How could this happen? Why did it happen? This was not the plan. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were supposed to remain best of friends. Gradually falling for him was not part of it. Hermione had always been confident. Nothing really bothered her, and nobody's words of criticism really hurt. Nothing could possibly distract from her goals, or her studies. She was a diligent and determined worker. Nothing really bothered her until she met him. The one person who could make her get disinterested in History of Magic as she paid more attention to his game of hangman then to Goblin Revolts. The one person who could make her potion not top notch because she forgot to add boomslang because she was staring at him. The one person who could make her go against her good values and make her let him copy off her homework. The one person who made her stomach churn when he said her name and her cheeks get hot whenever anyone mentioned him. That person was Ron Weasley.

So, her plan took a new route. She had fallen for him. Actually, she had fallen in love with him, and that was not an understatement. The new plan was to have him. Date him. Let him love her too. And by the time she was sixteen, her heart was at its breaking point. She couldn't go on like this. She couldn't pretend like there wasn't something going on between them, or that she didn't care about him in any other way than just friends. Her heart yearned for him. Every time he came near, he seemed to take all the oxygen from the room and fill it with the scent of his sweet-smelling hair. The same scent she smelled from the Felix Felicis Potion, which smells like what attracts you. Could he possibly smell her perfume, her hair, or her clothes? By 6th year, she had to take matters into her own hands. Professor Slughorn had a Christmas party coming up, and every member of the Slug Club was allowed to bring guests. Hermione has asked the only person she wanted to go with, Ron. He had said yes! Everything was going to be perfect, that would be the night they would finally get together (if something did not happen sooner). That is, everything was supposed to be perfect. Until that dreadful day at the after party of the Quidditch match.

The party was in full swing, everyone was celebrating at Gyffindor's defeat against Slytherin. Hermione had wanted to congratulate Ron on his job well done, but he wasn't very happy with her at the moment, and she was sick of him. She had ruined her chance when she attributed his great goal-keeping skills to the power of Felix Felicis, but it turned out he did it himself. But even up until then, Ron had been moody and surly towards her, and Hermione didn't have the slightest idea why. She realized that although she didn't know what she did over the last few weeks, she was going to say she was sorry for saying that Ron couldn't save everything himself. She was halfway towards him when she realized he was not alone. He was snogging Lavender Brown.

All the oxygen seemed to leave her quickly. She felt like she had been punched hard in the stomach, and the sensation would not leave. Before she knew it, hot tears were falling quickly down her face. She ran out the room, unable to bear watching them. She cried in a deserted classroom, and conjured birds to take out her fury. She was soon joined by Harry, who awkwardly tried to comfort her. Then the worst happened. Ron walked in, followed by Lavender. Hermione never wanted to see his ugly face again. He made her sick by just looking at him. There he was, just walking around boasting how he had finally gotten a girl while he was meddling with her heart. He was horrible disgrace for a person. Hermione fingered her wand in her hand, and knew what must be done. She had to get the message out. She set the birds on Ron. He screamed in pain and begged her to take them off. Her heart begged him to take her back. But all she did was run out the door crying.

So, now here she was, the day of the Christmas Party, walking away from her date, Cormac McLaggen. Yes, it was last minute, but she had been secretly hoping that Ron and Lavender would break up, he would beg on his knees for forgiveness, and they would be going to the party together. But they didn't, and now she was going with McLaggen, the only reason being so was because she thought he would annoy Ron immensely.

Later at dinner, Hermione knew she had to put the plan to action. She had to somehow slip to Ron that she was going with McLaggen, but without talking to him because they were on non speaking terms. She had to make it believable, like she was really into McLaggen. She was never good at acting thought. She remembered when she was little she had to play 'girl with bucket' in her school play. She forgot her lines. But as she walked into the Great Hall, and saw Ron snogging Lavender, she knew what must done. She now had the confidence she needed.

** *

Hermione had thought the run in with Ron, Lavender, Harry, and Parvati where she bragged about her date with Cormac had gone rather well. Ron, however, thought otherwise.

After Hermione walked away from the table, Ron's mind raced with thoughts. Her un-Hermione-ish giggle kept replaying in his mind, and the picture of the wide and smug smile on her face wouldn't leave his brain. As Lavender and Parvati discussed Hermione and McLaggen, Ron thought only of Hermione, unaware of the things around him, and thinking so hard he was unaware of the food he was putting into his mouth until he spilled pumpkin juice all over himself.

