1. Thanks a lot to ORCA47 for helping beta this chapter. I am sure it will be far better with that valuable advice. Also thanks to Ana-DaughterOfHades who helped me years ago on the initial version of this.
2. Any error here is mine and not from my reviewer.
3. It seems like we just arrived at Hogwarts, but with this chap we already crossed the halfway mark. That's what happens when you follow the original Philosopher's Stone structure.
4. Announcement. I opened a forum here for my stories, if people want to join for updates, discussion or general stuff. It's at myforums/Jon-Riptide/4332391/
5. I also have a twitter account that I'm going to use for similar purposes. Account is TimeTravelFFics
6. Enjoy
The next day George caught up with Ron and Harry down on one of the corridors of the second floor.
"Well, well, is it true? Rumour has it that you're quite a know-it-all these days," he said, putting an arm over his brother's shoulders.
Fred popped out right from Ron's other side, startling him, "We didn't know you had it in you, honestly. I must say we're quite disappointed," he added, closing his eyes and shaking his head slowly.
Ron didn't know how to answer. As far as he knew they could be referring to either his feat with the needle at Transfiguration or to the events in Snape's class. Either way, it wasn't good. Ron needed to treat those events as if they had never happened, maybe if he did so and started acting more like his eleven-year-old self nobody would suspect a thing.
"I got lucky, that's all. It was just a ruddy needle," Ron mumbled to his brothers.
"Rubbish, what about what happened at Snape's class? Have you been picking books before classes?" Fred asked.
George looked scandalized, "You got to be careful there, Ronnie. I don't know what we're gonna do with you if you start acting like Percy."
"...or if you suddenly turn into Snape's pet."
Ron was flabbergasted. He imagined Snape smiling and clapping as he vigorously celebrated each one of Ron's answers in class. It was a disturbing image. "What?! NO! Of course not! You're mental if you think that I would— That I—" He turned to Harry looking for help, but his friend was trying to contain a chuckle. "Oi!"
The twins left shortly, but they kept bugging him for the rest of the weekend. Percy talked to him as well, he even told Ron that he started out great but that he needed to keep up the hard work if he wanted to make it to prefect. Ron didn't listen to him, the last thing he needed was to follow his advice. Although, he wished he could tell Percy that the badge could be his even without doing any of those things. He would have loved to see his brother's face at that.
Whatever the case, he had to fix this mess. He needed to be more like the old Ron.
As the new week started, he walked into each classroom with a clear idea in his head. He sat normally next to Harry and tried to do as bad as a bloody troll in every single class, even beating Neville at it in most of them. Ron buggered up spells, failed to turn in homework and, the few times teachers had asked him questions, he gave them pure bollocks for answers. Ron hoped that soon enough everyone would think that his first week had been nothing more than a lucky hit.
Harry was bemused by the change, and even asked if everything was alright. Ron tried his best to convince him that things were normal as they were, but his friend didn't look entirely sure. Hermione had noticed the change also, since he caught her raising an eyebrow at each wrong answer he gave. The only weird thing was that the teachers seemed to be paying more attention to him, surely they were aware of what had happened in McGonagall's and Snape's classes. Professor Flitwick even appeared to be a little disappointed when he failed on a pretty basic quiz.
"I repeat, Impact of body weight on a Transfiguration. I want the parchment on my desk first thing next week. Ten inches," said Professor McGonagall at the end of her class on Thursday. Everyone was already packing up their stuff, chatting lively about the first flying lesson they were going to have that day.
Ron had made an effort and gone through the entire class without changing his match one bit. He felt like he was doing quite a fine job, at least until McGonagall spoke again.
"Weasley, a moment with you, please."
Puzzled looks turned to Ron, Seamus even whispered something into Dean's ear a few seats away. All of Ron's confidence in his new plan vanished. McGonagall had caught him.
"Yes, professor," Ron answered, looking peakish.
Harry promised to wait for him outside. Judging by the look his friend gave him on his way out, one would think Ron was about to go into the dungeons to give Snape hair washing advice. Honestly though, Ron might have preferred Snape at this moment.
