hey y'all!

So excited to get another chapter to y'all!

So this one is from Ron's POV. He is extremely OOC in this. Hopefully I made everything believable as I set up for the next 4 chapters.

Warning: Be prepared...

Enjoy!

Harry hadn't gone back to the dormitories last night, and Ron was a little worried but not much. After all, Harry had gotten into trouble loads of times before and always turned out alright. Well mostly. How the hell does he do it?

Ron got dressed and made his way to the common room, with still no sight of the boy-who-lived. Not really caring, he continued on to the great hall, the smell of breakfast already floating through the castle. Harry would turn up eventually, and everyone would see that there is nothing to worry about.

As he sat down Ron looked along the table. Many members of the DA where staring and whispering, most liking still confused about why the meeting was canceled. It was one of the first things that Hermione had done when they had been dismissed last night, send a message that the meeting was not going to happen. Somehow they would have to explain to the group how Marietta had snitched on them. Looking over, he found the girl next to Cho, her face wrapped by a scarf leaving only her eyes visible. Hermione had told him about the hex she put on the sign up sheet, and Ron had to admit that it was a smart move.

Filling his plate Ron felt a prickle on the back of his neck. Looking up, he found the source of the sensation to be coming from Lavender Brown, a fellow Gryffindor in his year. The young woman pursed her lips in a kiss and blew it towards him, lifting her eyes suggestively. Ron smiled at the attention, and would have moved towards her had Hermione not taken the seat that blocked his view.

Despite Ron's devil may care attitude, he could tell that Hermione was worried about their friend. Which was very typical of her.

"Have you seen Harry?" She asked. Ron lifted his glass as he shook his head.

"He didn't go back to the tower, or if he did, he left before everyone got up." Trying to subtly glance around his friend to continue his conversation, he almost dropped his toast which was in his other hand as Hermione swatted him. "What? Hermione, I'm hungry."

"And your friend is missing!" She argued, crossing her arms in a way that Ron always found rather sexy, as she never truly looked upset to him, more of like a teaseful pouting. The brunette huffed as she took a small amount of eggs and sausage, knowing she needed to at least have something for breakfast.

"Look, Harry's probably already in class or maybe he's in the library doing homework or something. There's no reason to worry about him." Hermione stared at him in disbelief.

"Yes there is reason to worry about him, Ronald." The use of his full name through him off guard. "We left him with Umbridge, someone who we already know was tormenting him in detentions, and she was angrier than ever last night."

Ah right, the torment. He recalled being rather adamant about telling Dumbledore, at least out loud to his friends. Truth was, he'd been standing outside the door for a few minutes to see what they were talking about and overheard Harry's reluctance on the subject, and Hermione's urgings to tell someone. He had wanted to score some points with Hermione, maybe make her see that he was just as important as Harry, and just as willing to stand up for things. So he had agreed with her, making himself seem confident by walking straight and ahead of the two, being the leader. Yet Umbridge had ruined that plan by running into them, something he blamed on the Golden Boy. Harry always had terrible luck with mundane things and it was a miracle he was still alive and not dead because of a papercut or something.

"Look, he can't be very far, the castle's only so big."

"Well Umbridge isn't here either." Hermione pointed out. True, the over grown toad wasn't present, and luckily, neither was Snape. That meant the fifth year Griffindors had no classes that day, maybe he could find out what Lavender was offering in the mean time.

"I can see you'll be of no help. I'm going to go look for Harry, do try to get some homework done today." hermione admonished as she left him alone. He waited until she was gone to catch Lavender's eye but before he could, the hall was interrupted by Umbridge's presence.

The pink monstrosity stood at the podium where Dumbledore would make his announcements, her face stretched into a grotesque smile. "He-hem." She waited for everyone to quiet down.

"Students and staff of Hogwarts. Last night, a very brave student approached me and informed me of an illegal Dark Arts group that has been occuring within the castle." Her beady eyes roamed over the students, taking in everyone who averted their eyes or flinched for future reference. "This group was made in violation of one of my educational decrees."

