Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all. I am not making any money here.
A sixth year boy with red hair -passed down from many generations of his family-, green eyes, and quite tall, was sitting on top of a hill on the south of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a starry scrape; his many freckles that were scattered across his face were hard to spot in the darkness with the light of the stars. He lightly petted his owl, Pig. Pig, whose proper name was Pigwidgeon, normally annoyed Ron, but tonight, he was calm and relaxing.
He stood up quickly, surprising Pig, and started pacing up and down the top of the hill, every once in awhile losing his balance and almost falling down the hill from all of his thoughts in his head, and little concentration of where he was walking. Pig flew and landed gracefully on Ron's shoulder. Ron turned his head and grinned at pig, then looked back down at the ground, 'Why can't I just tell her?' Ron thought, he did not want to say anything out loud in case someone might overhear him. He looked around, finally deciding that he was alone, "I should just tell her, it's not like she'll just stop being friends with me afterwards if she says no. But what if she does stop being friends with me?! And what about Harry? What if he likes Hermione too, just isn't telling me? No, if he did like her he would tell me. Does that mean I should tell Harry?" Ron looked once again at Pig, "What do you think? Am I just talking crazy talk or what?"
Ron started mumbling to himself again, "She won't stop being friends with me no matter what. But if she does I'll just go crazy! I'll - Ouch! Pig! -Blasted bird!" Pig had pecked at the side of his head. "What was that for you menace?!" Pig pecked at his head again, and looked at the starting of the hill. It was a girl, a girl with long, no longer bushy, hair. It glided in the slight breeze. She sat down at the beginning of the hill. 'What is she doing here?' Ron thought to himself. "Thanks for telling me she was here Pig."
Pig flew off Ron's shoulder, and started toward the castle. Ron headed down the hill. Wondering what Hermione was doing all alone.
After stumbling on a couple rocks on the way, Ron finally got near the bottom of the hill where Hermione was. "Hermione!" Ron called to her, "What are you doing here?" He was still a little far away for Hermione to hear, so he moved closer. He cupped his hands around his mouth, "Hermione! What are you doing here?"
Hermione turned her head to look at Ron, but not before rubbing her eyes. Ron could tell from so far away that her eyes were bloodshot from crying. He ran to her. Instantly Hermione put her arms around Ron for support and caring, laying her head where his chest was. "Oh Ron!"
"What happened Hermione?! Who did this to you?!" Ron was enraged. He knew he would pummel whoever had done this to her.
"I-it's-" Hermione started to say.
"If it was Malfoy, I swear I'll kill him!"
"Y-yes. It-t was him," Hermione said in between dry breaths and rapid crying.
"Just wait until I get my hands on him. I'll beat him to a bloody pulp! What did he do to you?" Ron asked with a determined look in his green eyes, which were staring straight into Hermione's.
Hermione looked away from Ron, then looked back. The stream of everlasting tears still rolling silently down her face. She stayed silent. When she tried to talk, nothing would come out of her mouth.
Ron had not stopped staring at Hermione, "You don't have to say anything, and I'll just beat it out of Draco if he doesn't want to tell me. Let's go."
But before they started to go, Hermione gave Ron a tight hug. Ron smelled her shampoo, 'It smells good, like fruit.' Ron thought to himself.
Hermione let go. "R-ready," She managed to say in fragments.
Ron led her to the front doors of the castle, and he opened the door. Hermione stepped inside, Ron followed. "Where is he?" He asked.
Hermione pointed to the left of the Great Hall. "You'd think I would've seen that," Ron said. He could tell that Hermione was trying hard to smile, but could not force herself to do so.
Draco looked at Hermione, and looked at Crabbe and Goyle as if saying, 'Let's go.' Draco hurried over, "Did the vewy bawd boy Dwaco huwt poor Hermmy's feewings?" He said sounding like a three-year-old. Then got a stern look on his face, "Or have you just come for more, thought it doesn't look like it from all the tears. Or have your eyes gotten red because you're on something?"
BAM! Ron's fist hit Draco on his right cheek, close enough to his mouth that his lip started to bleed. "That's right Draco! Not so big and bad now huh?" Ron said, and took another swing at his left cheek, then tackled him. Pinning Draco by sitting on top of him, Ron punched him rapidly, wanting to give him as much pain as possible. Ron could see Draco's eye starting to get swollen, and turn pink but was still getting darker. Ron decided that was enough, and that he would save the rest for a bad day.
Hermione blocked off Crabbe and Goyle with some seventh year spells, while Ron got off. "Get up, you piece of scum!" Ron kicked at Draco's side.
A weak 'Oh' came out of Draco's mouth, then clutched were Ron had kicked.
"Just try to hurt Hermione again, and it'll be worse than this time!" Ron said.
