Hermione stood back beside a stone wall and resisted the urge to bang her fists against it instead she opted for the safer option of clenching her hands together. It was only then she realised Viktor's letter was curled up in the palm of her hand. She at once felt bad about crumpling the delicate parchment it had been written on and so she tried to smooth it out. Hermione was to preoccupied with Viktor's parchment to notice Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins come into the hardly lit hallway and she also didn't notice the group of Gryffindors - including Ron - that followed them in. So when Malfoy snatched Viktor's letter from her hands she took a moment to realise what had happened and by that time he was holding it high above her head.
Hermione cast her eyes around the hallway and they immediately feel upon Ron who shrugged and looked away. Her attention was suddenly brought back to Malfoy as he began to read the letter in a slow drawl.
"Dear Hermione �" He began.
"Give it back Malfoy, its not funny" said Hermione in a high pitched voice. All the Slytherins only laughed harder though at her clear distress.
"No I don't think I will" Malfoy said and he continued. "Where was I� oh yes. Dear Hermione, Thank you for your letter. My English is getting better thanks to our conversion by mail. I hope this letter finds you well, my parents also would like me to pass on their best wishes. They are saying you must be coming to Bulgaria again sometime."
Malfoy had to stop reading because Ron lunged forward and snatched the letter off him in disbelief. Malfoy made no move to stop him for once. Ron read it over his eyes had a dangerous glint in them and his ears were turning red. Slowly Ron lowered the letter, Hermione could now see his face was as red as his ears.
"Why the hell did you not tell me you went to Bulgaria!" he yelled his gaze fixed on Hermione.
"Well of course I didn't tell because I knew you would over re-act" Hermione replied matter of factly not letting her anger show in her voice.
"I am not over re-acting," yelled Ron his voice rising dangerously and his face turning scarlet.
"Why do you always do this? Why do you make me go through the same stupid argument, over the same stupid thing, every second week?" Hermione yelled her anger getting the better of her.
"You know why Hermione!" yelled Ron "don't make me spell it out."
"I don't know why Ron, believe me" Hermione said "But please do fill me in."
Malfoy stepped forward a sneer on his face, "Let me help you there Granger" he said smugly. Malfoy whipped out his wand and pointed it in between Ron and Hermione. Harry moved forward at this point to intervene having obviously decided things had gone far enough however Malfoy was quicker and before Harry reached him he bellowed "Veritasum."
Ron sprang forward to grab Malfoy but Hermione pulled him back. "What did you do Malfoy?" said Ron trying to break away from Hermione's hold.
"Oh just a little truth spell" he said smirking at Ron.
Ron turned abruptly to face Hermione, "Is it reversible?" he said now sounding panicked.
Hermione was still holding onto the back of Ron's robes, "No Ron" she said but before Ron could lunge at Malfoy she quickly added "don't worry it's only good for five minutes and it doesn't work unless someone asks you a question, then you are compelled to tell the truth."
Ron looked far from calmed by this and Malfoy delighted in taking advantage of the situation. "Hmm, what to ask them?" he said smirking openly now.
"Why don't you ask them why they kept all of Gryffindor House awake the night of the Yule Ball?" said Dean a fellow Gryffindor fifth year. Hermione saw Ron glaring at Dean, she knew he was going to yell at Dean any second now but before Ron could do anything of the sort his mouth began to open involuntarily.
"I yelled at Hermione because she went to the ball with that great Bulgarian git" he said.
"Why does that bother you?" Hermione said. "Why do you hate Viktor, I mean you evidently had no problem with Fleur!"
Ron cringed but he had to reply "Because did it ever occur to you that maybe I was jealous?" Ron went very red then white with in the space of a few seconds.
"Why did you have to ask me in front of everyone?" he said.
Hermione felt her mouth open "Because I'm sick of not knowing" she said.
"Well it wasn't nice making me say it in front of everyone" he grumbled. Then he returned his gaze to Hermione an evil glint in his normally cheerful eyes. "Hermione do you love Viktor?" he said.
"That's not fair" protested Hermione but the spell had already begun to work and before she could do anything words sprang out of her mouth "No" she said "I don't love him."
Ron couldn't hide a grin and Hermione almost smiled at him. Unfortunately the rest of the Gryffindor's weren't finished with them.
"Well are you Viktor's boyfriend?" Lavender said, she had been asking Hermione that question ever since school had started and so far Hermione had managed to avoid giving her an answer, this time however there was no escape.
"No Lavender, were just friends" she said. Out the corner of her eye Hermione saw Ron trying to hide another grin.
Lavender was clearly enjoying this game because she had smile on her face to rival Ron's. "Well do you love Harry?" she said, that was another one of Lavenders favourite questions for Hermione.
"I love him as a brother" she said firmly.
Lavender looked disappointed and Hermione knew she had been hoping for a different answer because when Hermione had told her the exact same thing yesterday Lavender had winked at her and muttered something like "Sure, sure." Hermione almost felt annoyed, why did nobody ever believe she and Harry were just friends? It was frustrating at the best of times but today it was nothing short of maddening.
Parvati not wanting to miss out on the fun joined in. "Do you love� Draco" she said her eyes falling upon him.
"I'd rather kiss a Blast Ended Skrewt than that slimy git" Hermione said, making a face as though the thought of kissing Malfoy was enough to make anyone sick.
Parvati giggled, "Snape then?"
"Eh Yuk! No!" said Hermione disgusted.
"Well who else is there?" Parvati said curiously.
Hermione noticed a smile spreading on Lavenders lips, "I know one person we haven't asked Hermione about" she said.
"Oh no Lavender please don't" Hermione pleaded knowing who Lavender was talking about.
However Lavender shook her head "sorry Hermione" she said "but its our right to know."
Hermione had to restrain herself from whacking Lavender over the head with her potions text book.
"Hermione Granger" Lavender said "Do you like - or even love - Ronald Weasley as� well actually what are you two. Are you friends? Or are you like siblings�"
"Or are you something else altogether?" Added Parvati.
Hermione tried to clench her jaw shut but aside from making her teeth hurt it did nothing. Suddenly before she could do anything her mouth opened and everything went silent as she heard herself say "I don't know what me and Ron are, we fight but I do love him and I think he loves me to."
Hermione felt her face burning up and she felt numb but Lavender and Parvati weren't going to leave her alone. "Well maybe you don't know what you and Ron are, but you must know how you feel about him?" Parvati asked, although it might have been Lavender, Hermione was beyond caring.
"I love Ron as�" Hermione looked at the floor she couldn't bring herself to look at Ron. " I love Ron as� a best friend, but also as something deeper like�"
"A boyfriend?" said Ron. Hermiones head snapped up.
"As someone I'd want to be my boyfriend" said Hermione studying the stone floor as if it was the most interesting thing she'd ever come across. "What about you Ron" Hermione asked "what am I to you?"
"You're my friend, but lately I've been thinking you're actually something more."
"Really?" asked Hermione.
"Yes" said Ron.
Harry's voice interrupted them, "Hey Ron. Would you kiss Hermione if you had an excuse to?"
Ron glared at Harry like he had glared at Malfoy but the spell was still in effect and so he had to reply, "Yes, I would" Ron said.
"That can be arranged" said Neville nervously, then he conjured up some mistletoe. Looking around he said "I know it's not Christmas but its one of the only things I can conjure up without setting someone on fire."
"That's OK Neville" said Harry "By the looks of it, its working perfectly."