A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed! Oh and btw Daydreamer39 thank you for your umm…opinion and in response to it all I have to say is that if you don't like it don't read it – it's as easy as that. Okay well here is the next chapter - hope ya'll like it! don't forget to review!!
"Y-you what?" I asked stupidly, unable to comprehend what Draco had just said.
"I saw the same thing, as one of my clues. That ring. It was silver, with a ruby crystal in it! It had that saying engraved on the inside, did it not?" he said, in a voice that seemed to be panicking.
"Yea, but what -?" I started, but was never able to finish, because Snape dismissed class at that moment and everyone made too much noise to continue our confused conversation.
I threw my books into my bag and hurried out of the classroom not waiting for anyone. I was so deep in thought, I was completely oblivious to Ron walking behind me, until he came up and forcefully grabbed my arm and spun me around. He grabbed my other arm and threw me against the wall. What the hell did he think he was doing?
"RON STOP! LET GO OF ME!" I cried, his grip on me was starting to hurt and I could feel bruises beginning to form.
"No, you slut! What the hell do you think your playing at? You think anyone will like you anymore when you're a whore? I don't think so you damn know-it-all. That's all you'll ever be!" he whispered in my ear dangerously.
"Ron, I hate you! Now let me go!!" I whispered trying to hide my fear of him. His actions were never this aggressive before and it scared me.
He pushed his whole body against me, kissing me painfully with fury. I tried to move but he was much stronger than I was and overpowered me easily. There was nothing I could do. I would have never thought that Ron would do this to me. I mean I knew he got jealous easily but he had never turned violent towards me before.
With tears falling from my fearful eyes and past my cheeks, I prayed that someone would save me.
"Weasley! Let her go!" I heard someone say from in front of me. I opened up my eyes only to see that the person who saved me was the last person I would have expected - Draco Malfoy, rage filling his stormy, gray eyes.
Ron turned to look at him and scoffed. As he let go of my bruising lips, I could taste blood trickling into my mouth.
"What do you want Malfoy? There is nothing here that concerns you so just keep on walking." Ron said sadistically.
"Oh, but that is where you are wrong there. There is something here that concerns me. It happens to be the same person you are abusively attacking. Let her go." Draco said threateningly.
Why do I concern him?
"What makes you think I'm going to listen to you? You have no right to tell me what to do." Ron said, eyes narrowing as his temper rose further.
"And you have no right to abuse Hermione. Let her go or else." Draco stated in a voice that was so steadily filled with hatred it scared me.
Ron laughed openly, ridiculing Draco as he did so.
"Or else what? You'll call me names? Oh I'm so scared! Why don't you go cry to your -"
WHAM!
Draco's fist crashed into Ron's nose. Ron was so shocked, that he let go of my hands to cup his now bleeding nose.
I quickly ran away from Ron and unconsciously into Draco's arms. He placed his arms snuggly and protectively around me, until we both realized what we were doing and jumped away from each other.
"You BASTARD!" Ron hissed maliciously.
He threw a punch at Draco's face but Draco ducked and Ron hit the brick wall behind his instead. When he pulled back there was blood streaming from his knuckles.
Draco took this opportunity to punch Ron right in the chest, hitting him dead on and knocking the wind out of him.
"Don't touch her again! You don't deserve her!" Draco said as he spit in Ron's face. He turned and walked away.
Not wanting to stay with Ron, I quickly ran after Draco.
"Malfoy!" I yelled, hoping he would stop. He didn't.
"Malfoy!" I yelled again, a little louder - still no reaction.
"Draco!" I finally yelled as a last attempt to get his attention. He stopped.
I ran to catch up to him and turned him around to face me.
"Why did you do that back there? Why did you save me?" I asked, exceedingly confused about what had just happened.
"Because I can't stand to see girls abused just because men think they are superior to them." He stated, looking deeply into my eyes.
Wow, those eyes really are a killer.
"Thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come." I said softly breaking eye contact and looking at the floor.
My eyes caught something glimmering on Draco's left hand. Oh my God…
"Draco. That ring. May I see that ring?" I asked, pulling his hand up closer to me.
He doesn't say anything but pulls it off and places it in my hand. He starts to walk away, but pauses and calls back:
"By the way Dumbledore wanted to see us."
I stare at the ring. Oh my God! This is the ring - only in a male version! It's big and bulky, like a college ring would look like. It had the silver band, the ruby held in the center. I looked closer and felt faint. On the inside it had "L'amour entre un lion et un dragon est eternal" engraved gracefully on it. Now this is weird!
I turn and run in the direction Draco was headed, having no idea where I am going. Then I remember that he said Dumbledore wanted to see us, so I head in that direction. When I reach the statue guarding his office I see Draco leaning lazily against it, waiting for me.
"Draco, where did you get this ring?" I asked curiously.
"My mother gave it to me, right before I left to come here this summer. She gave it to me saying simply, 'You will know what to do when the time comes.' I had no idea what that meant until now." He answered, standing up from his lazy position and gradually walking closer to me.
"Tootsie Roll." He then said and before I could respond he had pulled me into Dumbledore's office, strode over to a chair, and sat down in it, awaiting Dumbledore's announcement.
I followed his example and sat in the chair next to it.
Dumbledore smiled at us and begin his speech.
"First of all, I would like to apologize for not letting you know about this earlier. Due to the Final Battle, which you know of coarse we were victorious in, the rest of the teachers and I were unable to come to a decision right away. But, now that we have come to a decision, it would be silly not to let you know what we have decided. You Mr. Malfoy, and you Miss Granger, are our new head boy and head girl. I am very pleased to let you know that we will also be trying out a house unity theory, which is why you will be sharing a common room this year along with your own rooms. That is all. Your professors have already been alerted as to why you are late. Good day."
Oh good. I don't have to explain why I wasn't in the first half of class. As we walk out of Dumbledore's office Draco and I turn to go in opposite directions.
As I reach the charms classroom, I realize that I still have Draco's ring in my hand. As not to lose his ring, I undo my necklace clasp and place the ring around it so it falls next to my heart pendent that I had hanging previously. I'll give this back to Draco another day.
A/N: okay that was only a little bit longer than the last chapter and therefore I apologize, but hopefully enough went on in this chapter to make up for it. okay that's all I have to say right now so please please please review!