"That is quite enough Mr. Weasley!" Said the voice of the Head of House of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall. "In my office, NOW!" Ron had never seen her so mad.
"I-its m-" Hermione started saying.
Ron stepped in between her and Professor McGonagall, "Don't let my month's worth of detentions go to waste, just go to the Common Room, and don't tell McGonagall why I fought with Malfoy. I'll just make an excuse. Go. I don't want your perfect record to get destroyed."
Hermione nodded, and went up the grand staircase. "I believe I said now Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the Main Entrance. All students were quiet as they watched Ron climb up the stairs, Professor McGonagall following. Then they started to whisper.
"You have NO right to use that kind of conduct against other students in this school! I will be sending your parents a letter immediately, and you'll receive a month's worth of detentions." Professor McGonagall said, once they had reached her very large office, which held many artifacts and spell books and such.
"But-" Ron started to say.
"I'll make it two if you want to complain, Mr. Weasley!"
"Fine," Ron said. But he wasn't really worried about the detentions; he just wouldn't like to get another Howler from his mum and dad.
"You may leave now." Professor McGonagall said looking at the door. Ron gave an awkward and disgusted look when he was looking at the door. "Don't think I don't know that you're muttering things about me under your breath, but just be greatful that Professor Snape isn't giving you your punishments." Ron knew he had not been saying small things about her under his breath, but did not want to argue with her. She had the power to expell him.
Ron reached for the door handle, and turned it. He opened the door and walked outside. Hermione ran to him, "Ron! What happened?! I was so worried; I'm the one that got you into that trouble! I should have taken the blame for it! What did she do to you?!" She looked really worried, and kept on looking around Ron to see if he was hurt. She ran her fingers through his hair, "What's your punishment?" Hermione started calming sown a little bit.
Ron felt frozen to his feet, the girl that he had liked for a long time was running her hand through his hair. "I-I..., uhhh... I-I g-get detention- tion for, t-the next-t m-month." He tried to remain calm, but was having a hard time. "A-and M-Mc-cGonag-gall i-is send-ding m-m-mum a lett-ter."
"Oh..., that's not good. I'd be expecting a Howler if I were you. No wonder you sound so nervous, I would be too if I were you." Hermione said with a sympathetic look on her face.
"Y-yeah, r-right," Ron said agreeing with her.
He saw Harry running toward them; Hermione quickly took her hand out of Ron's hair. "What's with all the people saying that's Ron's going to get expelled for beating Malfoy?" Harry asked panting; he wanted to ask as soon as got there.
"I'm not getting expelled," Ron said, "Detention for a month, but not expulsion. But what's worse is that McGonagall is sending Mum a letter saying what I did. I'm hoping dad will get it and ask how the fight went. He hates the Malfoys."
Harry smurked, "How was it?"
"Bloody brilliant!" Ron raised his eyebrows in enthusiasm. "I gave him a big whopper in the side of his face, and then tackled 'im! I hit him punch after punch as fast as I could when I pinned him to the ground! I gave him a shiner on his right eye, and his lip started to bleed and it got worse when I hit him more!-It was wicked. And Hermione was great!-She blocked off Crabbe and Goyle with spells that I don't even know! You should've been there, mate."
"I was at Quiditch practice..., hanging on. Why weren't you there? You still need to work on being keeper." Harry said.
"Uhh..., m-my body was kind of sore, so I decided to take off that practice. If you know what I mean, getting hit with all the quaffles." Ron said as an excuse.
"Okay," Harry said questioningly. "Oh, why did you fight him in the first place?"
"He wa-" Ron started.
"He was annoying the crap out of us," Hermione said quickly and gave Ron a quick glance.
"Yeah, he kept on going like 'I can't believe he's still friends with that saint Potter,' or 'stupid mudbloods, that's why we need a new headmaster, someone who will only let in the best sort of wizards, purebloods.' Stuff like that," Ron said unsurely.
"Right," Harry said unbelievingly. "I'm of to bed now. 'Night." And with that he headed up the stairs, and turned to the boys dormitories.
"Why didn't you want Harry to-" Ron started.
"I don't want Harry to know." Hermione interrupted again.
"Wh-?"
"He, I just don't think he's been a wizard long enough to understand," Hermione said. "He just won't."
"But for not knowing he was a wizard for a long time, he sure does know a lot doesn't he? And you never told me what Malfoy did wrong."
"He started rumors, rumors that I hated. He said that I was bribing Dumbledore to give me all good grades, and the rest of the teachers too. The whole staff, except Filch because I wasn't able to find something good enough for him. And that's really bad for a witch. What have I done wrong, Ron?" Hermione's eyes were starting to water in the corners.
"You have done nothing wrong," Ron said looking into her eyes, then pulled her into a tight hug. "Nothing," He whispered in her ear.
