Hermione sat down to dinner later that day. She was so glad that she and Ron had remained friends, and his confession had made the two of them bond closer.

Harry was at the dinner table in his usual seat, eating shepherds pie. Hermione sat in her seat across from him and watched him eat. She wondered how Harry would take the news that his best friend was gay. Knowing Harry, he would probably accept it with wide-open arms. Harry was good like that. He was understanding. Maybe it had to do with the rough childhood he had endured, but Harry had always found it easy to understand other people's problems.

Harry looked up at her. "So, how did it go with Ron?" he asked.

"Well," Hermione started and then faltered. She couldn't break her promise to Ron. And yet she really did not want to lie to Harry. She had to tell Harry the truth, but leave a very important part out.

She shook back her hair and stared Harry straight in the eyes. "We came to a mutual decision that it just wasn't going to work with us."

"Bummer," Harry said sympathetically. "Any particular reason why?"

Hermione smiled to herself. "There were a few, but mostly just that we're better off as friends."

Harry nodded and scraped the last bite of his shepherd's pie from his plate. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he stood up and groaned as he looked at the ceiling. "Looks like it's going to be windy tonight." He looked back down at Hermione with a frustrated expression. "Quidditch practise again."

"But you're the team captain, surely you could call it off?" Hermione said in confusion.

"I wish!" Harry laughed dryly. "Nah, we really need this practise session. We are going to suck against Ravenclaw on Saturday if we don't practise lots this week. Practises every night and every morning before classes." He smiled grimly at Hermione as he began to leave the hall. "Catch you later, ok?"

Hermione watched him leave the hall. She wanted to capture him in her memory forever. She had so many good memories of him doing things, but all the pictures of his face were blurred, she could not picture him perfectly. She wanted to be able to see him when she dreamed. More than anything, she wanted to be able to say to everyone that she and the Head Boy were in love.

But with a sinking feeling in her stomach, she remembered how in sixth year, whenever Ron had made jokes about her and Harry being a couple, Harry had laughed and acted as though it could never happen.

Parvati sat down next to Hermione in Harry's place, and Lavender sat across in Ron's seat.

"So, I hear you and Ron broke up," Lavender said with a concerned expression. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Hermione laughed. "It's perfectly ok. It wasn't really going anywhere anyway. But thank you for asking, Lavender."

"You know, he and Harry are easily the two most desirable boys in the seventh year. There are not a lot of good guys left." Parvati stabbed a sausage with her fork viciously.

"What about Dean Thomas?" Hermione asked, furrowing her brow.

Lavender rolled her eyes. "Lately he's become so involved with that girlfriend of his in Ravenclaw, its impossible to even get a conversation going with him."

"Well, there's all the guys in the other houses, don't forget them," Hermione offered.

"Yeah, but the guys in our house are the best. They're the brave, strong ones," Lavender said with a dreamy expression in her eyes.

"You and Harry are pretty close, what do you think about you two getting together?" Parvati asked Hermione.

"Parvati!" exclaimed Lavender. "She's only just broken up with her boyfriend, give her a break!"

Hermione laughed. "Harry's my best friend, Parvati. I just want him to be happy."

"Do you reckon he'd be happy if I asked him out?" asked Lavender, examining her reflection in the back of a spoon. "I've always kind of fancied the bloke."

Hermione felt a stab of jealousy in the pit of her stomach but brushed it away, knowing that Harry would never go out with Lavender if she asked, because he wasn't interested in her as far as she knew. She thought she might as well build up Lavenders ego, because she doubted Lavender would even bother asking.

"Sure, I think so. You're pretty, and a great person to be around. I can't see why he wouldn't say yes," Hermione said.

"Go ask him!" Parvati said. "He's just gone back into the common room. Go on!"

Lavender rose. "I think I will. I'm tired of looking at him from a distance. It's time I tried to get close and personal with the boy I like!" With that she walked out of the hall. Hermione was shocked. She hadn't meant to build up Lavenders hopes, only her ego! She hoped Lavender wouldn't be too crushed when Harry said no.

She and Parvati continued eating, keeping small talk flowing while waiting on the edge of their seats for Lavender to come back. They didn't have long to wait. Twenty minutes later, Lavender came back into the room. Hermione braced herself for tears and wailings of, "he doesn't like me!" to come from Lavender. She turned around and was about to say, "Never mind, Lavender, there'll be others who'll appreciate you." But when she saw the expression on Lavenders face, she could not help herself. Her jaw dropped open. Lavender was beaming and her eyes were bright with happiness.

"I'm going out with Harry Potter!" she shrieked to Parvati and Hermione.

Parvati screamed. "Oh my god! That's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!"

Hermione swallowed. "Yeah, that's great Lavender. I'm so pleased for you."

Thankfully, the pair were too engrossed in their joy to notice a definite lack of enthusiasm in her voice.