Disclaimer: You guys already know the deal. I don't own any of the characters used in this story… they belong to the fabulous J.K. Rowling

Author's Note: Hi! I'm not even sure if people are still reading this story, but hopefully a few still do. Anyhow, again, thanks to those who reviewed. 

Anyhow, here's chapter seven. It's a bit longer than the previous chapter and I kinda like it…hopefully you guys will too! And I know some of you are really getting impatient with this story, what with it not being fluffy and all…but please be patient…I'll add some fluff before this story ends. I promise! Well, enjoy!

Chapter Seven: An Unfair Deal

Hermione entered the Great Hall in a run, almost knocking down a group of first years in her haste. She scanned the house table for any empty seats, finding one next to the person who, for the past four days, had not said a word to her. Great…I'm sure Ron's going to ignore me again, the prefect thought as she calmly took a seat next to the redhead. "Good morning, Harry," she said with a smile. "Ron," she greeted the boy with a curt nod, but stared at Ron, expecting a response. She got none.

"Honestly Ron! I've been trying to get you to speak to me for the past four days and you never respond!" Hermione exclaimed in exasperation. "How do you expect me to apologize?"

"Well maybe I don't want your apology. Maybe I'm fine with not speaking to you!" sneered Ron, abruptly standing up. "I'm out of here – class is about to start…"

Harry and Hermione watched as Ron hastily exited the Great Hall. "I'm gonna go – "

"Yeah Harry. Go on ahead. Try to talk some sense into him…"

"Thanks Hermione. I'll see you in class then."

Hermione watched as Harry ran out of the Great Hall, calling after Ron. She looked down at her empty plate and heaved a sigh. "Might as well get to class," she said, standing up and walking away, breakfast forgotten.

~~**~~~**~~~

"Ron, you've really got to stop with the whole stubborn act," said Harry, striding next to the redhead, who still looked a bit peeved. "I think Hermione really wants to apologize, but you keep brushing her off!"

"I'll accept her apology when I'm ready for it," said Ron stubbornly, skidding to a halt by the dungeon.

"Well…that's a first," sneered a cold, drawling voice.

The two boys turned around, facing three stupidly grinning faces. "A Weasley not pouncing on something voluntarily given to him."

"Shove off, Malfoy!" said Harry coldly. "You have no idea what we're talking about."

"Now does that really matter?" asked Draco with a sneer. "I'll make a comment whenever I want to, Potter. Say…something's wrong with this picture…Potty and the Weasel are both here but – ah yes! Where's that know-it-all mudblood, Granger?" Malfoy looked around in amusement as students from both houses looked on. "Did she finally realize how dull the two of you are? Or is she off kissing another professor's ass? She's probably off wi—"

Ron lunged at Malfoy, grabbing the Slytherin's robes and slamming him to the wall. "You son of a bitch! If you insult Hermione again, I will—"

"You will what, Mr. Weasley?" barked Professor Snape, who unfortunately opened the dungeon doors right when Ron uttered those select words. "I suggest you keep your comments – and your hands – to yourself before you do any more damage to your house. That will be ten points from Gryffindor; and if anyone argues, I will make it fifteen. Now get inside!"

Malfoy sneered at Ron, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he adjusted his robes. Ron returned this with a glare, sweeping past the blond, Harry closely following.

The whole class remained silent once Snape began his instruction. Indeed, in the first fifteen minutes of class, all that could be heard were the scratching of quill onto parchment and chalk onto blackboard. This monotony, however, was broken when the heavy door slowly creaked open, allowing Hermione to enter the dungeon conspicuously.

"So nice of you to join us, Ms. Granger," said Snape, sending a cold glare towards the bushy-haired girl. "I was not aware that prefects were given the privilege of being late to class."

"I'm sorry, professor. I was sidetr—"

"Spare me the excuses, Miss Granger. Now take a seat next to Mr. Malfoy. Oh, and before I forget: twenty points will be taken off from Gryffindor." He gave a thin-lipped smile. "Well, what are you all waiting for?! Begin!"

Hermione walked towards the empty seat next to Malfoy, giving the blond a cold look before taking out the necessary ingredients for the escape potion (Hermione didn't bother writing them down from the board; she had read about the potion prior to class). She gave Harry, who was sitting next to Ron at the table across from her, a smile, but groaned upon hearing a familiar drawl she has grown to hate.

