A/N: WOOHOO! I'm back to updating RWC finally. I just came back from a trip to the Philippines to visit my cousins (it's been so long that I've seen them)! Thanks to WeasleyIsMyKing540 and JeanAndBilius for the feedback (your reviews made me grin like an idiot)! The Yule Ball chapter is coming soon, finally. Maybe 1 or 2 more chapters more. Anyways, let's get on with the chapter! :D

Warning: Swearing

Disclaimer: If you still think I own HP or any of these characters used in this chapter, you've gone mental. J.K. Rowling those, not me!

Chapter 21 ~ Rumors

Ron Weasley, Man or Monster?

There have been recent reports that Ron Weasley is indeed, a werewolf. Four students caught a young couple up at the Astronomy Tower at midnight to view the full moon, yesterday. They were Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The four students heard them confess to one another. Here is what the four students said based off from their observation,

"Ron never comes out to view to full moon till now that is. I bet it's because of Granger."

"He talked about transforming into a werewolf last year, to Granger."

"Granger was even scared to see in as a werewolf!"

"Let me tell you, and let me tell you this straight, Ron Weasley is no one we can trust. He's a bloody werewolf. Werewolves are dangerous creatures that feed on human flesh! Just look at Fenrir Greyback for crying out loud."

If you recall from last years Daily Prophet, Fenrir mentioned about a werewolf with fur that was the color of blood would awaken very soon. Could Ron Weasley be the werewolf Greyback wanted us to fear?

Keep an eye out! Beware the beast on the grounds!

Daily Prophet

By Rita Skeeter

"What the bloody hell is this rubbish?" He questioned Ginny and Hermione with a look of disbelief after he finished reading the excerpt from the Daily Prophet.

"That rubbish is Rita Skeeter. She's a reporter that gives off doubtful information to the public." Ginny said to her older brother.

"Well, I think I know who the fucking eavesdroppers are." Ron scowled over at the Slytherin's table to see Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Language, Ronald." Hermione retorted and went back to eating her cereal. Ron just rolled his eyes and saw Harry approaching their table. He sat next to Ron.

"I read the Daily Prophet. I saw who came up the Astronomy Tower! It was-"

"Malfoy and his cronies." Ron finished Harry's exclaim. Harry nodded his head and went to get a piece of french toast. Ginny, however, wanted to get a piece of french toast, as well. Their hands touched.

"Sorry!" They said at the same time. Harry's genuine emerald colored eyes looked at Ginny's brown eyes. They both blushed briefly, but they went back to eating their breakfast in awkward silence.

"Well, if anyone believes in Rita's statement, they're a gullible idiot," Hermione said getting back to the subject. Ron was about to reply to Hermione but heard voices mumbling about the Daily Prophet.

"Why did Dumbledore allow a werewolf in the school? Has he gone mental?"

"Let's stay away from Ron. He's gonna hurt us all."

"Werewolves like him deserve to die in vain!"

"Werewolves are cruel and vicious animals!"

Ron clenched his hands on his spoon and it bent over. Hermione looked over to see Ron looking angry.

"Ron?"

He looked up to see a concerned Hermione. He looked down to see he bent his spoon down completely. Ron hid the deformed spoon under the table.

"I can hear them gossiping about me," Ron whispered to them.

"Don't listen to them, Ron. Just ignore them, it'll die down sooner or later." Hermione said a reassuring statement.

"If you say so." He said sarcastically.

It was time for the trio to get to Potions, with the Slytherins. Harry was pulled back by Rita Skeeter for an interview so that left the bushy haired brunette and the red haired boy.

"I reckon Snape's gonna talk about me being a bloody werewolf, so I could be humiliated in front of everyone there," Ron said rather gloomily to Hermione.

"If you'd like, I can sit next to you." Hermione offered.

"Uh, sure," Ron replied with a lopsided grin. Hermione looked up the see his famous lopsided grin.

He's so handsome, when he does that, Hermione gawked over Ron to herself. Hermione wasn't looking where she was going and bumped into Malfoy, as he waited outside the Potion room.

"Watch where you're going! I don't want your filthy Mudblood germs on me!" Malfoy snarled at Hermione. She ignored the ignorant retort, by rolling her eyes. However, the fuming red haired wasn't satisfied.

"G-get away from her, Malfoy.." Ron growled at him, as he took hold of Hermione's hand.

