Hey guys! So sorry for the suuuuuper duper late update! Like, I know you all probably like abhor my guts now, but I'm like groveling virtually here. I've been getting settled into college life, and then there are midterms, and immigration stuff (UGH!) But now I'm back, and here's Chapter 7! The next ones will come in fast. (Draco: That's what she said! Me: Dude, does Hermione know you're so immature?)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, only the plot. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.

ENJOY! :D

"So the idea is to surprise Hermione," Ginny whispered to the girls excitedly as they sat with her and the baby. "I'm going to the jewellery story with Draco to pick out a ring. In this time, you all are going to keep Hermione far from the two of us. The gits'll take care of Ronald and make sure he doesn't accidentally stumble upon the rest of us."

"This is all so romantic," Lavender sighed with a dreamy smile.

"And very Slytherin," Pansy added devilishly. "I like it, Ginny."

"My question is, where should we take Hermione that's not too suspicious?" Parvati piped up. "I mean, Herms doesn't really 'shop'."

"We could go to the bookstore," Luna suggested. "And then to a café. Say it's a girls' day out because she's been working herself to the bone at her stressful job."

"Sounds perfect," Ginny acknowledged. "And if worse comes to worst, offer her a trip to the spa. She pretends not to be high-maintenance, but she secretly loves it."

"Right, you lot," Draco called, getting all the boys' (but Ron's) attention. "I need your help. I've got a bit of a problem."

"What's wrong, Drake? Bit of performance anxiety there?" Blaise asked mischievously, garnering a few shouts and cheers from the rest.

"Shut up, you wanker!" Draco snapped hotly. "Pay attention now, you dolts. I need your help, and it's serious. I am planning a lavish, swoon-worthy proposal for my girlfriend of several (A/N: HINT HINT) years, one Hermione Jean Granger soon-to-be Malfoy."

At this announcement, there were several hoots of approval and wold-whistles from the group of rather immature young men,

"Why do you need our help?" Dean asked, puzzled.

"Well, as you know, the git is back in our lives," Draco said dramatically, "And I know he's after Herms. If he saw me and Gin leave to pick out the engagement ring, he's sneak off after Hermione and ruin the surprise, or worse, make up some rubbish."

"So you want us to keep him away?" George demanded in disgust.

"I'd gladly build a cage of Tentacula to keep him in," Neville declared.

"I wouldn't stop you on any other occasion, but you know how Hermione is," Draco responded. "She might say she hates the Weasel, but she can't hate anyone. So if we accidentally-on-purpose kill or maim him, I'll never marry her and all my future super good-looking, freakishly intelligent children will be a pipe dream. So I need you to keep him away."

"What, are we supposed to get him pissed?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, yeah, exactly!" Draco exclaimed. "Take him out and drink or something.

"Do you think he'll buy it?" Seamus demanded. "I mean, the git knows what he did. How d'you suppose he'll believe we've forgiven him?"

"Simple – he's stupid," Draco replied smoothly. "He might be guarded at first, but as long as you convince him that you don't mean any harm, I'm sure he'll come with you. Any excuse for a piss-up, that one."

"I remember," George said darkly. (A/N: So the secret has something to with a drunk Ron! DUN DUN DUN!)

"Right, well then," Draco announced, facing his troops, "that's that. The plan will be set into motion tomorrow morning!"

"So soon?" Harry remarked.

"It's been a long time coming, mate," Draco quipped with a small smile.

"A spa day?" Hermione asked incredulously, looking at the certificate that Lavender and Parvati had presented her with.

"Come on, Herms," Pansy huffed in exasperation, rolling her large, dark eyes. "You've been so busy, and besides, we're all going with you."

"I have been feeling a little exhausted lately," Hermione confessed, still eyeing the certificate suspiciously. "And my hair is a mess. What the hell, you know? Let's go to the spa, girls!"

"Yes! Time for a little R & R!" Luna cheered. "Pity Ginny can't come along."

"Well, she did just give birth," Lavender pointed out with a twinkle in her brown eyes. "She's all busy with her baby."

"Give me a moment to get dressed and I'll be right down," Hermione said, racing up the stair and into the guest room she shared with Ginny.

Unfortunately, Ron chose that very moment to strike his unsuspecting target.

Hermione was rummaging through her suitcase, which she'd had Kreacher magic over (much to her chagrin, but it had been absolutely necessary), humming all the while as she tried to find something casual and comfortable to wear to the spa.

All of a sudden, just as she had taken off her rumpled sweater, the door slammed with an almighty bang. She started and whirled around to find, much to her displeasure, Ron by the closed door of the room.

"Hello, Hermione, you look…well," Ron said, his eyes roving Hermione's bare torso. She shuddered unconsciously.

"Ronald," she responded briefly. "I'm getting dressed. May I please have a little privacy?"

"Nothing I haven't seen before," he joked darkly, much to Hermione's disgust.

Ron I need my privacy. Would you please get out?" she fired back sharply, turning away from him.

"Come now, Herms, we're friends, aren't we?" he asked smoothly yet dangerously.

"No Ronald, we are not friends," Hermione snapped. "Not after what you did two years ago." A dark expression passed over Ron's face and he grimaced.

"I thought you got over that, Hermione," he growled.

"Got over it, Ron?" Hermione echoed scornfully. "You were in a jealous, inebriated blackout and you nearly cursed away my ability to produce children! When Draco tried to intervene, you nearly killed him, Ronald! How am I supposed to 'get over it'? Please enlighten me!" (A/N: And there it is! Briefly put, that's why Ron was excommunicated, as it were, from his family and friends. More details will emerge as the story goes on.)

There was a pregnant pause (A/N: no pun intended. :P) as Hermione breathed heavily, worn out after her rant. Ron stood stock-still, pale as a sheet.

"Now would you please leave," she said softly, trembling in anger. "Or I will hex you."

Defeated, Ron trudged out, slumped over. Hermione, left alone at long last, went back to getting dressed.

"Don't know what his problem is," she muttered to herself as she pulled on a baggy t-shirt and a pair of black leggings. There. That seemed comfy enough for the spa.

There we go. I hope you enjoyed it! I promise, there's more to come! Spas and Secrets and Scheming and Surprise Proposals! WHEEEEEE!

Once again, I apologize for the LOOOOONG undeclared hiatus. I was terribly busy, but now I'm not...anymore...well, relatively. Keep reading!