A/N: Written for the Hogwarts Forum's March-Monthly-Event-Wicked-Bake-athon. The Prompt for this one is Fake Dating
Hermione really couldn't have imagined such a night going better. All dressed up for the Yule Ball and feeling pretty for once, she danced nearly all night on the arm of her date, Viktor Krum, and he was the perfect gentleman. For once in her life, she felt like a princess.
And then Ronald Weasley ruined everything!
Hiding herself away up the stairs and around the corner, sobbing because of the hurtful and spiteful things her friend had spat at her, she took comfort that Viktor had thought enough of her to follow her and comfort her, despite being seemingly uncomfortable with a crying female.
"Vhy vas your friend being so...so ugly?" he asked her, his arms wrapped around her tightly. A voice familiar to her made her jump as his question was answered.
"Ron's jealous," Lavender commented, pulling a handkerchief from her clutch and holding it out. Hermione accepted it with confusion. "Hermione, he's liked you since probably the end of last year, and now you're dating his favorite Quidditch Player! Of course he's going to lash out. He wants you miserable so you can come back to him and say he was right."
"He does have the emotional range of a teaspoon," Hermione muttered with a laugh, and Lavender joined in. She plopped herself in on Hermione's other side. Hermione then frowned as her mind caught on to what Lavender had said. "But wait, we're not dating! Viktor was nice enough to ask me to the ball," Hermione said, looking to Viktor to have him back her up. She couldn't read his expression before Lavender grabbed her face in her hand, her wand raised and pointed at the brunette's face. Before Hermione could jerk away, the first cosmetic spell splashed against her face. Lavender spoke as she continued to fix her makeup.
"Do you like Ron back?" she asked, turning Hermione's face this way and that to spell away the smudged makeup. Hermione's hesitance spoke volumes.
"I-I don't…"
"I think he needs to be punished for the way he acted tonight. He's such a boy for reacting the way he did. What did he expect would happen, you fall into his arms because he accused your date of using you? HA!" Lavender's laugh was sharp, and made Hermione flinch back into Viktor's chest. "And this is all because he thinks you guys are dating! What if you confirmed it? Oooo, make him regret hurting you, because he technically then lost you!"
"I am not a prize to be won and lost-" Hermione tried to interject, but Lavender just continued to talk over her.
"Imagine how he'd react if you guys actually started dating! If you want him, of course. As a Gryffindor, he'll realize his feelings for you, and will be frothing at the mouth to steal you away from Krum!" Lavender cackled as she applied the last of the spells and then pulled a hand mirror out of her clutch to show Hermione. The bookworm marveled at her dormmate's handiwork.
"Lavender, this looks-"
"I do not like this plan," Viktor interjected with a growl, and Lavender just shot a grin at him over Hermione's head, who now held the mirror and was touching her face in marvel.
"If you guys pretend to date, Viktor gets the fangirls to leave him alone, Ron finally notices Hermione is a girl outside of the ball, and everyone profits!" she exclaimed. Hermione drew her eyes away from the mirror to share an apprehensive look with Viktor. Lavender just shrugged them off. "Do it or don't, but this is your best shot! And even if you don't want to get Ron for your own, you can at least get some experience with dating a boy, if Viktor is amiable." He nodded his agreement to that. "After all, this would be your first boyfriend, right?" she then asked Hermione, who flushed and nodded shyly. "Then at least try it! If you're at least fake dating, you don't have to worry about stepping on eggshells around each other's feelings, and you can be more truthful with each other, since it's not real anyway. The relationship doesn't have to last, and you guys can break up at the end of the year and no one will be the wiser! Just think about it."
Lavender stood, brushed herself off, and then tucked her wand and mirror back into her clutch. "Now, time for you two to head back into the ball for the last few hours. Just because Weasley threw a fit and went to bed angry, doesn't mean you have to! Shoo!" Viktor helped Hermione to her feet, and the brunette swiftly turned and hugged her dormmate.
"Thank you," she effused warmly, and Lavender grinned back at her.
"You're welcome. Now go and have fun!" She waved at the two until they disappeared back down the stairs, Hermione's arm tucked in the crook of Viktor's arm so he could escort her back in.
Lavender grinned widely.
"Operation Flying Bookworm has commenced," she murmured, before joining the rest of her schoolmates in the Great Hall. After all, the Weird Sisters were still playing. Now was as good of a time as any to start enjoying the fruits of her labor.