Disclaimer: Use your imagination, the batteries are low in mine. :P

Weeks had past uneventfully. Hogwarts had adopted an air of wariness, but it was business as usual on this beautiful Thursday morning. There had been little activity that could be linked to Lord Voldemort, and what unfortunate events that had occurred were found to be the work of mislead pranksters taking their unrest out on unsuspecting muggles. Things were actually becoming boring compared to the usual level of activity that the students had become accustomed to. But that suited Ron just fine. It meant more time that no one he loved had been putting their lives on the line, and more time for him to get to know Aster Leatherleaf.

He loved having her around. It was the best thing that could have happened to him that year. Not only was she a distraction from the danger constantly looming over their heads. And, not only was he getting more and more smitten with her. She had become very good friends with Hermione, and they were constantly running off together to chat about girly things. This meant that Harry was free more often, and Ron was getting to spend extra time with his best friend. It seemed to suit Harry well too, as they began to have their usually numerous conversations about Quidditch and girls. They were teenage boys again.

And watching Aster made Ron realize just how much of a teenage boy he was. He felt himself grow hot whenever he watched her moving in her fluid way. Not 'hot' like it had been with the other girls either; Fleur and, at one time, Hermione. It was different with Aster. It wasn't just curiosity and hormones. With her, his knees weakened, his palms sweat, and it felt like someone was sitting on his chest. The weirdest part was, no matter how horrible it would sound when he described it, he loved the way she made him feel.

Time had been a friend in this case. Because, with time he found it easier to talk to her and laugh with her. His blushing lessened as much as it ever would, and he started to feel comfortable with her. This, however, didn't hide the fact that he liked her. That he'd stare at her while she was reading or drawing, or that he'd constantly talk about her when she wasn't around. Except during one unfortunate incident where he'd been talking to Harry about her in the library, only to find her and Hermione listening on the other side if the book shelf he'd been standing. Ron praised Harry's quick mind and smooth talking that day.

No, Aster was special. Special and mysterious. He thought about her secret all the time, and absolutely died to tell Harry about it. But, he respected her privacy, and waited for the time when she'd tell him herself. He knew that if Harry and Hermione found out it would be another quest to solve a puzzle, and he didn't want to do that this time. He just played Hagrid's words over and over in his head, "I mean, it's bin a long time since they let one o' yer kind go ter school." Her kind? So, was she not human? Part of some weird group, or cult? Did the ministry have something against Canadians?

"Ron... Ron? Are you in there, Ron?" A loud voice was speaking slowly into his ear, and someone was knocking on his head. It was Harry.

"What? What were you saying?" Ron tried to say his words nonchalantly, gazing up at the blue sky hanging above the Great Hall.

"You should take her to Hogsmead this weekend." Harry responded airily, slumping casually in his chair.

"That's not what you said!" Ron flushed, more with the thought of asking her than with the anger he forced into his voice.

"Well, you wouldn't know would you? You weren't listening," Harry said matter-of-factly, with a smug smile on his face.

Ron scowled. "You're sounding more and more like Mione every day, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." He smiled, but there was pain in his eyes. "She's amazing."

"Then what are you looking so bloody sad for?" Ron chided, but he knew the source of that pain, as Harry had told him before. He felt it too.

"There's a war on the way, Ron," Harry's voice cracked. He sounded much older, and much more tired, than the boy sitting in front of Ron at the moment. "A lot of people will die in that war. I can't help but think, if I'm not signing her death certificate right now by being with her." He paused, his face somber. "This is just the calm before the storm, and we all know it."

"Yeah, we do. But you know, if you hadn't of fessed up to Hermione about your feelings, she would have killed you before Vol-Voldemort got his hands anywhere near you." Ron glanced across the table to catch Harry's reaction.

Harry smiled grimly and picked up his fork. "Yeah, that much is true."

Both of them remained silent for a moment, poking at their food. Then there was a sudden rush of cheery female voices heading in their direction. Ron glanced up to see both Hermione and Aster smiling and prancing toward them. The sudden sight of Aster nearly made him choke on his toast.

"Why do you guys look so serious? You'd think you'd gloat seeing as you made it to breakfast before us for a change." Hermione leaned over and gave Harry a loving kiss on the cheek. Then plopped down in the chair next to him, taking a couple slices of toast for herself.

"Wonder you made it here at all with all that primping you two have been doing lately," Ron retorted. Hermione stuck out her tongue.

"Well, we want to look ravishing for our men now, don't we Hermione?" Aster grinned and sat down in the seat next to Ron, stealing one of his hash browns. Our men? Did she say OUR men? Ron gulped and looked at his plate.

"Of course!" Hermione fluttered her eyelashes and tossed her wild hair, which was looking a little less wild as it grew longer. Both Ron and Harry gaped at her like she had a flubberworm sticking out of her nose.

Her face clouded over rather quickly, making her look awfully dark and scary in Ron's opinion. "Fine," she shrieked, "I won't bother! Forget looking either bit presentable and pretty, I'll be nothing but a brain for the rest of my life. Is that better for you, Harry? Being in love with a fat, ugly brain!" With that she stormed of, tears springing out of her eyes, glaring at those who dared to turn and ogle.

