That night in bed, Hermione weighed her options; and what heavy options they were. On one hand she had Ron: shy, short-tempered, best friend, sweet, caring, naïve, but I-don't-love-him-in-that-way Ron. On the other hand, there was Malfoy: cold, arrogant, picky, spoiled, judgmental, cruel, unforgiving, dangerous, greedy, doesn't know what love is, ridiculously handsome, devilishly sexy, fantastic snogger, Slytherin, Malfoy. What was a girl to do? It seemed to be that Malfoy had gotten the question backwards; what could he offer to her that Ron couldn't? When all that mattered to Hermione was having someone's undying affection and love, Ron won that one with not a moment's hesitation. However, being the intelligent creature he was, Malfoy had raised a valid point. What good was Ron's love if she couldn't return it?
Hermione sighed. This was a nice, big, fat mess she had gotten herself into. In truth, she wanted neither one. One was an egotistical, pigheaded brat, and the other was an old mate of hers who she was absolutely repulsed at the idea of snogging. Sure, Malfoy was a handsome face with even more appealing snogging talents, but as enjoyable as he may be to delight in pleasure with, the fact remained that he was her enemy.
She was playing dangerously with disaster, and if anyone, particularly members of the Order or D.A., found out what she had been doing with him in the Trophy Room, she would immediately be marked as a traitor and suspicious character. They would never trust her again, and possibly even kick her out of the program. She couldn't take that risk, most certainly right now with the threat of Voldemort on high alert. She couldn't do this to Harry; he had enough to worry about already. And the Weasley's, they were practically family. She would lose that family if they found her out. Already she was putting the relationship she had with them on the line by toying with Ron.
There was only one logical solution. She had to rid herself of both of them, romantically at least. She had to make things go back to normal. Before the sinful first kiss in the Trophy Room, before she used Ron as a pawn for her own selfish reasons, before she let her entire thought process be controlled by a Malfoy. With this decision made, she was able to slip into a much needed deep sleep.
When she arose in the morning, she dressed herself in her Gryffindor robes and then set off to conquer her first obstacle. Putting on the plainest, most sincere face she could, she sought out Ron. She found him in the common room, hunched over a book desperately trying to finish his potions homework before breakfast began. Tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention, she rehearsed what she wanted to say one last time in her head. He looked up and smiled. He stood up and gave her a hug.
"Good morning beautiful." He said, moving in for a kiss. Just before his lips touched hers, she turned her head so he kissed her cheek instead.
"Ron, I think we need to have a talk." She said gravely. His face paled, and Hermione could see the concern dance across his face.
"You think?" He asked.
"I know." She corrected. She pointed to the overstuffed couch. "Perhaps we should sit?" He shook his head.
"I don't need to sit Mione, just tell me what's wrong. Are you feeling alright?" He asked, truly alarmed by her cold demeanor. It was her turn to shake her head.
"No Ron, I'm not alright." Before he had a chance to inquire about what, she continued. "I love you Ron, but the way I love you… I just don't think we are in the same kind of love, you know?" She looked at him hopefully, but his expression held nothing short of uncertainty. "I just… I love you as if you were one of my own family, like my brother. And… and I, well I just can't snog my brother. Do you understand?" Ron was now looking quite grim, and she knew that he did indeed understand. He gritted his teeth.
"Why did you do it then? Why did you snog me like that? To poke fun at me? To see how I would react? Why?" He asked sternly with pain clear in his voice.
"I'm so sorry Ron; I never meant to, I swear it. I didn't want to hurt you. I thought I felt differently, but when we kissed, I knew it was wrong, and I had mistaken my feelings for you."
"But you did Hermione. You did hurt me." He replied coldly. Hermione was on the verge of tears. Her tear ducts were filling up, and threatening to overflow.
