Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship - never.*
Disclaimer: *does not own Harry Potter*
10. What Must Be Left Behind
Harry turned the corner and spotted Ron in quiet conversation with Seamus Finnegan. He made his way swiftly over in an attempt to catch Ron and force him to hear him out, but just as Harry reached the place where he was standing, Ron made an excuse and slipped away. Harry sighed. It had been happening all week. If only Ron would hear me out, he thought exasperatedly, then maybe I’d actually be able to explain what happened. But it’s his damn pride and jealousy all over again.
Harry sighed again and walked over to the Great Hall for lunch. After quickly surveying the Gryffindor table, he noticed Ginny sitting on the far side, and went to sit down next to her.
“Ron’s still not listening to me,” he groaned, reaching for the Shepherd’s Pie.
“That’s my brother for you,” she replied. “Stubborn as a mule. Still, at least this shows how much he likes Hermione. She must be just slightly happy about how he’s reacting.”
“I dunno.” Harry shrugged. “Maybe. I just got the impression she was annoyed and upset.”
“Why do you think she’s upset? Because she thought they were getting somewhere, and now he’s gone and made a big fuss about this. It’s crushing for her,” Ginny explained.
Harry nodded, his mouth full. Swallowing, he said, “Well, whatever the perks, I think I’d rather just have Ron speaking to me again.”
“Give him time,” Ginny insisted. “But since there’s nothing we can do right now, maybe we can take advantage of his not being here…fancy a walk?”
Harry grinned and took her outstretched hand, leaving a sizeable amount of Shepherd’s Pie on his abandoned plate.
*
A while later, Harry was sitting by the lake, his back against a tree and an arm around Ginny’s waist. Staring out across the waters, his mind began to wander back to the prophecy. He knew he couldn’t stay at Hogwarts much longer. Hiding won’t make Voldemort go away. I can’t just sit tight and hope he doesn’t come for me. I know Dumbledore intended for me to kill him, and so I will. It’s just not right to be here anymore. But how do I tell Ginny?
“What is it?” asked Ginny as Harry turned to face her, his expression determined yet solemn.
“Ginny, I need to talk to you about…you know, what I mentioned last year. About not coming back to school. Well, I think I’m going to have…to have to go,” Harry forced out, adamant that he would tell Ginny what he was planning to do.
Her face looked pained for a moment, before it melted in to a look of understanding. She smiled up at Harry, her eyes glossing over slightly as tears began to form. “I somehow knew this wasn’t permanent. I knew that at some point you’d decide it was time to go. It’s just the sort of person you are. You’re Harry Potter “ it’s just what you do,” she laughed, tears spilling over despite her efforts to keep them back. Harry pulled her into a hug, his heart beating at double its ordinary rate.
“The Boy Who Lived. The Chosen One. Your place is out there,” she stated, sliding out of his arms and gesturing into the distance, “hunting down Voldemort. Not here with me. I’ve known that since the start of this year, but I’ve just been selfish, telling myself it’s what you want, not what you need, that matters. Then I realised that hunting Voldemort was what you wanted, and the only reason you weren’t out there doing it was because I wanted you here. But now, Harry, it’s different. I want you to go, because that’s what you do. What you have to do.”
Harry looked into her eyes and smiled sadly. “Thank you,” he whispered, before getting up and walking towards the castle, knowing that there was no going back this time. He felt as though his conscience was clearer, that he had finally stopped ignoring the voice that had been constantly reminding him of his responsibility to the Wizarding World.
His decision was made. And Ginny was left, tears falling in a continual stream from her eyes, with nobody but the wind to tell her she had done the right thing.
*
Harry hurried inside, his head bent so that he wouldn’t attract any unwanted attention. Heart still pounding, he knew what he had to do next, no matter how difficult it would be. Nothing would measure up to what he had already been through that day.
“Ron!” he called across the Common Room as he clambered through the portrait hole. Ron looked up briefly, but his gaze fell again once he registered who it was.
“Honestly! Stop being such an idiot!” Harry said, marching up to where Ron was stood. “Look, we need to talk.”
“Whatever you need to say, you can say it here,” replied Ron grumpily.
“Fine,” agreed Harry. “First of all, there’s nothing going on between Hermione and me.”
Ron’s head jerked up, his expression clearly disbelieving. “Yeah, like I’m going to believe that. I saw you two together. Now, if that’s it “ ”
“No, I’m not finished!” interrupted Harry irritably. “Nothing happened. She was just comforting me. I’ve “ I’ve been feeling…weird recently.”
Ron still looked sceptical. “Look, we’re friends, Ron. Nothing more. Come on, Hermione’s been really upset,” reasoned Harry.
Ron still remained as stubborn as ever. Finally, the words Harry had been trying to suppress all week burst from his mouth. “Ron, nothing could possibly happen between us because she obviously has feelings for you!”
