a/n: I'd just like to remind everyone that the last two chapters were flashback chapters and this one picks up right after the events of Chapter 1.
“What do you mean you don’t know who the father is?” Ron screamed, no longer able to control his anger.
Hermione gave a stiff gasp at his outburst. She knew it was going to happen, but she still wasn’t completely ready for it. She looked to Harry with sorrow in her eyes and her tears grew heavier.
Harry was in completely shock. His face was blank, yet it also showed all the horror he felt. He couldn’t move and barely even felt his body at all now. He was so vacant that he couldn’t even prepare for what would happen next.
Ron’s anger was growing and he still didn’t know why Harry was here, until he saw Hermione’s gaze. Did she just look at him for support? Why does she want his support for something that isn’t his problem, unless...Oh My God, she slept with him! All common sense left him and he lunged forward, he fist making perfect contact with the side of Harry’s head.
Hermione jumped up screaming, trying relentlessly to pull Ron off Harry, but Ron kept punching. Harry wasn’t fighting back, he knew he deserved it and he welcomed the pain of finally paying for his misjudgment. Ron brought his arm back for another punch, not realizing that Hermione was running at him again. His elbow hit her square in the chest and she fell to the ground.
Harry’s scream ensnared Ron’s attention, jerking him out of his hostile rage. It was not a scream of pain, it was a scream of fear. Whipping around, he saw her fall and it seemed as though time stopped. Seizing her in his arms, he stroked her hair and apologized scrupulously.
“It’s ok Ron…” she said at almost a whisper.
He kissed her forehead and she smiled. “I’m sorry, for everything,” she said as another tear slid down her cheek.
Ron’s full attention was on her now and Harry was now standing and watching their embrace. She needed to talk to Ron, to explain, and she knew Harry would surely want to leave. She understood that it was in his nature to reflect alone, making him step out of his shell was what started this chaos.
She looked into his gaze and motioned for him to go with a reassuring look. As she watched him leave she placed her head on Ron’s chest and felt euphoric in his presence. He held her tight to his body and cried into her hair, “I love you Hermione.”
“I love you too,” she said with compassion, “and I’m so sorry.”
“How could you do this to me?”
“I can’t explain how it happened. It was an accident and…”
“How Hermione?” he interrupted at her rambling.
“It was the last time we broke up. I was hurting without you,” she cried, “and Harry…he was hurting too. I was there for him, and…it just happened.”
They stayed in the warmth of each other’s arms and cried. Hermione, continuously attempted to explain what had happened, and Ron pulled her tighter to his body. He would never let her go again, ever. It was his vow to himself and to her.
***
Harry walked slowly, not sure of where he was headed. He felt as though a heavy weight was placed on his chest and he couldn’t breathe. Who would ever think that one mistake could lead to so much pain?
He found himself standing in front of the Room of Requirement. He knew that he had subconsciously come here because it was the best place to be alone, but as he saw the blank wall where the door would appear, he couldn’t bring himself to call upon the room. He couldn’t return to the place it all happened. He turned and continued down the hall to the common room.
Upon opening the portrait hole, he saw her, the love of his life, a beautiful red head. He stepped into the common room and was pulled to her, as though by a magnetic force. He needed her now more than ever, but he had hurt her so much over the last year and he knew he could only hurt her more.
As if sensing his pain, Ginny took his arm, but he yanked it violently from her grasp. She followed him to his dorm, knowing he couldn’t be alone. Entering the room, she saw him ripping at the curtains of his four-poster. As he turned to toss his belongings off his side table, she noticed a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.
“Harry what happened? Who did that to you?” she said motioning to the blood on his lip.
“What does is matter Ginny? I deserved it. I deserved that and more,” he screamed at her.
Tears began to fill her eyes. I was only trying to help. What have I done wrong? Harry took no notice at her ensuing pain as he turned again to throw more of his belongings around the room. As Ginny’s heart broke at his recklessness, she became exasperated and couldn’t hold her back her pain anymore. “Harry STOP,” she cried out, “you’re scaring me!”
Ginny’s tears spilled over and she began to weep. “Please stop Harry,” she pleaded.
Startled at her scream, he turned to meet her gaze. Her watery eyes glistened with emotion and he realized the effect of how he had treated her. He had done the one thing he couldn’t bear to do again; he hurt yet another person he cared for. His body became limp once more and he fell to his bed.
A single tear slid down his cheek as she joined him on the bed. Placing her hand under his chin, she guided his eyes to meet her own. Her glance of distress stung at his heart and he hurt more as he looked deeply into her eyes. More tears formed, stinging his cheeks as they fell. Empathy taking over, Ginny put her arm around him and held him tightly.
