A/N: For all my fans out there, I'm sorry about not updating. I've been trying to focus on my other story and my writers block caused me to halt. But now, I'm back!

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL MY READERS AND REVIEWERS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Now lets continue.

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Chapter 8

Taking sides.

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It was the day of the Hogsmade visit and Halloween. Ginny woke up early and decided to go to breakfast. But just as she was about to enter the Great Hall, she heard some laughter. Draco and his gang of Slitherins were laughing about something.

"Now hand over the money." Said Draco.

"All right." Another Slitherin gave him some gold.

"Sucker. I told you that the Weasel would go out with me two times and maybe even longer."

"Who knew that she would?"

"I wasn't expecting that she would when I made the bet."

"I told you that no girl can resist me. Although the Weasel was fine, I gotta admit, she did have a great bod. And she danced really well."

"She's a Gryffindor. All Gryffindors are no good."

"Whatever. It's not like I would be in a relationship with her. Now, who wants to bet that I'll bed her by the next date?"

There was more chatter but Ginny didn't hear any of it. Tears streaming down her face, she ran to the bathroom. How could he? That twisted jerk! He was just using her. She should have known better. She ran up to the Common Room, not feeling hungry anymore. In the Common Room she saw Hermione.

Seeing her tearstained face, Hermione asked in a worried tone, "Ginny, what's wrong?"

Ginny didn't answer. Ignoring Hermione, she ran up to the girl's dorm and flung herself on her bed. Wondering what was wrong, Hermione followed her.

"Ginny, what happened?"

"I was so stupid, thinking that-that he actually liked me."

"Is this something about Malfoy?"

Ginny nodded her head.

"I see, well, what did he do?"

"He only went out with me because of a bet."

"That asshole! Ginny, look, it'll be okay, just forget about him and find someone else. He's nothing more than a jerk."

"But-but, I thought that he really liked me."

"He had us all fooled. I guess this just proves it; evil people will always be evil. Now let go down to breakfast."

Just as they were about to enter the great hall, Ron came out, dragging Harry.

"Ron, what are you doing?" asked Harry.

Ron ignored him. "You." He pointed at Ginny. "You should have known better than to go out with him. For heavens sake, he's from Slitherin!"

"I could go out with anybody I want. You're not the boss of me."

"Excuse me? I deserve to know everything about your love life."

"No you don't. It's Ginny's life, not yours." Said Hermione.

"Hi guys, what's up?" said Susan cheerfully. "Are you going to go to breakfast?"

"Not until I figure this thing out." Growled Ron.

"What thing? There's nothing going on." Said Ginny.

"Well there was and you're in trouble for that."

"Could someone fill me in?" said Susan and Harry at the same time.

"Well, Ginny was dating Malfoy, then Ron found out and now he's making a scene out of nothing." Said Hermione, glaring at Ron.

"Oh that." Said Susan."

"Oh you—

"Hold on." Interrupted Harry. "Ginny went out with Malfoy?"

"Uh huh."

"That slimy git whose nose is so high up in the air that if it'd rain, he'd drown?"

"Yep." Said Susan.

"Hold, you knew about this too? Why am I the only person that didn't know about it?" said Ron.

"Because nobody told you."

"Why didn't anybody tell me? I unlike Ron, wouldn't have tried to stop Ginny." Said Harry.

"What do you mean, unlike Ron?" said Ron. "Oh I know that you're not saying that it was okay for Ginny to go out with him?"

"It's her choice."

"No it's not. She's not an adult so other people make choices for her."

"You're not an adult either." Said Ginny.

"I'm older."

"Nobody gives a damn about how old you are."

"Oh you better, or I'm gonna write to mum."

"Oh I'm so scared. Why don't you just leave me alone?"

"Because you made a huge mistake and I need to sort it out."

"JUST STOP FUCKING WITH MY LIFE!"

"I CAN IF I WANT TO!"

