Hermione and Ron happened to have a free period that day and as they sat together in the library, working on a Charms essay, Ron noticed that Hermione wasn't concentrating as much as she would normally have done.

"Mione, what's wrong? Surely you aren't struggling on an essay? Especially a Charms one. I don't think I can remember you ever having problems with an essay. But I do recall you getting 112 on a charms exam once. What are you thinking about? Something is distracting you and I have a feeling that I know what it is."

"I don't know. I just can't seem to concentrate on anything today. I just keep thinking that something's up. And that you know what it is."

"Me? I don't know anything! Why would I?"

"Because you're Harry's best friend."

"Will you give it a rest? Look it's Harry's business and you shouldn't pry. What he does with Dra-someone is private."

"You DO know something! I knew it! Tell me! Now!"

When Hermione entered the hall for dinner that evening she looked very put out and Ron sunk a little lower in his seat when she approached him and Harry. She made sure that her bag hit him as she swung it off her shoulders and throughout the dinner she talked to Ginny who was next to her. Harry glared at Ron.

"What have you done?" he hissed.

"Nothing! I swear it Harry. I haven't said anything."

"I saw you and her in the library on the map today. She left in rather a hurry suddenly. What have you told her?"

"I promise that I didn't say anything. Do you really think I would tell her?"

"Not really. But if she finds out then Ginny finds out. And if Ginny finds out then the whole school will and someone will run to the Daily Prophet."

"Actually, Ginny already knows." Ron said in a very quiet voice.

Harry heard though. For a moment Ron thought he was going to explode.

A moment later and he did.

"WHAT? Ronald Weasley, you IDIOT!" he then seemed to notice that everyone in the hall was staring at him. He grabbed Ron by his shirt collar and marched him out of the hall and into the entrance hall.

"Before you kill me Harry, I promise that I never meant to tell her. It slipped out and I swore her to secrecy. She's a conversational wizard. She promised not to tell a soul until you told her she could."

He flinched as he waited for the full force of Harry's anger to hit him.

Those sitting nearest the doors in the great hall heard the punch and Ron's yell of pain and then the thud as he hit the stone floor.

Harry didn't reappear but Ron did and his nose was running with blood and it looked broken. He glanced over at Draco as he walked to the Gryffindor table to get his things. Ginny handed them to him with a sympathetic look. Hermione performed the spell to stop the bleeding and mend the break, but nothing would stop the purple and black bruise that was already creeping onto his nasal area. He muttered a brief thanks and then rushed out of the hall.

After a moment Draco followed sedately. Ron was sitting on the staircase looking miserable. Draco went to sit next to him.

"What happened?"

"Harry hit me. I told him about Ginny knowing about you two."

"I did tell you not to. How angry was he?"

"Angry doesn't cover it. I could tell that he wanted to do worse to me but was restraining himself. I think I got off easy. He looked like he was about to kill me. I'm surprised that he didn't. I lied to him. I lied to Harry. The person I owe my life to. He's done so much for me. Was that any way to repay him? By telling his secret to my sister? I'm such a terrible friend."

"Just stop that. You are his best friend. And I know what you've had to put up with because of him. Yes you did do wrong by telling Ginny but you told him. You did tell him the truth, eventually. You are a great friend. He's lucky to have you. I just wish I hadn't been so mean to you that first day here. Perhaps if I hadn't then we would all have been friends from the beginning. The problem with being in Slytherin is that there isn't anyone as nice as you are. I wanted friends like you all through my early years. Then me and Harry finally happened and you then found out about it. I remember how angry you were. You stopped talking to Harry for almost a term. Then you woke up to the idea and accepted it, and him back. Harry was so miserable about it and then when you started talking to him again he was overjoyed. He really missed you. That was a hard term for all of us and I recall you being very mean to me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't like being called a ferret, Ron. Or what was it, the amazing bouncing ferret? Harry told me. That was after the fight was over and I staged that fight with Harry. Too bad Moody happened to be around."

"While we're on that year, why did you bring out those horrid badges?"

"Snape. He gave them to me and threatened to poison me in my sleep if I didn't give them out as my own invention."

"Can I just ask, why did you and Harry fight for all those years?"

"Have you never noticed how much sexual tension there is between us? Those were just ways to vent them. I'll talk to Harry and calm him down if you want. Just be ready to apologise when you next see him…trust me, I might not be able to calm him down enough. I will try though, for your sake."

Draco got up and started to move off.

"Were you really jealous of me?"

Draco turned and smiled at Ron.

"What do you think? Of course I was. No one in Slytherin is like the people in Gryffindor. Which way did Harry go in?"

"Library I think. Oh, and Draco, good luck."

"Cheers."