Intervention

When love comes to mind, will you choose comfort or passion? Ron x Hermione x Draco Triangle

I know I never seem to finish any of my chaptered stories, but here I am having a try at a HP one. I'm just experimenting for the moment, so if you find me lacking in updating and wish me to continue, just egg me on. Well, this idea came after a nap, and I hope I'll be able to pass 5 chapters before school starts, because I rarely update during school. So, here it is, and enjoy!

Note: The italics in the beginning signal Hermione's point of view.

I have proven to be strong before. I've been in the face of the dangerous and the malicious countless times, and with the help of those close to me, I've conquered time after time. And I've been told I was the smartest witch in my generation. God knows how many students in the world and time can compare to my academic standards. I mean, I by no means, is trying to brag, but I can tackle the hardest tests and quizzes, read a 1000+ textbook in the means of two days, and whatever potion or spell or charm I'm demanded to conjure, I can do it on the spot, believe me.

But now I feel disoriented, powerless and aimless. I cannot believe I let myself become this.. this tenacious and manipulable. And to think, I thought the time I'd be in this state would be after some life defying crisis, like my parents' death. But what disappoints me the most is that I am at the hands of two boys, not men because they can be so immature at times that I am shocked to see even a pint of manliness in them. But these two boys managed to have me on my knees. And how? Something called love. And funny, because love is like a foreign concept to me. I could read a billion texts books on love all my love and not know a thing about it, because I am told that it has to be felt to be known. Now, I'm not talking about that almost automatic love you give to a friend or a relative, but this is the real deal, this is the over the moon, head over heels, blissfully in love that I've heard a great deal about. And seeing as how I cannot obtain such knowledge by the means of words and pages, I decided that I'd have to tackle it head on. Big mistake, if you ask me.

Let me move back a bit, tell you how this all began. My guess would be around the beginning of my seventh year at Hogwarts. In the past few years here at Hogwarts, I've grown a tremendous amount. I've learned things that cannot be learned at any other place and time. This is my new home, and seeing as how this was my last year here, I was prepared for the worst this year. The beginning of the end, to put my feelings into general terms. But when I say prepared, I mean academically of course. This is the year that'll define my future. But I wasn't prepared for this. And this problem took course on my whole year, for Merlin's sake. And to think, it was one of my closest friends who ignited this...

"Love?"

Hermione looked up from her book and stared at Ginny, her brows raised and her eyes wide. Ginny, on the other hand, stared blankly out the window of their train car, her head in her hands. She sighed, absent-mindedly.

"Yes, Hermione. I mean, haven't you ever given it a thought? Just think about it! All those flowers and treats and - oh, all those kisses!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she focused on her book, flipping the pages to where she previously was. "Really, Ginny," she began. "Firstly, I don't think your brother would like to hear these things coming from your mouth, and secondly, where on earth caused you to think of these things at such a tender age?"

Ginny stared at Hermione, giving her some sort of a snort in disbelief. "I'm not a child, Hermione. And you don't have to be a certain age to love, it's for everybody! God, you must be rusty when it comes to this stuff, considering the way you're talking!" Hermione finally closed her book and placed it aside.

"I mean," Ginny continued. "You must've thought about this stuff, some point in time! It's what a girl does! Don't you ever wonder how it feels to be catered to all the time? Don't you ever imagine how it feels to have someone want to be with you at every minute of the day? Don't you just wish you were loved?"

Before Hermione could answer, Ginny shot her arms in the air and stretched to the sky. "I mean," she began. "I've never been in love. But i have hope in love, you know? I have faith. And I can just tell that it's fantastic. I can just smell it in the air. Love is in the air, Hermione!"

"And it's quite suffocating, if you ask me."

"Well, I didn't ask. But seriously, I, myself, can only dream!" Ginny sighed. "Oh, I wonder if Ron or Percy's in love. It must feel fantastic."

Hermione tisked at Ginny, folding her hands in her lap. "Honestly," she sighed. "I think love is for the weak. For those who cannot manage on their own and for those who are too fickle, too reliant, too fragile! I mean, come on, Ginny, you don't want to end up like one of those girls too sucked into this idea of love to handle the real things in life!"

"Don't talk as though you know, Hermione!" Ginny snapped, quite suddenly. "Do you have any evidence to back that up? Any first-hand experience? Have you ever been in love?"