"Ron, I am so truly sorry! You were one of my first mates ever, and I can't imagine my life without you in it, but just in a different way than what we were yesterday. You mean so much to me… I need you to be my friend. Please forgive me." She finished. Ron looked away from her. "Please." She tried to move in to hug him, but he stepped away.
"Don't Hermione. Just don't. I can't be near you right now. Please just leave me alone."
"But I-" She started.
"No! Back off!" He yelled. Wrenching the portrait hole open, he let it slam behind him as he fled from the common room. Now the tears were spilling from her eyes and down her flushed, hot cheeks. She had hoped he would take it better than he had, but in the true spirit of Ron, he had gotten worked up and she knew it would be awhile before he came down. One down, one to go. However, while she thought this, she knew that it would be both easier, and harder at the same time. She dreaded ruining the days of two boys, but the sooner the ties were severed the better.
At breakfast, Harry was at a loss as to why his two best mates were refusing to sit with one another. Well, it was more like Ron refusing to go within ten feet of Hermione, who in turn was poking forlornly at her porridge with her eyes downcast.
"So!" Harry said, desperately trying to get a conversation going to warm the icy atmosphere that had settled over their section of the Gryffindor table. "I hear Hufflepuff's got a great Quidditch team this year… they recon they can beat the Ravenclaws." He was presented with a grunt from Ron on his left, and a sigh from Hermione on his right. "And that Transfiguration class the other day! Wow, now that was really interesting. I had no idea you could turn grass into chocolate cake." Again, Ron made a strange grumbling noise and Hermione continued to stare hopelessly into her now cold porridge. "And that Hogsmeade schedule! Well-"
"Harry!" Hermione threw down her spoon and stood up. "Would you please stop babbling nonsense? Ron obviously isn't speaking to me because he can't get it through his thick bonehead that I'm sorry! Until he stops acting like a child, I will be in the library. Don't bother to look for me until he comes to his senses." With that final word, she roughly snatched her book bag from the floor and stomped out of the Great Hall.
"So she checked you?" Harry asked Ron.
"Oh shut it Harry!" And following Hermione's example, he too stormed out of the hall with a very discontent look on his face.
"Well somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…" Harry mumbled to himself.
"Children… I am friends with absolute children!" Hermione said to herself as she stopped to lean against the corridor wall. Her eyes were closed and she had one and held to her face, applying pressure on her throbbing temples.
"It sounds like you could use a real man then." Said a smooth voice in her ear. She lowered her hand and opened her eyes. It was Malfoy, not to her surprise.
"When will you get the hint that I don't want you? I don't want to be your friend, your girlfriend, your secret lover, or anything of the sort! I want my life back. The one I had before you so greedily corrupted it." She exclaimed heatedly. He pressed one hand above her head and leaned against the wall, his arm supporting him. He put his face as close to hers as he could without coming in contact with her.
"I do believe, Miss Granger," He whispered, his hot breath tickling her face. "That you played a big part in your own 'corruption' as well. If you are the smart, intelligent witch that everyone claims you to be, you would have never come to meet me after that first day. You would have never sought me out on your own free will, and you would have never broken up with your lame little boyfriend for me." He smirked as he finished his mini tirade. Hermione fumed with anger. How dare he! How dare that insignificant bastard! What right does he have accusing me of such? And how wrong he is, too!
Hermione poked him in the chest and lowered her voice to a hiss. "I will have you know that I broke up with Ronald for reasons that do not concern you the slightest, and never at any point did I pursue you for anything more than an answer to a burning question. The said 'corruption' was indeed your fault Mr. Malfoy because had you not placed your putrid lips upon mine that retched day a few weeks past, I should have never been forced into such turmoil. I do not wish to see or speak to you ever again outside what is necessary for academic participation. Good day." Throwing him one last glare, Hermione slipped under his arm and briskly walked down the corridor away from him. It was not long, however, before she heard footsteps approaching rapidly from behind her.
A cool hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a nearby supply cupboard.
"You think you could be rid of me that easily Granger? Think again."