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This Wasn't Part Of The Plan

By Alison

D/C: I don't own anything except the plot. JK Rowling and Scholastic and other people who are luckier than me own them.

~*~*~

"Hey, look," said Ron, pointing up at a notice in the Gryffindor common room. "First Hogsmeade trip of the year is tomorrow!"

"It's a good thing Snuffles sent me the permission slip on time," said Harry.

"Ooh, I can't wait," said Hermione. "My parents found all my Hogsmeade candy I took home over the summer and confiscated it. It really stinks having parents who are dentists, they think that sugar is a really bad thing. So I haven't had any candy since school was let out."

Ron was facing her with his jaw dropped open. "You went an entire summer without candy?" Hermione nodded. He shook his head. "I don't know how you do it, Hermione." They laughed.

"Well, I have to go get some studying done," said Hermione, walking up the stairs to her room. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Hermione," he said, "what could you possibly be studying for? We haven't got any homework for the weekend!"

"Harry," said Hermione in her studying-is-good-for-you kind of fashion, "We're in our fifth year. That means that we take our O.W.L.s this year. I have to get a good grade, this is very important! You two should be studying too, you know. They aren't as far off as you might think."

Ron rolled his eyes too. "We'll keep that in mind. See you in the morning." Hermione went upstairs, muttering something under her breath. "All right, Harry, you heard the woman. Let's study!"

"Study what?" asked Harry.

"The fine art of chess, of course!" said Ron, pulling out his chess board. "There's bound to be at least one question on the tests about how many spaces a king can move in one turn."

"Right," said Harry. "And we really should study that, because I keep on forgetting, is it one or two squares that a king can move?"

"Prepare to be beaten, Potter," said Ron. Harry sighed. He was in for a long defeat.

~*~*~

The trio were walking down Hogsmeade the next day. The air was cool and brisk, but not freezing. They decided to go to The Three Broomsticks first to get some butterbeer. They got their drinks and sat down.

"I can't believe that Snape got the Defense Against the Dark Arts job this year!" Ron said for the one hundredth time already that year.

"I know!" said Harry. "I don't know why he's still doing Potions, too. I thought just having him for that was bad. Now we've got him twice as much!"

"He wasn't that bad of a choice for a teacher though," said Hermione. "You know, with his background and stuff. He does know a lot about the Dark Arts, whether you two like it or not."

"As right as you may be, I still don't want him to teach," said Ron. "Remember when he filled in for Lupin that one time in our third year? Remember what he said to you, Hermione? After he said that to you, you still think he's a good teacher?"

"I never said he was a good teacher," said Hermione, bristling. "I just said that he was a very experienced teacher. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get some candy." She left, obviously a bit mad at Ron.

Ron sighed. "Think I should go after her?" he said.

"I would if I were you," said Harry. "I'll stay here and watch the show." Ron left and started heading towards Honeyduke's. He quickly found her.

"Hermione, I didn't mean it like that," he said. "I didn't want to remind you of that, I'm sorry."

"Well, that's very big of you," she said testily, walking in the opposite direction.

"Come on, Mione," he said, using his nickname for her. "Forgive me? I was just trying to make a point about what a screwed-up teacher Snape was, I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"Fine, whatever," said Hermione, still avoiding him.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine, you don't want to listen to me, that's just fine. I'll leave. Just make sure not to get the acid pops." He left Honeyduke's and headed back to The Three Broomsticks. Inside, he saw Ginny and Harry sitting together and talking.

'Ginny and Harry?' thought Ron. 'Since when do they ever get together and talk?' He didn't think much of it, and walked in and joined them.

"Hey," he said, sitting down. They both looked up at him, startled.

"Where's Hermione?" asked Harry. When Ron didn't say anything, Harry sighed. "You two aren't fighting again, are you? You fight over the stupidest things, I swear."

"And you fight so often, too," said Ginny.

"Who asked you two, anyway?" said Ron, upset about their fight. "It's not really any of your business."

"We're just asking, Ron," said Harry. "Don't blow up at us."

"I'm not blowing up at you!" said Ron. With that, he walked out the door and made his way back to the carriages. He waited there until it was time to leave.

