Author's rant: I wrote this rant a long… long… long time ago. I've decided to update it a bit in keeping with the times.

I feel the need to rant, please disregard if you're weak of heart.

I got a rather disturbing review that I'm not going to go into detail. Not that it was bad, it was just … what's the word… delusional. Yeah that works best. Delusional. One reviewer, who I will not name, informed me that Bad Boys often make the best boyfriends which left me speechless. I was like "Really?" Then personal experience and logic came back to me as I said "I don't think so." Not only that but her Bad Boy boyfriend will by now be looking for a new girlfriend to upgrade. No it will never happen, you say. Word, I say. And to boot the nice Good Guy that you could've dated is going to move on and date someone else.

What the heck does any of this has to do with Harry Potter, you ask. Simple, the word of the day is Pride. As Ron Weasley's sin is pride. Many female writers have written numerous post-HBP fics depicting and explaining why Ron dated Lavender. Universally, as most women are Pro-Hermione, they've declared Ron to be at fault for this tragic and brain dead decision. However, what they don't accurately account for is a man's pride.

A guys' pride should be marked fragile and perishable in every sense of the word. Ron has had to swallow a good bit of his own pride when dealing with our headstrong and independent Hermione. She's bossy, demanding, and a professional conniving witch. She rather spend several hours alone in the library studying than even an hour playing Exploding Snaps with Ron or socializing with her other classmates. She rather talk about Harry's safety, Prefect patrols, class work, homework, and the rules more than she would like to talk about going out on a date. This can be rather frustrating to an outwardly going person like Ron. Still, our boy quietly persist with a torch for Hermione. Even our Harry Hermione shippers knew that Ron carried a torch for Hermione from the Yule Ball to HBP, except they thought Hermione never reciprocated. To some degree - they're right.

Now back to Ron and why he went out with Lavender. Now keep in mind that throughout Book 5 that Ron did not row with Hermione and generally he quietly sulked whenever he saw Hermione write to Vicky. This is a bit tough for a boy who has, "the emotional range of a teaspoon." By year six, as Hermione was telling Harry that he's "fanciable" all the while Ron was trying to get her attention you could certainly see Ron's pride taking another hit. Even when Hermione gets complimented by Professor Slughorn do you see Ron trying to get her attention as he said he would've said those nice things about her being smart too. Now keep in mind this boy has been swallowing a lot of his pride for well over a year and a half trying to win the attention of our fair lady, Hermione. This is when I can imagine he was on cloud nine for two weeks after Hermione invited him to the Christmas Slug party.

Now here comes the problem, we can all agree the incident in the hallway with Ginny was the spark that lit Ron's pride. He had been waiting and hoping to date Hermione, got it, and then come to find out that she had a past fling with Krum, our proverbial Bad Boy. Ron's pride felt as he was betrayed and he for the rest of the week snapped at Hermione on every occasion. The straw that broke the camel's back was the Quidditch incident when Hermione thought Ron played well because of the lucky Felix Felicis potion that she and Ron thought that Harry gave him. Yes, Ron thought Harry gave it to him too, however Ron's pride was wounded yet again when Hermione outwardly accused him of cheating for playing so well. As if by saying he wasn't any good to begin with. Now don't forget that Hermione helped Ron win the Keeper position by giving Cormac McLaggen a nice little Confunded hex. Obviously, she thought Ron needed the extra help to win the position.

The wounded male pride of Ron's lashed out at Hermione and felt that this was the last straw. He purposefully went up to the Gryffindor Commons room and made himself available to anyone else. Lavender was merely a friendly warm body that seized the opportunity. In simple words that a lot of female author's don't understand, he gave up on Hermione.

Now here's the correlation to why Good Guys won't date girls who dated Bad Boys. It's Pride. Good Guys don't like to be second runner ups with a girl. We don't want what some other jerk tasted and then discarded. "If you're too stupid to see that I'm a better guy to be dating than to heck with you," is our manifest, our universal declaration against girls that prefer to date other guys. This is Pride.

Ron's pride got the best of him and he didn't want to be Hermione's hand-me-down. Even after Hermione attacked him with the canaries he told himself that he had every right to date whomever he wanted. He continued to date Lavender even when he clearly didn't want to. It wasn't until his near death experience where he pushed aside his pride and dealt with the bigger issue of being with someone that you love. That's a rather huge growth on Ron's part that most women are not going to see from most guys. In fact, it took me several, several years and still failed to accomplish what Ron did in a few weeks in the Hospital wing. Therefore, I say to you be wary of your choices – it can have dire consequences that magic can't cure.

