A/N: This short story (3 to 5 chapters) is my last entry for the Harmony and Co Facebook Group's Prompt Bank Garage Sale.

Chosen Prompt:

"Harry, realizing Ron seems to covet the things he has, feigns interest in a girl to draw Ron's eye to her. Once Ron goes after the other girl, Harry makes his move on Hermione."

Prompter: Anonymous

WOOING HERMIONE GRANGER

By: tweety-src-clt9

Prologue

September 1, 1998

Dear Diary,

I still can't bloody believe that I'm writing in a diary. It seems so, I don't know, over-the-top. Writing about feelings, thoughts – never really my thing. Anyway, since THIS is required by my mind healer (stupid trauma therapy), I have no choice. After all, every student involved in the war (regardless of which side they supported) is mandated to have a healer.

So, here I am again. Doing this thing.

It's the first day of school. I am back at Hogwarts.

She is sitting beside me. Biting her plump lower lip, her chocolate brown eyes focused on a thick tome that I don't have a bloody clue what it's about.

She's just stunning. In her simplicity and oblivion of the world around her, she's just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!

This year, I have one goal.

Hermione Granger, Head Girl extraordinaire, Brightest Witch of the Age, my best friend, my angel, will be my girlfriend.

And maybe in three years (or less), I'll ask her to marry me and then we'll grow old together just like she said when we were hiding at the Forest of Dean.

Sigh… I sound like a sissy but who cares.

I'm in love with Hermione. Always have been.

Okay... So maybe I realized I was in love with her when I was waiting for her to recover from that nearly fatal blow at the Department of Mysteries in our fifth year, but I was forced to hide my feelings. Stupid Voldemort and his psycho Death Eaters!

Anyway, I never expected that I would survive this bloody war. So, I was forced to bury my feelings for Hermione. Why hurt her, even more, when I can't promise her anything, right?

Surprise, surprise, I didn't bloody die! I really am the Boy Who Lived. (Merlin! I sound stupid!)

Moving on with this silliness. I thought that Hermione fancied Ron, I heard they kissed or something during the final battle, but no relationship followed that kiss (thank Merlin!).

Hermione said that it was just a spur of the moment thing and Ron agreed. I believe the real reason is that Ron is too caught up with his newly found fame and he wants to 'play the field'. What an idiot! He could have gotten the best, but he's settling for silly witches.

Since Hermione is single and available, I will make her mine this year and I will never let her go.

There is one problem though.

And his name is Ronald Weasley.

Ron is my close friend. I never considered him a best friend ever since he abandoned us at the Horcrux hunt. Yeah, he came back and all that, but best friends never abandon their friends at a time of need. Besides, he already betrayed my trust in our fourth year because he was a jealous git.

Now here lies my dilemma.

If I outright pursue my angel, Ron will be after her too.

I noticed through the years that whatever it was that I wanted (or had), Ron wanted it too.

I guess Ron's always been insecure and jealous of me, so he always wants what I have.

From Quidditch, the fame, money, girls, whatever I had, Ron wanted. He's too silly to realize that I wanted what he had – parents, brothers and sisters, a simple and happy family.

Anyway, I thought about this a lot (okay, maybe just a few days) and I have a plan.

I will tell Ron that I fancy someone else and I'll babble on and on about how we're not meant to be, the witch doesn't fancy me, blah blah blah, so that his attention will be elsewhere. Because of his newfound fame, I'm certain Ron will make a move on the bloody girl just to get one over me. Ron is jealous that I was chosen as Head Boy, so I'm certain that he'll make use of this golden opportunity.

Meanwhile, when Ron is busy with my supposed fancy, I will be wooing Hermione Granger on the side. (evil grin)

I guess being a closet Slytherin has its perks. If it weren't for Malfoy, I would have been in Slytherin anyway. Thank Merlin that I wasn't! Or else I wouldn't have been in Gryffindor with the love of my life. I sound so dramatic I know but when I read my dad's letters for my mum, well, I'm just as bad as he once was.

Now that I've written an entry for this thing, I'm done.

I still think this is silly,

Harry Potter

oOOOOOo

"Harry?" he looked up from his diary when he heard Hermione's melodious voice. Melodious? Merlin! I'm so bloody whipped! I have to hide my feelings better or Ron will easily see through my secret…

"Yes, 'Mione?"

"You seem so happy as you write an entry in your diary," she teased, and he snorted.

"Just complying to my mind healer's request."

"I see," she smirked.

"Oh, alright! I was talking about how excited I am to pursue my plan," he winked.

"Plan? What plan?"

"Beat Hermione Granger as the top of our class," he smirked.

Hermione frowned playfully, "in your dreams, Potter."

"We'll see, Granger," he said cockily and they laughed.

"Wha – ?" Ron muttered as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Go back to sleep, Ronald. It's just Harry challenging me," Hermione huffed.

"What challenge?" Ron murmured.

"He says he'll beat me as the top of the class," she glared at the messy-haired wizard.

"Don't get so confident, Granger. I am the Chosen One after all," Harry smirked, and she snorted.

"Great! Now y'all be all studying and – whatever! Wake me up when we're near Hogwarts," Ron closed his eyes again.

When Ron started snoring a few minutes later, Harry turned to Hermione.

"Psst!"

"What?" she mouthed.

"I got you something," he whispered.

"Huh?"

He removed a small rectangular box from his trouser pocket and handed it to the curly-haired witch. "Here. This offers you protection from curses, well, except the unforgivables, of course, but – " he was starting to get nervous now.

Hermione opened the box and gasped. "Harry, this is – this! This is goblin-made jewelry!"

"Shh!" he gestured to Ron and she quieted down.

"I can't accept this!" she whispered.

"I want you to be safe, Hermione. Your screams at Malfoy Manor, they haunt me at night. Please accept this. It's additional protection, I – "

"Thank you, Harry," she whispered as she reached for his hand.

"Here! Let me put it on you," he carefully removed the golden bracelet from the box and gently locked it around her dainty wrist.

He watched as Hermione's fingers played with the charms. There was a book, a golden snitch, a symbol of the Deathly Hallows, a house-elf, an otter, a stag, and a cat.

"Are the charms – "

"Yes, I had them custom-made."

"These are real stones, Harry," she said as she moved her wrists. The precious jewels on each charm shined with the light from the window.

"All the best for my best friend," he waggled his eyebrows playfully and she shook her head in fond exasperation.

"So, you're getting Ron a charm bracelet as well?" she asked.

He shook his head vehemently. "Ron and jewelry? That's just weird!" and she chuckled.

"We should head out soon, Harry. It's almost time for our briefing with the prefects," she reminded him.

"Lead the way, Ms. Head Girl," he winked.

"I still don't know why the headmistress picked you for Head Boy," she teased, and he pouted.

"After saving you from the troll," he said dramatically.

"Come along, Potter," she huffed.

"Yes, dear," he winked, and she rolled her eyes.

Operation Wooing Hermione Granger, Day 1.

A/N: So, what do you think? Isn't Harry such a sly smooth Slytherin?

Review, fave, and follow if you enjoyed this one.

P.S. For readers of my other works in progress, please be more patient. I already know what will happen for the next chapters. I just need the time to write the words.