AN: YES THIS IS A RON/HERMIONE FIC! SO CAN ALL THE RUDE H/HR SHIPPERS PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE! I DIDN'T WRITE THIS FIC ONLY TO BE ABUSED!
To everyone else, please enjoy this chapter, and sorry I had to go 'Capslock-Harry' on you. And yes, I know not all H/Hr shippers are rude, one of my best friends is a H/Hr shipper
Chapter Six – And the Plot Thickens
Hermione watched the Quidditch team practicing from her dorm window. She stood from her seat at her desk and walked over to look at the tiny figures flying around the Quidditch pitch but not really concentrating on them, instead she was lost in thought.
Something was wrong with Ronald Weasley.
That was the only explanation for it, he had been avoiding her for the entire week. At first she thought that he was still mad at her but that still didn't explain his strange behaviour.
Hermione sat down on the window sill and recalled the events of the past few days.
- Flashback –
Hermione had spent the entire walk back to the common room preparing her apology to Ron, no matter what happened she would make him listen to her. Whatever feelings she may have for him she still did not want to lose him as a friend. Hermione straightened her tie and entered the common room. She had only stepped one foot inside the room when a blur rushed past her practically knocking her to her feet. When she had stablised herself she looked up to see the startled and confused expressions of Harry and Neville looking up the stairs.
"What was that?" Hermione verbalized walking over to the bewildered boys.
Harry stared at the stairs for a moment longer before replying.
"That was Ron, and by the way he was running you'd think he's arse was on fire or something."
Neville scratched his head and looked over at Hermione.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine, but is Ron alright?" Hermione questioned.
"I'm not sure, he skipped our afternoon classes and when we found him he was like a zombie – he wouldn't answer any of our questions," Harry answered looking at the stairs once more.
"Perhaps he's feeling a bit sick, especially after last nights part – oomph!"
Neville fell to floor clutching at his stomach.
"Merlin! Are you alright Neville?" Hermione asked in concern leaning over him.
"He's fine," Harry replied sternly, "Just needs a lie down, come along now Neville."
With those words Harry lifted Neville up by the elbow and dragged him up the stairs.
"Okay," Hermione thought aloud, "That was weird."
And the strange events didn't stop there.
"Ronald Weasley!"
Hermione jumped in her seat when Professor McGonnagal had shouted Ron's name.
"Yes Professor," Ron replied in a tired voice.
Hermione looked over at Ron and realized that he was slumped over his desk and his clothes were disheveled as though he had slept in them.
"Ronald Weasley!" Professor McGonnagal repeated walking over to Ron, "If you find transfiguration so dull that you must sleep during my classes than perhaps you would enjoy taking your O.W.L's now!"
"Yes Professor," Ron replied in the same tone as though he had not really been listening to McGonnagal at all.
Hermione saw Harry, who was sitting beside Ron, cringe slightly as McGonnagal bristled and shouted at Ron to leave her classroom instantly.
Without another word Ron collected his books and clumsily made his way out of the classroom bumping into the door in the process.
Hermione shot Harry a questioning look but Harry simply shrugged back at her and looked just as confused.
Later that day she bumped into Ron on her way to the Great Hall for dinner. He still looked in a daze but when he saw who he had bumped into he bolted down the hall and out of sight before she could even form a response.
All this convinced Hermione that Ron was still angry at her, and yet it still didn't fit. If he was angry at her why didn't he just say so or give her the cold shoulder like he had done before, why act as though he was – well as though he was afraid she'd give him dragon pox.
After another night of restless sleep Hermione awoke early and after preparing herself she stood waiting outside Ron's dorm room prepared for her confrontation with the red-head.
Unfortunately for her Harry was the first to open the door.
"Oh…" Harry said upon seeing her stern expression, he looked over his shoulder before saying loudly, "HELLO JOHN! GOOD MORNING! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN!"
Hermione stepped back from Harry and covered her ears.
"Hi John!" Neville shouted cheerfully from the doorway, pushing Harry outside the door.
"Why are you shouting?!" Hermione questioned giving Harry an annoyed look.
"Sorry about that, Fred accidentally blew the umpire whistle in my ear yesterday during practice so my hearing is a bit off," Harry smiled at her and rubbed his ear.
Hermione simply raised a suspicious eyebrow at him before asking, "Where's Ron? I need to talk to him."
"Ah, you've just missed him," Harry said with a smile, "Probably inhaling food in the Great Hall."
