This story is slightly AU and slightly OOC, but sticking to the basics of the Harry Potter story. I hope you'll enjoy as the story progresses as I don't wanna give away too much yet! I'd love to hear your comments :) Please review and there will be more!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it's all about J K Rowling!


Prologue: The Girlfriend

"Hermione! Did you hear? Ron has a girlfriend!" Hermione Granger looked up from where she sat. She was rested against a tall willow tree overlooking the deep body of the black Great Lake, several books scattered about her person. She had kicked off her sneakers, casually sat about in her denim shorts and white t-shirt, calmly revising for their next potions test, when she had been disturbed by a very frantic Lavender Brown. She had run wildly from the castle down to her dorm-mate, eager to spread the news. By the time she had reached Hermione her great dirty-blond hair hung in a tangled mess about her, swaying slightly as she panted wildly, "Didn't you hear me? He's with someone!" Hermione studied her over the top of Standard Book of Spells Grade Six, and her eyebrows knitted together in confusion,

"Lav, who?" She put down her book and leant forwards slightly, looking intrigued. It was hardly any secret amongst the women of Gryffindor Tower at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hermione Granger was infatuated with her best friend Ronald Bilius Weasley. His tall, slim but muscular frame infatuated her, and she longer to touch him. His ginger hair set her heart aflame and his sparkling crystal blue eyes captivated her senses, driving her wild. Yet, as a best friend, she had no place to do so. There was an awkward hug when tears were spilt, the odd cheek kiss in more formal situations, never anything more. She had had to sit back and listen as he had moaned at her about the girls he liked, how much he wanted any of them, how he would ensnare them. She had been honest, giving advice to make him happy, helping him along with his relationships. Though she hardly needed to, as she was in competition with almost all the other girls in Gryffindor, and even with some of the other houses, particularly the Slytherin's. Yet this was something new. She had had no idea that he was remotely interested in someone new, not a single clue had been given away. And now as Lavender had revealed this new information she sat startled, disbelieving of the news she had received.

"Do you really want to know who Hermione?" Lavenders breathing had regulated and she looked a little uneasy,

"Lavender, it really can't be any worse than when he was with Vicky Frobisher after she went for Keeper at the same time as him. That was horrendous with the whole Charms Club they had going on together." She pulled a sickened face, but shook herself as Lavender sat down next to her.

"'Hermione." She held her breath for a few seconds, then, "Romilda Vane." Hermione almost choked on the very air she was breathing.

"What!" She cried, eyes flaring wildly.

"Well she is the cheer captain for the Quidditch team; I guess it's a good match really." Lavender shrugged.

"No! She is the worst possibly person ever! Is he mad?" She looked practically hysterical, taking hold of her long bushy hair and ragging it about her head.

"Hermione!" Lavender took her arms and pulled her fingers apart, releasing her hair. Looking into her chocolate eyes Lavender tried to breathe a sense of calm into her friend.

"All those stupid short skirts and high heels, flicking her arse at him at any point she can. Silly cow!" She began gathering her books and various stationary, muttering all the while. Lavender sighed heavily. She had always been the one to break it to Hermione whenever Ron had gotten a new girlfriend as Parvati Patil and Ginny Weasley, their other roommates, refused to for fear of her anger. Before the news of her feelings had spread between the women, Hermione had never been particularly close to the three girls she had shared a room with for four year previous. Her studies had always come first, choosing the quiet library over the noisy gossip-filled dormitory. Yet as Lavender had become intimate with Ron, they had had to accept the company of each other as the best friend and the girlfriend. However, as Lavender became aware of her own feelings towards their ginger haired counterpart and realised how his closest friend felt, she had split with him, becoming closer to her, bringing Parvati and his sister Ginny along with her.

Now as they stood ready to make their way back towards the castle they walked side by side in silence, Lavender feeling the heat coming from her friend. It soon escalated beyond capacity as the very girl that had angered her so came running through the Entrance Courtyard in their direction, busily fixing her hair and applying makeup as she skipped along in her dagger-like heels. Hermione's face twisted into an unimaginable venomous glare as Romilda sailed past them, giving a small wink and a kiss in their direction. Hermione spun around, only to see Ron striding up behind them, arms outstretched as the girl jumped into them, kissing him ferociously. Hermione's stare bore into the back of her large curly hair, threatening to set it alight, the wand that stuck out of her back pocket began emitting sparks wildly. "Hey, hey! Hermione stop it!" Lavender began to pull her away from the oblivious couple, but she whipped out her wand regardless,

"Tarantallegra!" And she turned to walk away from them both. Lavender looked on to see both of their legs become wild, jerking around and out of control.

