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Draco POV

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Everyone I asked for, and even a few others, showed up in the Room of Requirement at around nine. Pansy had gotten who I'd asked for, and Potter had gotten his friends-Dean, Seamus, Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, Lee, Neville, Alicia, Lavender, and the Patils all showed up.

"Alright, everybody," I said, getting up in front. "You're all here because you're friends of Hermione Granger in some way or another. And you are all aware that Miss Granger is dating a Mr. Ronald Weasley. It has come to my attention that Mr. Weasley has been acting in an abusive manner towards our dear friend Hermione."

"Since when are you friends with 'Mione?" Seamus Finnegan shouted.

"Long enough," Draco said, all but ignoring the boy. "Anyways, after much deliberation and an intervention with the boy, we have decided we must take action. Ronald Weasley must be stopped."

"How do we know you're telling the truth and you don't just want revenge on Ron for something?" George Weasley said, eyes narrowed. "Ron would never do something like that!"

"Ask Harry!" Draco said. "He's seen it."

"It's the truth," Harry said, nodding gravely. "He all but admitted it when he told me he'd stop. But, apparently, he hasn't."

There were sounds of outrage from everyone in the room. Draco was struggling to get everyone calm enough so that he could explain his plan.

"SHUT UP!"

He blinked and glanced at Daphne, who was bent over and in tears. Pansy was patting her back.

"Sorry!" Pansy called. "She's had a little too much to drink."

"You're all..." Daphne panted. "Such good people..."

Draco smirked, but shook his head and turned back to everyone.

"Thank you," Draco said. "Now, I think there's only one way to really make him stop."

"Cruciatus curse?" Seamus suggested vehemently.

"Cut his hands off?" Dean threw out.

"Rip out his right eye with a spoon and force himself to watch himself eat it with his left eye?" Marcus growled.

Draco pulled back a little, eyes wide. "You guys are all so violent..." he shook his head again. "Anyways, no. We need to get him mad enough that..."

And I explained my plan. Everyone decided that it was the best way to go.

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Hermione POV

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He was doing it again. Rubbing my shoulders right over the area of skin covered in a violent bruise. It was painful. I could hardly suppress my wincing, which I needed to do, considering the odd amount of people currently watching me intensely. I hoped they weren't watching me for the reason I was fearing above all else-that Pansy had become worried last night and spilled to everyone what was going on. Wouldn't Dumbledore have gotten involved by now?

I had strange new thoughts forming in my mind all of a sudden, ever since yesterday. Every time he ran his fingers roughly over my shoulder came a new thought. A new thought about what Pansy had said, about me deserving this. Why did I deserve it again? I couldn't remember. I also couldn't remember when I'd decided that I deserved it. I thought about this and realised that I didn't deserve it. I hadn't done anything wrong; why did Ron do this to me? It made me angry, and the anger began to grow. But with that also grew the fear of what might happen if I shoved his arm off, like I was planning on doing in just a couple of seconds...

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Draco POV

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I gave the signal when I saw Hermione wince. She'd been making odd faces since she'd sat down, but as soon as I saw that pain flash across her face, I aimed my wand under the table. I knew Harry felt the sign both by the sudden chill that went through his body as I suddenly made him feel a freezing sensation on his back, and because he did just as he was supposed to. He jumped to his feet and flipped over his plate. He had made sure no one was siting in front of him, of course, but the people around him who were not in on the plan looked at Harry as if he'd finally cracked.

"That's it!" Harry shouted, adding to the confusion of everyone around him-no one had been talking to him, and neither had he been talking to anyone.

"You alright, mate?" I heard Ron say.

"No, I am not alright!" Harry barked. "I've got a problem with what you're doing, ginger!"

"Ginger?" Ron blinked. "What are you on about, Harry? Sit down; you're making a fool of yourself!"

But Harry had moved out behind the bench and got into the aisle. "No! I want to end this!"

Ron's eyes narrowed as it dawned on him just what Harry was talking about. He stood up as well, his arm leaving Hermione. This was a sign for everybody else. As Neville sneakily stole Ron's wand from his pocket, Dean and Seamus were trying to sneak Hermione to the other side of the table, so she wouldn't get hurt by what was coming. I nodded to Marcus and Adrian, who were currently hidden beneath the table. The crawled clumsily towards Ron and Harry, needing to remain unseen.

All the while, the random fight between Harry and Ron continued.

"Shut your mouth, Harry, if you know what's good for you," Ron said, scarily serious.

"No!" Harry yelled. "I need to get this out! You can't do this anymore!"

The teachers hadn't stepped in yet, just as I'd hoped. I knew it wouldn't be long before they got up to separate everyone, though.

The girls were casting charms on Ron to make him angrier than he normally would have been here. It was all internal, and he probably wouldn't act on it, but it would mess up his mind enough so that we could continue with our plan. Which all revolved around Hermione's feelings at this point.

"Couldn't we take this outside?" Ron said through gritted teeth.

"No, mate," Harry replied. "Right here, right now."

That was it. Marcus and Adrian stood up and grabbed Ron's arms, pulling him back. They held him tight as he struggled.

I glanced at Hermione. She was currently horrified, being restrained by Dean and Seamus, but she wasn't fighting. From what I could see of her mouth, she was demanding to know what was going on.

Blaise, Theo, Daphne, Pansy and I stood and approached the crazy group. I vaguely heard my friends throwing in their arguments in with Harry's. Everyone was yelling at Ron now.

"This is it, Ron," Draco said. "Do you confess? Will you stop?"

"Screw you, Malfoy!" Ron exclaimed, trying to rip from Marcus's and Adrian's arms. "Hermione, are you going to let them do this? Tell them to stop! Let's get out of here!"

"No, Hermione, don't!" Pansy exclaimed worriedly. "This has to be done!"

I saw McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbledore had gotten up from their seats and were rapidly approaching our group. It was now or never. Everyone began yelling different encouragements at Hermione.

And then, she snapped.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" She cried, ripping herself from Dean and Seamus and throwing down her arms. This paused the teachers in their tracks.

Tears flowed from Hermione's eyes, and it made me kind of upset to see. I wanted to comfort her, but she needed to do this, I knew.

"Hermione..." Ron said, not menacingly, but sort of sadly.

She shook her head and let out a small sob. "No, Ron. I'm done. We're done. I don't ever want to see you again. I'm starting my life over from here, and you're not in it."

"What is going on here?"

It was inevitable. I knew it from the very start that I would be receiving some sort of punishment. But once I had explained my reasons and Hermione had received the chance to finally expose Ron once and for all, I figured a few weeks of detention would be hacked off.

Besides, I thought as I headed towards Dumbledore's office. It was worth it.

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Only one chapter left, guys! ^^