I'm back! I hope you guys don't hate me for this chapter, but it is rather important for what's coming next. Trust me!

I am very pleased to let everyone know that I just finished writing a very anticipated chapter of this story. Stick around to read it in the near future.

Until then enjoy & review!


Ron sent the owl out last night. He didn't write much. He knew he didn't have to.

Fred and George would do as they were told, for once knowing the severity and seriousness of his requests.

So now, he sat anxiously by his window awaiting their reply.

When he woke up the next morning and saw an owl tapping at his window with a small parcel, he almost leaped in excitement.

However, as he read the tag from his Mum and Dad, his face dropped in disappointment. He almost forgot, he's seventeen today.

Seventeen is a big deal in the wizarding world. You're free to do magic outside of school, you can get an apparating license. He's a legal adult. He can buy his own flat, drop out of school, get married, have free reign of his vault down at Gringotts.

He should be excited. Over the moon with this new found freedom.

But he's not.

The one thing he wants, it seems that no one can give him.

The second best thing to that, Fred and George's response, has yet to come.

Bugger Birthday's he thought as he collapsed back on his bed.

He'd left the dining hall moments ago. The mass of Gryffindor begged him to stay for pudding, saying it was his birthday after all, but he declined. Made up some barmy lie that his Mum sent him some candy he wanted to have at. He promised them he'd meet them in the common room in an hour.

Another lie.

He was missing Hermione more than ever today. It was his first birthday in what, six years, that she wasn't around to give him a gift.

It would probably have been some book. He would've pretended he wouldn't read it, but he would. He always did.

There's even a stack of all the ones he's gifted them under his bed at the Burrow. He scanned through them all at least three times. Something about her picking out the various texts whilst she thinks of him is just so special.

Merlin, I'm mental.

He shakes his head trying to veer his thoughts from what could have been today. Instead he directs his mind to something he can understand. Something that's simple enough, routine.

You're hungry. You eat. You wait. You're hungry again. You keep eating. And so on.

And right now his stomach is letting out a frustrated grumble at his decision to skip tonight's pudding.

For second he can't even remember why he'd do such a- oh yeah. That's why.

Not wanting to explain to anyone, namely Harry, why he left in the first place, he opts for raiding his trunk in hopes to find something from Honeydukes.

After rummaging through jumpers, parchment, and other miscellaneous items he closes the thing with a defeated huff.

His eyes soon land on Harry's trunk. They share just about everything. They've raided one another's things before. What's mine is his, what's his is mine.

After all, he can't be upset. It is my birthday, Ron thought.

He flung open his friend's trunk and spent some time in there, narrowly avoiding any contact with his best mates underwear.

Finally, just when Ron reached the bottom he spotted them.

Gotcha.

For a brief moment he held them up and began squishing them, as if to test their density. He wondered why Harry didn't have at them, he knew he was quite fond of the little things.

Shrugging he unwrapped it and popped one in his mouth.

After chewing thoughtfully for a few moments and deciding they weren't spoiled, like he originally thought.

Ron swallowed the chocolate cauldron.

...

It had been twenty minutes since Harry entered the common room and Ron still didn't come down. He had rightfully so been worried for his best mate as of late, and skipping pudding on any day, his birthday no less? Unheard of.

Merlin, is this how he and Hermione always feel about me?

Dismissing the thought, he trudged up the boys dormitory step and pushed open the door to their room.

There he found Ron, sitting cross legged on the bed, a dreamy look on his face. It's the happiest he's seen him look in months.

"Ron?" He called out, cautiously stepping further into the room.

"Harry!" He called excitedly from the bed, jumping to his feet and smiling.

"Hey..." he replied nervously.

"Have you seen her?" The ginger asked almost anxiously.

The chosen one was taken aback, "no, what? We just talked about this."

Ron looked confused, "we did? Well, where is she?" He asked eagerly, teetering anger and impatience. However, still looking rather well-drunk.

"Ron what?" He shook his head, "did Fred and George send you Fire whiskey? You're acting well-pissed." The chosen one said.

Before Ron could respond, something donned on Harry, "wait if they sent you fire whiskey, that means they sent you a reply. Meaning they know-"

Harry was soon stopped by a plush pillow thunking onto his head.

"Focus Harry! Where is she?" He demanded, with a slight scowl, eyes still clouded.

"Ron I just said-" he watches as Weasley tosses the pillow onto the bed, leading atop foil wrappers.

Glimmering gold foil wrappers surrounding his best mate's bed.

Hermione's voice distantly rang through his head: "That's Romilda Vane. Apparently she's trying to smuggle you a love potion."

That along with flashes of a pink card donned in hearts and a sack of chocolate cauldrons flash behind his eyes.

Buggering fuck-

"Ron, is this about Romilda?" Harry decides to ask carefully.

Any anger soon leaves the other boy's face as a wistful smile takes over, "of course it is Harry, when is it not?" He sighs.

Well, considering before this year I haven't heard about her since Dean took her to the ball... never. He refrains from saying.

"You've got to help me find her! Please Harry, will you? Please!" Ron pathetically dropped to one knee and clutched the edges of his friends shirt sleeves.

Harry stares down a little bewildered. It was odd to see Ron in such a state and he knew he'd need to fix this fast.

Knowing he couldn't do it on his own, he weighed his options.

Dumbledore was probably way too busy. McGonagall would freak out.

This was a love potion after all, he could suppose a potions master would do.

Trouble is, he doesn't fancy waltzing around the dungeons or talking to Snape. On the other hand, he and Slughorn did have a rather tense conversation earlier about his relationship to Tom Riddle.

Harry knew he had to push aside any awkwardness for Ron's sake and decided on what to do.

