Harry left the common room early and practically ran to the Gryffindor common room. He snuck up the stairs to the boys dorms and prodded Ron until he woke up.

"Wha's happnin?"

"Shh! Come down to the common room. We have problems."

"Now what? Harry it's 6 o'clock. That's an inhuman time to be awake. We'll discuss it at breakfast, whatever it is. Just go away!"

"Meet me at breakfast early then. We need to discuss Hermione."

"Oh god! What's she done this time?"

"I'll tell you at breakfast. I need Ginny and Draco for this too."

"Oh god! It is serious! I'll get Ginny and you go get Draco and we'll meet in the great hall."

Harry ran out of the dorm. Ron followed and called out to him in the hall way.

"Aren't you supposed to be pissed off with me?"

"Forget it! I'm sorry I hit you!" and he kept on running.

Ten minutes later they were all gathered round the Gryffindor table in the hall.

"What's up Harry? And why do you need all of us?" Ginny started before Harry could talk. In fact he had his mouth open and was about to start explaining when she cut in.

"I was just about to tell you. Mione woke me at three this morning screaming and crying. She said it was a bad dream but when she explained it to me it was just that she saw herself in a couple of years time when we're all teachers here. Doesn't sound scary, right? Well she said she couldn't tell me the real reason until she had spoken to Ron and Ginny. After I had left her down in our common room she sat with Dobby and told him to track Draco. She's getting too close to knowing. We have to stop her, somehow."

"McGonnagal and I talked to her last night and if McGonnagal hadn't started to discuss the teaching posts for next year, then she would have found out more than is safe. What we need to do is head her off in the wrong direction."

"But, Gin, that is virtually impossible. Hermione is the cleverest witch in the school."

"My dear Harry, she didn't grow up with Fred and George."

"I hear you, sis, what are we doing then?"

"Hmm. How 'bout we pretend that Harry and I are going out again? I will talk to her and try and find out what she was screaming about."

"Good plan. If the worst comes to the worst Draco and I will have a public dispute in front of her, to completely confuse her."

"That is if she has any suspicion about Harry's sexuality and yours truly being his partner instead of his enemy. Oh and Harry you have to stop calling me Draco in front of her. We go back to last name terms from now on. Got it?"

They all turned to stare at Ron, as he was the only one who hadn't suggested anything.

"What? Those plans sound great and might I suggest a public display of affection from Harry and Ginny in front of Lavender or Parvati? They are the biggest gossips in the school and Hermione will soon get the message."

McGonnagal now came towards them.

"What's going on?"

They told her and she looked up and warned them that someone was coming into the hall. Draco quickly ran for his own table and Harry chucked a book at him so that he wouldn't look like a total prat sitting at the breakfast table early and by himself.

Hermione walked in and threw a glance at him before settling herself at the Gryffindor table. She and Ron were facing Harry and Ginny.

"Gin, can I talk to you, it's private, the guys can't know." She threw a glance at Harry and Ginny took the hint and they moved further down the table.

Ron and Harry leant in and talked quietly.

"So Hermione came to Ginny without having to be prodded."

They heard Ginny laugh and then she said loudly that it couldn't possibly be true because she knew for a fact that Harry was straight. Harry heard Draco chuckle quietly behind his book and he had to admit that he was having a hard time himself preventing the laughter that was threatening to come out of his own mouth and he could tell that Ron felt the same. McGonnagal looked like she was biting her tongue hard to stop herself from laughing.

"Well done Ginny." Ron muttered to them.

Hermione left the hall and Ginny and Draco came back to join them.

"The reason Hermione was so scared last night was that in this dream she heard Harry say that he'd taken out a gay marriage and showed her the ring! No wonder she was crying!"

"A civil partnership?" McGonnagal looked sceptical and highly amused.

Harry and Draco shared a glance.

"She's not far wrong. We will soon, when it comes out."

"What? Okay, who proposed to whom?"

"Harry. Right after we beat Voldy. He actually stole my thunder. I was going to do it then too, but he got there first. We ended up exchanging rings right there on the battlefield. We don't wear them here of course."

"If you really wanted to confuse Miss Granger you could wear your rings. She is very perceptive and I'm sure she would not miss them. If she does you could make it obvious, like reaching across her to get a book or something during class and flashing the rings on your right hands. I believe that is where the civil partnership rings go, is it not?"

"Sometimes we could both put out hands in front of her at the same time so that she gets very confused. The rings are identical anyway."

"Okay, but what do I do?" Ron asked looking very confused.

"Just head her off and lead her in circles if she gets too close to knowing. Glance at us whoever's nearest and we will come and help you if she proves stubborn."

"Which, knowing Hermione, is very likely."

Ron then yelped as the three remaining students kicked him at the same time.