"Bloody idiots," he muttered when he saw Ginny and Harry, deep in conversation. Then he saw Hermione walking down with Lavender and Parvati, which Ron was very surprised to see. "Since when does she hang out with them?" he wondered aloud. He kept on wondering about this all the way back.

~*~*~

The answer to one of his questions was answered later that night. He woke up in the middle of the night with a strange dream. He kept on hearing someone crying and screaming. It was a girl, he knew that. He felt he had to help her because he cared for her deeply, he loved her. But as he reached out to help her, she kept on drifting father and farther away…until she was gone. Ron always woke up at that part. He'd been having this dream since Voldemort had been revived. He could never see the girls face, but he wondered who it was.

"Whoa, that was weird," he whispered, waking up and rubbing his eyes. He sat up, and, since he was wide awake, decided to go to the common room. "It'll help take my mind off things," he whispered to himself.

As he walked downstairs to the common room, he heard voices. 'Who would be up at this hour?' he thought. When he got closer and the voices grew louder, he realized it was…Harry and Ginny?

"I don't want to hide this anymore, Harry," he heard Ginny saying. 'Hide what?' thought Ron. 'What are they talking about?' He quietly crept behind a chair in the corner of the room so they wouldn't see him.

"Neither do I, Ginny," said Harry. "But how will Ron react to it? I mean, you're his little sister and everything. He protects you a lot." 'What do I have to do with this?' thought Ron, now thoroughly confused.

"I know, Harry," said Ginny. "But he has to learn that I'm not a little girl anymore, I can take care of myself. And I can go out with whomever I please." They both smiled at each other.

Ron froze in his spot. 'Ginny and…Harry?!' he thought wildly. 'That's crazy! That's my little sister and one of my best friends! I must've heard wrong.'

But as he listened on, he realized that he heard right. "I think that he's just not ready to give you up," said Harry. "He probably doesn't want me to replace him as the number one man in your life. But we'll tell everyone tomorrow, all right?" Ginny smiled and nodded. Harry leaned over and started kissing her, to which she had no objection to.

Ron turned and started to go back upstairs. It was just too weird to see his sister and…Harry, of all people, kissing. He went back to his dormitory, but found that he couldn't sleep. 'He can't go out with my little sister,' thought Ron. 'If he does, then they'll have to break up sometime. Then he'll break her heart and I'll have to punch his lights out. It's what older brothers do.' He lay awake for what seemed like an eternity, thinking of a plan to break them up. Finally, he thought of one. 'All I have to do,' he thought, 'is make them realize that they aren't in love.' He fell asleep with the plan forming in his head and how he was going to ask someone for help with it the next day.

~*~*~

Early the next morning, Ron went downstairs to the library, where he knew Hermione would be. She had been spending every spare hour she had studying. He found her quickly (she was the only one in there) and walked over to her.

"Hi, Hermione," he said, sitting down across the table from her. She jumped about a mile into the air.

"Ron, don't scare me like that!" she said, regaining her composure. "What are you doing down here so early, anyway?"

"I'll take it you forgive me for yesterday?" he said.

"It never happened," said Hermione, waving her hand around. They had gotten really good at making up lately. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing," said Ron. "Why do you always just assume that I'm here because something's wrong? I could just be down here to study for the O.W.L's, you know."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Right, Ron. Funny joke. Now why are you really down here?"

"You know me too well," he said. "All right, I need to ask you a favor."

"What is it?" she said, putting her book down.

"It's a really big favor," he said. "Like a huge favor. A enormous favor, even. Some could even call it a gigantic fav…"

"What do you want?" she asked, cutting him off.

"Well, it's kind of a long story," he said. "But last night, I went down to the common room because I just had a nightmare and I wanted to get my mind off it. So, anyway, I go down there and I find Ginny and Harry there, and they're talking about something. I get closer, and I find out they're talking about how they've been secretly seeing each other for awhile." Hermione's eyebrows went up. "Yeah, that was my reaction too. And then they said that they'd let everyone know today, and then they started kissing! Can you believe them?"

"What's not to believe?" asked Hermione. Now it was Ron's turn to raise his eyebrows.

"What's not to believe? Are you crazy?! This is one of my best friends kissing my little sister!" Ron said. "They're not right for each other! And, plus, sooner or later he's going to break her heart and then I could never be friends with him again because someone can't be friends with someone else after they break up with their little sister because it's just not right and…"

"All right, Ron, slow down," said Hermione. "So your little sister is going out with one of your best friends. Live with it. She's not going to break up with him just because you say so. Anyway, what was that favor you wanted to ask me?"

"Well, anyway, I stayed up late last night trying to think of a plan that I could use to break them up," said Ron. "And the only one I could think of that won't hurt either of them is…well…" He was hesitant in saying what he needed to.

"Spit it out, Ron," said Hermione. "I've got to finish my book."

"I was thinking that what they need is for someone to show them that they aren't meant for each other. So I thought that…um…you and I could pose as a couple and act like we're in love so then they compare themselves to us and see that they really aren't in love."

If Hermione was shocked any time in her life, it was nothing compared to this shock. "You…me…couple…what?! Please don't tell me that you didn't say what I thought you just said."

"I think you heard me right the first time," said Ron.

"No!" Hermione exploded. "I'm not going to pretend that I'm in love with you just so then I could break up a perfectly nice couple! They're my friends, and I'm not going to do that! And besides, they'd see right through us, anyway. We fight all the time, it's not as if we're all of a sudden going to have a change of heart!"

"It could work, Hermione," said Ron. "Think about it."

Hermione paused for one second, and then said, "I've thought about it, and my answer is no."

"Hermione, please!" said Ron. "I don't want to see my little sister get hurt, that's all!"

"That's not it!" said Hermione. "You just don't want to see your little sister have a steady boyfriend before you have a steady girlfriend!"

"That is completely besides the point!" said Ron. "I couldn't care less about that! I just don't want Ginny suffer! You know how she is," he said, lowering his voice. "She's real sensitive, Hermione. She'd cry for weeks if Harry even mentioned that they should see other people." Hermione sighed. Ron knew that he was getting through to her. "Look, all I'm trying to do is help my sister out. She's your friend, don't you want to help her?"

"Ginny may be my friend, but I don't want to ruin her happiness," said Hermione.

"You'd be saving her from depression if you did this," said Ron. "I know her, I know she'd be devastated if Harry broke up with her. We'd just be lessening the pain." Hermione bit her lower lip the way she always did whenever she was trying to make a big decision. "And plus, this means that I'd be able to study with you," Ron said, smiling. He knew that would win her over.

"All right," said Hermione. "Just as long as I don't have to kiss you."

"That's fine," said Ron. "No kissing was actually on my mind, too. So all we have to do is pretend that we're the couple of the year: hold hands, talk in whispers and giggle a lot, sneak off, be in each others presence all the time, stuff like that."

"How come I have a feeling I'm going to regret this?" said Hermione, putting her books away.

"Here, let me carry that for you," Ron said, picking it up for her.

Hermione shrugged. "On second thought, it might be fun," she said as Ron nearly collapsed under the weight of all her books.

~*~*~

After they returned to the common room to return Hermione's mini-library, they went downstairs to breakfast.

Just before they entered the Great Hall, Ron muttered, "Hold my hand."

Hermione scowled. "No, it'll make it too suspicious. All we need to do is say that we've been seeing each other ever since Viktor and I broke up over the summer. No holding hands."

Ron rolled his eyes. "You act as if I have cooties or something." Hermione sighed as they entered the Great Hall and sat down near Ginny and Harry.

"Hi," they all greeted each other. "Hermione and I have an announcement to make," said Ron. Hermione sighed again. 'Once he makes this speech,' she thought, 'there's no going back.' "Now, you might find this a bit surprising, because we fight all the time…"

"That's for sure," said Harry, snorting into his breakfast.

"Yeah. Well, anyway," Ron continued, "you should know that over the summer, We…erm…this is pretty hard to say…"

"Just say it, Ron," said Ginny. "And hurry up, because Harry and I have an announcement, too." They smiled at each other.

That gave Ron a clear motivation, and he said, "Hermione and I are going out."

Harry and Ginny stared at them, then burst out laughing. "Nice try, Ron," said Harry, "but you have to wait until April Fools Day to say something like that."

"It's true!" said Hermione. "Really, it is." They stopped laughing. They knew that Hermione would never tell a lie to them.

Then Ginny smiled. "I always knew you two would get together," she said. "I was just wondering how long it was going to take you to realize it!" At this, Ron blushed.

"Well, you were right, Ginny," said Hermione, glaring at Ron. 'He is going to have to pay me back. BIGTIME,' she thought.

Harry cleared his throat. "Well, as surprising as that may be, I'm proud of you two. Now Ginny and I have something to say."

"Harry and I are going out, too," Ginny said, beaming.

"No, really?" said Hermione, pretending to sound interested.

"Harry…you, and…my little sister?!" said Ron. He was actually a very talented actor. "Now, that's just crazy!"

"We've been seeing each other secretly ever since the end of last year," said Harry.

"Wow," said Hermione. "I'm happy for you two."

"Well, I think we should be off," said Harry, taking Ginny's arm like a gentleman. "See you guys later."

"Yeah, see you," said Ron, glaring at Harry as they walked out of the Great Hall. "Now, really, who does he think he is?!" he exclaimed. "Taking Ginny by the arm like that…It's as if he thinks they're already married! I mean, come on! It's only childhood love, it's not as if…" he stopped at the look on Hermione's face. "What?"

"You do know that they didn't believe a word we said, right?" she pointed out. "That was so lame! 'Hermione and I are going out…' They definitely know something's up."

"Well, we just have to show them we're serious," Ron said, deep in thought. Hermione scowled again.

"How far are you going to take this thing, Ron?!" she exclaimed. "It's stupid, and you know it! Let Ginny and Harry date whomever they want to, and just stay out of their personal lives!"

"No," said Ron flatly. "Ginny's too young for him."

"This is Harry we're talking about, not some guy that's known to go to bed with every girl he dates," said Hermione. "Listen to reason, Ron. This is futile."

"I know Ginny, and I know this is going to work," said Ron.

"Fine. Whatever," said Hermione, picking up her books. "Hurry up, we're going to be late for Potions."

"Yay, Snape," said Ron. "Just who I always want to see this early in the morning." They packed up and left.

~*~*~

At the beginning of potions, Snape wrote down the ingredients of the days potion on the board. "This particular potion, the Lover's Death Potion, will stop death in the one you truly love. Only the person who's truly in love with them will be able to give them this potion. Obviously, we won't be able to test it out, since I don't think any of you are truly in love…" There were snickers in the room. "I will, however, still be grading you on the appearance of this potion. Now get to work in pairs!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who almost always worked together (except if someone was in a fight), were a bit surprised at Snape's remark about being in pairs. "Did you not hear me?" Snape said icily. "So sorry to split you three up, I know you're the Dream Team of England." Harry glared at Snape.

"Do you mind, Harry?" asked Ron, beckoning to him and Hermione. Harry put on his best fake smile.

"No, not at all," he said with a phony cheerfulness. He went over to be partnered with Neville. "Hermione and Ron sure are acting weird, aren't they, Neville?"

"Yeah," said Neville. "Although I'm kind of glad you're here, Harry. It sure beats being without a partner!" Harry looked at Neville with his big smile. 'Poor kid,' thought Harry, remembering the truth about his parents.

"All right," said Hermione. "You need to add four scales of an octopus tentacle in with three cat hairs." Ron added them into the potion, which frothed and turned a rich red color. "All right, we just need to wait awhile for it to settle."

"Thanks again for doing this, Hermione," said Ron. "You know how protective I am of Ginny."

"It's fine," said Hermione. "After all, what choice did I have? You're my best friend." Ron's eyebrows went up at that.

"Really? I'm your best friend?" he asked her. Hermione nodded. "And I always thought you liked Harry better."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Please," she said. "Just between you and me, sometimes his ego does get the better of him. I know he doesn't mean it at all, but…you know, sometimes…"

"I know what you mean," said Ron. "Like last year, he seemed so distant from us." Hermione nodded in agreement. "But, anyway," he said, stirring the cauldron, "who's back do want to talk behind now?"

