Disclaimer: Come on peoples! Do I really need to say this? Well, if you insist. I don't own anything… just the plot and any original character that I might create.

Chapter 8: Guy Problems

The next few weeks went by incredibly fast. It was now the middle of October. Hermione and Harry had been spending almost every waking moment together. Word was beginning to spread like wildfire through the school. Ron was barely seen, spending most of his time as one of Malfoy's lackeys. Harry and Hermione had been spending the last few days trying to make a plan to get Ron back.

"I just don't get it. Ron isn't the kind of person who would ever hang out with Malfoy."

"I know. Don't worry, Harry, we'll think of something. Ron has to realize what he's done soon. The thing that gets me is how quickly he changed sides. We saw him on the train and the next minute he's Malfoy's best friend. All over him not knowing that we were prefects."

"I know. Ron has a very strange mind. He infers things without thinking first. His brain isn't working."

"Neither is his heart," came a voice from behind them. They turned around to see Lavender Brown behind them with tears streaming down from her eyes. "He hasn't said anything to me in since the summer. And now I get this." Lavender handed Hermione a note with barely legible handwriting.

Lavandar, ("Merlin, he can't even spell her name correctly" scolded Hermione)

I can't see you anymore. I have to break up with you.

Ron

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Lavender."

"I, I, I … I just don't understand. He's been hanging out with that slimy Draco and never spent any time with me. I wish I knew what was wrong. When we met this summer… I thought he… he seemed so sweet… I … maybe… take me … Yule Ball…" Lavender began to cry. Hermione got up and put her arm around her.

"It'll be okay, Lavender. We're trying to figure out what's up with Ron. I'm sure that we'll get him back to normal one way or another." Lavender left, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, to the girls' dorms.

"Hermione, do you want to come with me for a walk?" asked Harry.

"To where?"

"It's a surprise."

"Well, okay." Harry lead Hermione out of the common room to the corridor. Before they went any further he covered her eyes with his hands. "Harry, I can't see where I'm going," she giggled.

"Don't worry, I'll navigate you. Watch it we're coming to a step." Harry continued to lead Hermione down corridors and staircases, Hermione giggling the whole trip.

"Are we there yet?" she asked.

"Close, but not quite." Hermione felt a blast of chilled air hit her face.

"We're going outside?"

"Shhh. Almost there." Harry walked her a few hundred yards before pulling her down to the ground.

"Ouch."

"Sorry, 'Mione." He took his hand off of her face. Hermione open her eyes and gasped. The sun was setting, filling the sky with a magnificent gradient of pinks, oranges, and purples. The reflection on the lake made it all the more spectacular. Hermione smiled, and leaned against Harry. She shivered. "You cold?"

"Just a bit"

"I can fix that." Harry placed his arm around Hermione, pulling her tightly to him. "Is that better?"

"Much." Harry pulled her tighter.

"I love you." He turned his head to face her. Staring into her large brown eyes, he moved forward to kiss her. The kiss was long and sweet. Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry. She opened her mouth, inviting him in for a "dance". Harry obliged eagerly. For several minutes, they stayed together, rarely coming up for a breath. When they finally stopped, Hermione's face was as bright as the sunset, her chest fluctuating deeply from lack of oxygen.

"Let's go back for supper," suggested Harry. He got up and extended a hand for Hermione. Hermione reached up and took one last look at the beautiful scenery before heading back to the castle for supper.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Breakfast went on as usual the next morning. Ron was nowhere to be seen. Hermione and Harry sat discussing the next day's Herbology exam. Suddenly, loud hoots and chirps came from every corner of the Great Hall. Owls swarmed the area over the students' heads. Hedwig was among them, swooping down not to Harry but Hermione. A large parcel landed in front of Hermione labeled "To Hermione, From Syrena." She forgot to write to Syrena! She didn't need her help anymore.

"What's that?" asked Harry, eyeing the package.

"Oh this. It's nothing… just a care package from my parents," she lied. "I'll be back, I want to put this in my room before I lose it." Hermione got up and left the table. She reached her dorm, opening the box to find a small bottle. She held the bottle at eye level to see a light purple liquid inside it.

"Not that I need this anymore, but maybe I'll keep it just in case. Better put it somewhere safe. Just as she was about to put it away, she realized that class was about to begin in a few minutes. She just put the bottle on her dresser and raced downstairs to potions.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Hermione sat in her room, a cauldron bubbling over one of her famous fires in a jar, mixing in ingredients, a smile on her face. Earlier that day as they took notes in potions class she spotted a group of potions that fix your hair for you.

Mixing the ingredients in a different order gives you a different hairstyle. Hermione was trying for a French twist just to experiment. She was hoping that she'd find one that she could wear to the ball.

