Mercifully, the pub was half full. There were a few of the other sixth years spread out over tables, conversing about where they would go now that they had their licenses. Hermione didn't think she could take much more of the tense silence that had enveloped her and Ron since Schilkies. Oh she could just hex Stephen! How dare he do that to poor Ron! It was partly her fault, she knew-she should have written to Stephen about how the party actually went. A few times she had even started a letter, but it was difficult to know what to say.

Dear Stephen,

The beautiful knickers you helped me pick out have still gone unseen by my best mate whom I fancy like mad, but don't worry, I kneed another bloke in the groin when he tried to cop a feel of them? Thanks so much for your help?

Ha! As if that would have gone over well. No. And now, Ron was mortified at Stephen's insinuation, that he had been taking a look at her knickers all this time. When she saw him in the side room, Ron had been wearing a similar expression to the one he wore the first time he saw her bra strap come loose at Fortescue's before third year had started. Back then, she chalked it up to Ron being, well, Ron, and unused to things that made Hermione a girl. Now she wasn't so sure. To hear Lavender talk, Ron had been receiving eyefuls of Lavender's knickers for months. Surely the embarrassment Ron was feeling back in Schilkies had to do with him seeing Hermione's knickers.

There was a dull ache in her chest at the thought. Some moments, she could almost convince herself that Ron had feelings for her. Most of the time, she knew that he only held platonic ones. It was as if Harry had been the one to see her knickers. Not as awkward, because she figured Harry would just shrug it off, but still. Ron was her best mate. No matter how much she yearned for him, it didn't appear as though it would happen.

She sighed as she led the way to their usual table. Ron sat down without preamble, and began staring at the wood.

'Butterbeer?' she asked him, hesitating to sit down. He glanced up at her, as though surprised at where he found himself.

'Er yeah,' he said slowly. She turned to walk away, but he called out after her.

'Wait!' Ron stood up, shaking his head like a dog. 'It's my shout.'

Hermione stared at him, surprised. 'It's okay, I don't mind-' she began, but Ron cut her off.

'Nah, you just got your license. I got these.'

Hermione stared at him for a minute, noticing that the tips of his ears were still glowing red with embarrassment. She should offer again, knowing how precious every galleon was to Ron, whereas she still had plenty. But he seemed insistent, and it was rather unusual of him to offer.

'Thanks Ron,' she said instead. He gave her a small smile and strode off in the direction of the bar. Hermione felt the dull ache lessen in her centre. It was rather sweet of him, she thought as she sat down, unwinding her scarf. Her eyes followed his back as he made his way up to the bar. He glanced around, looking for Rosmerta.

Ah, Rosmerta.

The brief interlude of sweetness dropped. Of course he just wanted to take a look at the buxom barmaid. How silly of her to think his gesture had anything else but wanting to see the woman he so obviously fancied.

Her cheeks burned and she forced herself to look at the table.

'You think you're pretty suave, don't you?'

Hermione looked up at the sound of the voice, surprised to see Padma Patil glaring daggers at her from the table next to theirs.

'Sorry?' she replied, sure she must have misunderstood.

'Getting someone else's boyfriend to buy you a drink? Really classy, Hermione,' Padma spat at her, her brown eyes filling with disdain.

Hermione felt rage and shame rise to her cheeks in equal measure.

'It's not like that,' she told Padma, trying to keep her voice as even as possible. 'I offered to get the drinks first. It has absolutely nothing-'

'Whatever you say, Granger,' Padma said, as she rolled her eyes and turned deliberately away from her.

Hermione sighed once more, and put her face in her hands. Another thing to add to the ever-growing list of grievances Lavender seemed to hold against her. Tonight in the dorms was certainly going to be a fun one. Perhaps she should kip in the common room again, although now that she and Ron were speaking again, this was proving more difficult to hide from him and Harry.

She was so wrapped up in these melancholy thoughts, that she didn't notice the figure coming to sit beside Padma until they spoke to her.

