Disclaimer: own nothing, except the story line!! yeah! go me!
A/N: sorry about the long wait, writer's block (it should be cursed into oblivion) and plus it is midtrems (something else that should be cursed into oblivion!), and thanks for reading!

On Thursday I noticed a flyer about flying lessons. My heart sunk down to his toes again. Flying lessons with the Gryffindor, this would have made me happy, except for the fact that Malfoy would be watching my every move. Malfoy has been watching me very closely, just waiting for me to screw up, so we could have another little talk. That morning Malfoy seemed to be in a very bad mood, and really itching to get into a fight. My first clue was when he bumped into me hard and then, of course, Crabbe and Goyle followed the same suit as Malfoy.

At breakfast there was a small commotion at the Gryffindor table. Neville had gotten a package, but I couldn't see what it was, nor did I care that much. Malfoy, however, took this opportunity to be a pain. He started harassing Neville, and I heard something along the lines of remembrall, but didn't pay too much attention. Well, I started paying attention during Flying Lessons.

I was standing fairly close to Harry, and when we had to say "up" to our brooms, his obeyed and mine hit me in the face. Harry muffled back some laughter, and I shot him a glare. Neville started flying before the whistle and ended up hurting himself, big surprise there. As Madam Hooch left to bring Neville to the Hospital Wing Malfoy picked up a thing Neville dropped.

"Look, it's the stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him," sneered Malfoy, picking up the remembrall.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry very quite, but also very strong.

Malfoy smirked, and jumped on a broom. Harry followed suit, with protest from Hermione of course, and started flying after Malfoy. We all watched eagerly from the ground, wondering what they were saying. Harry lunged at Malfoy, who just dodged out of the way. Then Malfoy said something, and then threw the remembrall. Harry went into a 50-yard dive after the remembrall, and amazingly enough, Harry caught it. As he landed, he was greeted by a loud cheering. The only people who weren't cheering were Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy.

I was cheering on the hardest, and patting Harry on the back. I saw Harry smile, but then his face quickly dropped. I looked in the same direction as Harry was looking, and I saw Professor McGonagall walking towards Harry, looking astonished. She started lecturing Harry, and Parvati said in defense for Harry, "It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quite, Miss Patil-" Professor McGonagall started.

"But Malfoy-" I interjected.

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me now," McGonagall told Harry and me.

As soon as Harry and McGonagall, Malfoy started walking over to me. I stood my ground, and braced myself for what ever Malfoy was going to do. He pushed my left shoulder and asked, "What were you thinking? What would you have possibly gained if you sold me out? Don't you think I would have made you pay for it?"

I shrugged and said, "I don't really care."

Malfoy pushed my shoulder again and sneered, "Just wait, you'll start to care."

I just rolled my eyes at him, and said nothing else. Then Madame Hooch came back, and greeted, "Right then, let's start."

After class I quickly scurried out of there, and head towards the library. I sat down at a table in the back corner, and started working on my homework. In a few moments the door opened, and I ducked under the table incase it was Malfoy. It was Hermione and she was used to me hiding under a table, so she just walked over and greeted in an emotionless voice, "Hello Ron."

I popped my head up from under the table and asked, "Hi Hermione, let me guess you are studying for the test in Potions that is in a month?"

"Actually, I am just working on my Charms homework," Hermione told me.

"Oh, in that case, you want to help me with my Charms homework?" I joked with her.

She just smiled at me, and I knew that was a no. After a while, the library door opened again and I shot under the table. Hermione just rolled her eyes, and kept on working. Harry walked over to Hermione and greeted, "Hey Hermione."

"Hi," Hermione answered back.

"Have you seen Ron around?" Harry asked.

"Hiding under the table," Hermione told him, and then muttered under her breath, "the chicken."

I popped my head up and said, "Hi Harry."

"Why were you hiding?" Harry asked, looking as though he was trying to hold back laughter.

"I wasn't hiding, just retrieving a fallen quill," I told him. I held up my quill, and then asked, "But enough about me, what happen with McGonagall?"

Hermione made a noise in the back of her throat, showing her disapproval. She got up and said, "I need to go study in a quiet place."

As she left, Harry started telling me what happen when Malfoy, and the idiot brothers came in. Malfoy smirked and asked, "Well, saying farewell to your poor friend before you have to leave?"

Harry rolled his eyes and said, "You're a lot brave with your bodyguards around."

