Hermione flushed. "I know he cares," she murmured. And she did know that he cared. He’d snapped back at Snape on her behalf, something no one else had ever done for her when Snape made petty remarks. He’d tried to curse Draco when he’d called her mudblood, and sure it’d backfired, but it’d been charming at the time because she hadn’t realised how horrible the word was. Ron could have just let it slide, but he hadn’t.