Sorry this chapter came this late! I was having issues with FFN, but finally it worked itself out, and here's the next chapter! Hope everyone enjoys it, and thanks so much for the reviews! I appreciate the feedback.

Previously…

She said breathlessly, "Harry, we should break up."

Chapter 3

"What!" Harry exclaimed, surprised. He may have been frustrated with her at the moment, but the last thing he wanted to do was break up with her.

Hermione traced the scar on his forehead in an excruciatingly slow manner that made Harry impulsively pull her hand away from his face. He really didn't like it when others touched his scar. He'd never admit to anyone but himself that the reason why was because he still had nightmares of Voldemort touching that very same scar on the night of his rebirth. He had decided that he never wanted to feel that vulnerable again.

"Hermione, just tell me what you're trying to say here,"

Hermione smiled weakly at him, and after a whispered, "Sorry," she said, "I meant more of an intermission of sorts in our relationship. I was just thinking that we could be able to force Ginny to change tactics and not resort to using a love potion on you. I just know she'll regret it later because you are not the kind of weak-willed wizard, or person for that matter, who would fall for that sort of trickery and not question it. So, if she sees that we are broken up – and we must make this believable to everyone else but ourselves - she'll decide that she just may have a shot at getting you the old-fashioned, non-magical way now that you're 'single.' And that means –"

Harry rolled his eyes and cut into her explanation, "You seriously want me to believe that you are perfectly alright with another girl, a girl that has had a crush on me for years now no less, thinking she has a real chance at getting me? Haven't you thought that maybe, just maybe, the reason why I'm pressing the sex issue is because I'm not sure if you're invested into this relationship as much as I am? What's there to say that Ginny won't succeed in getting her wish?"

Hermione waved her hand in a dismissive manner, "Harry, once and for all, there are plenty of couples who mutually decide on abstinence prior to marriage. This is hardly a new issue. And I honestly don't believe that you truly think I'm not into this relationship as much as you are. I was the one who initiated it in the first place! I promise you that we will discuss a compromise on the abstinence issue once we have the Ginny factor out of the way. (Harry grinned at her and asked teasingly if she was jealous of Ron's baby sister, Hermione told him to be quiet if he knew what was good for him) Now we know that Neville loves Ginny, so all we have to do his open Ginny's eyes to that because clearly she's blinded by her fruitless crush on you (Harry whispered the word jealous, Hermione ignored him). But then, there's still going to be an unknown amount of love potion brewing somewhere, ready for Ginny's use whenever she feels incentive enough to use it. We have to get rid of it, but we need the time to find the darn thing first."

At this point, Harry was beginning to yawn, and his eyes started drooping. It was clear he would be fast asleep in a few minutes.

"Aha!" He muttered sleepily, "I knew it. You want Ginny having her way with me to buy you time to find her special batch of love potion. What a great plan, Hermione. Really great. I'm going (He yawned involuntarily) to bed. G'night." And he kissed her softly on the lips, his head hitting the pillow before she could make a clever retort.

Before Hermione went to sleep herself (although she actually felt surprisingly awake as her mind went over how to go about her plan in the most effective manner…she was getting more excited and restless by the second at finally figuring out a possible solution to cure Ginny's affliction-like crush), she mischievously shoved Harry off of her bed.

Needless to say, neither Harry nor Hermione had a good night's sleep that night.

Early the next morning, Gryffindor Tower was rudely awakened by a loud fight taking place in the common room.

"You're not telling me everything, Ginny,"

"And what is that supposed to mean!" She glared at Neville.

He threw up his hands, "The bloody love potion crap! Why can't you just let it go! I will not continue to play second fiddle here when I'm your boyfriend. I'm the one who asked you to be my girlfriend, and you agreed! Now why are you stringing me along like I don't matter! I want to matter. I want to matter to you, Ginny. Can't you see?"

Ginny refused to listen to him, "I just know you're relaying what I tell you to Harry and Hermione. That's why I even bothered to tell you anything about my plan – because you're a big flipping tattletale! I just knew that I could easily tell you selective information and, at the drop of the hat, you'd go and tell mummy and daddy all the bad things little Ginny was doing. You completely suck at prying for information! All I hear from you is, "Oh Ginny…let's talk about us," or "Ginny, how do you feel about me?" Ugh, you make me sick! I wish you had met the same end as your parents!"

Ginny realized what she had just said, but she was woefully too late to cover up for her mistake.

Neville looked directly at her, and Ginny found it hard to look away from his pained expression.

He spoke quietly, but it was with a deathly calm that made Ginny wonder why the room had suddenly gotten colder with the fire still burning strong.

"Do you honestly mean that?" He said.

Ginny went over to him, put her hand on his arm, and mumbled a quiet, "Sorry, Neville" in a feeble attempt to make up with him.

Neville sharply took her hand away, "Is that the best you can do? Next time, Ginny, try to actually show you love me rather than act as if I'm just another brother of yours. I have to go. Bye."

And he went straight out the portrait hole, shutting it firmly behind him.

Ron was still on the staircase leading to the boys' dorms, watching the scene between his little sister and her boyfriend unfold before him. He had decided to come down when he had heard his sister's angry voice all the way from his dorm.

When he saw his sister standing there in a state of shock, he resolved to take action. He walked down the remaining stairs, and walked up behind his sister, and said, "Ginny, you are so getting a Howler from mum. Good luck with that." He then rubbed his eyes, and went back up the stairs to the seventh year boys' dorm.

Maybe he could catch another hour or so of sleep before he had to go for breakfast.

Ginny wanted to cry right then and there. Even though it was still early, she went back up to her dorm to prepare for her Friday classes. Anything that didn't involve thinking about Neville, his parents, or the Howler that had her name on it was definitely what the doctor ordered right about now.