'Alright there, Hermione?' Terry's voice was much softer than Padma's. She looked up at him in surprise.

'Oh,' she said, 'yes, I'm fine.'

'Not upset about the exam, are you?' Terry asked, concerned. 'You passed brilliantly.'

Hermione shook her head, and tried to ignore the blush creeping up her chest at the compliment.

'No, I-'

'Do you need a drink?' Terry interrupted, his dark eyes concerned. 'Let me go and grab you-'

'Don't bother darling,' drawled Padma, reaching her hands out for one of the mugs Terry had placed gently on the table. 'Weasley's already taking good care of her.'

Both Terry and Hermione looked away from each other. Hermione wanted to reiterate that there was absolutely nothing happening between her and Ron, but wasn't quite sure how.

'Right. I'll leave you to it then,' Terry said quietly. His chair scraped against the floor as he sat next to Padma. Hermione watched as Padma leaned in towards him and put her hand on his thigh.

She wondered what it would feel like to do that with someone. It had always struck her as a very brave thing to do, a complete declaration of intimacy. She never really had anyone to be intimate with. Just two stubborn boys, one she was desperately in love with and the other she was fighting to save with all her might. Small wonder then that most of her time was spent in the library, trying to find anything that might help Harry in the future, rather than curling up in armchairs with available men.

'Cheers,' Ron said, clinking his mug against hers as he set them down and slid back into his seat across from her. Hermione looked at him. His ears had toned down, and he was at least willing to look closer to her face now.

'Thank you,' Hermione said, realizing she had the perfect opportunity to prove Padma wrong and hopefully keep this from getting back to Lavender. 'I wasn't expecting you to buy my drink for me-'

'It's not like I can't afford to buy my friends a drink once in a while,' Ron huffed at her. She looked back at him and saw that she had offended him.

'No,' she said quickly, hoping to rectify her mistake, 'that's not what I meant.'

'Whatever,' he grumbled, as he took a deep gulp from his mug.

Hermione felt them sink back into uncomfortable silence as she took a sip from her own. Though the Butterbeer warmed her, she felt chilled at how badly today was going. She couldn't deny that she'd been excited to spend the afternoon with Ron, let alone that they would have a moment of celebration. But she hadn't thought that Ron wouldn't pass his test. She struggled for a moment, trying to think of a neutral topic for them to discuss.

'How do you suppose Harry's doing?'

Ron looked up from his mug at her. Was it her imagination, or did he look mildly put out by her bringing up Harry?

'Probably thinking that making a good potion will be the way to butter up Slughorn,' Ron shrugged as he took another sip.

'You don't think it will help?' Hermione asked him.

'Nah, Slughorn's on guard in class now. Harry needs to do something unexpected to try and get the memory from him.'

Hermione looked at Ron, impressed. That was a really smart idea.

'He really should be asking for your help,' she told him. Ron's ears turned a bit red, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

'He'll figure it out. Harry's never one for going with what you tell him to do.'

Hermione snorted into her Butterbeer, causing a bit of foam to enter her nose. She surreptitiously tried to wipe it away, but she noticed Ron laughing at her. Normally even the idea of someone laughing at her embarrassment would have her hackles raised, but with Ron it was good-natured.

'I forgot how funny you are,' said Hermione, as she put her mug down. This was true. Her long nights spent alone in the library were silent and lacked the joy that Ron brought to all things. It made her miss him even more.

Ron gave a grateful smile, and was about to say something, when Professor Twycroft came sweeping into the pub. He made a beeline for their table.

'Ah, Miss Granger, celebrating already, I can see!' Hermione gave a polite nod, and hoped that this might deter the professor from continuing the conversation. No such luck. 'Do you know, it was most interesting what you were saying about the laws regarding Magical Transportation. You have an incredible understanding for someone so young. Are you hoping to pursue a career in that department?'

