Willow's lessons were going well, though she refused to believe it. She had adjusted to the wand slowly, initially augmenting it with a burst of her own power to complete the assigned tasks. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had made the tasks smaller and smaller, forcing her to use control instead of power. The wand made the control easier, but she could feel the power threatening to leak out each time she invoked a spell. Today's assignment had been to separate a teacup into three portions, then change each into a thimble in turn. She could feel the magic burning in her to change them all at once, but she held it in. When the last thimble appeared, Grey and Giles clapped. Professor McGonagall offered one of her pinched smiles.
"Very good, my dear. I can tell you were struggling not to do them all."
"It's hard," Willow admitted. "It feels like I'm forcing a river into a pipe, and like it could just flood it without any warning or anything. Is that what it's supposed to feel like?"
"Yes, quite," the teacher said. "Eventually, we will allow you to use more of your power, and that feeling will recede quickly."
"It's like I said the other day, Willow," Giles said. "When you learned to drive a car, you learned at slower speeds, yes?"
"Uh huh."
"You learned to stop, to go, to turn, even to parallel park. Later, when you went on the highway, you could turn at higher speeds and brake hard when necessary. Do you see the similarity?"
"I do, Giles. But the car wasn't fighting me to go faster when I was learning." Looking at the table in front of her, she added, "and I could get out if I wanted to."
"Miss Rosenberg, despite your poor understanding of your own progress, I think you're doing quite well. Just because you have not finished learning does not mean that you are not doing it. We are through for today. Same time, the day after tomorrow, with Professor Dumbledore, if you would." The praise lifted Willow's spirits a bit. She nodded. McGonagall gathered her books and stood. "Rupert, would you care for a cup of tea in the staff room?"
"Indeed, Minerva. That would be nice." They walked out together, leaving Grey and Willow alone in the classroom.
"They're getting friendly, aren't they," Grey commented.
"Oh, please. She's like thirty years older than Giles."
"Didn't mean it that way. I think it's good. They think alike. Very orderly. They both need a friend, I would guess."
"Is it me, or are you actually starting a conversation outside the confines of your room?"
"Maybe."
"Well, be careful. Someone might walk in."
"I'll risk it. What did you want to ask me last night?"
To take off your clothes, Willow thought. No. Bad Willow. Giving him time, hello … but still, those muscles, and that cheek …
"Earth to Willow."
"Huh?"
"Last night. Something we had to discuss. Recon?"
"Oh, right. Here's the problem…" She explained about Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron. "I need a guy's perspective and a devious mind to think up a plan." He pondered for a few minutes. Sometimes she wondered if he had spent so much time in silence that thinking now required physical effort.
"I think," he said finally, "that Ginny should just ask. Harry will say yes. He doesn't have a date yet. They were talking about it the other day and didn't notice me. Ginny's going to have to do a bit of a selling job for more than that, though. Harry just doesn't see her that way, and altering that is a long-term project."
"What about Hermione?"
"Ron has a crush on you," he said matter-of-factly. Willow blushed. "He knows it's stupid. It's also real, and it's keeping him from thinking about Hermione. Not that we can do anything about that." He paused. What if … oh, wow.
"You look like you got a brainflash. What is it?"
"Brainflash?"
"Sunnydale for epiphany."
"Oh. Maybe. What about this?" He explained his idea. "Could she handle that?"
"I'd have to ask. It would be pretty embarrassing."
"Well, listen to the second part, and see what you think." He went on for another two minutes.
"That's actually not a bad idea. And it forces Ginny and Harry to unwittingly work together." He nodded. "Let's try it."
The dance was a week away. Ginny had done her asking, and Harry, being the man that he was, could hardly say no. He and Ron observed a great deal of whispering between her and Hermione after that, but neither had been able to grasp the content. Harry speculated that they were trying to figure out how to get Hermione a date, but were embarrassed to tell the boys. Ron seemed perturbed at the thought of Hermione having a date, though Harry couldn't force him to admit that he wanted to take her. He was too stubborn, and kept turning the subject to Willow.
The four of them had a corner booth at the Three Broomsticks. Madame Rosmerta had just served their second round of butterbeers when Grey and Willow walked in. Ginny waved to them, causing an indiscreet elbow from Hermione.
"Now's your chance," Ginny whispered. Harry and Ron looked on in surprise. Hermione looked aghast, but quickly covered up as the couple walked over. The boys could see her steeling herself for something.
"Hey guys. What's the what?" Willow asked with a cheery smile. Grey nodded at them all. He wore his usual impassive visage.
"Nothing much. Do you guys want to sit down?" Ginny said. Hermione's face flickered from controlled to angry and back.
"We probably shouldn't. I want to shop for some stuff for Dawn while we're here. That Honeydukes place looks like it has a lot she might like."
"Grey, c-could I talk to you? In private?" Hermione stammered. The auror raised an eyebrow, then nodded. They walked over to an unoccupied corner of the room.
"Him?!?" Ron hissed. "She wants to go with him?" Ginny nodded.
"Oh dear," Willow said, shaking her head. "This isn't going to be pretty. Grey … isn't the most tactful guy. Plus, he has a date."
