Harry cleared his throat, and suddenly Hermione remembered he was there.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Hermione said quietly.
“I should have warned you about that…” Harry apologized quietly.
“It’s not your fault, Harry. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine,” Hermione said, tears glistening in her eyes. Then she sighed. “He’s just one of my best friends. I’d do just about anything for him not to be hurt because of me, but I’m afraid that there’s nothing I can do now.”
Hermione felt as if her entire world was crashing down around her. What was left for her? She had lost one of her best friends, and her boyfriend (though Hermione felt uncomfortable calling him that) of less than 48 hours might no longer be her boyfriend at all. Not to mention that the said boyfriend was hated by all of her friends.
“Maybe there is something,” Ginny said, her eyes lighting up with an idea.
“Ginny! Are you crazy?” Hermione exclaimed after Ginny had explained her plan.
“I thought you’d do ‘just about anything’ for him, Hermione,” Ginny said.
“But if this doesn’t work, he’ll be more hurt than he is now!” Hermione protested.
"But if we don't try, he'll be upset a lot longer! Is that what you want?" Harry asked angrily.
Hermione threw her hands up in the air. "Sure, side with her!" she exclaimed. Then she sighed. "Look," she said, "we'll try it, but if it doesn't work, it's on your conscience, not mine. Not to mention that you'll explain to Ron that it was your idea, and you two dragged me into this. Got it?"
After all the details of the plan had been worked out and Ginny had explained why she knew anything about Draco and Hermione, the three still sat in the common room talking, though it was no longer empty. It contained a group of giggly third-year girls in the corner, and two fifth-year boys trying to do homework now, as well as the Harry, Hermione and Ginny, as Ron was still in his dormitory somewhere.
"We need a name," Ginny whispered to Harry and Hermione, glancing wearily at the girls in the corner.
"How about the Bring Ron to His Senses Group?" laughed Harry.
"That's on the right track, actually," Hermione commented.
Ginny nodded. "The Restoring Ron Association, maybe, since we're restoring him to his senses and his rightful place as a friend. The R.R.s for short."
"That works," said Hermione.
Harry nodded, then glanced at his watch. "I'd better be checking on Ron. If he's angry at me, too, then the whole plan won't work."
"Right," said Hermione.
The three friends parted ways. The R.R. plan was officially started.
Meanwhile, in the Slytherin common room, Draco was trying to keep his temper under control.
"I told you, Parkinson, I'm going to be busy at the next Hogsmeade weekend, I can't go with you!" he yelled at Pansy.
At least, I hope I'm busy, he thought. If Gra...Hermione decides she hates me, I can't exactly ask her to go with me, can I?
"But Drakie-poo darling-" Pansy started, but was cut off.
"If you don't start calling me by my given name, I'll hex you!" he threatened.
"I know you like to play hard-to-get, but-"
"Can't you take a bloody hint?" Draco shouted.
"A hint about what?" Pansy asked innocently.
Draco thought about all the profanities he would like to scream at that girl while he stomped off to his dormitory.
Flopping down on his bed, he groaned. "Hermione's my last hope to get away from her," Draco muttered. "I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't come through for me."
He knew it wasn't exactly fair, letting himself think that that was the only reason he wanted Hermione. He knew there was something more there. That's why he wanted to ask her to go to Hogsmeade with him, not only to shove it in Pansy's face that he liked a Mudblood better than her. And if he had to endure taunts from the rest of the Slytherins, he'd just have to remember that he was a Malfoy, which made him above such things. He wasn't going to let this girl go for anything in the world.
That Sunday passed rather uneventfully, with Draco acting Malfoy-like, though Hermione noticed that he never once even hinted at an insult to her, and Ron avoiding Hermione as much as possible.
At lunch that Monday, Hermione plopped herself down next to Ron. "What do you want?" he asked coldly.
"Look, Ron, I was totally wrong, all right?" Hermione admitted.
"What do you mean by totally wrong?" he asked suspiciously.
"I mean I broke up with Malfoy," said Hermione plainly.
"Good for you," Ron snapped. "Pass the salt, please, Harry."
"It wasn't exactly a match made in Heaven," Hermione added, ignoring his comment.
"I didn't notice," said Ron sarcastically as Harry handed him the salt. "Ow!" Ron exclaimed, glaring at Harry. "Why'd you kick me?"
"I think Hermione's trying to say something, Ron," Harry said, trying to communicate to Ron with his eyes.
"I know she was saying something. She said she broke up with the ferret. And stop looking at me like that, it's freaky!"
A little farther down the table, Ginny had her head in her hands, muttering, "Merlin, how thick can he be?"
Harry and Hermione seemed to be the only ones to notice this, however, as Ron made no protests.
"Ron, I was wrong about you, too," Hermione said.
"What, you don't even want to be friends now?" Ron asked sharply.
"No!" Hermione exclaimed. "Ron...I...er..." Hermione took a deep breath. "Well, I..."
"Spit it out, Hermione," Harry prodded.
"Ron I really do like you, and I don't mean as a friend," Hermione said quickly.
This caused Ron to immediately look up. "You mean that?" he asked eagerly.
"Of course I do," Hermione said.
"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?" Ron asked hopefully.
"Sure," Hermione said with a smile.
Hermione's heart sank as she saw how happy Ron was. If this plan didn't work, there was going to be hell to pay.
A/N: I forgot to include this is the last chapter: Special thanks to those who pointed out that Luna is not a Gryffindor, and therefore should not have been in their common room. Luna is a Ravenclaw, so I’ll avoid comments about her house for the rest of the fic.
A very wise philosopher once said that “a happy author doth update far more quickly than one in the depths of despair, and what better remedy for any misery than a review?” OK, I made it up, but review anyway ;)