Twycroft was looking at her eagerly. She'd noticed Ron turn away from the pair and begin drinking his butterbeer sullenly.

'No, sir, just doing some background research.'

'My word, even better!' Twycroft cried. 'A student who loves learning! How rare nowadays.'

Hermione didn't have the heart to tell him that she actually wanted to know the legality of being able to apparate into Harry's bedroom at Privet Drive should the need arise this summer. Merlin knew that she was spending a great deal of time preparing for the next few months, given how much Dumbledore was teaching him. Each new piece of information that Harry supplied to her and Ron meant hours of additional research in the library in the hopes that it would help them.

'Thank you,' she murmured softly, gaze darting back to Ron who still wouldn't look her in the eye.

'Truly my dear, it has been an absolute pleasure working with you this past year. Talent like yours doesn't come around all that often!'

'Professor Twycroft, I-'

'Please be on the lookout for my owl, Miss Granger! There are many things we'll need to discuss!'

With a wave, he was gone, leaving a confused Hermione in his wake. She chanced another glance over at Ron, only to see his lips pressed together as though trying to hold in his laughter.

'What?' she told him.

'Things you'll need to discuss? How many children you'll be having?' replied Ron, a smirk playing on his face.

'Oh shut up.'

'Let's go,' Padma announced loudly from the table beside them. 'I'd rather leave before Twycroft comes back and starts blessing Granger further.' Hermione looked over at them. Terry was gone.

'Yes,' added Lena Fitzhelder, a fellow Ravenclaw. 'Like she needs her ego inflated any more than it already is.'

Hermione blushed, and took another swig of her butterbeer, trying to ignore the stinging comments. The scraping of the chairs as they exited grated on her already stretched nerves. She hadn't anticipated Lavender having so much sway over the general Hogwarts population. Despite not doing anything untoward, Hermione had plenty of girls eyeing her with disgust the past few weeks.

'Do you think he's married?' Ron interrupted her personal pity party. It was clear he had not been paying attention to what was being said around them.

'Who, Twycroft?' Hermione asked. She pondered this for a moment. 'Probably. It's pretty rare to see wizards who aren't.'

'Blimey. That woman must be a saint. Imagine being so passionate about apparition.' He shivered at the thought.

'Yes,' Hermione continued. 'Almost like Quidditch.'

'That's entirely different,' Ron countered. 'Quidditch is a team event.'

'Whatever you say.' Hermione took another sip of her Butterbeer and watched Ron smile over his.

'Someday I'm going to make you understand the importance of the game.'

'Like I've imparted my wisdom on starting your homework early?' She smirked.

'Come on, once we leave Hogwarts there won't be any homework for me to do! Quidditch is for life!'

His eyes were bright and he was grinning as though he'd won the argument. Hermione felt her breath catch as she looked at him. The words died on her lips as she watched him. As he looked at her, his face suddenly changed, becoming a bit more concerned.

'Hermione, are you-?'

'So are the rumors true, Weasel-bee?' Came the sneering voice of Blaise Zabini. He had sauntered in to the pub with Nott and Parkinson and had made his way over to him. 'You didn't pass because of an eyebrow?'

Ron's face turned bright red once more, and Hermione saw him reach up and try to hide the evidence.

Zabini noticed and laughed cruelly. 'What else can you expect? Can't catch the Quaffle, can't apparate without losing something. It's a wonder you can see past your own large feet, Weasley.' Nott and Pansy laughed along with him.

Hermione felt a boiling rage erupt inside of her. It was one thing for people to make rude comments to her, but to aim them at Ron? That was another matter entirely.

'Speaking of rumors,' she said, staring Blaise right in his smug face. His dark eyes were angry as they took her in. 'I've heard a very interesting one about your mother. Tell me, is it true that she left your father because he couldn't…perform?'

Ron's mouth dropped open in surprise. Nott cracked his knuckles beside Blaise, whose eyes had narrowed with rage.

