"It's right good to have you back here, mate." Harry clapped Ron on the back and helped him carry his trunk up to the dormitory. The entire school had returned to Hogwarts at the end of the Christmas holiday, and the place was a madhouse of students, animals, professors and luggage.

"Believe me, even if you and Hermione hadn't been here waiting for me, I'd have been ready. Two solid weeks with Percy was unendurable!" Ron grinned as the two boys navigated the staircase to the room shared by the fifth-years. "It was nice to see Bill and Charlie again. What a ribbing they gave me, though, for not bringing Her… er… both of you with me for the holiday."

Harry smiled and looked around, verifying that Seamus, Dean and Neville were still downstairs. "Speaking of Hermione…"

Ron's eyes widened. His look conveyed a swirling mixture of curiosity and terror. "What about her?" he responded, trying to sound chipper.

"It's time you got off your arse and asked her out, that's what! Do you realise that, over the course of the two weeks you were gone, she didn't go a day without talking about you? And you're a bloody fool if you think it was me always bringing you up!"

Ron's ears went red. "What, you think she fancies me, do you? Why should I care about that?" His voice became unsteady.

Harry rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh, please. If you think I can't tell what you think about her after all this time, you're mad."

Ron sat heavily on his bed. "You think I've got a shot at her, then?" He sounded incredulous but his grin was enormous.

"Mate," Harry began, shaking his head, "she dumped an international Quidditch star. She passed up an opportunity to visit Bulgaria over the summer. Can you imagine her giving up such an educational opportunity for anything?"

While Ron marveled at this line of reasoning, Harry recalled the night in question. He and Hermione had been sitting up late in front of the common room fire. They'd snuck down to the kitchens to visit the elves and to nick some late night snack food.

While they were munching, Harry started asking pointed questions about how Hermione felt about Ron. Hermione blushed furiously throughout the interrogation, but Harry felt better for it afterwards. He'd been feeling some longing to repeat their misguided tryst from Christmas night. After his talk with Hermione, he realised just how foolish that would be. If any two people were right for each other, it was Hermione and Ron. That night, as he lay in bed, he vowed to spend some of his time guiding the two of them along the same path.

Ron's voice jarred him from his reverie. "You're right. Maybe I will give it a go. There is a Hogsmeade weekend coming up towards the end of the month…"

Harry just smiled knowingly at him.

~ * ~

That night, everyone in Gryffindor stayed up late, telling stories of what they'd done over the winter holiday and showing off presents that they'd brought back with them. Lavender insisted on trying out her new book, Health and Beauty Charms on all the other girls, even getting Hermione to sit still long enough for an instant and tasteful coat of lacquer on her toenails.

Harry was leery of sitting too close to Hermione, though it had nothing to do with her makeup. He'd developed some bad habits during the week following Christmas, and he figured that it would be easier to stop playing with Hermione's hair and finding excuses to touch her skin if he just stayed away from her, physically. To facilitate this, Harry maneuvered Ron into sitting with Hermione on the sofa by sitting in the only other available seat, next to Ginny.

Ginny beamed at him when he joined her, and he smiled back at her. Ron, blushing rather more than was really called for, sat with Hermione, but so tight against the arm of the sofa that there was a full foot of space between them. Harry looked over at Ginny again, glanced meaningfully at Ron and Hermione, and then winked at her. She giggled in response, and Harry realised that, in Ginny, he might find a willing assistant in his plot to create a couple.

"So, are you well and truly tired of Percy as well, Ginny?" Harry began the conversation.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I never saw Percy. Ever since Penelope graduated last year, the two of them have been inseparable. If he didn't think that Mum would disown him for adultery, they'd have a flat together instead of his living at home still!"

"Ron made it sound like Percy was nothing but trouble," said Hermione, giving Ron a sidelong glance. Ron sat mute and refused to make eye contact.

"Really?" Ginny looked over at Ron. "I'd have figured that you'd have been more sick of Fred and George than of Percy. Even Bill and Charlie were more of a bother than Percy."

Harry could see where this line of teasing was leading, and while it would bring the subject of Ron's feelings for Hermione right out into the open, he didn't think that it would make things any easier for Ron. "Maybe Percy just has to boss somebody around, and you know that Fred and George don't listen to him, and you're his 'sweet little baby sister', Ginny."

