With Her
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger exchanged confused glances as their best friend disappeared under his Invisibility Cloak, a giddy grin upon his bespectacled face. Harry Potter was supposed to be getting a piece of crucial information from Professor Slughorn tonight. But after the dose of aged Luck Potion Harry had just swigged, Hermione was beginning to doubt that he would complete his task. "Do you think he's ok?" she asked the redhead beside her. Ron laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, and an electric jolt went through her at his touch. "Don't worry so much, 'Mione. He'll be fine." Hermione sighed. She knew Ron was probably right, but she was still worried for their friend. Not to mention her sanity. "Ron has a girlfriend," she told herself sternly. "You shouldn't be feeling all tingly inside just because he touched your arm." But inside, she knew she couldn't help it. Tucking a strand of bushy brown hair behind her ear, she headed for the dormitory door, Ron still at her side.
Hermione couldn't know that Ron had felt the electricity as well. He quickly pulled his hand away from her arm, mentally shaking himself. "Lavender, you're going out with Lavender," he reminded himself. "But I wish I wasn't!" The thought came unbidden into his brain, but he pushed it away as he and Hermione exited the boys' dorm, following the invisible, potion-drunk Harry down the stone staircase to the common room. They were about halfway down the stairs when a high, shrill, girlish voice began to shout. *"What were you doing up there with her?" yelled Lavender Brown furiously. "Oh, crap," was Ron's reply, as he realized how this must look. Harry was under the cloak, so all that Lavender would've seen was her boyfriend emerging from his empty dorm with Hermione Granger. In a daze of fear, Ron heard his girlfriend's shouts through muffled ears. Hermione, however, heard everything perfectly.
"I've been nothing but good to you, Ronald Weasley! I've been the perfect girlfriend. I listened to your problems, I respected you, I confided in you! And how do you repay me? By sneaking around behind my back! How could you?" Lavender raged. Hermione snorted, while Ron looked terrified. "I...I...Nothing happened! I swear!" But Lavender wasn't listening. She kept going on and on about him being a no good cheater. "I can't believe you," she raged. Ron cowered. "I thought we trusted each other, Won-Won! I thought you loved me! I mean, you took that necklace I gave you at Christmas! I thought that meant something to you? I guess I was wrong. You're worse than all of Slytherin House, you absolute arse!" Lavender was growing redder and redder as she screamed at Ron. For his part, Ron did try to stand up for himself, but every time he tried to explain that he and Hermione really hadn't been doing anything wrong, Lavender shouted him down, calling him a liar and a cheat, and cursing like a Death Eater besides. Hermione had been standing there quietly the whole time, knowing she shouldn't get involved. This fight was none of her business. Then Lavender called Ron a filthy blood-traitor, and that was when Hermione lost it. No one talked to Ron like that. Who did this witch think she was? "You listened to him? You cared about him? Oh, don't make me laugh! He keeps trying to tell you, NOTHING HAPPENED. If you really loved him, you'd believe that. Ron and I are just friends, and besides, he's good, and honest, and loyal, and brave. He would never cheat on his girlfriend. I know him, and I know that's true. But you just won't listen, will you?" Hermione inhaled deeply, out of breath but feeling enormously satisfied to have put Lav-Lav in her place at last.
Already scarlet-faced, Lavender now turned positively purple. "You stay out of this, you frizzy-haired, know-it-all, boyfriend-stealing Mudblood!" At this, Ron came out of his trance. "That is it!" he said in a low, furious voice. "Hermione is my friend, and I will NOT let you talk about her like that. She never did anything to you. Nothing happened between us, as she already tried to tell you. She's a wonderful person and a true friend, and I should have realized sooner how much I miss her. I won't sacrifice her friendship for the likes of you any longer. So yell at me all you want, but leave Hermione ALONE." Hermione, who was flattered that he'd stood up for her, blushed and said, "Oh, Ron!" If possible, Lavender's face took on an even darker shade of puce. "You're DEFENDING her? She's been trying to steal you away from me since day one! Well, it's obvious how you feel about her. I would say it's either her or me, but I already know who you're going to choose." She addressed Hermione. "I hope you're happy. You have what you want. It's over!" The last sentence she directed at Ron, who looked relieved. "For the record, Lav-Lav," said Ron scathingly, "You were a terrible girlfriend. I'd rather be with Hermione any day. You can have this back, by the way; it's hideous." And at her feet, he tossed the golden "My Sweetheart" necklace she'd gifted him for Christmas. Lavender gave one last indignant screech, and then stormed away in the direction of the girls' dorms, tears of anger running down her bright red, puffy face.
Meanwhile, Hermione and Ron were still standing awkwardly by the staircase, faces flushed, eyes downcast. Hermione took a deep breath before meeting his gaze and asking, "Did you really mean all that stuff you said about me?" Ron gave her a small smile. "Of course I did. You're amazing, Hermione. You're one of my best friends, and I'd rather spend time with you than Lavender any day. Besides, she was starting to get annoying. I was going to ditch her anyway." Hermione rolled her eyes, but she was smiling, too. "I've missed you, Ronald Weasley", she said softly. "Hey, we've got some time to kill before Harry gets back. What do you say we tackle that Potions essay together?" Ron's smile grew, and he replied, "Just like the good old days. I've missed copying your homework, 'Mione." Hermione laughed, and pulled him forward into a quick hug. Then they broke apart, and Ron picked up her heavy schoolbag for her. "Right, then," said Ron, as together they started for the common room. "It's a date."
A/N: I always wondered what happened between Ron, Hermione, and Lavender after Harry left to try and get Slughorn's memory in HBP. This is my interpretation. I hope you enjoyed it! :D
(*)- Quote from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince