AN: Erghh... this took so long to post. Sorry. Hope you all enjoy.

Ron stares at Hermione from across the dining hall. He can't believe this is happening, can't believe she's sitting with them, with him. Slytherins! Malfoy! This has got to be a joke. She's gone absolutely mental. And she says that he's being ridiculous! Ha! She's the one who starved herself for half a year, all but killed herself in the end, and even then she would have liked to. Yeah, Ron was being unreasonable. He's just doing exactly what the healers and his obsessive mother told him to, and it's just about killing him.

It's been three days, and they haven't spoken a word. "Tell Ron I just need some time," she'd told Ginny, "It's not that I'm mad. It's that it just hurts too hard to be around him, when we can't be together."

He knew the feeling, but still seeing her with Malfoy was utterly revolting. It had to be some sort of twisted joke. This was his Hermione, the girl who singlehandedly managed to save his life at least a dozen times, the girl he's loved since the first time he saw her. She had to know that he loved her. But the healers said he needed to stay away, be there if she asks, respect her wishes if she'd rather not. But they'd said very clearly that his romantic involvement with her would be detrimental to her recovery.

He wonders what they'd say about Malfoy. They haven't been apart since he got back, and it's making him really sick. He hasn't slept a decent night's worth since they got back. Malfoy says that he's taking care of her, but wasn't he supposed to be taking care of Pansy too, but now she's eight feet under the ground. Obviously, something must be done about this. It's Ron's duty to make sure this does not progress.

And he hasn't seen her eat one bite this morning, and it's killing him. Come on, Hermione. She lifts the spoon to her lips and then returns it too her bowl. She didn't come down to dinner last night either. He knows because he waited from five to ten, just to make sure.

The thing is he really wants her. He really wants to slide his lips up against hers, to caress her body, and to whisper sweet nothings into her ears. But it's not possible. It's simply not permitted. So he'll just watch from afar, like a guardian angel trying to keep her alive. But, he really does love her. He hopes she knows that, he hopes she understands.

He looks over at her. It's just not fair. He's not supposed to be with her because it might be a trigger, but it doesn't look like his absence is helping her out much. Especially when he watches her stand up, food left uneaten. Malfoy doesn't say a word; instead he just flirts with her and looks at Ron with a bloody, pompous smirk. Ron really wants to cast a few spells on the ferret, but for the sake of Hermione and his wish to avoid another detention, he contains himself. He watches Hermione leave the dining hall. He can't believe it. She has got to be kidding.

He has to say something. He has to do something.

When he heads out in the hallway, he sees Malfoy again. Malfoy's cruel smile sends shivers down his spine. Why isn't he with her? Why does he look so happy when Hermione seems on the verge of a relapse? Does he realize that she's not eating? Why is he letting this occur?

"I bet its killing you Weasley." Ron knows what he's talking about, or, at least, he thinks he does. "That Hermione will be mine any day now."

Ron can't speak. He never has had this problem, not before. Especially not with Malfoy; the potential comebacks or endless. But the anger welled up inside of him prohibit words from forming on his lips.

"Why didn't you tell me she was a cherry Ron? I would have taken care of that a long time ago."

That's when Ron performs a spell, a not so kind spell. The kind of spell that could potentially get you expelled, detention, or, in Ron's case, in a delicate spot of losing your spot of Head Boy.

Ron doesn't care though. He's just mad, and satisfied with the results. So Draco, ends up waddling around like a duck for a few month, and Ron thinks the sacrifice is worth it, particularly after his comments over Hermione.

It doesn't take much for him to get Harry and Ginny on his side over the whole Malfoy debacle. A few quotes from the wanker, and Ron's the one from stopping Harry from killing him. And they all decide that Hermione will not be seeing Malfoy, at all, anymore.

The hard part is telling her. Explaining to her without hurting her feelings. So Ron decides to do it, to suck it up, and be a man. There is just no way that she's going to hang out with that bloody git, after those comments.

After a stern talking to from McGonnagal, the removal of his head boy badge, the revelation of a few detentions to occur in the following weeks and a suspension from Quidditch, he heads off to tell Hermione and to explain the situation in the most delicate way possible.

After the first few sentence he fails, "What do you mean? You three have decided that I'm not allowed to date Malfoy? To hang out with him? I'm a grown girl, Ron. I don't need you to tell me who I can and cannot date."

"I bloody well think so if you're running around with guys like Draco Malfoy! He's only using you to irritate me, you know. And to get your virginity too, as soon as he realizes that you aren't going to be promiscuous he'll dump you. And then what's going to happen, huh? You won't eat for weeks."

"Ron, I can't believe you!" She screeches, "First you won't go out with me because you don't want me to relapse. Then you decide to tell me who I can and cannot date. I love you, Ron. But I can't promise that I'm just going to wait around forever, while you try to figure out what you want."

"There's not anything to figure out," Ron sputters out, "I want you, but it's not what's best for you."

"Oh please!" she stomps her foot like a five your old and crosses her arm, "If anything Ronald you keep me sane, you keep me happy. And what's the harm in that?"

"I- I-" but before Ron can answer she's already gone, and he questions the constraints that are currently present. Shouldn't he be allowed to date her, when the only reason he can't is because he could allegedly trigger a relapse and it appears that a relapse may already be occurring? What if his romantic presence could actually help her? Probably not, but then again his mother, Mrs. Weasley , always told him to never underestimate the power of love.

Besides anything would be better than her dating Malfoy.