"I'll take you on anytime," Malfoy said, narrowing his eyes. Then his face soften and he said, "Tonight, we'll have a Wizard's duel. Wands only- what never heard of a Wizard's duel before?"

"Yes he has," I told them, even though I wasn't sure if Harry had. "I'll be his second, who is going to be yours?"

Malfoy snorted, and looked at Crabbe and Goyle. Then he turned to me and said, "Crabbe, is midnight with ok with you two?" When I nodded, he continued, "We'll meet at the trophy room, it is always unlocked."

As soon as Malfoy left the library, Harry turned to me and asked, "What did you get me into? And what does it mean to have a second?"

"Well, a second takes over if the first person died in a Wizard's duel," I told him. When I saw a look of horror appear on Harry's face, I told him, "But we are just students, so I don't think we know any spells that will kill anyone."

"What if he does know spells, and I can't get my wand to work?" Harry asked, very anxious.

"Throw your wand off to the side and punch him in the nose," I suggested to him.

"Excuse me," Hermione said, standing near us, we both turned to look at her. When we saw she had our attention, she continued, "Wandering around the school at night is against the school's rules. If you get caught, which you are bound to, you'll lose points for both Gryffindor and Slytherin. And if you aren't hated enough, Ron, you'll be hated even more."

"Well, it really isn't any of your business," said Harry.

"Goodbye," I told her, as Harry and I walked away, talking about the duel.

"Ok, I'll meet you outside the Gryffindor tower around eleven thirty," I told him, and then bided him goodbye.

As I headed towards the Slytherin Dudgeon, I tripped and fell down a small flight of stairs. I sat up, and my head was spinning. After a couple seconds of being disoriented, I looked up the stairs and saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle laughing. Malfoy had his wand out and called down to me, "Watch the stairs Weasel. You never know when you'll trip down them."

"Tripping spell," I murmured under my breath, angry. I glared up at him and yelled, "Just wait for tonight, Harry is going to kick your sorry-"

"Right Weasel," Malfoy said, cutting me off. He started walking down the stairs towards me and said, "Speaking of weasels, I'm going to make you start caring about selling us out."

I gulped and tried to get up, but I was still disorientated from my spill. Malfoy looked down on me, as I looked up at him. He smirked and kicked my in my face, more accurately, in my nose. I moaned in pain, and got the taste of blood in mouth. I spit out the blood and asked Malfoy, "Hey, can't we be friends?"

Malfoy thought about it for a second and then stuck out his hand. "Here, let me help you up." I cautiously took his hand, and Malfoy helped me up. I looked at him incredulity and he answered, "God, you are suck a sucker."

Then he punched me in the stomach. Crabbe and Goyle grabbed my arms, and kept me from falling down. Malfoy grabbed my already sore nose and twisted it to the left, and I swore I heard something crack. I groaned and yelled out, "OW!" Malfoy kept hitting me, and very once in a while he would kick me in the shins.

Just when I thought I had enough, Malfoy said, "Let him go."

Crabbe and Goyle dropped me immediately, and then looked uncertain as what to do. I tried to keep myself standing up, but my legs gave out. Malfoy looked at them and said, "Go ahead and give him a kick."

The both gave me more then one kick, and would have continued if Malfoy didn't say, "Come on, we don't want to be late for dinner."

They left me alone, and I curled up in a ball and just lied there, waiting for the pain to subside. After a while, I managed to get up and get into the Slytherin Dudgeon. I really wanted to just collapse on my bed, but my body ached too much. He went to the bathroom and stripped down, inspected all my future bruises.I groaned and stepped into the shower, making the water as warm as it could go. It felt so good against my body. After the water started to loose its warmth, I stepped out and quickly got dressed. I grabbed my books, and started working on my homework, grateful for the silence in the common room. I finished all my homework right as people returned from dinner. I stayed in the common room, just killing time.

It was around eleven, and now only a few upper classman, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and me left in the common room. Malfoy smirked and asked me, "Scared about tonight?"

"Just wait," I told him. Then I asked, "Shouldn't you be preparing?"

"I would, but something smells down here," Malfoy told me.

"Then leave," I snarled at him. Malfoy surprised me by listening to my advice and leaving. I looked after him, knowing I should be concerned, but I wasn't. I checked the time and figured I better go meet Harry.

I almost ran into Flinch on my way up to Harry, but thankfully Peeves distracted him. As I waited out side the Fat Lady's portrait I could hear voices in side. Harry came out of the portrait, followed by Hermione.

"What is she doing here?" I whispered angrily.