Hermione giggled. "I didn't mean to talk behind his back and you know it!" She slapped him playfully on the shoulder. Ron pretended to be severely wounded, with mock anger on his face. That just made Hermione laugh more.

Harry watched this whole thing from his desk on the other side of the room. 'Wow, they're sitting close together,' he thought. 'Ginny and I never sit that close together…Something really fishy is going on here.' He turned his attention away from Ron and Hermione for the rest of the class to actually concentrate on his potion for once. After all, who knew what Neville could brew up in one period?

After potions, Snape made Harry stay after to clean up because he got frustrated and accidentally made Snape's blackboard read everything it said on it out loud. He looked up after he was done for Hermione and Ron. They had left him. 'What is up with those two?' he thought, feeling slightly left out.

~*~*~

"Hi," said Harry, approaching the giggling "couple" at the common room later that night.

"Oh, hi, Harry," said Hermione.

"Hey, Harry," said Ron. "Where were you after potions?"

"Cleaning up for Snape," said Harry. "I have a question for you two."

"Sure, Harry, what is it?"

"Hermione, what ever happened between you and Viktor?" he asked. Hermione's eyes widened.

"Erm…Didn't you hear, Harry?" she said quickly. "Viktor and I broke up over the summer. We're just friends now." Ron stiffened up next to her. He knew they were still dating, and still didn't like it.

"No, I didn't hear," said Harry. "It's funny, though. You said to me once that you thought you loved him. You didn't have very much of a mourning period, did you?" With that, he walked up the stairs to his dormitory.

"Oh, no," said Hermione, bracing herself for what was coming.

"Hermione?" said Ron, as calm as he could be at this point. "Could you and I go talk somewhere?"

"Fine," said Hermione. They left the common room and found an empty classroom.

"Hermione," he began.

"Ron, don't even start with me, all right?" said Hermione, frustrated. "I know I'm still going out with Viktor, but Harry doesn't have to find that out."

"You're in love with him?" said Ron. Hermione sat down.

"I don't know, Ron, all right?!" she said. It was the common start for most of their fights. "How am I supposed to know what love is? I'm only fifteen years old!"

"Exactly!" said Ron. "And our dear little Vicky is, what, thirty?"

"He's nineteen," she said in an icy tone. "And don't you dare insult him…"

"Nineteen?!" said Ron. "Do you know what's on most guy's minds when they're that old?!"

"Shut up," said Hermione, standing up quickly. "Ron Weasley, you shut up about him. I know what you're implying, and that's not what he thinks about when I'm with him."

"How do you know, Mione?" said Ron.

"Because I know him, Ron," she said. "And besides, how do you know what goes on in a nineteen year old boy's mind? Do you think the same things?"

"Of course not, Hermione," he said.

"How's Viktor any different?"

"I'm not going to have this conversation right now!" he said, walking out of the room.

"Ron!" she said. He turned around and faced her. "If we're going to make a believable couple, we need to act like one. That means no fighting."

"Right," he said. "No fighting."

"And no cracks about Viktor!"

"Fine."

"Promise?" she asked. He looked at her. 'She does have really pretty eyes,' he thought. 'Wait a minute! This is Hermione! I don't think of her like that…Must just be the couple thing catching up to me.'

"I promise to try," he said. She grinned.

"I guess that'll have to work," she said. "Shall we go back to the common room?"

"Sure," he said, taking her hand.

~*~*~

"Ginny, we need to talk," said Harry in the common room.

"Sure, Harry," said Ginny. "What's on your mind?"

"Ron and Hermione are acting a little…too lovey-dovey lately, aren't they?" said Harry. "I mean, you see them and then compare them to us…don't you think that they love each other more than…you know…"

"Harry Potter," said Ginny. Harry blushed. "You aren't telling me that you believe Ron's story for a second, do you?"

"What do you mean?" said Harry, confused.

"I've been thinking it over," said Ginny. "Ron still thinks of me as his little baby sister, so he'd do anything to keep me from going out with guys. Anything, including pretending to go out with Hermione."

"Oh," said Harry, relieved. "So the only reason that they're going 'out' is so then Ron can show us what a great relationship they have and how puny he thinks ours is."

"He seems to have done a good job at it, too," said Ginny, glaring at him.

"How can I make it up to you?" said Harry.

