Conversations

"Come on, Hermione!"

"No, Parvati. I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Don't be such a stick in the mud, girl!"

"Lavender, I am not a stick in the mud! I just don't want to go."

Hermione was in the sixth year girls' dormitory, sitting on a bed, talking to Lavender and Parvati. Dumbledore had announced that Hogwarts would be hosting a Coalition Ball. Durmstrang and Beaubaxtons were invited, and all the students were in a frenzy about dates.

Hermione, on the other hand, did not plan on attending.

"Hermione," said Lavender exasperatedly. "You can just take Viktor Krum, for goodness sakes!"

"Viktor graduated, you ninny," Hermione shot back.

Lavender's face fell. "Oh yeah," she said, but was not deterred. "Well then, you can just take someone else."

"Like who?" Hermione asked, interested despite herself.

"Well," said Parvati, with a particularly contemplative look. "There's always Harry."

"No," Lavender said immediately. "He's taken. Besides, no one believed Rita Skeeter's article, anyways."

"That dratted woman," Hermione added with feeling. She was biding her time until she could get away from these insane, boy-crazy girls.

"Ooh!" Parvati squealed. "Who's Harry taking?"

"Ginny Weasley," Lavender replied, grinning like mad.

"What?!" Hermione exclaimed. Lavender rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Hermione, you are behind the times."

"Harry...and Ginny?" Hermione asked, with an astounded look. "No way, Ron will murder Harry!"

"Yeah," said Parvati with relish. "Do you remember when Ron beat up Dean, all because Ginny had told a harmless little fib?"

"Dean's face didn't look normal for a whole month!" Lavender exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Hermione rolled her eyes, and then stood up. "Well," she said, wanting to get away as fast as possible. "If you two are done with me..."

"Not so fast, young lady," Lavender said, pulling Hermione back down on the bed. "We are most certainly not done with you."

Hermione groaned, but sat back down. She really wasn't in the mood to spoil the girls' fun.

"Now, you could always take a Ravenclaw," said Parvati.

"That Terry Boot guy is nice," said Lavender.

"Ugh, no," Hermione said. "He tried to look down my blouse the other day in Herbology."

The other two girls giggled.

"What about Michael Corner?" Lavender asked.

"No," Hermione said vehemently. "He and Ginny went out last year."

"Oh, yeah," Lavender said. "Darn, you two would make such a cute couple."

Parvati spoke again, a wicked grin on her face. "You could always take Malfoy," she suggested nonchalantly.

"MALFOY?!" shouted Hermione and Lavender, with horrified looks.

"Honestly, you two," Parvati said with a grin. "Malfoy isn't all that bad looking."

"Oh, yeah," said Hermione sarcastically. "Aside from the fact that he's completely horrible..."

"...And sick," added Lavender.

"...repulsive..."

"...idiotic..."

"...malicious..."

"...twisted..."

"...sadistic..."

"...severely stunted..."

"...and evil," Hermione concluded with a smirk. "Aside from all of that, he's not all that bad looking."

"Okay," Parvati said, raising her hands in defeat. "Not Malfoy, then."

"I should say not," Hermione said vehemently.

"How about Seamus?" Parvati said.

"Hey!" Lavender exclaimed indignantly. "Seamus is MINE!"

"That's alright, Lavender," Hermione said laughingly. "I don't want him, anyways."

"Are you saying Seamus isn't good enough for you?" Lavender asked.

"Of course not," Hermione said. "He reminds me of...well...never mind who he reminds me of. I love Seamus to death." Seeing Lavender's warning look, Hermione hastily added, "In a purely platonic manner, of course."

"Thank you," Lavender said primly.

Hermione was surprised at how much she was enjoying this. She was always too busy with homework and her best friends to bother with 'girl talk.' Now that she was actually having some 'girl talk,' she realized just how much fun it was. No offense to Ron and Harry, but they were just so...boyish.

"Okay," Parvati said, moving on quickly. "We've so far eliminated Harry, Terry, Michael, Malfoy-" she ignored the other two girls' angry glares "-and Seamus. Who does that leave?"

"Lots of people, I suppose," Lavender said. "There's always Ernie Macmillian."

"He's going with Susan Bones," Parvati said, waving her suggestion away with a flip of her hand.

"Roger Davies?"

"No, he still hasn't gotten over Fleur Delacour."

