Disclaimer: Just guess.

Fourteen

Well, needless to say, Ron wasn't exactly the happiest guy in the world after our fight. And I wasn't the happiest girl in the world, either. Perhaps Operation Jealousy had taken a turn for the worse.

The next day, we had double potions, and as usual, I was paired with a Slytherin. Unfortunately for me, that Slytherin was Pansy Parkinson – Malfoy's date to the dance that he ditched for me. And even more unfortunately was that Ron's partner just happened to be Malfoy.

"I can't believe that Draco would leave me for a Mudblood like you," Pansy hissed.

"I can't either," Ron shouted from across the room to Pansy. I glared at him, but he simply ignored me.

"I mean, you're not exactly the prettiest thing to walk the planet, and you study way too much for your own health. I mean, when are you going to have time for him to have sex with you?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"That's what he wants, you know," Pansy continued, as though I hadn't said anything at all. "Sometimes I think the only reason he went out with me in the first place was because he wanted to have someone to screw. But you? I mean –"

"Exactly how many people has Malfoy 'screwed'?" I asked tentatively.

"Oh, I'm not quite sure, but I know I'm one of them."

If it was possible, my eyes widened even more. I simply turned away and moved my attention to chopping up the roots I was given. I strained my ears to listen to what Malfoy was saying to Ron.

"So, what do you think about me and Hermione? Pretty nice couple, huh?" he said, smirking. Ron's grip grew firmer on his knife. "We're perfect for each other."

"Perfect for each other?" Ron asked, dropping the knife on to the table. "Perfect for each other? You only want her because she's hot."

My cheeks turned red at that. Ron had just said that I was hot. My heart flipped over in my chest.

"Well, Weasley" – he turned over to look at me but instead saw me staring. His face suddenly changed as he continued, "Oh, don't be stupid, that's not the only reason I want her."

"What do you know about her?" Ron asked, his hand shaking as he resumed slicing the roots.

"What do you care?" Malfoy retorted.

"I just do, alright? I don't want my friend hurt," Ron said softly.

Malfoy's smirk grew even wider. "Your friend?" he asked, and Ron turned away slowly. "Just your friend? It has grown exceedingly obvious, Weasley, that –"

I turned away. I didn't want to know what he was going to say. Because if my speculations were correct, and he was really going to say that it had grown exceedingly obvious that he had a crush on me, then I would feel like the worst person in the world.

"I swear, Malfoy, if you don't shut up this second, I will stab you with this knife, so help me," Ron hissed. At that comment, I couldn't help but jump in.

"Ron!" I cried. I walked over to Draco, who took my arm and wrapped his other arm around my waist. "That was a horrible thing to say!"

"Coming from you, that means nothing," he sneered. He turned back to his roots and began chopping as though they were Draco's neck.

"Thanks, babe," Draco said, turning to me. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

He planted a forceful kiss on my lips, but I pulled away gently. Putting my finger to his lips, I said quietly, "Not hear, Draco." Turning to Ron, I added, "Some people would be offended."

Ron scoffed at us and said, "Get a room."

"Maybe we will, Weasley," Malfoy retorted.

"What is going on here, Weasley? Mister Malfoy? Granger?" Snape asked, striding nonchalantly over to us.

"Nothing, sir," Ron said quietly, looking down at his poorly chopped roots.

"Don't lie to me, Weasley, I heard you three shouting from the front of the classroom. What is going on? And Miss Granger, why are you here? You're not even part of this partnership," Snape snapped.

"I'll meet you after class," Draco whispered quietly in my ear. I smiled to myself and turned away, back to my table.

"What the hell were you doing over there?" Pansy demanded. "I've had to do all this by myself!" She had only managed to pour my roots into the cauldron. "And then I broke a nail."

"Oh, the horror," I sneered.

After class, as Draco put his arm around me so we could begin our Head Boy and Girl duties, I said to him, "One second, Draco. I need to talk to someone."

"Alright, babe, I'll meet you by our dormitory." He kissed me softly, and then turned away with a small wave.

I didn't want to waste a second. The farther away from me Ron got, the more I could feel him slipping into anger. Maybe if I could catch him in a good mood, he would accept my thanks.

He was talking in hushed tones to Harry. I realized this was bad the second I saw it, because I knew exactly what they were talking about.

"Ron?" I inquired gently. "Thank you for –"

He turned away from me swiftly.

"Oh, that's really mature," I mumbled. Turning to Harry, I said, "Could you please tell Ron that I say thanks for standing up for me against Draco? I mean, not that it mattered because you really didn't need to. Honestly, Ron, he's not going to hurt me –"

"Tell Hermione I wasn't standing up for her – I was standing up for myself. But thank her for the thanks anyways. After all, I've been standing up for her for six years and I've never heard a 'thank-you' before."

My mouth dropped open and I practically screamed at Harry, "Well, tell Ron that I take my thanks back!" I spun on my heel and walked away.

"Well, see if I care!" Ron shouted directly to me. I heard him murmur to Harry before I was completely out of earshot, "I guess her looks aren't all that's changed."