(Malfoy's P.O.V)
I glanced over at the Gryffindor table. Ron wasn't there, he was sitting with that Ravenclaw at the Ravenclaw table. He was hanging onto him like his life depended on it. I could curse them both, but I didn't. Potter didn't look displeased and neither did Granger. THey were happy that Ron was happy. It was sickening. Blaise nudged me.
"Don't stare," he hissed, "It isn't pleasent."
"Not meant to be," I replied, but turned away.
"Then don't stare at him like you're in love with him when you're not."
I huffed and pushed my plate away from myself. I didn't eat when I was aggrivated. I glanced over my shoulder again at Ron, he and the Ravenclaw were leaving, Ron following after him like an overly excited puppy.
"Let's go," I said to Blaise.
"No thanks," he replied, "I don't tend to stalk people."
"I'm not stalking him!" I hissed, "I just don't want to be late."
Blaise rolled his eyes at my badly told lie and we both stood and left. Ron and the Ravenclaw were standing outside the Transfiguration room not neccesarily hiding the fact that they were probably dating now. I glanced at my schedule and saw that I didn't have double classes except on Wednesdays with Gryffindors in Herbology, and Fridays with Gryffindors in Potions.
"Gryffindors have classes with Ravenclaw every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in History of Magic and Transfiguration," Blaise commented, "I remember Potter telling us that last night."
I scowled and then hid it quickly before Blaise saw. Ron suddenly noticed us and stopped kissing the boy to look at us. The Ravenclaw, who looked a lot older than Ron though he was only a 7th year like us, glared at me for a moment and then led Ron away. I walked in the other direction towards my first class of the day, Herbology. I couldn't focus in any class, they went by as slowly as Goyle's mental process.
(Ron's P.O.V)
Matthew was a God, honestly. I wanted to be with him all day, which was depressingly impossible since we only had two classes together (it was a Tuesday). I wouldn't say I was in love with him, but I was quite obsessed with him. There was jsut something about him that just made him...Matthew. He was strong, mentally and physically, taller than me by about an inch, and just gorgeous. And he was smart, which was useful.
"Hm," I said, waving my wand at the tiny kitten, "So its something like Adver...tenny...astu...asti...what?"
Matthew raised his eyebrows, looking amused.
"Advenstuante." he stated it perfectly and laughed when I tried to mimic the spell.
I folded my arms and leaned back in my chair. I was stupid.
"Don't give up," he said, touching my arm gently, "I just think you're cute. I wasn't laughing because you couldn't get it. I promise."
"Yeah," I snorted, biting my nails anxiously, anticipitating-
"Don't be such an ass," he snapped harshly, making me wince, "Just because I am smarter than you doesn't mean I'll point out what an idiot you are...oops." he feigned innocence.
He did that alot. He would be really, really nice and then he'd just pop out with a comment like that.
"Sorry," I murmured, and attempted the spell again. Failed. Sat quietly for the rest of the class while Matthew tried to convince me to do it again, although he'd taunt me when I failed. After class he kissed me before I left to go with my friends and told me he was sorry for laughing at me. I forgave him immeditaly and walked off.
"So you really like him?" Harry asked me.
"Yeah," I replied, "Sure." I grinned and he laughed.
Hermione shook her head and the three of us walked into Potions.
(Harry's P.O.V)
Ron was holding tryouts that Saturday. He announced it to all the 7th, 6th, and 5th years. He told me that he wouldn't allow anyone younger on the team, which was odd for him because last year he had let anyone on the team. He said the 5th, 6th, and 7th years would have more time and more talent.
"I was on the team all my years here," I said, defending the younger students.
"I don't care," Ron said, but he seemed anxious, "I just...don't want them on the team."
It was hard to talk to Ron alone because he spent so much time with Matthew. He wasn't getting a lot of his work done, but seemed determined to keep on top of it. He was always worried when he didn't get it done and usually spent long hours at night and in the very early morning trying to get it done.
Saturday finally came and all the people who had promised to show up did, along with a few hopeful and determined 4th years. Ron almost let them but when Matthew showed up he turned them away.
