A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews! For those of you who are saying these things don't follow and will never happen in the book - well, of course not. This is a fan fiction! I live in my own little twisted world, and this is my story. ;)

Chapter 5

Ron held Hermione in his arms in the common room. It was after dinner and the room was filled with Gryffindors. It was very noisy, but they tuned everyone out and sat on the couch, staring into the fireplace. They sat there quietly together, just enjoying each other's company after a very hectic few days. Harry was working on an essay due for Professor Snape in Potions.

Classes were starting to get much more difficult in preparation for the NEWTs. Teachers were piling homework on the trio, assigning everything from labeling diagrams four-foot essays.

Harry groaned in frustration as he crumpled up another parchment and threw it in a small pile building in the fireplace. He was sitting on the ground, his work sprawled across the table, wringing his hair in his hands.

"Hermione, tell me everything you know about the differences between child and adult mandrake roots, and why it matters which one you use in a Feather Potion!!" He slammed his head on the table.

"You're still working on that essay?" Hermione asked in disbelief. She'd finished it last week.

"Yes, I am, thank you very much!" Harry snapped. "And if you would just let me see what you wrote!"

Hermione shook her head. "Nope. With NEWTs coming up, you really need to start soaking the information, rather than just copying it from me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm ever going to need to cover anything with feathers anytime soon!" He sighed. He pulled his book back toward him and reread page 357 for the millionth time.

The door to the common room opened. Harry turned to see who it was, and saw Ginny climbing through the portrait hole. She looked up and felt her stomach flutter, seeing Harry looking back at her.

Harry smiled and waved. Ginny tripped in surprise, and waved back. Harry laughed. She could feel her face burning up, but walked up to Harry anyway.

"You okay, Gin?" he asked.

Ginny blushed again. "Yeah, I'm fine." She and Harry had started talking much more after she broke down in the hallway. It had created some sort of friendship between them. She still didn't tell anyone what was going on, but she was not as depressed as she used to be.

Harry moved over and motioned for Ginny to sit down next to him. "I know you're only in sixth year, but you're smart and Hermione won't help me. Do you understand any part of this entire paragraph?"

Ginny smiled shyly at being called 'smart' by Harry. She sat down next to him and took the book. She scanned over the paragraph quickly, which talked about how roots of a mandrake changed as they aged.

"Um," she started. "It's kind of confusing, but I think basically what it's saying is that when it's born, it's roots are thick and dry, but when they're old they're thin and soggy. Or something like that."

Harry sighed. "But how thick are they when they're born? They have to be a certain width in order for the potion to work, but if they're too oily, the feathers will be too hard." He shook his head. "I hate Potions."

Ginny smiled and nodded.

Hermione sat up a little. She'd been trying to talk to Ginny every chance she saw her, but Ginny ignored her. Ginny knew it wasn't really Hermione's fault, but she was still upset about her finding out about Dean, and she didn't want to talk to her about it.

"You seem pretty good at herbology and ingredients, Ginny. Do you think that's something you might have a career in when you get older?"

Ginny froze and looked at her feet. She pursed her lips and didn't move or answer Hermione.

Hermione slumped down disappointedly and looked up at Ron. He shrugged, and Hermione leaned back again and took a deep breath.

"Owl!" someone yelled out.

The Gryffindors looked up at the scrawny, brown owl, wondering who the letter was for. To Hermione's surprise, it landed on her leg and dropped the letter. Everyone else turned away; the letter didn't concern them.

The owl nipped at her arm, and Hermione dug up a sickle and dropped it in its pouch. It took off and flew out the window, leaving her very confused.

"Who's the letter from?" Ron asked, furrowing his brows. He turned the envelope over so the address was facing up.

"Miss Hermione Granger," she read. "Your guess is as good as mine." Hermione looked at the envelope, trying to recognize the print.

"Maybe it's from your parents." Harry said.

"I doubt it. They still haven't gotten a hold on the whole owl thing. They'd only use it as a last resort." She fumbled to peel the sticker off, then tore open the seal.

"Oh..." she gasped as a thick, slimy goop oozed from the envelope and covered her hands. She started to whimper as the potion started to bubble, her skin burning underneath.

"Hermione!" Harry got up. He carefully snatched the envelope from her hands and threw it into the fireplace. He pulled out his wand. "Scourgify!" The potion vanished from Hermione's hands, but they left a blistered, raw skin.

