A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update! I was really, really busy for a while, and then my computer sort of broke. I'll make sure to post the next chapter as soon as I can.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. As usual
Chapter 3: Plan D
It wasn't long before Ron realized that all of the Ministry's Time-Turners had been smashed during their adventure in the Department of Mysteries last summer, the Blast-Ended Skrewts had killed each other, and he had absolutely no idea how to get a hold of Cornelius Fudge's lime-green bowler hat. Too bad, thought Ron. It was a good plan.
Ron was also beginning to notice that Lavender was very touchy on the subject of Hermione. She became highly suspicious whenever Hermione was anywhere within a 5-foot radius of Ron, and she gave Hermione dirty looks whenever she had the chance. Ron was angered by this cold treatment of his best friend, but he couldn't help a small bubble of hope growing in his chest. Maybe, he thought, since Lavender is so suspicious of Hermione, maybe this means I have a chance with her, and Lavender knows it! This made Ron very happy, and with that thought he formed a Plan D.
Ron and Hermione waved goodbye to Harry as they set off for their extra Apparition lesson in Hogsmeade, which Harry could not participate in because he was too young. Together they set off down the path towards Hogsmeade.
"Won-Won! Wait!" Lavender called, trying to catch up with Ron.
"Oh no, not again," Ron groaned. "Quick, hide me." Hermione suddenly began to laugh.
"Ron, you are so hilarious!" Hermione said, laughing some more.
"Wait, what's funny?" Ron asked, perplexed.
"Just play along," Hermione muttered, giving him a sharp nudge in the ribs.
"Won-Won, why aren't you wearing your necklace?" Lavender pouted, trying harder to catch up. Ron and Hermione sped up a little. Hermione leaned in a little closer to talk, and Ron could feel his ears turning red as he realized the close proximity of their faces.
"What necklace is she talking about?" Hermione inquired, sounding amused. A small smile played on her lips.
"Oh. That," Ron grumbled. His ears reddened even more. "Lavender gave me a necklace for Christmas."
"What does this necklace look like?" Hermione asked, thoroughly enjoying tormenting him.
"It says 'My Sweetheart,'" Ron muttered. Hermione burst out laughing, a real laugh this time. "It's not funny," Ron snapped. "I mean, does she honestly think I'd wear something like that?" Hermione only laughed harder. Lavender looked furious.
They continued to laugh and joke all the way to Hogsmeade. Lavender finally gave up trying to catch up with them and hung back with Parvati.
"Yes! She's finally gone!" Ron exclaimed. Plan D appeared to be working, at least for the moment.Plan D was to follow Hermione everywhere she went, so eventually Lavender would become angry at him for ignoring her and dump him. In Ron's opinion, it was foolproof. Then again, so were plans A, B, and C, but he had a good feeling about Plan D.
"Ron, be quiet, what if she hears you?" Hermione hissed.
"I don't care if she hears me. I should just let her hear me so she'll ditch me!"
"Why don't you just tell her if you don't want to go out with her anymore?"
"I can't just tell her. I've tried that, she keeps changing the subject. She won't let me tell her," said Ron. But maybe, Ron thought, this was just Plan D backfiring on him. Maybe she was getting so jealous that she did not dump him, but only held on tighter. So much for foolproof...
"Ron, it's not that hard," Hermione said, annoyed. "All you have to say is, 'Lavender, I don't want to go out with you anymore.' It's just ten words."
"Hermione, I'm serious, I've tried that, but she changes the subject–"
At that point they were rudely interrupted by the Appariton instructor, who insisted that they all begin practicing now.
Try as he might, Ron just couldn't get the hang of Appariton. Hermione, on the other hand, was perfect every time.
"Remember the three D's!" the Apparition instructor cried for what seemed like the twentieth time. "Destination, Determination, and Deliberation!"
Ron grumbled a little, calling the Apparition instructor some things that Hermione certainly would have scolded him for, if she had not once again Disapparated to her destination, which this time was just outside Scrivenshaft's. Ron, now with no one to talk to, was getting bored. He once again found himself daydreaming. The Apparition instructor scolded him, and reminded him of his destination. Eager to get away from Lavender, who looked like she was coming his way, Ron thought he might at least give it a try.
Before he knew it, Ron found himself standing right next to the subject of his daydreams.
"How did I get here?" Ron asked blankly, not comprehending the situation at first.
