Sorry that I haven't updated in sooo long - just incase anybody out there missed me. Anyone? Anybody at all? Oh well....I'm updating anyway. Here is the final chapter of the second part of my trilogy (if that makes any sense?). Once again - nothing in this story is mine, it has all been stolen from Harry Potter and Friends and then merged together. You might - if you look hard enough - see some original work in this story, but knowing me it is very unlikely. Oh well, hope you enjoy anyway!

Chapter Five - Embarrasing Encounters and Horrible Heartache

The small South London flat of Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley was silent. Silent that is apart from a stirring from the creaky, winding staircase, where a bushy haired, twenty-two year old - wrapped in a checkered nightgown - was slowly and nervously making her way towards the front door. When Hermione reached the destination she craned her neck to look down the hallway, the bright morning light shone through the tiny window on the front door. When she was fairly positive that the coast was clear, she made a silent but panicked gesture towards the top of the staircase.

"What on earth are you doing?"

Hermione fairly jumped out of her furry purple slippers and made an almighty crash by knocking over the coat stand - so much for being quiet.

"Nothing." Heremione said to a fully dressed Ginny, her eyes continually darting back to the top of the stairs, "I'm not doing anything - is anyone here yet?"

"Yeah," Ginny said slowly, eyeing Hermione suspiciously, "Harry got here ten minutes ago. But you're changing the subject - why are you being so...so shifty?"

There was a clatter upstairs as something was knocked over and some angry muttering followed. Ginny's eyes widened and she stared questionably at Hermione, who's eyes were tightly closed in embarassment.

"Well," Hermione eventually said, "Ginny, do you think you could close your eyes for a minute?"

"Hermione! What is going on?! Who's up there?!"

Hermione looked at the floor, not wanting to look at the impatient Ginny, "I sort of did a stupid thing last night..."

"'Allo Ginnee! We meet once more!"

Ginny spun around to find the source of the deep foreign voice, her eyes widening much more as they fell on the figure of Viktor Krum...in his boxers.

Hermione rushed past Ginny and began to push Krum back up the stairs, "Okay, Viktor, you go and get dressed then you can get on your way."

The girls watched the retreating back of Viktor Krum and when he was completely out of sight Ginny turned on Hermione. "How did this happen?! What were you thinking?!"

Hermione adopted an impassive look, "I just, you know, bumped into him last night when I was on my walk."

"Where?" Ginny asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"At his house in Bulgaria," Hermione muttered quickly, "Can I smell tea?" She tried to head off towards the kitchen but Ginny blocked her path.

"Woah! Wait a minute! I thought that you and Krum were just friends?"

"We are," Hermione said simply.

"Then what the hell is this all about?!"

Hermione paused, but then hung her head in shame, "I know, I know - I'm pathetic, completely pathetic!"

Ginny softened, "Hey, you are not pathetic, you're just upset, people do stupid things when they're sad."

Tears began to appear in Hermione's coffee brown eyes. "It's just this whole thing with Ron and he was being so...so 'lovey-dovey' with Padma last night and I just felt so upset and jealous and...and alone."

Just then the front door swung open, and Hermione quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as Ron and Padma walked in.

"Sorry we're late." Ron announced happily.

"Yeah," Padma smiled, "We got...sidetracked."

Hermione rolled her eyes from behind Ginny, just as Krum once again walked down the staircase.

Hermione felt her heart skip a beat, the lopsided grin rapidly disappeared from Ron's face as he caught sight of Krum. Ron's eyes quickly darted from Krum to Hermione standing in her nightgown.

"Ron!" Krum said, outstretching his arms.

Ron took a step back, "Vicky?!" he said, a look of utter disgust had spread over his face.

Krum smiled, not sure whether or not Ron was joking. An awful silence passed in the hallway...then-

"So...uh...what are you, em, doing here, then?" Ron asked, scratching his head, trying to pass off being casual.

Krum indicated Hermione, "I spend night with Hermy-own!"

A hot flush spread over Hermione's face, she noticed Ron's ears turn a dark shade of red. And the look on his face - Hermione couldn't work it out. Was it anger? Jealousy?

"Oh...right then." Ron muttered, and Hermione's hopes were dashed.

"Well, I must leave," Krum said, "I have someone to meet. Thank you Hermy-own, I very much enjoyed our night together." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

Hermione couldn't help but notice Ron's eyes glaze over as he closely watched Krum.

Krum smiled and left as Ginny took Padma through to the livingroom, leaving Ron and Hermione alone. They stood in silence for what seemed to Hermione to be an eternity, until Ron spoke up.

"So....uh, he's back?"

"Yes, he's back." Hermione answered, maintaining eye contact with Ron, even though he wouldn't look at her, "Is that a problem?"

"No," Ron said, looking at her at last, "No problem."

XXXXXX

A few hours later, Harry found Hermione sitting on the bench outside, staring up at the sky, deep in thought.

"Hey, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up startled, "Oh, hello Harry."

"Mind if I join you?"

"No, of course not. Sit down." Hermione said, shifting over to give Harry more room.

"So, how are you?" Harry asked.

"I'm okay," Hermione shrugged.

Harry laughed a little, "That bad, huh?"

"What? No, Harry. Honestly, I'm fine. Just had to get away from the lovebirds for a while." she snorted but Harry could read Hermione like one of her much loved books.

"Hermione, I've known you for long enough to know when you're feeling vulnerable and upset. Talk to me, it might help."

