A Mid-Hogwart Night's Dream

~*~Act I, Scene I~*~

Never Did the Course of True Love Run Smooth

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, blue eyes on his colleague and fellow Professor, Minerva McGonagall. A small smile lit the corners of his mouth as his fingers lazily twisted his silver beard into tiny curls. Minerva's own hair, however, remained untouched and in it's ever-present bun form.

"Minerva, the time from now until the Wizarding Arts Gala is dragging on," he started. "And I must confess that I am starting to get small twinges of apprehension in the most peculiar places; my ears, my funny bone, my knee caps..."

"Don't worry Albus. The next four days will pass by before you know it," Minerva responded, picking up her tea cup and sipping from it. As she drank her glasses slipped down to the end of her nose. Albus gave a soft smile at this, watching as she customarily pushed the frames back into their place.

"Dobby," Albus said, his gaze now stretching over to the small creature that was sweeping away the left over ashes from a now adolescent Fawkes. The small elf turned at the sound of his name, his bulging green eyes on Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir?"

"Go about and spread the news of the Gala to the students. Tell the Prefects of each house to inform the students in their care that there is but four days left until the great event," Dumbledore said, now resting his elbows upon his desk and resting his head in one open palm.

"Really Albus, I think we've told them enough now," interjected Minerva. Dobby stopped his beeline to the door and looked between the two teachers.

"Well, one more time never hurt," said Dumbledore, motioning for Dobby to continue his course of action. Bowing low and turning to leave, Dobby was suddenly knocked halfway across the room as the door to the office burst open. Sitting up and wearily rubbing his head, Dobby staggered his way out of the room after everyone that was previously outside of the door entered. A few small thumps and squeals of pain could be heard as he fell down the last few steps.

In hurried Professor Severus Snape, eyes livid as he approached the Headmaster's desk and pallid face flushed. In one hand he held tight to Hermione Granger's robe sleeve; in the other he held steadfast onto Ronald Weasley's. Harry Potter followed behind the three, eyes trained to the floor and he tried to make himself blend in with the surrounding walls as much as possible.

"Well, Severus, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?" Professor Dumbledore asked, looking at each person in turn with an unmistakable look of curiosity.

"Dumbledore," Snape simply said, shoving Ron and Hermione into chairs. "I've got a complaint. Come over here, Potter."

"A complaint? Against Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked, face turning into a puzzled expression, though Snape could dare to say he saw mockery lying not too far below the surface.

"No, Headmaster... Potter needs to be happy," Snape took the time to shudder and look as if he wanted to do nothing more than vomit, "and he is not happy. He asked Granger to the Gala Ball, but was declined the 'privilege' when Granger announced that she was going with Weasley. As the official overseer of Potter's Occlumency lessons, it is imperative that he be pleased at all times. This, Headmaster, is unacceptable and seen as a sabotage on Potter's lessons, and very well his life. Come here, Weasley."

Ron made a motion to stand, but before he could do it of his own accord he was being pulled up by the shoulder of his robes.

"Weasley here is standing in the way of Potter's happiness. Normally, I would not intervene, but seeing as the whole Wizarding world is at stake if Potter doesn't keep his cheer level up, I have no choice but to get drawn in."

Dumbledore nodded, still staring at Snape as he made his speech. Minerva, however, was chewing the inside of her cheek and watching Hermione fidget in her seat.

Snape, noticing none of the other's behavior, continued on his tirade. "And seeing as Granger is also in the way of Potter's happiness, I think the solution is simple: force her to go to the Gala events with Potter, or revoke her title of Prefect and any chance at becoming Head Girl."

"WHAT?!" Hermione said, standing up so fast that she accidentally knocked Ron over. "You can't do that!"

"Well, seeing as I'm a teacher and you need good recommendations from all your Professors to get the position of Head Girl, Ms. Granger, I most certainly can," Snape answered with his trademark sneer.

"Going to the Gala with Harry wouldn't be such a bad decision, would it, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked, his kind eyes looking at the flustered young woman standing before him.

"Neither would going with Ron," Hermione answered, still glaring at Snape for his threat.

"True, true. But in the current situation, Harry's own contentment outweighs that of yours and Mr. Weasley's, I'm sorry to say."