Ron gently laid Hermione's hands in his. "Who would send this to you?!"

Hermione bit her lip. "I don't know."

Ron stood up. "Come on, Hermione, I've got something in my luggage for your hands. My mom packed it for me."

Her arms dangling at her sides, she followed Ron up to his dormitory. Ron opened the door for her.

"Here, you can sit down." Ron shoved his blanket out of the way, making a place for Hermione. She sat, holding her hands in front of her.

Ron got on his knees and looked under his bed, digging out his case. "I'm sorry about that, 'Mione. Do you know anyone who might do this?"

Hermione first thought of Draco Malfoy, but even he wouldn't do something like this without a reason. "No, I don't think so," she said quietly.

"Hmm." Ron pulled out his suitcase and opened it up. "Maybe it was an accident." He dug through his clothes and pulled out a small bottle with a light blue liquid inside.

Hermione laughed meekly. "I don't think someone can 'accidentally' put a burning potion in an envelope instead of a letter."

Ron looked at the potion. "It says you should pour this over your burns." He frowned. "Maybe I should get a bucket or something. I'll be back." He left for the bathroom.

Hermione sighed sadly. She didn't mind the burning so much, although it did hurt a lot at the time, and it still stung. It was the fact that someone took the time to make up a burning potion and send it to her was what bothered her. What did I do wrong? she asked herself.

She lifted her hands up and looked at the red skin. It hurt to move her fingers. The shock of when she opened the envelope was still there. She opened it, expecting - well, expecting what anyone would expect – a letter. But when the potion came out, and her skin started boiling, she wanted to cry out in pain. She didn't want to draw too much attention to herself, though.

Hermione looked up suddenly as the door opened. Ron came hobbling in, carrying a large, white plastic tub behind him.

"It's all I could find." He dragged it over to the bed and Hermione hovered her hands over it. Ron twisted open the cap to the bottle open and poured it over Hermione's hands. She winced at first, but sighed in relief as a rush of cool ice tingled beneath her skin and her hands returned back to their normal state.

Hermione's heart lightened. She loved how Ron cared so much about her. Wiggling her fingers a little first, she pulled Ron into a hug. "Thanks, Ron. You're the best."

Ron blushed. "Em, no problem." He laughed. "Well, now that that's over, do you want to go back downstairs?"

Hermione sat back in the bed and grinned. "Well, actually, no..." She grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him to the bed.

Ron laughed and drew the curtains around the bed, silencing them. He gently moved on top of Hermione and locked his lips onto hers. They were both smiling, and within a few minutes, shirts were in the air.

Hermione ran her hands over Ron's chest. She ran her fingers over Ron's skinny but firm build. She grabbed a hold of his chin and forced it closer to her face. Ron kissed her back, and grabbed a breast in his hand. He moved his lips down, like he always did, toward her stomach. He could feel his boxers tightening while Hermione grabbed his chest.

Ron grabbed Hermione's hair in a handful and moved it to the side. Gently, he grabbed a small bit of skin from her neck with his lips. Hermione giggled and her shoulder involuntary squished Ron's face.

"Sorry, I can't help it," Hermione giggled. "I'm ticklish."

Ron smiled. Hermione took a quick peek down at his trousers. Ron saw her look and turned his legs away. He was still embarrassed about letting Hermione see him hard. Before Ron even realized what Hermione was doing, she had undone the button and pulled his pants to his knees.

"Hey!' Ron raised his eyebrows. "I thought this was too far for you."

Hermione shrugged and pulled the rest of his pants down. She brushed her fingers against the lump in his boxers.

Ron closed his eyes and smiled. Hermione smiled too and started to rub a forefinger and thumb on either side. Moving her hand up and down, she heard Ron take a sharp breath.

Hermione took her hand back and laughed.

"Don't stop, 'Mione," Ron whispered.

Hermione laughed again and grabbed Ron with her entire hand. She moved her hand along him, making Ron's breathing faster and heavier.

Ron closed his eyes. He couldn't believe how good it felt, especially when Hermione was the one doing it to him. He opened his mouth and groaned. His eyes suddenly popped open.

Hermione removed her hand, which was covered in cum. Ron's ears turned red.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Hermione smiled. "S'okay." She cleaned off her hand and leaned back against him. She took a deep breath and just lay there on Ron's chest, rising with each breath he took.