"Are you okay, Ron?" Harry asked timidly. "You seem, er, preoccupied? You've hardly touched your food and you're not talking."

"What? Oh, oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just, umm, not hungry."

"Not hungry?" Harry laughed. "Then there's something seriously wrong with you."

"Yeah." Ron said, giving a shaky laugh. "Maybe."

Harry was going to Slughorn's party with Luna, so Ron couldn't hang out with him that night, and was stuck with Lavender. He wasn't invited to the special 'Slug Club' party. Actually, as he thought about it, he realized he had been invited to the Slughorn's Christmas party. By Hermione. The girl he had been thinking about ever since she left the dinner table. The girl he had liked since second year. The girl he blew off. For Lavender. The girl whose idea of fun felt like a prison sentence for Ron.

Ron hid quietly behind a book in his favorite armchair, hoping that maybe he could have a night to himself instead of a night of sickly giggling, snogging, cuddling, and tickling with Lavender. Sadly, his alone time was short-lived as heard the horribly familiar cry of "Won-Won!" and he slowly lifted his head above his book and saw her running towards him.

"I missed you!" She sighed as she flung herself around him and his crossed arms.

"Yeah, it's been like a whole five minutes." Ron said, trying to move his head as Lavender kissed his neck.

"Seven." She corrected him, and as she reached his lips and started to snog him.

"Wow." said Ron, breaking free. "You really know you're stuff."

"Anything for you, Won-Won." She cooed, and her hand crept up his neck as she started to tousle his hair.

"Whoa!" said Ron dreamily.

"Ooh, you like that?" She said giddily. "Then let me give you some more!" She growled playfully, and used both hands and them through his hair so hard she was scratching it.

"No, not that!" Ron grumbled, placing her hands on her own body, and pointing towards the stairs. "Whoa."

Hermione was walking down the stairs gracefully. Her dress robe was not a ball gown, but the short pale pink dress looked elegant all the same. Her bushy brown hair was straightened, sleek, and shiny, with a few loose curls in it. She smiled radiantly as she walked down the stairs. She looked absolutely stunning.

"She does look quite pretty." Lavender said reprovingly.

"Pretty!?" Ron laughed. "She's,- she's gorgeous! She's breathtaking! She's lovely! She looks absolutely perfect!"

"And she's not your girlfriend. I am." Lavender said flatly.

Ron sighed. "I know."

"Oh, look, she's going with Cormac McLaggen! Now there's one handsome boy." Lavender gushed.

Ron stood up so suddenly Lavender was toppled off of his lap. Not even bothering to help her up, and not even knowing what he was doing, he quickly strode over towards Hermione and McLaggen.

"Wow, Hermione," McLaggen said in awe. "You look good."

"I bet you think that." Ron sneered loudly.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" McLaggen said, rounding on him.

Hermione tried to hide the smile on her face. Ron seemed particularly jealous.

"Ron, what are you doing?" Hermione objected.

"Just seeing what kind of date you could scrape." He smirked. "Not very good, I see."

"Oh that's it, Weasley!" McLaggen said, rounding on him.

"No! Cormac, he's not worth it!" Hermione screamed, grabbing his arm. Hermione knew that Ron had no chance against McLaggen.

"What are you dating him for, Hermione, his Quidditch skills? Because they're not very good." Ron scoffed.

McLaggen opened his mouth to retort, but Hermione lied, "Cormac's ten times the Quidditch player you are, Ron." McLaggen looked at her in surprise and gratitude, and Hermione added shrewdly, "Tell me, Ron, after snogging Lavender for the past month, do you know anything about her besides her favorite flavor lip gloss?"

McLaggen, though unaware about anything on the subject, laughed openly. "Good one, Hermione." He said.

Ron was angry of him laughing with her. But he realized it was a good and true joke. He didn't really know anything about Lavender, except for that what she was looking for in a relationship was someone to snog.

"What's going on here, Won-Won?" Lavender said, concerned. "I heard shouting."

Hermione and McLaggen smirked. "Oh, nothing. Just seeing what kind of scum Hermione can pick up."

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about, because Cormac's not a bad looking guy. Honestly, you're just trying to get yourself into trouble. Come on over and have a seat, I'll take your mind off of things." Lavender sighed with a sly smile.

"Come on, Cormac, we're going to be late." Hermione said, holding his arm even tighter.

As they walked started to walk away, Ron couldn't help himself from blurting out, "Hermione, I forgot to tell you, you look great."

Hermione stared at him in shock before Cormac pulled her through the portrait hole.