(A/N: I haven't posted in YEARS, and I'm SORRY! REVIEW AND I'LL BE MOTIVATED! We're almost at the end, folks…)
No evidence could be (unfortunately) proven against the Malfoys. Harry was furious and Ron was too except he was also busy avoiding his normally two best friends. Hermione, being the sensible, kind person that she is was simplistically happy that nothing really bad had occurred.
"Hermione, you could have DIED!" Harry would argue irately.
"Yes, Harry, but I DIDN'T. Everything's fine! Just be happy he has detention for a month!"
That was true. McGonagall had given him detention for a month for tracking mud inside the Great Hall (which she normally didn't care about), but it was an excuse to really punish him. Malfoy was seething, but it still wasn't enough to suit Harry.
You shouldn't be jealous. What if she doesn't even like Harry?
Well then, they can continue to be best friends. By their selves.
Ah. So you're angry.
If you just figured it out then—never mind.
I've heard.
I know you've heard that you're an idiot.
I'm not in the mood.
Ooo, Mr. Grumpy Pants…
SHUT UP! PLEASE!
Fine.
Sulker.
But Harry, being the noble person that he was, noticed Ron's new personality dip.
"Ron! Wait up, mate!" he called, running to catch up to Ron after Transfiguration one day. Ron, stealing a glance over his shoulder and seeing who it was, picked up the pace. Harry saw that glance and it made him even more determined to talk to his NORMALLY best friend, Ron Weasley.
"Fine, fine. What is it that you want, Potter," Ron said, spitting Harry's name out as he halted unwillingly. Harry was a better sprinter than him despite his longer legs.
"Why are you mad? Why are you avoiding me? And Hermione; don't think I haven't noticed!" Harry said, a puzzled expression on his face.
Go for the innocent act.
Already on it.
"What do you mean? Avoiding you? Mad? Why would I be mad?" Ron said, laying on a slight bit of sarcasm.
Harry heard it in his voice.
"Don't get all sarcastic!" He said rolling his eyes, not looking unlike Hermione. "What is it?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Come off it! Stop acting all—all---weird!" Harry cried in a loud voice. Other students glanced at him, the source of the noise.
"I SAID I don't want to talk about it!"
"I'm not going to stop asking you!" Harry threatened.
"Oh, shut it and go talk to your dumb GIRLFRIEND!" Ron sneered.
Harry was shocked. "Girlfriend? What are you talking about?"
"Don't act like you don't know. Potter and Granger sitting in a tree…K I S S I N G. First comes love, then comes—"
"Me? And…and Hermione? That's what you think?" Harry shook his head slowly in disbelief. "That's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard of. FRIENDS, Ron, we're FRIENDS. Doesn't seem like you know the meaning of the word. Especially seeing as how you don't have any…"
Ron punched him. He didn't mean to. Actually, he did. But Harry? Malfoy always insulted him, and Hermione was always there to stop Ron from doing something rash. But Harry turning against him was too much, and Hermione wasn't there so Ron did something stupid. He punched Harry.
Harry reeled back. Did Ron just…punch him? That was too much. Throwing himself forward, he leaped to hit Ron back. But Ron, expecting it, neatly sidestepped the opponent and Harry went sailing past, barely catching himself before falling flat on his face.
But while Ron had been in more fights (having Fred and George for brothers and being picked on for his hair, face, freckles, and shabby lifestyle by other kids) than Harry, and was definitely more experienced. Harry, while he had been the butt of Dudley's hunts, had done more running than fighting. However he was smaller and quicker than Ron, making the fight somewhat equal.
Girls giggled and looked at each other, drawing closer to the new attraction. Boys smirked and crowded around. Soon there was a circle surrounding the two boys that emitted "Oooh's" and "Ahhh's" by the dozen. Some people were even cheering. Oh, sorry readers; it was Fred and George (who were thoroughly amused at the two panting backstabbers).
After five minutes had passed by, Ron was scuffed up, his lip was bleeding, and he felt morally degraded. Harry, on the other hand, was worst off with a scratched arm, bruises adorning his legs (from being kicked), tousled hair (even more than usual!), and a scraped face that had been shoved into dirt. Plus an amazingly low ego.
Hermione saw the scuffle and came over to try and break it up; then she saw who was fighting. She pushed her way through the small but still gathering crowd.
"Ron! Harry!" She cried. "Stop it! Now! What's going on! Why are you fighting?"
Ron mumbled, "I don't want to talk about it." Harry shot him an annoyed glare.
"Yeah, Ron," Harry said, his voice growing louder and louder (much to the twins' glee) "You never want to talk about it! And that's your problem!"
"Well then you deal with it! Don't tell me to fix myself just to make you happy!" Ron shouted back.
"STOP IT!" Hermione cried. "What's going on! I'm getting the feeling that I don't know something I should." She glanced angrily at both boys, but neither one responded.
"Ron?" Hermione asked, almost begging.
Ron muttered, "It's nothing. I said I don't want to talk about it." He walked away, pushing through the throng of excited onlookers.
Hermione came after him, grabbing onto his sleeve. "Ron! Tell me! Right this instant, or I'll…I'll…"
Ron whirled around. "Why don't you just go ask your boyfriend!"
The crowd gasped in pleasure and shock, as people started whispering.
"Harry and Hermione? I thought he had more sense than…"
"That Mudblood with the Boy Who Lived? I can't believe…"
"Isn't it supposed to be Ron and Hermione? They'd make such a good match…"
"The three of them are always arguing…"
Hermione had released Ron's shirt and was standing still, her mouth slightly open. "You thought that I like Harry?" she whispered.
Ron blushed, embarrassed and furious at himself for being such a loser, idiot, and selfish fool. "I don't know," he murmured, avoiding her shocked gaze.
Harry said, "I told him we don't like each other, but he wouldn't listen." Hermione didn't react to that statement and Ron wondered if she had even heard. Ron saw a tear slide down her cheek and wished he could kill himself.
You made her cry…
I didn't mean to…what can I do?
You mean besides throw your arms around her and tell her you love her?
Yeah…
Oh now, don't you start crying too!
It was true; Ron felt on the verge of tears. Hermione walked past him and whispered so that only he could hear, "How could you, Ron…?"