"That's impossible, he doesn't get up this early," Hermione replied but blushed slightly when Harry in turn raised a suspicious eyebrow at her, "D-don't look at me like that, he's been avoiding me for days, I just wanted to talk to him and apologise."
"Apologise for what?" Harry asked her as he led the way down to the Great Hall.
"For lecturing about his tutoring methods," Hermione said in a soft voice.
"Ron's not angry at you," Harry explained, "I think he just has a lot on his mind lately."
"Yeah like Ginny…" Neville began but trailed off when Harry glared daggers at him causing Neville to look down at the ground guiltily.
"Who's Ginny?" Hermione questioned noticing the looks that had passed between the two boys.
"No one. Look there's Ron," Harry pointed towards the Gryffindor table where Ron was sitting poking at his food.
"Ron!" Neville shouted across the hall.
Ron looked up tiredly from his breakfast, but when he's eyes landed on her they bulged and he fell out of his seat. The next instant he had disappeared out the door shouting over his shoulder about detention with McGonnagal.
Hermione looked up at the teachers desk and saw Professor McGonnagal looking at Ron's dissapering back in confusion while a few students and teachers laughed.
'Definitely weird,' Hermione said to herself.
But today, today was definitely the weirdest of all.
Hermione was revising her potions notes and waiting for class to start when suddenly someone pushed her over, causing her notes to fly up into the air.
"Fithly mudblood, watch where you're standing!"
Hermione recognized the voice instantly and just as she turned around to glare at Malfoy she felt something crash on the ground beside her.
Hermione's eyes widened in shock when she realized that Ron had tackled Malfoy to the ground and was pummeling the blond slytherin.
"RON!" Harry shouted and Hermione saw Harry and Neville trying unsuccessfully to pull Ron off of Malfoy.
"Ron! No! He's not worth it!" Hermione screamed clutching onto Ron's arm.
Ron froze instantly and looked into her face.
"Fine," he said before looking down at Malfoy, "You stay the hell away from – from my friends, you hear me?"
With those words Ron dropped Malfoy to the ground and stood up.
Hermione watched the blood dripping down Malfoy's face in shock. She felt someone pull her limp body up from the ground, and when she looked up into those cool deep blue depths she knew that Ron was holding her.
"Are – are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?" Ron asked in concern his face softening.
Hermione felt her face and neck heat up and she shoke her head unable to get her tongue to form a coherent response.
"You'll pay for this one Weasley!" Malfoy said as he was lifted up from the ground by his two slytherin friends, "You and your mudblood – "
Ron lunged for Malfoy but Hermione as well as all the Gryffindor's in the hallway grabbed Ron before he could reach him.
"What is going on here!"
Hermione froze and turned around to see Snape glaring at them all – his eyes if possible made the dungeons feel ten times colder.
"Weasley attacked Malfoy, sir," a Slytherin replied trying to look shocked but unable to hide his glee.
Snape likewise looked as though Christmas had come early and he looked at Ron's with a smirk.
"Detention Weasley!"
"That's not fair!" Hermione yelled at Snape.
"Malfoy pushed John to the ground, we all saw him do it," Harry added.
"Yes well Gryffindors always protect their own don't they, brawns over brain as I always say," Snape sneered at Harry causing the Slytherins in the hallway to laugh.
"You foul evil git!" Harry screamed at Snape.
Snape only sneered at Harry daring him to say more.
Hermione could see Harry shaking with anger but he refrained from saying anything more.
"You're just siding with Malfoy," Hermione screamed indignantly, "Just because he's a Slyt-omph!"
Hermione realized that Ron had clamped his hand over her mouth to stop her continuing. She turned and glared at him but he was looking at Snape.
"Weasley, Potter, detention and fifty points from Gryffindor for your lack of respect for teachers, and Goyle take Malfoy to the infirmary before he bleeds all over the dungeon floor," with those words Snape turned and walked into his classroom with the students grudgingly following him.
Ron finally released Hermione from his grip and she was able to breath properly again.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Harry hissed at Ron, "What about the rules?!"
Hermione was just about to ask what Harry was talking about but Snape cut them off.
"Would the famous Harry Potter and his side-kicks like me to roll out the red carpet for them?" Snape questioned in a cold voice from the doorway before sweeping back into his classroom.
- End Flashback –
Hermione closed the window once the sun had set. She just did not understand what was going on with Ron.
"What is going on with you lately?" Harry asked as he and Ron made their way down to the Dungeons for detention.