Hermione looked at Ginny, her face was washed over with shock. Ginny has never raised her voice to her, and what surprised her ever more was how defencive she was being. Hermione felt a pang of guilt, realizing that maybe she had pulled some personal stings a bit too harshly. Then she began to process Ginny's words, realizing the corner she was up against. It was true, Hermione has never been in love to say such things, but did you really need to? Was love that complex?

Hermione looked down at her lap, defeatedly. "No," she said. "I guess you're right. But I, by all means, have no intention of being in love any time soon. Maybe when I'm 40."

Ginny groaned. "40!" she cried. "You really are out of it, Hermione! How can you postpone one of the most magical things in life?"

"What could be more magical that charms class," Hermione joked, but the look on Ginny's face immediately made her wish she hadn't said anything at all.

"Love is the best feeling in the world, Hermione!" she argued. "It's better than a hot mug of Butterbeer after climbing the Swiss Alps, or even better than winning the Quidditch Cup for your house! Love is what'll save this world, Hermione, I'm telling you! How can you be so passive about something as magnificent as love? It's perfect!"

Hermione was a little taken back at this point, surprised at how passionate Ginny was being. All this talk of love made Hermione a bit uneasy. She didn't hate the thought of love, but wasn't all hearts and cupid about it either. She tolerated the thought. But with the way Ginny was speaking, maybe her idea on love was completely wrong.

"I don't know, Ginny," she said, fidgeting with the brim of her robes. "I just don't like the idea of having a guy to validate me."

"You're being ridiculous. You're fantastic, Hermione! You deserve to be treated like a princess! All girls do!"

"I have my parents to do that, thanks!"

"Oh, stop being so bland! Don't you want to get married?"

"Yes, but maybe later!"

Now it was Ginny's time to tisk at Hermione. "You're really missing out, I say. I recommend that you go out this instant and give it a try."

Hermione laughed. "You're joking!"

"I am not! I want you to tackle love in the face! Go for it! What's the harm? Are you scared?"

"No, I am not scared."

"Then go for the next person that comes through that door!"

"No, and that's final!"

"I'll curse you!"

"Oh please!"

"Then give it a try!"

"Give it a try? How can you expect me to fall in love with the next guy that comes in here?"

And as though her words were bewitched, the compartment door slid open. Hermione and Ginny turned to find a sinister, sliver-blonde haired boy leaning against the door frame, a smirk wide upon his face.

"Love? Honestly, Granger, what you really should be asking is how you expect anyone to fall in love with a bucktooth know-it-all like you? Really, now.."

Hermione's teeth gritted, and before she could bark back, Ginny beat her to it, standing quite suddenly, knocking the things on the seat next to her to the floor.

"Anyone can fall in love, disregarding the way you look, Malfoy!" she retorted. "And if that's how you think of love, about the way one looks, then I hope you find a nice pile of dog feces to fall in love with!"

The Draco Malfoy that remained cool and unruffled only moments before was now standing erect, glaring at Ginny, ready to snap at her.

"Shut up, you little nasty midget!" he snarled. "The only chance of anyone falling for you is if you went incest with your little nasty ferret family! Trash! Filth!"

"How dare you, you stupid imbecile! Why can't you just curl up into a corner and die, satisfy all of us?"

"Oh? And why would I do that, little girl?"

Suddenly, a tight grip formed on Draco's shoulder. "Because," said a heated, monotone voice from behind. "I'll have to dispose of you and that nasty, dirty mouth of yours, you stupid git!"

Draco smirked. "Now, really, Weasel?" he laughed. "And what harm could a ridiculous imbecile like you can do?"

Ron's eyes narrowed, as he backed the smiling Draco against the wall, his wand drawn and pointed straigh against Draco's throat. "I wouldn't test me, if I were you, Malfoy." he hissed.

"If you were me, Weasley, you wouldn't be wearing those poorhouse, 13th century robes, now, would you?"

"You dirty bas-"

"Stop!"

At this point, Hermione was out of her seat as well. Her face was flushed a deep scarlet, and her arms were crossed as well as her face. "Stop!" she demanded. "As Head Girl of Hogwarts, I will not tolerate this, nor will I let the head boy," her eyes darted at Draco, "be caught under such circumstances! Now this fight will disperse, is that clear?"