"The blasted wench," Hermione said vehemently. The other girls eyed her warily.

"Why do you hate Fleur?" Lavender asked. "I thought she was rather nice."

"Me, too!" Parvati said. "She gave us hair tips that I'm still using!" Hermione restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

"No reason," Hermione said. "She's just a bit full of herself."

"That hacks you off?" Parvati asked.

"Of course, doesn't it make you angry?" Hermione asked defensively.

"Not really," Parvati said.

"Getting back on topic," Lavender said, throwing a glare at them.

"What about Theodore Nott?" Parvati suggested.

"He's a Slytherin!" exclaimed Hermione.

"You are prejudiced against Slytherins," Parvati said, glaring reprovingly at Hermione.

"Yeah," added Lavender. "You're almost as bad as Malfoy is about muggle-borns."

"Am not!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Are too!" Parvati shot back.

"Okay," Hermione said. "I'm prejudiced. At least I admit it."

"So does Malfoy," Lavender reminded her. "That doesn't make it any better, does it?"

"Whatever," Hermione said.

"What about Dean?" Lavender said.

"No," Parvati interrupted. "I'm taking Dean, remember?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It figures."

"What do you mean?" Parvati asked.

"When Lavender and Seamus got together, it followed that their best friends would get together," Hermione asked. "After all, where would Seamus be without Dean, and Lavender without Parvati?"

"And Malfoy without Crabbe and Goyle," Parvati added.

"And Colin without Dennis," Lavender said.

"And Ernie without Justin," Hermione said.

"And Hannah without Susan," Lavender said.

"And Ron without Harry," Hermione said fondly.

"And you, Hermione. Where would Harry and Ron be without you?!" Parvati exclaimed.

"Probably suspended for bad grades," Hermione said with a smile.

"Too true," Lavender said. "Wait!" she exclaimed, a gleam in her eyes.

"What?" asked Parvati.

"That's it, Parvati, my friend!" Lavender said, jumping off the bed and twirling around. Hermione surprised herself by smiling at the girl's antics, instead of rolling her eyes.

"What's it," Parvati asked, looking eager to join the fun. Lavender whispered something in her ear, making Parvati squeal.

"Oh, it's just too perfect," cooed Parvati reverently.

"Isn't it, though?" Lavender asked. The two girls squealed again, and clapped their hands excitedly.

"Are you two planning on telling me what's so 'perfect?'" Hermione asked. "Or were you planning on keeping me in the dark for a while longer?"

Lavender grinned. "I think we'll keep you in the dark."

"Oh, no, Lav!" Parvati said. "You can't keep the poor girl in suspense. It would be cruel."

Despite herself, Hermione was interested. She told herself that she didn't care about what they said, but what if they were right. They had had more experience in the boy department than she had. She reflected that it might not be a good idea to put her love life into the hands of two teenage girls, but she couldn't help herself.

"Do you honestly want to know?" Lavender said.

"Of course I do!" Hermione exclaimed. It occurred to her a millisecond later that she needn't have seemed so enthusiastic. If Lavender and Parvati were anything like certain other people she knew, they'd keep her in suspense even longer if they suspected that she wanted to know something. Too late.

"Okay, we'll tell you," Parvati said slowly.

"But only if you promise not to freak out," Lavender added.

"Why would I freak out?" Hermione asked. She mentally counted off who they had named. Not Harry, Terry, Michael, Malfoy (here she gave a mental shudder), Seamus, Ernie, Roger, Theodore, or Dean. She racked her brain for any other boys that she knew specifically. Then it hit her. Damn them both.

"Not Ron," she said.

Lavender and Parvati exchanged smiles.

"Notice how her mind immediately jumps to Ron?" Lavender asked Parvati, in a conversational tone.

"Yes, and how she always says 'Ron and Harry,' never 'Harry and Ron,'" Parvati replied.

"And how she looks at him in a way that makes me want to squee!" Lavender giggled.

Hermione was turning red. "I do not!" she said.

The other two ignored her.

"And how she always helps Ron with his homework, even though she doesn't think he'll learn anything," Parvati continued.

"Sacrificing her scruples for the man she loves!" exclaimed Lavender dramatically, throwing a fist into the air.

"And how she's madly jealous of Fleur Delacour, all because Ron had that teeny crush on her," Parvati said.

"I am not jealous!" Hermione exclaimed, but the girls continued anyway.