For a while, it was so quiet that only McGonagall's quill was heard in the room. Ron was starting to wonder if she was going to say anything at all when she broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Sit," she pointed at a chair in the front row without raising her eyes from her work.
As he made his way there, his steps echoed throughout the now empty classroom. The place felt longer than ever. When he finally arrived at the designated chair, the old witch let her quill down and turned to look at him sternly. "Mind telling me what's happening?"
Ron froze. For a moment the crazy idea that the teacher might know who he really was startled him. "Err, I don't know what you mean professor."
"Don't even try playing this folly with me, Mr Weasley. One day you impress me by turning a match into a perfect needle in your first class, something I haven't seen in any other student before, then the next week you try to make me believe you're quite behind. Which one is it?"
"I'm having a hard time with it. Sorry professor, I—"
Professor McGonagall stopped him with a hand gesture. "Don't even bother. I can see your wand movements are clearly trying to get the spell wrong. I have enough experience to notice such things. The question here is why?"
Ron gulped, "Why?"
He even turned to his side, as if nervously looking for an answer. Then he remembered he was the only student left.
"Yes, Mr Weasley. Why. Why are you trying to fail in my class on purpose?" she asked, adjusting her square glasses, not looking happy at all.
"I'm not! Really! I'm only—"
The look she gave him, made Ron stop dead in his tracks.
"I even talked to Filius and the rest of the staff. I told them to keep an eye on you because you had potential. Imagine my surprise when they said I had it wrong."
Ron was trapped, he knew it. He had made a very drastic change and no one bought it. If he had only failed just a little at a time maybe they wouldn't have noticed. He was awful at making decisions. If it had only been Hermione who was sent to the past, none of this would have happened. If it had been Harry, he would've gotten away with it.
Bloody brilliant, Weasley.
"So? I'm waiting."
He took a deep breath and turned to the old witch. Even when he knew McGonagall was no legilimens, Ron still felt like his fight to keep a secret from her sheer determination was hopeless. After the war, Ron had played several chess matches against her, and he knew the expression she had now was the one she used whenever she was after one of Ron's pieces. It told Ron that he had to switch tactics, since this particular battle was already lost.
"Yes, professor. I've been trying to fail on purpose," he said.
"I imagine there must be a strong reason for this kind of behaviour."
A dozen ideas raced through Ron's head, each one more pathetic than the one before. He had to find a good excuse, one good enough to convince McGonagall, which was a tough sell. Ron was surprised to find the right answer just on the nick of time.
"Some students have been taking the mickey on me, you know for doing good in classes," he said, "But Hermione is way better, she always has the right answer and I don't think that I need to—"
"Miss Granger is indeed a remarkable student, but what she knows or knows not has nothing to do with this," the professor cut him off, furrowing her brow. She stared at Ron attentively for a while, barely moving a muscle from her face, which made Ron uneasy. Funny how Ron kept feeling out of place for a whole week, but then McGonagall throws him that look and he suddenly feels like a kid again. It took a few more seconds before the professor sighed in defeat. "Very well, then. If you give me the names of these students I would see that things are solved."
Brilliant. Now what? He should've seen this coming.
"No," Ron answered, his tone a bit desperate. "They didn't actually say anything, they only whispered. I mean, I think they were talking about me and—"
Professor McGonagall was looking at him as he moved about nervously. "This is a sensitive matter and it must be checked. Especially if this behaviour is so unjustified."
Ron spent the next few minutes arguing that he couldn't give any names to her. It took a lot to convince McGonagall. He insisted on not hearing anything more than mumbles, and the professor couldn't reprimand anyone for something Ron thought he heard. Still, she was looking at Ron suspiciously which he didn't need at all.
"I promise. I'll stop failing."
The professor thought about those words, surely wondering if he was being truthful or if she should let the students mocking him go. In the end, she nodded reluctantly.
"It's not wise to let someone else's opinion affect you and your future in any way. I thought you were smarter than this."
Ron nodded.
"So be it, I'll let you go for now but I'll keep close attention on this matter. You have as much potential as Miss Granger. If you could just learn a habit or two from her you would give a lot to your house."