"She was telling me about how bad this idea is," Harry told me.

"Well, now that you told him, go back inside," I hissed at her.

Hermione huffed and turned around, but saw that the portrait was closed and the Fat Lady gone. Hermione looked horrified and asked, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Stay here, we'll go get help," I told her, and then nudged Harry to go.

Harry and I walked a couple feet away from Hermione, and then it connected in her head. She caught up with us and said, "Ha, ha Ron. Very funny."

"I thought so," Harry said quietly.

Hermione shifted her gaze from me to Harry and just glared at him. Then she turned her attention back to me and asked, "What happen to your face?"

"I fell," I told her between grinned teeth.

As we continued walking, I tripped over something lumpy. Hermione looked at me and said, "Now I believe you fell."

Harry tried his best to stifle his laughter, and I glared at him and said, "That isn't funny."

I looked at the thing I tripped over and saw it was a body. The body of Neville, to be exact. Neville woke up and said, "Thank goodness you found me. I've been out here all night long."

"Neville shut up," I snarled at him.

"What happen to your face?" he asked me.

"I fell," I hissed at him, sounding very aggravated. Well, I was aggravated; I hated being reminded that Malfoy was constantly beating me. Also, it was late and we had two extra-unwanted people with us. I looked at my watch and said to Harry, "Let's go."

We found our way to the trophy room with out being caught by Flinch. The four of us sat in the trophy room waiting for Malfoy and Crabbe. I could feel the nervousness and the tension growing every passing moment. Finally I couldn't stand the silence and said, "Malfoy probably chickened out."

A noise was heard right outside the door, and we all waited to see if it was Malfoy but we heard Flinch's voice. We all froze and Harry was the first one to move. He nudged us along the wall, and out the opposite door. We crept down the hallway, but Neville be came scared and broke into a run. Only, his hand eye coordination becomes worse when he runs, and he knocked over a suit of armor. The sound was loud enough to wake the dead, and Harry yelled out, "RUN!"

We all ran as fast as we could, not even bothering to check if Flinch was following us. We were acting like wild antelopes in a stampede, just running as fast and as far as we could. We ended up around the Charm classroom, knowing that was far away from the trophy room, so we stopped to catch our breathe.

"He set you up, you know that right?" Hermione asked, with an I-told-you-so look.

"I'm going to suffocate him in his sleep," I said, balling my hands in a fist.

Then Peeves popped out of nowhere, and said, "What are the little ickiens students doing wandering out of bed at night?"

"Shut up Peeves," Harry snarled at him.

Peeves smiled smugly and yelled on the top of his lungs, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN AT THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!!!"

We all ran towards the end of the corridor, but found that the only door there was locked. I tugged on the door handle with all my might, but it didn't budge. I turned to the group and said, "This is it! We're screwed!"

Hermione pushed me aside and said, "Oh, move over." She wiped out her wand and said, "Alohomora!"

We quickly hurried in and shut the door. I pressed my ear up against the door to try and listen for Flinch. I heard him cursing at Peeves and Peeves whooshing away. I let out a sigh of relief, and Harry said, "He thinks this door is still locked."

Harry listened again, but then quickly said, "Neville stop tugging on my robe. What?"

We all turned around to see what was wrong with Neville. We followed his gaze and saw why the door was locked.

There was a dog, which was as big as a dragon and with three heads. All three heads were drooling yellow saliva. The six eyes stared at us, and no one moved. Finally Harry came to his sense and grabbed the door, and we all ran out of there. By some miracle we found our way to the Gryffindor tower. We stopped to catch our breathe and I asked, "Why is the school keeping that thing locked up?"

"Didn't you see the trap door it was guarding?" Hermione asked, angered.

"No, I was preoccupied with its heads," I told her.

She drew herself up in a huff and said, "I'm going to be before you get us either killed, or worse, expelled."

She said the password and walked in. Neville followed her and Harry put his hand on the portrait so it wouldn't close again. I looked at him and said, "She is screwed up in the head."

Harry nodded and asked, "Are you going to be ok going back to the Slytherin Dudgeon?"

"Fine," I told him. "Well, goodnight."

I started heading down towards the Slytherin house, and I almost ran into Flinch again. Thankfully he headed the opposite way. I was almost at the entrance when I heard a soft voice say, "Mr. Weasley."

I turned to see the owner of the voice, fearing the worst. My fears were realized. I looked at the owner of the voice and said, "Hello Professor Snape."