"GO TO HELL, YOU FUCKING—

"THAT'S ENOUGH." Yelled Susan. "Ron, its Ginny's life, not yours. She's old enough to make her own decisions."

"Age doesn't matter."

"OH NOW IT DOESN'T MATTER? IT MATTERED A MINUTE AGO!" said Hermione, screaming.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO DOWN TO BREAKFAST, THIS DOESN'T CONCERN YOU!" right then Ron saw that he pushed Hermione too far.

"IT DOES CONCERN ME! GINNY IS ONE OF My BEST FRIENDS AND I WILL NOT LET HER GET TOLD OFF BY A FUCKING ASS THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LIFE!"

"BITCH!"

Hermione was about to yell something back when Susan stopped her.

"Come on, let's go." Muttered Susan quietly.

"Okay." Hermione, Ginny, and Susan were about to enter the great hall.

"HOLD ON! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!"

"WELL I AM!"

"YOU WILL LISTEN TO WHAT I'VE GOTTA SAY!"

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!"

"I CAN FUCK AROUND WITH ANYBODY I WANT!"

"DO YOU EVER CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE? YOU NEED TO BE IN SLITHERIN WITH THAT ATTITITUDE!" this time, it was Susan who yelled.

"WHY DON'T YOU COME BACK FROM WHEREVER YOU CAME FROM? NOBODY WILL MISS YOU I CAN TELL YOU THAT MUCH!"

"YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T NEED THIS SHIT!" Susan turned around and started walking.

"OH DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME! I HAVEN'T FINISHED!"

"RONALD WEASLEY! NOBODY CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU GOTTA SAY!" screamed Hermione.

"OH YEAH? WELL—

"I almost forgot. THIS RELATIONSHIP IS OVER!"

"FINE! YOU FINALLY BROKE UP WITH ME! NOW I WON'T HAVE A BITCH NAGGING ON ME ALL THE TIME!"

Hermione was shocked. "Well, FINE! AT LEAST I WON'T HAVE TO GO OUT WITH SOMEONE AS BIG OF A MOTHER FUCKER AS YOU! THIS IS ACTUALLY THE BEST THING THAT I HAVE EVER DONE!"

The two girls walked away.

"Come on, let's go. We don't want to hang around with a loser." Said Hermione, glaring at Ron. Her face was so red you could have cooked something on it.

"Bye Harry. See you around." Said Susan.

"Okay."

Susan started walking."

"Hey, hold on a sec."

"Yeah?"

"Will you still go with me to Hogsmade?"

"I guess. See you at the entrance hall in about three hours."

"Great."

The girls left.

"Can you believe them?" said Ron, disgusted.

"Yeah, I can."

"What?"

"They're right. Ron, you'd got to let Ginny breathe a little."

"I do."

"No you don't. You won't let her go out with anyone. You're basically ruining her life."

"No I'm not. I'm just watching out for her."

"She doesn't need watching out. She can take care of herself."

Ron looked at Harry. "You think that it was right for her to go out with Malfoy?"

"Well, no. But it was her choice and you can't make her choices for her."

"But I'm just trying to help her."

"The only way that you could help her right now is to stop being overprotective and to stop bugging her."

"Not you too." Ron groaned.

"Look—

"Whatever. I gotta go do my homework."

With that Ron left.

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Meanwhile...

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"Can you believe him?" said Hermione. "He thinks that the whole world evolves around him. How thick is he?"

"Can you please stop with the Ron anger?" said Susan.

"Wha-, I—

"Ginny why are you so quiet?"

"Malfoy."

"Huh?"

"Ginny overheard Malfoy saying that he went out with her because of a bet." Said Hermione.

"That jerk!"

"All men are jerks."

"Not all of them." Said Susan dreamily.

"You're thinking about Harry aren't you?"

Susan blushed.

"You better start getting ready if you're gonna go to Hogsmade with him." Said Hermione.

"I changed my mind; I'll stay here with Ginny."

"Ginny's not staying here. We're all going to go to Hogsmade."

