ch 3: Old Friends and Rivalries
After Hermione's tears had subsided, the Trio took their places back on the bed. Hermione sat next to Ron with her head resting on his shoulder. Harry watched from his bed as Ron wiped a tear from the girl’s eye. I just don’t understand those two, thought Harry. They both obviously like each other. Are they that blind? I thought Hermione was clever.
“We have to stick together,” Hermione said in a shaky voice. “Remember that we have what V-Voldemort doesn’t… love.”
“That’s how we can win this war, Harry,” Ron said while looking into Hermione’s eyes. “We just have to remember what Dumbledore told us.”
Harry sat in silence as he watched his two best friends talk and laugh. He felt an empty aching feeling inside him as if something or someone was missing. It was Ginny. Only a few weeks ago they had been happily together, but that had all changed the day that Dumbledore had died. He could no longer think of her without fearing for her safety. Why do I have to be the Chosen One? Harry thought. Why can’t I be like everyone else and have a normal life, or a normal relationship? Harry was very envious of what his friends had, and what he didn’t. They had safety, love, and a loving family, while Harry had responsibility, fear, and a broken heart. How am I going to get through this war?
“Harry, are you alright?” Hermione asked, looking a little concerned.
“Yeah, fine,” Harry lied. The confusion within his head erupted once again.
You’re safe with Ginny. Love her while you still have time! Harry’s heart cried out.
What about her safety? You don’t want to lose her on top of everything else. What about Voldemort? Harry’s conscience asked.
You love her! Isn’t that enough? Who cares as long as you are both happy?
I care. I don’t want her to get hurt; not again.
“I can’t deal with this right now!” Harry suddenly burst, out loud. Ron and Hermione both looked at him in shock.
“Mate, are you okay? Who are you talking to?” Ron asked, looking a little taken back.
“No one… er let's go and see if your mum needs any help.” Harry quickly got off of his bed. He hoped that leaving Ron’s brilliantly orange room and helping Mrs. Weasley would get his mind off both Ginny and Voldemort.
Ron and Hermione both looked at each other and slowly got up off Ron’s Chudley Cannons- themed bed. They followed Harry down to the Weasley’s welcoming kitchen. Their attention was soon drawn to Mrs. Weasley’s famous clock. All the members of the Weasley family still appeared to be in mortal danger.
“You know,” started Ron, “Mum really should add you and Harry to that old clock. I mean, you two are practically family.”
“Oh don’t be silly, Ron,” Hermione said while blushing slightly. “I wouldn’t want to give your Mother anything else to do. This wedding is enough work as it is, and that’s not even counting the war that is going on.”
“Speaking of Mum, where is she?” Ron asked while looking around the empty kitchen.
“I think she’s in here,” Harry said as he pressed his ear against the door.
“So far, one hundred and fifty people are coming to the wedding,” Mrs. Weasley’s voice said. “Have you heard from anyone else, dear?”
“Yes,” started Fleur.
“Bill and Fleur aren’t even here!” Ron whispered to Harry. “They’re in France visiting Fleur’s family.”
“When were they due back?” Harry asked, but Hermione hushed them both.
“My muzzer's cousins. Ze band eez booked, ze refreshments are ordered, ze decorations will be at your 'ouse in a week...oh and Viktor Krum eez coming.”
Ron’s ears suddenly turned red at the mention of the famous Quidditch player’s name. Not only was he jealous of Krum for taking Hermione to the Yule Ball, but also for the fact that Viktor had snogged her. Ron remembered the last time he was around. It ended with Ron and Hermione in a long fight that could have destroyed their friendship. He looked over at Hermione as she talked excitedly with Harry.
“I can’t believe Viktor is coming,” Hermione mentioned as she practically jumped up and down. “He wrote me a week ago and said that he would be coming down soon. He also said that he would love to see me.” Ron clenched his fists as his ears started glowing red. “I can’t wait to see him at the wedding. We haven’t talked face-to-face in ages!”
“Yeah…that’s nice, Hermione,” Harry said as he started to notice Ron's state. He wished that Ron had missed what Hermione was saying about Krum. Ron and Hermione have come too far in the past year for Krum to show up now.
“He also told me that he would be staying for a few extra days. He said that he would take me out for lunch!”