"After some investigating, I discovered that the group was founded by your previous headmaster," Ron listened to the concerned murmurs around him, musing over their shock. Of course, Dumbledore didn't really have anything to do with it, he just took the blame, and with it took the only defense the students of Hogwarts had. "And led by a rather troublesome student, Harry Potter." the murmurs turned to shouts as students either defended Harry or agreed with Umbridge. The ones who agreed were mainly the Slytherins, yet one particular blond wasn't joining in the Potter-bashing.

Draco Malfoy was keeping quiet, although he had a rather large scowl on his face as he stared at the pink professor. Ron sighed and assumed he was upset that he wasn't the student to get Harry caught.

"Settle down, settle down." She smiled which looked rather weird on her. "After the discovery, Albus Dumbledore has been removed from the position of Headmaster, and by the word of the minister himself," She paused for dramatic effect, "the title has passed onto me."

A stunned silence filled the great hall, as everyone took in this information. Ron just smirked at some of the gobsmacked faces of his peers, Blimey they would be terrible actors.

"And as my first act of Headmistress, I should inform everyone, students and teachers, that Mr. Harry Potter has decided to run away and hide instead of face his problems. So he is to be considered a threat to the students, and anyone with any information of him is to report to me immediately." With that Ron spit out the pumpkin juice he was drinking. Is that why he didn't come back last night? He ran off while we have to suffer his consequences?

This wasn't the first time that Ron let the little voice in the back of head win. In fact the voice was probably the larger one, the smaller one being the voice that argued that Harry would never want anyone to suffer if he could help it. So he didn't join in when the whole Hall protested, he didn't join in the grumblings after they were dismissed from breakfast, he didn't even listen to Hermione as she tried to argue that Harry would never leave them, not willingly.

"Your right Granger," a slick voice said from between the two as they were walking to transfiguration. "Potter would never run from a fight."

Whirling the two found Draco Malfoy without either of his cronies.

"What did you say?" Ron asked angered that this stuck up prat would dare speak with them.

"I said that Umbridge lied." he sneered back.

"I thought you were supposed to worship her, you know, being her lapdog and all."

Draco shifted his feet slightly, his hand fingering his wand as if he wasn't sure if he should use it or not. "I'm not her lap dog. At least not anymore. I turned in my badge this morning." Sure enough, his robes had a few threads loose around where the badge used to be.

"Why would you do that?" the question came from Hermione, whom Ron had forgotten was there.

"I wanted to study more, make sure I would pass all my O.W.L.'s with nothing less than Outstandings." He answered smugly, "not everyone memorizes the textbook after one read Granger." The reply left a soft blush on Hermione's cheek. Ron was infuriated. Just who does this cheeky bloke think he is, pretending to care about grades and all.

"Yeah well, thank you for your vote of confidence, but we need to get to class." Ron turned to leave, grabbing Hermione's wrist when he was jerked back. Draco had grabbed Hermione's other wrist, looking at her with large eyes.

"If Harry is in hiding, then he is working on a plan to get her out alright?" He waited for Hermione to nod before he continued on, leaving a fuming Ron in his wake.

The next few classes were filled with Hermione's whispered theories about Harry, and some thoughts on Draco's changed behavior. Ron was getting sick of it. Harry had left them to save his own skin, he was sure of it. Probably ran off with Dumbledore. Of course when he mentioned this idea to Hermione, she waved it off saying that the old professor had been ignoring Harry all year so that wasn't likely.

The fifth time that the brunette mentioned Draco, Ron snapped. "Enough already!" Hermione startled at his outburst. "Harry isn't here, he's not coming back for us, and he's not off with the Order!" He debunked every theory that had been shoved in his head all day. "He's probably off somewhere hiding and licking his wounds. I mean c'mon Hermione, we are his best friends! Don't you think that he would've taken us with him, or at least told us where he went?" They had gathered a crowd now but he didn't notice. Just like he didn't notice the tears forming in Hermione's eyes, or the wide eyed stare of Malfoy who happened to be walking by before his attention was drawn. "And don't even get me started on Malfoy! He's probably just lying to get your sympathy, trying to get you to reveal what you know about Harry and report it back to Umbridge! Honestly that woman is the only one who's making any sense around here, at least we expect all these rules from this woman!"

