Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and characters..

A/N: Lalalalala Happy New Year! NOT! lol.. Happy..uhh...Birthday! I GOT MY HARRY POTTER BOOK YAY!

Chapter 22: One And One

Breakfast with pancakes and syrup is my idea of a perfect beginning to the last day of the year. I could eat these all day. Of course, if I did, I would end up bigger than a pig on twenty different steroids.. Hermione seemed extra nervous today, for she knew I was going to talk to Ron very soon. Not that I wasn't ready, but the whole talking process wouldn't occur until later on.

"...Anyone up for a party tonight?" Seamus was always the party planner, "I can have a bouncer an' everything."

Harry almost choked on his bacon, "No party. We'll get into trouble again."

"I don't want to bounce again, anyways," Neville whined a few seats down from me.

Seamus laughed and pronounced, "I was going to be the bouncer, and make sure no Slimey Slytherins came in. I was hoping for just a little party between the Gryffindors..Or at least our group of friends."

"That's a better idea," Said 'Mione, "Just Seamus, Neville, Harry, Maranda, Ron, and I. That is a great party plan."

"Don't you think the other Gryffindor's will want to party in the Common Room?" I wondered.

"Erm..Oh.." Hermione bit off some pancake and began to contemplate.

Once again, Seamus chimed, "That's why we have a party with them."

"Fine..." Hermione surrendered to Seamus' plan.

"I'm glad," Ron smiled, "Us six need to have as many get-togethers as possible before the year is out. Who knows where we'll all end up after this year is done and we graduate."

The remainder of breakfast consisted of mentioning nostalgic memories from the previous year. When the bell rang I decided to go to the library and read; Something I missed doing. I thought hard, and realized the only reason I read so much throughout my life stemmed from having no friends, no pals, no buddies, and nobody to even say hello to. Now that I have best friends, I don't depend on books to throw out some happiness to me. Ron was right, this year was almost over, and, as much as we'd all like to spend time studying or whatever, we needed to take time to spend with each other.

Sitting on the floor, I leaned against the fantasy book shelf and began reading a random book I'd never heard of before. The book basically portrayed a woman who wanted nothing more than to meet a faerie. So she summoned her father, persuaded him to let them move to some enchanted land, and she began to search. Instead of finding a faerie, she found some magical door to another world. That's where I stopped reading. The book was alright, but definitely random. None of the chapters meshed well. They just jumped from one thing to another. Hell, I could even write better than this!

"Maranda?" Hagrid's voice echoed towards me.

I stood up and spotted Hagrid, "Hey! What's up?"

"Nothing," He walked over to me, "Just returnin' a book on nocturnal beasts. What are yeh' up to?"

Shrugging my shoulders I blurted, "Nothing really. Nothing bad anyways."

"How were teh' Extra Year Tests yesterday?"

"Well," my voice sounded disappointed, "Not all that great. I hope I did well, but today I have this horrible failing feeling in my system. Do you know when the score results will be in?"

Hagrid thought for a moment, "By next week, I believe. You must've been pretty tired after all a' that."

"Yeah, more than you can imagine."

Hagrid explained that he had to hurry and see Dumbledore for some business. I gave Hagrid a hug and waved goodbye as he left the library.

Preparing to leave the library as well, I returned the fantasy story back to its shelf and walked towards the door. Too bad for me, the visiting didn't end with Hagrid. Ron strolled in with a book in hand. He spotted me immediately, and I knew I couldn't avoid talking to him annymore. Hiding in the library was no longer the perfect sanctuary as last year. For this year, everyone knew pretty much where I was if I was nowhere else.

This is it, Maranda, Hermione is counting on me.

"Ron, I have to talk to you for a minute." My grabbing Ron's shirt sleeve was not what I had in mind to catch his attention. He finished returning the book, so I pulled him behind a shelf a ways away from the door. If anyone passed, namely an enemy like Draco, I wouldn't want them noticing my soon-to-be deep conversation with Red-Head.

Red-Head quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

"...Hmmm.. I need to talk to you about something personal.." I already knew my words were screwing themselves over, "Not about me...but you..Obviously you, otherwise why would I pull you by your shirt-sleeve to a hidden spot behind a bookshelf?"

"Is there a point, Miss Maguire?" Ron tried to immitate Snape, but as soon as he laughed, the Snape mood was gone.

Inhaling a deep breath, I moved on, "Well, what do you get when you have one and one?" Even I didn't know where I was going with this.

"Eleven.." Ron laughed, "You know when you put one and one side-by side.." He noticed my annoyed facial expression, "Sorry, you get two."

"Right," I sighed, "Now.. You are one, and Hermione is one.. She was hoping that both of you would add up together.."

"She wants a baby?" Apparently Ron's sense of humour revealed my bad wording.

