Ron was oddly silent and distracted for the rest of the day. A tentecula in herbology bit him after he absent-mindedly severed one of its vines; he dropped a cauldron full of Glory drought on Malfoy's foot acidentally in Potions (and Professor Snaope refused to believe it was an accident); he didn't even snigger along with Harry, Dean and Seamus in Divination, when Professor Trelawney gave Harry a tragic, sad smile and said, mistily, "It is quite refreshing to see a carefree demeanour in one so tragically endowed with such a dangerous, unhappy future…."

The only words Ron said until after Divination were a couple of violent swear words when he dropped his book bag, spilling green ink onto the floor. He was even so abstracted as to miss the trick step in the stairwell on the way to Gryffindor tower when lessons were over, dropping his book bag once again. Harry and Seamus pulled Ron out while Dean helped him pick up his books. "Could this day get any worse?' said Ron angrily as he stubbed his toe on the next step.

"What's wrong with it?' Harry said, finally voicing the question that had been on his mind since Herbology that morning. "What's the matter Ron?"

Ron shook his head irritably. "Nothing!" he snapped, as Dean handed him his book bag. "Nothing at all!" But it was clear something was up. He didn't talk at all at dinner, or in the common room afterwards. He sat doing his divination homework in the corner, didn't ignored Harry, glared at Hermione, and snapped at Neville Longbottom when Neville, the clumsiest boy in Gryffindor, made the mistake of accidentally treading on Ron's rather large foot. Neville was so perturbed by the malicious reprimanding Ron delivered to him that he went upstairs and didn't come down again for the rest of the night. Ron and Neville were usually on excellent terms.

That was enough for Hermione, who had been getting increasingly impatient with Ron's bad mood all day. She put down her Arithmancy book and glared at him. "That's it Ron!" she snapped at him. "What on earth is the matter with you? Why did you have to be so mean to Neville?!"

Ron glowered at her. "Why would you care?" he sneered. "Shouldn't you be in Hogsmeade visiting dear Vicky?"

Hermione frowned. "Oh Ron, you aren't going to start that again? Viktor and Harry aren't even competing against each other for anything now, what's it to you if I'm friends with him?"

"I don't really care who you're friends with, Hermione," Ron shot back, "But you might think to tell me and Harry if you go traipsing off to Bulgaria over the summer!"

Harry, sitting nearby and reading Quidditch through Ages for the eighth time, tried to pretend he hadn't heard. He hated to get involved in Ron and Hermione's fights- last time that had happened, Hermione hadn't spoken to either Ron or him for quite some time.

Hermione, taken aback at Ron's last comment, didn't say anything for a moment, but she didn't deny it, either.

"I'm right then?" Ron said. "No wonder you didn't answer my owls. Well thank you very much, I guess that proves how much more Vicky means to you than your friends!"

Hermione found her tongue again. "I didn't say anything, Ron, because I knew you'd act like this if I told you!"

Ron stood up, his ears reddening, "Yeah right, Hermione! How do you expect me to believe that when you didn't even tell us Vicky was coming to Hogwarts, when you so obviously knew!" At the sound of his raised voice, several Gryffindors turned around to stare at him.

"I really don't see how it's any of your business!" Hermione snapped.

"So what?!" Ron snapped back. "It's common courtesy! You know what, I'm going to find it difficult to trust you this year, Hermione!"

"Oh, please, Ron…"

"No, I'm serious!" said Ron. Harry sneaked a quick glance at the two of them. Ron really did sound quite serious. Was he really that upset about it? His face was burning red. "It's clear to me where your loyalties lie, Hermione- not with us!" Ron pointed to himself and Harry. Harry hastily pretended to be all the more fascinated with his book, bringing his knees up under his chin. Hermione crossed her arms angrily.

"You are making a big fuss about nothing!" she cried angrily. "I can't believe what a prat you're being!"

"At least I'm not skipping across Europe like some sort of…scarlet woman!" Ron yelled.

Hermione made an exasperated noise. "You're being such an idiot! Harry-" She turned to where Harry was sitting, "Harry, tell him he's being an idiot!"

Harry hid his face behind Quidditch through the Ages and muttered, "Leave me out of this!"

Hermione threw up her hands. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" she snapped, and with a last glare at Ron, stalked out of the common room. Parvati and Lavender, who had watched the exchange, started a whispered conversation, glancing at Ron. Ron, blushing, ignored them and started scribbling furiously on his Divination homework. Harry went back to his book. A few moments later, Fred and George came in. They looked a little put out.

"Yeesh!" said George, perching on the arm of Harry's chair. "If looks could kill…"

"What do you mean?" Harry said.

"Hermione," said Fred, scratching his head. "We met her coming out of the common room,"

"All we did was mention how pally she is with Viktor Krum…" George said.

"Just said his name, really…" Fred added.

"And Hermione, she gives us this death glare! Just like a Basilisk!"

Harry grinned. Knowing Fred and George, they probably started singing, "Hermione and Viktor, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" or something equally insulting.

"I think Viktor's a touchy subject for Hermione," he said, still grinning.

"What's up with her anyway?" said Fred.

"Who knows?" Ron mumbled. "Or cares?"

"We had our Care of Magical Creatures lesson just then," George told Harry. "Krum was there, helping Hagrid with the lessons. He realised we knew Hermione…"

"And he wouldn't shut up about her!" Fred exclaimed, "Went on and on about how smart she is, and how he went to his house over the summer…" he glanced over at Ron. "Did she say anything to you about going to Bulgaria, Ron?"

"No," Ron muttered. Fred looked puzzled. George, meanwhile, was looking from Harry, with his nose once again buried in Quidditch through the Ages, to Ron, who was glaring at the Divination homework in front of him. "Hey, what's up with you two?" George said curiously.

"Oh God," said Fred exasperatedly, "Don't tell me you guys aren't speaking again?"

Harry looked at Ron, who looked puzzled. "I was kind of wondering that myself," Harry said quietly.

"What? Don't be stupid Harry! I'm not mad at you." Ron said overtly. "Of course not!" He paused and sighed. "It's just, well…you'd think Hermione would tell us that she was leaving the country, wouldn't you?"

Harry hesitated, then nodded "Yeah," he said slowly, "yeah. You're right Ron."

"Of course I am," said Ron. He looked down at the homework again with a chagrined sort of expression. The Weasley twins grinned and exchanged a shrewd glance.

"Jealous, Ronnie-kins?" George said sweetly. Ron's head jerked up.

"What?!" he snapped.

"So that's why you've been acting like such a prat all day," Fred laughed.

"What are you two gits talking about?" Ron said testily.

"Aww…maybe he wishes Hermione came to stay at our house over the summer…" George said, with a wink at Harry. Harry snorted but quickly pretended to cough when he saw Ron's expression.