The next morning Hermione slipped on her robe and crept into the boy's dorm to check on Ron. All of the boys were already awake and groggily beginning their day, but Ron was still curled up in his sheets. She shook his shoulders gently.

"Ron?"

"Hrmmmmph, come on mum, only a few more minutes..."

"Ron, hun, it's me." Ron reluctantly opened his eyes.

"Wha', 'Mione?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Miserable."

"I'll take you to Madam Pomfrey's as soon as I get dressed, then."

"Not going."

"But Ron, if you're sick then you'll need curing. You'll be fine by this evening. I'll be back to get you."

"Hermionneeeeee," he whined,"I don't need to see Madam Pomfrey, I'll be fine, just let me sleep."

"Ronald Weasley if you're just using this as an excuse to skip class I'm going to be terribly upset with you. Now, I suggest you get your lazy arse out of bed, because we're going to Madam Pomfrey's whether you like it or not!"

"Ugh, whatever." He got out of bed and waited in the common room for Hermione to get ready for the day. A few boys pretended to sneeze, muttering the word "Whipped!" as they walked by out of the portrait hole. She came back down and escorted him to the hospital wing on the way to breakfast. After having a bit of toast and some eggs, she went straight away to see how Ron was doing.

"How is he, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Oh he'll be just fine, but I'm afraid he's going to have to stay in here all day."

Ron scowled at Hermione. "Now look what you've done. Have to stay in here all day."

"Pardon me for being concerned for your health." And on that note, she left for class.

Hermione didn't see him until after dinner, when Harry suggested that they stop by. They sat near his bed and Ron asked what he had missed, not hesitating to point out how terribly bored he had been in the hospital wing all day.

"Oh the usual day, that stupid git Malfoy making some joke about why you were gone. Something about your parents running out of money, and you having to withdraw from school to work just so you could eat."

"Merlin, Ferret Boy is the biggest jerk ever. I swear I'd beat him down if I didn't think I'd get expelled for it."

Harry nodded. "Oh I agree. I bet that little bugger gets all his insults from his Death Eater dad. Maybe he's got some sort of training manual about how to be a Death Eater. He'd love that, wouldn't he? Bet he thinks it will impress his master."

Hermione was fuming. The Draco she knew would never think any of that, would never try to be a Death Eater.

Ron added to Harry's comment. "What a prick, seriously. He struts around like he's the heir of Voldemort or something. I bet he's already gotten his Dark Mark."

"You really oughn't say those things about him, you two." Hermione tried to keep her temper in check.

"And why not Hermione? Don't you realize his greatest pleasure in life would be to rape you and kill you in the name of You-Know-Who? You're the smartest person probably to ever enter Hogwarts, and you're a muggle. He'd love to sacrifice you or torture you or something. You're lucky I'm around to protect you."

"That's not true, Ron. None of what you just said is true. Malfoy, he's not like his dad or the Death Eaters or anything. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he makes fun of us because he has to? What do you think his dad would do to him if he found out he was friendly with a Weasley, a mudblood and Harry Potter? You two shouldn't be so judgmental."

"What's wrong with you 'Mione? Ron's right - I think that Malfoy is every bit like Lucius, like father like son, and I think he's a sick twisted bastard who would lay any whore who came across his path and kill anyone who got in his way to power."

"Silver is nothing like that! He's a caring, sensitive person, he's a good friend, and he wants nothing to do with Lucius." There was silence.

"Silver?" Ron gave Hermione a curious look. She blushed furiously.

"My nickname for him," she answered meekly.

Harry snorted. "Silver, as in the Lone Ranger's horse?"

"No, silver as in something strong and beautiful." Ron and Harry's jaws dropped even further than they had been before.

"E-excuse me?"

Hermione regained her strength. "You heard me. Draco Malfoy is so strong emotionally, coming from a family like that, and he's kept this beautiful faith. Just because he has to keep up this nefarious facade to the world doesn't mean that he's rotten inside." Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"'Mione, why would you think something as crazy as that?"

