That night before dinner, Harry was helping Ron search through his trunk. After those games of Wizard Chess, the rest of the school day when oddly by. Trying to avoid Malfoy's sneers along with Hermione's stupidity towards her true past, was quite a chore. At lunch, they sat down to devise a play, or many, on how to get Hermione's memory back.

            "How about we hit her over the head a couple times." Ron had suggested.

            "You don't want to hurt her, do you?" Harry said.

            "No."

            "Then that should be crossed of the list." Replied Harry. "Well, so far, we have: 1, get the answer outta Malfoy. 2, Bug her to hell about our previous years together. 3, Ignore it and mope about it for the rest of our lives. 4, Picture memory. 5 and final so far, get to know the new her over again. But that wouldn't be nearly the same no matter what we try."

            "That's sadly true." Ron admitted. "Harry, the best one I think we have so far is number four."

            Harry rechecked the parchment list. "Picture memory. Ron, I haven't any photos."

            "Leave that to me." Ron replied.

            That's what they were looking for in Ron's trunk now. Pictures. Both of them rarely brought a camera with them to Hogwarts but Dean did. He took some photos of them and gave the final result to them to keep. Harry owned about two, but kept them at home. Ron brought his along, obviously. They shifted though many bags of sweets and joke apparel from Hogsmeade and many pairs of socks. Finally, Ron pulls out a large envelope with 'From Dean' written on it. He opened it and smiled, then showed Harry. It was a picture of a typical night in the common room. He, Ron, and Hermione were sitting around one of the tables with their piles of homework. Dean had used that special solution while developing, so the picture was moving. Hermione, prepared with notes and many books, was rolling her eyes at Ron who was trying to balance a pen between his nose and upper lip. Harry was pretending to study out of the Chudley Cannons book Ron had given him.

            "It's so surprising." Harry says. "She's been like this for only one day, and I already miss her terribly."

            "Same."

            "Think this will work?" Harry asked.

            "Hope so." Ron takes out another photo. He does a cross between a laugh and a sigh. "Don't know if I could take it another day."

            "Same."

            The photo was of Hermione all fancied up for the Yule Ball before she left to be with Victor Krum.

            "Dean must've taken this before we came up to get ready. I've been meaning to thank him still." Said Ron. He had a smile on his face that had a certain curve, Harry never had seen before.

                                                                                    ****

            "Hermione wait!"

            "Oh, leave me alone. What was your name again? Wheezy?" Hermione replies over her shoulder. Ron was getting upset.

            "Listen, Hermione." Ron catches up with her and grabs the hood of her robes. "I just have something to show you."

            "I don't want to see it." Hermione spats.

            Harry runs up the stairs to the fourth floor and sees Ron and Hermione. It was almost after hours, so they had to hurry this up. Ron had Hermione by the arm and looked quite furious. So did she, with her eyes huge and her nose upturned. Ron must've not known Harry had arrived, for he said something that he'd consider personal.

            "I'll do anything I can to have you remember. Because, Hermione, I'll die the day you completely forget me. Please don't kill me."

            Harry smiles to himself, "I knew it." He says quietly.

            Hermione had the weirdest look upon her face. A mix of emotions; hatred and confusion and almost sadness. She looks Ron as much as she could in the eye and says slowly, "I don't know you, so please get out of my way and out of my face."

            Ron lets go of her arm and waves his to the side, gesturing towards her passageway. Harry could feel his whole body shaking, but he didn't know what it was from. He watched Hermione's bushy brown hair sway back and forth as she walks away down the dark hall without saying another word. Ron goes over to the wall and rests his arm on it, then puts his head on top of that. Harry comes over and Ron finally notices.

            "Damn you Malfoy." Ron whispers. "Damn you." He takes a recovery breath. "She just killed me, Harry."