Ron gazed after her, shocked. Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looked at Aster and asked, "should I go?"

She nodded. "This is something that's been really bothering her, Harry." With that Harry was gone, dashing through the Great Hall to catch Hermione before class. Ron stared after him, shaking his head with a bemused look on his face.

Aster was looking at him with a curious expression. "What?" She blushed and shook her head, brushing back her hair. He saw the single purple curl and thought it'd be safe to ask about it now. "Where'd you get a color like that?" He nodded toward the strands tucked behind her ear.

"Oh!" She laughed, "it runs in my father's side of the family. Every now and then someone's born with purple hair. My little brother's whole head was lilac when he was born. It gave the doctor quite a fright, seeing as he was a muggle."

"Is it still that way? Your bother's head, I mean."

"Oh, no. It darkened as he got older. It was brown within a couple months. Me, I was born with a little purple tuft near my forehead, and it's been that color ever since." She fingered the violet strands as she spoke. "My grandmother's whole head was this color."

"That's weird," Ron said bluntly before he realized what was coming out of his mouth. Blushing he added, "no offense. It's just I've never heard of anything like it before."

Aster shrugged and smiled. "It is weird. Not many people have purple hair running it their family. Or green, or pink, or blue for that matter. My mother had to cover mine up when I was little, so people wouldn't ask questions."

"I think it's nice," he sputtered, amazing himself with his confidence and stifling a gasp when one of her hands slid onto his arm. She turned a little pink when he looked at her, with his eyes slightly wider than usual, but she kept her gentle fingers where they were.

"Ron, I heard that there was a trip to somewhere called Hogsmead this weekend," she began, "and I was wondering- I mean, Hermione thought I should ask-"

"Come on you two!" The sound of another voice made both Ron and Aster jump. The Great Hall was nearly empty now. "You'll be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts!" It was Hermione, trying to look somewhat annoyed with their stunned expressions, while holding back a pleased grin at the same time. Obviously Harry had managed to cheer her up somehow. "Lupin will probably use the two of you as test subjects if you don't hurry." Professor Lupin was back at Dumbledore's wishes. And with very few complaints from parents, thanks to the actualization that Lord Voldemort was back. Most thought that their children knowing proper defense tactics was more important than discriminating against Remus Lupin.

"Um, we're right behind you. Okay, Herm?" Aster cast Hermione a meaningful look over her shoulder.

"Oh!" Realization crept into Hermione's face. "Okay then, I'll see you there." She rushed away grinning wickedly and Ron suddenly felt very stupid. There had been planning going on, and he hadn't noticed. What else is new?

"So," Aster took a deep breath and turned back to face Ron, "will you go with me?" Her face was a mixture of hope and caution.

"Well, uh," Ron gulped. This was the last thing he had ever expected to happen to him today. One minute he's talking to Harry about war, and then the girl he'd been drooling over since the moment he'd first saw her... was asking him out. What would he say? Yes, of course! That is, if he could get the words out. "That sounds, well, it sounds like, um-" He started to feel panicky when her face fell. Oh no! She thinks I'm trying to turn her down! "Yes!" He spat the words out as quickly as he could. "Yes, I want to go with you."

The smile she gave made him feel dizzy. "Okay, good." She glanced around, her mouth making a little 'O' as she murmured something that sounded like, "uh, oh." There was no one in the hall anymore. They were late for class, and bound to be examples for Lupin's lecture, just like Hermione said.

"Bloody Hell! Why does she always have to be right?!" He grumbled as he jumped up and grabbed his books.

"Because, she's Hermione," Aster laughed as she grabbed Ron by the wrist and dashed toward their class, dragging him behind her. He didn't care about being Lupin's guinea pig anymore. He just didn't want to let go of her.

---

After two days of waiting, Saturday had arrived. This was the day of the first trip to Hogsmead that year. And, the day of Ron's date with Aster. At least, he hoped it was a date. He'd spent the last forty-eight hours quizzing Hermione and fretting about what was going to happen. He stopped when Harry threatened to get Ginny and her Bat-Bogey Hex.

Harry and Ron waited impatiently in the Gryffindor common room, while the girls were still in their dormitory getting ready. It was getting close to the time to leave, and they hadn't heard from either one of them for at least twenty minutes. Ron's stomach felt contracted. Should he be spending that much time getting ready too? He didn't think so, Harry wasn't.

"What is it with girls and primping?" Ron growled as he plopped down into one of the soft chairs by the fire.

Harry shrugged, "makes me wonder what half of them would look like if they didn't."

"We weren't primping," Hermione protested, although Ron thought she looked a little more tame than usual. "We were talking, thank-you very much." She emphasized the word 'talking' as she walked over and stood on her toes to give Harry a kiss. Those simple words and actions made Ron tense, as he saw Aster had been following close behind Hermione. Talking about what? Ron wondered.

