Harry made sure to shut the portrait of the Fat Lady behind him so Ginny would have to say the password once again, and walked right up to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting where they'd been when he and Ginny left. He'd tried everything else -- now he was going to try force.

"Ron," Harry said in a menacing tone, "just tell me what's going on! Don't you think I have a right to know, I'm your best friend."

"Nothing's going on," Ron said, pretending he didn't know what Harry was talking about.

"I know something's going on because Hermione told Ginny."

Ron's eyes shot at Hermione. "Did you now?"

Hermione glared at him. "What, so I don't have a right to tell my friends what's going on?"

"Exact--"

"Not if it's my sister!"

Harry decided that he'd rather have them fighting than not talking to each other -- it seemed much more natural. The first years were all staring, but that was only because they weren't used to it yet.

Ginny came in a second later, she ran up to Hermione as soon as she realized they were fighting. "Hermione! Don't yell! It's not good . . ."

Whatever Ginny meant, it shut up Hermione, whose red face was beginning to go back to normal. "You're right," she said to Ginny.

Ron looked like he was about to shout again, but he caught Ginny's eye and blushed brighter than Harry had ever seen, then grabbed his books and went up to the dormitories. Harry waited a second, then went up after him.

"Ron?"

Ron threw the curtains covering his bed to the side and looked at Harry expectantly.

Harry decided that it would be pointless to try and get it out of him. "Never mind," he mumbled, and went back down to the common room.

* * * * *

A week later the only people talking to each other were Ginny and Hermione. Ron felt betrayed by Hermione, Harry betrayed by both Hermione and Ron, and Hermione was resentful towards Ron. Ginny seemed the only neutral ground. (Well, Ron wasn't talking to her . . . but not because he was mad at her)

Harry had finally gotten to the point where he decided that if Ginny knew, he ought to know, and maybe he shouldn't respect her wishes. And that's why he was slipping a little truth potion into Ron and Hermione's drinks while Dumbledore said a few words. Just enough to last around fifteen minutes, so he had to act fast. When it looked as if neither would ever take a drink, he mumbled a tiny spell under his breath so that they both would suddenly become very thirsty.

Sure enough, it worked, and both downed their drink as fast as possible. Of course, they weren't sitting very near each other, but Harry was keeping an eye on them.

"Ron, if Malfoy hit on Hermione, what would you do?"

Ron looked up from where Harry was sitting across the table. "I'd punch him until you have to pull me back by my shirt."

"Ah. Why is that?"

"Because Hermione's mine. Malfoy would just be using her."

Ron looked a little surprised at his answer, but Harry remembered that he'd better get what he wanted asked before he realized it was a truth potion.

"Hermione, come over here."

Hermione, who was still talking to Harry, came over and sat in the empty space beside him. "Yes?"

"What would you do if . . . Lavender hit on Ron?"

"I'd spread a vicious rumor about her and tell her to back off." Hermione put a hand over mouth immediately, not understanding why she'd said that.

Act quickly, Harry thought. "Ron, what did Hermione tell Ginny that you don't want told to your little sister?"

"That Hermione and I slept together in London."

Harry's jaw dropped. " *What*?"

"That Hermione and I slept together in London," Ron repeated, his face red. He mumbled, "I wish I had some of Hagrid's fudge . . ."

"Is that all?" Harry asked hoarsely.

Hermione's eyes widened in horror at the question. "No," she said before she could stop herself. Not that she'd be able to.

"It's not?" Ron asked, sitting forward and looking intrigued.

"No," Hermione answered. She jumped up and started to walk away briskly.

"Hermione, what else did you tell Ginny?"

"I've told Ginny a lot of things. I told Ginny about how Fred and George were really the ones who--"

"Hermione, what did you tell Ginny that you just said wasn't all of what you told her?" Ron asked.

Harry shot a look to Ron. "You don't know?"

"No. And by the way I'm very upset about--"

Hermione whispered something.

Harry stood and walked up next to her. "What did you just say?"

