Ron and Ginny entered the common room and about five first year girls bounced up to him. Ron ignored them and sat down at an empty table with his sister, not looking around to see if Harry and Hermione were there. But his unasked question was answered when Hermione swooped down and sat at the table.

"Where's Harry?" Ron asked casually as Ginny pulled out her homework.

"Off sulking somewhere," Hermione replied, "I didn't see him when I came here."

"Did Draco say anything as you left?"

"He just said that he was still going to be at the pitch tonight."

"Okay, thanks Hermione," Ron said, then he stood and gave Ginny a quick hug before heading up the staircase the to boys dorms.

o-0-o-0-o

"Malfoy?" Ron called uneasily into the darkness.

"Ouch! Shit…"

"Malfoy?" Ron asked in shock.

"Over here, Ron," Draco's voice called from around the corner, "Just burned myself on accident."

"Burned yourself?" Ron asked.

He rounded the corner of the broom shed. Malfoy was smoking.

"Wha-?" Ron stammered, "You smoke?"

"Yeah, only when I'm stressed. Want one?" Malfoy offered the pack to Ron.

Ron stared at them for a moment, then grabbed one. He stared at it, then at Draco.

"Why are you stressed?" he asked.

"Come on, Ron! After you were in the Hospital Wing? For taking that bludger? Of course I'd be stressed. And Potter getting all pissed off about the whole me and you thing. Are you going to light it?"

He was staring at the cigarette that was limply held in Ron's hand. Ron blinked, then drew out his wand and lit the cigarette. He placed it in his mouth and inhaled. The most awful, burning sensation filled his mouth and lungs. He pulled it out and coughed, then gagged as the horrible aftertaste filled his mouth.

"You don't have to," Draco said with a small smirk, "But that's how my first try was, too."

Ron drew out his wand again and flicked it at the cigarette, it disappeared. Malfoy shrugged and grabbed the broom that was leaning on the shed next to him. Ron grabbed his broom and the flew off.

"We have a rematch tomorrow," Draco informed Ron, "I called it."

"Oh," Ron said, "So…rematch, right."

"What's up?" Draco asked, "Oh…are you mad at me because I smoke?"

"No!" Ron exclaimed, "No…it's just…shocking."

"Well…if it bothers you I won't smoke around you, then," Malfoy said, "I mean. You don't want to smell like cigarette smoke when you're around Potter and Granger, now, do you?"

"Not really," Ron said, shifting uncomfortably on his broom.

Somewhere in the distance lightning flashed and thunder boomed. It began to rain.

"We better go," Draco said.

"Oh, come on!" Ron exclaimed, "I love rain! But if you want to go in…"

Malfoy nodded. Ron shrugged and they both lowered to the ground. When Ron landed he stared up at the rain. Draco became enticed with the scene and moved closer to his red-haired friend. Ron looked down at him uncertainly as Draco moved ever closer, he slicked his damp hair back out of his eyes and leaned forward.

Their lips brushed against eachother and they pulled away slowly. Thunder once again boomed across the sky and lighting flashed twice. Ron took a deep breath…and then collapsed.

-------

Ron awoke underneath a thick, warm blanket. For a moment he thought he was in the Hospital Wang, but he wasn't. The blanket was black…and he heard voices.

"Hey, Draco, he's awake…where'd he go?"

"I dunno…hey, Goyle, where's Draco?"

A muffled grunt was a response. Ron looked around and saw three familiar faces, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise Zabini. He was in Draco's dorm.

"Hold on, Weasley," Blaise said, shrugging on his Slytherin robe. He left through a door and returned moments later with Draco.

"What happened?" Ron asked, feeling very lightheaded.

"You passed out," Draco said, buttoning his quidditch uniform, "I brought you here after cleaning you up a bit."

And then Ron remembered. He shook his head slightly.

"How did you get me here?" he asked.

"Floating spell," Draco said, "You better get back to your dorm, we've got quidditch in an hour."

"Oh," Ron said, "Okay. Well, see you in the pitch." He stood and left.

No Slytherin in the common room gave him a single glance. He just left and began heading for the Gryffindor Common Room.

()()()--()--()()()--()--()()()

"Captains shake hands!" Madame Hooch shouted.

Draco and Ron shook hands and then flew into their positions. Ron could barely pay any attention to the game. Harry occasionally would throw him a glare, and Ron just smirked, something he picked up when spending a lot of time around Draco.

"I'm paying attention this time, Weasel!" he heard Draco shout.

Ron looked over at him. He spotted Draco's eyes widen and he dived. For a moment he thought Draco had seen the Snitch, but he paid no attention because he had to dart to the left and catch the quaffle before Slytherin got a point.

Meanwhile Draco's shoulder was throbbing. Harry flew over to him and said,

"Having a great time stealing my best friend, Ferret Boy?"

"Stuff it, Potter," Malfoy snarled, cradling his right shoulder.

"Come off it, Malfoy, you're not really hurt," Harry snapped.

But Draco didn't pay attention to this comment, he zoomed past Harry after spotting a small fleck of gold. Malfoy, being right handed, was unable to grab the snitch with the arm that he couldn't use, so he reached out with his left hand and fell off balance, he hung onto the broom only with his left arm as Harry flew past and grabbed the snitch.

Cheers erupted in the Gryffindor section.

"Need a hand?" a voice near Draco said.

Ron helped Malfoy back onto his broom and they flew down. Ron stood amongst the Slytherins and watched the Gryffindor team cheer. Ron scowled at Harry's smug face.

"It wasn't fair," Ron muttered, "You were down. You had no chance."

Draco said nothing. To make matters worse, Harry walked over, snitch in hand.

"Come on, Ron," he said, "We won. You shouldn't be hanging with them."

"I can hang around whoever I want, Harry," Ron said, fighting the urge to call him 'Potter'.

Then he turned to Malfoy and said,

"Come on, we better get you to Madame Pompfrey."

"He's not hurt!" Harry said, "He's just faking it to get attention! Ron, even you should know that."

"Harry," a small voice said, it was Ginny, "Would you leave them alone?"

"No!" Harry said, walking closer to the blonde haired Slytherin, "He's not hurt!" and then he punched Malfoy right in the shoulder.

Draco cried out in pain and all the Slytherin team and Ron gathered around him. Harry grabbed Ron by the back of the robes and pulled him back.

"You cannot seriously be friends with that person!" he shouted.

Ron's urge to punch Harry was overwhelming, and then he did. He punched Harry right in the face. Harry, after realizing the damage to his mouth Ron had done, punched him back, and soon they were on the muddy ground.

"What is going on?" Professor McGonagall shrieked, running over to them.

She and Madame Hooch pulled the two boys apart.

"Potter?" Madame Hooch exclaimed, "Weasley? I would have never thought I would see the day…"

Ron glared at Harry as he stepped back. McGonagall looked over at the Slytherins and asked,

"What is going on?"

"I'll tell you!" Ron shouted angrily, "He-" he pointed at Harry, "Hit Malfoy when he was already down! He was already hurt!"

"He's not hurt!" Harry shouted, "He has to be faking it!"

"Draco got hit by a bludger!" Ginny said from next to Ron, "You know you can't get hit by a bludger and not get hurt, Harry."

Harry glared at Ron, who glared right back. Then Harry stalked off past the Gryffindor quidditch team. Ron looked over at the cluster of Slytherins, then back at Harry. And he followed him.