However, to Ron's relief, Aster just smiled and said, "are we leaving now?"

---

Things became much more easygoing once they arrived at Hogsmead. Although Ron had been there before, the trip was exciting. It was probably Aster's excitement rubbing off on him as she pulled him from store to store, her pale green eyes lighting up like a child's on Christmas day. She must have tried just about every candy and been in every shop, when she asked Ron if he wanted to go for a walk and talk for a while.

"Sure," he said cheerily. She looked so beautiful. Her white cheeks were growing rosy from a frost in the October air, and sampling all the candy had reddened her lips. A faint breeze was making her curly hair blow around her face and his, and they both laughed as she tried to keep it under control.

"Let's go this way," she pointed in the direction of the cave that, at one time, hid Sirius Black from the Dementors. Sirius was dead now, and Ron's heart felt heavy as he recalled the day. He was killed trying to save a bunch of stupid children from a pack of Voldemort's Death Eaters. He was killed trying to save Harry, Hermione, himself, and some of their friends. None of them were entirely over the loss, Harry taking it the worst. But, he knew Sirius would want him to have fun with Aster in every way.

"Alright, then." He became more confident in this decision when he felt Aster's slender hand slide into his. The skin was so soft he would have sworn she was wearing satin gloves. When her warm fingers entwined with his, it was like their hands were made to do so. It was perfect. He brushed his own rough thumb lightly across the back of her hand as they started to stroll past shops and cottages, decorated in celebration of the upcoming Halloween.

They walked close together, discussing almost everything. Ron was amazed to find out she loved Quidditch almost as much as he and Harry. "Angelina told me a few spots would be opening up on the team next year. I plan to try out for beater."

"So, you'll be sticking around for next year?" He asked hopefully.

"If I can help it, I will." She grinned at him in a way that gave him goose flesh. Then lifted the hand that grasped his, looking at them locked together. Before she could do anything else, he caught a glance of his watch and jerked his arm over.

"Shit! We have to get back soon." Ron sighed as he let their arms fall back downward again. "Everyone will be going back to Hogwarts in about twenty minutes, and it'll probably take that long to walk back."

"What? Rather be alone with your loathsome girlfriend, Weasley?" The words came out in a mocking drawl, and before he even turned around to see who had spoken, Ron knew who the voice belonged to. It was Draco Malfoy, the most snotty and obnoxious person to ever grace the grounds of Hogwarts.

"Bugger off, Malfoy!" Ron spoke through gritted teeth. He didn't want to start fighting on his first date with Aster. However, when Malfoy was around he had a lot trouble controlling his anger.

"Why? Don't like that I point out the shabby company you keep? Can't you afford better friends?" Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy's usual lackeys, snickered at his sides.

"Actually, Draco, you're the only person I know who has to buy his friends. And that doesn't say a lot now, does it?" There was a nasty edge to Aster's voice as she spat out the words, so nasty Malfoy took a half-step backward.

Pretending to ignore her, he continued to taunt Ron. "Honestly, Weasley, the company you keep continues to get worse. First it's muggles, half-bloods, squibs, and mudbloods. Now," he sneered, "you're dating a half breed."

With that, Ron launched himself at Malfoy, tackling him to the ground. His fists flew wildly, and he managed to make Malfoy yelp before Crabbe and Goyle pulled him off. However, he was acting so savagely that they didn't bother retaliation; Malfoy had grabbed them both by the arm, and pulled them with him as he ran back toward the village.

When Ron looked back to find Aster, she was standing on top of a pile of rocks, clutching her arms about herself and staring off into some trees. She looked cold. He climbed up next to her, and touched her on the shoulder. She jumped.

"Hey," he said softly, "what'd you run up here for?" He kept his hand on her shoulder where he had touched her, and let his nose drift into her hair. He managed to catch a smell of oranges before she turned around to look at him, her eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't want to listen to him anymore! I didn't want to watch you two fight because of me, and because of what I-" She stopped suddenly and just looked desperately into Ron's eyes. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?" Ron laughed faintly, hoping she wasn't trying to give him the shaft.

"I'm sorry that things are going to be the way they are... while you're with me," she said softly.

On an impulse Ron never knew he had inside, he grasped her forearms and pulled her toward him. He put his hands firmly on her waist to steady her, as she stumbled on the rough surface of the rocks they stood on. His heart thumped loudly in his ears, and it was all he could do to stand up strait. Slowly bringing his head down to meet hers, he felt her breath warm on his cheek.

"Stupify!" A voice roared from somewhere to his distant left.

He couldn't even raise his eyes to see what was happening before it hit him. Everything became red, and he heard an echoing female voice shriek his name. He faintly felt an impact as the back of his head went painfully cold, and everything turned black.

Still sorry I took a while! I was working. But the chapter has been edited. Nothing big, just a few grammatical changes, etc.

I've change the things so that people can review without a signature. Sorry about that! I didn't know I could change that. :P (thanks for letting me know!)

So, please review to your heart's content people! Good or bad, I'll like them all! I have to get better some how. :D