Disclaimer: You dicide what's mine and what's hers.
"Hermione?"
"Yes Ron?"
"Who are you writing that to?" She looked up at him in surprise. She had thought he had been so absorbed in the chess game he was playing with Harry, that she hadn't realized that she was being watched. She steeled herself up for a fight, that she had a feeling was about to commence.
"Who said I was writing to anyone?" Ron rolled his eyes.
"I'm not thick you know. You always have your essays done at least two days in advance and besides, we don't have any essays due tomorrow and you had Ancient Runes today. You could only be writing to someone." Everyone in proximity to have heard what Ron had said stared at him. Hermione momentarily marveled at his ability to actually deduct that. What was she supposed to say?
"Ron... I'm just writing to a friend." Ron got up and walked over to where she was writing. He tried to read what she was writing but she pulled the parchment away.
"It's no one Ron!" she snapped. Ron made a grab at the parchment. Ginny and Harry watched.
"Ron, leave her alone!" Ginny called as the two wrestled with the letter. Hermione pushed Ron away.
"RON!" She realized that he had the letter. She lunged at him but unfortunately his arms were too long and held her back easily.
"Who's Gallagan?" He asked. Hermione groaned.
"Ron! Give it here now!" She demanded.
"Not until you tell me who the hell Gallagan."
"He has better manners than you..." she muttered. Ron glared at her.
"Who the hell is he?" Ginny got excited.
"Oh! Oh! Is he one of those...owl pals!" Hermione nodded as she snatched the letter out of Ron's hands.
"What? Did you think it was Victor?" she hissed.
"Yes, I thought it was Vicky." he sneered back facing her completely and standing up to his full height, which was an impressive six feet two, towering over Hermione's small five foot three.
"Ron...you... you..."
"You what?"
"You insensitive, inconsiderate, insufferable, ill mannered, over protective, asshole!" Ron glared at her.
"Is that what you think I am?"
"YES!"
"Well, why don't you go tell that to your fucking friend? I'm sure he'd love to hear that!"
"Well at least he doesn't act like a complete jerk every time another guy enters my life. Harry doesn't act like this!" Harry looked up like a deer in the headlights. The last thing he wanted to be part of was a fight like this. Ron was towering over Hermione completely, making her look extremely. But Hermione made up for the height difference with her death stare and equal stubbornness.
"What the bloody hell does Harry have to do with this!"
"EVERYTHING! Hell! He, Gallagan and Victor are much better men than you'll EVER BE!" Suddenly everything went quiet. Ron stared at her. She instantly filled with dread as she watched several emotions run over his face. He shook his head and backed away from her and towards the exit.
"Screw you Hermione. Screw you..." With that he exited the common room and just like that, Hermione's walls came crashing down.
Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table, waiting for Harry and Ron to come in. She saw them come in. Harry sat down next to her while Ron sat opposite Harry.
"Ron-"
"Harry, do we have Quidditch tryouts today?" Ron interrupted. He didn't even look at her. That manner continued until post came. An owl swooped down and dropped a letter in her lap.
Dear Hermione,
I received you letter. I was so happy that you could respond so soon. I have been very lonely lately. My dad just passed and my mum is in the hospital. How are you? I wanted to send you a picture of my new place, but I couldn't get the picture in time. I hope everything is looking good at your end. I miss you.
Gallagan
She found herself smiling, but as she looked up she stopped. Ron was glaring at the letter in her hands. He then got up and left the table.
"Ron!" He kept on walking. Tears began to fill up her eyes as she got up and left the Great Hall.
For weeks Ron refused to talk to Hermione and it was beginning to take a toll on not just the two, but others around them. Ron's attitude was extremely irritable and he had a tendency to blow up at people at unexpected times. Hermione on the other hand was doing worse. She kept to herself, knowing that seeing Ron, in his irate moods would break her. She stopped eating in the Great Hall, sometimes hardly eating at all. The thing noticed by the teachers and the students was the fact that Hermione's grades and homework was failing. She was now not giving in quality work, wasn't paying attention in class, answering questions or turning in homework. She was growing thin and pale, and Ginny brought that to everyone's attention, including Ron's after they had won the Quidditch game.
"Hermione."
"What?"
"Are you ok?"
"Of course I'm ok."
"Well, you're extremely thin and you haven't eaten much since your fight with Ron." Ron looked up from talking with Dean and Seamus. Hermione got up.
"I'm fine." A small first year came up to her and handed her a letter.
Hermione,
Why haven't you owled me? I'm extremely lonely. I miss you soooo much. I would really like to see you.
Gallagan.
Hermione wrote a quick reply, and took the owl that was with the firstie. She was about to exit the room when something knocked on the window. She walked back to the window, a curious yet cautious look on her face. She opened the window, and took the letter strapped to the black screech owl.
Where are you Hermione?