"So, you see, Hermione," Lavender explained. "You and Ron belong together."

"I second that!" Parvati cried. Her eyes got all misty. "They could have a double wedding..."

"...With Harry and Ginny," Lavender said. "They could live in the same town..."

"...Have dozens of kids..."

"...Grow old together..."

The two girls sighed romantically. Hermione snorted. "Okay," she said, barely containing her laughter. "You girls are insane. Dozens of kids? Growing old together?"

"Hey," Parvati said, giving Hermione a reproving glare. "It could happen."

"Yeah," Hermione retorted. "And Neville Longbottom could play seeker for Puddlemere United."

"Keep an eye on the weird ones," Lavender advised. "They always end up surprising you."

"Then maybe I should go to the ball with Neville," Hermione said.

"You can't," Parvati said airily. "He's going with Luna Lovegood."

Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation. "Okay, if you girls can't find me a date, then what was the point of this conversation?!"

"There really wasn't one," Lavender said thoughtfully.

"Unless you count getting her to admit her mad, passionate love for Ron," said Parvati.

"Too right," Lavender agreed.

"I didn't admit anything!" Hermione yelled.

"Not yet, Hermione," said Lavender. "But you will."

"Not if there isn't anything to admit," Hermione said, rising from the bed. "Now, since you've admitted that there was no point to this conversation, I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" asked Parvati.

"To find Ron and Harry," answered Hermione.

Lavender and Parvati exchanged triumphant looks.

"She's seeking out her true love," said Parvati.

"She can't be out of his presence for too long, she goes through withdrawals," said Lavender.

Hermione ignored them, walking out of the room. She had made it all the way down the staircase before Parvati's voice floated down.

"You do too!" came the yell from the dormitory.

"I do not!" Hermione yelled back, forgetting that she was in the middle of the very crowded common room.

"What do you not do?" inquired a voice behind her. She turned to see Ron standing there, grinning. Her heart melted a little, as it always did at the sight of him. Forget what she told Lavender and Parvati, she loved this boy.

"Nothing," she said, walking past him to sit down on a squishy couch by the fire.

"Yeah, sure," he retorted, as he sat down beside her. "The Hermione I know does not shout in the middle of the common room."

"Um, Ron?" said Harry, plopping down in an armchair next to them. "I think you're forgetting the Yule Ball."

Ron and Hermione both blushed, but that didn't stop Harry.

"Or don't you remember?" he teased. "Let me refresh your memory."

Ginny came over and perched on the arm of Harry's chair. "Oh, I couldn't help but overhearing," she said. "I remember that night very well. It scarred me for life."

She and Harry shared a laugh, before Harry continued.

"You two were standing in the middle of the common room, shouting at the top of your lungs," Harry said, his grin getting larger with each word.

"Well, you know what the solution is, don't you?" Ginny said, mocking Hermione.

"Oh yeah?" Harry said, playing Ron's part. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" Ginny cried enthusiastically, throwing her fist in the air.

This caused her to lose her balance and tumble into Harry's lap. This new developement didn't stop Harry from finishing the little dramatization.

"Well," he sputtered, in a perfect imitation of Ron, "well...that just proves...completely missed the point..."

Harry and Ginny collapsed into laughter, Harry practically howling.

Ron and Hermione were still red, although they were grinning slightly. Ron's smile disappeared abruptly, and he glared at Ginny, who had made no effort to remove herself from Harry's lap.

"Harry?" he asked, transferring his glare to his best friend. "Why is my little sister sitting in your lap?"

Harry looked down at Ginny, with an expression of exaggerated surprise.

"Ginny! I didn't see you down there, love!" he cried.

Ginny slapped him playfully on the arm. "Thanks, Harry, really," she said sarcastically, pulling herself out of his lap. Harry promptly grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.

"Harry," said Ron again, this time in a warning voice. "Why did you just call my little sister 'love?'"

"Um, Ron," Ginny said, in a placating voice. "Don't blow up on me, okay? You can't punch Harry, he won't look handsome when we go to the ball."

"Harry!" Ron roared. "Why are you taking my little sister to the ball?!"

Everyone in the common room was staring at them by this time. Some were laughing, and whispering to those who were too young to understand what was going on. Everyone was smiling.

"Harry!" Ron roared again. "How could you do this to me?"

