Hermione Granger threw herself onto the couch in the Gryffindor common room with an angry hmph,crossing her arms over her chest. The atmosphere was cheerful and warm, her fellow Gryffindors were laughing and celebrating their upcoming Christmas vacation, but none of this could touch upon her bitter mood. Once again, Ron Weasley, her former best friend, had built up a rage in her that could be his work alone. Noticing her distress, Ginny plopped down next to Hermione and gave her a reassuring hug.

"What has the filthy hypocrite done this time?" Ginny asked, leaning back into the soft cushions.

"I can't take it anymore," Hermione grumbled. "That git is going to be the death of me!" She buried her face in her hands.

"Don't be so down," soothed the youngest Weasley. "Lavender will be sick of her precious 'Won-Won' soon enough. He'll be back to his old, obnoxious self in no time at all."

"Yeah," agreed Hermione darkly. "I'll be waiting with my club."

Ginny smiled ruefully. "Well, there's nothing you can do until then. Just try and pretend it doesn't bother you."

"But it does bother me, Ginny!" said Hermione desperately. "Are–"

She was cut off by the approaching Harry Potter, returning from a meeting with the Hogwarts headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.

"Is something the matter?" he inquired, taking the chair next to the couch and looking at Hermione expectantly.

"Oh, no, no," she said in what she hoped was a dismissive tone, standing up. "I have an Ancient Runes exam tomorrow, so I really should get studying…"

"If you and Ginny wanted to talk, I can leave," he said with a glance at Ginny a bit too long and meaningful to be purely friendship-based. But she was looking worriedly at Hermione and paid him no attention. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"No, it's fine," she promised. "I really should be reviewing."

"Go if you must, but you've never let a teacher down in your life," Harry said skeptically.

Hermione smiled warmly at her two friends and went off to her dormitory to study for her non-existent test.

The following day, Hermione sat with Harry at lunch, her mind only half on their conversation. She pushed her food around with her fork, but was too preoccupied to eat. It was awhile before she noticed Harry attempting to gain her attention.

"Hermione," he said insistently.

"What?" she answered as she stabbed a green bean with her fork.

"Look, I know that you and Ron can work it out if you just–"

"No."

"But if you knew–" Harry began again.

"No."

"He's only doing this because–"

"Listen," Hermione said heatedly. "I'm no idiot. He's doing this because he's jealous of Viktor. That was two years ago!" She stabbed another green bean with her fork and continued. "What does he have to be jealous of? 'Won-Won' is the one who can't get enough of his beautiful Lavender Brown. If it's what he wants, who am I to argue? If he wants to be like that–" she looked pointedly at Ron, who had Lavender perched happily on his lap "–then who am I to dissolve his undying love?" Rolling her eyes emphatically, she got up and stalked out of the hall, leaving Harry speechlessly looking at her back.

Hermione didn't know where to go. Back into the Great Hall wasn't an option, though she didn't particularly feel like going to the common room, either. Resigned, she went to the place that was her solace, the library.

She sat down at her usual table. Taking out her Arithmancy homework, she tried to get started on it, but to no avail. There were more pressing matters on her mind at the moment and there was no way she would be able to concentrate on her schoolwork. What am I going to do? thought Hermione sullenly. She laid her head down on her arms and tried to clear her head.

It wasn't until Ginny slid into the seat across from her with a mischievous smile on her face that she realized lunch had ended. Hermione was thankful that she didn't have a class directly following lunch, but thought it was her duty as a prefect to warn her friend to get to class. Ginny waved off Hermione's concerns.

"Don't worry about me. Listen, I have a plan, but I can't tell you right now. There's no time. Tomorrow's Hogsmeade, right?"

"Yes…?" said Hermione slowly.

Ginny's eyes were sparkling with excitement. "Great. Find me before we leave and I'll tell you everything at The Three Broomsticks. Well, gotta go. Bye!"

Before Hermione could draw breath to comment, she flitted out of the library and went to her next class, red hair billowing behind her. For the first time in a long time, she was feeling hopeful. Whatever Ginny had planned, it was going to be interesting, that much was clear. Concentration restored, she completed her Arithmancy homework before going off to her next class in high spirits.