Apparently, seeing Draco and Hermione kiss was a step too far. The breaking point, if you will, of Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley. As everyone filed along to their classes, Ron snapped and roared, lunging in rage at his intended victim. 

But it was not, however, Draco.

No...instead, Ron lunged at a particular bushy haired girl. 

Hermione screamed as Ron tackled her to the ground and slammed his fist into her face. She tried her best to hold him at bay as her mind raced for a spell she could use against him. But his surprise attack had caught her off guard. She struggled against him.

"Ron!" she yelled, trying to fight him off. "Stop it!"

"You're my girlfriend!" he roared. "MINE!" He slammed her against the stone floor and Hermione yelped as her head smacked against the hard ground.

"NO I'M NOT!" she yelled back. He yelled in fury and grabbed at her, tearing at her robes.

"STUPEFY!" a voice snapped and Ron flew off her and slammed into the wall before collapsing on the ground. Hermione scrambled to her feet, only to trip on her ripped robe. She fell forward into strong arms that felt oddly familiar.

"Draco," she whispered in relief. In the mince of all the madness, she discovered a shocking thought. She would rather- much, much rather, be in the arms of Draco Malfoy than be within twenty feet of Ron Weasley. My, how her world had flipped.

 "Are you alright?" Draco urged, his voice more worried than she had ever heard it before. He looked her up and down, his hand brushing her cheek. "You're bleeding." he said in alarm. Hermione touched her nose, where Ron had struck her. Sure enough, her fingers came away coated in red. 

"I'm okay." she insisted. Draco's face clearly read that he didn't believe her.

"POTTER." he yelled out. And then Harry was there, looking at the scene with wide eyes. "Take Hermione to the infirmary- I've got some unfinished business here." Hermione gasped.

"Draco no! You can't just hurt him!" He locked eyes with her.

"I warned him, and yet, he still hurt you. What he gets is his own fault."

******

"Harry," Hermione began as they walked away fro the infirmary, not sure how she wanted to ask this. 

"Yes?" he replied.

"You're good at giving advice,"

"Uh, sure, if you say so." Hermione rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"What do you think I should do? About Draco and Ron?"

"Well...." Harry frowned, thinking. "Ron, he's... He's not in a very good place; we both know that. And I haven't the slightest idea how to get him out of it. But Draco... I see what you mean about how he's changed, Mione, I really do, but at the same time, he's still Draco Malfoy. Both in the past and now, one of them has been cruel and the other kind. I think it depends on if they're going to switch again or not. If they don't, and even if they do.... Well, I'd say you should go with whoever makes you happiest, whether I approve or not."

Hermione pondered his words.

"Then that brings up the other matter. No matter who I choose, the other one will rebel. I can't win!" Harry fell silent for a minute.

"Well, maybe they'll find a way to set aside their fight," He guessed. "Or we'll find a way to make them stop. You're the smartest person I know, Mione. If anyone can figure out a way to stop them from killing each other, it's you." Hermione sighed.

"Maybe I should just take a step back from all of this."

"Whatever you think is best."