A/N: Thank you so much for all fourteen reviews! I was on a high all weekend! Unfortunately I was unable to update because I ran out of internet card. Again! It's getting out of hand proving to my parents that my sister and I really can't control our usage. Oh and my sister also helps out a lot when it comes to writing and updating this story. So if you like my story you might want to check out hers as well. It is a Harry/Ginny fanfic. It is entitled Et Ruat Caelum (Though the Heavens Fall) by fallengoddess. I'm hoping that you will all review again and I made this chapter a little longer than usual since you guys waited for so long!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: She loves him, he doesn't know but he loves someone else, and she loves this guy—you just can't win. What if love doesn't have to be written in the stars but in your eyes and the only people that can see it are the people around you? Let the third war begin.

Hermione's Point of View

It was a stressful week for everyone. Last minute essays, tests and oral exams were being given left and right. Only a day left and they would be free. Well, free for the next two weeks at least.

"It's almost over." I rubbed my forehead and yawned.

"Thank goodness." Ginny sighed.

"Hermione, did you fight with the boys?" Lavender asked randomly.

"Huh?" I creased the upper part of my face. "What makes you ask that?"

"You haven't exactly talked to them the entire week." Lavender said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I have." I thought. That was true though we hadn't really talked since things had gotten so stressful. And I kind of decided to finish the rest of the senior year curriculum so that I could submit it when I went home. And officially by the end of the winter break I would be a high school graduate. "We're all just really busy."

"Hermione, there's something you need to know." Ginny shot an angry look at Lavender.

"Should I be worried?" I bit my lip.

"I just feel you have the right to know." Ginny took a seat beside me.

"Okay," I nod my head and turn to her.

"About two weeks ago I heard Cho and Harry arguing." She explained.

"Can I just say I can't stand that girl?" Lavender rolled her eyes again. Ginny and I both shot her a this-is-not-the-time look. "Just sharing." She put up her hands in defense.

"As I was saying," Ginny cleared her throat. She began explaining in verbatim exactly what happened. "Cho gave Harry a choice." She said vaguely.

"What choice?" I raised my right eyebrow. It flabbergasted me to know that Cho saw me as competition. But thoughts that hadn't come in awhile began to invade my mind once more.

I was actually contemplating my feelings for Harry.

"Hermione?" Ginny interrupted my thoughts. "Hermione?"

"What?" I shook my head. "What did you say, Gin?"

"I just told you that Cho made Harry choose between you and her." Ginny looked at me with concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I nodded. But my chest filled with butterflies just thinking about the entire situation. Did Cho actually think Harry had feelings for me?

Stop it, Ganger.

You've got Adam.

"But I barely know him." I admit to myself.

"What?" Lavender looked at me.

"Huh?" I ran my fingers through my hair. "Nothing. Nothing, don't mind me."

"I'm assuming you know who he chose."

And then it dawned on me.

Harry had chosen that, that, temper Hermione, that crybaby over me!

I've been his best friend for years and he chose her. But why would Cho even question Harry's feelings for me? Unless, he, wait. He couldn't possibly see me in that light.

Adam.

Adam.

Harry.

"Stop it!" I bury my face into my hands.

"Are you alright Hermione?" Ginny looks up at me.

"I've only got Potions left." I force a smile on my face.

"That makes two of us." Lavender picked up her parchment. "Let's submit this and get it over with. I've been meaning to try on my gown again."

"You've tried it on every night since you've gotten it."

"I might have gained weight." She laughed.

"Really." Ginny and I say in unison throwing the three of us in a fit of giggles. For now, I would let this issue pass. At least, until after Potions.

We go our separate ways. I walk into the Potions classroom and wait for the class to finish. I decide to try to Harry to confirm what Ginny said. I didn't doubt Ginny but my heart couldn't accept what Harry had done.

"So on the 26th Adam and I will meet you all the hotel?" I ask Harry.

"Yes, are you sure about the hotel though?" Ron speaks up. He is obviously covering up for Harry. I turn around and see that Cho is looking at us.

"Class dismissed. Have a decent Christmas." Snape said dryly and walked into his room.

"It's no problem. Dad took care of the accommodations. The perks of passing Harvard." I smile. They knew that I was getting everything since I had passed such a prestigious car. The Volkswagen Beetle, the apartment, a credit card with a sky-high limit, but that was beside the point at the moment.

