The Deal Chapter 7: The Breakup, a harry potter fanfic

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A/N Hi all! Here is your update. I hope you like it. Happy reading and don't forget to review!

The Breakup

On the other side of the castle Ron's bad mood worsened with every passing minute. All he could think of was Hermione and that little ferret up in their common room shacked up together. Harry noticed and kept his distance from his temperamental friend. Ginny entered the common room and sat down next to Harry in a large squishy chair.

"Hey." she said, "What is wrong with him?" she thumbed at Ron who was scowling by the fire.

"Hermione." Harry whispered. Ginny mouthed an 'o' before standing up and walking towards her brother.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Ginny." Harry said quietly. Ginny shushed him and stood by Ron with her hand on her hips.

"What the hell is your problem Ronald Weasley?" she spat with such fire and emotion her hair seemed to be flowing from her head like fire.

"Piss off Ginny." Ron said grumpily.

"No, you listen here…how can you be mad at Hermione for finding someone she cares about and who cares about her?"

"Because I love her." he spat.

"How can you claim you fancy someone and then treat them the way you do?" she asked tapping her foot in annoyance.

"Everyone knows that I have fancied her for years. She should know that." he said.

"So the way you show her is by sleeping with another girl? Please…if a boy did that to me he would be lucky if I ever spoke to him again." Ginny yelled, face as red as her hair.

"You don't understand Ginny. It is different for boys. We have needs." he said just as red-faced to be talking about this with his little sister.

"So basically what you are saying is that if a girl wants to keep a man she should just give in?"

Ron just stared at her.

"And if I was dating someone who said that to me your advice would be to give him what he wants so he doesn't go elsewhere?"

Ron's face reddened considerably.

"No, of course not. That is different. You are my sister." Ron said.

"Well Hermione is like my sister. You don't think girls have needs too? And I am not just talking physical, you were not there for her mentally either. I am sick to death of you sulking around this tower like someone has wronged you. You did this to yourself. If you want her back, fight for her. Treat her like she wants to be treated. Didn't you notice all of the things Malfoy did to gain her attention? Carrying her books, walking her to classes, sending her gifts and actually listening to her instead of boring her to death with talks of quidditch. You just don't use your head you prat." she yelled. Harry looked impressed at her rather loud, but effective choice of words. Ron was someone who had to be hit on the head with something before he would understand. Ron looked into the fire and then back at Ginny.

"Do you think it will work?" he asked shyly.

"I don't know, but do you want to let her go?" Ron shook his head no.

"Then do it." she said as she walked back and cuddled with Harry in the big chair.

"Nice job." Harry told her as he kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks." she said blushing slightly.

Unfortunately for Ron, things were just about to get worse as a certain caramel brunette had overheard the entire conversation from just inside the portrait hole. Tears fell from her violet colored eyes as she quietly exited and ran down to the grounds to think things over.

The next morning Draco and Hermione decided to eat together at the Gryffindor table. They had spent a pleasant night together wrapped in each other's arms. They arrived in the great hall hand in hand and for once no one blinked an eye. The entire school was focused on Ron and Lavender who were having a very public fight.

"I don't know what your problem is Lavender." Ron yelled. "What conversation?"

"The one with you and your sister last night." she screamed in her high pitched voice. Ron's face paled.

"Oh, now you remember eh?" she said. "The one where you claimed your undying love for Hermione Granger?" The whole school gasped. Not that it was unknown that Ron fancied Hermione, but just to hear it thrown out like that was quite shocking.

"I can't help how I feel Lavender. You said you were okay with it." he said trying to keep her voice down.

"I was okay that you used to be in love with her. I thought you loved me now. You told me you did every time we…" and then she broke off in tears. Hermione felt her heart go out to Lavender

"I will always have feelings for her, but I have feelings for you as well." he said softly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me Ronald Weasley!" she yelled. "I heard your little plan to get her back."

Hermione looked startled and Draco gripped her hand tightly.

"Plan? I don't know what you are talking about." he lied.

"You know what? I am done with this discussion. It is over!" she screamed and ran out of the hall.

"I'm going to go talk to her." Hermione whispered to Draco.

"Why?" he asked. "She was awful to you, she took Ron away and gloated about it. Leave her be."

"No, she was in love with Ron, and he just used her. It was not her fault. I don't want her to hurt like I did." He nodded and hugged her before going to sit with the Slytherins.