:::

Chapter 38 - Mom's sales pitch

Ron's POV:

The next morning after he had a sleepless night of tossing and turning with thoughts of what Hermione had said to him over dinner. He concluded that she was right, she always was, about if he had told her how he truly felt than she wouldn't ended up with Draco. It also didn't help that he was feeling guilty after finding out about her suffering through the last three months that he was gone. The final realization of all that made him just as sick as when he caught Hermione and Draco together. It was bad enough when she broke his heart, but it was even worse when he now realized that he was the one that helped caused it. Luckily, he managed to make it downstairs to the bathroom to throw-up in time.

Returning back to his room at the Burrow before breakfast, Ron swore to Merlin that he was going to give Hermione five minutes of his true feelings. She deserved that and so much more, but he would hold off from telling her everything. He was only going to reveal his true feelings, as much as he could dare give her under the deadly circumstances.

"Ronald, come down here for breakfast!" His Mom roared from the kitchen.

"Bugger – here goes," Ron muttered to himself.

First, however, he needed to deal with the other woman in his life. He grabbed the shiny white box off his night stand and dutifully raced downstairs to the kitchen. He met his infallible mother at the bottom of the steps with her holding tightly onto her wand in her right hand. She was also carrying a fierce look across her face that told him that now it was going to be his turn to face her wrath.

"Before we eat breakfast young man, we are going to have a word about this hoodlum behavior of drinking, bar fighting, and this rubbish about quitting school!" Mrs. Weasley sternly demanded with her glowing wand poking Ron in the chest.

"Mum, I'm not going to quit school," Ron nervously interjected as he watched his Mom's eyes draw into angry slits while his father silently cowed at the kitchen table under her presences.

"YOU BLOODY WELL ARE NOT GOING TO QUIT SCHOOL!" His mother bellowed at him.

"Yes Mum, and as for the other stuff - I only did it to keep an eye on Charlie. You know how wild and crazy Charlie gets. I barely managed to pull him out all of those bar fights." Ron lied in the hope of redirecting his Mum's anger on Charlie who was a safe distance away on the Continent.

His Dad softly chuckled in disbelief before he immediately went quiet under his wife's vengeful gaze. Ron watched him as he tensely stare down at a bowl of homemade hot biscuit gravy sitting dangerously close to him. He suddenly realized that his father could not help him and he would have to use his own backup plan if he was going to survive.

"I… I want to give you something that I just got." Ron said nervously as he watched his Mum's eyes squint in confusion. "I decided that you deserve this more than I do." Ron remarked as he took out the shiny white box from his pocket and pulled out the Order of Merlin First Class medal. He then pinned it onto his Mom's flannel shirt before she could object.

"Merlin! Is this-," asked his Mum who was flabbergasted as she looked down at the glittery medal.

His Dad spoke up after watching him pin the medal on his Mum. "Dumbledore, Remus, and Alastor recommended him to the Ministry. He was awarded the Order of Merlin First Class for extreme valor. All because Ronald was responsible for saving Charlie, Remus, and Alastor's lives at the DeathEater camp in Serbia." His proud father explained before standing up from the breakfast table then hugging and kissing his astonished wife.

"You did?" His Mum asked in amazement looking at Ron, then his nodding Dad, and then back down at the medal.

"Yeah Mum, but you been saving ours for a lot longer." Ron informed her and then hugged his Mum hoping this will end the row and save his life. Truth was she definitely deserved it more than he did.

"Well you're a good boy - now go on, both of you, and get yourselves some breakfast." His Mum barely replied while she looked away toward the stove, as if she was about to cry.

After several minutes of his Mum drying her eyes and face she brought up a new subject to discuss with Ron.

"Now Ronald, we need to talk about something important. And you've been avoiding the subject for far too long. You need to think long and hard about Hermione, sweet girl." His Mum harped to him as she was filling up Ron's glass with pumpkin juice.

"Fine young lady, any man be lucky to have her," commented his Dad earning the appreciative and agreeing smile of his Mum.

"Exactly, now I know she made a ghastly mistake by being fooled by that nasty Malfoy boy. However it's really not entirely her fault as she got tired of waiting for you to decide."

"Poor girl, who can really blame her and she certainly has learned from her mistake." His Dad added who was then immediately rewarded with a few extra biscuits and an extra helping of honey on his plate from his Mum.

"True, true… Now, Ronald, it's clear she rather be with you. And it's high time for you to be thinking of your future. A strong, smart, caring, brave, intelligent woman is what you need Ronald. And let me tell you - we don't grow on trees. Not that I'm pressuring you, mind you."

