While Hermione was crying her heart out in the Room of Requirement, Harry and Ron were in Dumbledore's office with Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape looking disapprovingly at them. The two boys couldn't help but be reminded of the time they had flown Mr. Weasley's car to Hogwarts in second year, only this time they were bloodied by each other's hands.
"Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to start brawling about on the floor like a couple of barbarians. What on earth provoked this?" Professor McGonagall demanded.
"Harry said a few things about Ginny and how Hermione was right to say that Ginny was insecure and jealous. Now that I think of it, why didn't any of you intervene when Hermione was attacking her at dinner?" Ron questioned.
"I'd say it was the other way around, Mr. Weasley. From what I saw you and your sister were the ones verbally attacking Miss Granger while she was trying to enjoy dessert. If anything you should be happy that she's branching out and making new friends," Professor McGonagall said.
"But we're her best friends, she's supposed to be sitting with us," Ron pouted. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Madame Rosmerta said the same thing this afternoon. We were supposed to meet Hermione for lunch at 12 and we didn't get there until 1. Believe me if she's making new friends, I'm happy about that," Harry said. He'd been relatively silent up until this point, but he was starting to feel angry with Ron and Ginny again.
"Well, if that's the way you treated her, is it any wonder she didn't want to come and sit at the Gryffindor table? I'm very disappointed in both of you. Come and see me tomorrow and we'll sort out your detentions. Albus, Severus, is there anything you wish to add?" McGonagall asked briskly.
"I think you said it all, Minerva," Dumbledore said. Snape nodded in agreement. Harry and Ron, realizing that they were dismissed, rose and left the office. As the door shut behind them, Professor McGonagall shook her head.
"I don't know what it is with those two and Miss Weasley. Hermione gives them everything and gets very little in return."
"Perhaps if she spends more time with the other girls she will receive the friendships she deserves. I've seen Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley totally ignore her in lessons except when they ask her for her help with their homework," Snape put in. The Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress shook their heads as the three professors retired for the night.
Meanwhile in the Room of Requirement, Hermione had stopped crying and the seven girls were lazing around on the couches, all suffering from a chocolate hangover.
"It's nearly curfew, shall we head out?" Parvati asked as she stretched. Hermione shook her head.
"I'm not particularly keen to go back to Gryffindor Tower tonight. After the spectacle at dinner I would prefer to stay out of the school's eye. I think I might just sleep here tonight," Hermione admitted. The idea had been in her mind since they had returned after dinner, and now that she was calm she had no intention of getting all worked up again.
"We'll stay with you," offered Cho. The other girls nodded in agreement. The room, as if understanding the conversation, produced mattresses, blankets, and pillows. A door creaking open caught the girls' attention, and they were amazed to see that a bathroom had appeared. After taking turns in the bathroom, the girls stripped down to their underwear and crawled under the blankets.
"This is way more fun than heading back to the common room," Lavender said. The other girls nodded in agreement as they drifted off. As the lights went out, the girls had little way of knowing that the drama between Hermione and her friends was being discussed by the entire school.
Draco and Blaise had been just as surprised as anyone when they witnessed Hermione stand up to the Weaselette and the other two thirds of the Golden Trio.
"Can we even call them the Golden Trio anymore? From what Granger said tonight it sounds like she's done with Potter and Weasley," Blaise wondered as they got ready for bed. Draco shrugged, he'd been impressed with the way Hermione had handled her friends and he agreed with every word she'd said.
"And what about the way Potter and Weasley had a go at each other? I have to wonder if Potter and Weaselette will stay together, they seem to be growing apart," Theo Nott piped up. The other boys nodded.
"What I want to know is what cheerleading is," Draco said. He was quite curious to know about this competition that Granger was taking part in.
"You could just ask her, now that she's not friends with the dense duo anymore there's nothing stopping you from talking to her or even asking her out. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, Draco," Blaise said honestly. Draco nodded absentmindedly as he climbed into his four poster bed. Contrary to what Hermione had said, he didn't think she meant that she would genuinely cut her friends off, they would probably be made up by lunchtime tomorrow and then his chance would be gone. As he settled down to sleep, Draco found himself wishing that he hadn't been such a little brat in his early years at Hogwarts. Maybe if he hadn't he would have a better chance with the girl he fancied.
The next morning Hermione woke up and dressed quietly. Or so she thought. She was just slipping her shoes on when the other girls woke up and looked over at her.
"Getting an early start, Hermione? I thought we could all go down to breakfast together," said Lavender as she propped herself up on her elbow.
"I want to; I just want to go for a run first. If you guys want to sleep longer I'll meet you at breakfast," said Hermione. The other girls shook their heads and started getting dressed.
"Where were you going to go for a run?" Cho asked as she shimmied into her skirt.
"Just around the grounds, if you guys want to join me you're welcome to," Hermione offered. The other girls looked at each other, they were enjoying Hermione's company and couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't tried to get to know her sooner.
"Well, I'm not much for running, but maybe it's time I try something new," said Lavender. Cho and Katie also opted to join Hermione and Lavender on the run while Parvati, Padma and Luna decided to stay in the castle. Padma looked at her watch.
"It's 7:30 now, shall we meet for breakfast at 9:30 or so?" she suggested. Her friends nodded.
"That sounds good, see you girls then," said Cho as she, Hermione, Katie and Lavender left the room. They split off in the corridor after agreeing to meet in the Entrance Hall in 15 minutes. As Hermione, Lavender, and Katie made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room, Katie looked over at Hermione.
"Do the boys or Ginny ever come running with you?" she asked. Hermione shook her head.
