always had so much to worry about she thought, and now he has to worry about this to. So Cho did the only thing she could think of to get Harry to think about something else. She leaned towards Harry and gently kissed him on the lips, and Harry was, just as Cho had planned, temporarily distracted from his current worries.

Snape twitched in his chair at the high table as he witnessed that event. "Dam, horney teenagers," he grumbled and got up from his chair to split them apart. A certain over-merry transfiguration teacher intercepted him halfway there. And let's just say that Snape also became temporarily distracted.

*******

Hermione and Draco twirled elegantly across the great hall floor. They were having just about as much fun as Harry and Cho were.

Hermione just couldn't stop thinking about Ron. In particular, the middle of the night incident in the common room when she had heard Ron sing and play the guitar for the first time and with that memory came another. How dam sexy she had thought he looked sitting there that night. She can't really be blamed for this because all of the songs that were played Ron was either singing, playing the guitar, or both.

But it is generally not a good idea to think about a boy that is not your boyfriend when you are dancing with your boyfriend. While they were dancing Draco attempted to talk to Hermione, but whenever she answered Draco thought she sounded distracted and far away.

"Hermione, darling, would you rather be elsewhere? You don't look like you're enjoying yourself."

"No, I wouldn't rather be anywhere else, Draco. I'm just... ummm a little tired," she said.

"Whatever you say." They danced in silence for a while and as the songs changed, Draco pulled Hermione closer to him. Hermione leaned her head upon his shoulder. Finally, her thoughts turned from Ron to Draco.

The song ended and no new song began immediately, but a familiar voice echoed across the hall.

"Everyone could have you attention please," Ron called, "Now, I wouldn't usually do this, but here it goes." He took a deep breath. "Hermione, I'm really sorry for what I did. I love you and I know that is weird to say at sixteen, but I always have, and it rips my ass apart to see you with another guy. Hermy, this song's for you."

Everyone in the great hall was looking at Hermione. She could feel her cheeks get hot, and she knew she was blushing something awful. She was looking up at Ron, but he wouldn't make eye contact with her. Neither would Draco. Hermione could feel herself begin to spiral into a very confused state of confusion, and if there was one thing that Hermione hated it was not knowing what to do.

Ron had begun to sing. "Is she really going out with him? Is he really going to take her home tonight? Is she really going out with him? Because if my eyes don't deceive me there is something going wrong around here."

Hermione knew that song. It was a muggle song, and someone (Sugar Ray) had just done a remake of it. Hermione stood fixed to her spot throughout the whole song. When the song was over Ron announced, "Hermione Granger, I love you."

She knew she would never be able to listen to that song again without feeling guilty about hurting either boy. So, she did the only thing she could think of doing. She ran out of the great hall as fast as she could.

Ron jumped off the stage and sprinted to the doors of the great hall with Draco close behind. They had both reached the door of the great hall when Harry had called out, "Ron. Draco. Wait!"

"What for, Potter, I have to find my girlfriend and save her from Weasely."

"Save her," cried Ron, "I love her more than you ever will."

"Shut up the both of you. I'm going to go talk to her. She's not ready to see either of you yet. She needs time to collect her thought. Now, Ron you get back on stage and keep singing, and Draco you can, ummm, do what ever Slytherins do in their spare time." And with that comment Harry ran out the great hall door to find Hermione.

*******

Hermione ran. She was on her way to the library, but then she decided it was too predictable. When she realized that, she opened the next door she saw and walked in. The room she walked into was comfortable and on the smallish side. It had a soft rug, some bookcases, two comfy chairs, and a table. It was dimly lit with three torches.

The first thing Hermione did when she walked into the room was take off her shoes and sit down. Hermione hated high heals. She didn't even know why anyone who wasn't a midget would bother to wear them.

Hermione sat down in one of the chairs next to the table. On the table were two cups of tea. Hermione picked up the one closest to her. She took a sip. It was peach tea slightly sweetened. That's funny she thought, that is exactly what I wanted when I walked into this room. Out of all the rooms I could have walked into this one is perfect.

