Hermione managed to avoid Luna all week. She wasn't sure if she could handle seeing the girl that had been filling up her thoughts more and more as of late. That weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend. Hermione had been looking forward to it because Ron had agreed to a date, and she was fairly certain that a date with Ron would help her make sense of everything that was going on in her head. She did love him after all and surely she was attracted to him. That morning she dressed in a simple pair of jeans and t-shirt. They were going to meet at the Three Broomsticks, which would not have been Hermione's choice for a date but she wasn't going to let it ruin her time with Ron.

She was there before him which she had half expected. He showed up late his hair was a mess and he was out of breath. It was a look that she'd grown used to and at one point had really liked. Now it seemed to just grate on her nerves. Hermione tried to push away her already building annoyance.

"Hermione!" He pulled her up into a warm hug. She tried to let his warmth comfort her and it worked only briefly.

"Hey Ron." She said softly. She kissed him gently which caused him to grin, but caused her to want to frown. She seemed to be proving to herself the opposite of what she wanted.

They sat down together and ordered drinks. Ron started talking about his adventures with Harry. Hermione tried to be excited for him but she couldn't. Her annoyance was spiking before he said anything about her and school and she knew he would mention it. Ron didn't disappoint either. "Hermione, it's been so great. You should be with us. I don't know why you went back to school, it's not like you don't already know everything they have to teach you." He said taking a drink. He smiled at her as if he'd given her a wonderful compliment seemingly pleased with himself, which is why when she glared at him he felt confused.

Hermione grumbled at that. "Ronald I like school and there is always more to learn. Besides you are obviously having so much fun without me." She stood unable to test herself any longer and unwilling to cause a scene by fighting with him. "I'm leaving, and honestly I don't think I'm going to come back. I've had enough of this… whatever it is." She kept on a brave face for the sake of not wanting to make anymore of fool of herself. Ron watched her leave dumbfounded. He sat drinking for quite a bit longer letting her words fully sink in. When he fully realized she was gone he paid and left silent and dejected.

She felt the tears threaten to fall as she walked out the door. When she realized he wasn't going to come after her she ran. She ran blindly into the one person she'd been avoiding all week but instead of continuing to run she wrapped her arms around Luna and cried.

Luna stood there a moment unsure of what to do at first. Seeing that the girl wasn't going to let her go she wrapped her arms around Hermione and held her close. "Do you want to go back to the school?" she asked when the older girl had calmed down enough to talk.

"That would be nice." Hermione blushed. "Thanks Luna."

"For what?"

"For being my friend." Hermione frowned. "I've not been a very good friend to you."

Luna frowned and took Hermione's hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hermione has been a wonderful friend."

They walked in silence the rest of the way back to school. Luna didn't mind the silence at all because she got to be close to Hermione. Even so, she thought it was important for her to talk about what happened. "When you want to talk I'll be right here with you." She said in her dreamy voice. Luna led her to the library because she knew that books would be the most comfort to Hermione. They always had been.

Hermione lost herself in the books that surrounded her. Luna stayed by the older girls side quietly watching her as promised.

Hermione sighed. "I broke up with Ron. He just doesn't understand me." She realized that Luna wouldn't leave until they talked. Part of her even wanted to talk to the younger girl about it, she wanted to make sense of everything that she was feeling.

"Are you sure that you don't want to try with him anymore?" Luna asked using the most serious tone Hermione had ever heard from her.

"I don't know. Honestly it has never been a very strong relationship. I mean we don't have anything in common except our friendship with Harry. We are just too different and I thought when he'd kissed me that maybe I would grow to love him and that I would start feeling more towards him. I don't know Luna and I hate that I can't figure out what went wrong exactly."

"Maybe you're over thinking it." Luna suggested. "Are you sure you are even attracted to him?"

"I am, or at least I was at some point." Hermione looked at Luna and her mind wandered back to the simple kisses she'd shared with both Ron and the girl in front of her. "I know I was at some point. But I don't think I am anymore."

"Well at least you have that much figured out then. So if he wants an explanation you have something to start with."

"Yeah." She sighed again and took more consideration of the blonde in front of her. She is strikingly beautiful the way the light seems to makes her hair glow and her milky white skin looks so soft. I bet it would feel nice to kiss. I imagine it would be a lot different from when I kissed Ron... She tried to shake the thoughts away. She's another girl why are you thinking about her like this. She's just trying to be friendly. "I'm feeling rather tired Luna. Thanks for listening to me though."

"It's not a problem." Her voice went back to the dreamy tone Hermione had grown accustomed to hearing. Luna watched Hermione walk away and she wondered just how much longer she could keep her feelings a secret. She'd already kissed Hermione once by mistake and had been avoided all week because of it. She sighed and decided to take a walk.