The first thing Ron did the next morning when he saw Neville was apologise for being snappish the night before.

"Oh, it's all right, Ron!" said Neville eagerly. "My fault, really. Don't worry about it."

Ron twiddled with a lock of his bright red hair and grinned sheepishly at Neville.

"It wasn't your fault," he corrected Neville, "I was just in a bad mood yesterday."

"Yeah, and that had nothing whatsoever to do with Viktor Krum, right Ron?" said Fred, who was sitting next to Ron at the breakfast table. Ron scowled at his older brother while Harry and George snorted into their cereal.

As usual, Hermione and Ron pretended that they never had an argument and things returned pretty much back to normal. Hermione's demeanour towards Ron, however, became infinitely nicer when she found out that Ron had voluntarily apologised to Neville, and that pretty much healed the breach. Thankfully, this was just what they needed to put the whole Viktor Krum/staying over at his house for the summer issue behind them. Harry had to wonder if Ron really had been annoyed that Hermione failed to confide in them, or if his pride had just been hurt. Harry knew Ron well enough to know when he was jealous, after all. Last year Ron had gotten cross with Hermione for attending the Yule Ball with Krum for the stupidest reason to cover up his jealous feelings; now it seemed he was doing that again. Why did Ron feel so threatened by Krum though? Everyone knew Krum was rich, famous and incredibly talented on the pitch- but really, in Harry's eyes, he couldn't hold a candle to Ron. After a bit of thought, Harry decided he himself would remain neutral about Krum- it seemed to be a touchy subject for both Ron and Hermione.

And so, with careful diplomacy on Harry's part, things between Ron and Hermione remained just fine. Their unspoken truce seemed to have created an unusually friendly atmosphere between them, and Harry found this relieving, especially since his two best friends were usually bickering or not talking to each other. Their Care of Magical Creatures lessons went without any rude comments from Ron, (thanks to some careful distraction techniques employed by Harry) even though Krum attended them all to help Hagrid out with the animals and learn how to teach a class. Hagrid had decided that they should begin working with water animals this term, beginning with infant grindylows, then moving onto Kappas, and after that, sea serpents. Krum was forever taking Hermione's hand or putting his arm around her, which made Hermione blush, Dean and Seamus snigger, Parvati and Lavender sigh with emotion, and Draco Malfoy sneer derisively. (They still had Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, much to the chagrin of the Gryffindors.)

Ron, meanwhile, would always turn his head when Krum displayed affection towards Hermione, and concentrate on something else.

So, apart from the unusual mateship between Ron and Hermione, the term had passed fairly uneventfully. Snape was no less vindictive than ususal, Malfoy was still rich and snobbish, McGonagall remained strict and straight as a line and Headmaster Dumbeldore was no less benevolent than he had been in the past years of their schooling. As the weeks went by autumn gave way to winter, and it wasn't lonf before the first frost of the season covered the ground. It was mid-November when they had the Care of Magical creatures lesson that started to change things.

The weather had been getting increasingly colder and stormier, and the ground was frosty and wet, so no one was looking forward to a lesson outside. Hagrid had told them that they were moving on from their last topic, and when they turned up for their next lesson, the only found Krum there, standing alone with a bucket in his hand, and apparently quite oblivious to the biting cold.

"Hagrid vishes you all to go to the lake," he told them in his quiet voice. The Gryffindors and Slytherins made their way to the lake, their breaths coming out in clouds as they wrapped their black cloaks tighter around themselves, and they found Hagrid there. He was standing next to a large, glass tank, which was full of…full of…what were they?

"Baby squids," Hagrid told them, patting the tank full of squirming, many tentacled molluscs. "Now, they're not exac'ly magical, as far as creatures go…bu' they're actually in the same fam'ly as our friend, the giant squid here," Hagrid indicated the lake, where the giant squid waved its long, slimy tentacles in the air. "Meanin' that they'll grow at least three times th' size of anything of them things the Muggles call giant squids." Hagrid gave a derisive snort at the thought of them the things the Muggles called giant squids. "What I want yers all to do here t'day, yer all gonna tag them baby squid, and every lesson for the nex' three weeks we're gonna take 'em out, measure em, and see how big they grow with each week. You might want ter separate into threes fer this, ev'ryone." Hagrid handed each group a large metal bucket. Viktor, standing on a ladder at the side of the tank with his sleeves rolled up, would dip the bucket into the squirming mass of green, grey and yellow baby squids and scoop up about twenty squid. Viktor beamed at Hermione and blew her a kiss when he scooped up their squid. The task of tagging the squid was a little more difficult than it looked. The squids were slippery, and didn't like being tagged much, so they tended to give the tagger a faceful of ink and go squirming across the frost-covered ground.

