Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. No profit made on this.

Setting: End of chapter fourteen, "Felix Felicis." It's the night after Ron took up with Lavender.

Loving Your Best Friend

Hermione stepped into the common room and scanned the room. Seeing Ginny curled up on a chair by the fireplace, she stalked over.

"You said he would never go for Lavender," Hermione stated blankly.

"You heard?" Ginny asked sadly.

"I saw."

"Oh, Hermione."

Hermione flopped into the chair beside Ginny. "I'm going to kill Harry. I don't care if he is the Chosen One. He's going to die."

"What'd Harry do?"

"I don't want to talk about," Hermione said. Ginny was certain, though, that she heard Hermione mutter "damn lucky potion" under her breath.

"Maybe it was just a one-time snog?" Ginny suggested.

"Yeah, and maybe I'll fail Charms."

Ginny worried her hands. The guilt that had been plaguing her since the fight with Ron was returning in full force.

"I just don't understand," Hermione said after a while. "We were getting along fine, we even had a date planned, but then—"

"Wait," Ginny interrupted. "You had a what planned?"

"A date, Ginny, a date," Hermione said impatiently. "But then he started acting stupid for reasons passing understanding, and then he snogged Lavender."

"You had a date with my brother," Ginny said slowly.

"I asked him to Slughorn's party. Did I really never tell you?"

"This date was made before he started acting weird?"

"Yes, of course it was."

"Oh, sweet Merlin."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Um, Hermione, remember the other day when you mentioned we haven't been talking much, and I said it was because I was studying all the time?"

Hermione nodded.

"Yeah, I lied. I've been avoiding you."

"What? Why?"

"Ron and I had a row a few weeks ago, just before he started acting like a prat. I completely lost my temper."

"I'm sorry about that, really I am," Hermione said. "But what's that got to do with you avoiding me? And him snogging that air-head?"

Ginny disregarded the question. "I was just so angry, Hermione, and he was being such an idiot. He was completely out of line; I can do whatever I wish with my boyfriend."

"He walked in on you and Dean?"

"Yeah, him and Harry."

"Harry, too?" Hermione asked with an understanding expression.

The guilt was killing her. Hermione had no right to be so damn concerned after what Ginny had done.

"Yeah, Harry too, but that's not the important part," Ginny said hurriedly. "The important part is that I, uh, may have dragged you into it."

"How so?"

"Well, see, he was being so rude, so I, er, mentioned how inexperienced he is."

"You didn't," Hermione gasped. "Ginny, that's low."

"I know, I know."

"And in front of Harry?"

"Yes, Harry was there," Ginny snapped. "I remember that bit, trust me."

"I'm sure you do."

"Right. Yes. So I mentioned that he had the least experience."

"Compared to whom?" Hermione asked dangerously.

Even through her guilt and embarrassment, Ginny marveled at Hermione's cleverness. Ginny could tell Hermione had a fairly good idea where this conversation was going.

"Who did you compare him to, Ginny?" she repeated.

"Me, of course, and Harry, 'cause, you know, he was there."

"That's it?"

"Ah, no. I may have mentioned that you snogged Krum."

Eons passed.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

Entire civilizations came to be.

"I'm sorry, Hermione."

And then fell into ruin.

Finally, Hermione's brain—usually so quick—accepted what Ginny had said.

"Ginny, I told you that in confidence," she hissed.

"I know! I know, Hermione, and I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking straight."

"He's barely said three words to me these last few weeks."

"Stupid prat," Ginny said viciously.

"And you're one to talk?"

"Okay, point taken."

"He's—he's—he's snogging Lavender Brown," Hermione sputtered.

"I'm so sorry."

"He's not supposed to snog her," Hermione sniffed.

"I know," Ginny agreed. "He's supposed to snog you."

Hermione got up and nearly ran to the dormitory staircase. Ginny let her go.

xxxxx

Hermione made it to her room before bursting into tears. How could Ginny do that to her? And why did Ron have to react like that? She'd only kissed Viktor twice, for God's sake. And the first one hardly even counted. Really, it had been nothing more than a quick peck on the corner of her mouth. Hermione was convinced he had been aiming for her cheek. And the second time… well, okay, that one counted. But still, it had been fairly chaste. Especially considering Ginny's actions.

This catty observation caused Hermione to smirk.

She then, of course, felt guilty, which immediately made her angry. Why did she feel guilty? Ginny was the one who should feel guilty.

Hermione stopped crying. Slightly dazed, she looked around the room. It was fairly late, but Lavender and Parvati weren't there. Thankfully.

The door opened, and Hermione feared she had thanked too soon. But instead of her dorm mates, Ginny stepped in.

"Ginny," Hermione said softly, "please, I don't want to talk right now. Especially not you."

"I understand," Ginny said, walking into the room. "I'll only be in here a minute."

Hermione said nothing. Ginny took this as an invitation to sit beside her on the bed.

"First of all, Hermione, I really am sorry. I had no right to tell them that."

Hermione nodded.

"But mainly I wanted to say that this Ron/Lavender thing is just a fling. Ron really does fancy you."

"Oh? Then why is he snogging Lavender?"

"Because he's an insecure teenage boy in love with his best friend."

"He's not gay, Ginny."

"What the hell are you—no," Ginny gasped. "Hermione, I mean you. Not Harry. He's in love with you."

"Please," Hermione begged, "I don't want to hear about love right now."

"You love him, don't you?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "What's the difference between fancying someone and loving someone, anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Ginny said, "but I always figured physical attraction is the main part of fancying someone."

"Infatuation?"

"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "I'm not sure about love, though."

"Well, you would know better than me," Hermione said. "Did you love Michael?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Do you love Dean?"

"Certainly not."

"What about Harry?"

"Harry?"

"You haven't given up on him, have you?" Hermione asked.

"I'm happy with Dean."

Hermione ignored Ginny. "Maybe that's the difference," she mused. "If you merely fancy someone, you give up as soon as it gets a little difficult. But when you love someone, you stick around no matter how much it hurts."

"It's got to be more than that," Ginny disagreed.

"No, it fits," Hermione argued. "Harry only fancied Cho, and look how fast that went sour. And Michael only fancied you, and he broke it off because of a quidditch match."

"It was a mutual break-up," Ginny snapped.

"Don't snap at me," Hermione said calmly. "I still have every right to be angry with you."

"Fine. I'm still not sure about your theory, though. It's explains the differences between like and love, but doesn't give the reasons."

"Well, of course it doesn't. How could I possibly know the reasons?"

"I… I don't know what to say."

"I want to go to bed now," Hermione announced. Ginny nodded, apologized one last time, and left. Hermione pretended to be asleep when Lavender and Parvati came in.

xxxxx

xxxxx

more to come, eventually…