"Harry you're going right?" I know the answer but he just looks at me and nods slightly.

I can't help but feel my emotions take over as Ron and Harry gather their things. "I can't believe you!" I yelled as we walked out of the classroom. There were students gallivanting all over the place. The two boys stop abruptly and Cho is standing close by. "It's true." I say sadly. It breaks my heart to know that he chose me over some girlfriend.

"What?" Ron looks confused.

"It's got nothing to do with you, Ronald." I feel my voice rising. "You really did choose her over me." I feel my tears well up. "Am I really not worth it? I mean after everything we've gone through together. Does our friendship amount to nothing? I mean, you didn't even try to compromise. You just let me go."

Harry just looks shocked and Cho comes closer to us.

"And you!" I pointed to her angrily. "I can't believe you made him chose! You are so much worse than I thought! I tried to be your friend and still you did this to me. There are no terms or words harsh enough for people like you!" I turn back to Harry.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that." He says weakly.

"I am not even done with what I have to say to you." I know that students from all years are watching us. And tears are already falling from my eyes. My feelings are just out of control at the moment. "You are a creep Harry Potter! You have no idea what the meaning of being a friend is. As far as you're concerned you never had a friend named Hermione. And to me," I clear my throat. My tears are choking me, "you never existed."

I turn my heel and feel my body ram into another. Arms wrap around my upped half protectively and in an instant I sob.

"Wait here." Justin whispers into my ear. I can barely see through the water in my eyes. "You've got hell to pay, Potter." I was shocked when he punched Harry in face. I watched Harry fall on the floor. "I don't know why he'd date someone like you." He spat at Cho who was trying to help him up. "Are you okay?" He lifts my chin slightly.

I nod and wipe my face. "Wait." I say before we go any deeper into the sea of people. I remove the bracelet that has been on my wrist. I was so used to it being there I had forgotten all about it. I throw it at the couple on the floor. "We're through."

He looks up at me his nose bleeding a little. He's about to open his mouth but before he says anything I turn around and catch up with Justin.

"Thank you." I whisper. We're seated under the oak tree by the lake. "For standing up for me like that. But you're going to get into a lot of trouble do you know that?"

"I don't care." He puts his hand on my shoulder. "I know that this is rhetorical, but, are you okay?"

"No." I shake my head sadly and then take in the fresh air. "But I will be."

I see Ron headed towards us. "McGonagal is calling you." He looked at Justin.

"I'll see you later?" He looked at me after he stood up.

"I'll go with you." I get up as well. "It's my fault."

"I did it out of choice." He looked at me.

"Can we talk?" Ron looks at me.

"I'll go ahead." He smiled. I nod and look up at my friend.

"Are you still talking to me?" Ron looked at me.

"Not unless you chose Luna over me, too." I whisper.

"Hermione," Ron puts his arm around me. "Harry loves you."

"Right." I make sure to extend my i.

"He just doesn't know it yet." Ron shook me making me smile for the first time since the confrontation. "I know it was really dumb of him to chose but he and Cho really have been fighting about you a lot. And from the looks of it I am not the only one who notices the way Harry looks at you. Harry made a mistake but it only makes him human."

"Harry, human." I nodded and began to walk.

"Hermione, I know your hurt." Ron walked beside me. "Trust me I know how you feel."

"No Ron!" I stop abruptly and face him. "You have no idea how it feels! Knowing that your best friend chose you over a girl he's really known for a year and a half. You do-not-know how- it feels!"

"Calm down." Ron looks at me.

"How can I?" My tears began to trickle. "At one point in time he was the only thing I lived for."

"And you were mine." He replied evenly. "Hermione, Cho is his first."

"But I'm his best friend, Ron." I feel my voice crack.

"You're," He points at me. "NOT his girlfriend."

I purse my lips and look at nothing in particular secretly hoping that the tears in my eyes would just disappear. I'm just as bad as Cho.

He takes my chin and looks into my eyes. "I'm sure Adam would've done the same."

"He wouldn't." I shook my head. "Because unlike Harry my boyfriend knows how important my friends are to me. Gender or not gender related."

"But has he seen you interact with Harry? I'm sure he's trying to protect the best thing he has."

"Oh, Ron." I sigh. "He's not that kind of guy."

