Hey guys! Lauren here! Chapter…five? Chapter five is here! Hope you all like it! Oh, and on another note, if you guys want to read the alternate ending, I'll post it on Complex Attractions if you'd like. But I have to ask Madison to send it to me first, as the only other copy is on my computer…would you mind Madison? Just send it on over to me, and if you don't still have my email address, it's in my bio. I'll post it as soon as I can! Thanks guys, gotta run! Until next time…

Lauren

Disclaimer: only lame-o's who don't own Harry Potter have to write disclaimers! Hey, wait a sec…

Chapter five

Tedious Trials

"Love Harry?" she asked back, seemingly perplexed, and calm for the first time since she consumed the potion.

"Yeah, you know, Harry…the boy who just walked out. The boy you danced with at the ball. The boy you broke up with. You know, Harry, the boy who lived!" Ron exclaimed, obviously not taking this as seriously as everyone else. Hermione shot him a look that almost gave Ron whiplash. He looked down at his hands while Hermione took over.

"Ginny, do you love Harry?" Hermione asked again.

Ginny's eyes glazed over, and Hermione could tell the potion was finally working correctly. She stared at not Hermione, but Ron instead.

"Of course I love Harry." She stated simply. The vicariously honest Ginny couldn't feel the tear crawling down her cheek. Ron's eyes lit up. I knew it! I knew it! He looked up at her and took her hands in his. Before he could speak, Ginny continued.

"You're right, I did break up with him. Of course, it broke my heart, and I wish I could take it all back. But he doesn't love me the way I love him. I can tell. That's why he didn't oppose when I said we should break up. He didn't care to. Not at all," she said monotonously. If it hadn't been for the potion, she would surely have rather been tortured than reveal her feelings for him. Either that, or she'd be blushing like a tomato.

"Ginny…no one knew you felt that way! Why didn't you tell us, or him for that matter?" Ron asked, feeling empathetic for Harry. She should have said something, he's been heartbroken this whole time… he thought scornfully.

"No one knows. I don't want anyone to know. I'm in love with Harry. Not even he knows that. And I don't want him to know either. If he finds out, that's the end of me…"

"Why? He absolutely loves you! You may not know it, but he would do anything for you!"

"Yes, but it's easy to love someone. But to be in love…they're too completely separate concepts. Sure, Harry loves me, just as he loves you and Hermione. But he's not in love with me. It's not like you and Hermione; you both are in love with each other, and it's obvious. But us? I'm in love with Harry, and…well." Ron was a little scared, he had never seen Ginny so honest, yet so emotionless at the same time. He looked at Hermione, to see if she had noticed as well, but as he did, he thought that, for one instant, he had seen himself in her eyes. Shocked, he stared harder, but the strain made him blink, and as soon as he went back to find it, the reflected Ron was gone. For the first time ever, Ron was not only speechless, but his brain could formulate only one thought. So this is what being in love is like…

Hermione didn't notice Ron's revelation. She was too preoccupied with the complexity of her own feelings. Loving someone and being in love with them are really two different things... How did Ginny know they were in love? Hermione hadn't even known. But know that Ginny had told her…

"Ron, that's it!" she exclaimed excitedly as she jumped up from her seat. Ron looked at her confusedly, wondering what she could be so excited about at a time like this, but he gave in as she yanked him from his own seat. Ginny just stared blankly at the two and stated that she would remain at the table and that they shouldn't wait for her. The two left the room, Ron involuntarily led by Hermione.

They rushed up the stairs and burst through the portrait hole, while the fat lady yelled out (to no one in particular) about the lax school policies and rules in the hallways. Harry was there in a chair writing a paper for Potions when Hermione rushed over and took his books from his lap, setting them on the table. Harry looked up, confused, but fell silent as Hermione placed her hands on his knees and stared him down like a lion. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Harry, you're in love with Ginny," she stated matter-of-factly.

Harry stayed silent. What? I'm in love with Ginny? I- hey, I'm in love with Ginny…I didn't even realize…how did she know?

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

"Hermione, how did you—I mean, I didn't even—what's going on?" he asked, finally catching a hold of the situation. Why did they care anyway?

"It doesn't matter! Ron, you stay here with him, make sure he doesn't leave…I'll be right back with Ginny." With that, she ran back out of the common room, and Ron and Harry looked at each other.

Immediately, Harry attempted to jump out of his chair and escape, but he hadn't realized that all that quidditch training had really gotten Ron into shape. Harry was shoved back into his chair and held there, only able to yell helplessly for someone's, anyone's assistance. And all Ron did was laugh.

After a few minutes, Hermione returned, dragging Ginny in like a stubborn dog. She eyed the situation and was completely astounded. What the—But before she could ask, she was pushed into a chair, which was then turned to face Harry. By now, most of the potion had worn off, so she blushed obscenely when she saw who she was sitting in front of. As soon as everyone was settled, Hermione stood next to the both of them, looking at them expectantly.

"Well Harry, go on, say it!"

"Er…say what?" he asked, playing dumb.

Frustrated, but not completely unprepared, she turned to Ron.

"Have you got any left?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small bottle, looking at it hopefully.

"Well, there's a drop left," he said with a weak smile.

"Oh, that won't work…" she muttered as Harry began squirming again. Then, suddenly, she reached over, grabbed the bottle from Ron's hand, and took off up the stairs to the girls' dorms. A minute later she returned, a nearly full bottle in her hands. She walked back, trying to keep her dignity as Ron snickered.

"Hermione…do you really think that's going to work?"

But she raised her head, ignoring his comment, and gave Ron a you-know-what-to-do look. Ron nodded, then, as best he could, (as Harry had been expecting it) held Harry's arms back as Hermione tilted the bottle back into his mouth. To make things more complicated, Harry decided to 'choke', in an attempt to make them stop. But this only made Hermione more determined, and Ginny shift uncomfortably in her seat and squeal a little bit. No doubt she was worried.

Finally, the deed was done, and Harry sat still and looked at Ginny. Hermione gave a sort of a triumphant 'hmph!' and resumed her position next to them.

"So, Harry, are you in love with Ginny?"

"In love with Ginny? I loved Ginny the moment I laid eyes on her. Of course, I didn't know it then, as I was only 11. Normally people don't really know what love is at that age. Frankly, I'm not sure I know what love is now… what was the question?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron placed his head in his hands.