Author's Note: Here's chapter three for you guys! Thanks for the reviews! I only have two and a half more days of school, I am so happy. Hope you all have a good summer vacation to look forward to.

"WHAT?" Ron's voice echoed through the corridor. His reaction had caught Harry off-guard and he nearly fell over again. One look at his best friend made him realize he shouldn't have said anything, for Ron was shaking and his freckled skin was suddenly very pale.

"Mate, are you alright?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"Y-yeah..." Ron replied shakily, leaning onto the wall for support. They stayed in silence for a moment until Ron was able to say something again. "Who is it?" Harry hesitated before replying.

"That's the thing. I dunno. I don't think anyone does. But by the sound of it, Hermione and this mystery guy have been together for a few weeks unnoticed. Can't believe she didn't tell us," Harry spilled everything he knew quickly.

"Yeah... I'm so stupid..." Ron mumbled, lowering his face so his red hair could fall over his face. Without warning, he balled up one of his hands into a fist and hit himself on the forehead.

"Hey... calm down!" Harry said. He felt sorry for Ron, he had always known Ron had a thing for Hermione. Even if he'd never admit it. Ron made for another blow at his forehead, but Harry pulled his hand away. "Snap out of it, it's okay." Ron looked up at Harry as if just noticing he was even there.

"Okay? No... it's not okay, Harry," He said, looking down at his feet. "I did something stupid."

"Like what?"

"I... I," He took a deep breath. "I slipped a poem into Hermione's bag. About her. And how I... how I..."

"Love her?" Harry said it for him. Ron snapped his head up to look into Harry's eyes.

"How did you know?"

"Well, er, it's been kind of obvious,"

"It's even been that obvious?" Ron groaned.

"Anyway, it's about time you told her..."

"No it wasn't. I shouldn't have done it. Because... because now I've just made a fool out of myself. She is dating someone else." Ron cut him off.

"Yeah, but at least you got it off your chest..."

"You don't understand!"

"What are you two bickering about? Shouldn't you be outside, playing like good little boys?" A voice came behind Ron. Draco Malfoy had found his way back to the corridor, him in all his sneering glory.

"What do you want, Malfoy? Don't you have someone else to harass?" Ron hissed.

"Moody today, aren't you, Weasley?" Another smirk tugged at his lips.

"Sure am, now, care to leave?" Ron replied, gritting his teeth.

"Fine, fine, besides... I have better company waiting for me." He flashed a smile at them that made a shiver go down Ron's back. The two watched as he strode away down the hall and continued their conversation as soon as he was out of site.

"There is something weird about the way he's acting. It's creeping me out," Harry stated.

"He's just trying to provoke me. You know, taunt me about the whole Hermione thing. Obviously he knows more about it than I do," Ron said grudgingly.

"Don't worry about him, Ron."

"Yeah, I know," He replied. "Hey... uh, want to go eat an early supper?" Harry just stared at him.

"That was a quick change of subject," He said plainly. The tips of Ron's ears went red.

"Just trying to get my mind off of it, that's all," He mumbled. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah..." He hit Ron on the side of the head. "Alright, let's go eat." By the time they headed toward the Great Hall, there was already a steady stream of students spilling out of the library for supper. Ron was somewhat dreading the fact that he would see Hermione so soon. But maybe he'd be able to get a glimpse of this boyfriend of hers. But Hermione wasn't at supper. Despite the fact that he would have been terrified out of his mind in approaching her, Ron couldn't help but wonder where she was. The whole time he was scanning the hall, searching for a sign of bushy brown hair.

"Why are you so jumpy?" Seamus asked with a mouthful of potatoes, watching Ron curiously.

"Long story," Ginny answered before either Ron or Harry could. While Ron had been busy in his own little world, Harry had filled Ginny in on the situation.

