She could not believe it. The boy she loved was snogging another girl. Not only that, he had been treating her terribly for over a week and she did not know why. So here she was in an empty classroom crying over a boy, though not just any boy – Ron Weasley. He had been one of her best friends, but now, he could go to hell as far as she was concerned. If he wanted a dizzy slag like Lavender Brown then fine! From now on he could do his own bloody homework and struggle in Potions class without her help! Let's just see how he manages with her instead!

Hermione took out her wand and conjured some yellow canaries. Charms had always been one of her best subjects and practicing her spellwork had often helped her to think clearly. As the birds flew around her head, she marshalled her thoughts.

'What did I do wrong? Why has he been such an arse to me lately? What does Lavender Brown have that I don't?' she thought to herself.

'Lavender's prettier than you are! She's got perfect hair that's straight and blond! She's got a model figure and that must obviously appeal to Ron,' she thought answering her own question.

However, she did not know the answers to her other questions and the only way she'd find out was to ask Ron, but she'd be damned if she was going to make the effort to talk to that prat ever again.

Just then, Harry came into the classroom. He was obviously at a loss for what to say to her. She said, 'Oh, hello, Harry, I was just practicing.'

'Yeah … they're – er – really good …' said Harry.

'Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations,' she said in an unnaturally high-pitched voice.

'Er … does he?' said Harry.

'Don't pretend you didn't see him,' said Hermione. 'He wasn't exactly hiding it, was –'

But then the door flew open once more to reveal Ron and Lavender, hand in hand.

'Oh,' said Ron.

'Oops,' Lavender giggled nervously.

'Is that all you can do, Lavender, is giggle like an idiot, and use the full extent of your vocabulary?' hissed Hermione before she turned to Ron and shouted,

'WHAT DID I DO, RON? WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TO MAKE YOU TREAT ME LIKE DIRT FOR THE LAST TEN DAYS?'

Ron could not understand why Hermione was angry with Lavender, but he knew why he had been so cold towards Hermione so he told her.

'You lied to me, Hermione.'

'About what?' she asked.

'You lied to me about Krum. You told me that all you are were friends and pen-pals!' said Ron.

'I've never lied to you about Viktor, Ronald!' she retorted, 'we are friends and nothing more!'

'Bollocks! You snogged him!' he shouted.

'WHAT!' she exploded, 'I have never snogged Viktor! What on earth gave you that idea?'

'I caught Ginny snogging that idiot Dean Thomas in the corridors, we got into an argument and she told me that Harry had snogged Chang, and that you had snogged Vicky!' said Ron angrily.

'First of all, your sister is dead meat when I get a hold of her! Secondly, and for the last time, Ronald, I HAVE NEVER SNOGGED VIKTOR KRUM!' she bellowed at him.

'Why not?' asked Lavender.

Hermione jumped a little because she had forgotten that Lavender was there.

'It's none of your business!' said Hermione.

'It's a fair question though, Hermione,' said Ron.

Hermione could see that she had no choice but to answer and shouted,

'I DID NOT KISS VIKTOR BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT MY FIRST KISS WITH A BOY I DON'T LOVE!'

'Have you ever kissed anyone?' asked Lavender mockingly.

'No, not that it's any of your business, Miss Daft Bimbo Nineteen Ninety-Six!' said Hermione angrily before turning back to Ron again and shouting,

'SO THIS IS WHY YOU'VE BEEN TREATING ME LIKE DIRT, IS IT, RONALD? WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST ASK ME INSTEAD?'

'Are you going to let her speak to me like that?' asked Lavender, but Ron ignored her and started bellowing back at Hermione instead.

'WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE SAID, HERMIONE? YOU WOULD'VE TOLD ME TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS!'

'WELL, WE'LL NEVER KNOW WILL WE, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T BLOODY ASK ME, DID YOU?'

Ron said nothing and the silence was almost deafening until Hermione broke it.

'I asked you to Slughorn's Christmas Party, but you can forget that now.'

'I didn't want to go anyway, and besides you only invited me out of pity!' said Ron.

