Ronald Weasley's 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was his worst yet. And it was still his first day.
"C'mon, Ron. It's not that bad. It's not as though you fancied her or anything… did you?" Harry Potter, resident celebrity and Ron's best friend, sat down on Ron's bed. Usually Harry was busy saving the wizarding community from that pesky dark lord, but right now, he was busy trying to talk some sense into the disgruntled redhead.
"No! Of course not!" Ron slammed his transfiguration book closed, thinking of his other best friend, Hermione Granger. With unruly hair and dark, serious eyes, she was pretty, but in a subtle way where you had to look twice. No, at first glance, you only noticed the smothering aura of supreme intelligence. She was the brightest student at Hogwarts, full of potential, and everyone knew it.
Despite her, at times, unbearable intellect, Hermione had attracted a lot of attention lately. But she only returned the attention to Viktor Krum. Over the summer, the two had gotten together several times. And the multiple meetings had resulted in the worst news Ron had gotten in a long time.
Hermione and Viktor were officially together.
"Ron?" Harry's voice broke through Ron's thoughts, and he realized his fists were clenched.
"I'm okay." But he wasn't. The thought of those two snogging just killed him.
"Yeah, well, I'm glad someone's okay, because you really hurt Hermione."
Ron's ears burned as he thought of the row he and she'd gotten into earlier.
"You're never going to work out!" He had yelled as she stomped up the stairs. "With all those brains in your head, you should know the probability of a long distance relationship working out!"
She swung around, fire burning in her eyes, and she screamed across the Gryffindor common room, "Well, at least I'll have been in a relationship!"
Ron's jaw had dropped. He could feel everyone's eyes on him as his face went through the spectrum of colours. As the moments of silence dripped by, Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back up the stairs. Before he knew what he was saying, Ron had yelled, "I hope you know he's only paying attention to you because no one else will! He feels sorry for you!"
Hermione had frozen, then looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes had been glossy as she whispered, "And you're just jealous that someone's paying attention to me." Then she disappeared into the girls' dorm room.
Ron shook his head violently, as though hoping he could shake the memory out. Ignoring Harry's comment, he muttered sullenly, "I'm tired. G'night now."