Author's Note: I do not own any of these characters! They are all owned by Ms. JK Rowling.

Chapter One: The Fight.

"The next time you decide that you want me to do your potions essay for you, Ronald, maybe you should also make the decision to actually ask nicely for once, instead of automatically assuming I'm going to do it for you, no matter how you ask."

Hermione Granger stormed out of the Gryffindor common room, leaving behind a baffled Ron Weasley. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to ask when she expected to be finished with his potions essay. It had been assigned today. He hadn't even asked her formally, nor had he given any indication that he would. He had just assumed. She wasn't having it this time. No. No matter how in love she was with him, she was NOT going to be the one to do his homework for him. He needed to learn one way or another.

She sighed heavily as she fell onto her bed. She buried her face in her pillow as tears started to form in her eyes. She was in love with Ronald Weasley, and she couldn't tell whether or not he returned her feelings. She had given him so many opportunities to finally admit it, and he had dismissed every single one of them. Even after the whole incident with Lavender in the hospital wing, Ron was still not admitting to his true feelings. Well, if there were any true feelings. Maybe he really didn't love her back, and she was just delirious.

Hermione was sobbing so loudly that she didn't hear Ginny walk into the room. When Ginny saw her friend crying, she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to disturb her, but she also didn't want to have to fall asleep to the sound of Hermione crying. Hermione was a particularly loud crier. There was no way Ginny would be able to fall asleep to that.

Ginny decided to console Hermione. She didn't particularly care as to why Hermione was crying; she just really needed some sleep.

"Hermione?" Ginny said just loud enough for the crying girl to hear.

"Oh, Ginny." Hermione looked up, startled. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Hermione tried to force a smile, "I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in."

"It's okay! I kind of snuck in; I thought maybe you might be asleep. I guess I was wrong." Ginny smiled back, approaching her crying friend, "Why are you crying?"

Hermione didn't want to tell Ginny about her obvious infatuation with Ginny's brother, but she didn't know what else she could say she was crying about. She took a deep breath and looked at Ginny sincerely, "I don't know what to do about Ron."

"Ron?" Ginny asked, pretending to be surprised. She had known that Hermione had a thing for her brother ever since her first year at Hogwarts. There was no question that Hermione and Ron were meant for each other, but Ron was too thick to see that and Hermione was too stubborn to show him. "Why in Dumbledore's name would you be crying over Ron?"

"Because…" Hermione paused. She was really surprised that Ginny didn't know she was in love with Ron. She didn't know whether or not she should continue. Instead of answering, she avoided eye contact with Ginny, and looked down at her pillow once more.

"Oh." Ginny said, still pretending to be confused. "You have feelings for him?"

"More than that." Hermione mumbled into her pillow. Reluctantly, she pulled her head up, "I'm in love with Ron."

Ginny gasped, "Really, now? You're in love with my brother? That's quite a surprise. Tell me, how did that one happen?"

Hermione could hear the sarcasm in Ginny's voice. "So you knew all along?"

Ginny nodded. "I knew all along."

Hermione groaned. "So what do I do, Ginny? What do I do to make him see how much I love him? How do I make him want me?"

"You really want me to answer that?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded. "Well, you can't MAKE Ron do anything. It has to just come kind of naturally. But honestly, if you want to speed things up a little… you could always… you know, make him jealous."

"Jealous?" Hermione laughed. "How would I ever possibly be able to make Ronald Weasley jealous?"

"By flirting with other guys?" Ginny rolled her eyes at her older friends' cluelessness. Really, Hermione was the smartest witch of their generation, but sometimes she could be a bit of an idiot.

"Flirting with other guys, huh." Hermione repeated. Her mind started to wander. Who could she possibly flirt with to make Ron Weasley jealous? Sure there were a couple of obvious boys she could flirt with: Seamus, Dean, Neville. But Ron would never actually believe that Hermione would ever go for any of the obvious choices. No, she was going to have to go hardcore with this. She was going to have to find out who Ron would find most repulsing for Hermione to flirt with.

"I'm going to bed now, Hermione." Ginny said from across the room, "Uh, hope you feel better and stuff."

"Thanks, Gin. Goodnight." Hermione said, laying her head back down on the pillow. She closed her eyes and went through all of the boys she knew at Hogwarts, trying to pick the best person to flirt with to make Ron jealous.

And then it hit her.

"Yes!" She yelped. It was perfect! She smiled to herself and allowed the dream world to consume her. Tomorrow, she would launch her plan. Tomorrow, she would begin her journey to winning Ron Weasley's heart.