Later that evening after Harry was in the boys' dorm, Ron came in. Harry decided to go and talk to Ron since he was feeling a bit more cheerful than he had been for a while.

"Hullo Ron," Harry said, going over to Ron's bed.

Ron sat down on his bed. "Hi Harry." He didn't return Harry's polite gaze though, he just sat there, staring at the wall.

"Um, sorry about what happened to your sister," Harry tried.

Ron said nothing. He just stared at the wall some more and sighed.

"Are you going to talk to me ever again or are you just going to sit there and stare like that?" Harry demanded.

Ron's eyes filled with tears, and Harry saw. "I'm sorry, Ron, I didn't mean to hurt you," Harry added.

"No. Don't be sorry. I'm the one that's been moping around like some idiot," Ron replied.

"Is anything else bothering you, then? Besides Ginny, I mean," Harry said.

Ron wiped his eyes and answered, "No…nothing…"

"Then why aren't you talking to Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I didn't know I'd be jealous of you, but I am. It's not easy to get over it when someone who used to be your girlfriend finds someone else to start seeing." Ron turned away from Harry.

"Well, how do you think Hermione felt when you dumped her right in front of Abbey? She was humiliated and hurt at the same time. You can't be so selfish, Ron," Harry tried to say gently.

Ron blinked back more tears and shrugged.

Harry saw how Ron was struggling to hold back his sobs and tears, so he said, "Ron, don't be afraid to cry in front of me."

"I just miss Hermione, that's all. I mean, I'm happy with Abbey, I'm not in love with Hermione or anything, but she's been spending so much time with you, that I don't think she even cares about me anymore," Ron said. He put his head in his hands.

"Sure she cares about you. But you've been spending a heck of a lot of time with Abbey, too. She just thought you were happy with her not following you around and stuff," Harry told him.

Ron wiped his eyes clean with the sleeve of his robe and said, "Yeah, I guess so. But I still miss her."

"Then talk to her! Talk to her tomorrow. After all, the school year's almost over with, and this is our last year at Hogwarts. You have to make the best of these last few days, you know," Harry said.

Ron looked unsure a moment.

"Listen, Ron. No more Snape! No more exams! No more classes! Be happy that it's almost the end of the year. But talk to Hermione and let her know you're still one of her best friends, OK?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded. "All right then. Maybe I can get you and Hermione to get to know Abbey better too. She could come along with me and talk to you both," Ron suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. Maybe Hermione won't have hard feelings toward her anymore if she sees that she's nice," Harry added.

"Yeah," Ron agreed.

Harry went back over to his own bed and turned off his lamp. "Good night then, Ron. We can do it tomorrow since we don't have class," Harry said. Harry then rolled over and went to sleep.

~

The next day, the weather was just as good as the previous day's, and Harry Hermione went outside just after breakfast.

"Ron wants to spend some time with us," Harry told her.

"Really?" she asked. "I thought he was too good to come and talk to us."

"No, he doesn't think so. And he's bringing Abbey over with him so we can talk to her and get to know her better," said Harry.

Hermione groaned. "Oh, I am so overjoyed," Hermione said sarcastically.

"Maybe Abbey's really nice, you know, you can't judge her just because your ex broke up with you because of her." Harry shrugged. "But I guess he'll understand if you still have hard feelings towards her. However, it's best not to judge a book by its cover."

Hermione flopped over in the grass and stared at the deep blue sky. "I hope you're right, Harry."

Harry grinned. "Of course I'm right. I always am."

"Oh god Harry," Hermione said, "you're starting to sound like Malfoy."

They both began to laugh. Harry put on his best Malfoy voice, "Curse you, Granger! You'll hear from my father about this!"

They giggled. Then Harry remembered that Malfoy's father was dead. "I suppose I shouldn't joke about that though…" Harry broke off.

Hermione nodded. "Well, Malfoy's a bit too smug anyways."

"Yes. But how can you blame him? With a father like that…" Harry said.

They both stared down in silence. Hermione twisted her curly brown hair around her finger.

"So…" Harry said trying to break the silence, "I wonder where Ron is."

"He's probably finishing up his breakfast with that Abbey girl now," Hermione suggested.

"Maybe so," said Harry.

Then, at that moment, they saw Ron and Abbey talking and walking toward them. "Hullo," Ron said when he reached Harry and Hermione. "Uh, this is Abbey," he said, pointing at Abbey and nervously glancing at Hermione.

"Hi Abbey. Hi Ron," Hermione tried to say as politely as she could.

Harry nodded at them and said, "Hello." Harry had never seen Abbey up close before. She had long, straight brown hair neatly parted and tucked behind her ears, and beautiful brown eyes.

"Hi Harry. Ron's told me so much about you. And it's nice to be meeting you again too, Hermione," Abbey said.

Harry wondered what Ron had been telling Abbey about him. Hopefully nothing along the lines of "He cheated my sister" or "He stole my ex girlfriend". Harry just replied, "Has he now?"

