When Harry pulled open Ron's bed hangings the next day, he wasn't surprised to see his best friend sprawled on his stomach snoring into a puddle of drool.

"Hey Ron!" Harry cried, nudging Ron's shoulder.

"Too early," Ron muttered rolling over and waving his hand trying to beckon Harry away, "I will de-gnome the garden later!"

"Ron, do I sound like your mother?" Harry asked with a laugh.

He sat down on his own bed, and pulled on a bright blue pair of socks that were covered with golden snitches. Dobby the House elf had knit them for him a few Christmases ago, "Come on, get up, we're going to miss breakfast!"

"Breakfast?" Ron sat up, suddenly fully awake, "What are we waiting for?"

He jumped out of bed quickly and raced to the door.

"Ron," Harry said softly.

"Yes?" Ron replied licking his lips still thinking about breakfast.

"You might want to get dressed," Harry suggested.

"Ah, right!" Ron said, his ears turning pink as he glanced down at his woolly socks and boxer shorts.

Hermione stared at Ginny,

"You really don't think it's a bad sign, I mean, what if what Ron said was true?"

"Hermione you're analyzing this way too much, Viktor's probably tied up with Quidditch or something. You said yourself your positive he loves you, so don't sweat it!" Ginny reminded.

"I suppose you're right," Hermione sighed, "Still I hope he writes to me soon!"

"He will, now eat your breakfast before it gets cold!" Ginny scolded, "Oy, Good morning Harry!"

Harry sat down beside Hermione and pulled a plate towards himself, which magically filled with flap-jacks and bacon.

"How are you ladies?" Harry asked, picking up his fork and knife and grinning at Ron who'd fallen into the space beside Ginny.

"Fine thanks," Hermione answered pulling out a large book from her book bag. She opened it to a book-marked spot, and ate silently.

Ron rumpled his hair with his still raw hand, and grinned at the plate below him.

"Ron, didn't Mum teach you to dress?" Ginny asked, as she looked over him.

"He was excited to eat," Harry told her for Ron, whose mouth was brimming with flapjack.

In his rush, Ron hadn't tied his tie correctly and his robes were hanging loosely off his shoulders.

"You know I really love Mum's cooking," He explained taking another bite of Flap-Jack and adding a slice of bacon to the mix, "Bud rewy ju'ust cawnd bead za ows ewofs bregast."

The three of them stared at him, unable to understand.

"I said, but really, you just can't beat the House elfs breakfast!"

Hermione rolled her eyes in disgust,

"Can't you talk with you're mouth empty, instead of acting like such a pig?"

Ron swallowed his mouthful and glared at her,

"Did I ask for you're opinion?"

"Harry, would you mind passing me the pumpkin juice," Ginny asked pleasantly trying to ignore the death glares that were shooting past her.

"Of course!" Harry smiled, and reached for the pitcher.

He passed it across the table to her, and she took it, their hands meeting slightly.

Ron looked between the two of them, as they held on a little longer than necessary, smiling sweetly at each other. He narrowed his eyes.

"Ginerva!" Dean Thomas called rushing towards them.

Ginny and Harry both let go of the pitcher. It fell to the table and shattered spraying the pumpkin juice everywhere.

"Did you sleep well?" Dean asked sitting down, but then his expression changed as he stood up again revealing a large wet spot on his backside.

"Oh my," Ginny said throwing her hand to her mouth. Harry, Ron and Hermione had been sprayed with pumpkin juice, and the table was covered.

"My flap-jacks!" Ron cried, staring at his dripping pancakes.

He wasn't the only one to protest. The pumpkin juice had spread down the table, causing uproar from many sleepy-eyed Gryffindors.

Ginny fished around for her wand hastily blushing furiously.

"Don't worry about it," Hermione told her gently, flipping a pumpkin splattered page in her book.

She picked her wand up from the table carelessly and flicked it at the table. The pitcher immediately remade itself. A second flick of her wand cleaned the table of the sticky juice, and a final flick dried the spot on Dean's backside.

"What about my flap-jacks?" Ron growled.

"Fix them yourself," Hermione snapped, returning to her book.

