Ron thought of nothing but Hermione all through Potions. He heard the bell ring, signaling the end of the lesson, and rushed out of the dungeons and head straight for the hospital wing. When Ron reached the hospital wing Hermione was sitting on one of the beds while Madam Pomfrey had her wand pointed at Hermione's mouth.
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed letting his bag fall from his shoulder. To Ron's relief her teeth were much smaller than when he had seen her last, though they were still down to her chin. When Hermione saw Ron she hurried to cover her mouth with her hands.
"Not now, Mr. Weasley," Madam Pomfrey said forcing Hermione to put her hands down. Ron, however, didn't listen, walking over to get a better look at Hermione.
"Is she going to be alright?" He asked Madam Pomfrey.
"Of course she is," said Madam Pomfrey. "Just a matter of shrinking her teeth back to normal." But she didn't look alright, thought Ron. Hermione was looking up at him with a mixture of fear and embarrassment evident on her face. "Best be getting to dinner now, dear," Madam Pomfrey said to Ron.
"Nah, I think I'll jus-"
"Nonsense," Madam Pomfrey cut in. "Miss Granger will be back to normal in no time, you can see her then."
"But-"
"Goodbye, Mr. Weasley."
Ron gave Hermione an apologetic look and shuffled out of the hospital wing. Ron felt a rising hatred for Malfoy as he made his way to the Great Hall. What was he playing at, throwing a curse like that at Harry. Harry. Malfoy was only partly to blame, thought Ron. It was Harry Hermione was spending all her time with lately. It was Harry who pulled his wand out first. There was a small part of him that thought it wasn't really Harry's fault; he hadn't meant for Hermione to get hurt and he had been just as angry as Ron down in the dungeons. But Ron refused to listen that part, besides where was Harry now? He wasn't checking on Hermione, no, he was getting photos taken of him while Hermione was in the hospital wing. Ron entered the great Hall and took a seat across from Dean and Seamus. Seamus was teasing Dean about some Beauxbatons girl he seemed to fancy, but Ron didn't join in the conversation. He ate his dinner in silence and headed up to Gryffindor Tower trying to decide who he hated more: Malfoy or Harry.
"Balderdash," he said to the Fat Lady. Ron entered the Common Room and took a quick inventory. He had been hoping to find Hermione, but she was nowhere in sight. Not wanting to speak to anyone else he headed up to the boy's dormitory. The moment he reached his bed a school owl swooped in and landed on Harry's pillow. "Must be fan mail," Ron muttered harshly. Deciding there was nothing better to do Ron pulled out his homework, but after an hour of trying to stay focused on the task at hand he gave up and started for the Common Room. Just as he was about to leave Harry walked in. "You've had an owl," he said pointing to Harry's pillow.
"Oh - right," said Harry.
"And we've got to do our detentions tomorrow night, Snape's dungeon," said Ron. He then proceeded to the Common Room. Hermione had just entered through the portrait hole. "Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.
"Oh, hello," she said returning his smile.
"How are you feeling," Ron asked her.
"Much better, thanks." She looked different Ron thought. Maybe it was because he half expected to see her have the beaver teeth Malfoy had given her, but he didn't think that was it.
"Are you hungry?" Ron asked. "Have you eaten? They'll have stopped serving dinner by now, but I'm sure -"
"I'm fine," Hermione assured him. "Madam Pomfrey had some food for me." They sat in front of the fire for bit after that. Hermione was going on about house-elf enslavement and S.P.E.W., but Ron was still trying to put his finger on the change in Hermione's appearance. He examined her closely under the pretense of actually caring about S.P.E.W. She had the same bushy brown hair that always smelt rather pleasant. The same big brown eyes that had the same spark they always did when she spoke of something she was passionate about. He quite liked that about her he realized. She had the same small nose with the same light freckles. Ron liked Hermione's freckles much better than his own. They were light and rather cute and unless you really looked, as Ron was doing, they were quite easy to miss. She had the same smooth, full lips she had always had. Ron had a sudden desire to press his own lips against hers, to feel their warmth, to find out what they taste like... Ron felt his face burn red when he realized the direction in which his thoughts had taken.
"Ron, are you alright?" Hermione asked. She had a worried expression on her face.
"Er - Um - what?" Ron stuttered. "Oh, yeah, fine. I'm fine." Hermione gave him a look that questioned his sanity, but said nothing more on the subject.
"So, anyway," Hermione said finally. "What happened after I left the dungeons? I heard you and Harry lay in to Snape, he couldn't have taken too kindly to that."
"Well, no," said Ron. "He took fifty points from Gryffindor and we have detention tomorrow night."
"Oh Ron, I'm sorry," Hermione said.
"Why?"
"Well you have detention because of me."
"S'not your fault, its Malfoy and Snape."
"Well, yes, but still…" Hermione looked down; her long eyelashes cast a shadow down her face. Remembering his strange thoughts from before, Ron's face burned red again. "Ron, are you sure you're alright?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, just tired is all," Ron said. "I think I'll head up to bed." Ron got to his feet and looked around the room. He didn't realize how late it had gotten to be, they were the only ones left in the Common Room. Hermione followed Ron to the stairs leading to the boy's dormitory.
"Ron," she said. "Thank you for standing up for me today; And for coming to see me in the Hospital Wing."
"Oh, um yeah, no – no problem," Ron said turning slightly pink. Hermione then turned and climbed the stairs heading to her own dormitory. Ron spent the rest of the night trying not to think of what his peculiar thoughts of Hermione's lips, earlier in the Common Room, might mean.