~*Lean on Me*~

A Ron and Hermione story

(A/N) Hey everyone! Sorry if that last chapter bored you to death. It was more just something to enertain you a bit before the big drama starts. Yeah it will be happening pretty soon not in this chapter, but maybe in the next one or the one following that. In this chapter Ron gets his first emotional sock in the stomach though. Yeah but you'll just have to wait and see how deep is goes. Sorry. Read on faithful reviewers! Until next time...

~Love from Lizzie

(Disclaimer) I think we all know that Harry Potter and all of the other character do not belong to me...so on and so forth...

Chapter V: Just Another Day in Hogsmede. Or is it?

Ron woke up the next morning and looked at the watch on his bedside table. It was alomost 7:30 and classes stared at 8:10.

"A half an hour to get dressed and eat breakfast!" Ron exclaimed in surprise. He looked over at Harry's bed which he found to be empty. "That, idiot!" he yelled in frustation kicking the bed making his toe stream with pain and a small paper fall.

It was a letter addressed to him from Harry.

Thought you might want to sleep in.

-Harry

"Yeah thanks, Harry." Ron cursed rubbing his aching foot. Mumbling his managed to throw on his cloak and make it down stairs in a few seconds.

He entered th Great Hall in about ten minutes, record time for anyone, slightly out of breath. He sat down in between Harry and Hermione who began to look at him in a funny way.

"Can you pass me the syrup?" he asked, Hermione, filling his plate with eggs bacon and waffles, which he shoved down his throat hurridly.

"Um... Ron?" she asked eyeing him cautiously

"Waf?" he managed to sputter through a mouthful of eggs and bacon.

"We're going to Hogsmede to today." she whispered nervously.

"Yeah, so." he shrugged shoveling some more acon into his mouth.

"Are you, um, still going?" Harry questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Yes I'm going to Hogsmede! What is your problem?" Ron yelled impatiently, startling a few first year girls sitting nearby.

Harry and Hermione exchanged nervous looks and Harry pulled at his clothes. It finally clicked in his head what they were saying and looked slowly down at his own self. While the other people surrounding him were all dressed in their usual weekend Muggle clothes he was sitting there in his Hogwarts robes.

"Oh, Bloody Hell!" he screamed fitfully.

"Language, Weasley." Professor McGonagall hissed as she passed by the table.

"Yes, ma'am." he mumbled. "I'm going to change." he said throwing down his fork with a loud clatter as he stood from the table. He looked back anxiously at his nice warm waffles still sitting on his plate, waiting to be eaten.

People started whispering, pointing, and laughing as he passed by them on his way out to the staircase that lead up to the tower.

He could feel his face begin to he up as he entered the empty dormitory. That was one of the most embarassing thing to happen to him besides the time when started belching up slugs... or the time when he got a Howler from his mom... and the time when he had missed all the goals in his first game of Quidditch... and...oh never mind. It was another very embarasing time he'd like to forget. And in front of Hermione. He would have given anything in the world to keep her from seeing him make a fool of himself like he did.

Eventually he threw on a pair of blue jeans and a light blue tee-shirt and decided to go back down. What else did he have to lose.

~*~

"Ron! I didn't think you were going to coming back." Harry grinned evilly.

"Oh shut up Harry!" Hermione snapped before Ron could even open his mouth to defend himself. "Can't you see he feels embarassed enough as it is. He doesn't need you to continuously rub it in his face, Harry Potter!" Ron and Harry stared at her mouth wide open with amazement at her inituative to defend Ron.

"Sor-ry!" Harry apologized wide-eyed. "Din't mean to hurt you sweet heart's feelings."

If only looks could kill. He glanced at Hermione who looked as if she were about to attack. If she would have heard the last part she probably would have. But thankfully she didn't.

"Uh... thanks." Ron muttered looking at the floor.

"Your welcome. By the way that shirt really bring out your eyes you really should wear it more often." she said quickly as she stood from the table. "We really should be heading out to the Entrance Hall right now, don't you think. You know to beat the rush." she added quickly to change the subject.