'Why you little-'

'Like father like son, I suppose,' Hermione shrugged, taking a sip of her butterbeer. 'If certain girls toilet graffiti is to be believed.'

Pansy barked out a laugh, which was quickly silenced by a look from Blaise. He glared once more at Hermione before turning away with a vicious sweep of his expensive looking cloak. The three of them vanished towards the bar. Hermione exhaled, glad to have gotten rid of the foul Slytherins.

'What got into you?' Ron asked. Hermione looked up to see him staring at her, eyebrows raised but looking impressed.

'He had no right to talk to you like that,' Hermione told him. 'You're an excellent Keeper, and let's not forget that Blaise lost his foot last week trying to get into the hoop.'

Ron nodded. She was glad she seemed to have made him forget about his earlier embarrassment.

'Is there really graffiti about him?' He asked, drumming his fingers on the table. Hermione looked over to where the three Slytherins were now sitting, heads together and glaring over at her periodically. She shook her head conspiratorially.

'So you just made that up?' Hermione nodded, taking another sip. Ron leaned back in his chair.

'Merlin you're brilliant.' He said it as though it were nothing more than describing the weather. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat.

'Thank you,' she muttered.

'Remind me not to get on your bad side,' Ron muttered to himself, pulling his tankard towards him.

They sat in relative silence for a bit. Hermione was feeling ready to head back up to the castle. She wanted to know how Potions had gone for Harry. It was driving her mental that she wasn't able to figure out much about Horcruxes quite yet. Ron drank the last of his Butterbeer and put it back down on the table.

'I'm just gonna run to the loo. Then we'll head back?'

Hermione nodded. She watched him as he got up and walked towards the other side of the pub. Not a moment after he vanished from sight, Blaise slid into Ron's previously occupied seat.

'Think you're pretty clever, don't you, Mudblood?' Hermione had had this word thrown at her too many times now for it to make much of an impact.

'That's what they tell me, yes.' He narrowed his eyes at her and placed his palms on the table in an effort to threaten her. Hermione could smell the butterbeer on his breath.

'You'd better watch yourself. Potter and Weasley can't protect you all the time.' Hermione laughed in Blaise's face.

'What are you going to do, Zabini? Curse me? Last time I checked you didn't pass your OWLS for charms or Defence, so pardon me if I don't seem that worried.'

He sneered at her once more, and leaned in so that their faces were nearly touching.

'Just you wait, Granger. Winds of change are coming, and you've got a target on your back.' There was such venom in his words Hermione was surprised she wasn't poisoned by his spittle. Rather than give him any satisfaction, Hermione stared defiantly back at him.

'Oh, I'm positively quaking with fear.' For a long moment, they watched each other through narrow eyes. Hermione kept her hand on her wand hidden in her sleeve.

'Problem, Zabini?' Ron's voice broke through their stare. His arms were crossed in front of his chest as he stared down at Zabini. The scars on his forearms were glowing against his clenched fists.

'Not at all. Just reminding your little pet here of her place.' He slithered out of the chair as Hermione grabbed Ron's wrist. He'd already gone for his wand.

'See you around,' Blaise hissed at her, before stalking back towards his posse.

Ron rounded on her, blocking her view of the Slytherins.

'What did he do to you?'

'Nothing I couldn't handle,' Hermione told him, grabbing their tankards and making her way towards the bar. It didn't escape her notice that Ron was now keeping himself between her and Zabini. His eyes kept darting between them.

'Maybe you shouldn't have provoked him,' Ron muttered as they left the pub and went back into the cool spring air. 'I don't like the way he was looking at you.' Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes with great difficulty.

'I told you, I can handle it, Ron.'

'I know that,' Ron said, shoving his hands into his pockets as they walked down the main street. 'But you're already in more danger than Harry and me and-'Hermione rounded on him, sick of feeling like she couldn't protect herself. She was good at magic after all!

Stopping in the middle of the street, she rounded on him.

