A/N: Here's chappie three! I know it took a long time to get out, but hey, it's here. Uh, again, if you didn't realize it...I don't really like Ron much. He's kind of crazy mean in this story, but that's how I wanted him to be. Anyway...here it is! R&R! Thanks! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter Three

A Change Will Be Good For Me

I said I wanted to change and I will. Today. Right now. I am not waiting anymore. I can't wait anymore. I need this now.

People always say you should be your own person. Be yourself. Don't let others define who you are. Don't depend on others to make your life whole. You don't need a guy to be important. All that advice that you're showered in. It swirls around your head, you tell yourself that you will never make those mistakes and then it all blows out the window once you're in a relationship.

Suddenly having a guy in your life becomes so important. Once you have him you will do anything to keep him. Even if that means you take the back burner. He will be your top priority even if you aren't his. You find yourself thinking that you would be nothing without him. You think it's got to be true because the feeling is so intense. It just takes you over. Now, you live to be his girlfriend instead of living to be you.

How do I know? I just lived it. My relationship with Ron was just like this. And now I can finally see it. It's about time I started living for me.

That's what I resolve to do: live for myself. I shouldn't have to be a second thought. I should come first--if not for Ron then for myself. I intend to do for myself without having to think about what Ron will think, do, or say about it. From now on I will make every decision my own. Not Ron's.

But, how to do that? How do I show Ron that I'm done with him having such a power over me? I was going to move on. So how do I end it?

There was a Hogsmead trip today. I had told Ron earlier this week that I would go with him--like an official date--but that wasn't going to happen. Not when I had caught him cheating on me the day before. I was still going, just not with him.

I was halfway ready when I got a look of myself in the mirror. I smiled as an idea came to mind. I pulled off the heavy sweater that I had gotten from Mrs. Weasley this Christmas, opting for the more form fitting shirt underneath. A few months back Ginny had discovered some cosmetic charm technique that would tame my stubborn hair. I just hadn't gotten around to using it yet. Now was just as good a time as ever. Amazingly enough it worked like a charm. I let my hair fall free over my shoulders and clasped a necklace around my neck. I adjusted the pendant and started on my makeup. I did everything a little darker, a little heavier, but not in too much excess. I finished off by pulling a jacket on--the weather was still crisp enough for it--and then made my way to the common room.

When I came to the bottom of the staircase I took a deep breath and began to look for Ron. I had to do this right away. I didn't have to look for long, because the next thing I knew Ron was right in front of me. I had to take a step back, he popped up so close to me.

"Hey Hermione. Are you ready to go?" Ron asked enthusiastically, looking me up and down--like that wasn't obvious.

"Yeah." I forced myself to answer.

"Great. Let's go." Ron smiled and headed for the portrait hole. I stayed put. After a moment Ron realized I wasn't following and he turned around. "Are you coming?"

I shook my head, "No."

"But you just said..." Ron began.

"I just said I was ready to go. I didn't say I was going with you. Or that I was going at all." I corrected.

"But you're..." Ron gestured at my body.

"I'm what?" I questioned. My hands found their way to my hips as I stared him down--daring him to finish the sentence.

"You can't possibly still be mad at me." Ron muttered angrily.

"No, I'm not mad at you." I said.

"Then what's with the tone?" Ron questioned. "Sounds like you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you." I repeated, then added, "I'm breaking up with you."

"What?" Ron exclaimed.

"I am breaking up with you." I responded. "It's easy enough to understand. I'm not you're girlfriend anymore."

I slipped past him and moved in the direction of where Harry and Ginny were waiting for me. But before I could get very far, Ron grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. I ripped my arm from his grasp and stepped back.

"Don't you ever touch me again!" I snapped, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I am your boyfriend! That's what I am!" Ron snarled and stepped forward so he was up in my face again.

"Not anymore." I responded and made for the portrait hole, leaving the common room and Ron behind.

Harry and Ginny followed shortly after. I waited halfway down the corridor to let them catch up. Once they reached me I began to walk again--heading for the entrance hall. I couldn't stay still. Harry and Ginny walked on either side of me quitely--but I could tell they had something to say.

Harry spoke up first. "Are you okay?"

"I will be." I answered simply. "He doesn't believe me, you know."

"What do you mean?" Ginny inquired, looking confused.

