Ron studied. Ron studied a lot because when he was studying he wasn't thinking about Neville and he could ignore that constant force pushing and pulling him to the greenhouses. Studying filled up his time nicely.

But then his friends got suspicious and all of the studying he was doing somehow only made his grades worse.

So then he started practicing quidditch. He breathed, ate, and lived quidditch. He was out on the field whenever he got the chance and doing all kinds of other training when the fields were unavailable.

The increased amount of exercise somehow triggered a growth spurt while his gangly, willowy body filled out and hardened. People began to notice him and his changing features... but not Neville.

"Have you guys been noticing Ron recently?" Parvati commented as they ate, knowing that Ron was missing dinner. He wouldn't have time to do his homework later in the evening due to detention with Filch so he was getting it done early.

Padma nodded in agreement, "He's gotten so tall."

"Ron has been tall this entire year, Padma. He had a major growth spurt over the summer," said Hermoine.

"He's gotten taller, 'Moine," Harry said, "He's well over six feet now, close to seven."

Seamus piped in, "He's gotten really muscly, too. I touched his arm yesterday and it was as hard as a rock."

"Why were you touching his arm?" Dean asked teasingly. This caused a playful arguement between Seamus and the rest of the table. The whole time, Neville was silent, knowing that the reason Ron was changing in appearance so much was because of his increase in physical activites. And he also realized that those increases started when Ron stopped started avoiding him. And that hurt.

Neville stood up and left the table. He didn't feel like listening to people talking about Ron.

They had been getting so close. Neville thought that he would actually have a real friend for once in his life, not someone who just put up with his company, but someone who actually wanted to be around him. But then... Everyone left him. They always left him. Ron was just following a trend.

"Ron, what have you been doing to yourself?" Hermoine asked worriedly as she, Ron, and Harry sat in the common room studying.

Shrugging, Ron replied, "I've just been working out more, 'Moine."

She frowned, "You're changing really fast. It can't be good for your body. You didn't take a potion or anything, did you?

"No, I didn't take a potion."

"What about muggle steroids?"

Ron tensed up and glared at her, "No, I'm not on steroids. I'm your friend, Hermoine, and I thought you were mine, but if that were the case, you would trust me more." His voice was cold and violently angry underneath a layer of false calm.

Hermoine seemed slightly scared, "I'm sorry, Ron. I'm just worried about you. You know that."

"She's right, Ron," Harry butted in, "We're only looking out for you."

Ron sighed heavily, "I can take care of myself, you guys. I don't need you to watch out for me constantly like an infant or something."

"Ok, Ron," Hermoine sighed, "Don't work too hard. And don't neglect your studies."

He nodded and they continued working on their essays in a parody of silence. No one spoke other than the others in the common room. It was only eyes moving over text, fingers gripping quills, quills dancing across parchment. Younger students talked animatedly about nothing or played silly games. Yet none of the three spoke. Until Harry decided to change that.

"So, Ron, what happened between you and Neville?"

Ron stopped and froze, "What do you mean?"

"You two were getting along pretty well," was all the more Harry gave.

"Now it's like you refuse to be in the same in the room as him," Hermoine added.

"Nothing happened," Ron said shortly.

They continued working. Minutes ticked by on the clock. Quills scratched over parchment and filled the blank spaces with their empty scripted words. Students ran in and out of the common room and their dorms with no mind for anything other than their play, other than their own enjoyment.

"Are you sure nothing happened?"

"What makes you think something happened, Hermoine?" Ron's voice was tense and agitated.

Harry replied, "He always looks sad whenever we talk about you."

Ron froze and stared down at his almost full parchment.

"I only need another inch or so," Ron commented then quickly finished his work. As soon as the essay was completed, he gathered his things, stood up and left.

"Great game today, Ron," Tim, one of the new Gryffindor beaters said as they left the locker room. Tim then ran off to get to the victory party, leaving him alone.

They had played against Ravenclaw and won with a score of 210 to 30. Nothing had been getting through the goals with Ron guarding them. Yet he wasn't really all that excited about the victory party. He was... unenthralled with most things that used to excite him recently.

He shook it off and began to walk down the corridor to the Gryffindor dormitory, but as he turned a corner he slammed into someone. They both fell to the floor.

"Ow," Ron mumbled.

"Oh my gosh, sorry, Ron!"

Ron looked up to see Neville sitting in front of him.

"It's ok, Nev. My fault anyway. I wasn't watching where I was going." He stood up and helped Neville stand as well.

"This is a change," Neville muttered, brushing off his robes.

Ron frowned at the comment, "What's a change?"

Snorting, Neville dryly replied, "You talking to me."

"I talk to you!" Ron defended himself, gaping that at Neville's (true) accusations.

Neville just rolled his eyes, "Yeah right. You've been avoiding me since the day we talked about Percy in the greenhouses."

"I've been busy and-"

"And avoiding me," Neville cut off, "Is it because you don't like thinking that someone out there believes that Percy is a worthwhile human being? Or is it something else entirely different, Ron? Did you suddenly realize that you were too good for me?"

Ron was completely blown away. He had never seen Neville speak that way to anyone before. It was a completely new and different side of Neville.... and he liked it a lot.

"Mr. big important Gryffindor Keeper is too cool, too popular to talk to boring, quiet Neville. Is that it, Ron? Am I not cool enough for you? Am I not-"

Ron crushed his mouth against Neville's, ignoring everything else.