Ron hurried to thank her and rushed out of the classroom before McGonagall could change her mind. Once outside, he sighed heavily.
Everything was a blasted mess again. He couldn't be that bright and surprise everybody as the smartest first year ever, that would surely get him caught by Dumbledore in no time. Not to mention the lifetime of teasing from the twins that would imply. On the other hand, Ron couldn't be his regular self either because of his mistakes during the first week. He was sure McGonagall would be watching him not only in her class but in the others as well. How the hell was he supposed to act then? Like a reasonably smart kid? Wouldn't that bugger the timeline as well?
"What did she say?" Harry asked, appearing in front of him.
Ron jumped on his place. Once he noticed it was Harry, he relaxed. "Blimey! Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry... What happened then?"
"She just wanted to know why I did so well last class and so lousy this time."
"Oh, and why is that?"
Ron looked carefully at his best friend, knowing fully-well he hadn't fooled him either. It turned out that he couldn't even trick a boy, which only spoke so highly of his pretending skills. "Er, nothing. I was feeling a bit off, but I'm better now. Let's get a nosh before the flying lesson."
Harry's eyes opened wide, "Flying! Hope I'm not the only one falling to the floor."
Ron smiled.
o0o0o
As soon as they were on the grounds, Ron got more anxious. Harry wouldn't have a problem flying, that much was true. However, too much was riding on Harry getting that Seeker position. It had to happen.
If Malfoy didn't cause Harry to follow him in the air or if McGonagall didn't see Harry catching Neville's Remembrall, then the future would be messed big time and Ron wouldn't get the time he needed to go to the library.
It was always a blast to work under pressure.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Madam Hooch barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
They did as asked.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom, come on. Now say Up!"
Ron knew that as soon as he shouted the broom would fly into his hand, so he moved his mouth without saying anything. As expected Harry was the only one with a broom when they followed the instructor's command. Ron grinned, this was his friend's moment.
The next thing Ron knew was that Madam Hooch was walking Neville to the infirmary. He would have liked to help the boy this time but there was too much at stake. Neville had to take that one for the team.
"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch. Come on, dear."
Then Madam Hooch and Neville were gone.
Ron was hoping Malfoy would still try to make fun of Neville and he wasn't disappointed.
"Ha! that great lump!" the Slytherin said as many house partners joined him.
"Shut up, Malfoy." snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."
Ron wasn't going to take the chance that Malfoy didn't see the Remembrall this time. He had followed the little ball with the look since Neville dropped it and saw where it fell. So, he stood a bit on the back of the group and took advantage of the arguing to non-verbally push the ball in Malfoy's direction.
"Look!" said Malfoy as the Remembrall hit lightly against his foot. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up. So far so good.
"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch. Ron tried to stay in the back, unnoticed.
Malfoy smiled nastily.
"I'll leave it somewhere else for Longbottom to find, how about, up a tree?"
"Give it here!" Harry yelled and soon he was following Malfoy into the air. The girls on the ground gasped.
"No! Madam Hooch told us not to move, you'll get us all in trouble," shouted Hermione.
The most difficult part was coming because Harry needed to fly in front of the right window and at the right time. Ron had identified McGonagall's office and was keeping a close look at both boys in the air. He was hoping he wouldn't need to interfere when Hermione snorted and turned to him, "Aren't you going to say anything to him?" she demanded.
Ron was taken aback. "Who? Me?"
"Yes, you. He's supposed to be your friend. We were told to stay here," she insisted.
He didn't have time for this. If he needed to do something and Hermione was looking at him, everything would be for nothing. The Gryffindor students had their eyes set in the air, but some of the Slytherins noticed the exchange. Gina Runcorn and Daphne Greengrass turned in their direction, but to Ron's fortunes, they rolled their eyes and turned back to the air.
"Didn't you see? Malfoy was being a prat. I'm with Harry on this one,"
"He could be expelled! Don't you care about that?"
Then the students shouted as Harry bolted on his broom towards the shiny ball. Ron saw the ball heading in the right direction, but at least three windows to the right.
Blimey.
