There was nothing that stopped him on his way to the hospital wing; no traps or anything. Maybe Jade didn't actually expect him to find Ron already or at all. As Harry walked towards the hospital, he passed by several Aurors and the real McGonagall conversing with one of them.

"By Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed as he walked towards her.

She just stared at him as he passed by her, but quickly caught up to him. "Mr Weasley! Is he alright? What happened?"

"He's alive, that's all I know", Harry mumbled.

In the hospital wing, he gently put Ron down on one of the beds, and slowly backed away as madam Pomfrey came rushing.

McGonagall looked at Harry in both fear and appreciation, staring at him like he would be a ticking bomb that for the moment wasn't active.

"I-I do not know how to thank you for this, mr… mr…"

"Spider-Man", said Harry before quickly jumping up to the roof, climbing his way towards the window and leaving a confused McGonagall behind.

Next day, Harry and Hermione went together to Hogsmeade during the regular Hogsmeade trip. As they walked down the snowy and busy streets holding hands, Harry told her about last night.

"You're saying professor McGonagall didn't catch us kissing in that corridor last night?" Hermione asked with raised eyebrows. "Thank God."

"Exactly. It was Malfoy, using some kind of disguise. But it didn't last long, so I had… a little chat with him."

Hermione chuckled under her breath. "Chat? As in beating him up? You didn't hurt him, did you?"

"Uh, only a little."

Hermione pushed him lightly, looking at him with a severe gaze. "Harry!"

"What? I might have scarred him for life, that's it! He was screaming and begging – you should've seen him."

"No, I really shouldn't have."

Harry frowned. "Do I really look that scary with the mask on?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the point?"

"Well you designed it, you tell me."

She sighed.

"Let's just go to Three Broomsticks, I'm freezing."

"Sure."

They entered Three Broomsticks and they quickly found an empty table.

"I'll go order for us", Hermione said as she hung her jacket on the chair.

Harry sat down and waited. He looked towards the corner of the inn, where Ginny and Dean were sitting and making out like that was more important than her brother's life. He frowned, wondering if there was something going on between Ron and her.

Lavender and the entire Weasley family had been at Hogwarts, after being worried sick about Ron's whereabouts – even Hermione had visited him multiple times even if they'd never seemed to agree with each other.

He'd thought out of everyone to worry about Ron, it would be his family, but Ginny didn't seem bothered at all.

"What are you looking at?" Hermione sat down with two mugs of butter beer. She looked over her shoulder, at Ginny and Dean before looking back at him. "I know, she haven't seen him since last night when he was out."

"I thought siblings cared for each other."

"Doesn't seem that way", said Hermione. Harry took a sip from his mug. "Or maybe she's just shaken after seeing him again."

"Maybe", Harry kept an eye at Ginny.

Hermione looked at him with a firm gaze. "Harry, I know that look when I see it. You don't need to tail everyone that act a little bit out of the ordinary."

"Yeah."

"You're not listening are you?"

"Of course I am."

"I thought this was going to be about us, not Spider-Man."

Harry quickly looked her way. "What? Yeah, no I just got distracted."

Hermione lightly rolled her eyes. "Well, be glad I didn't drag you to the place we went to for our first date. That place was dreadful."

He'd rather not remember Puddifoot's Teashop ever again, much less set his foot in there; especially not after Hermione had a heated argument with Cho Chang, Harry's old crush.

"Harry, are you alright? You're looking a bit pale", Hermione took a big quaff from her mug.

"I'm fine", Harry mumbled. "I just never want to see that place again in my life."

Hermione laughed lightly. "I think we both can agree on that."

A moment of silence followed, before Harry thought of something to say.

"So, you want something to eat?"

"Yeah, sure. Just not a lot – it's dinner soon."

As Harry went to order food, he couldn't help but overhear Malfoy's conversation with Pansy Parkinson at the table close to him.

"That freak broke my arm and gave me a bunch of bruises. If dad wasn't in Azkaban I could have the spider-freak burned out of whatever hole he hides in", said Malfoy.

"Didn't you tell professor Snape?" Pansy asked.

Malfoy scoffed loudly. "Like he can do anything about it. Besides, trying to get that damned book for professor Jade almost got me expelled. It's only thanks to him that I'm still here."

"Will that be all?" Rosmerta looked at Harry with an impatient look as more customers were lining up behind him.

"Yes, please."

Harry paid up and brought the plates to their table.

After the small meal, Harry and Hermione went to a less public place, where they sat down on a snowy rock and looking out over the surroundings. From here you could see the Shrieking Shack in the distance.

"Remember this place?" Hermione and grabbed his hand.

"Yeah", Harry grinned. "We went here on our first date – within range of the Shrieking Shack."

She smiled. "Not so very romantic, is it?"

"It have its charms to it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Hermione pulled herself up in his lap with her arms around his neck. "Well, I can find a better spot."

Harry smiled and shook his head "No need, it's perfect", he put his arms around her and was just about to move in for the kiss when a voice interrupted them.

"So here you two love-birds sit", Malfoy approached them with just Goyle at his side. "I'd say you two were as made for each other; both just as gullible and senseless. But what can you expect from mud-bloods as yourself?"

Harry sighed. "Piss off, Malfoy."

"That's not very nice is it? Not surprised, really. Mud-bloods tend to have that effect on you."

Harry had to stop the impulse to just jump at his throat and choke him out, but did so just barely.

"You wanna keep your other arm?" Harry asked angrily and Malfoy scoffed. "Then leave."

Malfoy grimaced in pain. "Keep talking, Potter."

"He's not worth it", Hermione stood up from the rock and pulled Harry with her. "Let's go somewhere else not filled with rats, Harry."

As they walked away, Harry looked over his shoulder just to see Malfoy staring after them.

AUTHORS NOTES

I just really love exploring characters, hence this chapter being seen more as filler.