"I'm glad you think that Mr. Weasely." Came a sharp voice from behind him. Turning around, Ron came face to face, well face to forehead as he was a bit taller than the pink witch who stood in front of him. "But I will need you to refrain from yelling in my hallways, you are causing quite the blockage and it would be a shame for any of these students to be late to their next class." She smiled as all of the eavesdropping students hustled away. "Ms. Granger, you wouldn't want to be late," She cooed.

"I am waiting for my friend, Headmistress." Although she said the word friend rather sharply.

"Oh don't worry dear, I'm going to keep Mr. Weasely for a minute. You see, I'd like a word with him." Hermione huffed, glaring a bit at Ron but her gaze was more concerned, as if she was worried that the old woman would do something to him. "Mr. Malfoy please escort Ms. Granger to her next class." Silently the blond coaxed her away and down the hall, disappearing around the corner. For some reason the sight made Ron's blood boil but before he could dwell on that too long, Umbridge had grabbed his attention.

"Let us go back to my office dear, for a bit of privacy?"

Ron followed behind the pink woman, wondering what she could possibly want. He was only slightly worried about her casting spells on him, after all he was a pureblood, and despite the tarnishing on the Weasley name, it was still one of the original bloodlines. Entering her office, Ron was met with an overload of pink, with striped walls and hundreds of china plates, each one housing a mewling cat which gave the room some amibiant noise.

"Do sit down dear." Ron sat in an overly lavish pink chair, which was rather comfortable. Umbridge went around her desk and sat down, waving her wand over to the teapot so it would make the tea.

"Professor am I in trouble?" Ron asked in an effort to fill the silence.

"Are you in-? No! No my dear, not in trouble." Umbridge cooed. "No I just wanted to have a chat with you." She poured the tea into two cups. "Sugar?"

"Yes please, two lumps." She smiled and placed the cubs in the brown liquid, stirring them so that they would dissolve well.

"Here you are dear," Ron took the tea and had a sip, his mother raising him right on proper tea etiquette. Something that Harry's relatives never taught him, Ron thought. Harry didn't know how to have tea, nor the correct things to go about it. Ron had nearly spit his tea out in their first Divination class when the Golden Boy had gripped the cups handle with his whole hand like a mug.

The tea was like a warm wave through his body, and Ron felt rather calm sitting there drinking tea with Umbridge. "This is rather good professor."

"Why thank you Mr. Weasley. I had noticed that you and Ms. Granger were having a bit of a tif in the hallway, care to tell me what that was about?" She raised her own cup to her mouth, her lips curled into a polite smile.

The red head snorted. "Hermione keeps trying to come up with different plans that Harry has to try and explain why he's gone missing. Thinks he hiding close." another sip urged him to keep going. "I got tired of listening to her all day. He probably ran off somewhere, he's no good without friends."

"Indeed? I suppose you have helped Mr. Potter many times in his adventures." The older witch sounded skeptical.

"I have actually." He spat in annoyance. "First year, I was the one who got us past McGonagalls enchanted chess set, Harry's rubbish at chess. And second year, it was my idea to fly the car to school so we wouldn't be late. I also had to tell him to speak parseltongue in order to open the Chamber of Secrets. I mean c'mon the bloke had to be dense not to think to speak snake to a snake!" He was ranting now and he knew it, yet Umbridge was just so easy to talk to, like he could tell the truth and she wouldn't judge him.

"It's alright Mr. Weasley this is obviously something you need to get off your chest." Umbridge encouraged, placing a hand on the infuriated red head's.

"Third year, he wasn't able to do anything with out me or Hermione's help, I mean, he couldn't even stand up to a dementor! He passed out on the train to Hogwarts you know, he doesn't handle them very well." There was a small glint in Umbridge's eyes as he said this.

