Hermione scowled at the back of Ron's head as they tried desperately to get the three D's to work; this whole apperation thing was something Hermione didn't like the idea of the more she got to know about it.

It was basic time and space laws thrown out the window. If you had told her about this before she found out she was a witch she would have told you that you were delusional you can't mess with the basic principles of space and time. However, a time turner and way too many dices with death had taught Hermione a valuable lesson, rules were there to be broken, and if not broken twisted enough to make them appear to be foolish.

Hermione's mind was racing anyway she had just had a run in with Ron on the stairs; things had become drastically awkward between them. Lavender wouldn't shut up about Valentines Day. (Much to everyone's amusement) and Ron had taken to being quiet and secretive with everyone but Harry.

It had all started the Saturday after the 'experience' in the green house. Hermione had decided that she would stay in the common room to do her potion's essay. After all it was warmer the fire was nearer, and it was peaceful due to most of the students taking the opportunity to utilise the great hall.

She had taken up the large armchair near the fire and settled herself with a role of parchment, the potions books she had gotten in the library were strewn around the floor by her feet. The room was empty apart from Neville who was busy with his extra work for charms, Ginny and Dean who were sat in the corner talking quidditch. A few first years sat on the large rug next to Hermione, they were playing chess quietly having now learned the lesson for making noise.

Hermione had nearly reached the end of her first role of parchment when the familiar scent had wafted her way. Ron was back from quidditch practice. Unlike Dean and Ginny who had returned promptly from practice, Ron would hang around with Harry after, they discussed tactics and how the team was working well. The big game of the season was just after Ron's birthday, Hermione could tell he was nervous but after the way Harry tricked him, last match Hermione wasn't surprised. She watched him as he walked across the room. He shot a glance at her as he drew near to the fire. She couldn't help herself she smiled at him. The corner of his mouth had twitched before he snapped his head forward again and headed up the stairs.

She watched the empty stair well for some time, Ron soon came back now without his mud soaked quidditch robes, he had changed in to a jumper and jeans, he was carrying his homework.

Hermione tried to hide the smirk as he sank down in to the table across from her. He looked at her for a moment.

"Don't look at me like that! It needs doing!" he said laying his Herbology books out in front of him.

"But it's Saturday are you ill?" Hermione asked him, it was fun to tease him like this.

"No I just fell behind…"

"Maybe if you came up for air occasionally." said Neville sarcastically over the top of his books.

"That's not funny." said Ron going red.

"Actually it is." said Hermione turning back to the second page of her essay.

Ron said nothing but glared at her as he propped his book up against his bag.

He turned the pages in his book violently. Hermione tried to concentrate on her essay but it was difficult she hadn't counted on Ron joining them in study, would he work out the same thing that she had upon reading about the plant they had studied in the heat of greenhouse five?

Ron sat quietly reading the book. His hands under his chin, his hair again back to it's untidy mop, it fell in to his left eye as he shoved it to one side to get a better look at the page. Hermione knew she shouldn't sit here watching him like this but it was uncontrollable.

She scalded her self and looked back at the parchment trying to centre her mind on the task at hand. It was becoming more and more difficult as Ron was now repeating the side effects under his breath as he wrote them down on his parchment for Professor Sprout. Hermione looked up as he read the last side effect. Would he read the note the author had made about the reasons for failed affect? Hermione saw him skim the words on the bottom of the page. He paused his quill half way to the parchment before looking back at the book.

His eyes snapped up and at Hermione.

She could feel the burning in her chest. The happiness she had felt on reading that sentence was suddenly rushing away from her.

Ron seamed to be studying her. They both knew that he knew what that sentence meant. Hermione swallowed down the lump and returned to her potion. She could feel Ron's eyes burying in to her.

After fifteen minutes of staring at a blank sheet of parchment Hermione had packed up and returned to her room, Ron watching her every step of the way.

She had avoided prefect duties with Ron since, the niceties of the few nights between the green house and the Saturday, had disappeared as fast as they had arrived. Much to the confusion of Harry who couldn't understand how his two best friends were back at each others throats after a brief calm.

Ron would only talk to Harry and Lavender, although Hermione had found him staring absentmindedly at her during the last potions lesson.

But Hermione had , had bigger things to think about since Harry had asked her about horcruxes she had been trying in vain to find things in the library, she knew there had to be something somewhere that could be of some use. The library had never failed her before and if it did this time, it was just another in a long line of events that were destroying her world and sending her in to her own personal hell.

It was on her way from the library that Hermione had ran in to Ron. Both on the way to the Great hall. Ron was by himself however, Lavender and Harry were no where to be seen.

He stopped and looked at her. The look of curiosity on his face at the large book under her arm.

"Helping Harry." she said trying to shove the book in her bag. Ron scoffed.

"What?"

"You think you know everything right?" he said walking past her.

"No I don't." she said after him, she was used to this this was Ron on the defensive.

"If you didn't have your books what would you do?" he asked stopping suddenly.

Hermione walked in to the back of him her mind still fixed on putting her book in her bag.

"I have no idea Ron." she said backing away from him. " But I don't have to worry about that."

"Stupid bloody books." Ron muttered under his breath as they crossed the entrance hall.

"What's wrong ? Read something you didn't like lately? Or did you like it? Is that the problem?" she snapped.

Hermione marched past him, threw her bag down in the pile next to the door and took up her hoop next to Dean. She hadn't waited for the answer. Ron stalked back past her and took the hoop in front. He looked over his shoulder at Hermione.

She glared at him. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Weasley ….Granger …you can do that on your own time…pay attention." Snape snarled at them as he walked past. Dean laughed almost inaudibly beside her. She turned to look and saw Lavender glaring at her from Dean's other side.

"I'm watching you." she mouthed behind Dean's back.

A/N sorry for the lack of updates for while it was half term and all my friends were online and well you know how things are...i was to hyper to write properly. not even fluff would have been good ...so i took some time awaybut i'm back now ...for a bit at least my boyfriend is on holiday next week so ther emay be no updates next week but i'll try an make up for it this week. love ya all thanks for the reviews and happy halloween for yesterday! paula-lou