"Attention all students..." Professor McGonagall called from the teachers table in the front of the hall.

"Come on we better hurry." Ron said rushing to stand up, knocking over a glass of pumpkin juice in the mad escape for the door.

As they took off running down the isle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables Professor McGonagall continued, "Would you please, make you way to the Entrance Hall to board the school carrages to Hogsmede. We will be taking them this year as we did last year for extra precaution. Please leave quietly and in orderly fashion. Thank you."

Undoubtedly no one knew what quietly or in orderly fashion meant, for everyone made for the doors as unorderly and as noisily as possible. Harry, Ron, and Hermione flung open the door and threw themselves toward the oak front doors.

"Don't look back!" Harry yelled as the mad stampede pf students ran for the best carrages.

They hurried out of the doors and slid next to the very first carrage. Harry jerked open the door and yelled "GO! GO! GO!" as he pushed Ron and Hermione inside. As soon as they were piled in he slammed the door shut and clicked the lock in place with a quick and loud 'snap'.

Bodies were thrown against the door along with the banging of fists and the repitious look of scared and worried faces peering in through the window.

"Okay that was scary!" Hermione breathed irregularly clutching her chest and sounding desperatly out of breath.

"Your telling me!" Ron sighed as he climbed off the floor into a seat near Hermione.

Harry looked over at the lock stuck tight on the door with a satified grin. "As long as that stays shut I think we'll be alright." he gasped also breathing heavily from the loss of breath.

Just as he said the very sentence a small red-head was pulling the door feirously yelling with all her might, "Harry! Harry, let me in!"

"Harry, it's only Ginny. Please just let her in." Hermione pleaded.

"Okay." harry groaned reaching slowly for the brass lock. His hand gripped it shakily and he closed his eyes. As soon as he pulled it back the door flew open and closed in one quick flash. Before they could have time to realize it Ginny was sitting next to Harry oposite Ron and Hermione.

"Honestly! It's completely mad out there!" she shivered holding her arms close to her chest.

"No! You don't say!" the others chimed in unison.

~*~

For the rest of the trip, Ginny babled on about her sixth year friends and their discusting love lives, while the othe three gazed into the unknown, every once in a while nodding their heads or giving a small fake smile when they snapped back into reality.

As soon as they stepped onto the cobbled street they were relieved when Ginny ran off to join a group of sixth year girls heading into Zonko's joke shop. So instead they headed of to The Three Broomsticks for a couple of butterbeers.

"Hey that wasn't there last year." Ron pointed out a small shop about four doors down from the Shreiking Shack. He was right. The sign in front of it said "Construction done by 'Faster than Light Wizard Construction' ".

Let's go check it out." Harry said eagerly.

Ron noticed that Hermione grudgily drug her feet in the dust after the two boys gazing about as though expecting something.

"What are you looking for?" Ron asked curiously straying away form Harry as he ran unknowingly ahead.

"Oh, um, nothing! Nothing at all!" she lied putting on a huge strained smile that was most definatly fake.

"Yeah. I'm sure." Ron said sarcastically as his eyebrows came together in a skeptical type of way. "But ofcourse you'll never tell me anything, so why bother asking."

"Well maybe the reason I'm not telling you is because it's for your own good." she screamed defending herself quickly as she alway did. Never would she give up a time to argue against Ron. " Maybe I know that someone will get hurt if I tell you that a certain someone was coming to meet me today!" she covered her mouth quickly realizing she had probably said too much, which she had.

"Don't tell me that, that stupid bloke, Krum, is coming, Hermione. Please tell me he isn't coming." Ron moaned with his eyes closes pleadingly.

"Well if I said that it would be a lie, wouldn't it. I mean because if he is..."

"No no no! Stop right there! Let me just pretend that this conversation never stared. Just let me pretend we will be on our happy way to the new shop without seeing that filthy prat, Krum, once while we're here. Just give me that happiness, please!" Ron said raising a hand to stop her before she could offically say he was actually coming.