"Nooo," cracked Ron in fake agreement as he listened to his Mum's sales pitch.

"I'm just saying a lovely girl like Hermione is someone you should be willing to forgive and accept back into your life." His Mum continued with her pitch leaving no doubt where she stood on the issue. "Let's be honest, Ronald. I've done my best to raise you boys, such as you are, but a good woman like Hermione… you could go far in life with a brave woman like her by your side."

"I promise, I'll talk to her today and tell her how I feel." Ron stated hoping to end the roundtable discussion of his personal love life.

"Good son, now keep in mind that you are getting older and you could use a good Ministry job and a strong woman to settle down with, get married, have grandkids-"

"Don't you mean to have kids not grandkids," interrupted Ron, then knowingly smirked at his Mum at catching her slip of the tongue.

His Dad snorted and was immediately silenced by his Mum spilling hot coffee from her cup onto his Dad's shoes.

"Well... ah... yes, indeed what I'm trying to say to you is that you could use a good woman - like Hermione. Not that I'm pressuring you," His Mum countered as she recovered quickly from her slip up about her desire to have grandkids while lifting her coffee cup up in the air to magically refill itself.

"You be lucky to have her," finished his Dad shaking his shoes and then swallowing on a mouthful of biscuits and honey.

:::

Hermione's POV:

Hermione looked in the mirror at her reflection. She checked off in her head the things that she was wearing. Regulation Gryffindor uniform and robe, check. Black shoes - shined, check. Uncontrollable hair tied down by a black hair clip, check. Wand inside robe pocket, check. Head Girl badge, check.

Satisfied that she was dress properly she felt a burst of confidence that she hadn't felt in a long time. She smoothly rubbed the shiny gold Head Girl badge on her robe with pride. It completed the look that she wanted to portray at Ron Weasley's official return to Hogwarts: proud, proper, strong, and confident.

Confident was what Hermione thought of herself, especially after what she did last night at the Burrow. She still couldn't believe that it was her that had misbehaved that way in front of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, but she had to admit she liked it. She wasn't some silly girl who would be neglected or misused by boys, ever again. If Ron didn't have a clue yet, then she wouldn't let that hold her back. It was his weakness, not hers. She also knew with extreme confidence that Ron could never find a girl better than her.

"As if!" Hermione boasted.

She commandingly strolled past a purring Crookshanks on her bed, down to the Head Common room to see a brooding Draco sitting lazily in his armchair.

"I can't believe they're celebrating that oaf's return." Draco sneered without bothering to stop Hermione from leaving to meet Ron at the front entrance with the Professors.

"We could always celebrate you dropping out of school," retorted Hermione lifting her eyebrow suggestively at him.

"Going to see your lover boy are you?" Draco remarked ignoring Hermione's cheek.

"No, I'm going to see my best friend and I suggest you behave yourself tonight at the celebration. Professor Dumbledore wasn't too upset with me for locking you up in a broom closet," replied Hermione smirking at a sneering Draco.

"You will pay for that, Mudblood." Draco growled in a low voice, making Hermione smile.

"I love it when you call me, Mudblood, it just feels like old times." Hermione confidently stated, smiling to Draco as she left the Head Suite to go official greet Ron.

Confident and strong. Hermione thought of herself as she made her way to the front entrance.

:::

Harry's POV:

Harry looked around the empty Hogsmeade train station for Ron and then at his watch that read two-fourteen. What he was doing was sitting down on a wooden bench in the middle of the station waiting for his Best Mate to finally come back to Hogwarts. The problem was he wasn't sure if Ron would be arriving by the two-thirty train from London or by Apparition.

The idle time waiting brought the memory of the last time Harry saw Ron in Hogwarts. Ron was racing down and out of Gryffindor tower raving about wanting to be a Slytherin so he could date whomever he wanted. At the time, he thought Ron was just acting barmy about finding out about Hermione and Draco and needed some time to cool off. In hindsight, he realized he almost lost his Best Mate. For three long months Harry had felt guilty and depressed over his role of the whole sordid affair of Hermione and Draco as he kept the truth from Ron. Then those feeling was only made worse when Hagrid told him how much Ron suffered from Voldemort and the DeathEater Camp.

"Bloody monsters almost took him away from me." Harry's throat gulped in fear of losing another person very close to him. It's all my fault-

-Pop-

- that he almost died. Voldemort singled him out because of me.

"Hem-Hem." Harry felt his anger twitch after listening to a very good Professor Umbridge imitation cough.