A sixth year boy with red hair -passed down from many generations of his family-, green eyes, and quite tall, was sitting on top of a hill on the south of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a starry scrape; his many freckles that were scattered across his face were hard to spot in the darkness with the light of the stars. He lightly petted his owl, Pig. Pig, whose proper name was Pigwidgeon, normally annoyed Ron, but tonight, he was calm and relaxing.
He stood up quickly, surprising Pig, and started pacing up and down the top of the hill, every once in awhile losing his balance and almost falling down the hill from all of his thoughts in his head, and little concentration of where he was walking. Pig flew and landed gracefully on Ron's shoulder. Ron turned his head and grinned at pig, then looked back down at the ground, 'Why can't I just tell her?' Ron thought, he did not want to say anything out loud in case someone might overhear him. He looked around, finally deciding that he was alone, "I should just tell her, it's not like she'll just stop being friends with me afterwards if she says no. But what if she does stop being friends with me?! And what about Harry? What if he likes Hermione too, just isn't telling me? No, if he did like her he would tell me. Does that mean I should tell Harry?" Ron looked once again at Pig, "What do you think? Am I just talking crazy talk or what?"
Ron started mumbling to himself again, "She won't stop being friends with me no matter what. But if she does I'll just go crazy! I'll - Ouch! Pig! -Blasted bird!" Pig had pecked at the side of his head. "What was that for you menace?!" Pig pecked at his head again, and looked at the starting of the hill. It was a girl, a girl with long, no longer bushy, hair. It glided in the slight breeze. She sat down at the beginning of the hill. 'What is she doing here?' Ron thought to himself. "Thanks for telling me she was here Pig."
Pig flew off Ron's shoulder, and started toward the castle. Ron headed down the hill. Wondering what Hermione was doing all alone.
After stumbling on a couple rocks on the way, Ron finally got near the bottom of the hill where Hermione was. "Hermione!" Ron called to her, "What are you doing here?" He was still a little far away for Hermione to hear, so he moved closer. He cupped his hands around his mouth, "Hermione! What are you doing here?"
Hermione turned her head to look at Ron, but not before rubbing her eyes. Ron could tell from so far away that her eyes were bloodshot from crying. He ran to her. Instantly Hermione put her arms around Ron for support and caring, laying her head where his chest was. "Oh Ron!"
"What happened Hermione?! Who did this to you?!" Ron was enraged. He knew he would pummel whoever had done this to her.
"I-it's-" Hermione started to say.
"If it was Malfoy, I swear I'll kill him!"
"Y-yes. It-t was him," Hermione said in between dry breaths and rapid crying.
"Just wait until I get my hands on him. I'll beat him to a bloody pulp! What did he do to you?" Ron asked with a determined look in his green eyes, which were staring straight into Hermione's.
Hermione looked away from Ron, then looked back. The stream of everlasting tears still rolling silently down her face. She stayed silent. When she tried to talk, nothing would come out of her mouth.
Ron had not stopped staring at Hermione, "You don't have to say anything, and I'll just beat it out of Draco if he doesn't want to tell me. Let's go."
But before they started to go, Hermione gave Ron a tight hug. Ron smelled her shampoo, 'It smells good, like fruit.' Ron thought to himself.
Hermione let go. "R-ready," She managed to say in fragments.
Ron led her to the front doors of the castle, and he opened the door. Hermione stepped inside, Ron followed. "Where is he?" He asked.
Hermione pointed to the left of the Great Hall. "You'd think I would've seen that," Ron said. He could tell that Hermione was trying hard to smile, but could not force herself to do so.
Draco looked at Hermione, and looked at Crabbe and Goyle as if saying, 'Let's go.' Draco hurried over, "Did the vewy bawd boy Dwaco huwt poor Hermmy's feewings?" He said sounding like a three-year-old. Then got a stern look on his face, "Or have you just come for more, thought it doesn't look like it from all the tears. Or have your eyes gotten red because you're on something?"
BAM! Ron's fist hit Draco on his right cheek, close enough to his mouth that his lip started to bleed. "That's right Draco! Not so big and bad now huh?" Ron said, and took another swing at his left cheek, then tackled him. Pinning Draco by sitting on top of him, Ron punched him rapidly, wanting to give him as much pain as possible. Ron could see Draco's eye starting to get swollen, and turn pink but was still getting darker. Ron decided that was enough, and that he would save the rest for a bad day.
Hermione blocked off Crabbe and Goyle with some seventh year spells, while Ron got off. "Get up, you piece of scum!" Ron kicked at Draco's side.
A weak 'Oh' came out of Draco's mouth, then clutched were Ron had kicked.
"Just try to hurt Hermione again, and it'll be worse than this time!" Ron said.