Neither of them spoke for a while, Harry watched Hermione patiently as she looked blankly up at the clouds again, almost as if she had not heard Harry. But then -

"Oh Harry...it's just, well, when I saw him get off that train with Padma, I really hit rock bottom. But, now, today in particular, when I see them together it just gets more and more painful every time. It's like there is rock bottom, the earth's crust, boiling hot lava and then me."

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed them on his jumper - it was clear that he really didn't have a clue what to say. He replaced his glasses and said thoughtfully, "Well...there's really only one soloution, I think, you've just got to tell Ron how you feel."

Hermione gasped and turned quickly to Harry, "Shush! Keep your voice down! Someone might hear!"

Harry tried hard not to roll his eyes - he had practically whispered his last statement, and everyone else was nowhere in sight.

Hermione continued, biting her lip nervously, "How can I just tell him? What about Padma?"

"What about her?" Harry interjected. "They've not been going out long! Ron has loved you for about ten years!"

Hermione lifted up her hand to silence Harry. They sat and listened carefully - footsteps were approaching.

Ron's head poked out of the back door, "Hey, there you are, I've been looking for the two of you everywhere."

"We were just talking." Harry said.

Hermione clearly felt that wasn't enough, "Yes, but it was nothing important. Just a silly little conversation about-" she looked about frantically, her eyes fell on Ginny's small vegetable patch, "mushrooms!"

"I see..." Ron said, looking at her strangely, "anyway, just to tell you that me and Padma are leaving now. I've got a lot of paper work to get done. So I'll see you both later - bye."

He waved and turned to leave but Hermione sprung up from her seat.

"You're leaving?"

Ron stopped, "Yeah," he said slowly, "that's sort of what I meant by 'bye'."

"Well," Hermione said, thinking fast, "Can I, eh, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Ron looked completely kerfuddled but nodded his head, "Sure."

Hermione shot Harry a meaningful glance and he picked up on it. "I'll leave you to it."

As Harry headed towards the flat, he turned back at the last minute and gave Hermione an encouraging smile from behind Ron's back.

"So..." Hermione started.

"So...?" Ron repeated, grinning at her.

Hermione lost her nerve after that grin for a few moments, but then she pulled herself together.

"Right...well, first of all....first of all...Viktor and I are not together, we never have been, last night I just needed a friend, someone to talk to and he was there for me. He slept on my bedroom floor. And that is the complete truth - I swear, everyone just got the wrong idea this morning. It was a little embarassing actually..."

"Right," Ron said, he looked at the ground but then began to laugh.

"Second of all - "Hermione looked at Ron's bowed head, and was confused by the laughing, "What? What is it?"

"Right...okay...before I say anything." Ron stopped laughing and looked at Hermione, "is this one of those things where you talk about Krum for ages and ages and I get pissed, then you ask why I'm so bothered by him and we argue and end up ignoring each other for days?"

"What? No, of course not!"

"Okay then...well, in that case, can I just clear this all up.....I think the guy is scum." He said it so simply and casually that Hermione was quite taken aback.

"Oh...right."

"I hate him," Ron shrugged, "I mean, I physically HATE him. Always have, ever since our fourth year."

"I kind of guessed..." Hermione added quietly.

"And, well, I know you always tell me that you are just friends but...Hermione, you're way too good for a guy like that!"

"Really? You think that?" Hermione looked up at Ron in awe.

"Yeah! Hermione, you deserve to be with someone who appreciates you and gets how amazing and passionate and intelligent and sweet and...and how pretty you are."

Hermione blushed heavily.

"And it would also help if he could say your name properly." Ron grunted.

Hermione laughed and Ron continued, "You need someone who wakes up every morning thinking, "Bloody Hell! I'm with Hermione Granger!" Someone who makes you feel good about yourself..."

Hermione took a deep breath and made a brave move by stepping closer to Ron.

"You know?" He continued, "like I do with Padma."

Hermione's head dropped at those words. She felt faint and cold, as if a dementor had just walked by and sucked all of her happiness away. Eventually she looked up at Ron, trying hard to hold back the tears.

"Uh..."Ron said, "Was there not a secondly?"

"No," Hermione sighed, "That was about it..."

"Okay, well I'd better go now. I'll speak to you later, alright?"

"Sure," Hermione almost whispered, she watched him walk away and then flung herself down on the bench and cried.

XXXXXX

Three days later, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Padma were out for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. When Ron went off to the bar, Padma leaned towards his two best friends and asked in a barely audible whisper, "I was wondering what to get Ron for Christmas. Can you guys give me any ideas?"

Harry thought about it for a moment, then said, "Well...he likes the Chud-"

"Viktor Krum!" Hermione interrupted, saying it in the spur of the moment. "Ron loves him, thinks he is the best Quidditch player in the world, and they're great friends. Yes, you should get him loads of Krum merchandise. You'll be in his good books for ages."

"What do you mean, like a scarf or a figurine?" Padma asked eagerly.

"Well...yes. But do you know what would be much better? A poster. Or, even better, bed sheets! Yes! A Krum bed cover - he would love that!"

"Okay, thanks Hermione! Tell Ron that I've gone to the little girls room, okay?"

Hermione nodded, smiling as she watched Padma head towards the loo.

Harry turned to Hermione, "Hermione...."

But Hermione just grinned wickedly and popped a chip into her mouth.

Okay there you go - I made this chapter longer because people were saying that my previous ones were too short - so I hope this was better. Look out for the third and final part of this trilogy. It may take a while though, knowing the speed I write at.....Review, 'cos you know you want to!