"Oh, there are some ways," she said, giggling.

"But what's in it for Hermione?" Harry wondered. Ginny's eyes widened. She reminded Harry of Dobby whenever he was about to give out secret information. "Ginny, what do you know that I don't?"

She smiled. "Lots of things. But this is something I have to keep between myself and Hermione."

"What is that 'something?'" said Harry. "Don't you keep secrets from me, Virginia Weasley."

"All right, all right!" she said. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone, especially Ron and Hermione."

"Hermione fancies Ron," said Harry.

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess," said Harry. "There's something else, too."

"Ron fancies Hermione," said Ginny. "It pays to have a brother who keeps a diary."

Harry grinned. "Ron and Hermione. Who would've guessed?"

"Now about you making up something to me," said Ginny. She giggled as Harry came closer to her and started kissing her.

We will now close this section of our story to give our characters some privacy.

~*~*~

"Hey did you hear?" said Ginny and Harry, walking over to Ron and Hermione in the common room a couple weeks later. "There's going to be another Yule Ball this year!"

Hermione's and Ron's jaws dropped open. "What?" said Hermione. There was no way she was going to this ball with Ron. Viktor would find out about it and go to Hogwarts to escort Hermione there.

"You heard me," said Ginny. "A Yule Ball. With couples. You two are going together, right?"

"Sure," said Ron. "Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know," said Harry. "Just wondering if Viktor knows that it's off for good."

"Of course he does," said Hermione, who suddenly had to shuffle through all her papers. "Ron, I think I left my potions essay in the library. Would you come look for it with me?"

"Um…sure," said Ron. "See you guys later."

They left to go to the library where Ron had a very good feeling that he was going to get another talk from Hermione. "So, have you broken it with Viktor yet?" asked Ron.

"Ron, you promised that you would stop putting down Viktor," said Hermione, pacing around.

Ron started to get mad. "Excuse me, but since when is a simple question putting someone down?"

"Just be quiet for a second, I need to think," said Hermione, apparently deep in thought.

"Fine, I'll just go look for your 'potions essay,'" said Ron, sneering. "That's all I'm good for, is that it, Hermione?" She didn't answer him. She was still thinking hard. "Fine. I don't care. You go to the ball with Vicky, and we'll be setting a bad example for Ginny, who'll go out with any guy who'll have her if we break up."

"I can't break up with Viktor," she said. "He's too close to me, I just can't do it."

"You have to, Hermione," said Ron, pleading with her.

"I do not have to, Ron Weasley," she said defiantly. "Remember, I'm doing this whole thing as a favor to you. And this whole thing is going too far!"

"Please, Hermione," said Ron, putting on his best sad puppy eyes. "I'm only doing this in Ginny's best interest. Do it for her?" He put his hand on her arm. "For me?"

Hermione's skin tingled under his touch and she felt her heartbeat increase rapidly. She looked into his eyes and almost melted in them. 'Shoot,' she thought. 'How does he do that to me?'

"OK," said Hermione, reluctantly pulling her arm out of Ron's grip. "I'll break it off with him. But you are going to have to pay me back big time, buster."

Ron's face broke out into a huge smile. "Anything."

But before Hermione started to tell him her demands, an owl came fluttering into the library for her. Madame Pince looked over their way, glaring at them. "Sorry," Hermione whispered, taking the letter from the owl.

"Who's owl is that?" asked Ron.

"It's Viktor's," she said. Ron stiffened up.

"OK," he said. "I'll go find a piece of parchment and a quill for you to write him." As he was going back to his bag, he started to think. 'Why does Viktor bug me so much?' he asked himself.

'Because it goes beyond hating him because he's nineteen,' said his conscience. 'It goes all the way to the fact that you're in love with Hermione.'

Ron pushed that thought out of his head. 'No way,' he thought. 'There's no way I'm in love with her.' But that thought had been dwelling in his mind for quite awhile now. 'It just has to do with the whole pretending to go out thing,' he thought as he got a piece of parchment and a quill from his bag.

As he got back to her, he was startled to find her in tears. "Hermione, what happened?" he said. Hermione sniffed and pointed to the note that Viktor had sent to her. He picked it up. Viktor had written her a long, detailed letter. As he read it, though, it became clear to him that Viktor was taking the long way in telling her he was breaking up with her because she wasn't good enough for him.