"Well... I guess I should've told you guys about this a long time ago. I've been tutoring him in Transfiguration once a week. It started as a deal to keep him from telling the professors about catching Ron and I, but he and I have become friends." Ron and Harry looked at their friend as if she'd gone bonkers. "I know, it sounds crazy but you just don't know Malfoy like I do."

"Harry, maybe you ought to get a professor or Dumbledore, 'cause I think Hermione is under the Imperius curse or something..."

She sighed. "I'm fine, you two. I'm not under any curse."

"You mean you've been sneaking out behind our backs? And what's worse, not even bothering to tell us what you've been doing? Hermione we're supposed to be your best friends."

"I know I should've told you, but you two would've just tried to beat him up or something."

"I'm going to kill the bastard," agreed Ron as he nodded fervently.

"Don't you understand Ron? He's a nice guy!"

"Are you sleeping with him, 'Mione? Is that why you haven't told me? I can't believe you!"

"WHAT! Where would you get a crazy idea like that?"

"Nice guy my foot." He snorted. "Nice in bed, maybe."

"Ronald Weasley, don't go there."

"So, waiting for love, are you Hermione? Waiting for money, more like it."

Hermione jumped from her chair, visibly upset and close to hysterics.

"Ron, stop it!"

"Was he paying you for this? Maybe that's what it is. You needed a little cash and he had it, so you used what should have been mine to make some extra galleons!"

"What should have been yours? Ronald, my understanding is that what you're speaking of belongs to exclusively me." She felt anger boiling in her veins.

"You're MY girlfriend, Hermione, but I guess I don't have enough to offer you, do I? Not enough sickles in my bank account for your taste?"

"Ron, may I just remind you that I don't need any money. Quit being so damn insecure!"

Ron looked close to murderous. Hermione looked to Harry for support but he only gave her an icy glare.

"Maybe its best, Hermione, if you go on back to the common room. Ron's sick, and you've upset him enough. I'm his friend... I can take care of him just fine."

"We're both his friends, Harry. I'm his girlfriend."

"Oh no, I doubt that." Ron spoke and refused to look at her. "Old habits die hard, eh? I FORGAVE you before, thought that you had to be telling me the truth, and look at where it gets me. Harry's right. You should leave."

Hermione gave one last pleading look at Harry, trying to get him to realize what an irrational idiot Ron was being, but Harry wouldn't have it. He got up and opened the door for her.

"Goodnight. Maybe you should go read a book or do something you're actually good at, besides screwing up lives with your lies."

Hermione stood glued to the spot, still not believing that her best friend had told her something as cruel as that. Almost a minute passed before Hermione finally walked out of the door with her head hung, tears gathering in her eyes. Harry shut the door behind her, ignoring the light sob from the crushed girl.

Sure, she and Ron fought. She was used to that. His words still stung, but she knew that Ron had a horrible temper, and she could forgive him of that. But in these fights Harry had always been the middle man, the mediator who never took sides, who understood why Ron was mad but could also see Hermione's side. He was the friend who helped Hermione see that she and Ron were meant to be together, that it made sense, when she had lost light of what her priorities in the relationship were. He was the same friend who made Ron realize that he had been rash and irrational.

This time was different. She sunk to the floor in a nearby corridor, the tears clouding her vision and the sobs wracking her body. The contents of her bag spilled onto the floor unnoticed as Hermione rocked herself in the corner. She hardly noticed a pair of strong arms wrap around her, but she sunk into the warm body anyways. She didn't know who it was - heck it could've been Neville if it wasn't so in shape - but she did know how safe and comforted she felt inside that embrace. Hermione heard a soothing voice and felt the person rock her in their arms as she cried her heart out. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Hermione calmed herself down enough to look up at her savior. She sniffled.

"Silver?"