The Plan

Chapter 6: The Plan

The next day Ron avoided Hermione and tried to stay away from everybody. He didn’t even talk to Harry; anyone could notice that something was wrong with him. Hermione felt sad all day and was avoiding Viktor as much as she could. She couldn’t stop thinking about Ron and the letter he had written her.

In the evening Ron was lying on his bed, his eyes filled with tears, remembering what he had seen the day he went to give the letter to Hermione.

Hermione, you’ve broken my heart. Why did you do that? he thought miserably when suddenly Harry entered the room and headed for Ron.

“Hi, Harry.”

“Hi. What’s wrong with you? You have been acting very odd today,” Harry remarked.

“Nothing’s wrong. I was just … a little bit tired, that’s all,” Ron replied nervously.

“Look, Ron, I know you too well to swallow that. Besides, I’m not stupid; I could see that you’re avoiding everyone … especially Hermione,” Harry returned pointedly.

Ron took a deep breath and confessed. “You’re right, Harry; I was avoiding Hermione, and for good reasons."

Ron told Harry all what happened with him, and Harry felt sad to hear all this. “But why didn’t you try to talk to her?” Harry wondered.

“Put yourself in my shoes. What would you do if Ginny was engaged?”

“You’re right; I would probably be doing the same thing you’re doing,” Harry admitted, sitting beside Ron.

“How could she do that to me?” Ron said sadly.

“I think you should give her a chance,” Harry suggested.

“She’s engaged, Harry; I’ve lost her forever. I’m not going to break up with Lavender.”

“Ron, you can’t give up so fast …” But before Harry could finish his sentence, Ron interrupted him.

“I’m not going to change my mind, Harry. She’ll be better off without me,” Ron returned gloomily, looking at the floor.

Meanwhile, Hermione was telling Ginny about Ron’s letter and her engagement with Viktor.

“I don’t know what to do now, Ginny; I’ve broken Ron’s heart. He’ll never forgive me,” Hermione said in a tearful voice.

Ginny felt really concerned to see her best friend this sad and tried to comfort her. “Don’t worry, Hermione; Harry’s going to talk to Ron, and I’m sure this problem will soon be solved.”

Harry went back to the common room to wait for Ginny, but when he saw her coming down the stairs, he forgot completely about Ron and Hermione. He just wanted to have her in his arms. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her, capturing her lips with his. After a long, lovely snogging session, Ginny pulled away from him to catch her breath.

“Harry, have you talked to Ron?” Ginny asked.

“Yes; I’ve talked to him and he told me everything. I guess Hermione confessed everything too, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she did--and I’m really worried, Harry.”

“Don’t be. I know we can solve this problem; we just need to have a good idea, and I think I’ve got one.”

“Okay, so what’s the plan?”

Harry explained it to Ginny and she found it brilliant, though it wasn’t going to be easy for them to apply it.

* * * * *

It took several days for Harry and Ginny to figure exactly how they were going to get their friends to the Room of Requirement and arrange the best possible conditions. In most things, Harry knew Ron well, but emotionally speaking, Ginny knew him best, so Harry pretty much left it to her to figure out the romantic scenario most likely to succeed in bringing their friends together. Of course, all this was done in between conducting their own romance. There were times when it was extremely difficult (to put it mildly) to concentrate on the business at hand—but through a combination of stubbornness and determination, they managed it.

Harry was the one who suggested that what they came up with should be as much in keeping with Ron’s personality as possible, yet still concise enough to get the desired message across at the proper time. It was also deemed necessary to have it all planned out before they dared to attempt to implement it. Even once the conditions were set, they still had to figure just how they were going to get their friends to come to the Room. Maybe they could say they wanted them to meet them there for an evening of fun, having dinner and/or listening (or dancing) to their favourite music, if not both.

Harry could cook, but having been under the tutelage of Molly Weasley her entire life, he knew that Ginny was infinitely more skilled in food preparation. She also knew Ron’s tastes in food, not to mention Hermione’s. It might even be a good idea to have the food prepared and waiting for them once everything else was ready. Perhaps once the dinner had been consumed and the couples had settled into quiet communion together, Harry and Ginny could discreetly excuse themselves so their friends (as well as themselves) could be alone.

Of course, it would likely be up to Hermione to start things off, but hopefully Ron would be able to finish them … follow her lead, as it were. But owing to his previous track record, that remained to be seen. Even at that, Harry intended to advise his friend as best he could, even considering his own limited experience, if only to make sure he and Ginny could have some alone time without worrying about Ron interrupting them at an inopportune moment.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, even as apprehensive as she was about all that had happened (and what was likely to happen), Hermione knew that she would likely have to be the one to make the first move in regards to mending fences between her and Ron, even though she had always been taught that it was the man’s job to make the first move. Maybe if she wrote him a letter detailing her true feelings for him and the situation with Viktor, not to mention her hope (and wish) that they somehow manage to straighten things out between them. Perhaps that would work since Ron seemed to be avoiding her—and it wasn’t hard for Hermione to figure out why.

She was more for direct confrontation to solve problems, but in this case, she fully understood his pain, fear and unwillingness to be hurt any further. Maybe it was technically the coward’s way out, but considering that emotions were involved—emotions that had already been injured once—she was all but convinced that an exception could (and should) be made in this case. But even if she somehow managed to work things out with Ron, what could she possibly say to Viktor which would spare his feelings, yet still get her out of an increasingly delicate and complicated situation?

However intelligent she was, Hermione knew that this was one time she wished mightily for the wisdom of an older, more experienced person. She really wished she could discuss it with her parents, but had no way of contacting them other than owl post, and it would take too long to hear back even if they answered immediately. A telephone could instantly connect her to them; unfortunately, magic canceled out any and all electrical devices within its vicinity, so she was truly on her own. Not even her closest friends could help her now.

* * * * *

Of course, this was one of the few times when she would be proven wrong—and it was only a matter of time until she found this out.