Harry jumped in his seat before turning around to see a chuckling Ron. He was wearing blue jeans, a loose black Dragon-hide jacket, and an uncharacteristically nice white shirt that looked as if it was made of silk. Not only that but Ron was definitely more built and a good six feet tall now.

"Hello mate," quipped a happy Ron with a very big smile on his face.

"Ron!" Harry roared in celebration as he jumped over the bench and threw his arms around Ron to bear hug him.

Thank Merlin he's alive!

"Ha-ha, I missed you too mate," replied a cheerful Ron returning his brotherly hug.

Now, I'm going to kill him!

Harry released Ron and quickly swung a good hard right-cross to Ron's jaw.

"OW! What was that for?!"

"For leaving me in the pinch, two weeks away from playing Slytherin and most of all for not taking me with you!" Harry angrily shouted to his Best Mate rubbing his jaw.

"Oh that - ha-ha… next time will both sneak out." Ron seemed satisfied with Harry's answer even as he was still rubbing his jaw.

"You better take me with you! Between Hermione nagging about the rules, Neville's cauldron always exploding on me, Luna crying about the stupid dress code and her ruddy necklace, and Ginny pinching all my warm clothes and getting into trouble with Snape - I was this close to flying off to Romania to join you!" Harry declared losing his anger to a huge smile on his face as he held his thumb and pointing finger an inch apart.

"Speaking of joining me, I got you something. It's important and it can save one of your last remaining nine lives left." Ron stated as he pulled out of his pocket and enlarged an identical black Dragon-hide jacket.

"For me? Thanks!" Harry reacted as if Ron had never left and there never was a disruption in their friendship. Moreover, as far as Harry was concerned it never happened, because he didn't ever want it to happen again.

Harry quickly put on his new cool jacket that looked identical to Ron's.

"Now, Harry, whenever you go out or where ever you go – you wear this jacket!"

"I will," answered a smiling Harry who looked up and saw faint outlines of numerous circles on Ron's Dragon-hide jacket. He instantly knew what they were from and mentioned it to Ron. "I see you got a bunch of spell burns on your jacket."

Ron nonchalantly shrugged it off before telling Harry, "Don't worry I know you enough that there will be a few on yours before too long."

"Hopefully not too many," replied Harry as they turned and started walking toward the Hogwarts castle.

Harry felt the overwhelming need to apologize to Ron about Voldemort and everything else. "Listen Ron… I know these last few months I… I don't blame you if you want to stop being—"

Ron mildly interrupted to change the subject, "Harry, where's my sister? I want to have a few words with her."

"Ginny's got detention with Snape, but she will meet us when we get back to our room." Harry answered wondering if Ron had even heard him trying to apologize as it looked like Ron had something else on his mind.

"Snape renege on his promise?" Ron asked with a sneer on his face that he normally reserved for Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy.

It warmed Harry's heart to see that sneer from Ron against two people that he very much despised.

"No, the bat git gave it to her this morning, the first day after his two week promise. He couldn't even wait for classes on Monday." Harry accused the evil vindictive Potions Professor.

"Figures. Bloody git! And... and you know… Hermione. What ah… is she doing?" Ron timidly asked as Harry's failed to stop smirking at how Ron failed to act nonchalant when he mentioned Hermione.

"She will be waiting for us at the front entrance with the Professors."

"Got a new wand," quickly remarked Ron changing the subject again.

"Like your old one?"

"No, that's the weird part. The core is different it's made of Dragon heartstring like Hermione's. Mr. Ollivanders kept going off that the wand picks the wizard and that it was rare for someone to change cores. Especially as I'm the only one in my family that now uses Dragon heartstring while the rest of them use Unicorn hair."

"I always said you are a bit odd," cracked Harry while smirking at Ron. He also remembered Mr. Ollivanders giving him that same speech about the wand picking the wizard.

"With my family, it's hard not to be." Ron said matter-of-factly as he glanced up at the castle's front entrance.

No doubt, Ron, by now could see the waiting receiving line of Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, Flitwick, Hagrid, and Hermione by the castle. Not to mention a huge group of his fellow DA members, Quidditch teammates, and Gryffindor housemates that had all gathered to welcome him back.

As Harry watched Ron and the receiving line he couldn't help but notice that Hermione was looking rather odd as if she was seeing something for the first time. He wondered if Ron noticed it but judging from the huge smile on his face. Harry was sure that for Ron, Hogwarts had never looked so good.

:::

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been busy playing Uncle Buck with my nieces. To make up for it, I'll post the next chapter before Thanksgiving.