"Look!" Ron shouted, grabbing Hermione by the shoulders and pointing up with his left hand.
Once the girl turned, Ron took a step back and moved his wand. A gust of wind pushed the ball to the left, which thankfully no one associated with Ron.
Thank Merlin's shiny pants for Harry's seeker reflexes!
Harry turned the broom at the right time, grabbing the ball and avoiding hitting head first onto the wall. It was hard to know for sure from the ground, still, it looked like Harry didn't land in McGonagall's window this time. However, he must have passed in front of it, maybe the witch saw him. That was unless she wasn't looking out at that moment. Or maybe she wasn't at her office, maybe she went to the loo at the wrong time.
Ron crossed his fingers as the Gryffindors cheered. He was tense, but there was no way he could have done more than he did. Actually, he thought he had been quite lucky in pulling that wind without being noticed. Ron's heart was beating as wildly as a hippogriff against his chest, and it didn't stop until he saw a familiar figure in the distance.
"HARRY POTTER!" the unmistakable voice of Professor McGonagall came.
Ron released the biggest sigh ever. Keeping the time unchanged was turning out to be quite a demanding venture.
As they all picked up their stuff, the whispers about what was going to happen to Harry spread around. Ron couldn't care less about those mutterings, he knew what McGonagall had in mind.
He felt euphoric about that small win. Maybe he was good at this after all. It was no small feat what he did with the ball, many things could have gone wrong. But they didn't. Ron had done well.
For the first time since he arrived in the past, Ron felt hopeful that he might be able to do what was needed of him after all.
o0o0o
On his way back to the castle, Hermione passed next to Ron and he didn't give it a second thought when he followed her. He wasn't really supposed to, but Harry wasn't around and Ron was still running so high after his stunt with the Remembrall that he just couldn't stop himself.
The girl was quick to notice Ron's presence and glanced at him. She was frowning, she didn't look happy. "Are you following me?"
"Er, no, I'm going to the castle. I take dinner there too, you know," Ron said and walked by her side, glancing occasionally at her out of the corner of his eye.
"You shouldn't be mad at me. I didn't do anything," he dared to say after a while.
"Of course you didn't! Madam Hooch told us to stay there. You should've stopped him."
"Ha! As if stopping Harry from doing anything was a stroll in the park," he said with a mocking smile. He knew the older Hermione would understand him, maybe even reward him for his cheek with a smile. However, as he forgot at the moment, this girl wasn't his wife yet.
Hermione huffed and hurried her pace.
"Oi! Don't leave me here," Ron said as he tried to catch up.
"I thought we weren't walking together. We just happened to go in the same direction, you said it yourself,"
"But, we were talking, and you got mad, and… Well, it wasn't my fault!"
Hermione frowned without turning to Ron.
"Don't you think this is a bit unfair? I couldn't do much, Harry was already in the air. Besides I'm sure he'll be fine, my heart told me it was the right thing to do."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It wasn't. Your heart, as you put it, had it wrong. You should've listened to me. If you don't think these things through you'll end up hurting all of us. And it'll be no one's fault but yours."
It was a given that she was talking about house points, still, Ron couldn't help feeling as if struck down by lightning. Hermione didn't notice his reaction and, as soon as they entered through the main doors, she walked hastily away from him.
Ron was left stunned at the entrance of the castle as a sea of students passed at his sides. Too many emotions came to him then. He felt gutted by Hermione's words for sure but he also felt angry. Angry at himself for thinking everything would be okay now that he managed to not fuck up one thing. Apparently doing his best wasn't enough yet.
"...you'll end up hurting all of us. And it'll be no one's fault but yours."
He hurried inside and, in some twisted joke of fate, his eyes found Adrian Pucey. The prick was talking to a Hufflepuff girl as they both made their way to the basement stairs. He was smiling as if none of this had happened because of him. He was the real culprit. It was because of Pucey that Ron couldn't be with his wife right now. It was because of him that Ron was at risk of messing everything up.
In a beat, Ron made up his mind. He had been wanting to get back at the git for a while now. Without Pucey or his companion noticing, Ron raised his wand in their direction, "Furnunculus" he muttered under his breath.