"We are?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, you need some fun and fresh air."

"I'm not going."

"Why?"

"Malfoy might see me there and the last thing that I want to see is him."

"You're not gonna go alone, I'll be with you."

"Well...

"Come on."

"Well...

"Please?"

"All right."

"Ginny, go wash off your face, it's all red."

Ginny went to wash her face.

"Now, what are you gonna wear for your date?" said Hermione.

"I'm not gonna go with him, I'll stay with you and Ginny."

"Come on, do you have any idea how long he waited for this?"

"No and he might not even like me that much anymore."

"Hold that thought." Hermione went to the boy's dorm. Inside, she found Harry's bag and searched for something inside. She found it a minute later. She put the paper in her pocket and went back to the girl's dorm.

"Here's your proof." Said Hermione, giving the paper to Susan.

Susan read it. It said:

SusanHarry=Love, I love Susan. Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan. I love Susan. Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, SusanHarry=Love, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan, Susan...

And so it continued.

"He sure likes you." Said Ginny who had just come in and read the paper.

"Okay, what should I wear?"

"A wedding dress?" suggested Ginny teasingly.

"Oh please, it's not like we're gonna get married or something."

"You might." Said Hermione.

"Okay, what else can I wear?"

"This?" Hermione waved her wand and an outfit appeared out of nowhere.

"That's for strippers."

"It is." Susan agreed.

"Harry might like it. Actually, he will like it."

"But I won't like wearing it."

"Oops, wrong outfit." Said Hermione.

"Hermione, you don't actually wear that, do you?"

"Hell no. I just suggested it to see how you would react."

"Oh."

Hermione waved her wand again and another outfit appeared.

"Classy." Said Ginny.

"Too fancy." Said Susan.

"True." Admitted Hermione.

She waved her wand again. The outfit disappeared and another one appeared.

"I like this one." Said Susan.

"Isn't it too plain?"

"No."

"It's just a pair of jeans and a shirt."

"I like it."

"Okay, your choice."

"Well, we can make it a bit more fancy." Said Hermione. With another wave of her wand, the plain jeans had a design on them and the shirt became strapless.

"Nah, change it back." Said Ginny.

Hermione changed it back. Susan put it on and all of them went down to the main corridor where Filch was checking names off a long list. Susan spotted Harry standing by the wall.

"Well, go get him."

"Good luck."

"I don't need luck, I need help." Susan was turning back.

"Oh no you don't." Ginny and Hermione caught her.

"let me go, he hasn't seen me yet so I can turn back."

"What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid, I just—

"You like him and he likes you. Why won't you go with him?"

"What if I say the wrong thing or do something wrong?"

"Quit being so nervous, geez."

"I am not nervous, I'm terrified."

"He spotted us."

"Oh shit." Muttered Susan.

"Hey Susan, Ginny, Hermione." Said Harry.

"Hey." They said back.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Hermione and Ginny started giggling uncontrollably.

"Lets go." Susan steered him out.

Once they were in Hogsmade, Harry asked, "So where do you want to go?"

"I don't know, how about Honeydukes?"

"Sure."

They went there. Afterwards they went to some other shops.

"So do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" asked Harry.

"How about we go to Madame Puddifoot instead?" said Susan.

Harry paused for a moment. Did she say what he thought she said? "Yeah, sure."

They entered the little shop. Like usual, there were lots of couples in there that were snogging. However, Susan seemed unsurprised. They went to a table in the very back and ordered two coffees.

"So." Said Harry. "That was quite an argument that Hermione and Ron had in the morning."

"Yeah. Who would have believed that they would start saying such horrible things to each other?"

"Certainly not me. And now they broke up and are not speaking to each other."

"Yeah, well, Ron's not speaking to anybody."

"He isn't."

"Nope. He just doesn't want to admit that he was wrong."

"Well, that's foolish."

"Yeah. By the way, is Ginny really going out with Malfoy?"

"Not anymore she isn't."