"Urgh!" Harry groaned as the small yellow squid he had just attached a tag to squirted purple ink in his face. Harry wiped his face with the already sopping sleeve of his robes. "Gross!"

"It's not so bad, as far as Hagrid's lessons go," Hermione said quietly, deftly tagging a squid and dropping it back onto the bucket before it could squirt her.

"I guess so" Harry agreed. "But I wish we could take care of something a little less messy. Argh!" Hagrid, who was walking around surveying the work, chuckled as Harry got yet another faceful of ink from the baby squids. "Yer squeezin' 'em too hard Harry. Be careful with 'em…"

"That's a little bit hard, Hagrid, when I can't keep a hold of it!" Harry said exasperatedly. Hagrid smiled and gave Harry's baby squid a loving stroke with his giant finger.

"I'd 'ave thought yeh'd be enjoyin' 'em," he said, his smile disappearing and replaced with a reproachful look. "They're not as dangerous as the baby Grindylows. They've not gotten poisonous yet." Harry started to explain that he didn't really mind the squid, but Hagrid had to go off and help Neville, who had bright red ink all over his face and couldn't seem to keep a hold on his squid.

Ron frowned. "What did Hagrid mean, they're not poisonous yet?"

"Well, squid are poisonous, aren't they?" said Hermione. "Even Muggles know that-they have poisonous suckers on the underside of their tentacles."

Ron made a face. "Remind me again why we're supposed to be caring for the slimy little gits?" He smiled to himself, "This mystery goes right beside the one why Malfoy's parents kept him alive for fifteen years instead of shoving him off the nearest turret."

Hermione and Harry laughed. "You're in a good mood today," Hermione remarked.

Ron shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, well. It's just…well. I just feel happy. I suppose." He looked surprised at himself.

Hemrione grinned playfully at him. "So you wind mind if I…" Suddenly, she squeezed the squid she was holding, pointing it at Ron. The spray of ink hit him diretcly in the face. Harry and Hermione burst out laughing.

"Hermione!" Ron cried, looking more surprised than anything else. Then he burst out laughing. "You cow! I'll get you-"

Viktor Krum walked up behind Ron as he tried to grab hold of a baby squid from out of the bucket and said, "Try not to be so rough!" which made Ron jump.

"Oh…hello, Viktor," Ron said as he turned. Krum squatted down to survey their progress. "Very goot, Herm-own-ninny!" he marvelled. Hermione blushed, which seemed to be her immediate reaction to anything Krum said to her. Ron grinned at her cheekily.

"Yeah, not bad for you, Hermione. But then, we never expect much from her, do we Harry?" he said teasingly.

"Nah," said Harry carelessly. Hermione pulled a face at Ron, though she couldn't help smiling.

"Watch yourself," she said. "I may be Muggle born, but I'm dangerous."

Ron laughed. "Whatever you reckon, Granger. You wouldn't dare pull anything on me."

"Oh wouldn't I?" said Hermione triumphantly.

"Nah," said Harry again, watching Ron and Hermione's game with amusement.

"I could take you on any day, no problem," said Ron, with mock bravado.

"You couldn't afford it, Weasley," said Hermione, in a pretty accurate imitation of Draco Malfoy. She, Ron and Harry burst out laughing. Krum sat there looking bewildered. It took a while before the laughter stopped. "You do that pretty darn well, Hermione," said Ron snickering. "I don't know...you're just full of surprises, you are."

Hermione looked really pleased. Krum coughed quietly into his hand, probably to remind them that he was still there. Harry saw that Krum shot Ron a most curious glance. It looked almost malevolent. Ron didn't notice. Harry smiled at Viktor curiously. "Anyway…you're enjoying work here, then?"

"Yes, yes, very much so," said Krum, glancing at Hermione. "I think I vood like to apply for a permanent job here, once my trainink is finished…"

"You can't!" Ron blurted out suddenly. He looked at Hermione quickly, who was glaring at him, "I mean, all the positions at Hogwarts are filled, and Hagrid only started his job a few years ago."

