Since Christmas break, Ron was becoming more friendly with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He always assumed Hermione to be a know-it-all, and didn't really give her a chance. He would occasionally hang out with Neville, and she would be there. With Harry, on the other hand, things started off well. They got to know each other a little on their ride here, albeit with Malfoy there too, but ever since he got sorted into Slytherin and Ron into Gryffindor, the two boys did not spend that much time together. But they had fun during Christmas break, and they became somewhat friends. They still all hung out in separate groups. Harry with Malfoy and his other Slytherin friends, Hermione with Neville, or alone, and he hung out with Dean and Seamus.

They did visit Hagrid often. Malfoy still refused to join, which was great for both him and Hermione. Not for Harry though. He couldn't understand how Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was friends with a Malfoy. Especially Draco. He is so obnoxious.

At some point during early April, they found out Hagrid acquired a dragon egg.

"I won it over from some guy at the Hog's Head," Hagrid boasted.

"But Hagrid, you know dragon eggs are a class A non-tradable material, right?" Hermione asked. Of course, Hermione would know this. Wait, Ron knew this too!

"Yeah, my brother studies dragons in Romania," said Ron. "He mentioned trading dragon eggs was illegal"

"Are you even allowed to have it on the school grounds?" Harry raised another concern, but Hagrid dismissed them all on the account of dragons being cute and harmless. Just like Fluffy.

The three realized that this will become a problem eventually. They were right. Around the end of the Easter Holidays, around late April, the egg was about to hatch. Hagrid prepared his hut accordingly. It was dark, hot, and humid. The three of them went to Hagrid's hut to watch it hatch.

Hagrid, and three of them stood around the table watching as the egg hatch. They weren't the only ones watching though. As they heard a noise from outside the hut. They rushed to the window to see who was watching them.

"Shit!" siad Ron "these were Crabbe and Goyle." He turned to Harry, "are your friends gonna tell on us?"

Harry frowned, "they're not my friends." Harry said, visibly concerned.

With Crabbe and Goyle knowing about Norbert, that's what Hagrid called the dragon, it was becoming increasingly risky to keep Norbert around.

"I can arrange for my brother to come take him to Romania. They'll take good care of Norbert there. "Ron suggested, and Hagrid seemed to not completely hate the idea, given Ron's reassurance.

Ron reached out to his brother, and arrangements were made! Some of his brother's friends will pick up Norbert Saturday of next week. He also managed to get Dean and Seamus to agree to help him. Now all that is left to do is to wait and hope Crabbe and Goyle don't snitch.

The universe had other plans, however. A few days before the day of operation Norwegian Ridgeback, Norbert bit Ron, leading to his hand getting infected.

"What do I do?" He asked panicking, holding up his hand that was getting worse and worse.

"You really should go get it checked." Hermione suggested, expressing concern.

"And tell them what?"

"Say you got it from Potions or something," Harry suggested.

"Herbology." Hermione suggested.

"What about the operation?"

"I'll go in your place," Harry volunteered.