The door of the boy's dormitory was open, which was odd because it was jinxed to close whenever a boy leaves the room for housekeeping reasoning. Unless someone was still inside, Harry took his wand out of his cloak as a precaution; using his free hand he slowly pushed the door open. He took small steps inside, after his third step he heard a crunch by his foot. Looking down he saw a trail of candy wrappers that led to his bed?
There lying passed out on his bed was his best friend Ron Weasley, he hadn't seen him since he went up early to take a nap. Well he obviously took his nap but he was holding something, a heart shaped box that appeared hollow. Looking back at the trail of candy wrappers it made sense to Harry that Ron got a little hungry and took too much of a midnight snack. Harry gave his friend a gentle shove stirring him awake, "Hey Ron wake up buddy, you have your own bed remember mate?" Ron groggily slid off the bed and walked towards his bed slowly. Harry cleaned up his bed, dusting off his pillow and sheets clean before getting ready to get in himself.
Oddly enough Ron had stopped walking, well he stopped completely staring blankly at his bed "Ron? You okay mate?" his best friend turned around with a loopy smile on his face "I'm sooooo great Harry." His voice sounded so dazed but Harry concluded that he must be just sleepy from the long day "That's good Ron." Undoing his tie, Harry was so ready to get a good night's rest that was until Ron jumped back onto his bed. "Harry I'm in love with her…" Lavender perhaps, the only girl that would make sense for Ron to be loony about "That's great Ron, why don't you tell Lavender tomorrow yeah?" Ron then did something rather childish he threw the heart shaped box at Harry. "I'm in love with Romilda Vane!" the name echoed in Harry's head trying to figure out who this girl was, that was when he remembered the library.
"Are you taking me to Romilda, Harry?" man Ron was heavier than he looked "Yeah Ron." Was all he could muster in between taking breaths to keep Ron and him stable down the Grand staircase and into the hallway. When they reached the door at the end of the hallway Harry laid Ron against the wall, he knocked on the door three times. Professor Slughorn opened the door surprised to see him "Hello sir, sorry I wouldn't have come if it wasn't urgent." Slughorn gave him a small nod showing his understanding "Is that Romilda?" Ron said dazily beside him.
Harry and Slughorn rummaged through potion ingredients to mix a cure for Ron. "I'm surprised you didn't create an antidote by yourself Harry my boy, you've been brilliant these past few days." Hearing that made Harry feel guilty because it was all a lie, it was all the half blood prince book but he couldn't tell Slughorn that not that late in the term "Thanks Professor but I thought this particular circumstance would need an expert's hand." The professor laughed "Alright Harry my boy, you have any idea what we're dealing with here?" Ron fell like a plank down to the rug next to the fireplace "A powerful love potion." Ron laughed hysterically at himself on the rug for falling onto it.
"It's okay my boy, I'll keep Wallaby here for the night you go off to bed now." Harry thanked the professor and headed up the hallway. Only to run into the most unliked person in the entire school Draco Malfoy and his loyal snakes. "Oi! Look who it is, Potty Potter going out for a mid-night stroll?" he dared not to talk to him, it was best to avoid him but there was something he couldn't avoid "In a hurry to meet up with your mud blood whore up at the tower?" Hearing those words made Harry's blood boil, he stopped himself "What did you say Malfoy?" he and his snakes laughed at him "I didn't know you were deaf too I said your mud blood whore!" before he could finish Harry's fist collided with his cheek causing him to fall into the arms of his snakes. And of course he was quick to say "My father will hear about this!" Harry just smiled "The only thing your father will hear about is how badly you got your ass whooped, you and your cronies you Slytherin coward!" And with that started a long fist fight, Harry wasn't scared he was used to fighting cowards like Draco except well they were bigger.
The Gryffindor common room was empty except for Hermione, who had just returned from the library minutes before and was checking on her homework. When Harry entered the room she quickly took hold of him, he was bruised and had blood on him. She set him down onto the couch, running to her bag to get her first aid kit that she had prepared for moments like these. "Don't worry Mione, this isn't my blood." He grimaced trying to laugh; she shook her head at his idiocy "Harry? What happened?" he looked her straight in the eyes and frowned a bit "Malfoy called you a name and well he deserved it." Taking a wrap dipped in healing potion she dabbed it his knuckles, the moment it touched him he grimaced "Who knew punching Malfoy was a Hermione only thing." She couldn't help but smile, "Thanks Harry, I mean it… you know for standing up for me." Harry smiled back at her "No problem Hermione, anytime… besides that whole I'll tell my father thing is getting old, he needs new material." The two of them laughed while Hermione cleaned up his wounds, she did ask about Ron but after hearing about Romilda Vane she wasn't surprised at all. Just before heading up her dormitory she watched Harry go up by himself to make sure he was okay, "Boys." she whispered to herself before closing the door.