"True," Krum admitted, making himself comfortable on the grass next to Hermione, "But Hagrid is gettink older, yes? Soon a substitute vill be needed…" he looked at Hagrid, who was helping Parvati unstick a squid from her arm.

Ron looked at Krum open-mouthed. Harry didn't like the sound of what Krum was saying either. Hagrid would have a long time until he stopped working as a teacher, and even then Harry knew Hagrid wouldn't give up his job as Hogwarts gamekeeper for anything. Ron suddenly found his voice again. "Don't talk about Hagrid like he's about to die!" he said angrily, accidentally squeezing his squid too hard. With a splat, Viktor's face was suddenly covered in bright red ink. He looked at Ron in surprise as the ink dripped from his heavy brow. Harry hid his smile by bending over to retrieve another baby squid, while Hermione giggled openly. "You look silly, Viktor," she laughed. Harry, relieved, looked up again. "You'd better wash it off, or it'll stain." He pointed at his own face, which had gone a slightly funny colour, from having being squirted so many times. Viktor nodded, and Harry noticed his eyes shift over to Ron with a resentful glare. Hermione and Ron didn't notice.

"Ron'll help, won't you Ron?" said Hermione. "Seeing as it's your fault."

"Okay, I'll go," Ron said reluctantly, placing his wriggling squid on the ground. Hermione and Harry watched them go, still giggling. Harry watched as Viktor bent down over the lake to wash off the ink, and Ron jogging to catch up to him and then-

It happened so fast. Ron gave a yell, and suddenly his long arms were wheeling through the air. He stumbled, tripped and went flying. There was a gigantic splash as Ron fell headfirst into the freezing cold black waters of the lake. Harry jumped to his feet, alarmed. Hermione was already starting to run over to see what had happened, looking anxious, as did several other students. Harry and Hermione reached the lake before everyone else. Viktor was on his feet too, looking at the rippled waters.

"Ron! Oh my gosh- he fell in!" Hermione cried, clutching Harry's arm.

"Can he swim?" gasped Harry. "Why isn't he up yet?"

"I don't know!" Hermione moaned. She looked at Viktor. "What on earth happened?" she cried. Viktor looked at the crowd forming around them and shrugged his round shoulders. "I do not know," he said, "He suddenly tripped." Hermione scanned the waters of the lake anxiously. Harry waded in a little bit, preparing to dive down to the bottom of the lake. Gryffindor and Slytherin students alike exclaimed loudly.

"I'm going to have to go in," Harry said, pulling off his cloak and throwing it onto the grass.

Hermione went pale. "Oh, Harry!" she said. Hagrid started to make his way through the crowd of students, roaring.

"Harry! Don' you get in there! Stay righ' where yeh are!"

Harry shook his head helplessly. "I dunno if he can swim, Hagrid!" he said, wading up to his knees in the water, as the class grew more panicky. "I've got to do something!"

Hagrid reached out a big arm and pulled Harry back by the shoulder. "Don' be an idiot Harry! He'll be fine, I say!"

"Fine?!" repeated Hermione shrilly, going paler still. Everyone was getting upset, now. Only two people remained calm- Draco Malfoy, and Viktor Krum.

Hermione suddenly gave a great shuddering gasp, suddenly. "Oh!" In the middle of the lake, there was a disturbance in the water. Something from in the water was rushing towards the surface at a great speed. Suddenly, Ron's head and torso broke the surface, and Hermione gave a great cry of relief. Everyone crowded closer to the shore, looking to see what had happened. Ron was gasping for breath, his red hair plastered down on his forehead, hands scrabbling desperately at his waist. He seemed to be trying to extricate himself from something .

"What on earth's he doing?" Harry heard Seamus Finnigan mutter behind him. Ron was lifted high into the air then, and Harry realised what it was; one gigantic tentacle belonging to the giant squid was wrapped tightly around Ron. Hagrid squeezed Harry's shoulder in a reassuring way and called out. "You alrigh' Ron?"

Ron didn't seem to be able to answer. He was still gasping hard. The class cried in unison as the tentacle, thick as a tree trunk, whooshed towards the shore. The squid deposited Ron safely onto the shore of the lake and unwrapped itself from around him with an odd popping noise.