Ginny made a face at Harry. "'Baby sister.' You have no idea how tired I am of that particular appellation."

"But you're so sweet, and innocent, and in need of protection," Harry returned. He was surprised at just how much fun he was having, teasing Ginny. She hit him with a sofa cushion.

"Yeah, Ginny," Ron continued, seeming to have gained back the use of his voice. "Remember your first year here? Percy did nothing but tell Fred and George off for bothering you. That same year, he did nothing but yell at me. Even took five points off of Gryffindor because of me! His own brother!" Harry smiled, remembering being caught exiting Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where they'd brewed the Polyjuice potion.

Hermione came to Percy's defense. "He was only following the rules. And you know how Percy is about the rules."

"Not unlike somebody else we know," Ron said, unable to avoid the temptation of an opening against Hermione.

"Honestly, Ron! I've broken plenty of rules!" Her face went red, and while some might have thought that it was anger, Harry suspected that Hermione was recalling a whole passel of rules that the two of them had broken, together, over the holiday.

"Yes, I suppose that's true," said Ron, leaning back in his seat. Harry was baffled by Ron's sudden acquiescence, and Hermione looked nonplussed as well; it was completely out of character for Ron. Then Harry noticed that when Hermione had turned to yell at Ron, their knees had come together and were in fact still touching. Harry shared another knowing glance with Ginny, who was stifling a fit of the giggles so large it very nearly made her choke.

~ * ~

Shortly after midnight, Harry decided he was ready for bed. He knew he wasn't alone, as Ginny kept yawning enormously. Ron and Harry made for the boy's dormitory while Hermione and Ginny stumbled sleepily towards their own. At the last minute, Harry turned and headed back. Hearing a querulous sound from Ron, he announced that he had forgotten something. He hurried to catch up with the girls.

Harry called after Ginny, who turned in some confusion to face him. Hermione stopped as well, wondering what was going on. Harry waved Hermione on to bed, but spoke quietly to Ginny.

"Uh, Ginny, I wanted to ask you a favor." Ginny wore a baffled expression, but prompted Harry to continue. Harry made sure that Hermione was out of earshot before he continued. "I've decided to try and help Ron and Hermione get together. I think, from your reaction to their behavior this evening, that you and I are on the same page."

Ginny smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm pretty sure they're just perfect together, bickering and all," she whispered.

"Okay, then the first thing I need you to do, well, it's going to be difficult. We've got to stop teasing Ron so much. He'll never get over his jitters if he's always being teased."

Ginny's eyes widened, and she bit her lip. Harry thought he saw recognition of what he was saying in her face. "Oh! Of course! I feel so foolish now. I'll try to behave myself." Her smile returned.

Harry smiled back and was about to turn back to his own dormitory when he thought of something else; something that would help Ron. "Ginny, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me? There's a visit planned for the end of the month."

Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She closed it, and nodded.

"Great! That'll make it a date for Ron and Hermione, when Ron asks her to go with him, and I'm 'already busy.'" Harry watched as Ginny's face clouded over.

"Oh." Ginny's voice was flat "I understand. Yes, that will make it special for them, won't it?" She turned and started back up to the dormitory. "I'll see you later, Harry."

Harry, a little confused by her abrupt departure, went up to his own room. Ron was waiting up, and gave Harry a searching look when he arrived.

"What on earth did you need to talk to Ginny about?" he asked, some of his concern for his little sister showing through his curiosity.

"Oh, I…well, I asked her to go to Hogsmeade with me, at the end of the month."

Ron's face went very red. "Have you got designs on my little sister, Potter?"

Harry's eyes got very wide. "What? No! I asked her so that when you ask Hermione out it'll just be you two. You can legitimately say that I've got other plans."

Ron thought about that for a few seconds and then asked, "Does she know why you asked her along?"

"No, of course not," Harry replied, trying his best to sound sincere. He was sure that Ron was in the dark as to just how obvious he was about his feelings for Hermione. It must have been good enough, as Ron let him off the hook. The boys changed into their pajamas and climbed into their beds, and fell asleep quickly to the lullaby of Neville's snores.