            Harry didn't know what to say to him. Of course he's knows how he feels. He's had a broken heart before, but he could never really see Ron 'loving' somebody in the first place, for some reason. All Harry could think of at the moment was Cho Chang and how awkward she made him feel inside. He regained thought of what just happened and looked back at Ron who was still leaning into the wall head-first. Ron looked to be sleeping, but he was frowning. A small clicking sound rang throughout the corridor and Ron springs off the wall angrily and walks hastily into the shadows. He returns dragging the scruff of someone's robes. It was a little girl. She had strawberry-blonde hair and her eyes were shut tightly in fear. Ron tosses her slightly into the hallway and she regains balance.

            She bows her head hurriedly. "I'm so very sorry. Please don't harm me."

            Ron advances on her with a clenched fist. "How could you just stand there and listen to everything!?"

            "Ron, ease up!" Harry says. "It's not that big of a deal."

            "It was to me." Ron snarls.

            "I'm so very sorry! So very sorry." The girl repeats, straightening and bowing over and over. "I'd no intention of intruding on you three. I was just returning to my common room dormitories from the washroom after dinner and got a little caught up. I didn't want to pass you because I thought you'd be angry with me if I did. You," she motions her head towards Ron. "seemed to be having a very important conversation. I indeed am sorry. I was just trying to give you a little time with Miss Granger and then I just…"

            "You just decided to eavesdrop!" Ron bellows.

            "No, sir, I meant not to be dropping any eaves." The girl answers. "If I may comment, I must tell you that I am gravely sorry about your predicament. 'Tis a troublesome pickle, 'tis it not?"

            "You know about Hermione?" Harry asks.

            "I in fact do know that you three are like peas in a pod. You are very tightly bonded. I found it quite strange yesterday when she ignored you all through class and didn't respond to your commentary. I just was confused on how it happened." The young girl says.

            "Class?" Ron said.

            "I am in the fifth year as well, only I belong in Ravenclaw house. I am in your morning charms class." The girl replies. "You may not notice me, because I tend to stay quiet and sit in the corner. Professor Flitwick doesn't call on me often."

            Harry had to shake his head a few times, for he was lost in her stunning olive-green eyes. "What's your name?"

            "Sir Potter, my name is Laurel DeGrope." She bows her head again.

            Ron chuckles. "Sir Potter."

            "Nice to meet you." Harry says and glares at Ron.

            "Same with me." Laurel said. "Nice to meet you to, Ronald."

            Harry laughs out loud. "Ronald."

            "You shut up." Ron scowls.

            "Anyways," Laurel continues. "I do request you accept my apologies. I am truly sorry about all this."

            Ron nods his head slightly. "Yeah, but wait." Ron goes up to Laurel and stares her down. "Would you help me?"

            "Help you?" Laurel questions. "How could I?"

            "Hermione has been poisoned by a special potion, that's all I can assume. You seem like one of those smart types. Do you know your way around the cauldron?" Ron asks.

            Laurel swallows nervously. "I am indeed strongest with my potion making then any other art, but I have no idea how I could help you."

            "Anything will help." Harry joins Ron.

            Ron takes the photo of Hermione all dressed up out of his pocket. He looks at the picture image of her spinning in her navy blue dress and fixing her hair. He then shows it to Laurel. "I don't really want to explain it at the moment, but…"

            Laurel looks up at Ron's face and then looks at the ground, blushing slightly and smiling. "I understand, Ronald." She giggles with excitement. "With that motivation, I am more willing to help you now then I was before. Please accept my apology for my hesitation. I shouldn't have ever considered saying no."

            Ron and Harry gain up on Laurel in a group hug. "Thank you!"

            Laurel flushes a brilliant shade of magenta. "Oh, my." She sighs. Then she starts to giggle again. "Terribly sorry."

            Over on the other side of Laurel, Harry heard Ron whisper, "I am revived…for now."

            Harry thought of Cho again uncontrollably. He then laughs to himself after they left Laurel to go to her common room and they to theirs.

            "What's so funny, Harry?" Ron asks.

            Harry rolls his eyes. "Long live hormones."

            The two boys would be meeting up with Laurel tomorrow afternoon in the library to do some research on ancient potion making and the subtle art that they both truly hated, and needed.