A/N: Thank you to all of the people who reviewed the last chapter! I must admit that it is much easier to write this story than my other two that are currently on here and the other two I am toying with along with my many other idea's. If anyone should wish to hear them, or adopt them then please tell me, it would help clear my very cluttered head! I also wouldn't mind working on a fanfiction with anyone if any of you have any ideas. Anyway back to this story this chapter will see Ron and Hermione break up. Now as for Ron's reaction, I have been writing him as an idiot but he won't be a git, who knows, he may even be insightful. Onwards…
Chapter 14- Get the ball rolling
Hermione woke with a start the next morning. For a few moments she couldn't remember why she had a seemingly unlimited supply of energy until she remembered her conversation with Knithsil from the night before.
Quietly she tended to her ablutions and crept into the common room. Luna Lovegood was an odd girl yet she and Hermione had become rather good friends, when Luna wasn't talking about 'Crumple Horned Snorkacks' or 'Blithering Humdingers' or something completely preposterous like that.
Due to their friendship the two girls generally knew where to find each other at certain times of the day. Heading out the portrait hole she walked around the many corridors until she stopped out side the portrait of 'Wendell the Weird' (who was currently balancing a bottle on his nose) and said quite clearly to it 'Spattergroit)'. The portrait opened up and revealed a small circular reading room and sure enough, in one of the chairs sat Luna Lovegood with her wand behind her ear for safe keeping. Silently Hermione made her way over to one of the chairs, picking up a book on the way, and sat down.
The two read in a comfortable silence before Luna spoke. "So what do you want to talk about Hermione?" When Luna first started doing this Hermione was surprised but it was just one of the things Luna could do, she had an uncanny knack of figuring people out.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat for a moment. "Well… how do you feel about Ron, and I won't be angry if you say you like him" she said quickly. Luna looked surprised for a moment (well more so than usual) before she answered.
"I am rather attracted to Ronald; I would probably have asked him out had he not been delusional about you." Luna said simply. Hermione was shocked for a moment.
"What do you mean delusional?" she asked confusedly.
"He is under the impression that you are in love with him. As long as he is under that impression he will not give anyone else a chance because he sub-consciously sees you as the one thing Harry never got and he did" Luna said with the maddening air as if she was explaining something to a five year old.
"I AM NOT SOME POSSESION AND IF HE FEELS THAT WAY THEN HE HAS ANOTHER THING COMING!" Hermione screamed. Luna as always remained calm.
"Well he doesn't, not really, he just thinks he finally bested Harry at something. Of course he won't be happy to find he is mistaken, he has sort of been a joke throughout some of the school, especially since Harry returned." This was a lot of information for Hermione to process but finally a question made its way to the surface.
"How did everyone know that I wasn't in love with Ron and am still in love with Harry?"
"It was just obvious, and Ginny saw your Defence Against the Dark Arts notes from the past few years, there was Harry's name written on every piece of scrap parchment." Hermione blushed before clearing her throat.
"Anyway back to why I was here-" she started before Luna cut across her.
"You want to know the best way to let Ron down and if you think he would go out with me?" she stated, it wasn't really a question. Hermione nodded sheepishly. "I would suggest telling him straight, but do it privately. I can start making an effort around him if you like." Hermione gave her thanks and headed out of the room to find a few students making their way down to breakfast. She found Harry sitting alone at the table so she walked over to him.
"Can I sit here?" she asked tentatively.
"Of course you can Ms Granger" Harry said, she noticed his eyes were still deadened. Just as he was getting up Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand, sending tingles down both their arms.
"Harry, can you stay for a moment, I need to ask you something, it is about Ron" From the way his body tensed for a moment she knew she had made a mistake. "Please?" she begged. Grudgingly he nodded and sat down. "Thank you." She had planned t tell him of her and Ron breaking up so that he would at least begin to remember her name. "Its just I am going to break up with Ron today and I-" she was cut off by Harry before she could continue.
"WHAT? WHY?" he exclaimed turning a few head. She continued in a quiet voice making him lean closer to her.
"Well, I never really loved him, he was just a distraction," she swore she heard him mutter 'Don't I know what that feels like' "And I was wondering how you would go about it" Harry's response was instantaneous.
"Tell him after he's eaten and with plenty of food" she giggled a bit knowing all too well Ron's love of food.