"No. I've never invited them to come with me because Ron and Ginny would just complain the whole time and, well, I don't know about Harry. Ron and Ginny think that Quidditch is enough physical activity for them," Hermione admitted as they reached the portrait hole and gave the password. Katie headed off to her dormitory while Lavender and Hermione headed into theirs. Stripping off the clothes she'd been wearing since the day before, Hermione quickly changed into a sports bra, a long-sleeved shirt, leggings and her trainers while Lavender did the same.
"Think I'll be warm enough?" Lavender asked as she tied her hair back in a ponytail. Hermione appraised her. Lavender was wearing a T-shirt with her leggings.
"You might be chilly at first. Hang on a second," she said. Digging in her trunk, Hermione unearthed another long-sleeved shirt and threw it to the other girl.
"Slip that on, you can always take it off when we get going," Hermione said as they headed for the door. Lavender looked at her, bewildered.
"Get going? How hard exactly are we going to go?" she asked as they reached the foot of the stairs where Katie was waiting for them. The three of them left the common room.
"Well, I always start off easy and then when I'm warmed up I start to increase my speed," Hermione said as they walked down the stairs and found Cho waiting for them in the Entrance Hall. As the four of them headed out into the grounds, they failed to notice a certain red-haired Gryffindor glowering at their backs.
"Come on girls! Pick it up, pick it up!" Hermione said twenty minutes later. As promised, they'd started off easy, walking briskly down the path that led to the train station and Hogsmeade before Hermione turned off onto the grass. Once they'd reached the Black Lake Hermione had picked up her pace and started jogging. Ten minutes later she was running, Katie and Cho were keeping up with her pace but Lavender was struggling. She paused and bent over, planting her hands on her knees. The other three turned back and ran to her side.
"Girls, can we, can we go back to the castle now?" Lavender panted. Katie and Cho each seized an arm and started jogging lightly in place, Lavender between them.
"No, come on, come on! You're the one who said you wanted to try something new," Cho pointed out as the three of them started running, Hermione pounding along beside them.
"Come on Lavender, push, push, push! Ten more minutes and then we're done! Come on let's go," Hermione coached. The four of them ran to the end of the shoreline and then turned around.
"Okay, we're going to cool down now. Just walk back to the castle and then we'll stretch," Hermione instructed. The four of them walked towards the castle, just a nice and easy pace. Once they'd reached the stone steps, Hermione showed them how to stretch their legs and arms.
"Ooh I'm going to be sore tomorrow," Lavender groaned as they four of them headed up the stairs and into the Entrance Hall where Parvati, Padma and Luna were waiting for them. The seven of them headed into the Great Hall and sat at the Ravenclaw table again.
"How was the run? Are you guys winded?" asked Parvati.
"I am, Hermione and Cho and Katie all have more stamina than me," said Lavender as she poured herself some water.
"You did really well, though, Lavender. The first couple of times are always tough but it gets way easier once you've been doing it for awhile. You guys should join us next time," said Katie as the girls helped themselves to breakfast.
Across the hall, Ginny, Harry and Ron were watching Hermione laugh with her new friends. Ginny shredded a napkin between her fingers as she glowered.
"Leave it Ginny, don't go over there and cause another scene like last night's. We've given the gossip mill enough fuel for a few days," said Harry as he took a sip of his tea. He was sporting two black eyes and his nose hurt like hell every time his glasses shifted on the bridge of his nose. Ron had a split lip and a bruised cheekbone; he had ultimately fared better than Harry.
"I don't want to bloody leave it; I want Hermione back over here where she belongs. Look at her being all chummy with Chang," said Ginny moodily, watching as Hermione laughed at something Cho had said. Harry shook his head.
"What have you got against Cho, exactly? She's nice, and she doesn't have a fit when things don't go her way," said Harry. The previous night, he'd done a lot of thinking about what Hermione had said to Ginny, staring into the fire long after everyone had gone to bed. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Ginny didn't really love him; she loved the idea of being with the Boy Who Lived.
"Wanting to get back together with her, are you? Last year you were griping about how annoyed you were when she burst into tears at the drop of the hat. She was probably constantly comparing you to Cedric and how he was better than you," Ginny said nastily. Harry dropped his head into his hands. He'd had enough of Ginny's bitterness and jealous behaviour.
"You know what, Ginny? I'm tired of this. I'm tired of you tearing other people down, I'm tired of you both treating Hermione like she's the bad guy when in reality it's the three of us, yeah I said the three of us, who are the bad friends. Yesterday is just one example, but I can think of loads of times we haven't been there for her the same way she's been there for us. She doesn't deserve that and I'm going to spend the rest of the school year and the years after making sure she knows how much I value her and her friendship. If you two don't want to do the same, then I guess we're done," said Harry. Ginny and Ron stared at him.
"You're breaking up with me?" said Ginny.
"Our friendship is over?" said Ron at the same time. Harry nodded yes to both questions and got to his feet.
"Where are you going?" Ginny demanded. Harry rolled at his eyes at his ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend.
"To talk to Hermione and apologize to her," he replied before turning away.
"You haven't heard the last of this, Harry. You and I will be back together at the end of the week," Ginny vowed. Harry shook his head and walked over to the Ravenclaw table where Hermione was sitting. Taking a deep breath, he tapped her on the shoulder.
Author's note: Oooh, cliffhanger! Haha what did you guys think of that? I was going to write more but I looked at my pages monitor and it's at six pages! Harry has finally seen the light, but Ron and Ginny won't be letting him and Hermione go that easily. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Not too much Draco in this one but that will change ;) Till next time, Xoxoxo.