Dean sat back down beside Ginny and put his arms about her waist. He leaned in closer and whispered something in her ear. She giggled softly and blushed once more.

"Dean," she whispered.

Harry's fork dropped onto his plate with a loud clatter. Ron looked up and followed his dim gaze. He watched his sister for only a minute before feeling queasy in his stomach.

"Want to go to class?" Ron asked dully, looking at Harry.

"Never been more ready," Harry said quietly still eyeing Ginny and Dean.

"I'm glad you ruined my appetite," Ron cried at his sister angrily before hurrying out of the Great Hall with Harry close behind him.

The Gryffindors had double Herbology first period, followed by History of Magic and then Astronomy after dinner. It wasn't a totally boring first day, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione would have been much happier to have Tonks teach them on the first day of class. Ron and Harry made it to Herbology first. Seamus, Dean and Neville quickly joined Ron and Harry. They made their way into to Green House number 5 quickly and sat down at an earth toned round table.

"Morning chaps!" Professor Sprout called cheerfully to them from behind her plant-covered desk; "Hope you're ready for a fun first day back."

They smiled politely, and watched as more Gryffindors and some Ravenclaws, who they were sharing the class with walk in. Ron made sure he was sitting in a spot where he could see Hermione, who'd joined Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and her twin sister Padma.

Once everyone had been seated, Professor Sprout explained to the class their first assignment. In groups of four or five each had to successfully sustain a Pregomore Polyplant's life for a week. Hermione explained to the class that Pregomore Polypants were very picky in what they ate. They preferred Alpha roots sliced to exactly one centimetre. As Professor Sprout handing out Alpha roots (which could only be cut by magical knives) and dragon dung for fertilizer, Neville explained to the boys that Pregomore Polyplant's were excellent for potion making, especially potions that involved sleeping. Each of them pretended to be interested while they began cutting their Alpha roots, which was dull work.

"So who do you think is going to win the Quidditch Cup this year?" Seamus asked grinning.

"Gryffindor obviously," Dean commented.

"Sure I mean, Ron has proven as a good keeper hasn't he?" Neville smiled, watching Ron's ears turn red once more.

"Well I think the best thing is that Harry isn't banned anymore, so now we can have a good seeker once more!" Ron retorted.

"Hey your sister wasn't that bad, she was quite flashy up there on that broom," Dean said grinning, but stopped smiling when Ron glared at him.

"Harry is likely to become the next Viktor Krum or something," Seamus said.

"No, he's a lot better than me," Harry said, accidentally slicing part of his root to thin, "He's very good."

"Best in the league," Dean said rather proudly, "Too bad he didn't play for England,"

"Too bad he doesn't know one end of a broom from the other," Ron said chopping his roots very inaccurately.

"I thought you liked Krum?" Neville asked, looking up from his perfectly cut roots and grimacing at Ron's.

"He did," Harry laughed, "Until...well until..."

"Until what?" Dean asked narrowing his dark eyes.

"Until Hermione started dating him!" Ron cried savagely.

"Hermione's dating Krum? The Viktor Krum?" Seamus cried spinning around in his chair to stare at her.

"Yea," Ron muttered not bothering to watch how he was cutting his roots.

"Well Ron, I mean, are you angry, because, well because you have feelings for her?" Dean asked uncertainly.

"Me have feeling for Hermione?" Ron looked shocked, "No way, it's just that I know he's no good,"

"I know what you mean," said Neville worriedly, "My Gran reckons he's got a girlfriend in every country,"

"I tried to tell her that," Ron snarled, "But would she listen to me? No!"

"Well I see why he would go for her; I mean she is pretty hot!" Seamus said.

"She sure did get a nice tan over the summer," Said Dean casually staring at her.

Harry felt Ron clench his fists under the table, so he kicked him hard in the shins.

"Just because she's pretty doesn't mean that he has to...that they have to..." Ron's face was becoming abnormally red and reminding Harry of Vernon Dursley.

"I think what Ron is trying to say is that there's more to Hermione than just looks." Harry offered.

Hermione chopped her Alpha roots silently, listening to the conversation that Padma, Parvati and Lavender were having.

