Ron and Lavender climbed out of the portrait hole. Ron felt a stab of guilt as he remembered his feelings for Hermione, but quickly shook it away as he recalled what she said in the changing room after the Quiddich match. He led giggling Lavender to the first unlocked classroom, but two people were already there. Harry and a tear streaked Hermione looked up. Ron felt his heart sink to his feet. He was instantly hurt. Ron liked Hermione a lot, and he couldn't afford to lose her to Harry, even though Harry was his best mate. Lavender laughed. "Whoops!" she said, and, still giggling, she backed out of the room. Ron stood there, looking very uneasy. With a mixture of bravado and awkwardness, he said, "Hello, Harry, I, um, wondered where you got to." Ron watched a single tear slide down Hermione's cheek.
"You shouldn't keep Lavender waiting. She'll have wondered where you've gone." Hermione said quietly. As Ron turned away to leave, an angry voice choked, "Repugno!" Some twittering birds he had just noticed dived on Ron like feathery bombs. Beaks and claws scraped and pecked his exposed skin as he ran from the room, confused and hurt.