"Need any help?" Matthew asked Ron and I.
"No it's fine," Ron replied.
Ginny arrived, looking happy, as usual. I greeted her warmly. Ron hung back and waited for a few more people to arrive, and tryouts started. Seamus and Dean were made our new Beaters when they outshined everyone else. Ginny made a Chaser, along with two of her 6th year friends, I made Seeker, and Ron was Keeper.
Ron assigned a few back-up players and then he remained on the field with Matthew as I walked away with Ginny.
"How are you?" I asked.
"Fine," she replied, smiling at me, "How's Ron? He doesn't talk to me anymore."
"He's fine," I responded lightly, "Matthew's great, I suppose. That's what Ron says. He's stayed the night in our room a few times." And at Ginny's confused look I added, "Matthew has. Why doesn't Ron talk to you anymore?"
Ginny sighed and said slowly,
"Ron...thinks I knew you were straight to begin with. But I never told him." she shrugged, "I think he's just upset because you're straight now."
I groaned and shook my head.
"I didn't realize it until I broke up with him for good," I said, "I just needed someone. Then I decided...'oh I'm not gay.'"
"Don't obsess over it," Ginny said, "Just be glad he's still your friend."
"Yeah, I guess. I'm just kind of worried, I guess." I didn't realize I was worried until I said it, "Sometimes it seems like Ron is so driven toward pleasing Matthew. Like, he wants to impress him. He wants him to be happy. Almost every other sentence he says ahs something to do with this guy! But I know nothing about him except that his Ravenclaw quidditch captain, he's seventeen, and-"
We heard a scream and turned around. Once we realized it was Ron we ran towards the quidditch field. Matthew was hugging Ron and whispering something to him. Ron was crying.
"What happened?" I asked, moving closer.
"He..." Matthew said slowly, then said, "Had a hallucination. It was kind of bad. It's fine, though. He's okay."
Ron didn't make eye-contact with me or Ginny.
"Oh," I said, feeling stupid, I had known Matthew was there, I should have figured he could handle it. As I walked away I got a bad feeling, although I didn't know why. I could hear Matthew saying,
"It's okay. I'm sorry. I love you, okay?"
"That's not right..." Ginny whispered to me, "I mean...Ron's never freaked out when he has a hallucination."
"Well he was already stressed out over try-outs, so maybe his stress levels caused a pretty bad one, and then he got scared because he was already stressed."
"Maybe," Ginny agreed, not sounding so suspicious now.
Matthew stayed with Ron again that night. Ron seemed upset, probably over his hallucination, and was very jumpy. Matthew played Truth or Dare with us and had a few drinks that were hidden under Seamus's bed (Seamus always seemed to have a hidden stash), and he made sure Ron had a few more than he did. By the time Ron was very drunk, the dares got dirtier and dirtier, and all of us were almost half naked and had either made out with Ron, Matthew, or Seamus quite a few times. The game ended a few minutes after Neville arrived from having been doing his homeowrk downstairs (he often stayed downstairs when Matthew was over), and Ron had a horrible hallucination, thinking that the room was on fire and it took a while for him to calm down, and he started puking.
I collapsed into bed. And soon Ron and Matthew came back out, Ron seemed worse than he had before. He was crying, probably feeling quite miserable from getting sick, and Matthew was whispering things to him, and then they quieted and I knew they had fallen asleep.
Hermione walked into the room that morning and woke up me, Ron, and Matthew, saying we had ten minuted to get ready and meet her downstairs. We muttered angrily as we got dressed (Matthew had slept only in his underwear that night and so had Ron), and then met her downstairs and walked to the Great Hall for Breakfast.
After breakfast, Matthew kissed Ron goodbye as Hermione and I tried to get Ron to come with us to Herbology. We had double Herbology with Slytherins every Wednesday first hour. When we walked into the green house, Draco demanded to talk to Ron alone. So they walked outside and out of eyesight and earshot. Only when the late bell rang did they walk back in.
"What were you talking about?"
"Matthew," Ron whispered as Madame Pompfrey walked in.
"What about him?"
Ron looked at me with a pained expression.