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said, rubbing her hand across her forehead. "Please, just tell me-- what's the worst punishment I can receive if I refuse to go with Harry to the Gala?"

Dumbledore carefully surveyed the girl, then looked at Ron, who was currently busy in a duel of 'bludger, goal hoop, broomstick' with Harry. "You'll be denied any chance at becoming Head Girl."

Hermione, unable to bear this, collapsed into her chair. Harry stopped his competition with Ron and rushed to her side, kneeling down and taking her hand. "Hermione, just go with me. And Ron, give up. You're not going to win this one."

Ron grabbed the neck of Harry's robes and pulled him away, tossing Harry down to the side as one would do with the garbage. Ron's face was turning shades of deep red as his voice shook. "You have Snape's love, Harry; me have Hermione's. Why don't you take Snape to the ball?"

Harry leapt forward, tackling Ron and managing to punch him in the conker. Both of the boys thrashed about on the floor for a few moments before Snape and Minerva managed to pull them off of each other. Albus simply watched with what could only be described as immense delight as Hermione still overcame the shock of being denied the title she had come so close to receiving.

"Mr. Weasley!" Snape shouted, pulling out his wand and pointing it threateningly at Ron. "It's true, I'd prefer to just let you all deal with this yourselves, but you will never again insist that Potter and I go to any such event together, and you will give Hermione to Potter for the night!"

Ron tilted his chin up and averted Snape's eyes. Instead, he looked directly at Professor Dumbledore's face. "Headmaster, I'm in love with Hermione. I'm just as adept as Harry at everything, and we are equal in almost everything we own and do. But my love is far stronger than his... please sir, just let me take my love to the ball." He looked down upon Hermione, who was gazing up at him with wide eyes. Never before had Ron said that he loved her, and now he was proclaiming it to everyone in the room....

She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks immediately. True, she had been on the verge of announcing her love for him many times, but she never did, fearing that he still didn't feel that strongly about her. How wrong she was.

Albus now had his fingers together, tapping his two index fingers to his mouth in a repetitive manner and keeping time. Everyone in the room had their eyes on him, waiting for his answer.

"Severus and Harry please go to Professor McGonagall's office; I have some things I wish to discuss with the both of you. Minerva, I'd like for you to come along as well."

With that, Albus rose from his chair and made his way to the door. Holding it open as Minerva, Snape and Harry all passed through, he gave one last glance at Ron and Hermione before leaving. Ron could have sworn he saw a wink before the door shut.

Once sure that the group had reached the bottom of the stairs, Hermione stood from her chair and raced to Ron's outstretched arms. Holding her close, Ron gently kissed the top of her head and slowly, slowly rocked her as she silently cried.

"What are we going to do, Ron?"

"Honestly 'Mione, I don't know," he answered, placing another kiss on her head. From his vantage point he could see out of one of the office windows. The scene that stretched beyond the panes of glass were that of the Hogwarts Lake, followed by the Forbidden Forest...

"That's it... Hermione, hear me out. Tonight we can run away into the Forbidden Forest and stay there until the Gala is over," Ron said, pulling away from Hermione so he could look her in the face.

Wiping at her eyes, Hermione started to speak. "But that won't fix anything. They'll still take my chance of becoming Head Girl away--"

"Only if you go to the ball with me. You won't be going with me... actually, you wouldn't be going at all. You can push that in their faces if they try to blame anything on you." Ron had a victorious look on his face, as though he had just been the one to figure out that E=mc². "I can meet you by Hagrid's hut and bring enough supplies for a few days, and we can just hide out."

Hermione, pulling Ron close again and burying her face in the crook of his neck, smiled. Despite the fact that the Forbidden Forest could be one of the most dangerous places around the Hogwarts grounds, it could also have been the safest if one looked at it from the right viewpoint. And for once, she was seeing it from the other end of the spectrum.

"Don't worry, I'll be there."

~*~

Ginny Weasley threw yet another rock at the bushes she was standing near, this time managing to make the stone pass right through the hedge with the power of her pitch. Normally she would be doing something constructive with her time, like breaking into the broom shed and having a go on Malfoy's Nimbus 2001, but today she needed another activity to vent her anger. And if throwing rocks at a bunch of shrubbery was going to help her vent, then so be it.

