Harry was beginning to worry. What with Ron's outbreak in Potions, and then before that his encounter with Ron that morning. He was beginning to feel very guilty about everything. He knew of Ron's crush on Hermione. But then Harry had gone and stolen Hermione from Ron.

Days past…then a week. Ron began acting very odd.

"I'm worried about him," Hermione said quietly one night, "He's just…"

"Very uncoordinated?"

"Harry!"

Harry rolled his eyes. But it was true. Ron was acting strange. He was tripping almost as much as Neville, he wouldn't sleep, wouldn't eat…and was always in a bad attitude that often got him in trouble.

"Okay…maybe…maybe…" Hermione said, "Maybe he's just…"

"Jealous? Angry? Very uncoordinated?"

"Harry, this could be serious! Even if he was angry or jealous…no one would start acting like this. I'm seriously worried."

Harry glanced over at the portrait hole as someone walked through it. It was Ron. He looked extremely tired and very pale. Harry stood up.

"You aren't going to talk to him, are you?" Hermione asked, grabbing Harry's sleeve, "He could hurt you! You know the temper he has now!"

"He hasn't eaten or slept in a week, do you think he's in the state to fight right now?" Harry asked, "Besides…I'm reminding him about practice tomorrow. That's all."

Harry walked over to Ron, who sat down at a table and began pulling out his homework. Harry knew that Ron knew he was there, because Ron kept averting his gaze away from Harry.

"Ron," Harry said quietly, "I want to remind you about practice tomorrow."

Ron nodded, still looking away from Harry. Harry suddenly became aware of something as he heard a slightly compressed cough come from Ron.

He was crying.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, sitting in a chair at the table.

"Nothing," Ron muttered.

Up close, Ron seemed to look worse. He was very pale, his robes hung slightly looser off his body, possibly from losing weight because he wasn't eating. Dark circles were under his eyes from sleeplessness…

"You sure you're okay?" Harry asked, "Maybe we should go to the kitchens and get you something to eat."

"No, I'm fine," Ron said quickly, using his robes to wipe away the tears sliding down his face.

"Well…I don't want you at practice tomorrow then," said Harry determinedly, "I want you to get some rest."

"No…I'm fine…I'll go to practice." Ron was getting more of an edge on his tone, now, but Harry wasn't going to stand for it.

"I don't want you at practice, Ron!"

"I'll go," snapped Ron, "I'll be fine."

But Harry was being as stubborn as Ron at that point.

"No," he said flatly, "You need rest, Ron, or you're going to make yourself seriously ill."

"Oh, now you care!" shouted Ron, standing up, "Maybe you should have before it all happened! Then you wouldn't have to be so worried now!"

Harry stood up as well, but he said nothing. He had been hoping Ron wouldn't act like this. He was really, truly worried about his friend…he was worried Ron would really get seriously ill if he didn't get some sleep or, especially, food.

"Okay," Harry said finally, "Come."

"I will," snapped Ron, he gathered up his books and then marched up the staircase.

Everyone was so used to Ron's blow-ups by now that barely anyone had paid any attention at all, just continuing on with their work. Harry sighed and walked back over to Hermione.

"Didn't go well?" she asked.

"Apparently," Harry said, "He looks very sick, Hermione. I told him not to come to practice…but…"

"Yeah, I heard it."

Ron stayed up doing homework until Harry and the others fell asleep. Then he climbed off his bed and headed outside after slipping his shoes on.

It was not raining anymore, he noticed as soon as he stepped outside onto the dewy grass. He walked slowly over to a tree and leaned against it, feeling as though he could fall asleep at any minute. But he knew that if he did he would have a stupid flashback dream of Harry and Hermione kissing…again.

"Having a night time stroll?" a dreamy voice came.

"In a way," Ron replied.

"You sound tired," said Luna in slight concern.

Ron turned away, feeling something erupt in him that he had began to recognize as a warning of tears, which he had no idea why they even came.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"Nothing," said Ron, though his voice wavered slightly.

"But you're crying."

"I know. And I don't know why!"

"Oh…do you think you're depressed?"

Ron looked at her.

"What?" he asked in slight shock.

"Depressed. Maybe you're in a depression because Harry and Hermione."

Ron wiped the tears off his face and said,

"I don't know. Maybe I am. But I really don't care."

"You should. You have a game against Slytherin in a couple of days."

Ron closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the tree. He felt a headache coming on. There was too much going on at the time and he didn't know how to deal with it all. His grades were slipping, he had Snape set to murder him any day now, Harry and Hermione were dating, and he was not set to fly at all. To top it all off, every moment of his life he felt ready to faint from hunger.

"What am I going to do?" he groaned to himself, not knowing he said that out loud.

"Try eating and sleeping?"

"What?" Ron snapped, looking up, "How did you know I'm not eating or sleeping?"

"Because you're very pale, you have dark circles under your eyes, and your robes are very loose fitting. And you're never in the Great Hall."

"What are you, a stalker?"

"No. I just notice things."


In yo' face Ronniekinns!