"You know," Neville said as he sat down by Ginny. "If you want to find Hermione, I was just with her." Ron immediately eyed Neville. Harry and Ginny looked at him with interest, too. Neville's eyes widened. "Oh, no, I'm not the secret boyfriend, if that's what you're thinking. She was just helping me with a few charms that might come up in exams. She's in the common room. I suppose she'll come eat soon." Neville explained quickly. The three sighed in relief. "I actually asked her about the guy, but she didn't seem to keen on telling me anything. Sounds sorta dodgy to me," Neville continued, piling food onto his plate.

"Well, if everyone was going to make a big deal out of who I was dating like that, then I'd keep it a secret too!" Ginny said in defense of Hermione.

"Shut it, Ginny. If they came out and just said they were dating in the first place, no one would be making a big deal out of it," Ron said.

"That's the most sense I've heard out of you all day," Harry commented.

"You shut it, too," Ron shot a small glare at Harry, then continued. "Besides, Ginny, you can't tell me you aren't at least a little curious about who Hermione's going out with."

"Well, okay, I would like to know... but it's still her business! And I don't want to intrude on a friend's personal life."

"Yes you do," Ron said bluntly. "You're nosey like that. I know what you are like, missy."

"Fine!" Ginny snapped at him. "I'll help you find out who it is."

"Thank you. With Detective Ginny on the case, we should have answers in no time. You are manipulative like that, Gin," Ron said.

"Oh, thanks," Ginny replied sarcastically.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Hermione plopped down right by Ron. He bent down and started stuffing his face with food in a flash.

"Oh, uh, just talking about what we think we'll need to work on before exams," Ginny replied, trying to play it cool. Hermione nodded, reaching over the table for the bread.

"Well, I am glad you guys are finally getting prepared before exams."

"Hey, you put us through study boot camp every spring!" Harry defended.

"Ha ha," She let out flatly.

"I fink lam goinfoo goba umpsfairs," Ron choked out through a stuffed mouth.

"What?"

"I think I'm going to go back upstairs to the common room..." Ron said after swallowing with much difficulty. He rose from his seat before they could answer and scurried out of the Great Hall. Once he got out into the hall, he slowed down. She hadn't even acknowledged the fact that he had even admitted how he felt about her. Maybe that was what hurt the most, or that she was going out with some guy and she had never told him. Ron couldn't make up his mind, there were so many things that were suddenly stabbing him in the heart.

When he had put his first foot on the marble stairs, he heard hurried steps behind him. He didn't bother to turn around, but kept going.

"Ron!" Someone shouted. He didn't need to turn around to recognize that voice. He had paused at the step he was on, but thought better off it and began to sprint up the remaining of the stairs. He didn't need to deal with this, so he did the only thing he knew how to do in this situation: run away like a little kid. "Ron!" Hermione called again, this time she was out of breath, she must have been chasing him. At reaching the top step, Ron only fell back down the stairs. He had stepped on a piece of stray chalk Peeves must have been throwing around.

"Shit!" Ron bellowed as his foot rolled on the piece of chalk, making him lose his balance, falling backwards. After a little painful rolling, he grabbed onto the railing and jerked to a stop. His head and shoulder were throbbing. His shoulder had slammed against a stair on the way down.

"Oh my gosh! Ron! Are you okay?" Hermione said with concern, leaning down by him. He didn't look into her face.

"Yeah, fine," He grunted.

"Why did you run?"

"Why did you chase me?"

"Well, I..." She started, going a little red. "I wanted to tell you something."

"What?"

"I know I may be a little late in telling you... but, I have a boyfriend," She said, looking away from him as if she was embarrassed.

"Who?" Ron asked bluntly. There was another million things he could have said, but he was sure quite a few of them would get him slapped, so he didn't take his chances. She was really blushing now.

"You'll find out soon. We are... finally coming out of 'hiding,'" She said slyly. She got up and started walking back down the stairs, but she turned back halfway down. "By the way, you write really lovely poetry." She added and rushed off. Ron gaped after her. He couldn't believe she just did that, she couldn't have. His head fell back, forgetting there was a hard, marble stair there, and just ended up with another bump for his collection for today.

Ouch! Damn!