"He doesn't believe that I want to break up. He thinks I'm just upset. He thinks I'll get over it. I know he does. I can see it in his eyes. He's just going through the motions." I explained, "Do you know how many times we've broken up?"

"Twice." Harry answered seemingly confident in his answer. "Once about two weeks after you got together and once the week before Christmas break."

"No, it was three." Ginny corrected him. "She also broke up with him the day after they got together, claiming she changed her mind."

I shook my head, "You're both wrong."

"Then how many times?" Ginny asked. "Four? Did we miss one?"

"Thirty-eight." I responded. "Not including today. And each and everytime we got back together by the next day. He never believed me, mostly because I never believed myself. I don't blame him for not believing me this time."

"But you do mean it this time, right?" Ginny inquired.

"Yes. After what he did, I can't be with him anymore." I nodded.

"The eggs or the anniversary?" Ginny said.

"Neither." I shook my head, and looked at Harry. "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Ginny piped up, but went ignored.

"I didn't know if you wanted anyone to know." Harry replied.

"You could have told Ginny." I said.

"Tell me what?" Ginny replied.

"I didn't know if I could tell her." Harry shrugged.

"Tell me what?!" Ginny exclaimed.

I sighed, "Ron cheated on me."

"What?" Ginny nearly shouted, her eyes wide.

"I caugth him yesterday with Lavender." I added.

"He cheated on you. You caught him. And he still comes up to you like nothing happened?" Ginny frowned.

"He doesn't know." I replied.

"What do you mean he doesn't know?" Ginny scowled, "If he was cheating on you, I'm pretty sure he would be aware of his actions and knew that he was doing it."

"No. He doesn't know that I know he cheated on me. I saw them together, but I didn't say anything, I haven't said anything to him about it." I explained, I stopped as we arrived in the entrance hall.

"My mum is going to kill him when she finds out about this." Ginny mumbled as she walked out the doors and onto the front lawn.

The three of us got into one of the carriages that would take us to Hogsmeade. Ginny sat across from me, and Harry sat next to me. When the carriage came to a stop, Ginny was the first to get out. Just as I was about to step out, Harry stopped me.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Harry asked.

"I'll be fine, Harry." I smiled slightly. "Promise."

"Hermione, it would be okay to be upset." Harry replied, not quite looking at me.

"I am upset--just a little. But I don't really care anymore. I don't want to give him the satisfaction. I will be fine, Harry." I responded.

Harry sighed, "If you say so."

I nodded quickly and stepped out of the carriage. I took a couple of steps away to allow Harry to do the same. Ginny was waiting for us not far from the carriage. We headed in her direction.

"I kind of told Luna I would meet her here and spend the day with her." Ginny said, once we arrived in front of her. "But I can get out of it, if you'd like me to stay with you."

"No, Ginny." I shook my head, "You have plans. I refuse to let Ron mess up your day too."

"Okay. I'll see you in the common room later tonight?" Ginny agreed--but her voice held a certain degree of skepticism that told me she wanted to stay anyway.

"Yeah." I smiled and nodded.

Ginny hurried off to meet Luna, and left Harry and me alone. I noticed he was acting a little strange all morning. I kept catching his eyes flickering toward me, but he would never completely look at me. I mean he said the right things, expressed the right words at the right time. He was still normal Harry in that aspect. But in his other behaviors he was acting a little unusual.

"Harry, what's the matter?" I finally asked as we began to walk down the street.

"What do you mean?" Harry responded, but still didn't look at me.

"You're acting strange." I said and then added, "And you won't look at me."

"It's just...It's just you look--you look different." Harry stammered.

"It's not bad is it?" I asked, turning to look at him. I wanted to know if he was telling the truth and I needed to see his face to do that. It was always in his eyes.

"No, not bad. You just look different." Harry answered.

"You know, I feel different." I responded. "I finally made a decision all for myself. It feels good."

"I'm glad to hear that." Harry smiled. "Come on, let's go to Honeydukes before it's overrun. Not everyone's here yet."

I spent most of my day shopping with Harry. Honeydukes, Zonko's and such. Right before we were going to head back to Hogwarts, we stopped in at Madam Rosemerta's for a butterbeer. I found an empty table--a difficult feat to accomplish, the place was crowded--while Harry went to get our drinks. While I was waiting for Harry to return, I was suddenly bombarded by Lavender. I had seen her sitting with Parvati, her twin sister Padma, and a couple of girls from Ravenclaw when I came in. But I never thought she would have the nerve to come over to me.

