One week later, the Slytherins and Gryffindors were waiting outside Hagrid's cabin for the lesson to begin. Hermione and Ron were joking around, and he had started playing with her hair. Malfoy was watching from the other side of the group, arms folded, and a twisted expression on his face. Finally he snapped. He took off his robe, threw it at Crabbe, strode over and shoved Ron's shoulder.

"You and me, right now!" He yelled. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at Ron.

He shouted the incantation, but before the spell exploded from his wand, Harry knocked him aside. The curse didn't hit Ron, but it did hit Hermione. She shrieked and put her hands on her face, where angry red boils had erupted. She whimpered and sank to the ground, trying to ease the burning.

Ron bellowed like an angry bull and leapt on Malfoy. He knocked the wand right out of his hand. He heard the squeals and Harry yelling "No, Ron no!" But nonetheless, he still sank his fist into Malfoy's stomach. In retaliation, Malfoy pulled his hand back and shoved it into Ron's nose. Gritting his teeth, Ron wound up and kicked Malfoy in the groin. It looked as though he was going to be sick. He moaned and sank to the ground, his hands between his legs.

"Wha's goin' on here?" Hagrid rumbled, stepping outside of his cabin at last. Ron's nose had begun to bleed. "Somebody get these two to the 'ospital wing, now. Malfoy can come inside an' get some ice fer his injury."

Harry took Hermione by the hand and gestured to Ron to follow him. Hermione tried talking angrily through her hand to them, but Harry hushed her, saying it would just make it hurt worse. He looked over at Ron. He looked a little disappointed, but nonetheless proud.

"You shouldn't have done that," Harry said quietly.

"Well he hurt Hermione, what was I supposed to do, stand there and watch?" Ron retorted angrily.

"Look, this has got to end at some point, and I'm sure Hermione doesn't want it to be brutal," Harry said, gesturing to Hermione, who nodded quickly.

"I know, I know, but I don't know how to," Ron said, looking at his feet.

Five minutes later, Harry had returned to class and Madam Pomfrey had healed Hermione and Ron. They were walking down the marble staircase when Ron pulled her off to the side, and into a closet. He looked at her closely in the dim light, her cheeks still wet from her tears of pain.

"Hermione, you need to tell me now, because like Harry said, we need to end this. Do you love me?" he asked bluntly. When she didn't answer right away he went on. "Look, if you don't and you love Malfoy, I will step aside, but that's against my much better judgment."

Hermione stuttered for a moment, her mouth hanging open. Her eyes were switching back and forth from his left to his right eye. "I believe I love you, Ron," she whispered.

She began to smile shyly, and she looked down at her feet, her face brilliantly pink. Ron reached down and pulled her face back up, locking his gaze into hers. They stood like that for a few moments, until he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers in a small kiss. When he pulled away, his ears were burning.

She continued to look up at him, her eyes sparkling. He kissed her again, more passionately. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him, while her arms found the base of his neck and the back of his head. They drew apart, yet still holding each other. His heart was fluttering faster than it ever had before. He had no idea whatsoever about what he should say.

"We should get back to class, they might be worried," Hermione said gently after a long, pregnant pause.

"Yeah, good idea," Ron replied.

They let go of each other and pushed the door open slowly. Walking down the steps, he found he wasn't as awkward as he thought he'd be. They seemed to be almost normal, but there was something that bound them closer than they had ever been before. He was content with the silence, but Hermione began to speak.

"Look, I know you were trying to protect me down there, but you mustn't do it so violently. Not that I didn't appreciate it, but Malfoy's going to be looking for you now," she said earnestly.

"What, do you think I'm not a match for Malfoy?" he retorted, slightly more aggressively than he meant to.

"Of course I don't think that, but he may catch you off your guard. I don't want you getting hurt," she replied.

Ron sighed. "You're right. But I don't know how to end this without it turning nasty."

"I'll do it. I'll talk to him, and I'll do it in the Great Hall, where he can't do anything to me," Hermione said firmly.

"But what if he finds you at night, while you're on prefect duty, or some other time?" Ron asked.

"Then I'll jinx him into a million pieces if he does," Hermione growled.

"But what if he catches you off your guard? I'm not having you getting hurt either," Ron inquired.

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She closed her mouth with a puzzled expression on her face. "Well I don't know how we're going to do this! Malfoy's just so..aggressive. I don't think there's any way we can tell him without someone getting hurt."

The class seemed to be in the Forbidden Forest, as the two of them couldn't spot them anywhere near the cabin. They began to walk slower, trying to bide time to solve the problem.

"We could report him to a teacher," Hermione said hopefully.

"Without any evidence? Teachers can't do anything unless he's already done something," Ron countered.

"I've got it. How about when either of us go on prefect duty, we use the Marauder's Map, so if he does try to sneak up on us, we'll see him coming!" Hermione said.

"Well it's a start, but I don't know just how well it'll work," Ron said.