Chapter Twenty-Eight - Breaking Down

The atmosphere was deadly silent for a second before Ron turned back to the bar

"Another butter bear please" he smiled causing confused looks from Harry and Hermione who were either side of him.

"Ron, did you hear what I said?" Harry said slowly, and Ron just turned to him and nodded like it was the most casual thing in the world before returning to his drink

"Ronald" Hermione spoke softly "You're sister just died, don't you think you should go be with you're family and grieve" and with this Ron laughed slightly "why, hardly a surprise is it, we've been expecting it for years" and then he continued to drink, Hermione and Harry both noticed how his hands were shaking.

"Well" Harry spoke after a awkward silence "shouldn't we get back to the castle anyway, curfew's almost up"

Ron silently put his butterbeer down and jumped from his seat before turning to Hermione "you coming?, saves you having to walk up by yourself" he smiled and Hermione smiled a small smile back which didn't travel to her eyes which were still filled with what Ron thought looked like pity.

"yeah, okay" she replied and the three walked out into the streets in silence, Ron was walking ahead of them, and Hermione noticed that Harry was looking at him like a time bomb just waiting to explode at any moment, Hermione had to excuse the metaphor, however she had to agree that Ron wasn't nearly as "fine" as he was making out to be. They continued to walk in silence, Ron picking up the pace and Hermione was secretly glad, she felt quite out off place with the two off them, and the situation itself was far more awkward and tense than she was used too.

"So, how's you're O.W.L. revision coming along?" Harry asked beside her, he actually seemed generally interested, or he was a good liar and just wanted to talk, either way, it was better than nothing she surpassed.

"Quite well actually, I've been revising for some time and I'm confident that with the right amount of revision I'll do quite well in the exams" she replied, with the O.W.L's less than a month away she had been revising all she could before the day, she wanted to be perfect. "How's yours revision coming along?" she asked and Harry gave a small smile "its not" he laughed "far to early to be revising yet". Hermione's mind was blank….too early?…..too early!….how could it possibly be too early.

Hermione and Harry continued their talk all the way up to the castle, Ron still hadn't said anything and was still walking ahead of them. It wasn't until they entered the entrance hall that something happened as a sneering voice called over to them

"Hey Weasley!" Draco Malfoy called, and Ron froze instantly, he didn't move a single muscle in his body "heard the news, we've just been celebrating!" he laughed and Hermione saw Harry about to shout something back but before he could even utter a single word Ron turned and launched himself at Malfoy, litrally tackling him to the two fell to the floor, Ron on top of Malfoy.

"Get off -"

Ron didn't even let him finish the sentence before swinging his fist and slamming it into Malfoy's face, students around them gasped as Ron struck a second blow before Crabbe and Goyle grabbed him and delivered two winding blows to his stomach, there was a sudden shout and all three were flung backwards, as McGonagall stood on the staircase, her wand aloft and her face thunderous.

"How dare you!" she spoke with a icy glare "nothing, nothing! Gives you the right to do - to do, muggle duelling, in the school corridors no less!" she finished stepping between them, Ron climbed to his feet as Hermione and Harry walked over to him, Ron could feel the bruises on his stomach

"Explain yourselves!" McGonagall snapped suddenly

"He just attacked me" Malfoy spat and Ron spoke instantly "He deserved it!, he was laughing at Ginny!" he shouted across the room as he rushed once again, only for Harry to hold him back, he thought he saw McGonagall's expression soften slightly but he must have imagined it because the next second it was gone.

"Mr Weasley, you will go to the hospital wing, its clear you are injured" she said, no compassion in her voice, "Miss Granger, as a prefect I'm making it you're responsibility to escort Mr Weasley straight there, you will make no stops on the way, do you understand" and with that it was clear that Ron was being told to leave, Ron shot Malfoy a look which he returned, the look was simple reminder that nothing was over between them, and Ron couldn't wait to wipe the smug look off his face.

"Come on" Hermione said impatiently, clearly in prefect mode and the two slowly walked up the staircase, the urge to run back was almost overwhelming but he knew that he couldn't, he would surely be expelled, and that was the last thing his mother needed right now.

"you okay?" Hermione asked from beside him, Ron turned to her, trying to keep it together, but all he could think about is visiting Ginny in the holidays, how she looked, and she looked before hand, and how she was gone - completely gone, why wasn't he ready for this?, it was no surprise, Ron suddenly felt a cold wetness running down his check and quickly turned away from her, wiping his face hoping she had somehow not noticed, which was ridiculous because she had been looking at him, still can't help to lie "yeah, I'm fine" he said, his voice breaking, and before he knew it he suddenly broke down.

Hermione didn't know what to do as Ron slowly turned away from her, his whole body shaking with grief as he tired to silence his sobs. She was completely at a loss off what to do, she didn't really know him that well, they hardly ever talked and here he was, breaking down in front of her, but the more she thought about it, they did talk, they'd talked quite a lot recently, but still, she felt so awkward at the moment, she could see Ron trying to compose himself again, his hand pressed against his ribs which seemed to be causing him some discomfort, Hermione slowly walked up to him, she didn't even know why but before she knew it she was hugging him softly, to her surprise he didn't throw her away in annoyance or confusion, in face he seemed to do nothing for a second but become suspended in time until slowly he seemed to hug her back slightly.

Well that's that, real writers block writing this chapter and I think I could have done better, sadly I don't have the time to write it again. I hope you enjoyed it anyway, and just to get you excited about what's to come, below are five little spoilers from what's to come very soon.

Five Spoilers for the next five chapters.

- There will be a much anticipated kiss.

- Two people will die.

- Some things cannot be avoided.

- Michael Corner isn't as bad as you may believe.

- Ron's emotions will get the better of him, leading to tragic results.