A:N i'm still getting used to the formatting, so I apologise if it is or has been a bit iffy...

Chapter 10: Avoidance

"Oy, Ron, get up!"

Ron mumbled into his pillow, his blankets twisted around his prone body. Daylight was peeking into the dorm room, watching with bright interest.

"Ron, mate. Ten minutes until breakfast!" Harry grabbed Ron's shoulder and shook him roughly.

There was silence.

Harry glanced at Neville, who was sitting on his own bed putting on his shoes, with disbelief.

"Breakfast." Harry said, "Breakfast, Ron!"

"Muffins, Ron." Neville added helpfully.

Ron groaned, his face muffled into his pillow.

"Do you think he might be ill?" Harry turned to Neville in concern. "He never misses breakfast by choice!'"

"Maybe he isn't quite recovered from running into the wall or whatever it was yesterday." Neville mused.

"Maybe." Harry agreed doubtfully.

Ron mumbled something.

"What?" Neville leaned forward, "we didn't catch that mate."

Ron lifted his head just enough so that air could pass between his face and the pillow, his eyes squinted shut. "I said, sod off."

Harry groaned and rolled his eyes in frustration. Neville stood, adjusting his robes, glancing at Harry in consternation.

"Don't be a bloody idiot, what happened, did Lavender dump you or something?" Harry said, exasperated.

Without speaking, and somehow without moving all that much, Ron simply chucked his pillow at his friend and covered his head with his blanket in one smooth movement. Harry ducked; the pillow hit a slightly stunned Neville with a gentle thud.

"Well," Neville said a bit frostily, after a moment, "We are going to breakfast, so, I guess do what you want to do Ron."

Ron didn't respond.

Harry waited for another moment. When it was evident that his friend wasn't going to move, he kicked Ron's discarded pillow in frustration before following Neville from the dorm.

Daylight flooded the room in one final effort to rouse the boy. Ron fumbled under the covers for a moment, his arm bursting from under the blanket. His fingers walked over the bedside table until they found what he was looking for.Ron flicked his wand at the curtains; they twitched guiltily and drew shut. Daylight, knowing it was beat, withdrew sulkily. Ron didn't want anyone to see the tears coursing down his freckled face, even if it meant missing breakfast. His stomach grumbled at him. Ron sniffed; he'd get something brought up by the house elves later.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked, in greeting when he and Neville stepped into the Common room.

"Oh she will be down soon, she said." Ginny answered with a smile, "Revising something I expect."

Pavarti nodded in agreement, to Ginny's statement.

Lavender craned her neck to see if Ron was behind the two boys.

"Where's Ron?" she asked.

"Oh," Harry made a face and looked at Neville, who smiled weakly. "He's not coming to breakfast, he isn't feeling well."

"Oh! Poor Won-Won!"

Neville made a face and glanced at Harry, "I would leave him be if I were you Lav, he isn't in the best mood. We will see him later anyway."

"Oh, okay." Lavender said, obviously a bit put out.

"We are going to be late for breakfast!" Ginny said impatiently, hovering around the portrait hole.

"Let's go then." Pavarti said nodding.

"Wait for me!" Hermione jogged down the stairs, her book bag bouncing on one hip.

"Thought you weren't coming?" Harry asked her curiously as the group of friends passed into the hallway.

"Oh no I just had to…revise a few things." Hermione responded with a smile that didn't quite touch her eyes. "I heard you say something about Ron?"

"He isn't coming down to breakfast, Hermione." Neville answered her.

"Oh. Okay." Hermione said, trying to hide her obvious relief at this statement.

Harry looked at her curiously, deciding his friends were acting decidedly weird lately. He figured they would talk to him when they were ready. Shrugging, he stepped forward to walk next to Neville on their way down to the Great Hall.

Ginny surveyed Hermione with equal curiosity.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had been waiting upstairs, to see if Ron was going to breakfast, and when you realised he wasn't going, you decided you would go after all." Ginny said in a low voice, in Hermione's ear, "But of course that would be silly, and of course I know better than to think Hermione Granger would be so silly and immature."

Hermione flinched visibly.

Ginny nodded, satisfied. "You know Hermione, if there is something wrong, it might be a good idea to talk to your friends about it."

