A/N: I'm a bit worried that Scout is a Mary-Sue... I've tried to round her off a bit more and make her less perfect, you know... aggressiveness, quick temper, impatience... if you have any suggestions, please PM me, or simply leave your thoughts in a review. Thanks to Cassia4u for reviewing!

Chapter rating: K+ for minor swearing.

Back in the common room, the air was alive with unlikely couples. Hermione and Neville sat at a table, Hermione tutoring him as their hands rested together on the table. Harry and Ginny sat on the couch, all means of studying abandoned as they kissed, their books in piles on the floor. Seamus and Lavender, back from their 'walk' outside, were hidden from view in a corner, and the only couple in the room not doing something even remotely romantic was Scout and Ron.

Ron sat in the back of the room by himself at a table, staring at Harry and Ginny with a disgusted expression on his face. "Look at them." He muttered as Scout sat down next to him. "Unbelievable. It's like they're eating their faces. This never would've happened if it wasn't for that bloody marriage law."

"Ron, you know that Harry and Ginny always had a thing for each other."

"Well, maybe, but we could've stopped it before it had developed into this." He gestured disgustingly at Harry and Ginny, who were almost on top of each other. "I can't take much more of these lovey dovey couples, especially..." He looked from Hermione to Ginny and Harry. "Damn the ministry, what else are they gonna force on us, a rule on what we eat?" He scowled. "This is complete hell."

"Oh, give it UP, Ron!" Scout said loudly. "I don't like this any more than you, but we're stuck with it. I know you still have feelings for Hermione, and you know I still love Thomas, but I'm coping with it, and I'm just so...bloody...tired of you moping around everywhere!"

"Well, maybe I'm sick of you, too! You're always sneaking off to that damn Owlery to send love letters to that bloody squib boyfriend of yours, maybe you should just go back to the muggle world where you belong!" He shouted.

"Maybe I will! They still treat me better than you do! Maybe I'll just let them snap my wand!" She yelled back.

"Fine! See if I care!"

"FINE!" She grabbed her bag and stormed towards the door. She turned, and for a split second saw the entire room now staring at her before she yelled "Levicorpus!" Ron was hoisted into the air by his ankle, and before he had a chance to hex her back, she had disappeared through the portrait hole and into the dark corridors of the castle.

The days passed, and the couples had gotten more intimate than ever. Everyone's dates had gone smoothly, and everyone (save Hannah Abbott, who recently had been petrified when Goyle had kissed her) began appreciating their matches.

...Except Ron and Scout, who still had barely spoken to each other since the outburst in the common room.

Scout had began to worry about this, and it showed in practically everything she did- her grades dropped, she became more aggressive each day, and people had stopped hanging around her due to how ofter her temper was prone to exploding. Hermione finally decided to confront her in the library, which had recently become her fortress. She decided to drag Harry along and went up to Scout.

"Scout, we need to talk." Harry said. Scout looked up from her Astronomy book.

"Oh, finally remember me, did you?" She asked coldly. "Did you two finally remember that other people aside from Neville and Ginny exist? Finally remember you two haven't spoken to me ever since that stupid marriage law?" It was mostly true- Harry and Hermione had been preoccupied with their fiancees.

Harry scratched his neck and Hermione avoided eye contact nervously. "Oh, Scout, I'm sorry!" Hermione finally said, realizing that she had even been putting homework aside for Neville. "It's just that... it's hard getting used to it, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright," Scout grunted, turning back to her book.

"We wanted to ask you how...things...are going with Ron."

"Oh." Scout hid behind her astronomy book so they couldn't see her blush. "Fine."

"Really?" asked Harry suspiciously. Scout gulped and didn't reply.

"So have you kissed yet?" Hermione asked.

Scout screeched and toppled back over her chair. She hastily got up. "Er, I mean-"

"Scout." Harry looked at her, failing to suppress a small smile. "I hate to tell you this, but..."

"...You and Ron are the only couple who haven't kissed, let alone said more than three words to each other since the letters, except for your...outbursts in the common room. Have you even been on a date yet?" Hermione asked.

Scout mumbled something about not wanting to disturb Ron.

Hermione took the chair next to Scout. "Scout, I really don't want you banished from the wizarding world. But how can you expect to be married to Ron in less than three weeks when the prospect of holding hands terrifies you?" She took a deep breath. "I know it'll be hard. I know, I can imagine being disgusted about being married to your best friend. And the truth is, I still love Ron, and I can imagine you still have feelings for Thomas. But I'm learning to accept Neville. Try to look for the good in Ron."

"How can I when the bloody git can't even look at me without yelling at me to 'go back to the muggle world where I belong'?" Scout hissed angrily. Hermione sighed, and Harry cleared his throat.

"Scout, there are things I was scared to death of doing, like facing down Voldemort, but I can't imagine what you'd have to go through. A really good quality you have is your bravery, you know- try to be daring when it comes to Ron." Harry advised.

"I've had enough of this." Scout scooped up her wand and books and marched out of the library.

Hermione sighed. Then a good idea popped into her head. "Harry- we have a mission now. We need to get Scout and Ron at the point where they can at least hold hands or something without fainting. First, we need to actually get them on speaking terms again, and I just thought of a plan!" She whispered into his ear.

A short pause followed as he let that sink in. "Hermione, sometimes you can be such a know-it-all, but at times like this, I'm really glad of that." He finally said, and she beamed.

"Thanks- I'll take Scout, you take Ron, and then we'll switch." She immediately hurried off to get new parchment paper and Harry chuckled.

Things might just shape up.