Disclaimer: I am neither blonde nor rich, and I don't live in Scotland.

A/N: I'm not really sure about how I did things, if I did it too fast, or if Hermione was out of character, or Ron. Though we know he has a terrible temper. Just remember what he's done to Draco, and how easily he gets angry at prods and insults or derogatory comments. Please let me know what you think... Onward to Chapter Eleven!

Chapter Eleven: Changes

After supper three days later, Hermione confronted Ron in her Prefect's office. "What's wrong with you? Can't we just get along?"

Ron was silent, and Hermione grew angrier, having had absolutely enough. "Oppugno!" she shrieked, and birds attacked Ron, pecking and clawing viciously.

Ron tried swatting them away, to no avail. "Stop!"

"You stop, Ronald! I've had more than enough with you."

"Wh-ah!" His forearm had been cut since his arms were up to shield his face, and as a result, his sleeves were down to his elbows. "You bitch!" He bellowed.

"I'm a bitch? What about you?" She glared at him before leaving without cancelling the spell.

Ron stormed to the Hospital Wing with the birds still flying around his head, chirping and attacking him at intervals, starting to pull his hair. He stared stonily when Madam Pomfrey asked what had happened. Sighing, she cancelled the spell and tended to him.

He went up to Gryffindor Tower; there was nowhere else to go. When he saw Harry in bed reading, his anger flared and he slammed the other boy into the wall, holding him by the throat. He growled, "What did you do?"

Harry gagged. "Me? Nothing. What happened?"

"Don't play innocent. What did you do?"

"Just tell me what happened!"

Ron snarled. "Hermione confronted me and asked me what was wrong, couldn't we get along. I couldn't seem to speak, and she cursed me! Hermione! Cursed me! There were birds and they attacked me, pecking and scratching. She wouldn't stop even when I asked her to! I was cut badly and I called her a bitch. She came back with 'what about you?' and didn't bother to cancel the spell before she left." He growled "Had to go to the Hospital Wing. Pomfrey cancelled it and healed me. Now, what the ruddy hell did you do?" He pressed harder against Harry's throat.

Harry gasped. "I-didn't-do-anything! Really! All I ever did was talk to her after our spat four days ago."

"You git! What did you say to her?"

"I just explained what happened."

Ron squeezed tighter on Harry's throat and viciously kicked his ankle before striding off angrily.

Harry watched him go in stunned disbelief. He knew Ron had a nasty temper, but he hadn't thought he would do something like that to someone who was a friend. Yes, Ron got angry and left him and Hermione in the forest, but that wasn't quite the same. And how was he to know that a confrontation between the two would go so badly?

He pulled his pants leg up and saw a nasty bruise already forming, and it hurt quite a bit, but his throat hurt a great deal more. He went to the bathroom to look at his reflection, and his neck was a vivid red. He also saw hints of bruising. He sighed, took his glasses off, and splashed cold water onto his face, then patted it with a towelette. Putting his glasses back on, he decided he really should go see Madam Pomfrey before anyone saw. He turned up the collars of his robes and limped down to the Hospital Wing.

"Oh, goodness gracious!" The nurse exclaimed when he limped in and she saw his neck past the collars. "Who did this?" Harry shrugged.

She grew stern and put her hands on her hips. "Go on, Harry. Tell me. You won't get in trouble."

Harry wrenched his mouth open. "I know I won't, but-" He stopped short.

Madam Pomfrey nodded knowingly. "Of course. You don't want to rat them out, do you? But you really should say who it was, so that this doesn't happen again."

"It won't. It was just a one time thing," he said quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How can you be sure? And do you mean to say that this person is not a rival or something similar?

Harry was silent.

"Do you think this person could harm anyone else?"

Alarm rose up in Harry. Maybe. Maybe Ron would try to hurt Hermione! "Ah, actually, he might, I suppose." He sighed. "Ron Weasley."

She nodded. "I saw him not too long ago. He was in a towering temper. What happened to him?"

Harry sighed again. "A row." He explained the situation.

"Thank you. The Headmaster and your Head of House should be notified."

"Wh-No!" He didn't want it to get so serious.

She looked at him pointedly. "You admitted he could harm Hermione."

Harry gave in, looking down at the floor. "Fine."

The witch escorted him to Dumbledore's office and briefly told him the basics.

McGonagall came, and they talked to him for a long while and asked him what else he had seen, what else he had noticed, and what his thoughts were.

Harry felt tired at the end, and when they said Hermione would be called in, he groaned inwardly.

They asked her the same things, which she answered promptly and them asked them both further questions. When they were done, Dumbledore said it was time for Ron to come, making Harry and Hermione glance at each other, Hermione biting her lip.

They moved their chairs to the side so that they wouldn't be too close to Ron.

Ron came in, looking grumpy, then his eyes widened and narrowed. He scowled at the two of them and stopped, standing in the doorway.

"Come in and sit down, Mr. Weasley." McGonagall told him, her lips in a thin line. Reluctantly he took a seat, and she went on. "You know why you are here, correct?"

Ron shrugged. "I guess so."

"Mr. Weasley, you are only making things worse for you by not cooperating," she scolded severely.

"Tell us what happened," Dumbledore coaxed.

Resentfully, the redhead began to talk. "Alright, so I- I fancy Hermione. That made me nervous sometimes, and at times I just sort of started things so, well, it wouldn't be the same? I dunno. Other times I tried to make her smile, make her laugh. It felt great to be the reason for her smile.

But I mean, I said things and gave her a hard time. I guess maybe I thought that would be better than being the target. And I thought it would be better doing it myself, rather than being hurt later. And I was scared, scared of how I felt and it changing things and being rejected if I tried. So I tried to avoid that, avoid any chance of that happening. I wouldn't dread doing something later on."

"Yes, I see as well, but that doesn't excuse your actions. Detention tomorrow night and for the next two nights. Also, you will not be going to the next two Hogsmeade trips." Ron groaned, but she went on, undeterred. "You need to learn to be more sensitive, more considerate, and how to properly express yourself."

Harry and Hermione were dismissed without Ron and they went down the stairs and glanced at one another.

"I kind of feel bad for Ron-" she began.

Harry nodded. "Me too, but he was a real prat. Remember how you felt."

Hermione sighed but nodded.

The next day Ron was silent and withdrawn, and the pair noticed this, sharing a look.

"Let's just leave him alone, at least for a while." Harry murmured.

Hermione looked uncertain but agreed. They sat down to eat breakfast quietly then went to class, where Ron's behavior remained the same. Hermione bit her lip, and Harry frowned at her. "Don't give in. What about you?"

"Yes, but what he said made sense, at least in a psychological slant."

Harry shook his head. "I guess so, but not just yet."

Hermione frowned. "When, then?"

"I don't know. Let's just wait and see. Is he really sorry or just glum about being punished?"

Hermione had to admit he had a point, and she turned to look at the teacher, entering typical Hermione mode.