Harry and Ron awoke the next morning for quidditch tryouts; they were scheduled later than usual.  Although, the team had been practicing with all the potential candidates, Harry was anxious to finalize the players and start developing specific strategies.  They had a game in only a few weeks.  Harry did his best to calm Ron's nerves.  "Just do it the way we have been practicing.  You'll be fine.  I think you will make a great keeper."

"Thanks, Harry.  You are telling me this as Quidditch Captain and not just because you are my best friend trying to encourage me, right?"

Harry smiled and patted Ron on the back.  He couldn't say.  When it came to his vote, he was definitely casting it for Ron.  Harry was being fair; he had carefully watched all the players trying out for the team.   His opinion was that Ron was the best choice.  Still he was only one vote, and Professor McGonagall had the weighted vote and final say.

It was a long morning and Harry's thoughts were with Hermione.  He was thinking about putting the plan into action later that night.  Finally, the time period ended and tryouts were over.  Professor McGonagall asked the current team members to stay behind; they were going to tally scores.  All others, could head right to the locker and shower area before heading back to the castle. 

She raised her voice,  "You all did an excellent job.  Believe me when I say, this is always the most difficult decision to make.  I wish we could keep all of you on the team.  If you do not make the team, and you are not a seventh year, then please consider trying out again next year.  There will be several" she ruefully looked at Harry, "difficult positions to fill.  I know how difficult it is to wait for news, good or bad.  I will, therefore, magic the final list to the message board in our common room.  Good luck."  She glanced at a few students who had started to head back to the castle.  "Remember, showers first!"  The students turned and headed sheepishly back to the locker room.

After waiting for Harry, Ron inquired about the outcome.  Harry smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  Ron squinted at him and complained, "You really can be a stickler for rules when you want to be."  Harry   and Ron ran all the way back to the castle and the Gryffindor common room to see the posted results.  This was a mistake because Ron was already out of breath before he was ambushed by a mob of girls.  The girls, mainly fourth through seventh years, literally pounced on him offering congratulations.  He had made the house team as the new keeper. 

Ron turned within the mob and caught Harry's smirk.  Harry's eyes seemed to be telling him, this is just the beginning.  Ron did not mind at all. 

Harry was truly amused.  He watched his friend being swallowed up by the Gryffindor females.  He also noticed that Ron had a lot of confidence in this situation.  It surprised Harry.  He himself always found situations with girls difficult and the more there were….well, the uneasier he felt.  It always ended with his face burning hot from embarrassment.  'I really do embarrass too easily.  I wish I could be this natural with attention.'  Harry thought that Ron was more natural at group adoration than one on one relationships.  He leaned back and watched.  Ron really was enjoying this.  He wasn't the slightest bit nervous.  Harry shook his head watching from a distance.  If Ron had been approached by one girl Ron would be stammering up a storm.

"Hey, Harry!"  Ron smiled and called over.  "I think I could get used to this!"

Harry smiled but thought to himself, 'Not me.  I want more than this.  I want one girl who wants me for me.'  He thought about Hermione.  She was his one girl.  He hoped he could be her one choice.  The word echoed in his mind.  Choice.  Her free choice made, not forced.  The first step was to remind the victim of past friendships forgotten by the obsession of the new forced relationship.  Harry crossed the common room and as he headed up to get his photo album, he noticed Hermione coming in through the portrait entrance.  She stopped dead in her tracks watching Ron hug each of the flirtatious girls in turn.

She looked totally exhausted. 

Harry made his way through the celebrating crowd to catch her hand.  She hadn't noticed his approach.

"Oh, Harry."  She smiled at him and then glanced back at Ron.  "So, what's this about?" 

Wow, she really is out of the loop.  "Ron made the quidditch team.  He is our new keeper."

"Oh, yes that's right.  Tryouts today.  You guys really are behind.  Slytherin had tryouts weeks ago.  Draco is really a very organized and dedicated captain."

Harry felt like he had been punched in the stomach.  Was that an insult against him as captain?  He hadn't really wanted to wait this long.  It was a promise McGonagall had made to an injured student who showed great promise as a chaser.  Harry knew it was a calculated risk, but the girl was going to be a fantastic addition to the team.  Plus, it wasn't as if his heart breaking didn't preoccupy him.  "Yes, well, Draco is" he stopped when Hermione turned quickly almost challenging him.  His mind screeched to a halt.  "Um…" He gave up.  Time to switch tactics.  "Mione?"

"Hmm?" 

