Chapter 3

I may not have written this chappie to my best…but you can R/R anyways-(Danielle D)

Hermione said the password, "Grindylows", to the fat lady in the portrait, before running into the common room sobbing. Just as it were about to close Ron was able to slip through.

'Hermione!' But she kept on walking, 'Hermione, wait!' Ron was able to grab hold of her arm but she yanked it away. She headed to go up the girls' staircase to her dorm, but he grabbed her arm once more, 'Hermione, stop! Stop! I'm sorry.' Before Hermione knew it she was bundled up in Ron's arms. She was still crying a bit, but felt more relaxed. 'I'm sorry that had to happen to you.'

The two stayed like that for what seemed for hours in the middle of the Gryffindor common room. Believe or not Ron and Hermione have only fought two to three times since they're seventh and final year had started. Other times they had mostly been nice to each other and even laughed with each other at times. Hermione sniffed before the two broke apart, with Ron's face purposely brushing against hers, he looked into her sparkling chocolaty eyes.

'You, alright?' He whispered. She nodded wiping her eye with her thumb.

'I'm so daft, bursting out of the classroom like that,' she croaked, now putting her hands on Ron's chest, because he still had her by the waist, 'I just couldn't—

'You're not daft, Mione. I would've done the same thing,' he honestly told her, 'just-just wait till I get my hands on that worthless piece of—

But Hermione put her hand on his face to get him to regain focus. Ron felt his face and ears burn, and calmed down.

'Ronald, please don't do anything to Snape,' she cried, 'he's a professor and you might get a suspension!' Ron just scoffed angrily,

'I don't care if I even get a bloody expulsion! ( Is that the word?) No one talks to you that way! No one!' Hermione couldn't help but smile at how protective he was of her, almost as if he were her boyfriend. Ron doesn't like me like that…does he? He looked into her eyes again before sighing in defeat and nodded, 'Ok, I swear I won't do anything you don't want me to.' Hermione smiled. 'Mione…is there something bothering you?'

Hermione didn't answer but found a sudden interest in her shoes. Why can't I just tell him the truth about my past? Why does it half to be so hard?

' I mean, not that I blame you for walking out of the class like that but, I was surprised when you did.' Hermione now walked over and stared out the window. 'Usually you'd just ignore comments like that. When the Crutiatius curse was conjured upon that- that spider in out fourth year you acted completely different compared to now.' Ron watched as she stared blankly outside, he came up from behind her and put both hands on her shoulders. 'What is it?'

'Something snapped inside of me that's all,' she said, 'I guess I've just been losing my focus.' Hermione turned to focus her attention on Ron, who was still giving her a suspicious look. 'Please don't look at me like that, Ronald.'

'Ok, ok,' Ron replied, chuckling, 'but, Mione, if there's anything or anyone bothering you, just come and talk me and I'll try my best to help you, that's a promise.' Hermione deeply exhaled and grinned,

'How do you do it?'

'Do what?' he asked her, smiling himself.

'Every time I'm with you I-I feel so safe and relaxed.' Ron smiled, boasting and looking awfully proud of himself. Hermione playfully slapped him on the shoulder. Blimey, he thought, did she really mean that?

'I don't know, maybe I'm your lucky charm, or-or better yet, your knight and shining armor.' Hermione laughed again, you most certainly are, Mr. Weasley, she thought to herself. They gathered each other up in another hug; Hermione ran her finger through the ginger hair at the naps of his neck. 'Do you want to go up to my dorm? No one's there. We could talk for a while.'

'Ok,' she said, not being able to stop smiling. Ron nodded as he allowed her to take his hand and lead him up to the boys' dormitory.

Harry and Ginny had met up after that disturbing class with the Slytherins. The two had been dating for a year now; Harry couldn't be happier. It took Ron a little while to get used to the fact that he would be seeing him a lot around his baby sister, but now he knows for sure that he can trust Harry with his life. Harry pulled her down on his lap as they sat near the lake.

'I'm going to miss you so much next year,' Ginny said. Ginny had wanted to leave with Harry after he graduated Hogwarts, but Molly Weasley said that she had to stay to finish her last year and do her N.E.W.T.S.

'Don't worry, Gin,' Harry said, comforting, 'the year will go by fast, just…don't go with any other bloke.' Ginny laughed and began to run her fingers through his jet black messy hair.

'No worries, you're the only boy bloke for me.' Harry smiled, looking a bit relieved. 'So what do you think Ron and Hermione are up to? They're getting along great these days. If only my daft brother would tell her how he feels.' Harry chuckled, shaking his head,

'Ron told me he's working on it. He also mentioned that Hermione had a nightmare, he told me after I came back from Quidditch practice last night. Has Hermione told you anything about it?' Ginny looked a bit concerned and put her head down,

'No not really. At nights in the dorm she had, had nightmares but she wouldn't tell me what they were about.'

'Well Ron's really worried so can you maybe talk to her because she'll probably feel more comfortable telling you.'