She looked at around. On the table she noticed there was a piece of paper, ink, and a quill. She picked up the paper and read it. This is what it said:

Ron Draco

Pros Cons Pros Cons

For a moment Hermione forgot where and who she was and was very scared. How could it know what I needed? Then she remembered she was a witch. Then in dawned on her, I must be in the room of requirement she thought. That is why my tea was perfect.

Suddenly the door to the room burst open, and Harry ran in, marauders map in hand. "Hermione, there you are. I've been up and down the whole school looking for you. Are you all right? Please don't say you're mad at Ron." He said in between deep breaths.

"I'm fine, Harry. I'm just a little confused, but think I know how to stop my confusion."

"Really, good because I have a strong suspicion that Draco and Ron might be trying to kill each other." Hermione didn't laugh, but gave Harry one of those don't talk I'm trying to figure out something very difficult looks. That's her signature look he thought to himself. He then sat down in the chair facing Hermione, and picked up his tea. It was peppermint with no sugar, just how he liked it.

Hermione picked up then quill and began to fill out the pros and cons sheet. Harry leaned back in his chair and watched her form neat lines of words on the paper with her quill. They sat this way for about fifteen minutes.

Finally, Hermione put down her quill and announced, "There, I'm done, now to tally up the scores."

"Hermione, are you sure this is the right way to go about choosing who you boyfriend will be?"

"Of course I'm sure," she snapped.

She was counting pros and cons when she noticed the following line appear at the bottom of her paper:

"Now tear this little list apart

and

follow your heart"

The piece of paper then burst into flames. "You know what?" she said, "I give up. I'm not dating either of them I'm going back to the common room to study for exams." And with that she stormed out of the room and ran to Griffindoor tower very fast. She ran so fast that by the time Harry arrived she had already been there five minutes. When Harry walked through the portrait whole the first thing he saw was Hermione in her nice dress sitting by the fire studying for her advanced defense against the dark arts exam.

"Hermione," Harry shouted, "what the hell do you think you're doing?" He had lost all patience with her.

"Studying for exams. What does it look like I'm doing?" she shouted back.

"Hermione, some things are more important than exams."

"Like what?" She sounded discussed that Harry could even think such a thing.

"I don't know, maybe Ron?"

"Oh shit," Hermione said quietly. She jumped out of her seat and ran from the common room as fast as she could.

"Thank God," Harry muttered to no one in particular.

*******

Hermione burst into the great hall to see Ron and Draco sitting on opposite sides of the room, and Ginny scampering back and forth trying to comfort both of them. She felt all the eyes in the room on her, but she didn't care anymore. She had to do this for matters were beginning to become insane.

She stood in the entrance of the great hall. She was kind of lost. She didn't know which boy to break the news to first. So, being Hermione she did it in alphabetical order by last name. She strode purposely towards Draco because M comes before W.

"Draco, we need talk," she said, "alone." She started meaningfully at Ginny, who then ran away very quickly, but not without whispering something in Draco's ear first. If Hermione had been herself she would have realized what was going on at that point, but she didn't. She was slightly preoccupied.

"Yes," Draco said coolly, "yes, we do."

"Draco, I'm in love with Ron, and I have been for the last five and a half years, but I didn't realize it until now. I'm so sorry. I liked you. I really did, and you were a great boyfriend while it lasted, but this has to end." Hermione didn't make eye contact with him until she was done talking. When she did he didn't seem distressed at all. He almost seemed slightly amused.

"I figured this would happen," he said with very little emotion in his voice, "and Malfoys are always prepared. So, you're in luck I just so happen to have an extra date. So, you don't have to worry about breaking my heart. Trust me. I'm over you all ready."

Hermione smiled. "Draco," she said, "you are something else." She paused. "And who might this 'spare date' be exactly?"

"Ginny Weasely," he replied smugly, "once you date a Griffindoor girl you just can't go back to Slytherins."

"Ron is going to kill you," Hermione replied.

"I highly doubt that. I imagine he will be too, shall I say, busy to notice."

Neither one said anything for a while. Hermione reflected on the events of the past half an hour.

"There's one thing I still don't understand," Hermione said, "if you secretly going out with Ginny, why did you get so mad when I ran from the room and shout at Ron."

"That's simple," he replied, "I live to piss Ron off."