That is, if Harry would ask her which he hadn't yet. Hermione was beginning to worry that he might not take her, which was a silly thought as they were going out. But at the back of her mind she had a pain of doubt.

She looked at the time as the potion was finished boiling. It was late. She'd have to try the morning, which would be better anyway as people could comment on her hair and help her decide if it's good enough for the dance. She ladled the potion into a bottle and headed off to bed.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The sun burned Hermione's eyes. She opened them and looked at her watch. She was going to be late if she didn't hurry. She got dressed quickly and just before leaving grabbed the bottle of hair potion and took a quick sip. She raced downstairs to Transfiguration.

Upon arrival, she sat down next to Harry. She smiled at him and he smiled back. "You look really beautiful today, Hermione," he commented.

"Oh, thank you. It's this hair potion that I made last night. Do you like it or should I try another style?" she asked.

"Your hair? It looks the same as it always has. But I think you just look magnificent today."

"What do you mean my hair is the same as it always is?" She reached into her bag and pulled out a mirror. She gasped. "Nothing happened! I must've forgotten an ingredient or something. I'll just have to try again tonight."

The rest of the class went by slowly. Hermione took notes on every word that Professor McGonagall spoke. For some reason, though, Hermione felt like the eyes of the world were looking at her. She continued to write, and when McGonagall took a short break she looked around to see that she was right.

Well almost right. All of the boys in her class excluding Harry were staring at her with dreamy expressions stamped on their faces. The girls were all confused, staring at the boys wondering why they were staring at Hermione.

Class ended and Hermione became more paranoid as crowds of boys began to follow her. Harry was pulled back by all of the other boys and shouts issued from the crowd behind her. "You look beautiful!" "Come to the Yule Ball with me!" "Don't listen to him! Come with me instead!" Hermione's pace increased trying to reach Herbology as fast as she could. Once outside she ran as fast as she could to the greenhouses.

Inside, Professor Sprout explained that they had to prune some of the old mandrakes, the same ones from their second year. "Okay, everyone get a partner." Again, all of the boys in Herbology crowded around Hermione. Justin Finch-Fletchley pushed his way through the crowd.

"Please be my partner Hermione. I love you." Neville pushed him out of the way.

"Be my partner! And go to the ball with me!"

"No! She doesn't need you! She has to be my partner!" screamed Ernie MacMillian.

"Hermione, will you marry me?" shouted Dean Thomas. Hermione's head was spinning. What the heck is going on? She felt very claustrophobic and paranoid. She didn't know what to do. Thank Merlin, for Hermione's sake that Professor Spout came to break things up.

"What is going on over here? That's it. I want all of you boys to go the other end of the greenhouse. Harry, I want you to work with Hermione. Everyone better get to work!"

"What was that all about," asked Harry. "You are beautiful but why did all of the guys suddenly go wild after you. It makes a boyfriend jealous." Harry laughed a little and smiled at Hermione.

"I don't know. It freaked me out though!"

"Hermione, before I forget, this whole fiasco made me think of something. Will you go with me to the Yule Ball?" Hermione felt a sudden rush of warmth flowing throughout her body.

"Of course I will!" She ran over to Harry and hugged him. "Come on, we have to prune the mandrakes." She looked over to the other end of the greenhouse to see the other boys pouting, apparently jealous of the embrace that she and Harry had just shared.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Harry had managed to help Hermione through the halls to the library. Hermione stated that she needed to get a book for her arithmancy class. "You don't have to come with me. You can go to the Great Hall and eat some lunch. I won't be to long."

"Are you sure you can manage by yourself? I don't want you to get trapped in a sea of guys again."

"I'll be fine. I'm really the only person who goes to the library during lunch so I doubt that I'll be bombarded again." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and headed into the library. Hermione felt a certain level of relief as she saw that the only other person in the library other than her and the librarian was a 7th year girl.

She began to search the shelves, looking for a book that might help her with her arithmancy essay when a whisper came from behind her. "Hermione?" She turned around to see the one person she least expected: Ron.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were to busy hanging out with Malfoy," she said bitterly.

"I know. Listen, I made a big mistake. I need to talk to you. Follow me." Hermione followed Ron out of the library through several corridors.

"Ron, where are you taking me?"

"Hold on, we're almost there." A few minutes later, they stopped in front of an empty, dark classroom. "Go in there."

"Ron, what is going on?"

"Just go, we'll talk inside." Hermione looked at Ron but went inside anyway. As she turned around, the door closed in her face. Ron never came in. She tried to open the door but it was locked. Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks for reading my story… I don't have time to thank everyone but the next chapter I will thank every one who reviewed chapters 7 and 8! Thanks anyway!