"That I'm pregnant too," Hermione whispered again. She sat down meekly, as though her legs had given up and Harry stared at her, dumbfounded. He was doing a lot of staring lately.

"What did she say?" Ron demanded. Harry couldn't speak; he was just looking between the two. "Hermione, what did you say to Harry?"

"That I'm pregnant too," Hermione said in a low voice.

It was now Ron's turn to stare, but he eventually only had Hermione's back to stare at because she jumped up and ran out of the Great Hall, Ginny at her heels.

Harry sat back down and looked at Ron, who was still in shock. "If I had known I wouldn't have done the truth potion. I was just worried and upset that you two weren't talking to me."

Ron nodded. "I understand."

"You're not mad?"

"I'm mad," Ron confirmed. "You really shouldn't have violated our trust like that."

"Your trust? What trust, Ron? You haven't talked to me since this year started -- Hermione either," Harry said.

"I was avoiding her," Ron said.

"And she you. I figured that part out. What are you going to do about . . . what she said?"

"Do?"

"Well, you have to do something, don't you?"

"Maybe she could . . . magic it away," Ron suggested.

"If you suggest that to her, she may kill you," Harry warned. "All you have to do is go find her, hug her, and tell her it's all okay."

"But that's a lie!"

"So? It'll make her feel better."

"What if she asks if I really mean it? You forget Harry, I'm under a truth spell!" Ron said, his voice raising in anger.

"If I hadn't put you under it do you really think Hermione would have told you?" Harry asked.

Ron thought about this. A few minutes passed and he stood up, rubbing the back of his head in a nervous gesture. "I'm gonna go talk to her."

"Good," Harry said, nodding in approval.

* * * * *

Hermione and Ginny were sitting on Ginny's bed, Hermione telling her what happened and Ginny apologizing -- insisting that she told Harry not to use the potion.

"Ginny, is Hermione in her room?"

The girls looked up to see Ron.

"You're not supposed to be in here," Hermione said. Ginny got up and started to leave. "No -- Ginny, don't go."

"Too late," Ron said softly he walked closer to her. "Hermione . . . if you had told me . . . I mean, well, were you going to tell me?"

"I didn't want to but Ginny kept nagging at me," Hermione admitted. "I don't want anybody to know. I'm Head Girl, what will people think?"

"We could . . ." Ron searched his head for answers. "Run off together?"

"Ron, be serious."

Ron shrugged and sat down tentatively on Ginny's bed. "Are you still under the truth spell?"

"I think so. Are you?"

"Yes," Ron answered. "Hermione, did you -- I mean . . . was I . . . okay?"

"More," Hermione said. "Was I okay?"

"Heaven," Ron answered. "I hated not talking to you more than fighting with you. Actually, I kind of enjoy fighting with you."

Hermione sat up to be closer to Ron. "What am I supposed to do about this?"

"I'll help you, of course. I mean, Hermione, I'm your best friend. And if I mess up and stuff, you'll always have Ginny and Harry who can also help talk sense into me."

Hermione smiled slowly, but it was a start. "To tell the truth, Ron, I didn't tell you because I was resentful. My whole future is ruined, but yours isn't."

"Let's not talk about that," Ron said, putting an arm around Hermione and beckoning for her to get up. "Let's just go eat dinner. Afterall, you're eating for two now and I don't want you starving Ron Jr."

"Ronald Jr.?" Hermione said doubtfully.

Ron gave her a puzzled look. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Well *I* wanted a *girl*," Hermione said indignantly.

"It's not up to me or you," Ron said.

"It'll be a girl," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Okay, if you're so sure of that, then why don't you go ahead and let me name it after myself if it's a boy."

"Okay," Hermione agreed.

Ron grinned and pulled her tighter against him. Yes, arguing was much better than not talking to each other, he confirmed to himself.

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

AN: Again, this is just revised so that the spelling errors Jay and Jo caught are corrected. Thanks, you guys:)