'Why? Because I'm a girl? Or because I'm muggleborn? Both reasons are absolute toss. I've been protecting myself for years, Ron.'

'I just don't want to see you hurt.' He toed the ground with his trainer. Hermione wasn't sure how to respond to that.

They walked along in silence for a bit. 'Just promise me you'll be careful?'

She looked at him, trying to keep up with his long strides.

'Sure, Ron. I'll be careful.' He smiled at her, and it made her centre melt a little bit.

By the time they got back to the castle, Ron seemed to be feeling marginally more cheerful. This dissipated quickly as they rounded a corner and three first years caught sight of Ron's eyebrow. Through their giggles, Ron turned red and brought his hand up to feel the damage once more.

'I can fix it for you, if you'd like?' Hermione asked him quietly as they made their way up another staircase. Ron gave her a look.

'I know how to fix my own eyebrow,' he sulked. 'I don't need you to do everything for me.'

Hermione bit her tongue to keep from retorting.

'See you in the common room,' Ron told her as they reached the corridor towards the common room. He went off in the direction of the boys' lavatory as Hermione shook her head and made her way into Gryffindor Tower.

…

She was able to share a brief moment with Harry for her own triumph. After that, most of Hermione's evening was spent trying to bolster Ron's confidence. It was made easier by having Harry insult Professor Twycroft as well. (And really, Twycroft should have given Ron his license; Hermione had half a mind to write to the Ministry in complaint.) She was so focused on trying to keep Ron's spirits up through dinner and on the walk back to the tower that it wasn't until she found herself in the boys' room that she remembered that she hadn't been in here for ages. Not since Ron and Lavender had started seeing each other at least.

Ron's bed was still dishevelled, as though he couldn't be bothered to smooth out the sheets or fluff his pillows into a more normal shape. His trunk was open at the foot of his four-poster, socks and robes spilling out of it. Hermione resisted the urge to tidy it up a bit. Harry's bed was marginally better, as he at least attempted to make his sheets look neat. Still as he went to grab the Invisibility Cloak, Hermione had to shake her head at the detritus that formed around Harry's trunk. Boys, she thought to herself. Her own trunk was neatly organized, sheets tightly pressed into the mattress. Granted, she often wasn't sleeping in her room, so that did help with the mess.

They talked through Harry taking the potion, Ron reliving the moment he thought he'd taken Felix. Hermione resisted the urge to berate him, knowing it would do no good. Better not to bring up those memories again. She wasn't entirely certain Ron had fully forgiven her for not believing in his Quidditch abilities.

Having swallowed the potion, Harry began to act strangely. Hermione became concerned for his wellbeing. How could they be certain that Slughorn had brewed the potion correctly? What if they were sending Harry out on a dangerous task? Her heart rate increased just thinking about it. Godric forbid that Harry ended up poisoned. She knew from Ron's near death that their Potions Master was basically useless.

She chanced a glance at Ron at the thought. He was looking at Harry with concern, arms crossed in front of his chest. Thank Merlin Harry had shoved that bezoar down Ron's throat. The knowledge that Ron had been inches from death sent ice into her core, even now. And to think, he might have died thinking that she wanted nothing to do with him. Instinctively she stepped closer towards him, trying to feel some of his warmth.

Either oblivious or ignorant of Ron and Hermione's concern, Harry jauntily made his way down the staircase. They shared a look between them in the boys' room before following him down the stairs. The second she couldn't hear Harry's footsteps on the steps, she followed down after Ron. The door was still open. The common room was still rather full. She just had time to catch Lavender's shocked expression where she sat painting her nails with Parvati before it turned to pure hatred.

Hermione felt panic rise in her throat. It looked like she had just emerged from the boys room with Ron. Harry was invisible. Lavender was jumping to the worst possible conclusion. How stupid of her not to have thought about the logistics of leaving the dorm!

If Hermione was one for vulgar language, now would definitely be the moment to use it.