"Oh Hermione!" Lavender exclaimed, with a false frown on her face--like she was concerned for my feelings, please. "I saw what happened this morning with you and Ron. I think it's very brave of you to still come here alone."

"I'm not here alone." I scowled, I would only be able to tolerate her for so long before I blew up in her face.

"Of course you're not." Lavender smiled, "You should come sit with us."

I laughed, "I'm here with Harry."

"Oh, of course you are." Lavender looked a little thrown, but she collected herself. "So this thing with Ron is seriously over? Because Ron's great for you, but we've always thought you and Harry..."

I cut her off. "I'm not with Harry. Not like that. We came to Hogsmead together, but not on a date."

Again Lavender had an odd look cross her features. "Well you're both welcome to join us."

Her last comment was soft, barely audible. As the last word left her lips she turned and walked away. I knew exactly what she was trying to do. Now that I knew about them, I knew. She was trying to get the picture from my point of view. If I was really through with Ron then it would be easier for her to convince him to give up on me and be with just her. I was surprised by the sickening urge I had to do something hideous to her. How dare she act like she was my friend, like she was worried about me, when she knew she had been going behind my back with my boyfriend? Ex-boyfriend. I'll have to get used to that.

"Is everything okay? I saw Lavender coming this way. You didn't splatter her against some wall or something, did you?" Harry replied as he returned with two mugs clutched in his hands.

"No, she's fine. She's back over there. She was worried about me being alone, apparantly." I scoffed. "I tell her I'm here with you and she jumps to the crazy conclusion that we're dating."

Harry sputtered on the sip of butterbeer he had taken. "Dating? Really?"

"Yeah. And I fought the urge to splatter her against some wall, as you put it. She actually asked if I was seriously through with Ron. Like that wasn't obvious." I explained before taking a sip from my drink.

Harry shook his head. "Did she really?"

"Yes." I answered. "I think she actually liked the idea of us being together--dating I mean."

"Why would you say that?" Harry asked, turning to me.

"Well, I assume, because she would think that it would leave Ron up for grabs." I responded, shrugging.

"And she would have a head start on grabbing." Harry added.

"Exactly." I agreed. "But it's a crazy idea, right?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded, but looked down a moment after.

"Come on." I said a little later, as we finished our drinks, "We should head back."

When we got back to the common room almost everyone was already there. Ginny was seated at a table with a girl from her year. Lavender and Parvati were on a couch near the fireplace. Seamus and Dean were involved in a game of chess at another table. And Ron was in a chair near where Lavender was seated. Where he had a clear view of the entrance--comings and goings.

And he didn't look very happy when he saw Harry and me come in.

He was out of his chair and right on top of us in less than a second. We had barely made it in before he stopped our path--standing in front of us with an angry look on his face. While I thought his angry feelings would be directed toward me, his eyes were on Harry.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ron directed to Harry, his voice low and tone demanding.

"I don't know what you're talking about, mate." Harry responded.

"Of course you do. You could at least be up front about it. I don't enjoy hearing this from someone else." Ron replied--still as vague as when he began.

"Hearing what?" Harry questioned.

"That you were messing around with my girlfriend. Who the hell do you think you are?" Ron's voice raised dramatically and he shoved Harry backward--almost into the wall.

I took a step sideways, so I was between them. "Ex-girlfriend, Ron. Ex. And leave Harry alone. He did nothing to you. You brought this on yourself."

"This isn't my fault. You broke off plans with me to take off with Harry!" Ron exclaimed turning onto me.

"I broke up with you. I didn't blow off our plans. I broke up with you." I scowled.

"You would think that if we had broken up you would be a little more torn up. Yet, you aren't." Ron snapped, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Who are you to tell me how I feel? I am torn up. I am falling apart, I am breaking down inside and why? Why am I so broken? Hmm...Let's see, because my so called boyfriend has been unfaithful to me for the majority of our screwed up relationship and he was stupid enough to let me catch him!" I cried out at him. I could feel the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"Hermione, I don't know what..." Ron began, his voice suddenly lower, but I cut him off.