"Honestly, Ron," said Ginny exasperatedly. "It's not all Harry's fault. I snogged him back, you know." She looked like she regretted her words the moment they came out of her mouth.

"Harry!" Ron was practically shrieking by this time. "You did not snog my sister!"

"Okay," Harry said. "I didn't snog your sister."

"You did too, Harry!" cried Ginny. Then Ginny grabbed Harry's hand, and the two of them raced from the room, laughing all the way.

"Hermione!" Ron turned on her. "Did you know about this?!"

"No, I most certainly did not," Hermione said. "Well," she amended, "not before about five minutes ago."

"Who told you?!" roared Ron.

"Um, a little birdie?" Hermione said weakly. The last thing she wanted was to drag Lavender and Parvati into this.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" Ron yelled, although he was growing more quiet with each passing moment.

"Don't you curse at me, Ronald Weasley," Hermione scolded.

"Fine! I won't! But you knew that Harry was dating Ginny, and you didn't say anything!"

"As if I was going to tell you! You'd just act like a git." She slapped her forehead. "Oh wait, you already are acting like a git!"

Ron had the dignity to look sheepish. "Sorry, Hermione," he said. "I didn't mean to snap at you, it's just..."

He seemed to notice that the entire common room was still watching them avidly.

"Mind your business," Hermione snapped. They all turned away obediently. Even the first years knew that you didn't invoke Hermione's wrath, especially not when she'd just rowed with Ron.

Hermione led Ron back over to the couch, and the two of them sat down.

"It's just," Ron continued, "that Ginny's my little sister. I want to lock her in her room and never let any boys so much as look at her."

"That's completely barbaric," Hermione said. "She's got to grow up sometime, Ron. And who would you rather her be dating but your best friend?"

Ron looked down at her, astonished. "You know, Hermione," he told her conversationally. "You're absolutely brilliant."

Hermione smiled. "Of course I am. Just because it took you four years to notice..." She cut herself off. That was way too similar to another conversation to be completely comfortable.

Hermione cast around for another topic of conversation. This was ridiculous, since when had she found it difficult to talk to her best friend? Luckily for her, Ron spoke first.

"Did we really argue like that?" he asked her. "I mean, after the Yule Ball and everything?"

Or maybe, not so lucky for her. This was exactly the conversation she wished to avoid.

"Yeah, I suppose we did," Hermione answered him.

"I remember now," Ron said, smiling faintly. "You shouted at me, and your hair was coming down..."

"You shouted at me, too," Hermione reminded him.

"Okay, I shouted a little," he admitted.

"You shouted a lot," Hermione corrected.

"Okay, I shouted a lot. We tend to do that, don't we?" Ron asked, smiling down at her.

Hermione sighed. "Yeah, we do."

"Um, Hermione?" Ron said, looking rather nervous all of a sudden.

"What?"

"Um...did you...I mean...I was..." he stuttered. Hermione's heart jumped into her throat. He wouldn't, no...he couldn't. Could he? Oh please, she thought fervently, please let him ask.

"What I mean is..." Ron continued, looking her in the eye, and taking a deep breath. "What I mean is, did you mean what you said? About the ball, I mean. You know..."

She smiled faintly. "Next time, ask me before someone else does?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he said, looking relieved that she knew what he was talking about. "I've been thinking about that."

Oh, he was! He was going to ask her, she just knew it!

"So, before someone else does...willyougoballwidme?" Ron asked, mumbling the last few words. Hermione cracked a grin.

"Sorry, Ron, couldn't quite hear that last bit," she said, cupping her hand behind her ear.

"Will you go to the ball with me?" he asked again.

"I still can't hear you!" she cried happily.

"Will you go to the ball with me!" he shouted, smiling at her.

"Of course I will, you great prat!" she cried, throwing her arms around him.

Before she knew what was happening, his lips were on hers, and she was finally kissing him. She had waited so long for this moment, and she couldn't contain herself.

Hermione dimly registered the sound of applause. She tore her lips from Ron's, and looked around to find the entire common room cheering. She distinctly heard Seamus shout, "Thank Merlin! Finally!"

Lavender and Parvati, who had come down from the dormitory during the argument, were giving Hermione distinct 'I told you so' looks.

Harry and Ginny re-entered the common room moments later. They grinned when they saw Hermione and Ron, and Hermione realized that she still had her arms around him.

"We missed it?!" Ginny cried to no one in particular.