Professor Snape had seen the entire incident and reported Ron's un-gentlemen-like behavior to professor McGonagall. She walked over to where Ron stood looking bewildered and grabbed his ear dragging him out of the great hall and into her office where according to rumors he was made to do a 100,000 line writing penalty. "I will not act like a monkey in heat."

In the girls bathroom Hermione had followed Lavender to try and console her.

"Lav, uh…you in here?" Hermione called. Next to the sinks Lavender sat teary eyed dabbing her eyes with some toilet tissue.

"Oh Lavender. I am so sorry." Hermione said taking the empty spot next to her.

"How could I have been so blind?" she cried. "I thought he loved me." Lavender laid her head on Hermione's shoulder.

"Ron is acting like a real prat right now Lavender. He doesn't love anyone but himself." she said soothingly. "I was mad at you for being with him when you knew we were together but now I see that he probably manipulated you too."

Lavender looked up at Hermione and nodded.

"He came to me that night and told me he wanted to get back together. He told me that you two were through, that you dumped him." she sobbed. "And I stupidly believed him."

"It wasn't stupid if you loved him." she said comfortingly. "I really respect the way you stood up to him Lavender. It took real courage to tell him how you felt."

"Really?" she sniffed looking slightly hopeful.

"Yes really. There are tons, and I mean tons of boys at this school just dying to ask you out. Why maybe Draco has a friend we can set you up with."

"Okay, but not Crabbe or Goyle." Lavender said as she stood up. Hermione burst into laughter and Lavender followed. Soon the two girls were walking back into the hall hand in hand and she pulled Lavender towards the Slytherin table.

"Draco, can I have a word with you?" Hermione asked. He wiped his mouth and walked over to where the two girls were standing.

"Yes?" he asked looking at Lavender with some apprehension.

"Is there anyone you know that might like to double with us and Lavender some time?

"Double? As in date?" he said somewhat startled.

"Yeah, like maybe have a drink with us in Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"Uh…I don't know Hermione. Can I talk to you for a sec?" he pulled her away from Lavender for a moment.

"Wait here a sec." Hermione called as she was pulled away.

"What is this all about?" he asked. "I thought you hated her."

"No, I hate what she did, what I thought she did anyway. It was Ron who lied to her. Anyway, is there anyone who you think might be interested…besides Crabbe and Goyle."

"Uh…let me think." he said rubbing his chin as if her were deep in thought. "Is she a pureblood?" he asked. Hermione was shocked by this question.

"I thought it didn't matter to you." she said somewhat offended.

"It doesn't matter to me, but to some of my friends it would." he said.

"Yeah, she is a pureblood." Hermione replied in a mocking voice.

"I will ask Blaise then." he said. "Oi, Blaise." The tall olive skinned boy looked up from his breakfast and walked over to where the two of them stood with such grace Hermione was taken aback.

"Yes Draco?" he drawled with a slight Italian accent.

"What do you think of Lavender Brown?" he pointed at the teary eyed girl who was standing in between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables waiting patiently.

"What about her?" Blaise mused.

"Would you consider double dating with her and the two of us?" He wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulder and both of them grinned madly. Blaise raised his eyebrow at the two of them before looking back to Lavender.

"Is she a pureblood? I know it doesn't matter to you but I have a reputation to uphold." he smirked at Hermione.

"Yes, she is a pureblood. So what do you say?" Draco smiled his charming smile and Blaise caved.

"Alright. When?"

"How about this weekend?" Hermione piped up.

"Okay." he said starting back for the table.

"Forgetting something?" Draco called motioning towards Lavender who seemed to be turning violent shades of red.

"Oh, yes." he strode over to her and took her hand, kissing it gently. "Ciao bella." he said smoothly. Lavender giggled and blushed before looking at Hermione and smiling.

"Well, I guess I should go grab some breakfast." Hermione said looking at Draco. He nodded and she left him for the Gryffindor table.

Harry was waiting for her when she arrived.

"Is Lavender okay?" he asked eyeing Blaise's affectionate greeting towards her.

"She will be fine. Where is that lying prat?" she spat.

"McGonagall took him away for detention. Snape overhead Ron and Lavender's conversation and decided that he had not acted in a way befitting of a gentleman." he said shrugging. Hermione couldn't help but smile.

Up in McGonagall's office Ron was growing increasingly mad. He had lost Hermione to that ferret. And now Lavender had publicly dumped and humiliated him. And on top of all that he had landed himself in detention with McGonagall for the rest of the year. Every Saturday for two hours. He was writing lines at the moment. "I will treat every lady in this school with the respect befitting of a Gryffindor." 100,000 times. He swore under his breath as he wrote.