Ron's Underpants

Ginny was getting worried. She had not seen Hermione in three days. Hermione refused to sit at the Gryffindor table for meals: she preferred to sit on her own at the Quidditch fields. Occasionally Draco would join her, but only when he managed to slip away from his 'fan club'.

Ginny had tried the library, but hadn't much luck as Hermione had begun going during her free lessons which Ginny, being in the previous year, was not in receipt of.

One evening Hermione returned earlier than usual from the Slytherin common rooms.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly. Then she noticed the tears running down her face.

"Oh Hermione, what's Draco done?"

"Nothing, it was your bloody brother!" she cried.

"Who? Ron? Ron did this? I swear I'll kick his arse! What exactly did he do?"

Hermione raised a feeble smile, momentarily forgetting her anger at Ginny for her part in Harry and Ron's conspiracy.

"You know I'd rather not talk about it."

With that Hermione departed for her dormitory.

Moments later Ron burst through the portrait and into the common room.

"Where is she?" He bellowed, his face flaming and his nose bleeding.

Realising that something had gone down between Ron and Draco Ginny did the smart thing and played dumb.

"Where is who?" she enquired, in an offhand manner.

"Hermione," yelled Ron, "Where is Hermione?"

"Oh, Hermione, haven't seen her in days!"

"Ginny don't play dumb with me!" Ron roared at the top of his voice.

The portrait opened once more and Harry stumbled through.

"Don't tell him Ginny!" he yelled. He looked flushed and was rather out of breath.

He turned to Ron.

"Right mate, tell us what's going on and Ginny will get Hermione, otherwise you can stand out here fuming all night!"

Ron looked livid but complied.

"I met her and Malfoy on the Quidditch field in a rather, um, awkward position." He began, "They must've seen me because they extracted themselves from each other and Malfoy began insulting me. I was about to leave when..." he trailed of and Ginny gave him a hug.

"Come on, you can tell us!"

"Well, he was insulting mum, which got me really angry, then she..."

"You mean Hermione?"

"Yeah, Hermione, called me 'Weasel'!" He burst into tears.

Ginny, who hadn't seen her older brother cry since Fred and George stuck a tarantula in his bed, looked shocked.

"Oh!" She uttered, "You know, I think it'd be better if both of you calmed down a bit!" She said but Ron looked towards the stairs to the girls dorms.

"Ron you don't want Hermione to see you crying, do you?" asked Harry wisely.

Ron shook his head.

"Ron, you saw what Malfoy did to me! May be I should have a word with Hermione before you do anything rash!" Ginny added.

Again Ron nodded, but Harry looked quizzical.

"What exactly happened between you and Malfoy?"

"I don't know if I can really tell you that." She said and headed towards the girls dorms.

--*--

Meanwhile, back in the Slytherin common room, things couldn't have been more celebratory.

"And she really called him 'Weasel'?" Pansy giggled clinging to Draco like leech.

Draco smiled, while secretly all he wanted to do was push Pansy off and go for a lie down.

"Yes," he said in his silky fashion, "Right to his face."

He rubbed his cheek where Ron had punched it.

"She's coming along quite nicely." He smirked.

"Is it true Ron actually caught you doing, well you know!?" asked Blaise.

"Yes. Now Pansy, if you don't mind, I'd like to go lie down!" and with that he slipped away into his room leaving the Slytherins having something of a celebration party.