EDITED 12/24/12. Merry Christmas.

"That was absolutely foolish." I spat at Ron. He had gone and done it again. Siding with that insufferable… slag. Couldn't he see what was right in front of him? How much more would I have to do in order to make myself clear? I was very much interested him, and from the signals he sent me before summer ended, he was into me, also.

"Hermione! Bloody hell, it was one time…I forgot-" Ron stumbled over his words. How many women have had to endure that "I forgot" speech? That was no longer a valid excuse, he was going to have to supply something better.

"Forgot what, Ronald? That I'm your girlfriend?" I asked indignantly and crossed my arms stubbornly. Even though we weren't hot and heavy like other couples we knew, we were very serious about each other. At least, I was serious about him.

"Please, Mione, I don't want to have another row with you." He rolled his eyes, as if I were the cause of another pointless argument. How much would he have liked to see me playing slag with another lad?

I bit my lip, trying not to strike him. Most of Gryffindor had met at The Three Broomsticks to belatedly celebrate Harry's victory over Voldemort. At the end of sixth year, the Final Battle had reigned, and wise Slytherins chose to fight under the Order's protection instead of alongside their Dark Lord. Among the second thinkers were Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Tilynia Parkinson (Pansy considered herself faithful and stayed with her Master instead of following her younger sister), and the pompous, egotistical, insufferable, snobby Draco Malfoy himself. Lucius and Narcissa turned themselves to the Order once they knew they were on the losing side and we accepted them only because Mrs. Malfoy lied to Voldemort when asked to confirm Harry's death once he was hit with the Killing Curse. She spared his life, we protected theirs.

My mind went back to just minutes prior when Lavender came and ruined my time.

She flicked her hair back and forth when she spoke, something that made Ron lick his lips in anticipation, not to mention the dark flush to his cheeks. Wasn't I supposed to be the one that drove Ron's senses wild? Either she was as blind as she was dense, or she just ignored my death glares aimed right at her.

"Mione hexed Zabini's bloody mug off!" Harry exclaimed proudly and threw an arm around my shoulders. I rolled my eyes at his exaggeration- Blaise and I were stuck in Black Manor together because I was to watch over a group of Slytherins so that they were protected from any surprise attack by a Death Eater or spy in the Order itself. We took every precaution with them, mostly because if they were captured they would be tortured or killed for treachery. Zabini got all hot and bothered and demanded that I release him from what he called a 'cage' (which was a very large home by even his standards), but it was a safe house and he had nowhere else to go. He finally burst and called me a Mudblood. I sent an Avis his way and watched in mirth as he tried to cover his face and scream at the yellow canaries. Malfoy ruined all the fun when he sent the birds away with a flick of his wand. They were chased by vulture-like bats; no doubt the spell was Dark Magic.

"I believe you owe Granger an apology." Malfoy spoke monotonously with that scary, blank expression. His face was void of any emotion and his eyes were so cold. He walked in with his proud stride and expensive attire, completely owning the room and all its occupants, excluding me.

"An apology? To Granger?" Blaise Zabini asked angrily and began to speak in rapid Italian to Malfoy.

"I'm sure Granger doesn't appreciate not understanding our conversation." Malfoy gestured to me with a short nod of his head.

The Italian heart throb of Hogwarts squared his jaw and snarled at me. "I apologize, Hermione. I'm sorry that you are a-" I didn't like the way my name came out of his mouth at all.

My wand was at his throat in a minute. "Remember just where you are, pureblood." I said his birthright like it was a dirty word. "You are in a home filled with muggleborns and muggle-lovers. If that is not fitting,' my voice grew louder and my wand poked at his trachea forcefully, 'then find somewhere else to hide.' I emphasized the last word to show meaning and make him realize just where he was. My mind didn't completely wrap around the notion that Malfoy made his best friend apologize to his enemy. And for calling me a mudblood? I could've sworn that was his favorite pet name for me! Malfoy had gone mental. I walked out of that sitting room feeling a million pounds lighter.