Ron’s ears turned a brilliant red at these words. He stared up at Harry as if hardly daring to believe what he thought he’d just heard. “Well…if you give me your word. I mean it, Harry. I don’t want to feel like an idiot around you two. So if there is anything going on, just tell me,” responded Ron after a long pause, his face a little flushed.
“Don’t worry,” Harry laughed gently. “You have my word.”
They grinned at each other, happy to be on speaking terms again. “So, you said that was only the first thing. What else have you got to say?”
Harry felt a lump rise in his throat. What was he supposed to say? Oh, sorry, I’ve just broken your little sister’s heart again? He wasn’t sure that Ron would take too kindly to the news, particularly with their current fragile friendship. Confused and worried, Harry simply said, “We’ll need to find Hermione first - I want to tell her too. Where is she?”
“Over there,” Ron answered, pointing in the direction of the tables nearest the window. He blushed slightly as she looked over at them, and Harry grinned. They began to make their way towards her, when the bell rang for the end of lunch.
As soon as they were in earshot, Hermione said, “Oh, you two, you’ve made up again! I can finally talk to you again, Ron! It’s been so awful not speaking to you.” She beamed.
Ron’s ears turned red again. “Well, we’d better go to Charms!” he said cheerily.
*
After the meal that evening, the three of them traipsed back upstairs to the Common Room and sank gratefully into the armchairs by the fire. Harry stared into the flames, trying to summon the best way of telling Ron and Hermione. After a few silent minutes, Ron took the matter out of Harry’s hands.
“So, what did you want to tell us, Harry?” he asked.
Harry paused apprehensively for a moment, before deciding to simply tell them. “I think I should leave Hogwarts. I’ve…come to realise that I can’t go on like this. I need to finish Dumbledore’s work. I need to be out there; fighting Voldemort.”
Hermione sighed. “I knew that’s what you meant the other day; that you wanted to leave and find the Horcruxes. Well, it’s going to be difficult leaving this place.” Her eyes swept over the furniture, walls and ceiling.
“Yeah, it is. But we’ll definitely still be coming with you,” reassured Ron. “We wouldn’t dream of staying here without you.”
Harry nodded, and then smiled at them both. “Thank you. It’ll make it a lot more bearable, I know. But, there is, of course, one unavoidable effect.” He swallowed hard. “I had to break up with Ginny.”
”You “ you what?!” started Ron, but Hermione gave him a piercing look and he relented. “Right. Yeah, I understand, mate,” Ron continued, “and so does she. She knows you. She knows why you have to do this.”
“So, when are we leaving?” asked Hermione.
“Tonight,” Harry stated firmly. “All I need to do is tell one of the teachers. McGonagall, probably. And we’ll have to hand in our badges,” he added, looking at Hermione.
“I suppose,” she said, with a hint of sadness. Hermione and Harry both carefully unclipped their badges and lay them on the table.
They all sat there for a moment, gazing at the four colours on the crest that was printed on the badge. Finally, Harry heaved himself up from his chair, and the others followed suit. Hermione scooped the badges up off the table and followed the boys out of the portrait hole and to Professor McGonagall’s office.
When they arrived outside her door, they took a collective deep breath, and entered.
“Well hello, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger,” greeted Professor McGonagall. “What can I do for you?”
Deciding that there was no point in beating about the bush, Hermione laid the badges on her desk. “We have to leave, Professor. It’s just something we have to do. Harry thinks “ we all think “ that it would be what Professor Dumbledore wanted.”
“Yes, Professor, we think we need to go out there, and try to end this war. Dumbledore told Harry some really important stuff, and we need to use that to try to bring peace to the Wizarding World,” Ron added.
Professor McGonagall’s expression displayed her surprise impeccably. She looked as though she was about to protest, but Harry cut in before she could say anything. “You know we have to do this,” he reasoned.
“Very well, very well. I know Albus told you something crucial, Harry, so if this is what you must do, then I cannot stop you,” she finally agreed. “I hardly need to say that you will all be…sorely missed.” She picked up the badges, running a finger over them and smiling. “I guess I’ll have to find new people to wear these!” she laughed.
Harry could see her smiling, but he could sense that her eyes were moister than they had originally been, so he decided to speed up their departure. Seeing her cry would be very uncomfortable indeed.
“Well, thank you, Professor, and goodbye,” Harry said gently.
“Yes, goodbye Professor,” Hermione said, disappearing out of the door.
“Bye, Professor McGonagall.” said Ron, following her out.
“Good luck, Harry,” McGonagall said kindly as Harry walked towards the exit. He smiled appreciatively at her, before closing the door, not just to her office, but on their lives at Hogwarts forever.
*Charles Caleb Colton