Adrian Pucey's square face filled with boils before Ron could blink twice. It was so sudden, that the girl by his side gasped audibly and a few laughs in the hall echoed from the nearby students. Pucey covered his face and, after giving what appeared to be a lazy excuse, he turned about and started heading down the first landing of the stairs. His head was still visible when Ron raised his wand again.
"Glisseo," Ron muttered. And he heard Pucey yelp as the staircase turned into a slide.
More laughs echoed as Ron stormed out of there, hoping the prick had hit his arse on the basement floor.
Rage filled Ron as he made his way. Laughs and conversations around him feeling blurry and distant. He wanted all of this over. He hadn't asked for this.
In a way I did, he thought.
Yes. More than once Ron had wished to see his brother again, and he was overjoyed of having spent this week next to Fred. However, he felt as if he was losing Hermione. And he had no idea how to recover his old life.
He went into the first loo he found. Then, he washed his face, repeatedly. The images of the unsuspecting Pucey getting hexed still running wild in his mind.
It serves him right, for everything he did… the daft effing idiot.
Ron washed his face again, heaving. Then, he turned to stare blankly at his reflection in the mirror. It wasn't the Mirror of Erised or that dodgy time-travelling mirror that sent him here. Just a common mirror with regular Ronald Weasley staring back at him.
He had done well at the flying lesson, and yet here he was. Still in a boy's body. He knew it was unfair to ask for some sort of praise for what he did, but still, he couldn't stop feeling like crap. Hermione's words had hurt, even when the girl didn't know what Ron was going through. Maybe deep down the doubt lingered in Ron. The uncertainty of not knowing what Hermione would think of his actions. The older one. Maybe his wife would've gone with Dumbledore at once, getting his memories erased would have saved a lot of hustle for sure.
Would she say that what his heart and his gut told him didn't matter? Would she say that getting his memories erased was the smart thing to do?
As if fighting the idea of being forgotten, a memory popped into the foreground of his thoughts.
"You can do this Ron. I know you can," the voice of Hermione had said, and it echoed in Ron's head as if the older Hermione was in the bathroom next to him.
Her voice came from the early days of his Auror career. Ron remembered all of his doubts from back then.
"I hope so or I'll get myself killed," he had said to her then, only half-joking. "I don't know as many spells as you do and, by Merlin, I'm not as quick as Harry. Honestly, Rabnott just overlooked the rubbish of my Potions' work because it's me."
"Oh, nonsense! You should stop that right now, or not do this at all. There's a lot to you, Ronald Weasley. You have your heart."
Ron remembered he had rolled his eyes then, not unlike the young Hermione had done moments ago. "I reckon my heart will scare the hell out of those rogue Death Eaters."
"Listen to me, and listen to me carefully. I trust your heart more than anything Ron, and you should too. There might be others with more knowledge but they lose sight of what's important. Not you. Not when you listen to your heart."
In some way, Ron had always wanted to believe those words. After all, it had been his mind and the tricks Voldemort played on it that had made Ron leave the Horcrux hunt. It was his heart that made him return.
The memory of Hermione embracing him and the following kiss faded slowly. Ron was suddenly aware of the emptiness of the bathroom around him. Aside from the distant sound of water leaking drop by drop from a faucet, the place felt silent and lonely.
"I miss you, Hermione. So bloody much," he said out loud, yet there was no one there to hear him.
In more than one way, he was more alone than ever. Not even the American had followed him into the mirror, and even if he had, he surely wouldn't have landed in the exact time period... or timeline... or whatever. Ron had to be cautious either way, but he thought he was definitely alone.
Ron washed his freckled face and stared at the mirror once more. He remembered the other one, the one that had led him to the past. Maybe it already existed, maybe it was missing whatever Hermione helped the Unspeakables with but some part of it could be out there already. Maybe some notes or the idea for it.
That mirror was the answer, Ron realized with a jolt of hope. If it had sent him back in time maybe it could return him as well.
There was something Ron was missing though, something important. He got that feeling, as if he had forgotten it. His heart was telling him that too. His gut. It was very annoying to be so close and still feel like a piece is missing. Surely, if Ron grabbed Neville's Remembrall now it would go all red. Mocking him.