"Ooo, I know he did get very tall and muscular over the summer!" Padma giggled.

"Ron Weasley has to be one of the most handsome Quidditch Keepers there ever was!" Parvati agreed.

"Wow Hermione, I sure wish I were you," Lavender sighed.

"Why would you want that?" Hermione asked irritably.

"Well, not only are you gorgeous, by the way I love what you've done with your hair, but you get to spend all that time with Ron!" Lavender explained pulling a mirror out of her robes pocket and glancing in it a few times, playing with odd strands of her blonde hair.

"I don't see how I look any different then before, and besides Ron isn't that great, he is very insensitive and rude." Hermione huffed.

"Come on Hermione, you must realize you look much older this year, with the curves and that smile," Parvati pointed out.

"I'm sorry Parvati, but staring at myself in a mirror to realize that I look older isn't one of my pastimes," Hermione flushed, "I had better things to do all summer!"

"Like writing to Harry, and being with Ron!" Padma snapped.

"No like writing to my boyfriend, and ignoring Ron!" Hermione cried.

"Boyfriend?" The girls all looked at each other.

"Yes boyfriend," Hermione paused looking Padma in the eye, "I thought you liked Malfoy anyhow?"

"Draco Malfoy?" Lavender shrieked as if the world were coming to an end, "You've got to be kidding me,"

"Draco was so totally last year!" Padma cried defensively, "It's Ron I like now,"

Hermione groaned and continued chopping her roots.

"Hmm, do you think he'd like the nick name Ronnie?" Padma asked Parvati.

Hermione chopped her roots a little bit harder.

"Ooo, his red hair would go so well with your blue eyes Padma," Lavender sighed.

"Do you think he'll go out with you?" Parvati asked.

Hermione tried not to snort. Her knife was moving extremely quick now.

"Of course he'll go out with me, what boy wouldn't? Ron's the new hottest thing, and if he's the best I've gotta have him. He is a hopeless git, but whatever, I will make him go out with me!"

Hermione felt her anger rise and slammed down her knife with a sharp thud.

All of the girls turned to glare at her.

"Yes?" Lavender snarled.

"Do you have a problem?" Padma asked.

"You really think Ron will just up and go out with you?" Hermione laughed.

Hermione picked her knife back up again as Madam Sprout looked their way.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

Chop! Chop!

"Me Jealous? Why would I be? I have a boyfriend?" Hermione declared.

"Who is it Neville?"

Lavender snorted into her mirror,

CHOP, CHOP.

"It only took Ron what, four years to realize that you're a girl, I suppose it will only take me a week to make him realize I'm a woman!"

CHOP! CH-

"Ow!" Hermione cried, as she stared down at her now sliced finger.

She winced in pain as the other girls laughed. Blood poured out of the wound and fell onto the table. Hermione cradled her hand carefully, and stood to find Professor Sprout.

Ron watched Hermione stand up from her table. Despite the anger in her eyes her face was extremely pale. She was cradling her hand as she walked quickly by his table. Ron caught her eyes for one moment, but she glared at him.

"Professor!" She cried, rushing over to Professor Sprout.

"Oh dear, Miss Granger!" Professor Sprout cried, "You've cut yourself with a magical knife, you must get to the hospital wing at once, that won't heal on its own!"

Ron stood up, feeling his insides curl. Every feeling he'd felt down at the Department of Mysteries was now flooding back to him. Hermione was hurt.

"Ah, Mr. Weasley, would you mind escorting Miss Granger too the hospital wing," Professor Sprout asked, her brow furrowed.

"No Problem," Ron said, rushing over ignoring the jealous looks both his and Hermione's tables were throwing at them.

Hermione stood there wincing in pain as her bloodstained hand shook.

"Hermione, are you okay?" he asked softly opening the door for her to exit into the garden patch.

"Obviously not Ron," she snarled, but her eyes became soft again before they filled with a new wave of pain.

Ron walked beside her staring into her eyes anxiously, his heart beating in his ears.

"Maybe we should do something, it's not gonna stop bleeding, and it's a far trek to the Hospital wing."