"Help me find her, please? She'd want me to find her." Ron states, not happy with Harry's silence.

The Boy-Who-Lived gulp, he couldn't help but hear Ron's pained voice in the back of his mind telling him Hermione asked him to find her.

'Come find me.'

That's what Ron said her last words to him were.

He swallows the bile in his throat, preparing a tale, "come on, I heard Romilda is with Slughorn-"

"She's with Slughorn? He's way too old! He doesn't love her like-"

"No, Ron, he's tutoring her." Though a lie, this didn't satisfy the ginger, "if Romilda does bad in potions then she can't graduate. Then how will you guys start your lives together?" Merlin, he can't believe these words are leaving his mouth.

"You're right Harry! Come on, let's go find her." Ron stood now, but swayed a bit.

Harry grabbed onto his shoulders for a bit of support. As the chosen one ushered his love sick friend from the room, he failed to notice the pecking of Fred and George's owl on the window.

...

Harry wrapped his knuckles on Slughorn's door, hoping he'd be awake.

Thankfully, after a moment, he heard shuffling.

The small window through the door opened, "Harry?" The potions teacher questioned, soon his face dropped, "if this is about-"

"No sir!" He insisted, "I'm sorry to bother you so late, I wouldn't if it wasn't important, but it seems as if-"

"Harry, is she there?" Ron called loudly from a few feet behind.

Slughorn's eyes widened, failing to notice Weasley's presence, "it seems as if Ron accidentally took a love potion. I was hoping you may have a cure."

Horace's eyes again flicked to the red heads. He noticed the unmistakable dazed look only a strong potion could cause and sighed.

"Come in, I'll be sure to fix Rodney right up. Harry chooses not to harp on the fact he messed up his name, despite only speaking it seconds ago, and turns to Ron.

"Romilda had to get something from her dorm, but she'll be back soon. Let's wait for her in here. So she'll know where you are." Harry lies, knowing the fact Romilda Vane wouldn't be inside would anger his love struck friend.

Deafly, the ginger saunters through the now open door as Harry places him on the brown couch in the center of the room.

Ron's hands appear to be longing to hold something, as he desperately grasps at the air. Sighing, Harry shoves a pillow into his arms, seeing that had worked when he found him earlier.

"I'm sorry again for this and earlier." Harry told his Professor, walking to where he was mixing something.

Slughorn tuts, "nonsense, water under the bridge. I'm happy to help you and your friend. It's been a while since I've mixed a remedy for this, it's quite fun!" He admits, throwing in some powder that turns the liquid a violet color.

The dark haired boy can't help but smirk, a bit amused by the old man's excitement.

"Tell me boy, how did Rhodes find himself accidentally taking a love potion?"

Biting his tongue on correcting Slughorn, Harry opted to explain, "He had left the great hall early. It is his birthday-"

"Birthday! Very important, seventeen is he?" Slughorn questions. Funny how he could get Ron's age, but not name, correct.

He nods, "yeah, well, I reckon he wanted some candy or something for it, dunno. I had some spiked with a love potion, he took it by mistake."

Thankfully, the professor didn't seem to question exactly why Harry had spiked candies and instead handed him a glass.

"Unfortunate on his seventeenth of all days! But you give him this and Ren will have time to

spare to celebrate."

Harry smiled gratefully, "cheers." He joked before walking to the couch. "Ron?" He said tentatively.

His blue eyes seemed to snap from a trance, "Oi Harry, you told me she'd be here!" He exclaimed fussily.

A little annoyed, Potter sighs, "I know I did, but she told me she needs you to drink this first."

Funny enough, Ron doesn't question it because of his current state and downs the whole thing in a few gulps.

Just moments later, the glossed over look leaves his eyes, as his lips drop from their smile.

"Merlin, what happened to me?" He groaned sadly.

"Love potion." Harry said simply, just as Slughorn joined them.

"I feel really-Harry, did you hear anything about Hermione?" Ron asked, sounding so sad, clearly his mind was a bit foggy since he asked in front of Slughorn.

"Miss Granger, I thought he was thinking about Romilda Vane?" Slughorn whispered loud enough Ron would've heard, had he been paying attention.

Harry shook his head, not wanting to delve into the topic, "is he okay?"

"Just needs a pick me up. It's a bit drastic going from such a high to this. So what I'll it be, Roy?"

This seems to snap Ron's attention.

"Butter beer. Wine. Matured Mead." He lists, picking up the latter, "I had other plans for this, but it feels appropriate. It is your birthday after all Ryan." He winks.

"Right..." Ron trails, still feeling rather down.

Slughorn pours three glasses. Handing two to Harry, who passes the dark liquid to Ron.

"Here's a toast to," the old man thought for a moment, "another year of life!" Slughorn and Harry clink glasses.

Ron however, doesn't wait, and takes a large sip of his.

"Happy Birthday Ro-"

Before the potions master can finish his sentence a large thud sounds.

At his and Harry's feet, is a writhing Ron.


I know… please don't kill me!

This is the most canon event I've written about, but I gave it my own spin to fit the story. I hope you enjoyed it!

Something huge happens in the next chapter and it was so much fun to write. Here's a preview of one of my favorite lines:

Not long ago Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa were Hermione's age. Young girls caught up in the brewing storm.

Now, all these years later, in this very moment, it dawns on Narcissa that maybe she's chosen the wrong side.

The brunette huffs, "you better watch yourself Cissy, I see you stalking off to the dungeons. I've only let it go on for this long because as you said, we are sisters, but know this," she leans forward, "after tonight, nothing, nothing, you do in that dungeon will save the Mudblood from what's to come."

Keep up the reviews! :)