Ron glared at Draco for a moment before backing away from him, his hand still locked around his wand firmly, while Ginny inched back towards her seat, bending over to pick up her fallen things before sitting back in her seat. Draco, however, smirked, running his fingers through his long hair.

"Oh, gracious, Granger! Coming to my aid, even against your fellow ferret friends? You're not so bad-" Draco made sure to add a sarcastic snort. "- for a mudblood, of course."

That was it, and now both Ron's and Ginny's wand was up against Draco's chest.

"Stop, stop! Come on, you'll be expelled!" Hermione insisted, prying to pull the three apart. Draco laughed.

"Yes, I am the Head Boy, after all. And this school can do a bit of cleaning up, wouldn't you say?"

Before Ron or Ginny could conjure up a nasty curse that would surely place Draco under hospital care, another hand interfered, moving the wands of Ron and Ginny out of the way before colliding a hard fist between Draco's cheekbone and nose.

"That ought to teach you, you insufferable git."

"Harry, no! Stop, now!"

Hermione dashed to where Draco collasped, where he was now clutching to his nose, blood seeping through his fingers. Draco had other ideas, knocking Hermione's helping hand out of the way before making a dash for the door. Upon leaving, Hermione sighed, turning to Harry, Ron and Ginny.

"Have you all gone mad?" she scolded. "Do you realize what this could mean!"

"A bad blood stain?"

"Ugh! No! You can all be expelled!"

Hermione ran her fingers through her large bush of hair, looking as though she were just about ready to pry it from her head.

"School hasn't even started! And it's out last year, for the love of all good and holy! Couldn't you just wait until we'd get onto school grounds!"

"Calm yourself before you get a hernia, Hermione."

"You are all so reckless! After all this time, I expected better!"

"Hermione-"

"Look at me! Now I'm all worked up. And your guesses why?"

"Look-"

"Just go back to your compartments and stay there, before someone else's future is jeopardised!"

"You're just scared," Ginny said, as a matter-of-factly. "You were to fall in love with the first person who walked into our compartment, and it was that sleaze, Malfoy."

Ron's face flushed a deep scarlet, paling his hair in comparison. "L-love? With Malfoy?" he choked. "With anyone?"

Hermione's eyes tore away from the window and darted at Ron. "Oh please! You're sounding just like Malfoy! I can love whomever I want to, mind you!" Her face grew a tint of pink as well, although her bushy hair seemed to hide it.

"Come on, you can't really expect that someone like Malfoy would fall for someone like you!" Ron retorted, biting his bottom lip nervously.

"How could you say such a thing! And is that a bit of praising of Malfoy I'm detecting?"

"No! I'm just saying if you were going to fall in love with someone, you might as well fall for someone who isn't your mortal enemy and someone who hasn't been trying to make a living hell out of your life for the past, oh, I don't know, six years!"

"Oh really? Want me to fall for someone who's easier? Like you!"

All conversation froze at that point, Ron's eyes gaping at Hermione before tearing them away and staring at how dirty his shoes were. Harry and Ginny also stood erect in their place, almost frozen in shock. Hermione, after a moment or two, finally processed what was said and her face finally grew that dark red color that seemed to match Ron's.

"Oh! I-I, um.." she stammered. "I, well, I didn't mean.."

"Oh, oh yeah." Ron choked. "I see what you mean, yeah.."

"I-I mean, come on, you? Haha, that's a laugh."

"Y-yeah. Of course. Yeah. Haha... ha.."

Harry and Ginny looked from Ron to Hermione, then back at each other before rolling their eyes in slight disbelief.

"So, um, I better go and, um, make my rounds?" Hermione stuttered, not daring to look at Ron once. "You know, around the compartments, making sure nothing bad happens.."

"Haha," Ron said, his voice cracking. "Y-yeah. Wouldn't want anything bad to happen. I'm gonna go, um, change into my robes."

"Oh, right."

"Yep."

Ron and Hermione stood for a moment, before colliding into eachother in the doorframe, trying to both leave at once.

"You go!" Hermione insisted.

"Oh, no, ladies first!" Ron said persistently.

"No, no, I insist!"

"No, I insist!"

"Come on, Ron, stop being annoying and get through the damn door!"

"How about you shut your trap and you get through the damn door!"

"How about you both get the hell out!" Harry and Ginny yelled in unison, both tired and agitated. And before Ron or Hermione could retort, with a swift shove, they were both out the door, both hesitant and flushed with embarassment.