It had been months since Hermione had made that promise to herself. She had not talked to Ron since October and the Holidays were approaching. Harry was going crazy. He couldn’t stand being with only one of his best friends at a time. Now he knew how Hermione had felt during his fourth year. It was torture. He resorted to spending his time with Ginny but he couldn’t talk to her about the same things he talked about with Ron and Hermione. They understood him in a way that Ginny couldn’t, just as she understood him in a way that they couldn’t.
“We’ve got to fix this,” Harry said, massaging his temples. “I can’t live another second like this.”
“There’s nothing I can do to try to get through to Hermione. It’s like she’s completely blocked Ron out of her life,” Ginny told him.
Now that he thought about it, he realized she was avoiding Ron at all costs. She rarely spent time in the common room or in the Great Hall. When Ron was there, she wasn’t.
“That means we have to talk Ron into getting to her. But he’s going to need some real help. We all know Ron’s not the romantic type,” Harry stated. He looked up at the clock, realizing it was almost time for his next class. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll see if I can talk to Ron.”
Harry entered the Transfiguration classroom and looked around. He spotted the flaming orange hair of Ron on one side of the room, and Hermione’s bushy brown hair on the other. Class was about to start and he needed to choose a seat before Professor McGonagall came in. He plopped down onto the seat in the center of the room next to Neville.
He felt sympathy for Neville. Sometimes he wondered how it would feel to be Neville. After all, his parents were both still alive, though not very well. He had an overprotective grandmother, whom Harry would surely trade the Dursleys in for. But he didn’t have many friends, or the fame that Harry had since he was a baby. He was just Neville.
The Transfiguration class was basically notes on a theory so there wasn’t much wand waving to do. Harry was happy that he was able to catch up to Ron as he left the classroom. At the same moment, he saw Hermione quickly get away and Ron’s eyes lingered on the path she took. It was awhile before he noticed Harry standing next to him.
“Harry, I didn’t see you there!” Ron said, startled.
“Yeah, I didn’t think you would,” Harry said simply.
“So you noticed,” Ron said quietly.
Harry just looked at him, not knowing what to say.
“I want to talk to her,” Ron said abruptly. “But it’s not like I have the nerve to do it. And she doesn’t even look at me. It’s like I don’t even exist to her!”
Harry could sense how much Ron wanted to be with Hermione.
“Ron, you can’t just stand here and watch her pass you by. You’ve got to do something!” Harry didn’t mean to say it so loudly, but he wanted to be sure Ron understood him.
“You’re right but I don’t know how.” Ron sighed.
“We’ll work something out.” Harry gave him a reassuring look as they headed off to lunch.
Just like everyday for the past couple months, as Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall, Hermione was on the verge of leaving. Ron looked down as she brushed past them.
“Ron! Over here!” called out an annoying voice. Harry looked at the Gryffindor table and saw Lavender waving her hand high up in the air. There was a little second year scrambling to get up off the floor and it looked as if she had just pushed him off his seat.
Ron groaned as he walked off to see Lavender. Harry trailed him, hoping he wouldn’t actually sit by her.
“Ronald, I’ve gotten you a seat,” she said sweetly.
“There doesn’t seem to be room for two. I don’t want to leave Harry out,” said Ron, trying to get out of it.
“Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got it all covered. You there, get out of that seat!”
The little second year’s friend’s eyes grew wide with fear as he hurriedly got up.
“No, no. It’s okay. You can stay there and tell your friend to come back,” Ron told him. “We’ll find some where else to sit.”
Harry and Ron turned and walked away while Lavender called out, “You’ll sit with me tomorrow, won’t you? I’ll find a seat for Harry, too.”
They found themselves other seats and Ginny arrived the moment they sat down.
“So?” she started.
“Huh?” Harry had forgotten what his task was. Harry glanced around, saw Ron and remembered. “Oh, right. Well, he’s agreed to try but we have no clue how yet.’
Ron was now staring blankly into space. Ginny waved her hand in front of his face but he did not stir. “Ron!”
He blinked and looked around.
“Now that you’re back, we need to talk to you,” Ginny told him. “If you still cared you’d have done something by now.”
“But I do care,” Ron stated.
“Then do something.”
“I’ve tried,” Ron claimed. “Hermione won’t listen. She won’t even look my way.”
Harry butted into the conversation. “Ginny, it won’t help telling him off. We have to help. You haven’t seen Hermione in class. She’s changed her ways.”
“So, we know that Hermione eats lunch very early and very fast. She’s always off to class or the library,” said Ginny.
“We need to slow her down and make her come to the Great Hall after Ron’s here. I can take care of that,” Harry said. “I’ll cause a distraction or something.”
“Oh you get all the fun,” Ginny said with a laugh.
“What do I do?” Ron felt left out of his own plan to speak to Hermione again.
“All you have to do is get to lunch before Harry comes in with Hermione.”
Harry remembered something. “And get rid of Lavender.” Harry had a feeling there would be some trouble with that part.
Only In My Dreams by Ice Cream Eater
Chapter Notes: I've worked really hard bringing this chapter to life. It's not like the others so I hope you all enjoy!