He paused and looked around. He bent down after a moment and picked a small daisy that was growing amongst the grass. He found his wand quickly and tapped the daisy. It transformed into a long handkerchief that was covered with sprigs of pollen. His ears turned a little red,

"I was never that good at Transfiguration,"

He reached for her hand and pulled it towards him, and she paused, as a cool breeze swept through her hair. Ron was hovering over her, staring deep into her eyes. She let out a shuddery sigh. Tears formed in her eyes as a new wave of pain ran down her arm from her severed finger.

"Don't cry," he whispered to her, still staring down at her with concern written across his face, "You'll be okay,"

She closed her eyes as his thumb rubbed gently over her hand, and then opened her eyes with a gasp and pulled her hand away.

"Hermione," he protested, "Let me; you're losing too much blood!"

He reached for her hand again, but she stepped away from him.

"I just need to tie this around you're finger, it will stop the bleeding," He cried.

"I'm fine, go back to Herbology Ron," she said darkly.

"No, I'm taking you to the hospital wing," he insisted.

Hermione glared at him, as her head began to throb in sync with her finger. She felt a bit light-headed. She groaned and held her hand up, letting Ron carefully tie the handkerchief around her hand. He was dangerously close again and she could feel his breath on her face. He stared at her finger in utmost concentration, carefully wrapping the white and yellow material. Her skin was soft and smooth, and he could once again smell her hair.

"There," he whispered as he tied the last knot.

Hermione stared up at him, her eyes narrowed, but this time in thought. Ron felt his heart catch in his throat as he locked eyes with her. She didn't pull her hand away.

"Ron...I" she hesitated.

"Hermione I miss you," He cut her off, "Trust me, please."

"Trust what?"

"That I'm telling the truth when I say he's no good for you."

Her eyes flashed red. She pursed her lips, and snatched her hand away from his.

"You just don't get it do you?" She cried stomping off towards the castle.

"Hermione!" he called jogging up beside her.

"Leave me alone!" She told him angrily.

"But you need to get t-"

"I know how to get there on my own Ron," She said darkly, throwing open a door.

"You're so childish!" Ron spat.

"And you're and insensitive jerk? Happy? You've pissed me off again," Hermione declared glaring at him.

With out another word she went inside and slammed the door in his face. Ron glared at her back as she walked away still cradling her injured finger. Oh, he hated her! She was so childish, why couldn't she just accept the fact that Viktor was horrible! Ron spun on his foot and made his way back to the greenhouse kicking at a small patch of daisies on his way there.

Hermione joined Ron, Harry and Ginny for lunch that day with her hand in a large bandage. She sat down with a smile despite the hostility she had displayed earlier. Ron ate in silence, picking at his plate while Ginny and Harry glanced nervously between them.

"So were your morning classes good?" Hermione asked Ginny pleasantly.

"No, McGonagall has loaded us with work!" Ginny mussed.

"Yea, the fifth year is a lot of work," Harry smiled at her taking a bite of his sandwich.

"We have Tonks after lunch!" Hermione said to Harry excitedly.

"Yea, I am glad we finally got a proper teacher, and besides we know that she is nice."

"You know, I am beginning to wonder if maybe Dumbledore assigned her as a teacher for more reasons than just 'training'."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked scrunching up her eyebrows.

"What I mean is, maybe this has to do with the Order. Since we weren't at Grimmauld place this summer we didn't hear the Order's plans. I am curious to know if Tonks is here for a reason,"

Harry stared at her in deep thought,

"I think you might be right, but why would she be here if Hogwarts is the safest place?"

"Maybe to keep an eye on him!" Ginny said matter-of-factly raising her eyebrows in the direction of the Slytherin table.

Harry, and Hermione turned to look at Malfoy who was glaring at them as he ate his dinner.

Mr. Malfoy had been captured back at the Department of Mysteries. It was Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Ron's fault that he had been captured. Hermione was right to assume that it would be more than just banter in the halls that the group would have to deal with from Malfoy.

"That is a good theory," Hermione whispered to Ginny as she turned back around and finished off her dinner.