"You are horrible, Draco, horrible."

"I know, and as my last act of horribleness this is what I will do." He quickly closed the gap in between them, drew Hermione close to him, and kissed her. Not the same kind of kiss as in the library, more of a showy and dramatic, not passionate kisses. She felt as though Draco was putting any feelings he might still have for her into this kiss.

When he let go of her he said, "Now, go find Ron before he commits suicide, or worse is driven mad by rage and kills my current or one of my future girlfriends." He then disappeared into the crowd to find Ginny.

Hermione watched him go. A small pang of regret hit her, but she knew she had made the right choice because she could imagine life without Draco, but she could not imagine life with out Ron.

*******

Harry didn't really want to go back into the great hall, but he figured he should. If Ron and Hermione start doing it the middle of the great hall I'm the only one who will be able to stop them he thought. So, he got up from his favorite chair in the common room and quickly began his long trek downstairs.

When he walked into the great hall Cho quickly spotted him and ran up to him. "Hermione is talking to Draco. I'm not sure if that is a good or bad sign," she said.

"I think things will be O.K.," he said.

"Oh, thank God, you're not all worried anymore. Now, we can enjoy ourselves," Cho said happily.

"Not yet, Cho. I think I should sit with Ron until Hermione comes to talk with him," he replied.

"I guess you're right," she said. Cho didn't hide the disappointment on her face.

"I'll being going now. Meet you soon under that tree out by the lake," Harry said. He flashed Cho one of those I'm sexy, but I don't know it signature Harry smiles and left. Cho was pretty sure she actually swooned. I didn't know people swooned in real life she thought.

Harry walked over to a not very happy looking Ron. As soon as he got there Ron began to rant. "So, this is how it's going to end. She picked Malfoy over me. She is just going to ignore me for the rest of my life. She is going to ignore her best friend."

Harry smiled a knowing smile, "Ron, has it ever occurred to you that she could be dumping Malfoy as we speak?"

"Ummmmm, no," Ron replied.

"Well, I think it should occur to you now." Harry looked at Ron, who was still staring at Hermione.

His facial expression changed rapidly. "Harry, they're kissing." Harry looked up, and they were. Somehow it looked wrong. When the kiss ended, Draco just walked away without saying another word.

"Maybe, it's not what we think," Harry said hopefully.

"It's definitely not what you think," Hermione said. She had run across the room to where the boys were standing. She was smiling.

"I'll be going now," Harry said as he snuck away from his two best friends.

Hermione clasped Ron's hand in hers and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. With Draco out of the picture her girlish innocence came back, but not for long.

Ron pulled Hermione close to him and kissed her full on the lips. He wasn't as good a kisser as Draco, but Hermione didn't care. The kiss wasn't a long one, but it was the only truly enjoyable kiss that either one had ever experienced.

They didn't know it, but as they kissed applause rang out all over the great hall. Shouts of "Finally" and "What took you so long?" echoed across the room. Two red headed boys who weren't exactly supposed to be there shouted, "Our ickle ronnikins it growing up," from a dark corner of the hall as the waved their large (now empty) bottles of alcohol on the air. Almost like a toast.

When the kiss ended Ron stepped back and said, "I figure you chose me then."

"Yes, Ron, yes I did."

Ron grabbed her hand, and led her to a more private corner of the great hall. When they found an unoccupied bench in the back of the room Hermione began to explain the past days events.

"And that's what happened, but I want you know that I'm really sorry," she finished.

"It's Ok, Hermione, everything is going to be Ok now," Ron replied.

"Ron, there is one more thing I need to tell you. This may come as a shock, but just remember, like you said, everything is going to be Ok," she took a deep breath, "Ginny is going out with Draco," she said quickly. Then she threw herself upon Ron's lips before he could even utter another word.

*******

Harry and Cho were sitting outside under one of the many trees bordering the lake. They were sitting with their backs against the tree hand in hand, and they were also participating in the normal activities of young couples alone in the dark, after a dance. They were kissing up a storm.

Harry was happy because Ron and Hermione were together and happy, and now he could be alone with Cho without having to worry about them. Cho was happy because Harry was alone with her, and happy (something he hadn't been in a while).

