A/N: Thank you for so many great reviews!

I started this story five days ago and can't believe the response I've had. If it hadn't been for so many of you sending me lovely messages and reviews, I don't think I would have written as much, as quickly!

I'm back to work tomorrow, so I won't be updating as vigorously. I will still aim for one or two chapters a week. I hope that you enjoy this moment; you will not have to wait too long for the next.

This one takes place in The Goblet of Fire, at the end of The Hungarian Horntail.

Things between Ron and Harry have become worse. Hermione does some comforting.

Chapter Fourteen: Dragons

Ron stood on the staircase in shock.

Harry had just thrown a POTTER REALLY STINKS badge at his face and stormed past him, up the stairs.

He stood frozen on the spot. He couldn't bring himself to move.

He didn't have a clue what to do to fix this. He had never fought with Harry, and had never dreamed Harry would do something like this.

Ron had only been checking to make sure he was alright. It was one o'clock in the morning, for fucks sake, and Harry had not come up the stairs. How was he to know Harry wasn't in danger? He usually was, being Harry sodding Potter.

And the wanker had the cheek to smack him on the face.

Alright it was a small badge that smacked him on the face, but Harry had been the one throwing it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone moving down the stairs of the girl's dormitory.

'Harry?'

He knew that voice.

What was she doing down here at one o'clock in the morning?

'Harry, are you still down here?'

Why was she meeting Harry in the common room at this time of night? Had Rita Skeeter been correct? Were Harry and Hermione more than friends?

'He's just gone up,' Ron found himself saying crossly.

'Ron! You scared the life out of me,' Hermione said putting a hand over her chest and coming to the bottom of the staircase. 'What are you doing lingering up there?' she asked, looking up at him, in her stripy pyjamas.

'I'm not lingering,' he said, anger pumping through his body. 'Harry just hit me.'

'WHAT!' Hermione exclaimed, running up the steps to meet him. 'Why would he hit you?'

'I dunno. I was obviously getting in the way of his interview practice,' he said, pushing her hands away, as she tried to look at the red mark on his forehead.

She stopped, staring at him in disbelief. 'Do you honestly think that's true Ron?' She asked softly.

Ron shrugged and pushed past her, making his way into the common room. 'I don't know what to think. First he enters the Triwizard Tournament – '

'He didn't!'

'Then he gives sob story interviews, making out he cries and – '

'Skeeter made that whole interview up!'

'Then he hits me,' he finished, ignoring her interruptions.

She had followed him back down the stairs and was now watching him pace around the room.

'I don't know him anymore Hermione. I never thought he'd be like this,' he said, pushing his hands through his hair and making it stand on end.

'He hasn't changed Ron. He didn't enter that stupid competition and he didn't say those things to Rita Skeeter.' She had moved in front of him and was looking at him imploringly. 'He misses you so much.'

Ron looked away from her, feeling tears appearing in his eyes. 'He doesn't. He made it clear a minute ago.'

Hermione shook her head, curls danced madly as she did so. 'He was talking to Sirius in the fire tonight,' she whispered. 'Maybe you just interrupted?'

Ron stared at the fireplace, which still had an unusually large fire for this time of night.

Maybe he had interrupted them.

Ron closed his eyes. 'He still hates me though.'

'He just wants you to believe he didn't enter. He'll talk to you again instantly, I'm sure of it.'

'Well I don't believe him,' Ron said, snapping his eyes open to stare at Hermione.

'Oh come on. You know he didn't!' Hermione exclaimed, staring straight back at him.

Ron shook his head and sat down on the sofa nearest the fire.

'I don't know what to believe,' he said.

Hermione came to sit next to him. 'Harry's been your best friend for nearly four years. You can't let this get between you.'

'He threw a badge at me!' Ron grumbled.

'I thought you said he hit you?' Hermione said, confused.

'Yeah he did. He hit me with one of those bloody badges,' he said, gesturing towards the pile on the table.

'Oh, for goodness sake Ron! I thought he had actually hit you.' Hermione grabbed his face between her hands to examine the mark more closely. She was not gentle.

'Ouch, There's no need to rip my head off my shoulders,' he complained as she moved closer to him.

'It's a tiny, little mark. I'm sure you will survive, unlike Harry who will be facing dragons soon!' Hermione mumbled, angrily.

'What?' Ron said, grabbing Hermione's wrists as she moved away. 'He's facing dragons?'

'Yes, so forgive me for having no sympathy for you.'

'But they can't do that, its suicide!' Ron said, gripping her tightly. 'Harry has no chance against a dragon.'

'Well he would have if his friends helped him Ronald,' she snapped, colour vanishing from her face.

'There's nothing I can do to help him,' he replied, dropping her hands. 'You're the best person to help him with this. If you don't know how to do it, no one will.'

Hermione's face seemed to lose even more colour. 'Thanks a lot,' she said shakily. 'That really makes me feel better, considering I don't have a clue how to help him.'

'Sorry, but you know what I mean. I'm rubbish,' he said, feeling every inch of it.

'You most certainty are not rubbish!' Hermione said, her voice becoming strong again. 'We need you Ron. The sooner you get that stupid idea out of your head, the better. This thing with Harry can easily be resolved. You just need to talk to him.'

Ron sat motionless, staring at her face, full of emotion.

He wanted to talk to Harry.

He just didn't know how.

Yes he hated the attention Harry received, and yes he hated the fact that Harry seemed to have everything happen to him. But he knew, deep down, that it wasn't really Harry's fault.

'I've fucked everything up,' he said, rubbing his face.

'You haven't f – f –. You haven't messed anything up,' she said, blushing.

He smirked at her, she was so funny. 'You can say fuck, you know. I won't tell anyone.'

'I don't want to. Swearing is a disgusting habit.' Hermione snapped, folding her arms.

Ron laughed, 'I fucking love it!'

'Yes, well you are disgusting Ronald.'

This made him laugh harder. 'I'm going to make you swear one day Hermione Granger, don't you worry. My disgusting behaviour will rub off on you!'

Hermione blushed furiously at this, which Ron found strange.

'Will you please just talk to Harry?' She said, changing the subject.

Ron stopped laughing abruptly. 'I'll think about it. I'm not sure what to say.'

Hermione began to open her mouth. No doubt to tell him exactly what to say, but he stopped her.

'I'll think of something. It needs to be me that does it, not you.'

Hermione closed her mouth, looking slightly put out.

'But thanks anyway. You've been a big help,' he said smiling at her.

She smiled back, hesitating for a second before leaning over to hug him.

Ron hugged her back, feeling extremely silly. 'You're crazy Hermione.'

She nodded against him and he chuckled. 'Come on, I think we both need to get some sleep.'

They began to move away from each other, both feeling slightly warm.

'Night Ron,' Hermione said, gently rubbing the red mark on his head, before getting up.

He said his goodbyes and watched her make her way up the stairs, before he made his own journey to the boy's dormitory. As he climbed into his four poster bed, he glanced over at where Harry was now sleeping. No wonder he was uptight at the moment, how was he supposed to face dragons by himself?

Poor bastard.

Ron would sort everything out with him soon and hopefully they would go back to normal.

He sighed, before gently touching his forehead.

His belly flipped.

He was obviously feeling nervous about the prospect of Harry facing dragons.