"Don't you dare say you don't know what I'm talking about! I saw you! Do you understand what that means? I saw you, you can't play dumb. You can't lie. It's over." I shook my head in frustration. "You cheated on me, and I had to see it firsthand. Do you know how much that hurt? So maybe I didn't show it, but I certainly felt it."

I was about to add to that when I heard Lavender say something, to my side, a comment that caught my ear. "Guys can be such animals. It's disgusting, really."

She had spoken loudly--obviously loud enough for me to hear. She meant for me to hear her--the same way she had expressed false concern in Hogsmead. For the same reason, too. If she was sympathetic, if she was on my side than I wouldn't suspect her of betrayal. I wouldn't think it was her. But I had seen her. I knew it was her.

I whipped around to look at her. "Lavender, don't act so innocent. Did you not hear me say I saw him, Lavender? That means I was there, Lavender. I saw who he was with Lavender."

"I don't know what you're implying." Lavender replied, after I had punctuated her name in each of my previous sentences.

"I wasn't implying anything. I was just filling you in." I stated, reducing my tone and making it even.

"You're talking crazy, Hermione." Ron snapped with his voice low. He stalked closer to me. "You're making a scene."

"A scene? I'm making a scene? You want to talk about making a scene? I'll tell you about a scene." I felt anger and hurt feelings bubbling up to the surface, ready to lash out at him. "Yesterday, my boyfriend dumped a bowl of eggs in my lap because he was mad that I called him on one of his flaws. For some crazy reason, despite what he did, I was worried about him when he didn't show up for lunch. Because he never missed a meal, ever. So, I went looking for him and what did I find? I caught him in an empty classroom practically shagging a girl who was not his girlfriend."

"That's a great story, Hermione. You're just trying to make me look bad. It's not working." Ron replied, "Maybe if you didn't make up some crazy story, people would believe you."

"I didn't make it up, Ron." I scowled. "And you know it. I saw you with Lavender--I wish I hadn't but I did."

"I have done nothing of the sort!" Lavender exclaimed jumping from her seat.

I shook my head, unable to suppress the laugh that rose in my throat. "Deny it all you want. I know what I saw. It's over Ron."

Ron grabbed me by the arm as I tried to turn away from him. "It's not over until I say it is."

I jerked away, throwing his hand off of me. It was then that I remembered that Harry was still standing there. He took a few steps and stood in front of me protectively. His eyes narrowed as he dared Ron to touch me again. Harry would always be the one to protect us all. It was just the person he was.

It was supposed to be the person Ron was.

"Stay out of this Harry." Ron snapped.

"Or what, Ron?" Harry replied, "What are you going to do?"

"Just get out of my way, Harry. This is between me and Hermione." Ron took a step closer to Harry.

"You're done talking." Harry stated simply. "Leave her alone. And if you touch her again, God help me...I will make you regret it."

"This isn't any of your business, Harry." Ron took another step closer.

"Want to know a little something Ron? I saw you too. And when it comes down to it, you hurt Hermione. I won't let you do that anymore." Harry replied, keeping his voice calm. "Leave her alone."

"Harry, I won't ask you again...Move." Ron scowled directing all his anger at Harry. "Let me talk to her."

"No." Harry shook his head.

The next thing I knew Ron had lunged at Harry, causing him to stumble backwards. Harry shoved Ron off of him and stepped away from him. Ron staggered but was coming at Harry again a moment later.

"Ron stop!" I yelled.

Ron stopped and looked up at me. He shook his head. "I want to talk to you...alone."

"No." I refused. "We're through, no more discussions. I'm done."

I shook my head. I could feel the tears that were threatening to fall. They pricked at the back of my eyes. I needed a walk. I needed to clear my mind.

Without another word I went back through the portrait hole and made my way through the corridors. I heard the footsteps behind me and I had known that Harry would follow me. I didn't acknowledge him until we were outside, standing together on the edge of the lake.

I took a deep breath before speaking. "Did I handle that right?"

"I think you handled it the best that you could." Harry answered.

"He couldn't just admit it? It would have been so much easier if he would have just not denied it. Why did he have to call me a liar?" I questioned, voicing all the thoughts that were racing through my head.

"He hates being wrong." Harry said simply.

"I never thought I would do that." I replied after a moment of silence.

"Do what?" Harry asked tilting his head so he was looking at me.

"Have enough courage to break up with him, and stay broken up." I sighed, "I feel like I can be a bit stronger on my own--I think I like it."