My mind flicked back to Three Broomsticks. Ron and Lavender had an emotional break up at the beginning of sixth year and I stepped in as the nurse of his feelings, and we grew to enjoy each other more. After time, it was just understood that we were going out. Rita Skeeter even wrote an article on us, saying 'the infamous warriors join together to make the best item the Wizarding World has ever seen.'

So why was Ron still starry-eyed over Lavender? She caused him nothing but pain and heartache, and I was the only one there to patch up his feelings when she left! I didn't want to admit it then, but I knew. He was still hung up on her. "Hermione!" Lavender squealed at me halfway through another conversation, as if she barely knew I was there. "You've done something with your hair. It isn't a nightmarish bush anymore!" She exclaimed with a big smile and began playing with the mess of curls.

I snatched my hair from her fingers. "Of course not. It's the same as last year." I chose to ignore her "nightmarish" comment for the sake of her life and my freedom.

She eyed me with feigned understanding and gasped melodramatically. "It's not so bushy, Hermione. I can actually see Ron over your head nowadays." Lav covered her mouth and giggled shamelessly at the gasps and stares of horror she received from her fellow Gryffindor. Who spoke to another human being like that, in front of their friends and boyfriend? I was a war hero, I put my entire world on the line to save worthless lives like hers for no gratitude at all!

She looked up from her eyelashes at Ron and he smiled dreamily. "Yes, Mione, Lavender's right. Your hair doesn't look like so much like Scabber's nest now." He insulted me to defend his ex-girlfriend? Was I the only to see his ludicrous behavior? I forcefully stepped on his foot beneath the table and pushed his hand away from mine. He wanted Lavender now that she was back in town and looking as whorish as ever? Well, he could have her. First, I was going to take her eyes out with a spoon. Would he still love her when she had no more eyeballs, hmm? From there I grew silent and didn't say a word. Ronald Weasley officially ruined my time. And Lavender officially ruined my relationship.

Ron walked me out of Three Broomsticks and into the cold August weather and that's where our argument started. Snow had come early to Hogsmead and probably the whole of Scotland. "Do you still love her, Ron?" I asked finally. Our friends apparted long ago back to their warm homes and families.

"Hermione…bloody hell…" he muttered.

"Do you, Ron? Do you still have feelings for her?" I was short of both breath and patience. My parents were very calm people and I inherited that trait- but this was haunting me! I wanted to seriously murder this redheaded monster in front of me. He was breaking my heart by admitting that I was not good enough for him intimately. I was good enough to help with schoolwork, battlefield work, and advice… but I was not enough as a girlfriend?

"What kind of bleeding question is that? Have you finally gone bonkers? Of course I don't!"

I knew Ron long enough to know that he was lying, his ears were growing as red as his lips.

"Ron, stop it. Just tell me the truth. For once stop being a twit and come out with the honest truth!" It wasn't that I necessarily wanted to hear him say it, but I knew it was the hard fact.

"What will it change anyway?" He mumbled angrily.

"Just say it, Ronald! Tell the bloody truth!" I yelled and shoved his chest until he grasped my wrists.

"Fine, I love Lavender Brown! Happy, Hermione? Because you're never happy unless the whole bloody world becomes pure and crystal and we all read books!" Ron yelled down at me. In the six years I knew him, he never raised his tone higher than an odd octave when he was nervous. But here he was, screaming back down at me like a maniac.

I looked at the ground. "This has nothing to do with books." I whispered and looked back at him; how dare he compare our relationship to my passion for literature and learning? But that was what he was good at, turning the attention away from him when he couldn't handle the heat. "It's over." I said oddly, as if it were just too much for my own ears to believe. In complete honesty, this was over the second it began- he only wanted me when he didn't have me.

He looked crest fallen. But then there was a change. An odd sort of change that wasn't supposed to take place when your girlfriend was breaking up with you. "Friends?" He said with a forced smile. I was rooted to the spot. That was it? He was over me? That fast? Had I meant…so little to him?

With a defeated sigh and an eye twitch, I apparted back to my mum's house without another word. Ron was unbelievable. Lavender was unbelievable. Malfoy was mental. Harry was in his own little world sometimes. And now…I was just alone.