Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers

Chapter 5 Dule

It was so good seeing Cormac, it really was, but I could not help but feel somewhat guilty after a month. When I noticed Ron was a bit jealous, I had decided to pay more attention to Cormac than I normally would when Ron was around. I know I was supposed to not let Ron get to me, but I couldn't help it. So Monday before Potions, I tried to explain to Cormac what I was doing, because I didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

"See, listen. I…" I began upon entering the Great Hall that morning with Cormac.

He had put one of his hands in front of face, clearly wanting me to stop talking. He never turned my way to answer. His and Ron's eyes were glued to each other like they were mortal enemies.

"How long have they been here?" Cormac asked me in a hushed voice.

This had been the first time Cormac had mentioned the three since his first day here. I really hoped he hadn't brought it up because Ron was looking my way.

"A year I think. Why?" I asked politely as I could.

I didn't feel like talking about them, especially Ron. If he truly didn't want to be friends, I wished he act like didn't, because he was confusing me.

"I don't know," Cormac shrugged, sounding honest. "There's just something about them."

I took his word for it and nothing more was mentioned on the subject for the rest of the day. It wasn't until going to bed that night that I realized Cormac had managed to get me to stop thinking about telling him what I wanted to tell him.

xxx

I was on my way to the library to meet Lavender, Angelina, Fleur, and Luna to get some homework done. As I turned the corner where the library entrance was, Ron was walking towards me. I decided that I was just going to ignore him. I walked passed him without saying a word. This made me feel very strong-willed.

"Hermione," Ron called.

I stopped walking, but didn't turn to him at once. Cormac was not around, so of course he was going to talk to me. I took a deep breath and faced him.

"Ron," I said, trying to copy his tone, but failing.

"How…how are you?" he asked me.

How was I? Was this some kind of joke? I could say hi to him, but he could say hi to me? He was such a hypercritic!

"Me? I'm doing great," I said, hoping he'd understand the meaning I was getting at.

Ron opened his mouth, but someone interrupted him from doing so.

"Hermione," a voice yelled.

Before I could turn around to see who it was, that person took me by the shoulders and twisted me around. It was Cormac.

"Cormac, what…" I began but couldn't finish as he pulled me behind him.

"Get away from him," Cormac said.

Had he gone mental? I rolled my eyes and stepped around him.

"Honestly, we were just talking," I told him.

The two then gasped and stepped back. It was like they had both realized something at the same time.

"Impossible," they said in unison.

I stood in between them because they looked like they were going to come at each other at any second. They didn't like this, but I never moved.

"You… me in the Room of Requirement at midnight," Ron said.

"I'll be there," Cormac told him.

Ron walked off angrily. Cormac didn't let his eyes off Ron until he turned the corner. He looked a little shocked when he saw the anger in my eyes.

"Have you gone completely mental?" I asked, making my voice as loud as I could possibly make it.

"Just… be careful around him… and his family," Cormac said.

He then too walked way and turned the corner. With about a million questions in my head, a walked into the library

xxx

Later on that night in the Gryffindor common room, I paced nervously in front of the fireplace. Lavender was glancing up at me from the book she was reading. She hadn't seemed too be worried about any of this after I told her.

"I can't believe they're doing this," I said, more to myself than Lavender.

Lavender gave a frustrated sigh and shut the book.

"Oh, come on, Hermione. You should be happy two men are fighting over you," she said, obviously wishing this was happening to her than me.

"They're both barmy," I said furiously.

And then I decided what needed to be done. Lavender looked at me curiously as I headed for the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm going to stop them before they get hurt," I told her, not bothering to look back at her.

"Hermione," Lavender called.

But I did not listen. There was no stopping me when I was determined. Thankfully, I saw Cormac and followed him, hoping he would not turn around turn around and see me. Ron hadn't returned to the common room after dinner. I was surprised Cormac even knew where he was going. We were soon the seventh floor. He passed a spot opposite a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance ballet three times.

"I need a place where no one can find me. I need a place where no one can find me. I need a place where no one can find me," he whispered.

I could barely what he had said. A door then appeared from the wall and he entered it. After a few moments, I did the same.

"I need a place where no one can find me. I need a place where no one can find me. I need a place where no one can find me," I repeated Cormac's words.

I walked in just as the two were raising their wands.

"Stop it," I yelled.

They looked at me in complete shock. Their wands were still putted at each other.

"Hermione, how did you get in here? You need to leave," Cormac told me.

"And let you two kill each other?" I asked with a laugh, though this scene was far from humorous. "I don't think so."

They lowered their wands, realizing that I wasn't going to be going anywhere soon. A smile threatened to escape seeing how I had affected them.

"Thank you. Do you know how stupid you two are being?" I asked heatedly as I crossed my arms.

"You don't understand," Ron said, looking as if he had wanted to say that for quite some time now.

"Oh, I think I do," I said, trying to sound convincing because I truly didn't know what this was all about.

"You do?" they both asked.

My brain quickly tried to find a logical explanation for this situation.

"Yes, I do," I nodded after finding a fairly simple reason. "This is about proving yourselves to each other. And it needs to stop. Please, it's not worth it."

They looked at me guiltily as if I had been right, but something told me otherwise. As we left, Cormac wasn't too thrilled with the idea of me leaving with Ron, but as Ron and I were in the same House, he had no choice but to except it. Feeling extremely thankful for not getting caught, Ron and I told each other goodnight and departed to our rightful dormitorys'.

xxx

I noticed Cormac stay behind after Defense Against the Dark Arts a couple of days later. Professor Lupin was really great. He was easily my favorite teacher here. His girlfriend, Tonks, though her name was Nymfordora, would join him some times. I was doing. She was a M, which means she can. The class always enjoyed it when she would change her nose into different ones of animals.

"Remus…" I heard Cormac as I headed out the classroom, and quickly went behind the door to listen.

I was doing a very bad thing listening to their conversation, but I wanted to know what was going on with him and Ron. By the time I was able to hear properly, the main part of the conversation had all ready been discussed.

"Are you sure about that?" Professor Lupin asked.

"Well, I'm not one hundred percent positive," Cormac confessed.

I could have kicked myself for missing what Cormac had told Professor Lupin and Tonks.

"Then don't jump to conclusions," Tonks said in the most serious tone I had ever heard from her.

"Yeah, you're right," Cormac sighed.

I began walking away quickly so didn't look like I had been listening in.

AN:

None.