'No, I didn't!' said Hermione.

'Of course you did, why else would you?' said Ron.

Hermione could not believe how thick Ron was being and before she could stop herself, she was screaming at him again.

'I ASKED YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, YOU STUPID PRAT! BUT IT'S NOT ME YOU WANT IS IT, RONALD? YOU CHOSE LAVENDER THE BRAINLESS BIMBO BROWN!'

Nobody spoke or moved as the tears continued to pour down Hermione's face.

'That's right, Little Miss Prim and Proper, he chose me. He's mine,' said Lavender spitefully.

'I'm not your property, Lavender, and don't speak to Hermione like that!' said Ron.

'What did you say? Are you choosing that over me?' said Lavender angrily.

'Don't you ever refer to Hermione like that again, and you bet your arse I'm choosing Hermione over you! You were a mistake against my better judgment, now go away,' said Ron.

'No, I won't, Ron. You aren't getting rid of me that easily! Everyone in the common room saw us! Now you are going to come with me and we're going to make out, okay?' said Lavender angrily.

'No, not okay, Lavender,' said Ron.

'And why is that, Ron?' Lavender asked.

'Because I don't want to be with you, I want to be with Hermione. I love Hermione, end of story, now you should go,' said Ron speaking to Lavender as he was looking at Hermione.

Hermione looked up at Ron and said, 'You do?'

'Yeah, but why do you love me, Hermione? I'm nothing special,' said Ron.

'You got that right,' murmured Lavender, but they ignored her.

'Yes you are, Ron. You've always been special. I've loved you since I was twelve. But I can't remember if it was the troll incident or when you sacrificed yourself in that chess game, Ron, but I love you,' said Hermione.

'I've loved you since I first set eyes on you, I was just too thick to realise it. But it was when I saw you lying on that hospital bed, petrified, I knew. But then I spent two years in denial and the last year and a bit believing you couldn't love me too, so I buried my feelings for you and when Ginny told me that lie, I figured it was time I tried to move on to someone else,' said Ron.

Hermione and Ron both realised that no more words were needed and moved towards each other, but Lavender was not giving up without a fight and stood in between them.

'Get out of my way, Lavender!' shouted Hermione.

'Make me,' said Lavender challengingly.

'All right, you asked for it,' said Hermione and she raised her wand and pointed it at Lavender and cried, 'oppugno!'

The yellow canaries that had been flying around Hermione's head now started to fly at Lavender like little yellow bullets and Lavender shrieked as the birds came towards her and she ran for her life out of the classroom as Harry opened the door for her and the birds.

For the second time, Ron and Hermione moved towards each other and this time they were successful. Ron pulled her into his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck before their lips met.

'It's about bloody time!' said Harry.

Ron and Hermione broke apart to glare at Harry. Harry got the message and left by saying, 'If you're staying in here, don't forget to use the Charm!' before he too ran back to the common room.

'Cheeky git,' said Ron.

Hermione didn't care as long as she and Ron were finally alone in the classroom.

Ron then looked into Hermione's eyes and said, 'Will you be my girlfriend?'

'Only if you'll be my boyfriend,' replied Hermione.

'Deal,' said Ron.

'Seal it with a kiss?' Hermione asked coyly.

Ron kissed her gently to start off with before their kissing became passionate and hot. Ron's lips found her neck as the need for oxygen became apparent for both of them.

'Oh, Ron,' Hermione whimpered as Ron found a particularly sensitive area of her neck.

'Hermione,' he whispered her name in awe as he kissed her neck before taking her earlobe into his mouth.

'Wait, Ron,' she said.

'Why?' he asked.

'I just need to apologise for making you think that you can't play Quidditch without help –'

'It doesn't matter anymore, Hermione. I'm sorry I was such a prat to you and right now, all I care about is you, so can we start snogging again?' he said cutting her off.

'Yes,' she replied before Ron was kissing her again.

'I love you, Hermione.'

'I love you too, Ron.'

Ron and Hermione kissed for the rest of the day not caring about the victory party or the inane gossip about them in the Gryffindor common room.