On the side of the lake closer to the school another young couple was enjoying the night. Ginny and Draco sat in one of the gardens, and coincidently they were also kissing up a storm.

Ron and Hermione sat in the room of requirement, and they were kissing like their life depended on it. So, were all they other couples in the school, and everyone knew it. No one knew it more than Lavender Brown.

Lavender leaned against the railing on the observation deck of the astronomy tower. The moonlight lit up her pale skin. Pairs of people speckled the grounds beneath her. Lavender sighed.

She heard a creak on the staircase behind her. She turned around, but she saw no one there. She gazed up at the stars. She felt slightly pathetic, all alone in the astronomy tower.

She heard the creak again and immediately whirled around to see Seamus Finnegan standing before her. Lavender noticed that a lock of his sandy blond hair blew in front of his face. He isn't bad looking she thought. She then mentally slapped herself.

"Ill met by moonlight, proud Lavender," he said.

Lavender knew that line. It was from A Midsummer's Night Dream. "You do know who said that line right?" she said.

"I'm not stupid. Oberon said that to Titiana in act two scene one of A Midsummer's Night Dream," he replied with a tone of snippiness in his voice.

"You do know that Oberon was in love with Titiana, right?" she asked.

"Yes, yes I do."
"What are you playing at?" she asked if he was making fun her she would kill him.

"Lavender, I think I'm in love with you." She thought he sounded more surprised than romantic.

"Seamus, you hate me, and I hate you. You can't be in love with me."

"Oh, but I am," he replied as he stepped closer to her. Lavender wondered why she hated Seamus. She couldn't remember when she had started to hate him. Maybe she didn't really hate him.

"They do say that hate for no good reason is a sign of love."

"Well, I don't know who they are. Nor do I really care, but I'd definitely say we have hate for no good reason," he replied.

"So we could also definitely have love," Lavender answered.

"You mean it?" he asked. In response to the question Lavender closed the gap between them, and joined the other couples of Hogwarts in their post dance activities.

*******

Harry and Cho left the lake at about twelve o'clock. Harry decided that he would walk Cho back to the Ravenclaw portrait hole. Several minutes earlier Draco had decided the same thing, and he and Ginny had set off towards Griffindoor tower.

Harry and Cho were walking down the hall in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but it was a pleasant one.

"So everything turned out all right, I guess," Cho said.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I mean Ron and Hermione are happy, and so are Ginny and Draco."

"You forgot about us," Harry replied, "We're happy too."

"You're right," she said, "We are." Cho pushed Harry against the wall and began to kiss down his neck.

"Could you continue this elsewhere? Some people are trying to walk here," a cold voice drawled.

"Draco, shut up," Cho said without turning around. Draco stopped walking long enough to mouth something to Harry over Cho's shoulder that could have been I'll meet you later, and Harry nodded in response. Draco flipped Harry off, preformed some rude jesters involving his tongue and middle finger, then he walked up to the Astronomy tower to wait for a certain Griffindoor. Cho and Harry continued in their previous occupation.

Eventually they began to walk again and shortly after they reached the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room.

"Good night, Harry," Cho said as she kissed him on the cheek, and hurried through the portrait hole.

"Good night, Cho," he called after her. When the door swung close Harry just stood outside the door for a while. His hand rested lightly on the spot where Cho had kissed him.

After five or six minutes Harry remembered it was twelve thirty and that he had more things to do before the next day dawned.

*******

It was three in the morning, and all but a few Griffindoors had been back in the tower for at least an hour, but Hermione was still not asleep. She lay on her bed wanting to sleep, but she couldn't. She had had such a wonderful night part of her didn't want it to end. The other part wanted to sleep, but it was clearly the smaller part, for she was still very much awake.

She got up, put on her slippers, and started to walk towards the common room. I'm not going to get any sleep anyway she thought to herself. As she neared the bottom of the steps she heard music. A familiar voice accompanied by the sounds of a familiar guitar echoed in her ears.

She stood at the bottom of the steps, and she watched him a play for a few seconds. Then she walked into the common room and sat down across from him. He continued to play until the song was done.

When the song ended he asked, "You couldn't sleep?"

"Nope."

"Me neither."

~fin~