The good part was Harry was going to be in the team, which meant Ron would be able to go to the library now. Maybe there his memory will be refreshed or he will find something else to help him.
Trying to give himself more hopes, Ron left the bathroom.
o0o0o
By the time dinner came around, Ron's mood was starting to lighten up, everything related to Harry had gone according to plan and now he had a goal.
Same as last time, Fred and George came by to congratulate Harry for his spot on the Quidditch team and, as soon as they left, Malfoy appeared.
"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting on the train back to the Muggles?"
"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly while Crabbe and Goyle scowled at each side of Malfoy.
Ron thought he looked braver as well. After the war, Malfoy tried to stay away from the spotlight as much as possible, and for good measure. Even if Harry helped him avoid prison, his older self was still subject to mandatory inspections once in a while. The git had brought that on himself.
"I'd take you on anytime on my own. Here or in the air," said Malfoy and Ron interrupted him with a laugh.
Malfoy gritted his teeth and moved his eyes to Ron, looking red. "Shut up, Weasel."
"From where I was it looked like you couldn't hold a candle to Harry's flying," said Ron.
The pale tone of Malfoy's skin went a dark shade of red. "What do you know about flying? You can't even afford a twig to ride."
"He knows more than you. Now go back to your place and leave us alone," complained Harry, on the brink of standing up.
As Malfoy and his bodyguards laughed, Ron remembered something. He couldn't allow Malfoy to leave. He needed something from that git, a duel. Fluffy had been immediately after the flying lessons and Malfoy's fake duel was the excuse for getting out of bed. Ron had almost forgotten.
It was a ruddy pain to remember all of these details.
"Harry can beat you, in a Wizard's duel," Ron hurried before Malfoy answered Harry's words.
His friend looked confused, but Ron could explain things later. Even so, Malfoy and his buddies seemed amused.
"He doesn't know what a duel is. He doesn't even know how to use a wand."
He had no idea what he was talking about.
"Harry can duel miles around you. I've been teaching him. Remember the train? How was the floor, Malfoy?"
Malfoy's brow furrowed in anger. "Midnight. We'll meet you in the trophy room, that's always unlocked. Crabbe's my second."
"I'm Harry's of course."
Malfoy left, leaving Ron with a pesky thought he couldn't shake away. He had mentioned the trophy room again, was that a coincidence? Maybe the git had that planned before arriving at the table instead of coming up with it on the spot. However, the really troubling thing was how easy it would have been for Malfoy to suggest a different place. Ron had no power to control small changes like those. Would those start happening soon? What could he do about them? Could a small change affect the future that much?
Blimey, it could've happened already, Ron realized. I don't remember if Crabbe or Goyle was Malfoy's second last time. This is a bleeding headache!
"What is a wizard's duel?" asked Harry then. "And you are my second? What does that mean?"
"A second's there to take over if you die," said Ron trying to not give it too much attention, "Don't worry people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. Malfoy doesn't know any dangerous spells, I bet."
"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"
"Rubbish! You know that Leg-Locker curse I showed you. 'Sides if it comes to it you can always throw your wand away and punch him on that smuggish face of his," Ron suggested.
"Excuse me," came Hermione's voice from across the table, "I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying. You mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's very selfish of you."
"Well it's really none of your business," said Harry.
Hermione didn't look pleased. Ron moved his eyes between them, he didn't know what else to do. Well, he did, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to be rude to Hermione, especially after their earlier encounter had been sour.
"I did win a few points. It wouldn't be considerate if—"
"So what? Ron won points too," insisted Harry.
Hermione frowned but before she could answer, Harry stood up. "Should we go?" he asked Ron.
Ron was conflicted but he ended up nodding and following his friend out of the room. As they moved away, his eyes glimpsed wistfully at the girl they left behind.
Harry and Hermione weren't getting along. They didn't the previous time at this point either but Ron wasn't sure if things were more complicated now. He had to start acting as if Hermione annoyed him, if he left all of that to Harry then maybe it would get to a point where both of them couldn't make peace. That would be disastrous.