~x~x~x~

Ron sat relaxing in a large armchair the following Saturday night, Romilda curled up upon his knee. She held one hand to his chest and the other draped around his neck, whilst giving his small kisses to his cheek and neck. Harry Potter sat upon a couch next to them, desperately trying to ignore them and continue in his Defence Against the Dark Arts revision. He pushed his glasses a little closer to his emerald green eyes, hurriedly brushing his jet black hair from them. Flicking through the pages of Confronting the Faceless, he could barely remember what it was he was even searching for. "Harry?" Came a sweet voice, drifting over the Gryffindor Common Room from the stone staircase leading to the dormitories. He turned and peered over the back of the red and gold sofa to see Hermione stood at their base. "Are you revising? I couldn't concentrate upstairs with the others, can I come with you?" She was dressed in a small midnight blue kimono, trying to keep her large fluffy white slippers attached to her feet.

"How can," He answered her, smiling slightly, "Though as for concentrating," He nodded towards the two in the chair, "I'm not sure." Hermione's face twisted slightly, but she refused to show her anger in front of Ron. Instead she smiled devishly and came up behind him, covering his eyes with her tiny hands.

"Guess who?" Ron chuckled slightly, but Romilda scowled, threatening to slap her away.

"I heard you Hermione," Ron said smiling slightly, "Of course I know it's you." She released him and walked around the side, leaning against the fireplace. The dying embers behind her cast a gentle shadow over her soft pale face, allowing her hair to fall gracefully over her shoulders as she stared at an oblivious Ron, who had become more interested at Romilda loosening her shirt slightly and whispering in his ear. Hermione looked down to her feet and then went to sit on the side of Harry furthest from them. Harry saw her sudden mood change and put a hand to her arm. She looked at him gratefully and pulled him into a comfortable hug. Harry had always been a good friend to her, from the first moment they had met upon the Hogwarts Express departing from Platform Nine and Three Quarters. They had become close, along with Ron, the three of them as best friends, working through their years together. Yet as Harry had confessed his feelings for Ron's sister and they had come together, it had left Ron and Hermione to become even closer. Harry and Hermione had always been the more intimate of the friends, able to cuddle and comfort each other when needed, and able to confide in one another. Yet what had grown between Ron and Hermione was different, a more spoken based relationship. They had shared their musical interests, their hopes and dreams, laughed together and given words for strength and consolidation. To Hermione, Ron had always seen their relationship as purely platonic, and could never be anything more.

Yet now as Harry and Hermione sat cuddled up together, Ron lifted his head from his new girlfriend to look over at their embrace,

"Oi Harry! Don't forget my sister mate!" They pulled apart and he looked around at his friend, Hermione peering over his shoulder slightly.

"Aw, don't be silly mate; you know how much I love our other little sister 'Mione! She's allowed hugs too!" Hermione giggled at his comment,

"Does that make us Ronald and Hermione Potter or Harry and Hermione Weasley?" She gave Harry a small poke in his arm and he smiled wildly at her, noting how Ron reddened slightly. Suddenly, Romilda chipped in,

"Aww, Ronnie, I hadn't realised you were so close to Hermione." He nodded at her and she smiled slyly,

"Yeah, we've been good mates for year now haven't we 'Mione?" She gave a small shuddering nod in their direction, and he smiled, apparently happy at her agreement,

"Oh but older sister is much more than good friends Ronnie, it's a family bond! One that can never become anything but family," She sneered coldly from under Ron at Hermione, "How sweet." She said sickeningly. Hermione's eyes flashed with hurt and anger and she sat back in her seat glaring at the fire as it disintegrated. Harry looked uncomfortable in his seat, but reopened the book he previously been reading.

"Here look Hermione, help me study okay?" He tried to grin widely at her and she gave a weak smile in return, pulling the papers he had written on and stuffed inside the book. As she shuffled through them, in the top corner of one piece of parchment he had drawn himself as a stick-figure, being hung, several books around his feet.

"Er-, Harry?" She leant the scrap towards him, causing him to chuckle, and for her to do the same, "You really are an idiot at times." Cheeriness returning to her.

~x~x~x~

As Harry and Ron still sat later that night, the fire extinguished and the only light in the room from the few candles scattered about the room. Hermione lay asleep, her head tipped back over the arm of the couch, arms splayed out and legs draped over Harry's, as Romilda clung to Ron, arms and legs wrapped around his chest and waist, dozing peacefully. "Can I ask you something mate?" Harry queried quietly. Ron looked to him sleepily and nodded slightly, "Why Vane? What did you see in her?" Ron's eyes opened fully and turned to his friend,

"Harry, how can you ask that? She's gorgeous! Cheer captain, not overly thick, she's a laugh." Ron shrugged and leant his head back and closed his eyes. Harry sighed heavily then pulled Hermione close to him and scooping her into his arms. Her slender legs fit into the crook of his elbow, her arms and head flopping loosely. He took her arm closest to him put it around his neck and placed her head to his shoulder. As he stood Ron opened his eyes questioningly.

"If that's what you really want." Harry said flatly, and then walked around the couch and towards the stone staircase. He turned back towards the two shadowed figures, and Ron turned his head. "Don't stay up too late." Then he began up the stairs once more, intent on putting his friend to bed and returning to his own where undoubtedly his girlfriend would have slipped in and fallen asleep, wrapped in his sheets.


Japan's Arc Angel x