"I'm not sure you would believe me if I did tell you Gin," Hermione smiled sadly, "besides, I think I might have deserved it."

The group of 6th years, and Ginny, reached the Gryffindor table and took their seats, Ginny next to Hermione.

"Deserved what?" she asked in alarm.

Hermione only sighed, staring at her plate until Ginny prodded her.

"Gin, I'm not really ready to talk about it, but I will come to you, when I am, okay."

"Alright Hermione." Ginny said, patting her friend on the arm in concern.

By the time Divination rolled around the following afternoon, Harry had belatedly realised that something was off between Ron and Hermione. Both had shown up to classes the other wasn't in, but neither to classes where the other would be present. Divination of course, was a class Hermione did not and would never choose to take. But Ron was there, his face pale and blotchy, dark circles under his eyes.

Ron approached his friends, taking his normal seat with Harry and Neville, not saying anything. Harry and Neville exchanged glances. Ron still hadn't said anything about what was bothering him. He hadn't apologised for the previous morning either. Not sure whether he should say anything, Harry just sat in silence, a wounded expression on his face.

The class passed in a blur for Harry, who looked into teacups when obliged to, making up mumbo-jumbo when approached by the Professor. Most of the time, he simply stared at Ron, wondering what on earth might have happened.He was shaken from his reverie when a piece of parchment flew gracefully over to their table, landing in front of a dejected looking Ron. He turned towards a table several over, where Draco Malfoy sat with his cronies and his girlfriend.

Draco was ignoring Harry and watching Ron expectedly. Harry looked at Ron curiously, watching him as he blinked, unfurling the parchment. Harry peaked over Ron's shoulder and began to read;

Weasley,

You were in second place in our little game, you have dropped to sixth. I'm disappointed since that now means that your idiot friend Seamus is in second place, Blaise of course is a bit put out by that. It was bad enough that you were beating him, but he reckons you don't count as a Gryffindork since you were one of the original players.

Look, I know you are distracted but I think I have an idea that might solve your little problem.

I'd write it here but I'm sure Potter is reading over your shoulder and it's none of his business.

In fact I bet you haven't even told him yet have you?

Harry blinked in confusion, how could Malfoy know what was going on when he didn't? When did his best friend stop telling him things? He looked back down at the note, but Ron had already finished reading it and was writing a reply. Harry shrugged and looked at Neville, who returned his gaze with a helpless expression on his face.

In fact I bet you haven't even told him yet have you?

Ron eyed, Harry who had indeed been reading over his shoulder. He adjusted the parchment so that Harry couldn't see and finished reading quickly;

Well, I don't k now if you should, he might hex you and then everyone will blame me for breaking up the golden trio.

Anyway, we still have to do this assignment, so maybe you might be able to talk to Granger about when the three of us can actually work on it. If you can't, I guess I could ask her in Ancient Runes, which is our next class together.

For what it's worth I'm sorry.

Don't tell anyone I apologised to a Weasley or I'll actually let Potter hex you.

Draco

Ron sighed; he didn't think he could face Hermione, her doe eyes could hold more steel and flint than Malfoy himself with his patentedcold gaze. He had no idea how to say sorry for such a big thing. Sighing again Ron flicked his wand, clearing the words on the parchment; he flicked his quill and began to write a reply;

Draco,

I don't think I can say anything to her.

Maybe you could send her a note in your next class, since then she would HAVE to approach me about it.

What is your idea? I don't think apologising will be enough.

You are right I haven't told Harry, because he will never ever forgive me, even if she does.

Besides I deserve to be hexed.

Ron

P.S See the smile on Lavender's face? Just because you haven't seen her get a quill, it doesn't mean I haven't given her one lately.

Ron not knowing the charm Draco had done to send the note to him, settled for making something called a plane like Hermione had shown him. He threw it when Trelawney was distracted. He grinned wryly to himself noting she was always distracted. Lavender leaned forward just then, tapping him on the shoulder, he turned to see a concerned expression on her face.

"I'll talk to you after class, Lav," Ron said hurriedly, glancing at his tablemates, who were both pretending not to be paying any attention, "its okay, everything is fine."

Lavender smiled gently, relieved, sitting back in her seat.