Just then a nervous twitch started down in the pit of Harry’s stomach. He watched Ron's face turn scarlet with a mixture of jealously and rage. Uh oh, this isn’t good, Harry thought as he watched Ron suddenly start towards the stairs. Hermione suddenly became quiet as she watched Ron go.
“Ron, what has gotten into you?” Hermione asked as she followed Ron up the stairs. She placed her hand on Ron's shoulder but after a moment he shook her off. “Ron?” she asked, now looking a little hurt as Ron came to a dead stop. Harry was preparing for Ron's explosion as he walked up behind the feud.
Not again, thought Harry. The pair of them really need to get together and stop bickering!
Harry’s thoughts once again flipped to Voldemort. All he could picture was his two friends bickering behind him as he faced the Dark Lord. Then one of them would get hurt and they would never forgive themselves.
Ron sighed. “It’s fine, Hermione, I understand,” he said with his back to her. He was losing confidence in himself again.
“Understand what? Ron, look at me!” Hermione demanded as she forced Ron to face her. “What are you on about?”
“I understand why you want Vicky,” Ron said as he refused to make eye contact with her. “I mean, he’s rich, handsome, and famous! What more could a girl ask for?”
“Ron, I don’t understand. What has gotten into you?” Hermione asked, looking very confused. “Viktor and I are just friends.”
“It doesn’t sound like it,” Ron mumbled as he turned around and continued up the stairs. “I mean, you did snog him after all. That just doesn’t come out of nowhere.”
Hermione stopped and looked taken aback by Ron’s words. “How dare you!” Hermione said as they reached the first landing. “How do you know how I feel? If you knew how I felt, then you wouldn’t have any questions.”
“What am I questioning?” Ron asked while turning around and walking backwards. “All the evidence I needed I got downstairs. How stupid of me for thinking that I ever had a chance with you!“
“Evidence…what evidence?” Hermione bellowed. “How wrong is it of me to want to see an old friend?”
Harry continued to follow his two friends up the stairs but he was distant from their argument. He was too busy having an internal feud with himself.
Harry, you love her! Forget about danger! Love is stronger. His heart was telling him again.
If you love something set it free! You did the right thing, Harry,’ his conscience told him.
No, you didn’t. You're miserable, and so is Ginny. Just forget about old Voldemort and sweep the girl off her feet.
No! Are you honestly that thick? The best thing to do would be to defeat Lord Voldemort, save the Wizarding world, and then have a relationship!’
Harry’s thoughts kept fighting as he stared at her door down the corridor.
“An old friend? How about an old boyfriend?” Ron spoke through gritted teeth as he turned back around and started walking up to the second floor landing. “How could I have even imagined that I would be good enough for you, Hermione? I guess I just don’t understand you!”
“Ron, you are-" Hermione stopped as she realized what Ron was talking about and her face softened. Were her dreams coming true? Did he like her as much as she liked him?
“You know what, Hermione? I’ve waited long enough for you to get over Vicky but I guess you never will. Piss off!” Ron turned around to face her one more time. His eyes were red as he fought back tears. With that thought, Ron turned around and continued up the stairs.
“Ron!” Hermione called as she raced up the stairs. She had just realized that she had made a big mistake.
Harry studied Ginny’s door as Hermione’s footsteps faded up the stairs. He had made up his mind; he was going to talk to Ginny.
“What was that all about?” Ginny asked as Harry entered and shut the door.
“Ron and Hermione just had another row.” Harry sighed as he took a seat next to Ginny. His stomach did a flip as he looked into her brown eyes.
“They were doing so well!” Ginny said with a slight frown. Harry was both happy and yet surprised that they were still on normal speaking terms after all that had happened. “Should I dare ask what it was about this time?”
“Well,” started Harry after ripping his eyes away from Ginny, “it was something about Krum.”
“Oh, dear,” frowned Ginny. “I told Hermione that he was a very sensitive subject around my brother.”
“It wasn’t just talking about him.”
“Oh no, is he coming to the wedding?” Ginny asked, covering her mouth with her hands as Harry nodded.
“That’ll ruin my plan! Everyone knows that they like each other except for the two of them. How thick could they get?” Harry stared down into Ginny's deep brown eyes as thoughts raced through his mind.
