This chapter is short compared to the others.

"Um... Harry, mate," Ron followed behind his friend in the library.

"Yeah, Ron?" Harry set his books down at a table and took a seat.

Ron sat across from him putting his bag down. "There's... uh... something I gotta tell you..."

"Okay," Harry opened one of his books and pulled a piece of parchment from his bag.

"It's sorta important," Ron sighed, "and you might hate me."

Harry set his quill down. "I'm listening."

"I-... I'm kinda... I've been seeing someone," he forced out.

"Really?" Harry lost all interest in his work. "Why would I hate you for that?"

Ron was about to tell him when Hermione sat down at their table. "Do you need help with your essays?"

"Sure, Hermione," Harry looked at her then back to Ron. "So what were you saying, mate?"

"Um..." Ron was afraid of what Hermione would say.

"You've been seeing someone?" Harry supplied.

"Yeah..."

"Really do I know her?" Hermione asked cheerfully.

Ron sank down in his chair mumbling, "yeah, you know him."

They heard him though, "oh..."

"It's Malfoy..." he said much quieter.

"WHAT?!" They both shouted.

Ron hit his head against the table. What it wouldn't give to disappear.

After realizing they had gained attention the two calmed back down. "What?" Hermione whispered.

"We've been... well, I guess, as of last night... he's my..."

"Don't finish it, Ron," Hermione sighed.

He nodded.

"Are you mental?" Harry asked. "He's... it's Malfoy."

"I know..." Ron groaned. "But... he's...- I like him," he let his head fall back against the table.

"Are you sure we're talking about the same person here?" Harry asked. "The one you gave a black eye to just yesterday."

"Yeah, him," Ron nodded. "And the black eye really wasn't my idea," he explained. "We were um... snogging and realized we were late to class..."

Hermione sighed and buried her face in her hands, "so you decided a fight would be a good cover up."

Ron watched as Harry's eyebrow twitched. "Harry, mate, you alright?"

"Just... you... Malfoy... snogging," he cringed and shook his head.

Ron laughed, "he's quite good at it."

"Ronald," Hermione scolded.

"Sorry..." Ron was still smiling.

"You're not gonna start holding hands or any nonsense like that are you?" Harry asked.

Ron shook his head, "no. As of right now the four of us are the only ones that know."

"I'm sharing a secret with Malfoy," Harry stated unhappily.

"Draco's not that bad," Ron sighed.

"Aw, Ron, you called him Draco. This must be serious," Hermione smiled.

"No, no, we are agreed, it is like," Ron stated.

"It's still weird," Harry went back to his work.

Ron smiled and nodded.

"So, how'd it start?" Hermione asked.

"What?"

"You don't just go from loathing to like overnight," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "When did all this start?"

"When we had detention together. We were cleaning the classroom and a fight started. He was calling me names and I was calling him names... then at some point we got bored with fighting... He went all quiet, then just... kissed me," Ron explained.

"That's positively repulsive," Harry shared his opinion.

"Oh, hush," Hermione waved him off. "Go on, Ron."

"I have work to do, Hermione," Ron argued.

"I'll write your essay for you," she insisted. "Now, spill."

"We've been seeing each other for a month... but have been dating since last night?" Ron more like asked than stated.

"A month? You've been keeping this a secret for a month?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

Ron nodded.

They looked up when a body walked up to their table. "Weasley," the blond sneered.

"I told them, Draco," Ron stated.

Draco's face fell slightly. He looked over at Hermione and Harry then back to Ron, "yes, well... whatever." He continued past them and sat with some other Slytherins.

Ron smiled as he watched him walk away.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"What do you expect? Him to sit with us?" Ron replied.

"No... but... he still seems rather cold, doesn't he?"

Ron looked over at Draco. The blond looked up at him, gave a small smile, and looked back at his parchment. "He's not cold at all," Ron stated.

Harry rolled his eyes, "he's a snake. They're always cold."

"You would know, you talk to them," Ron shot back.

Harry's eyes narrowed, "and you apparently sleep with them."

"Boys," Hermione interjected. "Let's not fight over this. So Ron is with Draco we can respect that, can't we Harry?"

Harry sighed, "yeah, alright."

"And, Ron, this information takes time to digest give us awhile to let it sink in, okay?" Hermione turned her attention to her redheaded friend.

"Yeah, yeah," Ron agreed. He picked up his things and shoved them over to his female friend. "You said you do my work if I told you more about my relationship."

"That you remember?" Hermione sighed, "you can't remember what page we were on yet you remember that?"

"Well, that got me out of work so naturally I remembered it," Ron smiled.

Hermione shook her head laughing and Harry chuckled along with her.