---Told you. No more disclaimers. I don't own it. Don't sue me. Wait, that was a disclaimer...damnit!---

Chapter 7: Broken Dreams and Brilliant Backlash

Ron sat in complete silence as he rode the train to Hogwarts. Though he wasn't alone. Being pulled into the compartment by his hair, he had no choice but to comply. They'd all been informed of his "moods" judging by the way the others looked at him as he sat down. He was flanked by Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom. Ron was sitting across from Seamus Finnegan, with Ginny on his left and Luna Lovegood on his right. Of these, Luna was the only one that wasn't looking at Ron in a wary manner. As a matter of fact, she seemed to be looking right through him. And she would be first to break the uncomfortable silence in the compartment.

"Hello, Ronald. How was your summer?" she spoke dreamily.

"Interesting at least. How was your summer? Are you and your father still searching for that Crumple Horn Snorkack? Or have you two moved onto bigger game?" Ron said, almost cheerily.

"We actually chanced upon a small gathering of Snorkacks just a few weeks ago. We managed to snap a few photos before they got wind of us and scampered off. When we turned a few copies over to the Department of Magical Creatures in the Ministry, they offered my dad salary as lead investigator of Magical Sightings. On top of that, he still gets to publish the things he finds into the Quibbler. Our next search is for the Raven." she stated with an air of pride.

"But ravens are common around these parts." Ron said, confusion playing in his voice.

"Not a raven Ronald, the Raven. The Raven, Nevermore. It's been spotted recently at a few muggle funerals. My dad and I hope to record a conversation with it." she beamed at Ron.

"I guess your summer automatically topped mine." he said, with a pasted on smile.

"That's probably an understatement." Luna mumbled under her breath. Then she fished inside her bag, withdrawing a book on mythical creatures and began reading.

Ron stared off outside the window. His mind wandered, calling up everything he knew he had to be ready for, should something happened. His mind touched upon the events of the summer. Including the events from just a few days ago. His conversation with Ginny. She'd been hanging near his door for nearly half an hour before Ron had pulled her into his room. She had used that voice again. That gentle voice that Ron couldn't help but be nearly comforted yet frightened by. She'd grown fearful of him pining over Hermione. She knew he was wasting his time and she wanted him to find someone who really loved him. She handed him the letter about Hermione finding a boyfriend from Beauxbaton. At first he didn't believe it, he looked at Ginny waiting for the punchline. It never came.

The seconds in which the truth sank in were sadest moments in his life. He felt numb and shrugged his shoulders as he handed Ginny the letter back. When he regained his thoughts, he found that Dean and Seamus were cuddling, Neville and Ginny were leaning into each other, and that he was sitting next to Luna.

"When did everybody else pair up?" he whispered to Luna as she flipped through the latest Quibbler.

"Ten minutes or so ago. You looked like you were gone long before we started moving." she said, a little more concretely than he thought she could speak. Ron found himself looking out the window again. The weather had turned for the worst. It seemed like a coming sign of things to come. He began to worry.

"D'you mind if I borrow your shoulder?" Luna whispered and Ron shook his head, not really hearing what she said until she wrapped her arms around his and snuggled deeply into his warm sweater.

She was asleep in no time and the train continued to rock steadily, lulling the passengers into a content slumber. Ron's thoughts were fleeing as the train rounded the next bend in the track. The sudden lurch of the train as well as the warmth coming from the blonde at his arm, made him sleepy immediately. Before he could resist, his eyelids clamped shut and he slowly collapsed against the window of the compartment. The booth hummed with the sounds of sleep and the train groaned onward to Hogwarts.

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He had been nursing his hunger from the moment he had stepped onto the train. He was in too much of a hurry to eat a decent breakfast that morning and he needed to eat something soon. Students were starting to look appetizing. But he knew that this was just an exaggeration of his fully developed obsession with stuffing his face. He was nearly as miserable waiting for the Sorting to end as he was when Ginny informed him of Hermione's lack of interest, almost. But soon, the first years were seated and the feast had begun.

He had piled nearly every piece of type of food in sight high upon his plate, magicking the stack not to topple over. Luckily, he sat at the very end of the table, somewhat hiding in the mound of food in front of him. He couldn't see the looks he warranted as he devoured his dinner hastily, finishing wish a grand sigh. He stood to leave. He'd rather wait next to the portrait at the Gryffindor common room than stay. He didn't expect what would happen next.

"Hey, Weasel. I heard your father finally came up with enough money to buy you a decent robe. Or maybe you've found yourself a new job as a house-elf." Draco shouted from across the dining hall. The Slytherins roared with laughter.