Abbey nodded and said, "Yes. A lot."

"Um, nothing unpleasant though, Harry," Ron assured him. "So, Abbey, tell them what you like to do."

"Well, I love to play Wizard Chess or Quidditch-" she began.

Ron interrupted, "Oh yes, she's an excellent chess and Quidditch player! Sorry, go on, Abbey."

Abbey continued, "My favorite class is Defense Against Dark Arts, but Care of Magical Creatures class is cool too. Hagrid's the best."

Harry grinned and replied, "Yes, Hagrid's pretty awesome. Don't you think so, Hermione?"

"Huh? Oh…yes. Hagrid's a great Care of Magical Creatures teacher," Hermione commented. Hermione had been silent up till now, because she didn't want to really say anything at all. She'd just wanted to let Harry do all the talking for her, but she figured Harry would just drag her into the conversation with them anyway.

Abbey asked, "So, Hermione, what are a few things you like?"

Hermione thought a moment. "Well, I'm not much of a sports person or chess player."

"That's perfectly all right, Hermione. But go on," Abbey said.

"I like Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall is one of my favorite teachers," Hermione continued.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall is quite a nice teacher once you get to know her. But Professor Snape is just awful isn't he? I mean, not trying to be rude, but he's almost ~always~ grumpy! And the only House he'll give points to is Slytherin. I think that's so unfair! Don't you?" Abbey asked.

"Yes, but Potions is a good subject to know, I guess. I agree with you though, Snape ~could~ lighten up some," Hermione replied.

"Just some?" Abbey asked. "I think he could lighten up loads!" She and Hermione started giggling.

Ron began to breathe again in relief. So, Hermione wasn't going to give Abbey a hard time. Ron and Abbey sat down with Harry and Hermione and talked almost the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon after lunch.

"Well," Ron said, "I guess we should leave you two alone now, OK? Abbey and I were supposed to go play with some of her friends now. Is that all right?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, just make sure you talk to us again some time before the school year's out!"

Ron and Abbey walked off to go and join Abbey's Ravenclaw friends.

"Well, what do you think of Abbey? Isn't she nice?" Harry asked.

Hermione reluctantly nodded her head. "Yes. I never thought she would be, though. She must've gotten more mature spending time with Ron or something."

"You mean she was immature at first? Or are you saying that because of the kiss she gave Ron?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure. It was just something about her at first that gave me this feeling that she was a stuck-up brat, or something," Hermione replied.

Harry shrugged. "Ah well, you like her now, right? And no hard feelings toward her?"

"No hard feelings at all. And none toward Ron either," Hermione added.

"Good. Very good," Harry observed. "I thought Abbey was a pretty nice girl."

Hermione was starting to feel jealous now. "Well Harry, am ~I~ a nice girl?"

Harry grinned and winked at her. "Of course you are. You know that I love you more than Abbey. Even though Abbey ~is~ pretty nice."

Hermione sighed. "I wish I looked like Abbey. She's pretty."

"Now why don't you think you're pretty the way you are?" Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged.

"Hermione, you're ~very~ beautiful." Harry stroked Hermione's hair. "Your hair is a beautiful color, and it's soft, I love it. And your face…it's so beautiful. And your eyes, they bring warm feelings to my heart."

"That's sweet, Harry," Hermione said.

Harry smiled at her. "You don't need to look like Abbey to be beautiful. You're beautiful exactly the way you are."

"Well, I'm glad about that. I like the way you look too," Hermione replied.

"See, you just undervalue yourself, Hermione. That's all it is. You need to start getting some self-confidence," Harry told her.

"I try, Harry," she replied.

~

That evening, Harry and Hermione talked with Ron and Abbey some more. Abbey became very enjoyable to talk to and Hermione didn't seem to mind if Abbey hung out with her and Harry. Ron was relieved that Hermione and Harry were OK with him and Abbey, and Harry was happy about that too.

~

The next morning they all woke up to their very last day at Hogwarts. Harry went to the common room to wait for Hermione to get dressed. He waited for all the boys in his dorm to leave and went out and waited in the common room. Hermione soon walked out.

"Sad to be leaving, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but…hey, you'll come and visit me over the summer, right?" she asked.

"Of course I will," Harry said.

"Yes, well, it'll be best for you to use Floo Powder, all right with you?" Hermione asked him.

Harry nodded. "C'mon, let's go down to breakfast now. I'm starving."

They walked down to the Dining Hall and ate their breakfast. After that, they boarded the Hogwarts Express to go home. They got back to the train station in London, and Harry said his goodbyes to Ron, Abbey, and Hermione. He also promised Hermione he'd travel over to her place in just a few months, and Hermione hugged and kissed him, and got in the car with her parents to get back home.

Harry had to wait for the dreadful Dursleys to come and pick him up. After a while, they arrived, Harry put his trunk in the car and drove on back to Privet Drive.

Author's Notes: There's gonna be another chapter after this one, so you'll soon know what happens to Harry and Hermione. I'll try to get it up soon. This is fun!