Later that same day, Hermione met Harry for drinks in their favorite Muggle bar!
"So, Harry, that is what Ron wanted to meet me about. For the umpteenth time, he asked me to marry him. Does he think I am imbecile? He has been shagging Lavender for years...he should make an honest witch of HER! Especially since there isn't enough money in the world to make me want to marry him!" Hermione said confidentially.
"And you would know! That's Molly's doing though. I am sure of it. She never did like Lavender...but it isn't like she was wholeheartedly in favor of you either being Ron's wife. You aren't the type to stay home and take care of "your family"...you are a career girl and for Molly, the only suitable daughter-in-law would be one who stayed in the home. If you were dumb enough to marry Ron, Molly would make your life a living hell!" Harry said thoughtfully. "Mind you, if they knew the truth about you, well they aren't likely to want to kill the golden goose, now would they?"
"Do you think they know?" Hermione ventured tentatively.
"Well I didn't tell them. I promised you that I wouldn't. And to be honest, I have been too busy fending off Ginevra. She is determined to marry me and won't leave me alone. I am at my wit's end...her latest ploy is telling me that she is pregnant by me and she intends to tell her parents that I took her virginity under the promise of marriage. I am so screwed!" Harry slumped forward, leaning his forehead on his chest.
"Hmmmmm," pondered Hermione. "What if you call her bluff. You and I both know that you two never had sex, right?"
"Gross! All she talks about is Quidditch. I might as well be marrying Victor Krum and THAT is NEVER happening!" Harry's face flushed at the thought of marrying Krum.
"Is there someone that you like or would want to court and/or marry?" Hermione asked.
"I kinda like...Luna Lovegood!" he replied.
"Luna?" she queried.
"Yeah, she isn't as ditzy as she seems. Did you know that she was badly bullied in her own House? Her fellow Ravenclaws thought it was perfectly acceptable to steal and hide her possessions and she never did find everything...and yet, she stayed so calm and never reported that she was being bullied! Honestly, Hermione, Luna has a very loving and caring nature and I would like to court her...but how can I do that with Ginevra hanging over me like the Sword of Damocles?"
"Well...I have an idea...a rather naughty one. What if we did..." Hermione whispered her plan to Harry.
Harry thought for a few minutes and then said, "Hermione, you are a genius! I never did think of publicly...or in this case, semi-publicly...calling her bluff such that ever-after she can never try to trap me into marriage ever again. Do you think it will work?"
"I don't see why not," Hermione said. "But first you need to find out if Luna is interested in you and if she would accept you courting her. If she is, then this is what I think we should do."
Harry thought it over and said, "Brilliant! I will see if I can get hold of Luna and if she is willing to be mine, we can put your plan into action! I can hardly wait to see Molly's face when she realizes that her plan for marrying me and my money off to Ginevra has failed so publicly and spectacularly!" And then he rubbed his hands together and his grin was downright diabolical!