"We have to practice," Draco said a few nights later, "I've got a match."
"Against Ravenclaw," Ron said with a nod, "Alright."
"Have you heard anything on the unicorn?" Malfoy asked as they flew into the air with Snitch in hand.
"He's doing fine," Ron said, "Hagrid let him back into the forest yesterday."
"That's good…I'm letting it go." He had been holding the Snitch in his hand.
They spent hours chasing the Snitch. Ron actually caught it once, but that was because Draco swore he had seen the Giant Squid snatch a fox off the lake bank.
x-X-x-X-x
"Harry, don't stress over it," Ginny said the next morning as they set off for breakfast, "Ron's not in any trouble. You really should get over it!"
"He doesn't stick up for us anymore when Malfoy insults us. I mean, Malfoy doesn't insult Ron anymore…but he still insults us and Ron doesn't care."
"You said that last week."
"It's bugging me!"
"What? That I'm friends with Malfoy?" a voice from next to Harry said.
Harry looked to his left and saw that Ron was walking with them.
"No, that you don't seem to care when Malfoy insults me or Hermione," Harry snapped, he stopped walking and glared at Ron, who shifted his book bag from one arm to the other.
"Why should I care?" Ron asked, "You can stick up for yourselves."
"But, still, Ron. Why don't you ever hand out with us anymore?"
"You actually don't hang out with me or Hermione anymore. I'm with her plenty."
Harry was caught. He just shot Ron one last glare and walked off, Ginny at his heels.
Ron smiled to himself as he caught up with Hermione.
x-X-x-X-x
Slytherin beat Ravenclaw. Malfoy was happy that night. But Ron wasn't.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked finally when Ron had barely spoken a word.
"Harry," Ron said, "He's acting like I've betrayed him or something."
"Oh…well that makes sense. He hates me, I hate him…his best friend is friends with me. He's Potter, he feels he should have every waking moment of your attention. Now we need to practice. We have a match against eachother tomorrow."
The next day the Gryffindor team trudged through the mud out onto the field and floated almost lazily into the air.
"Captains shake hands!" Madame Hooch called.
Ron and Draco flew forward and shook hands, exchanging glances and trying not to laugh as they flew to their positions. Ron heard the whistle and broke into game mode. Watching the game, listening to the commentary.
Harry was watching too. He hovered over Malfoy, watching him, but also watching for a fleck of gold. Malfoy suddenly dived. Harry, not really paying attention, followed him. But Malfoy pulled out of his dive quickly and faced Harry.
"Not getting enough attention?" he mocked, "Afraid your best friend likes me a bit more than he likes you? Feel neglected?"
"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry shouted.
"I'm afraid your orders don't work anymore, do they? Weasley won't listen to you so what makes you think I will?"
Ron was watching them. Harry looked so pissed. Malfoy looked smug.
"Ron watch out!" Ginny shrieked.
Ron dodged a bludger just in time. His heart pounded inside his chest rapidly. He then focused back on the game and not the bickering Harry and Draco. He then blocked a quaffle, knocking it back into the game, just as Malfoy positioned himself somewhere near the goal posts.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked.
"Looking for the snitch," Malfoy replied, staring into the stands.
Ron shook his head, then noticed something bad. Quickly he darted in front of Malfoy and heard a loud 'crack!', followed by immense pain in his head. He felt himself be thrown back and then falling.
x-X-x-X-x
"Harry, I don't see why you have such a problem with it, you should be worried!" Hermione exclaimed angrily as they walked quickly to the Hospital Wing.
"I am worried, Hermione, okay? I am worried. I'm just so mad at Malfoy."
"Why? Just because Ron took a bludger for him? What would you have done if Ron didn't notice a bludger that was headed straight towards him?"
"I would tell him to move."
"What if you knew that there was no time?"
"Then I would take it for him-"
"That's how Ron felt! And he may be dead now and your too busy being angry at Malfoy to care. A bludger to the head is not good if it hit you hard enough."
"I know, Hermione."
"Good, you need to know."
"Oh great," Harry muttered as the came upon the Hospital Wing.
"She won't let us in," Malfoy said from in front of the door, "I walked in but she shoved me out."
"Did she say why?" Hermione asked.
"Nope, just said 'Get out Mr. Malfoy!' and shoved me out the door. But that was about 15 minutes ago. I was waiting for you."
He and Harry exchanged a glance. Hermione sighed and opened the door. Madame Pompfrey was standing near a bed talking in a low, soothing voice, she turned around and saw the three teens standing in the doorway.
"He's waking up on and off," she said quietly, "Never really regains full consciousness."
"Will he be okay?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"I'm not quite sure yet," Madame Pompfrey said, heading for her office, "We'll know soon."
Harry nodded and they all walked over to Ron's bed as she walked into her office. Malfoy walked onto the right side of the bed and looked down at Ron.
"I should've been paying attention," Malfoy said with a sigh, "I should've."
Hermione looked at him but he didn't look at her. He just stared down at Ron. Harry spoke before he could register the words,
"Yeah. You should've."
"Look, I didn't tell him to take that bludger for me!" Malfoy exclaimed, "He made the decision himself!"
"So you're telling me to get mad at him?"
"No!"
"Guys, hush," Hermione said quickly, she kneeled down beside the bed and Harry realized why she told them to be quiet. Ron's eyes had opened.
"Ron," Hermione said quietly, "Ron, how do you feel?"
Ron sat up with Hermione and Malfoy's help and he said,
"I have a really bad headache."
"Figures," Malfoy said, "Do you remember everything that happened?"
"You took that bloody bludger for Malfoy," Harry said angrily.
"I know," Ron said weakly, "And Harry, just so you know, I did it because he would've done it for me."
"Yeah right," Harry snapped.
"I would have," Malfoy said, "Potter, just because you hate me doesn't mean that Ron has to."
"I never said that!" Harry was getting angry now.
"You don't have to."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you don't have to say it for you to feel that way."
Ron was looking between the two enemies. Hermione was too. And before they knew what happened, Harry had pulled out his wand and was pointing it in Malfoy's face.
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed, his voice still weak, "Harry, don't."
"You've protected him enough today," Harry snapped, "I don't trust him, Ron."
"But I do," Ron said very quietly, "And that should be enough for you, shouldn't it?"
And he suddenly felt very tired again. His head seemed to spin for a moment or two…and then he passed into unconsciousness once more.