"Nothing," Ron replied rubbing at his hand, which he had quickly bandaged after class.
Harry scoffed at him.
"Yeah okay, nothing. So pummeling Malfoy into the ground is nothing?"
Ron shrugged and continued walking, "Felt good though."
He noticed Harry smile but his friend quickly covered it up, "Have you forgotten about the rules?"
"Things change Harry," Ron replied.
"Only because you didn't play by the rules," Harry said in exasperation, "Ever since first year we've kept to the rules. One, always follow our orders, Two, never rise to Malfoy' bait and he'll leave us relatively alone, Three, as much as we hate Snape as long as we don't insult him during class he'll leave us relatively alone."
"Well maybe I don't want to play by those rules anymore, especially not when it involves – involves…" Ron trailed off and sighed.
"Really?" Harry said bitterly before stopping and looking at Ron, "Are you also sick of rules four and five? We don't keep secrets from each other and we stick together no matter what."
Ron felt the guilt eating at him.
"I'm sorry Harry," Ron began looking at his best friend, "It's not my secret to tell."
"Fine!" Harry replied pushing past Ron, leaving him to walk the rest of the way to detention alone.
Ron sighed heavily and leaned against a nearby column.
'This is going to be a long night.'
Hermione looked up from her book when she heard someone knocking on her door. She quickly checked her watch and saw that it was only 11 o'clock and that she still had an hour left before the potion wore off.
She got up from her seat and went to answer the door. She found Neville on the other side smiling at her cheerfully.
"Hey, Ron and Harry should be back from detention soon, wanna go wait for them?"
"Sure," Hermione replied stepping out of her room and following Neville down into the common room which was completely empty.
After seating themselves Neville looked at her in concern.
"Are you okay?" he questioned.
"Fine," Hermione replied attempting a smile.
A few minutes of silence passed before Neville spoke up once more.
"So what made your parents want to send you to Hogwarts?"
"Oh," Hermione stopped staring into the fire and turned to look at Neville, "Well they thought it would be best that I mix with – kids my own age."
Neville nodded thoughtfully.
"Did you talk to Ron when you were in the school hospital?"
Hermione started and looked at Neville.
"Did he visit me?"
"Well yeah, he left straight after DADA was over, we didn't see him for the rest of the day. Harry and I assumed he was with you the whole time but then we came back to the common room and found him moping around in here."
Hermione blinked at Neville for a few moments before attempting a response.
"Are you sure he visited me?"
Neville paused for a moment.
"Oh well, now that I think about it he never actually said where he was going. After DADA everyone was kinda looking at him weirdly and he might have felt a bit awkward. So maybe he just came up here to get away from everyone."
Hermione nodded and looked at Neville thoughtfully.
"So can I ask, what's going on between you and Ron?"
Hermione's eyes widened "What do you mean?"
"Well, I've noticed you looking at him a lot and he looks at you too, well when he thinks no one is looking."
Hermione's eyes if possible widened even further, "He's been looking at me?"
Hermione bit her lip to stop herself from smiling, for some reason the thought of Ron staring at her made her feel light-headed.
'But wait, if he's looking at me…he's seeing 'John' not Hermione,' Hermione thought to herself, 'Does this mean he likes guys? That would be just cruel if it were true and very complicated.'
"Err, John? So do you?"
Neville's voice shattered Hermione inner thoughts and she looked at him in confusion.
"Sorry Neville, what was that?"
"I asked whether you – oh Harry, Ron you're back," Neville said suddenly standing from his seat.
Neville's smile disappeared when he saw Harry's expression and noticed Ron collapse into a nearby chair.
"E-everything okay?" Hermione asked looking over at Ron in concern before looking at Harry. She froze when she saw Harry glaring at her.
She backed away slightly and twisted her fingers nervously.
"Hi Harry," she said in a shaky voice.
"Stop it Harry," Ron said standing from his seat and walking over to his friend.
Harry looked at Ron angrily before storming up to his room.
Neville looked torn as to who he should talk to but Hermione nodded her head at him and indicated that she could take care of Ron, he smiled gratefully before following Harry up the stairs.
Hermione turned around to find that Ron was lying face down on the sofa. It was only then that Hermione saw that the white bandages on his hands were soaked through with blood.
"Ron! You're hands," she cried falling to her knees beside him and cradling one of his hands.
He lifted his head slightly and turned to look at her. She saw him watching her face intently and she blushed before looking away.
"Here, sit up and I'll fix your hands," Hermione ordered pushing some of her hair behind her ear.
