The next morning, Ron enters the feast hall with his hands taped for Quidditch.
Neville wishes him good luck, and Seamus tries to encourage him by saying he's counting on Ron - he's got three Galleon's on Gryffindor.
Ron doesn't look any better though, and he sits down next to Harry, Bloom, and Hermione shakily.
Harry eyes him briefly, then pushes a plate of food over to him.
Ron picks up a fork and pokes at the food glumly.
"So, how was it?"
Hermione is reading the Daily Prophet, completely unaware of Ron's mood, and asks "How was what?"
"Your dinner party."
Bloom answers "Dead boring, be glad you didn't go. I almost teleported out of there more than once."
Harry looks over at Hermione, and finds her smiling faintly behind the paper.
She says "You know, Sluggy's having a Christmas party, and we're supposed to go with someone."
Ron responds "Yeah? I expect you'll be going with McLaggen, he's part of the Slug club right?"
Hermione says "Actually, I was going to ask you."
Bloom and Harry look at each other and snicker, and Ron looks shocked at the page in front of Hermione's face.
"Really?"
"Really. But seeing as you have such distaste for the idea - " Hermione pauses when she sees Lavender come up to the table.
"Good luck today, Ron! I know you'll do brilliant!"
Ron smiles feebly, and looks at his plate again.
Hermione glares daggers at Lavender's back, and Ron says "I'm resigning, McLaggen can have my spot after today's match."
Hermione stares at him now, and Harry catches her eye.
He extends a shaking hand to tell her his current state of mind, then Bloom says "Fine, have it your way. Juice?"
"Yeah, I guess…"
Hermione and Harry both stare at Bloom's callousness, and Luna comes over.
"Hello everybody, you look dreadful Ron."
He nods grimly, and raises the cup Bloom passes to him.
"Is that why you put something in his drink? A tonic?"
Hermione looks over just in time to see a glimmer of gold up her sleeve.
She says "Ron, don't drink that!"
It's too late, Ron's frozen mid-sip.
He sees a golden glimmer in Bloom's sleeve, and quickly gulps the rest of the drink down.
Harry looks like he's about to say something, but then he stops and stares at Bloom.
During the game, Ron seems to be amazing - he blocks every single shot at the Gryffindor goal, and plays fabulously.
Bloom hits both Bludgers in seconds of each other, doing a spin that turned her in a 360 around her broom and hitting one upside down and the other moments later in the right position.
Harry gets the Snitch, and Gryffindor wins the game - the crowd was going nuts for Bloom every bit as much as for Ron.
In the Gryffindor Common Room, they're all celebrating the win - it's either like a concert, mosh pit, or a riot, and Ron and Bloom are being carried on top of the crowd.
When Bloom manages to get out of the crowd, she finds Hermione glaring at her.
"You shouldn't have done it, Bloom."
Bloom fakes confusion, and says "Done what? Used a Confundus Charm? Or did a fast illusion that made it look like there was a bottle with golden liquid up my sleeve?"
Hermione's jaw drops, and she asks "You didn't really put it in?"
"Didn't even have it on me! It's in our room, in my dresser drawer."
"He only thought you put it in?"
"Yeah, played that well all on his own skill."
Bloom grins again, and Hermione hits her playfully on the arm as Harry wraps his arm around her waist.
She suddenly says "You knew, didn't you Harry?"
"Yeah, Bloom told me immediately. Said not to tell, or it wouldn't have worked."
Hermione admits "You were right."
Bloom grins, and then they hear whistles and catcalls.
When they turn to see the commotion, Hermione stops dead when she sees Ron and Lavender kissing.
Bloom and Harry stare for a moment, then they realize Hermione isn't with them anymore.
Bloom mumbles something, then says "Follow me, I can see her footprints with a spell."
She grabs Harry's hand and drags him through the crowd.
When they get to a room with an open door, and find Hermione sitting at a desk with a flock of canaries swarming around her head.
"Just practicing, transfiguration spell."
Harry says "Well, they're really good."
Hermione's breath hitches, and Bloom sits down next to her and hugs her as Harry sits down on her other side.
"How would it feel if one of you two saw the other with someone else? I really need to know right now."
Bloom and Harry share a glance, and Hermione says "We're your best friends, we can tell. We see the way you two share secret glances, we know what makes both of you blush furiously, we saw Bloom staring at you, Harry, all through third year and half of fourth, and vice versa."
Just then, Ron comes in with a giggling Lavender, who says "Oops, I think this room is taken."
Ron pulls Lavender out, then quietly asks "What's with the birds?"
Hermione whirls around and yells "Oppugno!"
The birds all swarm to Ron, who flees and slams the door shut.
Hermione starts sobbing into her hands, and Bloom immediately hugs her hard.
Bloom turns Hermione to her, and she buries her face in Bloom's robes and sobs.
Harry joins in on the hug, and they spend the rest of the night comforting Hermione - Bloom saying she'll personally go down and blast Ron through a wall if it'll make Hermione feel better.
Hermione, thankfully for Ron, declines the offers.
AN: Yeah, Bloom only pretended to put some of the liquid luck potion in Ron's drink, and then mentally told Harry so he wouldn't give her an hour-long lecture. Keep reading to find out who Hermione's taking to the Christmas Party!