Ron's insides were screaming for him to snap back. He felt the hatred and sudden anger bubble up, but just as quickly it subsided. The only thing he could feel afterwards was the the band on his arm vibrate gently then still. He looked at Draco in a pitying sort of grimace, and shook his head as if Draco had lost it, then smiled. With that, he left the room, and the hall seemed to come alive again. Everyone had held their breath as they watched the interaction between Draco and Ronald. The Gryffindors were disappointed with Ron's restraint, wanting him to pummel the Slytherin without remorse. Sooner or later though, they knew Ron wouldn't disappoint them again or so they reaffirmed each other while glaring at the Slytherin table.

It was quite a while before the others came clamoring to the Fat Lady's portrait. Ron was shaken awake with a start only to find himself staring into the eyes of his best friend, Harry. At first, Ron didn't recognize him. Harry's hair had grown tremendously, falling past his shoulders, while still maintaining it's familiar unruliness. He was taller as well, only a few inches shorter than Ron. His glasses were gone and he seemed to finally fill out his school robes. Nearly everything had changed about him, except the blazing emerald eyes that held Ron breathless. And the scar that confirmed the identity of the drop dead gorgeous young man pulling Ron to his feet.

"Harry?" Ron asked, the awe playing in his voice.

"You look like you just saw a ghost. Are you alright?" Harry responded, smirking.

"Ron, if you don't stop drooling over him like that, I'm going to start wondering which side of the pitch you play on," Ginny shot out at him teasingly, causing Ron's face to match the hue of his hair.

"Then again, given the chance, I'd jump your bones in an instant. You're going to be drawing more stares Harry than Snape in a grass skirt this year," Ginny joked.

Ron and Harry let the image of Snape in a grass skirt play in their minds before bursting simultaneously into laughter. Ron's laughter was cut short however. The scent that had been plaguing his senses seemed to waft in out of nowhere. Then just as quickly as it came, Hermione rounded the corner followed by a couple dozen first years. His face washed over will a look of cheerful indifference and he then turned back to Ginny.

"And what's this about you and jumping bones? He may be my best mate and I may have promised to stay out of your business, but the day that happens, with anyone, they'll be needing Skelegro to replace every bone in their body," he growled, then shot a glare in mock hostility at Harry.

Ginny chuckled but still cast a wary look at Ron when she realized that Hermione was heading towards them. Harry merely rolled his eyes as he said the password to the Fat Lady.

"Celestial Soprano"

"You'll have to beat the girls away with a broom, this year Harry," the Fat Lady blushed before swinging open to reveal the common room.

They sank onto the couches near the fireplace and watched as Hermione led the first year girls up to the their dorms. The newly appointed prefect, Neville Longbottom, led the first year boys. Ron turned to the fire. It danced seductively and Ron found himself lost in the blazen yellows and reds before long. He'd have to give it up. His whole crush on Hermione. He'd have to end his infatuation this night, lest he end up hurting no one but himself. It'd only result in Hermione finding out his secret anyway. Then everyone would find out his secret. That wouldn't do. It was settled. He'd force himself to fall out of love with Hermione. Though how he was going to do that was the difficult part of the matter. It seemed as if fate, however, already had a way in mind.

Hermione came down the stairs and shook her hair with a rough sigh. She'd taken of her robes before coming down and wore a white blouse with ruffled sleeves and a brown skirt. She smiled at the group and hurried over seating herself next to Ginny...in Harry's lap. They both shared a passionate kiss, bordering on snogging, then chuckled as they watch the expressions of the Weasleys'. Ginny all but yelped at the discovery. Ron sat gaping, his jaw scraping the floor in shock. Then when the trauma wore off, Ginny beamed at the couple. Ron sat silent, feeling the anger bubble up again as it did in the Great Hall. Yet as before, it faded. Ron sighed, feeling the band on his arm reverberate then heat slightly before becoming still again. He put on what he hoped was a mock grimace at his friends' display of affection. They seemed to buy it.

"Eww, don't tell me you two are together." Ron said in seemingly mock disgust.

"When did this happen?" Ginny said gleefully, yet all trying to keep an eye on her brother.

"This summer. I didn't know how much I missed her until she had come the a few days before today. It was weird but I ended up professing my love for her. Kinda pathetic the way it came out too." Harry grinned.

"Tell me about it. One night, he starts this argument which I don't even know what it was about and in the end he says, 'I love you.' I nearly fainted when he said it. Although, we got to sleep a lot later than that." she said, purring into Harry's ear.

Ginny's jaw hit the floor. "You didn't!" she exclaimed.

Hermione laughed, "Yeah, we didn't twice that night."

Harry grew bright red and Ginny nearly screamed when she saw him nod in agreement. Ron was floored, reeling ever since Hermione sat on Harry's lap, but he managed to let out an incredulous laugh. Shaking his head, he sighed then returned to the fire. Looks like he didn't need to get over his crush anymore, his heart was smashed.

Under his breath he muttered, "Well, fancy that. Maybe I should've slugged Malfoy."