"Oh, didn't see you there, Mutt. I'm sure after this, you two will mate. Imagine a terrifying werewolf like Weasel and the filthy little Mudblood's blood mixed? Your offspring will look fucking ugly." Malfoy sneered at the both of them.

"For your information, Ron is not a werewolf! Only foolish idiots, like you, would believe such vile rumors!" Hermione retorted at the new insult Malfoy spat at them for. Deep down, the insult Malfoy spat out harmed Hermione more than expected. Even Ron could feel the change in Hermione's demeanor. By now, there was a group of students watching the argument.

"Wrong! Weasel is a mutt! There is no denying about it!" Malfoy spat at her.

"Well fuck you too, arsehole!" Ron joined in on the argument.

"Look who's came to play fetch!" Malfoy sneered at Ron. Ron pushed him against the wall.

"You're one of the bloody eavesdroppers," Ron whispered to him. "I know it.."

"W-what are you talking ab-about?" Malfoy stuttered, obviously lying.

Malfoy kept struggling against the wrath of Ron's superhuman strength. "Protect. Mate." Ron said in a deeper voice to Malfoy. His eyes turn turned to a darker shade of his crystal blue eyes. Hermione hesitated in pulling Ron back. She gathered all of her Gryffindor courage to pull Ron out of the fight.

"Ron!"

"Protect. Mate." Ron mumbled to himself. Hermione grabbed the freckled forearm of him, trying to pull him away. Ron turned around, and Hermione was greeted with dark blue eyes. Ron looked into Hermione's eyes for a second trying to remember who she was.

"Mate..?" He mumbled in deep vocals. Hermione jumped by his changed voice. It sent shivers up her spine. Ron loosened his stiff hands from strangling Malfoy's unhealthy pale face from the lack of oxygen. His eyes turned back to normal, and he took deep breaths, as he tried to regain control of himself. Hermione looked up at Ron's soften expression, begging for forgiveness of his action towards Malfoy.

Before Hermione went in to embrace Ron, Snape appeared before their eyes. "Detention, Mr. Weasley for harming a student! Meet me here at the dungeon at 6 o'clock sharp." Snape glared at Ron. Snape opened the door and the students entered in.

Ron went to sit at his seat. Hermione quickly went to sit next to him. Ron looked at her and she lipped him a silent, thank you. Ron smiled and tipped her, you're welcome.

"Page 390 on your textbooks.." Snape declared coolly, as he readied himself for the lesson. Ron flipped through the pages and the page number landed on the potion, Liquid Lunar, and Ron gulped. Hermione seemed to have noticed Ron's reaction as an insult.

"Ron, you can cover your ears for this lesson. I can cast a charm on you." Hermione recommended to him.

"N-no, I'm fine. Really, I'm brilliant." He lied. Hermione however, was not satisfied.

"Fine, have it your way." She replied with a pout.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley! Stop talking over there, 5 points from Gryffindor." Ron scowled at Snape.

"Can anyone tell me, what the Liquid Lunar potion does?" He questioned the class. Hermione raised her hand but was obviously ignored.

"Care to answer the question, Mr. Weasley?" He approached him slowly. Ron could've sworn he heard a hint of mock in his voice when he said it.

I knew it! That black haired greasy prat was going to humiliate me in front of the fucking class, he scowled to himself. Ron could hear people murmuring about him around the classroom.

"Monster.."

"Murderer.."

"Animal.."

He hesitated in answering the question.

"If the person is a werewolf and if they drink it, they'll turn into a werewolf, no matter what." He answered.

"Very good.." He replied. Ron had his head hung low and his eyes were closed. Realizing that Snape didn't give Gryffindor any points, Ron murmured profanities.

"If you can see here. The Liquid Lunar potion is bubbling from the top of this vial. It means that it's been made long ago, probably even a century." Snape continued on.

Ron ignored Snape's lecture, making Hermione stare at him.

"Miss Granger! Pay attention up here. Not at your boyfriend! 5 points from Gryffindor." Snape said as he glared down at her. Hermione could hear the Slytherins sniggering. However, she wasn't the only one who could hear them. Ron clenched his fist, tightly. His breathing pattern turned slow and heavy. Hermione felt the change and looked at Ron. She could hear him growling.

What's gotten into him, Hermione asked herself. She bit her bottom lip and tried to concentrate back to the lesson. After the lecture, Hermione went on taking down notes from the textbook. Ron carelessly wrote the notes word per word. Hermione nudged him on the shoulder, gaining his attention.

"Ron, is everything alright? Is it the curse that's making you like.. this? I have the potion. I can give it to you-"

"IT'S NOTHING!"