"He better not hurt her feelings," Ron steamed.
"You're totally overreacting, Ron. Hermione can handle herself," Ginny said. She and Willow fought the urge to snicker. Harry was afraid of what Ron might do.
"Ron, he'll kick your ass," the Boy Who Lived said quietly. They all saw Hermione's face fall as Grey shook his head.
"I swear, if he …" Tears trickled down Hermione's face. She ran out of the room at top speed. Ginny bolted after her. "Dammit!" Ron rose to his feet as Grey walked over. "What the hell did you say to her, you …" His face went crimson as blood rushed to his head. He reached for his wand, but Grey grabbed his hand.
"Ron," he said in the quiet, menacing voice he had used on Vernon Dursley, "don't do that. You will regret it." He softened a little, released Ron's hand and continued. "She asked me to the dance. I explained that I couldn't because I had a prior commitment." He nodded at Willow. "Then I said that if I didn't, I would have been honored to escort her, but if she was looking for more than that, I could not oblige. That's why she began crying."
"But you could've … she just … why …" Ron blustered.
"What could I do, Ron? I couldn't say yes because I have a date. I couldn't lead her on about anything else. I'm twenty-three. She's fifteen. Think it through." He could see comprehension dawning on Ron's face. Weasley's eyes flicked to Willow and back to Grey. Without another word, Ron walked out of the bar. Harry shrugged apologetically and followed him.
Neither one saw the enormous grin on Willow's face as they left.
"She's been in there for two days!" Ron shrieked. "We have to do something." Hermione had yet to leave her room since returning from Hogsmeade. Ginny had been delivering her meals. Willow and Grey had arranged for her to be excused from class 'on a special assignment'. Giles, claiming he preferred to remain ignorant, had signed the appropriate notes and not asked questions.
Ron quickly lost his cool. It showed no signs of returning.
"Somebody should talk to her," Harry said. "Ginny and I have tried. Ron?"
"I don't know." He looked suddenly doubtful. "What would I say?"
"Just ask her if she's okay. Make up the rest as you go," Ginny said. He didn't look convinced.
"Chances are she won't let you in, even," Harry said. "It can't hurt."
"D'you think?" Ron said. They nodded. He couldn't understand why he was so worked up about this. It really pissed him off, seeing Grey dismiss her so coldly. Why couldn't that guy get a personality? Oh, what the hell. She probably won't let me in anyway. "Alright. I'll try."
He walked over to the girls' dorm and knocked on her door. There was no answer.
"'Mione?" he said, pushing the door open. She was lying on her bed. No one else was in the room.
"Go 'way." She sounded as if she had been crying. Little did Ron know that they were tears of laughter; she had been listening to him rant and rave for an hour. He walked over and sat on the bed next to hers. She felt the butterflies moving in her stomach.
"You okay?"
"What do you think?" She gave him a 'you're so stupid' look.
"D'you need anything? Dinner or something?"
"Already ate." They sat in silence for a minute.
"I-I'm sorry about Grey," he said, not knowing how else to bring it up.
"Yeah, well, me too. Don't know why I thought he would've wanted to go with me anyway."
"It's not his fault he's stupid. All he thinks about is Willow anyway. It's so flamin' obvious."
"No wonder he'd rather be with her than me," Hermione said, though she was thinking of Ron instead of Grey as she forced the words out. "I mean, she's so smart and so gorgeous with that red hair. Plus, she's one of the nicest people ever."
"Yeah, she is," he said. Her face fell. Realizing the error, he stumbled on. "B-but you're awful nice too."
"Lot of good that does me and my date."
"You have a date?" She glared at him. "Oh. Yeah, right. Sorry."
"Not going anyway, so it doesn't matter. Just sit here and be ugly by myself."
"Aww, 'Mione, you can't do that. And you aren't ugly. I-I think you're real pretty. And last year? When you went with Krum? You were way prettier than Willow." As he said it, he realized the truth of it. Hermione was beautiful. "'Sides, if you don't go, who am I going to hang out with? I don't have a date either, and Ginny's going to be with Harry the whole time."
"So?" She said. She knew it was close, as long as she didn't screw it up. "I can't go alone. Not after that scene I made in Three Broomsticks."
"I'll go with you," he decided. What else could he do?
"Thanks, but no thanks," she said, remembering Ginny and Grey and their words of caution. 'It has to be about you. Not about pity,' Grey had said weeks before. "I don't want to go with you because we have no one else to go with. Sorry."
"But … but Hermione…"
"Sorry, Ron. I'd rather stay home." As the silence lengthened, she thought she'd blown it.
"That's not why," he said after the long pause. She looked at him, tears in her eyes. "It's true that I don't want you to be upset. And if it was just me feeling sorry for you, I'd let you stay home because it would make you happier." He remembered what Grey had said in the bar. "But it's not that. We've been friends awhile. You're nice, and beautiful, and way smarter than me. I'd … I'd be honored to escort you, if you'll let me. Because I want to be there with you, not because I don't want you to be there alone." She smiled her acceptance.
Hook, line, and sinker.