Her warmth was calming and her sympathy was welcome. He hadn’t meant to hurt her with his anger and he knew he couldn’t hide behind his temper anymore. His body shook as he sobbed, “She’s pregnant Ginny.”
“Who’s pregnant Harry?” she asked at a whisper.
“Hermione,” he said, tears falling heavily, “and I don’t know what to do.”
“Shh...Harry, I know she’s your friend, but it’s my great git of a brother’s problem, not yours,” she said soothingly as she stroked his untidy hair.
“I’m so sorry for all I’ve done to hurt you…”
“I’ll be fine Harry, I understand…”
“…and I could never imagine that I could hurt you more…” he interrupted.
She was bewildered that he thought he might possibly hurt her any more and stared into his sorrowful eyes as he continued, “…it’s all my fault.”
“What’s your fault Harry?” she said, completely perplexed now.
“The baby,” he stammered as his tears again fell harder.
“Harry I told you, it’s Ron’s fault, and no one else’s. Don’t “,” but she was interrupted.
“No it is my fault Ginny, the baby might be mine.”
Harry’s head dropped and he stared at his bed covers. Ginny was flabbergasted. She could not believe what Harry had just told her. Her eyes grew moist again, a single tear falling to his bed, and her grip on Harry loosened.
“I’m sorry Ginny, I never meant for this to happen. I don’t even know how it happened. And I’ve regretted it everyday.”
She was silent as images of Harry and Hermione entwined, entered her head. She spoke slowly, still in obvious shock, “Harry how could you?...to Ron?...to…to ME?”
Harry placed his head on her shoulder as his body shook with intense sobs. He knew he had to tell her everything, from the beginning, as clearly as he could remember it. He cried into her robes and repeated every detail of that night. Her face grew tense as she heard of the intimate connection between one of her best friends, and her deepest love.
Tears fell from her eyes as the sharp steel blade of truth slashed at her heart. He begged her forgiveness, but she couldn’t hide the hurt she felt. Anger and rage slowly entered her mind and she couldn’t block it out, “That could have been me Harry!”
“I would never…” he cut in, but was abruptly halted.
“Harry you don’t understand. I’m not saying that I could have been the one to get pregnant, I saying that I could have been the one there for you, if you had only let me. If you hadn’t have pushed me away last year, this never would have happened. None of us would be hurt as much as we are now.
“All I ever wanted was to be there for you! I loved you and I wanted to share your burden. I didn’t want to see you in pain, but you pushed me away, and then you turned to her? I always told you I’d be there for you, but you didn’t come to me. You pushed me away even after Dumbledore told you not to.
“Why is it, that you still hold true to every word Dumbledore told you, except that? Love is the only power you have for your battle and you shared that love with…with HER,” Ginny’s voice grew louder as the images entered her psyche again.
She stood up abruptly, turning to leave the room, but something stopped her. She couldn’t will her feet to move. Standing with her back to Harry, she heard him stand and walk to her. His placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, “I’m sorry Ginny. I never meant this to happen. If I hadn’t been so stubborn and pushed you away, none of this would have happened, and I would still have your love and trust.”
She turned and looked into his eyes, so moist with tears. She knew she couldn’t thrust her anger upon him anymore. She sat back on his bed, and he followed, taking her hands in his own. She placed her forehead against his and stared into his eyes; her own eyes now as sodden and blurred as his own.
Speaking at almost a whisper she told him what he needed to hear, and what she needed to tell him so much, “Harry I love you and I always have.”
Her lips tenderly grazed his, and she spoke again, “I told you’d I’d always be there for you, no matter the situation, no matter the pain you thought I’d face if I heard what you were feeling deep inside.”
She shuddered as the sobs still shook her body, “I can’t be mad at you for what happened Harry. Intimacy is an occurrence between two people. You were not the only one that made that decision. I am upset because at why it happened. I understand she’s your best friend, but I…I was your love, and though you pushed me away, you knew deep inside I would never leave you.”
She gently kissed his lips again and as they parted he placed his head on her chest, muttering endless apologies. She held him tight and continued to stroke his head, her fingers entangled in this hair. They had a long road ahead of them, and both knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“I need you Ginny,” he said with a sniffle, “I need you in my life and I’m sorry I ever let you go…”
She didn’t need to hear the rest. She kissed him softly on the head and told him everything would be alright and she would never leave him. Drying their tears, they kissed again, and walked hand-in-hand down to the Great Hall for dinner.
a/n: Aww I know cute huh? Thanks so much to my beta for helping make more sense and for reminding me about Harry's temper. By far I have to say this has become my favorite chapter, probably because of how it ends, but I still love it none the less. =)
a/n 2: I hope no one honestly thinks that everything would be forgiven that easy. *evil smirk* Just wait...