Hermione jumped from the sudden outburst. He gained attention from everyone in the room, making his ears turn pink.

"Alright then, I'll move your donations right after class Mister Weasley. Meet me here in this exact spot to earn your one-way ticket to detention with me." Snape snarled at Ron. The red haired boy scowled, in response.

"Hermione. I'm sorry I really am. I didn't mean to yell at you." Ron said miserably. Hermione sighed and accepted his fault.

After class, Ron went straight back in the classroom again.

"Ron, Harry and I will be at the headquarters. We'll wait for you." Hermione said to him before she walked off into the distance. Ron sighed and walked into the classroom to see Mad-Eye and Snape waiting for him.

"Organize this shelf full of potions in alphabetical order. If I inspect that you've messed up, you must start all over again. Am I clear, Mister Weasley?" Snape said displaying no emotions.

"Yes, sir.," Ron mumbled and went straight to work. As he worked, he heard the hushed voices of Professor Moody and Snape. Little did they know that Ron was eavesdropping on their conversation, as he placed the vials and bottles of the variety of potions on the shelf.

"I'd like the sample of Liquid Lunar for my next lesson with the 6th years. I'm teaching them how to defend themselves from a savage werewolf." Mad-Eye said to Snape.

"Interesting.. Give me back to potion once you're done teaching the class about it." Snape gave the vial of Liquid Lunar to him. Mad-Eye gave his gratification to Snape, and he went back to his classroom. Ron eyed him with suspicion.

Something's going in here and I don't like it. Not one fucking bit, Ron said to himself, as his eyes narrowed.

Ron arrived at The Trio's Headquarters to see Harry and Hermione talking to one another on the couch in front of the fireplace. They turned around to the sound of a wisp. Ron sat across from them.

"During detention, I saw Professor Noddy getting a sample of Liquid Lunar. I reckon the bugger will do something with it, other than teaching 6th years about werewolves." Ron stated. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You'd honestly think a professor, that had been appointed by Dumbledore would do something horrible? Honestly, Ronald.. You're just paranoid." Hermione argued.

"It is a possibility." Harry joined in.

"Oh, wake up Harry! Professor Moody has helped you so far in the tournament. Without him, you could've had died!" Hermione pointed out, as she stood up.

"Would you just stop nagging, for once? For crying out loud, Hermione. I'll prove to you that Professor Moody is up to something with that potion!" He continued on, as he stood up from his seat, as well, "Hell, he might be plotting to have me transform into a bloody werewolf." Ron mumbled. Before Hermione could form any retorts to his statement, he beat her right to it.

"You know how much I didn't like being a fucking werewolf! I'm even feared by people now, because of Rita Shitstorm! That fucking bitch is there to ruin my fucking life by framing me as the feared monster I bloody am!" Ron spat in her face. His eyes turned a darker shade.

"C'mon guys, stop this bullshit.," Harry said, as he separated the two of them who still looked at one another, glaring.

"Guess what, Ronald-"

"It's Ron!" He corrected her, clearly despised to be called his full name, but she ignored his correction.

"Would you stop thinking so low about yourself! You were even mad enough to call yourself a monster!" Hermione shouted at his face, as tears threatened to fall. She continued on, "You're not a monster! You're Ron Weasley and you're no monster! Instead, you're the biggest prat I've ever met!" Hermione finished. She wiped away any small tears, that tried to escape from her eyes.

More like Ron Weasley, The King of Being a Prat, Harry smirked.

Ron saw her eyes glistening, which made him feel constructed with guilt. He became uncomfortable and his throat became dry. His dark eyes faced Hermione's eyes.

"Hermione, I-" Ron managed to croak out.

"No, I don't want to talk to you right now.." Hermione said in a small strained voice and disappeared from the headquarters. Ron ran his flaming red hair through his fingers in frustration. Harry grasped onto his shoulders.

"Shit, what am I gonna do now, mate.." Ron asked Harry.

"I'd say to give her a couple of days," Harry responded.

"I can't wait to be given the cold shoulders from Miss Granger, herself." Ron sarcastically. Harry chuckled at his sarcastic response, making Ron happy.

Bloody hell, it's been a long time I've seen and heard Harry laugh, Ron smiled.

"Well, I guess I'll see you at the dorm, mate." Harry waved Ron a goodbye.

Ron laid back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

What else could go fucking wrong, Ron groaned to himself, as he hid his face with a pillow.