"That is quite enough Mr. Weasley!" Said the voice of the Head of House of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall. "In my office, NOW!" Ron had never seen her so mad.
"I-its m-" Hermione started saying.
Ron stepped in between her and Professor McGonagall, "Don't let my month's worth of detentions go to waste, just go to the Common Room, and don't tell McGonagall why I fought with Malfoy. I'll just make an excuse. Go. I don't want your perfect record to get destroyed."
Hermione nodded, and went up the grand staircase. "I believe I said now Mr. Weasley!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoed through the Main Entrance. All students were quiet as they watched Ron climb up the stairs, Professor McGonagall following. Then they started to whisper.
"You have NO right to use that kind of conduct against other students in this school! I will be sending your parents a letter immediately, and you'll receive a month's worth of detentions." Professor McGonagall said, once they had reached her very large office, which held many artifacts and spell books and such.
"But-" Ron started to say.
"I'll make it two if you want to complain, Mr. Weasley!"
"Fine," Ron said. But he wasn't really worried about the detentions; he just wouldn't like to get another Howler from his mum and dad.
"You may leave now." Professor McGonagall said looking at the door. Ron gave an awkward and disgusted look when he was looking at the door. "Don't think I don't know that you're muttering things about me under your breath, but just be greatful that Professor Snape isn't giving you your punishments." Ron knew he had not been saying small things about her under his breath, but did not want to argue with her. She had the power to expell him.
Ron reached for the door handle, and turned it. He opened the door and walked outside. Hermione ran to him, "Ron! What happened?! I was so worried; I'm the one that got you into that trouble! I should have taken the blame for it! What did she do to you?!" She looked really worried, and kept on looking around Ron to see if he was hurt. She ran her fingers through his hair, "What's your punishment?" Hermione started calming sown a little bit.
Ron felt frozen to his feet, the girl that he had liked for a long time was running her hand through his hair. "I-I..., uhhh... I-I g-get detention- tion for, t-the next-t m-month." He tried to remain calm, but was having a hard time. "A-and M-Mc-cGonag-gall i-is send-ding m-m-mum a lett-ter."
"Oh..., that's not good. I'd be expecting a Howler if I were you. No wonder you sound so nervous, I would be too if I were you." Hermione said with a sympathetic look on her face.
"Y-yeah, r-right," Ron said agreeing with her.
He saw Harry running toward them; Hermione quickly took her hand out of Ron's hair. "What's with all the people saying that's Ron's going to get expelled for beating Malfoy?" Harry asked panting; he wanted to ask as soon as got there.
"I'm not getting expelled," Ron said, "Detention for a month, but not expulsion. But what's worse is that McGonagall is sending Mum a letter saying what I did. I'm hoping dad will get it and ask how the fight went. He hates the Malfoys."
Harry smurked, "How was it?"
"Bloody brilliant!" Ron raised his eyebrows in enthusiasm. "I gave him a big whopper in the side of his face, and then tackled 'im! I hit him punch after punch as fast as I could when I pinned him to the ground! I gave him a shiner on his right eye, and his lip started to bleed and it got worse when I hit him more!-It was wicked. And Hermione was great!-She blocked off Crabbe and Goyle with spells that I don't even know! You should've been there, mate."
"I was at Quiditch practice..., hanging on. Why weren't you there? You still need to work on being keeper." Harry said.
"Uhh..., m-my body was kind of sore, so I decided to take off that practice. If you know what I mean, getting hit with all the quaffles." Ron said as an excuse.
"Okay," Harry said questioningly. "Oh, why did you fight him in the first place?"
"He wa-" Ron started.
"He was annoying the crap out of us," Hermione said quickly and gave Ron a quick glance.
"Yeah, he kept on going like 'I can't believe he's still friends with that saint Potter,' or 'stupid mudbloods, that's why we need a new headmaster, someone who will only let in the best sort of wizards, purebloods.' Stuff like that," Ron said unsurely.
"Right," Harry said unbelievingly. "I'm of to bed now. 'Night." And with that he headed up the stairs, and turned to the boys dormitories.
"Why didn't you want Harry to-" Ron started.
"I don't want Harry to know." Hermione interrupted again.
"Wh-?"
"He, I just don't think he's been a wizard long enough to understand," Hermione said. "He just won't."
"But for not knowing he was a wizard for a long time, he sure does know a lot doesn't he? And you never told me what Malfoy did wrong."
"He started rumors, rumors that I hated. He said that I was bribing Dumbledore to give me all good grades, and the rest of the teachers too. The whole staff, except Filch because I wasn't able to find something good enough for him. And that's really bad for a witch. What have I done wrong, Ron?" Hermione's eyes were starting to water in the corners.
"You have done nothing wrong," Ron said looking into her eyes, then pulled her into a tight hug. "Nothing," He whispered in her ear.