Hermione sat in her room feeling the most embarrassed she ever had in her life. Had she really just reacted so stupidly? Had she really made THAT big of a fool out of herself? Replaying the moments over in her mind, she knew that the answer to both questions was undoubtedly "Yes." She stared at the clothes she held in her hand, feeling like a complete idiot. Hermione knew what she had accused Draco of was ridiculous, and she didn't know how to go about things anymore. So, instead of dealing with things, she'd do something else.

Draco sat on the couch where just an hour ago he and Hermione had been passionately making out. He still couldn't figure out what in Merlin's beard had just happened. He surveyed the room, trying to put A and B together to no avail. He had been thisclose to getting what he had always dreamed of, and he turned it down. "Sure," he said aloud, "it wasn't exactly how I wanted it, she's still with Weasel." Still, he couldn't help but think that having Hermione in the utmost way would have been perfect, a moment he could have died in. Draco was sick of sitting there, so he got up and started towards his room.

Just as Draco started up the stairs, Hermione emerged from her room. Dressed in a different outfit and looking much more put together than she had when he last saw her, she stopped still at the top of the stairs. They stood, looking at each other for an eternity, until Hermione broke the glare and started down the steps. Draco started up the steps and as they passed each other he caught a whiff of that perfume that had always driven him mad. He was quite tempted to just grab her and snog some sense into her, but he just continued up the steps.

He stopped just outside of his room and turned to watch her. Hermione was walking as fast as she could while remaining composed towards the portrait hole. Her eyes fluttered shut and she stopped in her tracks as she heard Draco's voice.

"Where are you going?" he called after her.

"Out," was all she replied as she pushed the portrait hole open and climbed out.

"I gathered that," Draco mumbled to himself as he entered his room.

At first, she had intended on going - where else? - the library. Hermione wandered the halls, revisiting places she hadn't been in a while, walking around the castle for what seemed like hours. It was as though she was on a journey from her past. Past the doors to the Great Hall, to where Draco had turned into a bouncing ferret, past the room where she and Ron had been caught that fateful night, past the prefect's lounge, past Moaning Myrtle's bathroom where she had spent so much time with Ron and Harry, through the route they had taken while on the run from Filch, past the door to Fluffy, up to the Astronomy tower and the Divination room, everywhere she went holding a memory or a feeling that was quickly fading, until she reached the place she had been looking for all along.

Gryffindor common room.

The Fat Lady still stood cozily in her portrait, a thankfully familiar sight. Hermione stood admiring the portrait she had so often taken for granted in her past. The Fat Lady's face was contorted into a rather confused look until finally she spoke.

"M'Lady? Can I help you?"

Hermione was snapped from her daze. She muttered the password and was granted entrance into the room. Hermione was nearly driven to tears at the place of her past, a place long gone now. So much had changed since she had last been here, and if there was anything Hermione hated, it was change. There was nothing different about the common room. She ignored the curious looks from various people who had stayed behind during the break and sat at the place she and Harry and Ron used to always have their chats. This is where they used to plan things. She was filled with an ultimate sadness, but sat there for hours just reminiscing.

The break ended, and Ron was back. The train that carried students had also carried Reality back to Hogwarts. Hermione and Draco were back to somewhat frosty relations and Ron became a little more controlling of Hermione, as though he knew what had happened. Something was weird about Ron, though. He insisted more and more on Hermione leaving him alone. Sometimes he was studying, sometimes he was tired, sometimes he was sick, but no matter what the reason, he told Hermione that she could do whatever she wanted. One night she received an owl from Ron.

"Hermione,

I know that you and I were supposed to spend quality time together. However, I really need to study for Potions tonight, and so maybe you could just stay in your dorm, take a hot bath, whatever. Don't worry, you'll get to see me tomorrow.

I know you love me, Ron"

Hermione was annoyed. As much as she didn't particularly look forward to seeing him, she didn't like being treated this way. She wasn't ALWAYS available for his beck and call, and whenever she did clear out time in her schedule for him, he'd cancel on her. She was always canceling plans last minute, putting off studying, anything for Ron because he would get angry with her other wise. Hermione knew she had to study for Potions as well, so she gathered her things and walked out the portrait hole towards the Gryffindor tower.

Hermione gave the Fat Lady the password, and entered the crowded common room. Harry was studying as well, but when he looked up and saw Hermione he shut his book and smiled.

"And why are we granted the pleasure of your company this evening?"

