Once Hermione calmed down she and Harry went to visit Ron in the infirmary.
"How are you feeling Ron?" asked Harry.
"Not too bad my legs a bit sore…"
"It should be that way for a few days," interjected Madame Pomphrey, "The leg is mended but it takes time for the nervous system to realize that."
When Madame Pomphrey stepped out of the room to attend to other business Ron added that he could leave whenever.
"That's – um – good," answered Harry knowing that Ron would not like what is was like outside the infirmary. The Slytherins had their song and the Gryffidors weren't particularly happy with Ron because he was the main cause that they lost.
"I'm guessing that atmosphere out there isn't the greatest?" grimaced Ron.
"No not at all," answered Hermione.
"I'm sorry mate," sympathized Harry, he knew from experience what it was like to be hated by his own house.
"Well, I might as well get this over with," stood up Ron.
Fortunately there was no incident until lunch. When Ron entered the Great Hall with Harry and Hermione the Slytherins gave Ron a standing ovation cheering him for their victory. Draco then initiated a course of Weasley is our King:
Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our King.
Weasley was born in a bin,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win,
Weasley is our King.
Ron upon entering to such an escapade turned Red in the ears from the shame and embaressment.
"Just ignore them," whispered Hermione into Ron's ears as the three mad their way to the Gryffindor table.
"That's quite enough," called Dumbeldore standing up when the Slytherins started into a second round of the song.
After lunch Harry decided to try to send a letter to Sirius trying to convince him to not come, this left Hermione and Ron alone in the common room working on their homework.
"Um, about last night," stated Hermione, she didn't know why she was bringing the whole thing up.
"What about last night?" asked Ron trying to play it cool.
"Before I left-" hinted Hermione, if Ron wasn't going to admit to it then neither was she.
"It was nothing," shrugged Ron turning to his homework.
"It was?" asked Hermione slightly hurt, a feeling she hadn't expected to feel.
"Yeah, we talked, you left, and then I went to sleep."
"Oh really?" demanded Hermione getting upset with Ron she knew what happened and she knew that Ron did too but wasn't admitting to it.
"What more was there?" asked Ron looking up from his work seeing an upset Hermione.
Hermione could see that Ron was not going to admit to the kiss, "He can be so infuriating!"
"I guess there was nothing," she admitted.
Hermione tried to focus back on her work but could not. She could not bare stand to be near Ron any longer. She got up and mumbled that she was going to the library.
When Hermione was out of the Gryffindor Common Room she turned in the opposite direction of the library. She did not know where to go and she did not care, all she knew was that she did not want to be bothered. After a short while Hermione found what looked like a desolate place. She sat down at the bade of a statue. As she sat there tears began to flow. Hermione was sure what she was crying but she continued anyway.
"Here," offered a tall boy holding out a handkerchief. He had chocolate brow hair and wore wire frames that brought a focus to his brown eyes that were almost the color of gold.
"Thank you," accepted Hermione wiping her eyes with the handkerchief.
"It's no problem," smiled the Ravenclaw, "You all right?"
"I'm fine," answered Hermione collecting herself. She felt a bit embarrassed by him seeing her cry.
"I know we just met, but do you need some one to talk with?"
"No it was nothing, a girl thing, I just needed a good cry."
"All right then, well I'm Michael, by the way, Michael Cook."
"I'm Hermione Granger," answered Hermione taking Michael's offered hand.
"I'm glad to have met you Hermione, sorry it couldn't have been on better terms."
"It's fine," slightly pinked Hermione.
"It's getting near curfew," remarked Michael, "Hopefully we'll run into each other again some time."
"Hopefully," agreed Hermione before the two of them turned to go to their dorm rooms.
(A/N: What do you think? Michael, of course, is one of my own characters.)