He did as he was told and only cringed slightly when she cast her cleaning spell on his hands. She then cleaned his bandages and carefully re-wrapped his hands and smiled at her handiwork.
She smiled up at him but her smile disappeared when she saw his eyes staring down into her own. He reached over and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, he leaned over and Hermione felt her heart beat madly.
'No! this isn't right! You can't kiss me!'
"I'm going to bed, you should too," Ron spoke before standing up, "Thanks for your help."
The next moment he had disappeared up the stairs and Hermione was left alone in the common room, completely confused.
She thought over the events of the past week once more before making her way upstairs to bed.
Ron rested his head against the door.
'Idiot! Didn't she realize that the spell had worn off? What if it had been other people around?'
Ron looked down at his hands and a smile spread across his face, just before the thoughts that had been plaguing him for the entire week returned. Ron groaned and trudged to the floor before collapsing on his bed. Ron jumped when he felt something move along his bed, but saw that it was only Scabbers, who had been frightened off when Ron had suddenly dropped himself amongst the pillows. Ron yawned and stretched but was unable to find sleep.
"Do you mind?!" Ron said indignantly as he attempted to retrieve his sketch book from Harry.
Harry whistled when he reached a certain page, "Wow, I don't blame you for fantasizing about her – look here."
Harry held the page open for everyone in the compartment to see.
Ron groaned and hit his head several times into his pillow.
'You git Harry, you made me look like a love sick puppy!'
"Do you – do you know her?" Ron asked with a note of desperation in his voice
"Her?"
"The girl I've been looking for! You know her!" Ron cried with happiness.
'No correction, I made myself look like a love sick puppy. How the hell am I going to be able to look here in eyes tomorrow? She knows – she has to know how I feel about her.'
Ron sighed and turned over to lie on his back.
"Hmmm…well alright, how bout we go to the Prefects bathroom."
"Yeah I was going to – wait! What do you mean 'we'?"
'She probably thinks I'm a bloody pervert too.'
Hermione wrapped the towel around herself and exited her private bathroom. She laughed when she realized that she was slightly disappointed that Dobby had fixed her bathroom so quickly. After all as awkward as it was to shower with Ron she felt safe with him around.
Hermione changed into her pajama's and lifted one of her books from her bedside table to read. She settled into her bed but jumped up when she felt something move underneath her. When she looked down she saw Ron's rat scuttling to the end of the bed before resting at the foot of the bed.
"Hello," Hermione laughed, "You're Ron's pet, aren't you?"
Hermione leaned over her bed and looked at the shaking little rodent.
"Sorry but you really are ugly," Hermione pushed the blankets aside and sat down on the bed, "I hope you don't make a habit out of this."
Hermione cringed, even though she knew the rat was Ron's pet she could not help feeling sick when she looked at it. She pushed these feelings aside and settled into bed.
"Goodnight little err…rat," Hermione whispered just as her room descended into darkness.
"Hey! Back off! I don't know what the hell you're bloody problem is!"
'Ugh! I pushed her! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!' Ron berated himself while hitting himself on the head.
A piercing scream suddenly caused Ron to jump up from his bed. That was her voice and he'd heard only once before.
Ron instantly threw open the door to the dorm room and sprinted up the spiral staircase. He just reached the landing to Hermione's door when it burst open and a dark figure flew towards him.
Ron grunted in pain as he was pushed against the opposite wall. An incredible pain spread through his chest and he dropped to the ground.
Hermione felt rather than saw someone else in the room with her and her eyes flew open to see a dark figure looming over her, and she saw something gleaming in the moonlight.
Hermione screamed while pushing herself away from the horrible figure. She hastily flicked her wand and the candles in her room instantly lit the room. The man looked deranged and just as horrified as she felt. He lunged at her and she screamed once more falling off the bed in the process.
The next instant he was out the door.
Hermione tried to catch her breath but before she could collect her thoughts her eyes caught sight of something just as the man's feet disappeared out the door.
"No!" Hermione said in barely a whisper hastily picking herself up from the floor and running over to Ron who was lying in a pool of blood.
"Ron!" Hermione cried leaning over him.
Ron frowned at her before he spoke.
"John? You look just like Hermione." With those words Ron collapsed into unconsciousness.
AN: Thank you for reading. I hope this chapter was enjoyable, the next chapter should be out shortly (and again I stress, I know not all H/Hr shippers are rude, so please don't bombard me with irrate emails it really depresses me).