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Chapter 4

            Hermione stepped out of the portrait to find Ron and Harry's curious faces staring back at her.

"What took you so long?" asked Harry.

Hermione tried not to look guilty and then took the defensive. "Nothing" she snapped. "Why is it your business anyway?"

"Gosh, Hermione. It was just a question." Said Ron, looking hurt.

"Oh. You're right. I'm sorry, guys."

"Well, anyway, do you want to come for a walk with us? We're going to go down to Hagrid's for tea. He invited us."

"Oh. Sure. Just let me get my bag. I don't want to be late for class." Hermione hurried back inside. Her face showed her disappointment that Draco wasn't there. She was glad that the boys hadn't followed her in or she would have been faced with more questions. She looked around for her bag and spotted it under the coffee table. On her way over she noticed the full bottle of laced butter beer. Not wanting Draco to find it now that they were together, she stuffed it in her bag and ran back out to Harry and Ron.

"Okay. Let's go."

Later, after tea with Hagrid, the trio decided to walk around the grounds until class started. They had a while, because they left Hagrid's early to avoid his rock cakes. On their way around the lake, they ran into Ginny. Claiming to have dropped something, she asked Harry to help her look for it. Ron and Hermione waved good-bye and continued their conversation. This were fine for a while, that is, until Ron changed the subject.

"How are things with ferret boy? It must be awful to have to share a dorm with him."

Hermione paled and didn't respond for a while. She wasn't sure how to reply. She could badmouth Draco like she had for the past six years, but she knew she'd feel awful about it later. So she took a risk and quickly answered, "No, its not that bad he can be pretty okay sometimes."

Ron looked shocked and swallowed hard, "What do mean- not that bad? He's a prat! That boy is pure evil."

Now Hermione was upset. "Ron, he's really nice most of the time. You just don't know him like I do."

Ron almost fell over.

 "Know him like you do Hermione? What do you mean know him like you do? How well do you know him" Hermione remained silent. She knew she had said the wrong thing. Especially to Ron. Ron stood there gaping and Hermione dropped her bag, the contents spilling out. She tried to cover her mistake but couldn't think of a way out. Just then Harry and Ginny came back.

 "What's up Guys?" asked Harry, almost completely oblivious to the situation at hand. seeing the bottle of butter beer on the floor, Harry asked, "Is that yours Hermione?" And without thinking, Hermione said yes. "Great! I'm really thirsty." He quickly opened it and put it to his lips. Hermione, realizing her mistake protested but she was too late. His eyes glazed over and Ron immediately asked what was wrong.

"What's wrong, is that I love Hermione and she doesn't love me back." He was talking as if no one was around, not looking at anyone or anything. His voice however was filled with emotion. " I've liked her for so long. I wish that she would love me too." Hermione looked hurt, and so did Ginny. They both took off in different directions and left the two boys, one under a potion, by the lake.

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Later that night, in the boy's dormitories, Harry and Ron were discussing the day's events. Ron had finished telling Harry about what Hermione had said before the truth potion incident. Harry agreed that something was going on with Hermione and they needed to figure out what it was. They already had a starting point (Malfoy) but where to go from there.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to review!!!!!!!!!