'Yeah, I'll see what I can do.' Harry smiled at her; the two leaned in for kiss. Ginny shifted on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, while Harry held her waist. About two seconds later they were snogging like there was no tomorrow.

Back in the boys' dormitory; Seamus, Dean and Neville hadn't got back from Hogsmeade yet, so Ron and Hermione had it all to there selves. Ron was sitting on the bed with Hermione sitting next to him. For once the two had decided to talk about things normal teens did like the muggle world, what they were doing on the week they had off, and Hermione couldn't help but mention how good Hogwarts: A History, was.

'So you never did tell me what you're going to do for the week off,' said Ron.

'That's because I don't know yet, Ron,' Hermione said, 'I told you.'

'Well, you know that you're always welcome at the Burrow.' My dad would kill me if I went with Ron, Hermione thought. She merely smiled and said,

'Th-Thanks,' she melted when she saw that Ron smiled. He had grown and matured a lot this year; his shoulders broadened like every boy's during puberty, he had grown a bit taller, and he even is wearing muggle type clothes him and Charlie had went shopping for. Today Hermione noticed he was wearing black jeans, with one of those silver chains attached, black zip-up sweater with a navy blue t-shirt underneath, and a thin silver necklace. Ron ran a hand through his gangly hair, which he thought was getting to hard to handle.

'Hermione?' he asked, 'Do you think I need a haircut?' Hermione giggled, scrunching up his hair.

'Why are you asking me?'

'I don't know. You seem to have the best instincts about me, so I'm asking you,' Ron said, clumsily playing with his hair. Hermione took another glance at the wild load of lovely ginger hair.

'Well don't get a pony tail like Bill's, that's one thing I can tell you,' she laughed at the horrified look he had on his face, 'but I guess it could use a few trims.' Ron nodded and pulled out his wand.

'Fair enough, can you do it?' Hermione looked a bit amused and surprised. Ronald Weasley wants me to cut his hair?

'You want me to cut your hair?' Ron blushed and slowly nodded his head. 'I can't use a wand; I'm going to have to do it the muggle way by using a comb and an electric shaver.' Ron had a confused look on his face.

'A what?' he asked. 'Does that…whatever its called have to do with that elecktrikity thing?' Hermione laughed rolling her eyes.

'Honestly, it's electricity. And yes, it works using electricity. I have to plug it in; you know how your dad collects plugs,' Ron now nodded understanding. 'I can do it now if you want.' Ron was looking a bit nervous, like a little 5 year old.

'Will it hurt?' Hermione put her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it.

'Don't worry Ickle Ronnikins, I know what I'm doing,' that just made Ron blush even harder. He usually hated when people especially Fred and George called him that nickname, but when Hermione said it, it didn't really bother him, just made him blush. 'Come on.'

Ron and Hermione made their way into the loo, to get started on Ron's new haircut. He was nervous ad ever, but all at once he trusted Hermione. As the strands of hair were dropping at his feet, he began to wonder how much was getting cut off. He kept asking Hermione if everything was alright, she would always just laugh and tell him to stop moving. Then about 15 minutes later, she was finally finished. Ron looked in the mirror.

'Blimey! It's Brilliant, Mione!' His ginger hair had a complete makeover, it wasn't long anymore, but shorter, his bangs were also short; the split ends were all gone at the naps of his neck. Ronald Weasley looked incredibly hot! At least to Hermione, did. Ron ran a hand through his hair grinning. 'Thanks, so much.'

Hermione softly smiled, glad that he liked it.

'It's ok,' she said. Ron then turned to her.

'C'mere,' he gathered her up into a hug, probably for the 10th time all day. He's so sweet to me; I should just tell him everything. He said I can tell him anything. Hermione suddenly started sobbing on Ron's shoulder. He let go of her and looked at her concerned.

'What's happened?' he asked. 'Are you ok?'

'Ron…I have to tell you something…something that's been eating away at me for ages.' But before she could say another word, the loo door opened and Harry and Ginny walked in. The two looked at Ron's hair on awe.

'Wow,' Harry exclaimed, 'look at you big guy. Nice and handsome.' Ginny laughed, and reached over to scrunch Ron's neatly done hair. Ron shrugged her away.

'Cut, it out, Gin.'

'Did you do this Hermione?' Hermione smiled and nodded.

'Your brother needed a haircut,' Ron nudged her, she smirked. Harry and Ginny started to collect the red strands of hair from the ground.

'Souvenirs.' Everyone laughed except for Ron who just groaned and rolled his eyes. 'Hermione lets go to the library,' Ginny offered. Hermione looked back at Ron, but then nodded. The two got there books and headed out.

Damn you, Ginny. Hermione was talking to me, Ron thought angrily. What did Hermione want to tell me? Maybe something to do with why she's been acting strange lately, damn. Ron looked down at his shoes in concern, wishing Hermione hadn't left.

'You ok, Ron?' Harry asked.

'Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go get something to eat.'

This chappie might have been a bit off topic from the summary, but don't worry I'm getting to that soon! Be sure to read my one-shot story Love at Leavesden, that I've previously written. Cheers-(Danielle D) dandin