"Are you alright Ron?" Ron Weasley was sitting in Potions glaring at Hermione and her new boyfriend Tanner. Hermione was supposed to be his girlfriend, how could he have been beaten to her by a Ravenclaw? He and Hermione have bonded over the years, he even thought she felt something there as well. Now Ron is forced to watch the two be happy while he sits there miserable and loveless.

"Ron?" Harry nudged him.

"What?" He said looking away from the others. Harry followed Ron's gaze back to Hermione.

"What's that about?" He asked.

"Why him?" He asked, "Why did she pick him? So what if he's tall and has bright green eyes and is smart and is strong enough to fight three people at once. What does he have that I don't?" Ron asked bitterly.

"Well—" Harry began.

"Don't answer that." Ron added sharply and Harry turned away with a mischievous smile.

"Maybe they'll break up…"

Harry looked over at a smiling Hermione captivated by the guy standing next to her, "I don't think so Ron, sorry mate."

"It's possible."

"She's happy Ron, can't you just leave it alone?" Ron glared over at the two again. Hermione did look happy, it just sucks that she can't be that happy with Ron. And it didn't help that the two spent most of their time together, so it was being flaunted in front of him at all times.

Class was dismissed and Harry and Ron left but Harry stopped and waited outside the potions room door.

"What are you doing?" Asked Ron.

"Waiting for Hermione…" Harry responded. Ron groaned and halted in his tracks and soon enough the happy couple came trotting out of the room, hands intertwined.

"Hiya Harry! Ron!" Tanner said as they saw the two waiting for them, Harry responded back with a smile, Ron just simply grunted and the four walked on.

"We we're heading up to the library for our free period, would you two care to join us?" Asked Hermione.

Harry looked over at Ron whose face was turning the same color as his hair, "No, Ron's not feeling to well. I'm just going to take him up to the common room. You two go along without us."

"Maybe I should come with you guys, just to keep you company? Make sure Ron is properly taken care of?"

"No, no, really you go along I've got it, c'mon Ron let's get you up to the common room. Bye Hermione." Harry maneuvered Ron in the direction of the common room as Hermione stood their puzzled by Harry's reaction and Ron's lack of communication. Harry and Ron made it in to the common room.

"Thanks mate" Ron muttered as they made their way in front of the fireplace. There was a group of girls sitting at the corner table whispering as the two walked through the common room.

"I feel like I haven't seen any of those girls before, I don't recognize them." Ron whispered as they sat down. The two sat staring at the fire talking about Quidditch; Ron hoping it would get his mind off of Hermione. They could hear the girls in the corner laughing with each other and then a crumpled piece of paper hit Ron in the back of the head. One of the girls got up and walked towards them, she was short with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, she was very pretty and both Ron and Harry were surprised they had never seen her before.

"You're such an idiot," she said turning around to her friend, then she stopped in front of Ron, "I'm sorry my friend was trying to hit me but missed and hit you instead," she took the crumpled up piece of parchment from Ron, "good thing you don't play quidditch!" she shouted to her friend. The two boys noticed that this girl talked differently.

"Are you American?" Harry asked.

"Yes sir, moved here a few years ago."

"So you're new to Hogwarts then?"

"Not so new that I don't know who you are," she said chuckling, "But yes, last year was my first year here. I'm Melody Michaels." She extended her hand "Nice to finally meet you Harry, and I believe you're Ron, correct? You're a pretty decent Keeper, I watched you at tryouts the other day." Ron turned red and Harry hit him on the shoulder as if saying "see you are good at quidditch."

"Well sorry to bother you two, I'll see you around." Melody went back to her table of friends who were in awe that she had just spoken to Harry.

"She seemed nice." Said Harry.

"Yeah, I liked her."

Once their free period was over Harry and Ron made their way out of the common room towards their next class, and the group of girls followed shortly behind. They ran into a lonesome Hermione half way to their next class.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Said Ron a little more bitterly than he intended.

"He went off to his class," she retorted sourly, "you seem to have some followers again Harry." He turned to see the same group of girls from the common room walking past them.

"Oh those girls? No they were just in the common room with us."

"Who's that one with the brown hair?"

"The short one? That's Melody Michaels, she's American." Said Ron.

"Is she new?"

"Kind of, last year was her first year here." Ron stated.

"And you know all this, how?" Hermione asked.

"She introduced herself in the common room, she's very nice."

"How are you feeling Ron?" She questioned.

"Wha- oh yeah, I'm fine, better than before." He said playing to the story Harry made up to get away from Hermione and Tanner.

"Let's get going, I don't want to be late to Transfiguration" The three made their way down the corridor and to Transfiguration. It felt nice to finally just have the three of them walking to class together; It certainly made Ron happy.

They made it through all of their classes that day, then went to the great hall for dinner. The tables were filled with the most delicious food: fried chicken, perfectly tender roast beef, deliciously moist kidney stew, and many more. Then dessert came and Ron devoured himself in pudding.

"Honestly Ronald I don't understand how you can eat like that." Ron looked up at Hermione then his eye caught on Melody, who was sitting just a few people down, laughing with her friends. He turned back to the others, "I'm hungry." He said as he shrugged his shoulders. The dinner ended and everyone made their ways up to their common rooms. Hermione broke off from the group to go say goodnight to Tanner. Ron rolled his eyes once she did and continued to walk to the common room. Once inside he made his way up to his room, and went to bed in hopes he could sleep off these feelings for Hermione.