A/N: This chapter contains Ron and Luna - I love this couple, so if you don't, please don't waste my time in telling me so.
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Hermione made her way into the Common Room and instantly saw untidy raven hair making its way up to the Boy's Dormitory. Here's my chance! Hermione thought.
She proceeded to follow Harry as she caught different glance at vivid red hair. 'Oh dear,' Hermione thought, I've got to talk to Ron for Luna! I suppose Harry can wait, after all, I did promise her.
"Hey, Ron!"
Ron looked up from his nearly blank parchment sheet. Seeing it was Hermione, his face softened. "Just in the nick of time," he whispered to himself as Hermione made her way over.
"Good thing you're here, Hermione, I'm completely lost on -"
"Listen Ron, I've got to ask you something."
"Okay, what?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"Well...I was talking with Luna the other day...and it seems...well, it seems -"
"Just spit it out, Hermione!"
"WouldyouevergooutwithLuna?" Hermione mumbled.
"What?"
"WOULD YOU EVER GO OUT WITH LUNA?" Hermione shouted, causing the redhead to fall off the armchair.
"Bloody hell Hermione! Since when does 'spit it out' mean 'shout at Ron until he goes deaf'?"
"Sorry, but I'm in a bit of a hurry." Hermione said in an apologetic tone.
"Okay. Apology accepted. But since when does Loony Luna like me?" Ron asked sarcastically.
"Well, I don't know, but I think possibly fifth year," Hermione responded.
"I guess she couldn't resist the Ronmeister," Ron replied, smoothing his hair like a male model.
"Oh stop it, you git." Hermione promptly smacked him in the face with a pillow. "Well, what's your answer?"
"You know, since you have resorted to violence I just may not -"
"Ron!"
"Alright fine! I suppose it wouldn't be so awful though."
"Why's that?"
"Well, Luna can't have the name 'Lovegood' for no reason." At this, Ron waggled his eyebrows mischeviously.
Hermione's face contorted to that of disgust. "RON!"
"Hey, you asked."
---
Harry flopped down on his bed, ready for a good night's sleep. However, he bolted right out of bed to discover a body lying in it.
"What the -"
"Harry!"
Oh God, Harry thought, why now?
"Harry, did you forget about out little meeting?" Annabelle asked.
"No," Harry responded with gritted teeth, "its only 10 o' clock. You said eleven."
"Well, I just wanted to be sure I could talk to you without that...girl...interrupting." Harry didn't like the way she put the emphasis on 'girl'.
"And just what girl are you talking about?" Harry asked, his anger rising.
"Well, Hermione Granger. Honestly, she gets involved with everything you do! Doesn't she have a life of her own to busy herself with? I suppose not, she's not exactly gorgeous-"
"Shut up!" Harry yelled, quieting Annabelle instantly, "She's twice the woman you'll ever be, looks included! Consider this 'meeting' cancelled! I don't want anything to do with someone who insults one of my very good friends, whom I happen to care about! Now GET OUT!"
Annabelle jumped out of Harry's bed and sped out the door in a blur of blonde hair and black robes. Harry, seething, kicked his trunk, suddenly regretting it, and began to vent as he massaged his throbbing foot.
"How dare she talk about Hermione like that? 'Nosy' my arse! Hermione only cares about what the hell I do! 'Not exactly gorgeous' ha! Hermione's the most beautiful girl I've ever met! Her personality shows that! She's kind, giving, thoughtful..." Harry began to speak softer and slower, "She's perfect," he finally whispered.
Harry lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. She's perfect, his mind kept repeating. "Why haven't I noticed before?" He asked himself. Oh you have, his internal monologue countered, you've just been caught up in - bugger that. You've just been too idiotic to DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
"Well, Hermione would never like me," Harry responded.
You never know until you get off your arse and find out, the voice replied.
"Yeah..." Harry muttered before drifiting into a deep sleep.
---
Hermione tiptoed up the Girl's Dormitories staircase carrying Harry's broom. She hadn't meant to just take it like that, but seeing that girl in Harry's bed had caused something to snap inside her. She was suddenly furious with Harry, and, not wanting to make a scene, spotted the Firebolt lying beside his trunk. She paid no mind to Harry and the girl's conversation and got out of the Boy's Dormitory as quickly as she could. Then she had raced to the other side of the Common Room and up the stairs, sat down in the middle of them, and caught her breath.
How could Harry do that? She had asked herself, I thought he would at least take the time to know a girl's last name before...before...
Shouldn't you give him the benefit of the doubt? The other voice, Harry's voice, asked. You don't know for sure that's what they were doing.
"I don't care," she said aloud, "he can do whatever the bloody hell he likes. It's not my business."
Then why do you care so much?
"I..." Hermione couldn't respond. "I'm going to bed," she finished lamely as she got up and headed to her bed.
As she lay down, she began talking to herself again. "Tomorrow I'll talk to Mickey and he'll ride the Firebolt and like me. I can just forget about Harry."
The voice, after being ignored since the staircase incident, replied , If you could, wouldn't you have already?
