A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. This is a story for the House Competition. This is a slight au where Lavender Brown is a Gryffindor.
House: Ravenclaw
Year 4
Category: Standard
Prompt: [Speech] "I'm sorry, I didn't make myself clear - I'm not asking."
Word Count: 856
It was widely known that by your sixth year in Hogwarts, you must pick a path to go into in life. The wise decision was to try and get into the Ministry of Magic and pursue a career in Auror or Secretary.
Hermione was in the process of picking her path in life, and she was in her third year at the school for magic people. She was having a hard time picking between a Historian and Secretary of the Minister.
"What are you doing? Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about this?" a boy with a mop of black hair on his head said.
"Absolutely not, it is never too early to think about the rest of your life. I'm surprised that the entire Ravenclaw house isn't here, considering they're supposed to be the wisest house at Hogwarts," Hermione sighed, putting down two papers, each representing one of her career paths, "Which do you think I should do?"
"I think you should put down the papers and come party with us, we just won the Quidditch match against Slytherin." he pushed her papers down.
"No, I'm fine, you go on without me," Hermione held the papers back up and studied them.
"I'm sorry, I didn't make myself clear - I'm not asking," Harry said, pulling the papers from her hand and putting them down, grabbing her hand and taking her to the Gryffindor common room.
"Harry! Ugh, fine, I'll go to your party. But immediately after, I'm going back and deciding on a job!" Hermione was being dragged along through the winding halls of Hogwarts.
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They arrived in the Gryffindor Common Room and walked in, scanning the crowd. Music was playing loudly, people were standing everywhere, talking, singing, and cheering on Harry and the rest of the team.
They found Ron sitting on the couch by the fireplace, talking to someone, "Wait, let's let him talk for a bit," Harry said, leading Hermione to a table that had been filled with food.
After they were sure the girl wasn't coming back, Harry and Hermione sat down next to Ron.
"Who was that?" Harry said, grinning at this best friend.
Ron turned red and turned away, "No one," he turned back, not making eye contact.
"You know Ron, it's not very wise to keep secrets from us. We will find out one way or another," Hermione chimed in, joining Harry in making Ron suffer this way.
"Ugh, fine," Ron looked up at them, "Her name is Lavender, Lavender Brown."
"Oh? I haven't seen her around, is she new?" Harry grinned, ready to bother Ron a bit more in a bit.
"No, she's been here the whole time we've been, she just prefers to stay out of the limelight," Ron said, smiling, "She's really nice though, I've never met anyone like her."
Hermione had gone silent at this point, the wheels in her head turning as she slowly realized who he was talking about, "Oh! Ron, I know who this is, there are a lot of stories from guys that have dated her saying that she is a control freak, clingy, and that if you leave her she weeps for days and tries everything to get you back."
"Well, I don't believe a single one of them."
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A few days later, Hermione and Harry were walking out of their Potions class to find Ron and Lavender sitting in the stairway.
"Hey guys!" Ron called out to them, then turned to Lavender, "I don't think I've introduced you to my friends Lavy,"
"What's up?" Harry walked towards them, dragging Hermione along, metaphorically this time.
"I wanted to introduce you to Lavender," he gestured to his companion, who was grasping his arm like it was her own wand.
"Hello, I'm Harry," he waved, nudging Hermione to say something.
Hermione stepped quietly out from behind Harry, "Hello."
"Won Won, who is that girl? Why do you talk to her?" Lavender looked up at him with gigantic eyes.
"Well, she's my friend, and friends talk," Ron laughed, "I mean, what kind of friends don't talk to each other?"
"I don't want you to talk to her, she makes me think you don't wuv me," she tugged at his shirt, "You wuv me, don't you?"
"Of course I do, but I can't stop talking to my friend!" Ron looked down at her, giving her a comforting smile.
"No you don't! You love her more!" Lavender pushed away and pouted, trying to guilt him.
Ron stood, glaring at her, "You really think I would abandon my friends for you? Well, you're wrong," he walked over to them and grinned.
"Woah," Hermione looked at Ron with a new light.
"What?" Ron was still as dopey as ever.
"That was a very wise choice you made, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore had seemed to magically appear behind him.
Ron turned around, startled by the voice, "I-it was?"
"Yes, I would not have been able to do what you did," Dumbledore smiled, patting him on the shoulder.
"Time to go to class, guys! Thank you Professor!" Hermione hurried them away for their next class.