"Hey, Harry. Well I just got this note from Ron," she waved the note, "and thought I'd surprise him tonight."

Harry read the note, and his face turned to panic for a brief moment before he nervously looked back up at Hermione.

"Potions, huh?" he said, obviously a little unhinged. "Funny, that's what I need to study for too. Think you could help me out?"

"I'd love to Harry." He looked pleased for a moment. "Wait! Why don't I get Ron, and we can all study together, like we used to? Where is he?" She looked around the room.

"He's uh... well, he's up in our dorm, but Hermione, don't you think you could just help me for a second?"

"I will Harry, I promise. What do you need help with anyway?"

"You know... that... thing that Snape taught us the other day... about... ermm...potions." He smiled at her. She smiled back, her eyes betraying her amusement and confusion.

"Right...Harry I think maybe you ought to take a break from studying while I go and talk to Ron." She turned to go up the stairs.

"Wait! Hermione I need to tell you something!" Harry leaped up from his chair. Hermione stopped and turned to look at him.

"Yes?" Her head tilted and her eyes looked inquisitive.

"Well...," he stopped and thought for a moment. "No, on second thought, maybe you ought to go see Ron. We'll talk about it later."

"Alright," she said with a smile, and with that she turned up the stairs.

Harry sighed. He sat back down in his chair, knowing what he needed to talk with Hermione about probably couldn't have waited. She'd find out anyway. Maybe this was the answer to his problem after all. He braced himself in the desk.

"Sorry, 'Mione," he muttered, going back to his work.

What could Harry have wanted to talk to her about? He had seemed rather urgent about the issue. Hermione tried to shrug off the feeling of dread that was settling in her stomach as she walked up the steps. Hermione turned the handle to the 7th year boys' dorm, to no avail. It was locked. "Alohamora," she murmured. The door softly clicked, and she opened it.

At first there was nothing out of order about the room. She scanned the room, dimly lit though it was, for any sign of Ron. Surely Harry was wrong - no one could study by candlelight. Her brow furrowed in concentration. Then she heard the soft moan of a girl.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione muttered, embarrassed and turning to go. Then she heard something that made her stop. The same voice that had moaned just one second earlier, called out Ron's name in a low, purring moan. Hermione set her books on a nearby desk, trying to ignore the sounds coming from the only bed whose curtains were drawn: Ron's.

She stalked over there, being careful not to be too loud. For a moment, she paused with her hands on the curtains, wondering if she really wanted to know what was going on. Strengthening her resolve, she yanked the curtains open to reveal what she should have expected all along.

Ron was on his bed, very clearly naked and very clearly enjoying himself with a very naked Lavender perched on top of him. It didn't take the intelligence of Hermione to know what was going on, even though she herself had never committed the act. They were undoubtedly having sex. Hermione pulled out her wand, tempted for one brief second to hex them both before muttering a charm that turned all the lights of the room on as bright as they would go. Lavender leaped off of Ron, reaching for a nearby curtain to cover herself. Ron pulled the covers over the sign of his betrayal.

"HERMIONE! What are you doing here?"

"Well I thought I'd help you 'study'," she said, her voice dripping with disgust, "but I'm afraid I'm not really into the whole threesome thing."

"Hermione, it's not what it looks like..." Lavender began, picking up her clothes, but Hermione stopped her.

"Let me guess: the age old, 'Oops! I tripped and fell and on the way down I lost all my clothes and took Ron's off in the process and then just conveniently landed on his erect penis', am I right?" She glared at the two, who were scrambling to get dressed and who had nothing to say.

"I wouldn't worry about getting dressed; I've already seen all the both of you have to offer. Ron, I can hardly believe this, though I guess I should have known. I won't stand for cheating, and so for the one hundredth and FINAL time, we are through!" She picked up her things and stormed down the steps. She knew she was being hypocritical after what she had done with Draco, but somehow she knew this wasn't just a one time fling.

Harry sat where he had been earlier, praying fervently for his life when he heard Hermione stomping down the stairs. He pretended to take no notice of her angry grunts until she stopped right in front of him.

"Harry, if you need help with your potions, I'll be in my dorm!"

Hermione swept through the dorm like a storm, knocking over whoever or whatever was in her way, including one very frightened first year and one Quidditch playing fourth year. Books and papers lay scattered in her path, and after she left everyone could only look at each other. Hurricane Hermione had only just begun.