He decided to think about what problems that could cause later. Instead, he spent the rest of the day trying to help Harry master the Leg-Locker curse. Harry wasn't going to need it that night since Malfoy wasn't going to show up, but Ron couldn't say that to him.
When the time was right they walked down the staircase of the dormitories. Harry must've thought everyone would be asleep by that time but Ron knew better.
"I can't believe you're really going to do this," Hermione sprung up from a nearby chair in the common room wearing a pink bathrobe.
"Hermione?!" Ron said faking surprise but it was clear that his voice didn't show anger. In fact, he was trying to contain a smile at the sight of his eleven-year-old wife scolding them. His mood was way better now.
"You?! What are you doing here?" Harry added.
"Stopping you from making a mistake of course."
Harry was frowning. "Couldn't you just leave us alone? We're not getting you into trouble!"
"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped to Ron, "Percy, he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."
That would have been a crushing blow. Ron hadn't thought of that. Everything seemed to be back on track now with Harry on the team, but if Percy had appeared things would have run out of control. Especially since they didn't have Harry's cloak yet. Ron needed them to see Fluffy.
"Come on," Harry said to Ron. The boy pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.
Hermione of course followed them out of the portrait hole. "You two don't care about Gryffindor, only about yourselves. I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."
"We'll be alright. We won't lose any points because no one will see us," Ron said.
"Just go away," added Harry.
"As you wish, but don't say I didn't warn you. You'll remember it when you're on the train home tomorrow. You're so going to get yourselves expelled."
Then the most unexpected thing happened. Hermione said the password and went inside the common room. Ron was baffled briefly, but then he realized what had changed. The Fat Lady was in her portrait when last time she hadn't been, apparently they had come out yelling so much at each other that she didn't get a chance to be surprised. Ron hadn't noticed her there.
He was stunned looking at the now-closed portrait. It was very wrong, how could he have not foreseen that? Last time they had come out at a moment when the Fat Lady was visiting another portrait and that caused Hermione and Neville to come with them. They probably came out a few minutes later or earlier, it didn't matter really, the problem was that Hermione was supposed to see that third-floor corridor. Ron didn't have a clue about how she not being there would affect the future.
"Hermione, wait," he said weakly and tried to go after her but he was held back. Harry was grabbing his arm looking confused.
Once again he had to decide between doing the things he was supposed to and Hermione. He hated this.
"What are you two doing here at this hour?!" said the Fat Lady now that the surprise had left her.
"Let's go!" said Harry to him.
"But, but..." mumbled a pale Ron moving his eyes between the portrait and Harry.
"We're running out of time!" his friend insisted.
Ron sighed and followed his friend.
They found Neville on the next turn but he didn't follow them. Harry gave him the password and he soon went after Hermione, leaving only Ron and Harry to witness the three-headed dog. Things were becoming way too different and this could probably affect the whole stone searching investigation. What if things didn't go the same as last time because of it? What if Hermione wasn't with them at the trapdoor?
No. It wouldn't come to that. There was no way in hell they were doing it without her.
Ron was way too lost in his thoughts on the way down, thinking of how he could fix things before returning to his own time. Harry even had to shake him to get his attention on a couple of occasions.
Fortunately, everything else did go as it was supposed to, with the exception that it was now Ron doing the Alohomora on Fluffy's door. That wasn't entirely good though because that was another spell Ron had to explain to Harry. He also pointed out the trap door to Harry once they were back at the common room.
When Ron saw his friend thinking in silence, he knew at least Harry was going in the right direction, figuring out the connections with Gringotts' vault. However, he had to find a way to let Hermione know about it too. The young girl wouldn't want to know anything about rule-breaking though. The task was going to be as difficult as stopping Quirrell altogether.
Ron had to do it regardless. He had grown too confident after the flying lessons and that caused him to mess things up again. There was no blasted way around it, he had to fix this. Ron was an Auror after all, he had to know a way to put things back to normal. His knowledge should be useful for more than just first-year spells and answering school questions. If he was ever going to do something right, this was the time. He had to recover his life.