I love her, Harry thought as those big brown eyes sunk down into his heart. Then it hit him. Ron and Hermione were right! Dumbledore had told them that love was the only power that could defeat Voldemort.Love was all he really needed. It's worth the risk, Harry thought. I can’t do this without her. I have to tell her! His heart had taken over his sense in his inward battle. He had to find away for it to work.
“Ginny, I-”
“I know; my brother is such a prat! Every time they get close to getting together, Ron says something that upsets Hermione.”
“Ginny, I really need to-”
“Then they have to start all over from square one and I have to convince Hermione that he still likes her.”
“Ginny, I’m-”
“Then he doesn’t pick up what she is hinting at and says something stup-”
“Ginny,-”
“I really just need to lock the pair of them in a room together-”
Ginny was suddenly interrupted in mid-sentence by Harry’s lips pressing against hers. It sent shockwaves down both their spines as Harry placed his hand on the side of Ginny’s chin to deepen the kiss. Harry couldn’t help himself; he loved that girl too much to be away from her. He didn’t care anymore if it put her in danger; he would protect her.
“Harry,” said Ginny in a breathless voice after they had parted. “I thought-”
“I’m sorry, Ginny. I was wrong,” Harry whispered as he pulled her close to him. “I can’t do this without you.”
“I’m glad you finally changed your mind.” Ginny smiled as she pushed a strand of Harry’s unmanageable hair out of his face. She pulled him in for another kiss and, after a few moments, they broke apart again.
“Ginny, I’m so sorry if I hurt you and I hope you understood why I did it. Voldemort comes after the ones I love and I didn’t want to lose you.” Harry and Ginny came forehead to forehead as they gazed into each other's eyes. “I love you, Ginny.”
“I love you, too. I always have.” Ginny kissed Harry gently. “But we can’t let Ron and Hermione know, at least not yet.”
“Why?” Harry asked, looking confused. “They want us back together.”
“I know, but I bet Hermione that she and Ron would be together before we would.” Ginny gave Harry a quick kiss and then said, “Well, I didn’t realize that you would be here this soon.”
“If I hadn’t come for two more weeks, I would have gone crazy with the Muggles.” Harry smirked as he took Ginny’s hand. The pair kissed passionately for a number of minutes until they heard someone run down the stairs.
“Hermione, stop,” Ron called.
“No, Ron, you’ve said enough,” they heard Hermione cry. There was suddenly a slight ‘pop’ followed by Ron kicking the wall and saying, “Damn it!”
“You better go talk to him,” Ginny whispered in Harry’s ear as they heard Ron go back up the stairs. “I’ll go find Hermione.”
*****
Dinner that evening was very quiet. Hermione had refused to come down for dinner while Ron sat and glared angrily at the wall. Harry wished that his two best friends had never fought. How can I take those two with me to defeat Voldemort if they’re not speaking? Harry thought, and was then jabbed in the ribs by Ginny.
“We have to get them to make up,” Ginny whispered in Harry’s ear.
“I don’t know if they will ever speak again, after he told her to piss off!” Harry responded as he glanced at Ron. Ron sat moodily as he pushed his mashed potatoes around his plate. He didn’t seem to have much of an appetite. "But reminde you, it was Hermione who started it. She's to blame as well."
“He didn’t!” Ginny gasped. “I’ll beat in his thick skull!” she muttered angrily, shaking her head. “They were so close! Hermiones always been really careful about saying things about Viktor around Ron. I don't understand why she would pick now, of all times, to bring him up!”
“We should get them together. I can’t take them with me if they’re not speaking to one another.”
“Well, we have two weeks until the wedding. I’ll work with Hermione and try to get her to realise that Ron is just a jealous prat. Oh, and you can try and get it through Ron's head that girls have feelings and are sensitive. He needs to get over his jealously and ask Hermione out.”
“You can try, but I don’t know how well that will work,” Harry said as he watched Ron stomp up the stairs with a sulky look on his face. It reminded Harry of Ron when he had doubted his Quidditch abilities. Harry knew that Ron needed a big boost of confidence if he was going to ask Hermione to the wedding.
Those Deep Blue Need You Eyes by Weasleyboyfreak
Chapter Notes: Hey, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me with this story. Specail thanks to Ron x Hermione and Songbook99! Thank you sooo much for all your hard work. I hope you enjoy and thank you for all the wonderful reviews. Chapter 4 will be up shortly after this one! Please R&R!! Thanks!
~Weasleyboyfreak