"That bloody bastard," said Ron.

"I guess I don't have to break up with him now," said Hermione, trying to find the light in the situation.

"No," said Ron. "Nobody does that to my friend. Or my pretend girlfriend, for that matter. I'm going to go kick his as…"

"Ron, it's OK," said Hermione, cutting him off.

"It's not OK," said Ron.

"Look, at least it'll be easier to pretend now," she said. "Anyway, I was planning on breaking up with him soon. He was getting to be a real pain in the you know where."

"Really?" said Ron. "I thought you loved him."

"I thought I did too," she said. "But then I figured out I could never love him."

"Why not?"

Hermione just stared at him for a moment, as if in a trance. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, he felt all warm inside. 'Stop it, Ron Weasley,' he told himself sternly. 'This is Hermione!'

"I could never love…anyone else…" she said.

"Mione, what do you mean?" he asked slowly.

She looked away from him. "Nothing," she said. "I just can't believe I liked that jerk!" She bent over crying again. Ron hesitated, then leaned over and put his arm around her. She turned and started to sob all over his shirt. He was extremely glad that they were the only ones in the library besides Madame Pince.

"Shh," he said, rocking her back and forth. "Shh, it'll be all right." He held her there until she stopped crying.

Little did they know that Madame Pince was watching. A tear fell out of her eye and rolled onto her cheek. "Young lovers," she said quietly to herself. "I just wish they'd tell each other how they feel."

~*~*~

It was finally the day of the Yule Ball. Hermione and Ginny went upstairs hours before the ball was scheduled to start. They had to 'make themselves beautiful for their men,' as Ginny put it. Hermione could tell that she was nervous about going to her first dance with Harry.

"I'm so nervous," Hermione said as she was pulling out her dress robe.

"Why are you nervous?" said Ginny. "You've known Ron forever, this'll be a breeze. I, on the other hand, will pass out from nervousness. That's a really pretty dress robe," she added.

"Thanks," said Hermione. Her dress was white with a hint of silver in it. Ginny's was dark purple. They showered and got themselves dressed up in two hours, and spent the last hour fidgeting.

"Listen to us," said Hermione, laughing. "We're starting to sound like Lavender and Parvati." Ginny laughed, and then looked at her watch.

"It's time," she said.

"And now we're starting to sound like this is our death sentence," said Hermione.

"It is for you," said Ginny. "What you ever see in my brother…" Hermione, playing the dutiful girlfriend, poked Ginny. Ginny looked at her in mock horror. "No, my beautifully pressed dress robe!"

They laughed all the way down the stairs into the common room where Harry and Ron were waiting. Ron had his back to them, so he didn't notice them until Harry said, "What's so funny?" Ginny ran to him as he turned around.

He saw Hermione and his jaw dropped.

"Don't just stand there, or you'll get a bug in your mouth," said Hermione nervously. Ron's mouth went back to normal.

"May I?" he asked, offering Hermione his arm.

"Oh, please," said Hermione. "This is a ball, not a wedding ceremony."

"Sorry," he said. "I'm just nervous."

"Loosen up," said Hermione as Ginny and Harry walked through the portrait hole. "I don't want a dance partner who's all tightened up."

Ron gulped. This was going to be a long night.

~*~*~

They followed Ginny and Harry down to the Great Hall. It was decorated in full blast, with red and green banners all over the place and miniature ice sculptures at every place setting. Hermione picked hers up. It was a little snowman. "How cute!" she said. "What'd you get, Ron?"

"A Christmas tree," he said. They sat down as Professor Dumbledore got up to speak.

"Hello, and welcome to another Yule Ball!" he said. The students cheered. "As most of you already know, the Weird Sisters have so graciously agreed to play for you again!" More cheers. "Well, I'm going to be quiet now. Have fun!" The Weird Sisters came out and started to play a song. Ginny and Harry got up to dance.

"Come on, you guys!" said Ginny.

"Maybe later," said Ron. Hermione nodded. They went away and started dancing.

"Hermione, I'm sorry it turned out this way," Ron said.