"I was wondering, you look so stressed…. do you think we could take a walk around the lake?  You do remember how you walked with me back in fourth year, when I was stressed with the tournament?"  It was a rhetorical question he knew she remembered. 

"Yes, Harry; however, I only have a few hours to study plus we have that meeting with the prefects tonight."  Harry moaned.  He had forgotten the blasted meeting.  Hermione knowingly glanced at him.  "You really need to keep up with your responsibilities and be honored for having them.  As head boy, you knew we would have to hold these meetings jointly.  I assure you, Harry, that I will expect you to carry your weight in this matter!  You cannot always rely on me to conduct the meeting and plan the appropriate agendas."  Harry was nodding his head. 

"Yes, yes, sorry.  I will definitely handle the meeting tonight."  His mind was spinning; he was used to holding meetings.  He was quidditch captain.  Agenda…well, yes, he was aware of a few things Professor Dumbledore had asked them to cover with the house prefects.  He knew there were some other issues that had come up in the boys' dormitories at Gryffindor and probably similar issues were being experienced in the other houses as well.  The first years needed more tutoring hours scheduled with their house prefects.  He could throw an agenda together.  "Absolutely!  I am ready to conduct the meeting."   

Hermione squinted at him and sighed.  She was so sure that he had totally forgotten the meeting and was now only bluffing.  "Great, Harry, I look forward to seeing your ….leadership.  You know, with only a few more votes, Draco would have been head boy.  His academic points were much higher than yours.  Your academic points were high enough to hold you in consideration; however, you won by gaining more of the popular votes from the students."  Hermione sighed and then continued.  "Draco would have made an excellent head boy.  He would have been very dedicated, resourceful and responsible.  You were only in the running with academic points through all my insistence on studying.  Now, I wonder if that was a mistake on my part."  Harry noticed that her eyes seemed to widen, as if she was surprised she had said that out loud.  In truth, her eyes widened because she couldn't believe she had even had those thoughts let alone that she had voiced them.  Harry was one of her dearest friends, and she had worked and pushed him hard because she had wanted him to be head boy.  It had always been her secret goal.  She had to blush at herself for the reason, especially now that she was in a relationship with Draco.  A small smile played on her lips and she thought back to the day it all came together.  Her plan.  After reading, 'Hogwarts a History' so many times, a pattern that formerly escaped her attention came screaming into her head with clarity.  As she went through the list of past Head Boys and Girls, her eyes rested on the names James Potter and Lily Evans.  She frantically flipped and started a mental tally.  Then she thought through the examples from her own experience while at Hogwarts.  Even to Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater.  Indeed, many of the Head Boys and Girls had married right after graduation or within a few years of leaving Hogwarts.  Hermione's smile broadened.  I was well on track.  She looked back at Harry.  He was still the most handsome boy.  She felt a twinge.  Her plan.  Harry had always been Her Plan.

"Harry, tonight."

"What?"

"Tonight, after the meeting.  After rounds.  Meet me here and we will take a late night walk by the lake just like old times."

Harry's building anger quieted.  What just happen?  All the insults, now the acceptance?  Don't give her time for second thoughts, even if you don't understand.  "Sure, Hermione.  That's great, thanks."

Harry's meeting went off quite well.  He was rather pleased with himself.  He was thankful for being quidditch captain for the past two years.  He managed a few peer mediation problems, addressed some common house problems, and together he got everyone to agree to a new timetable setting up more tutoring time for the first years.  Harry was even surprised when Draco 'willing' volunteered to help with two tutoring sessions.  He would help the first years and then a combined fourth and fifth year group in potions.  He did this only after Hermione kept staring him down each time Harry had asked for a volunteer.  The candidate had to be carrying a minimum class average in the subject.  As Harry thought back, it was either going to be Terry Boot, Hermione or Draco.  Well, he had achieved his goals for the night, and he was sure Hermione had to be impressed with his…leadership.

"Well, done Harry!"  Terry Boot had said.  "Can you conduct all the meetings from now till the close of the year?  Don't misunderstand me, I love Hermione, but she does tend to be a little long winded.  I feel we accomplished more tonight in record time."  Harry was flattered that the Ravenclaw prefect, another who was in close running for head boy, had offered such a compliment.

"Thank you, Terry.  That means so much coming from you.  Hermione means well.  She is very detail oriented.  I am sure she will lighten up in time.  We will be alternating meetings."  He was talking to Terry, yet his eyes were watching Hermione and Draco arguing in the corner of the room.  He could just catch the drift.  Hermione was apparently trying to tell Draco she would not be meeting him after her rounds.  Harry smiled inwardly, he knew why. 

She was meeting him.