"Ron, you did it! You Apparated!" Hermione said excitedly, giving him a hug. Ron felt this was ample reward for finally achieving Apparition, even if he had overshot it a little bit. Together they set off back toward the starting point, savoring the precious time until Ron had to see Lavender again. By the time they got back, most of the students were nowhere to be found.
"Where is everyone?" Hermione asked.
"I dunno, they were here when I left," Ron said.
"Do you think they went back to Hogwarts without us?" Hermione said, panicking slightly. Ron had a sudden idea.
"Hey, Hermione, want to go for a drink in the Three Broomsticks?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, that would be against the rules," she said in a very good impression of Professor McGonagall. Ron winced at the use of his full name, but persevered.
"No one's going to notice we're gone."
"Honestly, Ron, I don't know where you come up with these mad ideas-"
"It's not that mad. Please, just this once?"
Hermione looked around to make sure no one was watching.
"All right, but if we get in trouble I swear you will never again see the light of day-"
"Come on!" Ron interrupted, dragging her off in the direction of the Three Broomsticks.
"Hey,I wasn't finished yet!" Hermione said indignantly. Ron opened the door and ushered her inside.
"After you," he said politely. Hermione was surprised, for this gesture was very unlike him, but looked pleased all the same. To their surprise, the instructor and the rest of the class were already there.
"Won-Won, over here!" Lavender called from her table, but Ron pretended not to hear and sat down at a table on the other side of the room with Hermione. Lavender, he noticed, looked very upset about this.
"I thnk you're hurting her feelings, Ron" Hermione commented lightly, not looking the least bit concerned or sympathetic. Ron just shrugged guiltily. Meanwhile, the Apparition instructor, Wilkie Twycross, was going on and on about how perfect Hermione was to anybody who would listen, which, at the moment, was nobody.
"Excellent, really excellent. Mastered the three D's, you know."
Ron mouthed Twycross's words behind his back just as he said, "Destination, determination, and deliberation."
Hermione was doubled over in silent laughter. Ron grinned, pleased with himself, and continued to mime.
Meanwhile, Parvati nodded vaguely and pretended to listen while Lavender went on and on in an angry rant about Hermione.
"She stole my boyfriend! She stole my boyfriend! How could she do that? She's not even that pretty! I mean, we're supposed to be friends, and then she goes and steals my boyfriend!" She contined to glare over in Hermione's direction, as if the power of her gaze could make Hermione explode. It didn't. Parvati sighed exasperatedly.
"First of all, I don't know what you mean by 'supposed to be friends.' Hermione was never your friend. You've hated her ever since she got a famous date for the Yule Ball and you didn't, which I think is the stupidest reason I've ever heard. Second, she didn't actually steal your boyfriend. They're just friends. Ron can hang out with his friend if he wants to, and if you have a problem with that, talk to him about it."
Lavender gave a cold, humorless laugh. "Sure,they're friends. What sort of friend stops talking to another friend when that friend gets a new girlfriend! Don't tell me you're not sensing hidden feelings here!"
"Even if she did like Ron, which she doesn't," Parvati said wearily, adding the last bit to stop Lavender's death glare, "she hasn't actually done anything about it, which means she hasn't technically stolen your boyfriend. For her to have actually stolen your boyfriend, he would have to be, like, cheating on you with her, or something like that. Clause twenty-seven of the Code, remember?" Parvati smiled smugly, knowing she had won, for whatever the Code said was law. Lavender grumbled for a little while, before continuing her rant undeterred.
"...all I want is for him to clue me in on the status of our relationship, but noooo..."
"He would if you'd just let him," Parvati muttered, but Lavender did not seem to have noticed. Lavender then got up from her seat without warning and sidled over to Ron's table, laughing hysterically at his horrible joke.
"Lavender, I haven't given the punchline yet," Ron pointed out, looking perplexed.
"Oh. Right." Lavender mumbled. Parvati, sitting a couple of tables away, rolled her eyes and shook her head sadly, earning herself another one of Lavender's death glares, an art she had perfected on Hermione.
"Was that the punchline?" Lavender whispered to Madam Rosmerta once Ron finished his joke. Madam Rosmerta nodded vaguely and retreated to the back room. Lavender began her hysterical laughter again, and Parvati repeatedly banged her head on the table.
That was a pretty long chapter. It was for me at least, but I guess most people would call it short. Oh well. Review! Do you ever find it creepy when people say that the purple button is calling you? Woooo... the button calls your name... hear it? It says "-insert name here-! Click me!"