Hey guys!!! Thanks so very much for all of your reviews! I think they give the story a little more…personality. HA! Okay, well, I'm just too durn lazy to list all the cool people who spend their precious time reading my story, even though I love you all! Maybe next time when I have some more motivation I'll name you all. Or at least the ones I like. Like all of you with names that start with m. MUH, for example, or Mary Stardust. Or even Misa, and Mag, and Mariadel, and MFCA. Or maybe the letter a, like Allie or Annie, or Ali Simmons. I like that letter too. I also like names that start with the letter h, like Heather (my partner in crime!!), Hermandron4ever, hermionereincarnated, and Hermione18. Or how about the lovely letter r, like Racer of lightning and Rupert Fan. And then there's the letter c, like Curlsofgold. And how about the letter l, as in lilyevans24. Ooh, oh, there's the letter w, for Wendy, and the letter k, for kickedoutofthegoblet, and g for Gigaku, ands for Simone, v for venus, d for dreamkin, t for Taryn, b for Berta501 and Bella Black, n for nightshadow67, and z for zdriu…::pant pant:: wow. Such beautiful letters! I think that's about it. No wait, then there's even THE COOLEST!!! Yes, even the coolest reviewed my story!! Well, I guess that all of your reviews were enough motivation to list all of you, so I guess that must mean it's enough to inspire me to write more!!! Thanks you guys! And sorry that took up so much time and space. But I wanted all of you to feel loved as I do!! And now, on to the disclaimer!!!

Oh, and if I missed anyone, which I highly doubt, cause I checked my list twice!!, then you have permission to shoot me with a pineapple gun for as long as you please. I like pineapple!

Disclaimer: Yes, yes, yes, we all want to own Harry Potter, (and yes, even more so for Ron, Allie!), but unfortunately, I am neither rich, English, or pregnant (yay for her!), and therefore could not possibly be J.K. Rowling. Further proof that I do not own Harry Potter. Or Ron, for that matter. Damn! Although I still have my dreams…

Chapter twenty-two

Inopportune Interference

The four of them were looking for a table when Hermione heard someone call her name. She turned around and saw Lavender and Parvati gesturing for her to join them. She grabbed Ron's arm protectively, then asked the others if they wanted to sit with them. Ron's eyes grew a little large, but Harry and Ginny didn't notice, so they said sure. The four of them walked over to Lavender's table and sat down. Ron could feel Lavender looking at him, and it made him nervous. He decided to walk around for a bit.

"Er, I have to ask Seamus something, I'll be back in a few minutes..."

He stood up and took off in Seamus' direction.

"What was that all about?" Ginny asked, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Lavender turned towards Hermione, resting her chin on her hand and grinning broadly.

"So, Hermione, you and Ron at the ball together...are you two dating?"

"Well, er, no, come to think of it, we're not." she said, a little sadness in her voice.

Lavender smiled even more.

"Oh really? Well, why not? Hasn't he asked you yet? I mean, to be his girlfriend? I mean, you two seem to be quite close really, what with waking up in the same bed and all..."

Hermione blushed like mad. How did she know?

"I mean, if I were that close with a person, I'd want to be their girlfriend, don't you think? If it were me, why I'd be a little worried that he was, well, using me. But you don't seem to have those worries. How do you do it?"

Lavender could tell she was really getting to Hermione. Hermione's head was now fleeting with thoughts, as Harry and Ginny could only look on and worry.

The three of them all knew that Lavender had a point. But only Harry and Ginny knew that it was only because he was, well he was Ron. And the day Ron takes initiative and actually asks Hermione...that'll be the day. But Hermione didn't think of Ron that way. In fact, she was beginning to agree with Lavender.

Why hasn't he asked me? Doesn't he like me? Or maybe I was right all along, maybe it's just me...Lavender's right, as much as I hate to admit it. He is using me...

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand under the table. They were both thinking the same thing: How could Lavender do something like this? And why was Hermione believing it? She should know Ron absolutely loves her, he does everything but say it...

And then, as they were both thinking the same thing, they both came to the same realization...he hadn't said it. Ginny could feel her cheeks getting hot. Ooh, did she want to give Lavender a piece of her mind...

Hermione's heart was sinking lower and lower by the second. She felt like she had just been knocked off her cloud by a bludger. What was I doing? Why did I ask him to the ball at all? He doesn't return my feelings, he just felt bad for me, so he accepted... She felt angry and sad at the same time. She looked over to see where Ron had gone off to, and he was sitting at Seamus' table. Oh, so now that we're here, he's just going to abandon me and sit with someone else, right? I should have known...

Hermione's face grew hot as her heart grew cold. Lavender looked at Parvati and smirked. Parvati turned to Hermione with a sarcastic look of pity on her face.

"Oh, Hermione, what's wrong? You're not worried that Ron doesn't, well, return your feeling, are you?"

Hermione looked at Parvati and scowled. She simply couldn't take anymore. She didn't even look at Harry or Ginny as she stood up to leave. She took off her painful shoes, leaving them under the table, and unnoticeably made her way out of the room.

Harry looked at Ginny with a pained expression. But Ginny's face was red as a tomato. She had had enough. She picked up a glass of water from the table and tossed it on the two girls. They had found it completely unexpected as they had been involved in their own Hermione-bashing conversation and hadn't noticed her pick up the glass.

They shrieked as the cold water soaked through their dresses and chilled them.

"That was completely uncalled for! What is your problem?" Lavender cried. The entire hall went silent as everyone turned to watch.

"What's my problem?? What's MY problem? What on earth is YOUR problem? Hermione was perfectly happy before you went and interfered! For your information, he was planning on telling her tonight! But no, you had to be your bitchy self and ruin it! Get it straight, Lavender, he doesn't like you and he never will! In fact, what you just did will probably make him HATE you! So good job on that one! You've really got what you wanted now, don't you!" She stormed out of the room to search for Hermione.

Harry looked at Lavender and Parvati with contempt. Lavender could feel tears gathering behind her eyes. Ginny was right, Ron probably does hate me now... She looked at Ron, but couldn't tell what he was thinking. Ron couldn't tell what he was thinking either, he was completely dumbfounded.

Keep reviewing or I'll send monkeys to chase you with bows and popsicles!! Haha, just kidding. Sort of.