"You missed quite a show before class, Granger," said Malfoy, a malicious glint in his eyes. "Your boyfriend here (he nodded towards Ron) tried to hurt me – as if he could, anyway – simply because I was stating the truth." He smirked, throwing some cockroach legs into his cauldron. "I mean, I was right that you were trying to earn some extra points from some professor, eh Granger? For someone so intelligent you sometimes make stu—" 

"That's it!" yelled Ron, slamming a bottle of pig's eyes onto the table, a look of extreme anger on his face. "Leave her the fuck alone, Malfoy! Or else, I will stick your wand up your arrogant ass and hex you with it!"

A loud hush of silence filled the room; the only sound that can be heard was the bubbling of cauldrons. Snape gave Ron a dark, piercing look. "Detention, Weasley," the potions master said, his voice never wavering. "I told you to keep your com—"

"But professor, it wasn't entirely his fault," uttered a meek but determined voice. A wave of heads turned to its source: Hermione. "Malfoy was making snide comments about me and Ron merely said those words on my behalf."

"Miss Granger – I should have known you would not be able to keep your mouth shut," said Snape coldly. "Are you then insinuating that a student from my house instigated Mr. Weasley's sudden outburst?"

"I just thought it was unfair that yo—"

"Unfair? Well then, since Weasley serving detention by himself seems unfair to you, then I am sure you wouldn't mind accompanying him." Snape stared at Hermione, waiting for a reaction, smirking when the girl remained silent. "And if that seems unfair to you, Ms. Granger, then I will also take fifteen points off Gryffindor."

The rest of the class remained silent the whole time, a mixture of expressions on their faces. Every Gryffindor in the room wore masks of anger, giving their professor cold glares. The Slytherins, in contrast, wore big, satisfied smiles on their faces, beaming at Snape.

"Well, since Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley took most of our brewing time, I will end this class early," said Snape in an annoyed tone, waving his wand in the air, immediately emptying every cauldron in the room of its contents. He looked at the grinning faces around him. "But this does not mean that examination will not be covering escape potions. I shall hold you all responsible in learning them. Now get out of here. Granger, Weasley: get over here so I can arrange your punishment."

~~*~~~*~~

Ron and Hermione wore expressionless masks as they walked back to Gryffindor Tower (Hermione a few feet behind the redhead). Neither one had said a word since receiving their punishment: polishing all the trophies in the trophy room without magic. Hermione stared at the floor as she walked, not looking up at the boy walking in front of him. She was suddenly struck out of her thoughts when she slammed into something hard.

"Ow! I'm sorry, Ron!"

"It's alright," the redhead replied, scratching the back of his head. "You know…you really didn't have to do that. Now look, you have to serve detention with me, of all people. How will that look on your perfect prefect record?"

"It's alright. I'm allowed to be imperfect sometimes too, you know. Besides, it wasn't fair for Snape to slap you with a detention you didn't deserve," replied Hermione, waving her hand dismissively. "Unfortunately, it seemed Snape didn't really care about that…" The two walked in silence, side by side, as they continued their return to the common room. No one said a word until Hermione reached out her hand, grasped Ron's arm, and brought him to a halt.

"Listen Ron, about what I said on Monday—"

"It's alright. I forgive you. Besides, it was really my fault for being an insensitive git," said Ron, the tips of his ears burning red. "So…I apologize."

"Ron, it's fine. Let's just forget that it ever happened, alright?" exclaimed Hermione, extending her hand with a genuine smile. "Are we on speaking terms again then?"

"Yes we are," replied Ron, shaking her hand with friendly fervor, flashing the smiling girl an amicable grin.

~~*~~~*~~

So…how was it? I decided to patch up their friendship. And I know I didn't incorporate anything about Hermione's newly discovered feeling from last chapter, but I will include in on the next one. By the way, I was wondering if you guys could help me with something: do you want me to write the next chapter about the detention or do you want me to write about a Hogsmeade trip or something? I already have an idea as to what I will write about if you want the detention chapter. As for the Hogsmeade chapter, you guys could give me suggestions about it. Well, please let me know either through your reviews (ahem…) or by emailing me at: snoopinay1033@yahoo.com. Well, thanks! And please wait for the next chapter…possibly within this weekend or sometime next weekend…I'll see when I can update this! God bless you all!

~~:azaleafaye:~~