"Thanks Harry" she said kissing him on the cheek, lingering for a second.
"No problem Ms Grang- Hermione" Harry said touching the spot where she had kissed him with his hand unconsciously. Hermione smiled at his actions and went back to her breakfast after Harry got up and left. She saw Parvati walk up to him and kiss him on the cheek, earning glares from all of the girls in the Great Hall, as well as an all too familiar pang in Hermione's heart. She was happy to see Harry looking thoroughly uncomfortable with the whole situation. Parvati skipped down to where she was sitting and plopped herself down.
"Look Hermione, about last night, I want to stay friends but if you can't-" Parvati started but Hermione cut her off, feeling pleased she could do it to someone once after having it happen to her twice today.
"It's alright Parvati, I was just stressed out because I am breaking up with Ron today" Hermione said calmly.
"Why, he is totally in love with you!" she asked incredulously.
"Because I don't love him, in truth I never did, he just helped take away the pain of Harry going away. I actually hoped that I would fall in love with him, but I just can't. It's not fair for me to keep leading him on like this." Hermione finished, Parvati nodded and they continued eating in silence.
When Ron came bounding in with twenty minutes to spare, collar undone, tie halfway down his neck and incredibly he dived into a mountain of food that seemed to materialize on his plate, missing the sympathetic look Parvati sent him, making Hermione tread on her foot.
Hermione did not have enough time to talk to Ron after breakfast so it wasn't until dinner when she managed to drag him off to the kitchens where he stuffed himself full of everything he could reach. Once she was sure he was done she started.
"Ron… What I am going to say won't be pleasant, I just hope we can still be friends" she hoped it was a good start; he looked confused but nodded nonetheless. "Erm… this is harder than I thought. We've been going out for a while now and…oh damn it… it's just that, I don't…er…"
"You want to break up?" Ron said in a brittle voice
"I'm sorry" Hermione said sadly. When she looked at Ron she was surprised to see he was oddly calm.
"I thought you loved me?" he said pleadingly. Hermione shook her head.
"I tried too, but I couldn't, I love someone else, I always have." Again she was surprised to find him calm, he even had a small smile on, but it was pained.
"Harry?" he said, it wasn't really a question, just a confirmation. She nodded. "I thought so, I was just living in hope, and it all makes sense" he said dejectedly.
"So you aren't mad?" Hermione asked cautiously.
He shook his head. "Not really, I always knew you did, I just didn't want to admit it. But what are you going to do, he is with Parvati now."
"I don't know" she whispered brokenly.
"I will help you I suppose; after all, you two are my best friends, right?" Hermione nodded and hugged him.
"Oh Ron, of course you are!" she sobbed into his chest.
"Can you just leave it for a bit, I need some time Hermione" he said quietly; she nodded.
"You know I think Luna likes you" she said trying to cheer him up. As she expected he seemed to perk up slightly.
"Really?" he asked, a little bit of hope layering his voice. Hermione nodded. "Cool," he said grinning at his own loss of what to say, "I still need some time Hermione, but I promise I will do what I can to get you and Harry together" he said with utter conviction, "After all, better him than someone like Malfoy!" they both shared a laugh at the thought of Malfoy's face as Harry accosted him at the Welcoming Feast
"Thank you Ron" Hermione said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. They both left the kitchens and when they entered the Gryffindor common room everyone noticed that they weren't holding hands. Hermione was pleased to notice that Harry wasn't exactly acting like a boyfriend to Parvati. She saw Ron walk over to Harry and tap him on the shoulder and take him up to the boy's dorms, then coming back down and bringing Neville, Dean, and Seamus back up.
Over the next few days Harry had returned to acting normally around Ron and Hermione and he seemed to minimise the time he spent alone with Parvati, who seemed to try and kiss him at every possible opportunity in public.
When the next Duelling Club came up Knithsil noted the change between Harry, Ron and Hermione and as he was walking past her he muttered in her ear "Good job Ms Granger." Hermione smiled to herself, she had got the ball rolling.
A/N: Well there we go! Sorry about the late update it was hard for me to write this chapter, I am experiencing mild writers block at the moment! Anyway talking of Balls, the Christmas Ball is up next, and the magic moment! Until next time don't forget to review!