"But you're that kind of girl." He looks at me and lets out an exasperated sigh. "I'm getting a little tired of convincing you."

"Convincing me?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to tell you something Harry told me years ago, and I quote," But I look around for Justin. He's way ahead of us. "Look at her – Ron, she's a goddess. How long do you think it's going to be before some guy, somewhere, notices that and gets interested in her? And what are you going to do then, my friend?"

"Find a Cho." I whisper and put my arms around him. "Thank you."

"I love you Hermione. You're more than a sister to me." He whispers into my hair.

"Now let go off me before Luna pulls a Cho." I say tactlessly.

Ron pulls away and laughs. "But Luna has no reason to."

"Oh and why is that mister?"

"I don't look at you the way Harry does." He puts his finger on my nose and his arms snake around my shoulders. "Come on lets go see what happened to Justin. He's lucky it wasn't Snape."

We saw Justin and Harry (who was with Cho, of course) talking to professor McGonagal. Was that jealous I saw in Harry's eyes when Ron and I came in? I had forgotten he had his arm around me.

"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagal looks at me. "It seems to me that you are the cause of all this trouble."

I think that arrow should point at Cho.

"I am." I nodded. "Please don't put Justin in detention because of me."

"Right now, I think that Harry is to make that decision because school was officially over by that time and we no longer have control over the students." McGonagal looks at Harry. "And your decision is?"

"I would've done the same thing." He looks at me, and smiles apologetically.

I roll my eyes with disgust evident in my face and turn to Justin.

"I'm sorry Harry." Justin looks at him while moving closer to me. I watched McGonagal walk away. "I just don't put up with assholes but thanks again, mate."

"I'll see you at dinner Ron." I look up at my red head friend and walk away.

"Are you better?" Justin asks me as we turn the corner.

"Much, especially since you're off the hook."

"Harry isn't a bad guy, Hermione." He tells me. "He's just a little stupid."

"Thanks, Justin." My heart is filled with gratitude because I am aware of the fact that he stood up for me even if he didn't have to. "I owe you my life."

"No you don't. You just have to be my date tomorrow night."

"I wouldn't go with anyone else." I say sincerely. "I've got to go up and pack."

"I'll see you tomorrow night?" He asks.

"Before then hopefully." I smile and turn towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"Hermione," Lavender squealed and threw her arms around me.

"How'd you get into my room?" I manage to mumble.

"Who cares?" She waved it off. "Do you know how proud I am of you? Hermione, this is historic! You won!"

"Okay," I smile.

"Everyone is talking about how Justin punched Harry. Are you and Justin, you know, an item?"

"No!" I yell. "I'm still with Adam. It's not like that. We're just friends."

"A guy and a girl can never just be friends." Lavender rolls her eyes.

"That's not true. Look at me and Ron."

"No, Ron was in love with you at one point."

"And how come I am the only one that doesn't know this?" I whine.

"Because you're oblivious to the way people look at you."

"That's the point they don't look."

"That's because they're intimidated by you. Hermione, you are the most intelligent girl in our class but when it comes to matters of the heart you've failed a dozen times."

I look at my friend. "I'm exhausted and I have to pack. Can we rain check on this talk until after dinner?"

"Sure, but Ginny wanted me to ask if the trip was still on." Lavender remembered before she made her way through the portrait.

"Of course it is."

"Even with Sonny and Cher?" She said implying Harry and Cho.

"You know who Sonny and Cher are?"

"Nope, but I've heard Dean call them that quite a number of times." Lavender laughed.

"Yes, even with Harry and Cho." I nod. "I refuse to stoop down to their level. Besides it would be so much fun to watch the shame on their face."

"You are evil."

"Some people think I'm the spawn of Voldemort." I laugh and wave one last time before walking into my room.

I pick up a photo of Harry and I goofing around. Ron took this picture. I feel anger take over and I randomly throw the photo.

I sit on my bed. I no longer have the energy to pack. And what Lavender said is just bothering me. Did I really win?

If I won, why does my heart feel like part of it is gone?

And why do I feel like the loser?

"Love has this horrible habit of messing everything up."

A/N: The sooner you review, the sooner the next chapter (that I've already written) will come up. It's the Yule Ball chapter from my point of view! Things are getting really complicated, huh? What do you think? Remember when I said that it