Disclaimer: Sadly, just Chad and all them are mine, no one else. You know that!

A/N: Okay, yes, the last chapter was a little…bad? Like…moral wise lol. But she's changing and I know I have totally messed with Hermione's character but eh it's my story. This chap is a shortie, sorry! I'm loaded with homework. Review please!

Chapter Six

What Will They Think?

Hermione awoke the next day in her own bed with Ron around nine in the morning. She had only a fuzzy memory of how she got back to her room. But oh did she remember what she did last night. After her first few hits (she had taken enough to get high) and quite a bit of coughing, her and Chad nearly had a repeat of Hermione's previous night. This time, she didn't feel too great about it.

"'Mione? Why do you smell like…smoke?" Ron had woken up.

"Uhm, no reason. I just went out to a club with Chad last night and we went to a club and a lot of people were smoking and I didn't get a chance to shower once I got back here."

"But…it doesn't smell like cigarette smoke…" But by the time Ron had finished this sentence, Hermione had already jumped out of bed and headed into the bathroom for a long, hot shower.

As Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, guilt was gnawing at her. She knew she shouldn't have smoked last night…but she didn't want to be the little bookworm she was last year. She wanted to get out there; try new things! But she had taken it a little too far last night… 'There's nothing you can do about it. Just forget about it and don't worry about it. And stay away from Chad.' Hermione thought to herself.

"'Mione, what'd you do last night?" Ron asked as soon as he saw her.

"I smoked pot." she stated bluntly.

"W-w-what?!" Ron stammered.

"I smoked pot. You know, reefer, MJ, weed, marijuana, Mary Jane. You know."

"Damn it Hermione, I know what weed is! But what the fuck! You fucking smoked an illegal substance with a guy you met less than three days ago! What the fuck were you thinking?" Ron's face was beet red from his yelling.

"So you do care?"

"Huh?"

"If you didn't care about me you wouldn't be so concerned. But apparently, you really care about me." Ron's face got redder, if that was possible, but not from anger, from embarrassment.

"Well, of course I care about you 'Mione." Ron said softly.

"Well yes I knew that. But do you care for me more than what you're leading me to believe?"