"And last year he went and got himself entered in the bloody Tri-Wizard's tournament! He needed Hermione to teach him the summoning charm, Dobby gave him the gillyweed, and he still needed extra help in the third task, requiring Diggory to go with him to the cup. Well look where that got him." He sneered taking another sip of his tea. Truly Ron's jealousy of the boy who lived had been building since the Chamber of Secrets.

Ron had been given recognition during their first year for the chess match, but after that he was seen as just a sidekick. In fact, despite saving his own sister, he wasn't mentioned for the Chamber of Secrets story. And Harry and Hermione had done some weird teleporting thing their third year and Sirius Black and Buckbeak escaped prosecution. Last year he had gotten a little bit of recognition for being the savior of Fluer's sister, until Krum decided to set the record straight that the hostages didn't regain consciousness until their heads broke the surface. However he was still credited with getting the younger Delecore to the judges and the towels.

"Life must be rather hard living in the shadow of another." Her voice was soothing, coating the pain that he had released with his confessions. "Mr. Weasley, if Harry were to not come back, how would you feel?"

Ron thought about it for a moment. Sure he had thought about a life with out Harry, that he was the boy who lived, the one who had so much gold they didn't know what to do with it, the one who everyone wanted to befriend. "I think it wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen to Hogwarts." he supplied, surprised with the words that left his mouth. It was true, he wouldn't mind finishing school without Harry. "Between you and me professor, he is a bit of an attention hog, I mean, he made friend's with Lockhart!"

"I see. Do you think that Ms. Granger could be persuaded to see things this way? The peace that has fallen on the castle now that Mr. Potter is gone?"

"No. Hermione is too emotional for that. She believes that Harry didn't leave the castle on his own." he kept his brains about him, knowing that whatever civil conversation they were having would end if he admitted that Hermione blamed her for Harry's disappearance.

"I see. Well perhaps you could convince her? Mr. Potter had simply run out of my office last night after I confronted him about his little group. He seemed rather angry, telling me to watch my back and that it wasn't over. I am concerned that there would be students in this school who would help him. And I wouldn't want other students involved in Mr. Potter's little temper tantrum." Umbridge sighed as she straightened a quill on her desk, the feather brushing up against a shining badge. "My head Inquisitor revoked his title last night, he wants to focus on his academics. I'm looking for a student who would be willing to take up the job." With a raised eyebrow, she folded her hands in front of her. "This is a prestigious title and it comes with many extra privileges, such as points and access to the prefects bathrooms."

The offer did seem enticing, and Ron thought about what would happen if he took it. Hermione might be mad but he could play it off as being a spy in Umbridge's inner circle, he could be like a double agent. Hermione might just kiss him for his brilliance.

Wait kiss me? And as he thought about it, Ron realized that he did want to kiss Hermione. In fact, he wanted so much more than kissing. Maybe she'll see that I'm brave like Harry. Maybe she'll turn those eyes on me.

Just maybe I could make her mine.

The power that came with the offered badge would allow him to claim her. He could be near her almost all the time under the guise that he was protecting her from others, but also that he was spying on her for Umbridge. It would be a perfect position to keep her to himself. Smiling he could almost feel Hermione's praise at his great thinking.

"I accept."

Soooooo if you like Ron, this is not going to be a story for you. There were some parts that were vague, some that were unexplained, and some that might not seem connected(Draco). Dont worry holes will be filled in the next couple chapters.

Hopefully I've changed y'all's minds about Ron, at least for this story. I think that the 4th year anger that Ron had would've festered, and he was upset when his fame for saving Fluer's sister faded away when the french students left.

*THIS PERTAINS TO Y'ALL*

So I don't want to actually fight Voldemort in this story so I'm opening the comments section as to how to get rid of him. Give me y'alls craziest suggestions, from Dobby just popped him into the middle of a volcano or he was scolded into being a good guy via howler. If I can fit it into the story I will credit the winner!

Please Review!