Confusion

Description: A conversation between Hermione and Ron after he breaks up with Lavender. Ron's POV. Some HBP spoilers. One-shot.

Disclaimer: Own Harry Potter I do not. (sorry can't get rid of the Yoda style!)

It was finally over. I cannot put into words how happy I was to see her go, even if it was in tears. And all the time, there was Hermione, sitting at a table writing something and acting like nothing was going on. I walked over to her and sat down at the table.

"I'm glad that's over," I said. People in the common room had finally stopped staring at me.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out between you two," she replied, her eyes still on the parchment and her quill still scratching away.

"I'm not. I never really liked her." Now I had her attention and she looked up at me. "Uh…I never asked you how Slughorn's party went," I said, trying to break the silence. She continued to stare at me and I didn't know how much longer I could hold before I lost control.

"It went well," she went back to her writing.

"So…McLaggen went with you, right?" I asked tentatively.

"Cormac? Yes."

"And…he was okay?"

She paused. "No. I didn't like him at all."

Now I had something to hold onto. I could feel something. Maybe it was hope. "Oh, why?" I tried to ask casually.

She snorted. "It was almost like he was attacking me. I was lucky to escape before it happened the second time."

So McLaggen was horrible at snogging. What wonderful news! But…he would pay. "I never liked him," I commented.

"Ron, you don't like half the people you meet."

"I like everyone!" I protested

"No you don't. Let's see…you don't like Snape…"

"He's a barmy bas…"

"and you don't like Michael Corner…"

"Yeah. There was something always wrong with that one!"

"nor do you care for Zacharias Smith…"

"You don't either! Everyone hates him!" I was losing. Badly.

"Who else? Oh yes…Viktor…"

"He kissed you!" I slipped. Ooops!

"What?"

"Well…didn't he?"

"And that's a reason for not liking him?"

"Yes, it bloody well is!"

She shook her head. "You're hopeless."

"No, I'm not!" I yelled.

"Ron…you're acting like a…"

"Let's see how many people you don't like!"

"This is ridiculous! I'm leaving," she said as she gathered her books.

I groaned. I had lost. Officially.

She stood near the stairs and looked at me. Finally, she set her books down and came over to me.

"You know who I don't like?"

"Who?" I muttered.

"Lavender."

"What? Why?" I was confused, but she had already gotten up and was walking back towards the stairs.

"Goodnight," she said and disappeared into the girls' dormitories.

She left me there, confused as ever. There was only one thing I knew for sure. Girls were very strange.