"Stand back ev'ryone," Hagrid bellowed, "Give 'im some air!" The class, murmuring apprehensively, shuffled backwards as Ron breathing hard, brought himself to his knees. He pushed his wet hair off his face and coughed violently for a while. Harry and Hermione bent down next to him anxiously, and helped Ron get unsteadily to his feet.

"You okay?" Harry asked. "Ron? You alright?" Already he could see Ron starting to shiver.

"Are you alright Ron?" Hermione said breathlessly.

Ron didn't answer. Instead, rubbing water out of his eyes, he looked blearily around at the crowd and stopped when he saw Viktor Krum. He looked in astonishment at Viktor for a few moments, who looked almost unusually calm, compared to the emotional Hogwarts students. Ron's face suddenly contorted with fury. "What on earth did you do that for?" he yelled, as Viktor looked perplexed.

"Do what, Ron?".

"You tripped me up!" said Ron angrily. His teeth started to chatter in the cold air.

"I don't know what you mean," Viktor said calmly, but Ron stepped forward, stumbling a little, and gave Krum a sudden violent shove, sending him backwards into Pansy Parkinson, who stumbled as his weight fell on her.

"Ron!" Hermione gasped, as she darted forward to reach him. "Don't do that!"

Harry stepped forward too, looking anxiously at Ron. His lips were going blue with cold. Harry put a hand on his friend's shoulder as a pacifier, but Ron shrugged him off. He was still glaring angrily at Krum.

"That's enough o' that!" Hagrid said anxiously. But Viktor was getting back on his feet, and he shoved Ron back just as violently. The crowd gasped. Ron lost his footing too, except the shove sent him back into the lake again. Hermione looked horrified. "Viktor!" she squealed, as Ron floundered about. He had now gone quite pale, yet Harry could see his ears turning red. Harry quickly waded into the water to pull Ron up. Hermione did the same, but once again Ron pulled away from them, staggering under the weight of his saturated robes and cloak. He stood on his feet, but didn't seem to be able to say anything, he was shaking from cold so badly. The students watched in suspenseful silence as Krum and Ron glared at each other, waiting for the next move. Even Draco Malfoy wasn't laughing at how badly Ron was shivering.

"Ron," said Harry quietly. "Leave it. Come on Ron…"

Ron's teeth were chattering so badly now that he bit his lip, hard. Drops of blood dripped onto his chin but Ron didn't seem to notice, he and Krum were still glowering warily at each other.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, grabbing him by the arm. "Stop it you two, stop being stupid! What's the problem, Ron? Viktor!"

Parvati suddenly spoke up. "Hagrid, do something! Look at him! Someone's got to take him to Madame Pomfrey!" She was staring at Ron, almost frightened. The rest of the Gryffindors were staring at Ron in much the same way. "He's…he's…oh, just help him somebody!"

Harry looked at Ron too. Every freckle stood out on his paper white face. His lips were blue and bleeding. His long thin fingers shook so violently he couldn't even unbuckle his sopping wet cloak. He was looking at Viktor Krum, but…not really seeing him.

The silence that had seized the class suddenly broke as everyone stared agreeing with Parvati. Hagrid took two giant steps forward through the crowd, grasped Viktor's shoulder, and spoke inaudibly to him for a second. Viktor nodded, and shooting Ron a last resentful look, started walking up in the direction of the castle. Hagrid looked at Ron, anxiously. "Ron, are yeh alrigh'? Ron?"

Ron didn't seem to be able to hear them. He was shivering and shaking very badly and his face was tinged blue…Harry was slightly frightened. He seized Ron's shivering shoulder and gave him a little shake. "Hey, Ron, snap out of it!"

Ron didn't answer, but, with a funny cracking noise, dropped to his knees. Hermione and several of the girls gave a cry, and Harry jumped back, alarmed. Hagrid's beetle black eyes were wide with concern. "Right. I'm takin' 'im up to Madame Pomfrey. Hermi'ne, Harry…you cin come with me." He scooped Ron up in his arms, who was still shivering and shaking and seemed to have frozen stiff, and roared at the class. "I want all of yers to stay right where yeh are and don' touch the lake! I'll be back in a moment." Harry and Hermione hurried after Hagrid back up to the castle.