Hermione crossed her arms and gave an agitated sigh. "Alright, Ron! If it makes you happy." she rolled her eyes and stomped behind him as he lead the way to the noisy little shop filled with Hogwart students.

~*~

They entered the shop expecting alot less than there actually was. Undoubtedly there had been an engorgment charm put on the shop because it was big as a large department store and contained about as much. Stacked up to the ceiling were shelves of just about everything imaginable. There were animals in cages, clothes on racks, candy in little cupboards, make-up, jewlery, charms of a shapes, potion ingredients of every kind, collectables, house appliances, and even car parts in one of the farther corners.

"Wow." Hermione breathed awestrucked.

"I definatly wasn't expecting it to be this big." Ron sighed his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Hey, you guys! Come over here!" Harry yelled from the nearest corner. It was set up like a small French cafe' . Ron and Hermione looked around one last time before they walked over to the tiny table that he had set for three.

"This place is amazing isn't it?" Harry gasped as they settled themselves on either side of him.

"Yes it is. How did they ever manage to fit everything in here?" Hermione asked still slightly amazed.

"They're wizards, Hermione. They can do just about anything!" Harry laughed.

"Good morning, mademoiselle, monsiers. Voud you like anyzing?" a young man of about twenty or so, asked them suddenly.

"Oh! Well, I guess I'll take a rootbeer float. Are you guys ordering anything?" Harry answered without even glancing at his menu.

"No, I'm alright. Hermione?" Ron shrugged.

Hermione however didn't seem very interested in ordering anything at the moment. Instead she was enjoying her time staring at the waiter.

"HERMIONE?" Ron asked alot louder this time.

"W-what? Oh... I'm sorry." she gigled girishly twirling a small peice of her brown hair around her finger and fluttering her eylashes flirtatiously. "I-I-I don't know yet. What do you recomend?"

The boy took her actions normally as though it happened all the time and listed a few suggestions.

"Oh well... I'll just take a coffee. Yes a coffee would be quite lovely." she smiled without looking away from him.

Ron looked from Hermione's star-struck face to the young man's, then a look of tension grew upon his face. He felt like pulling out the boy's eyes when he looked at her. Only he could do that and no one else but him.

"Zo zat vill be one rootbeer float and a coffee for zee mademoiselle. I shall be right back." he repeated in his heavy French accent.

Hermione's eyes followed him closely until he disappeared behind the counter where they froze. Ron started to grit his teeth.

"So..." Harry started trying desperatly to stop the silence from starting. "...um...so what were you two hanging behind for?"

"Hermione was just telling me that Krum could possibly be coming to Hogsmede today. Isn't that right, Hermione?" Ron said pursing his lips making him look desperatly like Mrs. Weasley.

"Hmmmm..." she mumbled not taking her eyes away from the direction of which the boy had dissapeared.

"Hermione!" Ron said shaking her arm lightly to get her attention.

"Oh! What? What?" she stammered shaking her head back into reality.

"Ron was just saying that Victor Krum is coming. Is that true?" Harry asked smiling at her.

"Oh yes. Yes he is." she shook her head sharply and then turne back to the counter.

Ron began to become impatient with her behavior knowing that she'd probably never look at him that way. " Well... while you wait for your drinks, would it be alright if I go find your presents?" Ron asked standing up not looking at Hermione knowing she was still waiting for the boy's return.

"Yeah sure." Harry said then hit Hermione sharply on the arm.

"Oh yeah sure, Harry!" she said in surprize. harry laughed lightly as Ron turned away.

~*~

Now what to get. Ron thought to himself. I can get Harry some candy and refills for his broom kit but what to get Hermione. He knew he had to get her something special because I mean she is Hermione.