"This is completely unfair," Ginny said, looking around on the ground for bigger pebbles to throw. "I've tried so hard--for so long--and he still fancies her." Finding the perfect rock, she picked it up and tossed it into the air, catching it and preparing to propel it as hard as possible at one untouched bush.

"Flipping cow!" she screamed, hurling it with all her might.

"Ow!"

Ginny froze, staring at the bush--or rather, whoever might be behind it. "Whose there?" she asked, still standing motionless.

Rona stumbled out of the hedge, holding Hermione's hand and rubbing a sore spot on his right side.

"Geez Ginny, you should try out for Beater when we have Quidditch trials next year," he said, smiling down at his younger sister.

Ginny, however, frowned up at him and disregarded the compliment. "Yeah, sure, whatever."

"Hi Ginny," Hermione said, beaming up at the younger girl. Even though Ginny was a year younger than Hermione and had a short build, she was still taller than the brunette. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Ginny replied, her voice monotonous but heavy. "I'm venting my frustrations on the shrubbery." She walked away to the nearest stone bench, oblivious to the looks Ron and Hermione were giving each other.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, letting go of Ron's hand and following her friend to the bench. "You've been out of it for days."

"You're what's wrong!" Ginny said. But she immediately closed her mouth and folded her arms over her chest.

"What... me?" Hermione said, confusion clearly showing. "How did you come about to that conclusion?"

"You and Harry," Ginny said, reluctantly looking at Hermione. "He loves the way you look, the way you talk, the way you act... My God, Hermione, the boy loves you! And you're not even trying! I've been trying for ages now and what do I get? Nothing! The worst of it is that you completely deny his love when he offers it so freely. I haven't really figured out if that's a good or bad thing quite yet."

Ginny crossed her legs and sighed, feeling tears working up behind her eyes. Hermione just sat, legs crossed at the ankles and hands folded in her lap. She bit her lip, looking over to where Ron was standing and watching the two girls. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Ginny," Hermione said, wrapping one arm around the shoulder of her friend. "What if I told you I was going to go away for awhile? Long enough for Harry to forget about me; trust me, it's not love you're seeing in his eyes."

"What?" Ginny said, dabbing at her eyes a bit. "What are you going on about?"

"Ginny, I'll tell you this only because we're so close, but you can't tell anyone else," Hermione said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Tonight, Ron and I are going to sneak of into the Forbidden Forest together."

Ginny blinked and stared at Hermione as though she had just grown a pair of wings. "You're mad," she said. "You're bloody mad."

Ron was jogging over to join them now, and he knelt by Hermione's knee. "'Mione, what did you tell her?" he asked with suspicion.

"That we're running away on a campout for a few days."

"What? Hermione, honestly!"

"Ron, Ginny won't tell a soul, will you Gin?"

Ginny just shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips now.

"See?" Hermione said, standing. "She can be trusted, Ron. I have to go now... got to get ready."

Ginny stood and hugged Hermione, the small smile still upon her face. Hermione turned to Ron and gently kissed him, feeling reassurance from his embrace. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Keep your word, Ron. We can't be seen with each other for the rest of the day. Remember, Hagrid's hut at midnight. Bye Ginny."

Hermione broke away from Ron, walking at a steady pace back to the castle. Ron and Ginny watched her leave, Ron's gaze that of star struck love and Ginny's that of deep thought. For a few moments there was silence until Ron was brought out of his trance and put his hands in his pockets.

"So, Ginny..."

"So, Ron."

"I hope everything works out for you, Gin. Between you and Harry, I mean," he said, looking his baby sister in the eye. "I really do." Kissing her on the cheek and giving her one last hug, Ron followed in Hermione's tracks but broke off on a different path to a castle entrance.

Ginny now stood alone by the bench. The stone that had remained in her hand the entire time dropped to the ground with a dull thud, her smile now beaming up to the castle and a maniacal glint in her eye.

"How can some people be so much happier than others?" she mused, taking a seat on the bench once more. "I'll tell Harry about their little plan. He'll follow them into the woods and I'll prove that his beloved Hermione is no more than a little cheat. Yes... he'll have no choice but to choose me!" With that Ginny shot up from her bench and made headway to the castle, not giving a second thought to the matter.

After all, she had to get ready to go into the Forbidden Forest.