"Love can be weird and unpredictable," Harry conceded. Ron looked at him mutinously. "This isn't love!" He burst out, "He obviously bewitched her or they're playing a stupid joke!" Poor Ron, Harry though to himself, he can't admit it to himself. He waited too long. She wants someone else. For Harry could see, under Ron's smoldering facade, lay a hurt boy, bewildered, shocked, and maybe heartbroken.
"Come on, mate," Harry said nonchalantly, "come off it. You can come to Quidditch practice! Try out some new moves!" Ron's mood improved slightly, as they talked about using the Wronski Feint in their next match against Ravenclaw.
They almost totally forgot the Draco & Hermione problem until late evening. They were waiting for class to start in the Astronomy Tower. Suddenly they heard heavy footfalls, on the stairs. Hermione and Draco were racing up the stairs toward the class entrance. The suddenly stopped on the top step and quickly spoke to each other. Since Harry and Ron were seated near the entrance, they could hear what was being said.
"Let's meet again, after class, in the abandoned classroom?" Hermione said, playing with a stray lock of his golden hair. Ron's knuckles were clenched so hard that they were white.
"Sure," Draco said, smiling. He quickly leaned in, giving her a quick, but passionate kiss. Ron looked away.
"See you soon, Draco!" Hermione sighed, as she entered the classroom.
"Hey Hermione, welcome back," Harry said as grinned embarrassedly. Ron simply greeted her with a stony silence. She bit her lip, knowing there was alot of anger about her "situation". Luckily, class immmediately started after she sat down. She thought about what she should do. Harry, she couild deal with. Understanding, good Harry. But Ron, she frowned as she peered at his hollow, angry face, staring resolutely at the teacher, was NOT HAPPY. She was seriously worried about what he would do. Because an angry Ronald Weasley was reckless and positively dangerous. END OF CHAPTER TEN