He walked of to the Information station placed underneath a large sign that read "Everything and More" which was most likely the name of the store. There stood a young womanprobably only just out of school like the waiter, but she definatly looked nothing like the girls from Hogwarts. She had short blond hair that was twisted up in a bundle of knots that were held together with bunches of bows and ribbon. She had a ring on every one of her fingers and tons of bracelets on each wrist. Her make-up was piled on around her eyes and her ears had been peirced multiple times. Even with all of this she was still very pretty.

"E-excuse me." Ron stuttered when she made no sign of knowing he was there as he stepped up to the counter.

"Yes." she said with a high pitched voice also with an obvious French accent.

"I, um, wanted to ask your opinion on something." he said nervously.

"Yes continue." she said looking up at him curiously.

" I wanted to ask... well you see I really like this girl and I..."

"Oh zis eez so sweet. You vont to tell eer zat she eez special, non?" she interupted clapping her hands together estatically.

"Yeah. Sort of. So what do you think. I mean, your a girl. You understand how girls think and stuff." Ron said feeling is cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Vell, let's see. I zink i vould recomend a necklace and some perfume. Zat vould probably geev me zee 'int" she winked with approval.

"Thanks. That's great." Ron said eagerly starting to run off to the jewery departement.

"Eef you vould like..." the girl started. Ron turned back around to face her. "I could 'elp you with your deecision." she said giving a flirty smile. "By zee way, I'm Maria.

Ron looked at her. She definatly didn;t have the same style as Hermione but he could be of some help. He looked over at Hermione's table and thought of how wonderful she made him feel and wanted more than anything else to give her that special present.

"Eez zat 'er?" Maria asked nodding in the direction Ron was looking.

"Yeah." Ron sighed dreamily.

"She eez pretty, exsept for 'er 'air." Maria said with a raised eyebrow.

"Her hair is fine!" Ron shouted unexpectedly at her comment.

Maria stated to laugh girlishly. " I am zo zorry. I deedn't mean to make you zo angry."

"Sorry." Ron mumbled looking at his feet quite ashamed at himself.

" Oh don't be. She eez you love. I can understand quite well. Now off to vind jewlery!"

Maria jerked Ron suddenly off towards the jewlery department skipping merily. Ron ran uncontrolably behind her.

~*~

After about thirty or so minutes, Ron finally agreed with something Maria had picked out. It looked like something Hermione might actually wear. It was a thin silver chain with two small silver hearts intwined together in the center.

"She vill love eet!" Maria squealed as she put it neatly in a little black jewlery box.

Ron pulled out his last three gold galleons and pushed them towards her.

"Oh non non non! I vill geev you a how you say eet, uh, deescounter. So zat vill be only one galleon please. I vill pay zee rest just because I like you." she insisted pushing the money back to him.

He tryed to force it into her hands but she kept shaking her head and pushing it back to him. "I'm zorry but I'll only accept one."

So Ron gave up finally and made his way back to the table with Hermione's necklace, Harry's Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott Beans, and refills of broom polish, and Ginny's brown jewery box. He swung the bag at his side as he proudly thought of Hermione's reaction to her perfect present. Ofcourse he knew he'd never be able to see her surprize due to the fact that she was going to spend Christmas with her parents.

Maybe I could give it to her early. Maybe the day before Christmas break so I can see her smile. She might even give me a hug. That would be nice.

He sat down at the table his thoughts elsewhere.

"What you get me?" Harry asked impatiently digging in the bag but only seeing three ugly brown packages. "Oh damn prewrapping!"

"I'm not going to tell..." Ron smiled looking up. He didn't see Hermione. "...you. Hey where's Hermione?"

"Oh she went with Krum to Honeydukes. Then they're going to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. We're supposed to meet them there in about and hour or two." Harry said matter-of-factly.

"She did What?! And you let her go! You weren't supposed to let her go! Don't you realize what he is capable of?!" Ron yelled standing up violently knocking over Harry and Hermione's drinks. A few poeple began to stare at them with curiosity. Others looked at them as though they were being terribly rude.

"Well, I just thought they should have a little privacy." Harry shrugged looking dreadfully nervous at the moment.