My words switched around, finally coming out correctly, "No. Hermione is a person, who hopes that you, another person, would like to get together and make a couple...Two."

"She wants to go out with me?" At last, Ron understood me.

"Yes, she likes you, and hopes you might like her back. Yet, she's too shy to come out and tell you to your face that she fancies you. That's why I pulled you over. I was asked to speak to you about it. So, do you like her?" My prayers were for Ron to answer quickly, as I saw through the top of some books that Draco was coming into the library. What was it, National Library Day?

Ron looked at his feet and blushed. I've never seen him blush this bad! He whispered, "I like Hermione a lot. In fact, my thought was to ask her to be my girlfriend at Christmas time, but I never got around to it."

After Ron decided to face me again, I came up with a plan for him to ask Hermione out tonight, during the party. When I was done exchanging words with him, he left to prepare for it, and I returned to reading. Draco was wandering about the library, but we both ignored each other. Thank Merlin's Goat I didn't have to speak to that Ferret.

Night approached slowly like an inchworm crawling from one side of the country to another. I occupied myself all day with books, which gave me a small headache, bubt rewarded myself with some good music from the boombox the Gryffindors put in the Common Room for the party. New Year's Eve waited right around the corner, and I couldn't think of a resolution. Maybe I should promise to act very perky around Snape. That way, if he fights with me, I can ease my way out by killing with kindness...Of course, I think I've tried killing with kindness before, and I know it didn't work the way I wanted it to. Oh yes, I recall the events now; Killing with kindness took place last year towards Draco The Ferret Boy Wonder.

The party was well in action. Seamus 'bounced' to make sure no one was inside the Common Room besides Gryffindors. The boombox was exceptionally loud, but as everyone occupied themselves dancing, no one worried. Hermione and I changed into matching white sundresses for no reason at all. We just found it funny and called ourselves the Brainiac Twins. I could already tell tonight would be really fun.

It was hard to admit to myself that Seamus looked great tonight. He was having so much fun dancing, and didn't give a care who gave him a second glance. Eventually, Seamus and I jumped around together during a heavy metal song. We even started to headbang! Neville even joined us in our jumping. Despite the joyful event, we did have to lower the volume of the music when nine o'clock struck. Not one of the Gryffindors wanted adults to raid the party. Not all of the Gryffindors were in the Common Room. Only years six and up, which was enough to handle.

Ron nodded at me, which meant he was ready to move. At supper time, Hermione had asked if I talked to him, and I told her that he said he liked her, but wasn't ready for a relationship. I feel bad that I lied, but I had to make her not expect what Ron was about to do.

A slow song came on the stereo, and Ron took Hermione to dance with him. She quickly glanced at me with a disappointed face, but I knew her expression would change soon. The plan wasn't too big, but it was all around sweet.

I moved a little closer to 'Mione, while dancing with Seamus.

Ron spoke, "I can't stop looking at you."

"Why? Is something on me?" Hermione was clueless, but in a funny way.

"No," Ron sighed, "Unless there is a sign on your head that says, Ron's New Girlfriend..."

With a snap into reality, Hermione took a step back and stared at Ron, "..Are...Are you asking me out?"

"Yes, in my pathetic way, I am.. Will you be my girlfriend, Hermione Granger?" Ron, thank God, was finally coming out of his shell.

Without any answer, 'Mione hugged Ron and kissed him on the cheek. Then, with a little blush on her face, she said, "Of course I will, Ronald."

They continued to dance, as did I with Seamus. The slow song haulted, and another rock song came on. I grabbed Neville and danced with him while Seamus went to the bathroom. Gee, I wonder If I'm considered a pimpette now that I hang out with four guys. Not just that, but I dance with two..I'm always all over Seamus and Neville at parties and dances. I like them both, not really in a relationship way, but enough to be all over them at parties and dances. Wow, I'm repetitive when it comes to guys. I hope that it doesn't pertain to relationships though; I wouldn't want to be the girlfriend of another Draco.

Three...Two...One...

"Happy New Year!" The Gryffindor Common Room screamed as the clock hands reached for midnight.

Confetti flew into the air and rained down on our heads, creating an eruption of laughter and smiles. Hermione thanked me for talking to Ron, and Ron thanked me for talking to him. Neville and Seamus snuck up behind me with confetti. Soon I was covered in it. To repay them, I did the same. Confetti all over Neville and Seamus until they cried for mercy.

A few hours later, about three a.m, the Gryffindor Common Room consisted of only Hermione, Ron, Harry, Seamus, Neville, and I. We cleaned up the room with magic and sat on the floor in a circle. For another entertaining hour, we talked and joked about anything and everything. This truly was the best New Year's Eve I ever had.

Now if only I could think of a resolution.