AN: Funny stuff here. This is a very Ron/Hermione chapter, progressing Ron's feelings towards Hermione, and just beginning Hermione's decent into Draco's world. Plus Malfoy boogies...

Chapter Four - I've got Malfoy boogies on my wand…

"OH GOD! MY NOSE! OH GOD!"

Draco grabbed at his face, his hands covering his nose, which was throbbing with pain and bleeding slightly. Ron's wand slid easily out of it, and Ron backed up, crawling along the ground until he reached Harry's feet. He grabbed at Harry's robes to help him get up, as the three Gryffindor's watched in horror as Draco stumbled into the wall, his face covered by his hands. Ron's eyes were wide, his wand still held in front of him, at a lengthy distance. He looked from his wand to a struggling Draco, back to his wand. Hermione finally stepped up and put a hand on Draco's arm, pulling it away from his face.
"Get off, Mudblo-" he growled, but stopped himself before he could finish. Hermione took his hand away from his face delicately, looking him over. He stopped his flailing and stared back at her, his eyes searching hers for some reason for charity. But Hermione merely raised her own wand and muttered a spell, and Draco's nose immediately stopped bleeding, and the swelling went away in a flash. He looked at her disbelievingly, as she let her hand slide from the top of his shoulder to his forearm. She then let go, and backed up to her bag, grabbing it quickly, and running out of the corridor. Harry's eyes narrowed as he looked Draco over, and Ron was still fixated on his wand, which shone slightly with blood and some unknown substance with a green tinge. Draco's eyes met Harry's, and to Harry's surprise, Draco's eyes softened, and he exited as quickly, if not faster, than Hermione did. Harry merely sighed and looked to Ron.
"I've got…Malfoy boogies on my wand…" Ron said in a disgusted voice, whipping the wand in the air, trying to get the blood and gunk off. Harry snorted and tapped Ron's wand with his own, cleaning it instantly. He then threw Ron with a know-it-all glance.
"At least it's not giant Troll boogies."

Hermione ran quietly and quickly through the halls. What has just happened there? She couldn't get the image of Draco's scar laden arm, and how his fingers glided down her cheek. And then she had done a most unforgivable act in Ron and Harry's eyes and helped him. But Hermione felt no guilt in this, but she felt a rather warmer feeling towards Draco. He knew about her, and he was accepting. It was a relief that at least one person knew, and at least one other person in the world who felt as she did, who handled it as she did. And the words that Draco left her with were beyond truth. But how he described it, as a hobby, as a challenge for himself. Hermione couldn't get the sick feeling out of her stomach as she hurried to her next Runes class.

Same thoughts of why and how drifted through Ron's head that day too, sitting in the small, cramped Charms room, Harry by his side. They were practising a knotting charm, and shrieks from Hannah Abbot filled the air as Neville swished his wand through the air, thus accidentally tying her long air to the back of her chair. It seemed Harry had forgotten about their small spat that morning, and Ron decided that it was the walk outside that did Harry good. That, or the fact that whenever Ron took out his wand, Harry would begin to laugh madly, and they both recalled that afternoons events. But Ron could never figure out why Harry, when pulling out his quill and ink, came up with instead, a giant, gurgling toad. Their conversation switched unexpectedly from the newest broom, the Dragon Blayze, to Ron spurting out,
"Something's wrong with Hermione."

Harry looked at him with surprise, and leaned over the desk, his chin in his hand. Ron sighed and looked down at his shoes, which were tying and untying themselves. Ron shook his wand at them, and they began twirling about his legs, smoking, and landed in a heap on top of themselves. Harry stared down at his shoes for a moment, then responding slowly,
"I know. And that thing with Malfoy, that was too weird."
"I'm not talking about Malfoy Harry. I'm talking about how she's been. She looks horrid, if you haven't noticed-"
"I think she looks great!" Harry raised his eyebrows, a gesture which was hidden by his hair, yet still received by an impatient Ron.

"No, Harry, I mean, she's looking different…"
"Well yeh, but that's what I mean. Her hair and her teeth, and I think she's wearing a bit of make-up too-"
"I know! She gorgeous! She's one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen, alright? Even more-so now." Ron's fists were clenched and his face was screwed up in a look of sheer terror at these words. Immediately, his ears skipped from red to a violent maroon. Harry's mouth was still open from his last sentence, and he cleared his throat as people around them stopped what they were doing to stare. Even Hannah stopped crying whilst trying to get her hair loose, Neville only making things worse by jerking his wand about. Ron looked angrily up at everyone and growled, "Well, get on with it!" The chatter rose again and people went back to their work. Harry looked at Ron seriously.
"Ron…I never knew you felt this way…"
"What I MEAN is…" Ron continued, through gritted teeth, his wand hand shaking, and his shoelaces tying and untying themselves at rapid pace, "She looks like she's been through the mill a couple times. Really. She's got heavy eyes, and no energy. And she seems…a bit….peaky. I dunno." He grumbled and threw his wand down onto the table as those around them packed their bags to leave. "I just wish I could help her. Harry, you know how much she means to me. She means just as much to you. We've got to help her. We owe her at least that much."
With that, Harry nodded and they both got up to leave, Ron immediately falling flat on his face, his shoelaces still tied together.

A.N. well...I've given up. No one seems to review these damned things, so the sole reason I am even continuing to post these chapters is for my favourite author/friend/person/reviewer (make that ONLY), Isi. Much thanks, lamb.

BUT GUESS WHAT! I'm making a final, last ditch attempt at getting people to read this! Next chapter, a little somethin' from the Harry/Draco (and I mean little, but still..) and the chapter after that. pure. smut. gold. gots it? REVIEW DAMNIT!