"NO! You should never let her be alone with him! Never! You understand?! He's a crazy lunatic! Do you hear me?! A crazy psycotic, raging-axe-man, lunatic!" Ron stormed pounding on the table with every word.

"Okay. Okay. I get it." Harry shushed. "Just calm down. We'll go find her."

"I can't calm down right now! Hermione's out there alone with bloddy Krum!" Ron screamed with all his might.

"Excuse' moi, monsieur. But could you pleeze quiet down. You are deesturbing zee ozer custeemers." the young waiter said tapping Ron on the shoulder.

Ron knocked his hand away ruffly. And the man stared at him with a shocked expression.

"Get your hands off me! You have no idea what I'm going through right now. I'm very angry, and if I were you right now, I'd back off and stay out of this before I pounded you into the ground." Ron growled through clentched jaws.

"Guards!"

~*~

Ron picked himself off the ground and began to dust off his shirt. He made a rude jesture behind the police officers back just as Harry walked out of the doors.

"Happy now?" Harry asked looking at him with a fake "it's-all-your-fault-you-know" smile on his face. "If it makes you any happier, we can go find Hermione. She probably still in Honeydukes."

"No I've got a better idea. Let's just see what their up to. Well be able to see what Hermione's hiding from us about her and that filthy Krum!" Ron grinned evilly.

"Ron... you know, you are the biggest idiot I've ever met in my entire life." Harry rolled his eyes with his arms crossed on his chest. "Why don't you just ask her how she feels about you?"

"No. No this way she'll won't figure out I like her and I'll be able to find out if she really does like bloody Krum."

"Don't you want her to know?"

"Not yet. Not until Christmas."

"Alright, Ron it's your life. I guess I have no other choice than to help you ruin it."

~*~

Ron led the way over to the crowded pub and picked a table in the far back corner clearly out of sight from anyone.

"Ron instead of spying on her like some sort of stalker, why don't you just ask her how she feels about, Krum?" Harry suggested takig a seat.

"Because, Harry, I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I just can't. I don't have the courage and I wouldn't know what to say."

Just then a little tinkle of the entrance bell rung twice as a short girl with bushy brown hair and a tall gangly boy with a long hook nose entered and took a seat directly in front of Harry and Ron. Strangly enough neither one of them noticed the two boy were so near. The reason being that Ron had summoned a small hristmas tree in front of their table just as the two entered the shop. Harry looked at him hoplessly.

The bartender brought two butterbeers over too Hermione and Krum's table and placed it in front of them.

"I am glad vee came here instead of zee noisy candy shop, Herm-own-ninny." Krum said staring at her with intensity. Hermione stared awkwardly at her own bottle in her hands.

"Yes it's alot quieter in here." she mumbled tapping her fingernails nervously on the glass.

"Now vee can talk."

"About what?

"Let me get straight to zee point, Herm-own-ninny. I love you and I know you love me too, but you von't let it out." Krum said making a grab for her hand. She pulled it away from him and placed it instead in her lap.

"Victor, I don't like you like that anymore. I've told you that about a hundred times before." she sighed still not looking at him.

"Yes you do. You are only in denial, but it is okay to admit it now. You can say it." Krum still insisted.

"Victor, do you remember what happened last time we tried dating? I left you last summer for one week alone and your sister writes to me saying that you had cheated on me with a girl you hardly even knew. I can't take that again. I'm sorry, but I can't trust you anymore."

"But zat was last summer.I am a changed man now."

"No you are not! That's why you keep presuring me to be your girlfriend even despite the way I trully feel about you."

"I know zee vay you veel. I veel zee same vay about you too. Now eef you vould only zay it everyzing vould be vine."

"Victor I..."

Hermione was cut short abruptly by Krum. he leaned over suddenly and forcefully kissed her directly on the lips. Ron stood up violently from the table and threw the tree to the side with on swing of his arm.

