This is my last chapter, I do believe. Thank you, thank you very much. The endings retarded, I know. But deal with it.
CHAPTER FOUR
When Harry and Ron came down to breakfast that morning, Hermione was, as an extreme understatement, bewildered. Harry had a swollen lip. Ron had a black eye. Both looked sleep deprived and furious. And all around the school, were the knowing looks from everybody that said all too clearly, I knew this was going to happen. It was only a matter of time. They ate their meal in silence.
Hermione nervously cleared her throat and left for her first class. Ron and Harry had herbology together. As they strode angrily across the grounds, Harry grabbed Ron's arm.
"We have to talk."
"No, ya think?" Was the sarcastic reply.
The two angry boys threw themselves into Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Ron spoke first.
"Harry.....this is stupid.....I don't want to sound like a girl or anything.....but friends are more important."
"Well....yeah but.....what are we going to do? I mean about Hermione? Its clear its you she likes. And now she'll figure out I like her too, and then she'll break it off with you because she won't want to split us up."
"Unless we tell her there's a different reason you punched me. But that still leaves....you liking her. And you'll end up hating me."
There was silence for a little while.
"You know Ron.....I think Ill be able to handle it."
And Harry smiled in a reassuring way that for some reason Ron completely trusted.
"So.....we still have to think of a reason why you punched me."
"ok.....um.....lets say I made a joke about her and you took it the wrong way......No, then she'll think I called her a slut or something.....or as you would say a scarlet woman..."
Whatever lie they told Hermione, its safe to say she didn't believe them. Its also safe to say that the three friends stayed friends, and Harry was able to handle it. Later in life he fell in love with a german taxidermist. And whether or not Hermione ever did become a scarlet woman and break Ron's heart.....we can leave up to the imagination.