"What way?" she asked, confused.

"You know…having to go to this ball thing with me."

"No problem," she said. "I figured you would need the partner."

He pretended to be hurt.

They talked a meaningless chatter until the song was over and they started to play a slow song. "If we don't dance, it'd look weird," he said, blushing. Hermione took his hand and he led her out on the dance floor. He awkwardly put his hands in a dancing position.

"All right," said one of the Weird Sisters. "We're going to play a Muggle song now. I know, it might sound a little weird, but that's who we are! Anyway, the song's called "Echo," by Incubus. They're an American Muggle band." They started playing the song.

"I know this song!" said Hermione. She started to sing along with the words.

There's something about the look in your eyes

Ron looked into her eyes as the light shone on them. He saw something there that he'd never seen before. He didn't know what it was, but something tugged at him from inside of him when he saw it. It made him feel alive again, like he could tackle any obstacle that was placed in front of him…

My biggest fear will be the rescue of me…

He knew at that moment that he loved Hermione, he truly did. But he was scared. What if she found out? An overwhelming splash of fear overtook him.

But what if she found out and she felt the same way? Ron made a decision right then. He would tell Hermione how he felt. He knew it would be a bigger letdown not knowing how she felt.

There's something about the way you move,

Your movements echo that I've seen the real thing.

At that moment, Hermione put her head on his chest, still singing softly to herself. Ron watched her lips move. He wanted so badly to hold her like this forever.

Your biggest fear will be the rescue of you,

The song ended, but the Weird Sisters started up with another slow one. "Want to take a break?" asked Hermione.

"No," said Ron. "Actually, Hermione, I wanted to tell you something."

"I want to tell you something, too," said Hermione.

"Ladies first," said Ron. Hermione smiled.

"Always the gentleman." Hermione hesitated. "It's your Christmas present, Ron."

"Hermione, you didn't have to get me any…"

He was cut short by Hermione placing her lips on his, full force. Ron's eyes widened as he tried to figure out what she was doing, but relaxed into the kiss quickly. Hermione pulled away from him.

"Merry Christmas, Ron," she said, smiling. "So what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Just about the same thing," he said, still a bit shocked. "But you do know that this wasn't part of the plan…" He leaned in and kissed her again.

They danced the rest of the night away, happy to find true love.

An onlooker watched them as they kissed each other for the second time. A tear fell down her cheek. "And fairy tale stories do exist," said Madame Pince.

~*~*~

Later that night in the common room, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny were all gathered in the common room.

"So what took you guys so long?" asked Ginny.

"What are you talking about?" asked Hermione.

"What took you guys so long to tell each other how you feel?"

"What are you talking about, Gin?" asked Ron. "We've known that ever since…last year."

"Oh, please," said Harry. "You two think you did such a good job playing a couple. It was totally fake, we could see right through you."

Ron and Hermione froze. "How long did you two know?"

"Ever since you announced it," said Harry, rolling his eyes. He took a quick look at Ginny, who was glaring at him. "I mean, Ginny found out about you two from the time you two announced it. Then she told me a couple weeks ago."

"So we didn't do a good enough job?" asked Hermione.

"Pretty much," said Ginny. "Why'd you guys do it, anyway?"

"OK," said Ron. "Sit back, because it's a long story." He told them all about seeing them kissing in the common room and wanting to get back at them. "But now I feel like an immature jerk."

"I'm glad you've finally come to that conclusion," said Ginny. He threw her a playful punch.

"But why would you do that, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You did already give us your blessing."

Ron was confused. "What?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" said Harry. "Hermione gave us her blessing to go out ages ago. We told her before you because we figured you'd come up with some stupid plan to separate us."

"You had already given them your blessing?" Ron asked a bright red Hermione.

"Um…maybe?" she said.

"Nice try," said Ron. "Well, you guys have my blessing, too."

"Really?" asked Harry.

"Thanks, Ron," said Ginny. "That means a lot to me." Her and Harry started kissing.

"It's going to look really weird if we don't start kissing," said Ron. Hermione smiled and leaned close to him.

We will now close this story about Ron Weasley's Plan That Totally Backfired to give our characters some privacy.

FIN

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