"Huh? Wha—

"She found out the truth."

"Which is...?

"Malfoy betted that she would go out with him."

"That slimeball."

"You can say that again."

"That slimeball."

"You already told me he was a slimeball."

"Oh yeah, I did."

"It's horrible. Hermione and Ron not talking to each other. They make such a cute couple."

"Yeah. At least we are still together."

"I guess—

Susan's face was very close to Harry's. She kissed him. He kissed back. They wrapped their arms around each other.

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Meanwhile...

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"Wanna go get a drink in the three broomsticks?" said Hermione.

"Sure."

She and Ginny entered the shop.

Hermione went to get the drinks while Ginny found a table.

"How are you doing?" Malfoy asked Ginny.

Ginny ignored him.

"Are we gonna go out again this evening?"

"No."

"What?" Malfoy said sharply.

"You heard me. Games up. I'm not going with you. Looks like you lost your bet."

"What bet?"

"Don't play stupid with me; you know what I'm talking about."

"Actually I don't."

"Whatever. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Meet me tonight at 11 in the main hall."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. I'm not meeting you anywhere."

Malfoy grabbed Ginny's wrist.

"Let go of me."

"No."

"Let her go." Another male voice said. It was Ron.

"No I'm not letting her go."

"Oh yes you are."

Before Malfoy had time to react, a fist was rapidly approaching his face.

BAM!

Ron had punched Malfoy. Malfoy staggered then recovered his balance and tackled Ron. Both of them began hitting each other. Finally Ron punched Malfoy so hard that he was knocked unconscious.

"BREAK IT UP!" said Madame Romestra even though it was too late.

"Ron," Said Hermione who had just appeared with the drinks.

"Yes?" Ron thought that she was about to apologize. Ron looked bad. He had a bloody lip that was starting to swell and a bunch of bruises.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"

"HE DESERVED WHAT HE GOT!"

"Oh you—

"Oh you what? If you have something to say, then say it."

"Come on." Said Ginny, dragging Hermione. "Let's go back to the castle."

Throwing Ron one last glare, Hermione and Ginny walked out the door.

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Back to our couple...

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Harry and Susan were still making out.

"Ahem."

Harry and Susan let go of each other. They looked for the source of the sound. It turned out to be the lady that owned the shop.

"Yes?" asked Harry.

"I would just like to say that all Hogwarts students need to go back to the castle for the Halloween feast."

"Dang that much time has already passed?" said Susan.

"I guess so." Said Harry. "I'll pay."

Harry handed the woman some gold for the coffee.

The two went back to the castle for the feast.

"Where were you two?" exclaimed Hermione.

"In Hogsmade."

"What were you doing?"

"Uh, drinking coffee." Said Harry.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"No seriously, we—

"Just let it go Hermione." Said Ginny. She was trying to act cheerful but Susan could see that she was very depressed.

"So has Ron talked to you yet?" said Harry.

Hermione was turning red. "Well, he pretty much explained everything with his fists."

"What happened?"

Hermione told them the whole story.

"He knocked him out?"

"Yep."

"Cool."

Hermione glared at him.

"Sorry, but he does deserve it after he made that bet."

Hermione looked at Susan. "You told him?"

"Well, yeah."

"Why?"

"What else was I supposed to say?"

"Anything else. You know that you can't trust men! They'll just betray you!"

Ginny, Susan, and Harry stared at Hermione.

Hermione realized what she said. "Oh, sorry Harry. Susan. It's just that I'm not n the best mood right now."

"We know." Said Ginny.

Hermione sneaked a peek at Ron. He was sitting at the other end of the table with Seamus and Dean, laughing as though nothing happened. She bit her lip.

"Hermione, whatcha lookin' at?" asked Susan.

"Oh nothing." Hermione looked at her plate and began eating.

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A/N: That's so sad. Hermione and Ron broke up. But who knows, maybe they will get back together. I hope. Well, onto happier topics.

R-E-V-I-E-W!