"Get off of me, you jerk!" Hermione screamed still in shock. She stood up from her own table and grabbed her drink in her hand. As Krum made another grab for her arm she slung butterbeer all over his face. He turned red with anger and mad a dash for her.

Ron rushed over to the table and grabbed Krum by the colar forcing him against the wall. Even though Krum was tall, Ron was even taller and their buids were about the same due to both of their Quidditch training. All eyes in the room were now on the two boys. harry rushed over to comfort Hermione with his wand now pointed at Krum.

"Apologize to her NOW!" Ron seethed with fury.

"I...I...I..." Krum stammered.

"Say It!" Ron roared.

"I am zorry!" Krum cried out in fright.

"Good. Now get the hell out of here." Ron growled and pushed him violently towards the door. Krum scrammbled to it fumbling with the knob glanceing nernously back at Ron's glaring face.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione squealed.

"What?" he said alot louder than he intended still blazing wth fury.

"How could you?" she squeaked shaking with a mixture of shock, fright, and anger.

"What-what did I do?" Ron shrugged looking around hopelessly for clues. He had just protected her from Krum. What did he do wrong?

"Spying on me during my date with Victor, and jumping in when I could have taken control by myself. I didn;t need you back up help Ron!" she said in another high pitched squeak. A tear was now glissenin in the corner of her eye. "You said you'd never hurt me." As she said this her heart bursted and tears started streamng continuously down her smoothe cheeks.

Ron's face was pinned with shame. He rubed his hands over his eyes to stop the burning that had begun to form. This was not how he was wanting the day to go at all.

"Look, Hermione, I didn't think you..."

"That's right you didn't think!"

"I didn't mean to..."

"Shut up, Ron. I don't want to her it." she whispered, grabbing her purse and walking out the door without another word.

Ron hung his head in defeat. She hated him. She now offically hated him. His dreams had now shattered into a million peices and no one was around to help clean them back up. He'd given up all hope.

Harry patted his shoulder confortingly and they walked together back to the castle and into the Great hall without speaking. Aftrewards the went up to bed in total and complete silence. They settled theirselves in for a restless sleepless night as dreams of the fight danced unwelomely in their heads.

~*~

(A/N) Wow, huh? Poor Ron. As you can most likely tell Hermione has become alot more girly and alot more emotional. (don't we all) Ron still has some growing up to do as you can see by his "brilliant idea". Way to go Ron, you did great this time. I know it seems like Ron really screwed up. Don't worry though, this is a R/H story so ofcourse you know they'll eventually hook up in the end. Ron will show his grown up side really soon though along with some emotional side too. Scary huh? By the way I had some peope ask me this on another site where I posted this story. They asked if this was the tramatic experence described in the summary. No It isn't. its alot worst than this. This wasn't anything compaired to what's gunna happen. But your just gunna have to wait and see.

(Summary of the next Ch.)Ron and Hermione are both totally bummed by their big arguement. Ron thinks he'll never have another chance and Hermione begins to feel guilty after all he was trying to stick up for her. But Ron messed up. He had been spying on her to begin with. Ron tries to apologize but again Hermione doesn't accept it.

Hermione and Harry are interupted during their Head Boy/Girl meeting with McGonagall by Colin Creevy. He tells them that they are to report to he Head masters office for a meeting.

What does the Headmaster want with them? Will Ron and Hermione ever make up? What new event are they discussing at the meeting with Mcgoanagall? What surprize do I have in store?

Dun Dun Dun. I don't know I guess you'll just have to wait and find out.

~*~

(Poll) Do you think that suicide in a fic should be rated PG or PG13?

~*~

Special Thanx:

~VoiCeZWiThiN

~RussellGrl15

~Princess Jennifer

~SisterBear58

~Line-from Denmark

~Marauder Angel

~peeves'twinsister

~Duckymander

~Katie26

~RussellGrl15

~ And to my friends from Harry Potter.com

Thanx so much!! And I hope you enjoyed this Chapter! Until next time...

~Love from Lizzie