Harry Potter and the Dawn of a New Age

Harry Potter and the Dawn of a New Age (8)

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Chapter Eight: Easier to Hide

"Hey Ron, could you pass me those hen's teeth?"

"Sure, here you go, Hermione. I don't need them back, I know how much you hate to give anything up."

Hermione put the required amount of hen's teeth into her camouflage potion and then slammed the velvet bag down on the table.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Ron? You've been acting weird for over a week now and I'd like to know why. Don't make me kick your ass in front of everyone."

Suddenly a shadow cast itself over their table and the laughter around them caused by Hermione's outburst died off entirely. The unmistakable mold and chemical smell of Professor Snape washed over them.

"Miss Granger, I would appreciate it if you didn't throw your potion ingredients about. Hen's teeth are, as I'm sure even a Muggleborn like yourself knows, quite rare. I would also request that you keep your sordid love life a matter for outside class. Thirdly, if you so much as swat Mr. Weasley on the arm I will place the both of you in detention and force the both of you to bare knuckle box in front of the entire school. So, that's fifty points for mistreating school property, fifty points for discussing personal matters during class time, fifty points for threatening a fellow class mate, and another twenty for whatever Mr. Weasley did to cause such an outburst. Now, if you would return to your work...silently."

Snape then turned on his heel and swept back to the front of the class. The only sound that could be heard was Draco laughing, a sound that Snape didn't seem to pick up on.

When class was over, Ron grabbed up his stuff in an untidy bundle and ran out first. Gathering up their supplies in a more orderly fashion, Harry and Hermione walked out of the classroom before she spun around and backed him into a wall.

"Ok, Harry, what's wrong with Ron? He's been acting strange around me since that night we were studying together. Since then he's been avoiding me, and when he does say something it's filled with innuendo. I know that when he's pissed at you he talks to me, and when he's pissed at me he talks to you, so tell me, what's his deal? And don't try to lie to me, Luna isn't the only one who can tell when you're lying."

Harry watched as the people going be them stared at the odd spectacle before them. Harry was widely revered for his tremendous abilities owing to his many confrontations and escapes from Voldemort. However, the sight of him flattened against the wall with a girl bearing down on him didn't make him look the part of a hero at the present time. At first glance, the casual observer might think that the two had picked a rather public place to stop for a quick snog, but if they caught the look on Hermione's face they would likely rethink this idea. Harry, for his part, looked as if he might wet himself.

"Hermione, please, listen to me. Ron is just going through a phase. He did talk to me a little bit about it, and there's nothing you can do. Just give him some time and he'll come around, I swear."

Hermione's expression softened a bit, but there was still a determined look on her face.

"So, it is about me. I thought we were past this. How many times do I have to tell him, it isn't that I don't care about him, I just don't have the time for a serious relationship! Could you talk to him, Harry? Could you tell him I'm just not looking for a boyfriend right now?"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He liked "determined" Hermione a lot more than "threatening" Hermione.

"I'll try talking to him again, but it's not going to be easy. I think he understands better than you think that you aren't looking for a boyfriend though. Like I said, he just needs some time. I think it's tough on him to see his friends getting into relationships when he isn't in one. How would you feel if your 'baby sister' had been out with several people in the last year and you hadn't dated anyone? You have to see it from Ron's point of view."

Hermione's expression softened a little more before she finally allowed Harry to remove himself from the wall and straightened his robes.

"I guess you're right, Harry. I just wish Ron would talk to me about these things, you know?"

Harry grinned.

"Hermione, blokes don't generally talk about their feelings. In fact, that's one good way f telling if a guys drunk or not. When they start talking about how much they love their girlfriend, or about how good a mate you are, it's time to get them to bed."

Hermione chuckled a bit and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I've noticed. That's not always true, though. You talk to me about your feelings, and I talk to you about mine. Why can't Ron do that?"

"I don't know, Hermione. I can talk to you because I always feel really comfortable around you. Ron's trying to deal with his feelings for you, so that causes some uneasiness I suppose. I don't know. Guys just generally don't talk to girls about that stuff. I know that we do, but our relationship isn't exactly a normal one, right?"

Hermione chuckled again and nodded.

"I guess you're right. I feel really comfortable around you, too. I've never really stopped to think of why that is. I can't really think of any of the other girls who have boys as friends without them being 'boyfriends'. I guess that makes us weird, huh?"

Harry smiled and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I guess it does. Oh well, normalcy is highly overrated, don't you think? Come on, let's go get some lunch and then I'll try to have a word with Ron at Quidditch practice."

At the end of Quidditch practice, Ron hung back to help collect the equipment with Harry as he always did and stowed it in Madam Hooch's office. The two of them then started back towards the castle. Harry decided that this was as good a time as any to talk to Ron about what was going on.

"Ron, we're best mates, right?"

Ron turned to him and nodded. If he thought this sudden proclamation was a bit odd, he didn't make note of it.

"Of course we are, Harry. With all we've been through together, you're more like a brother to me, mate."

Harry smiled, thinking that this might end up being easier than he thought it would be.

"I feel the same way. And you know that I'd do anything I could for you, right?"

"Absolutely, Harry. That's what a family does they stick together. You can count on me to do anything for you as well."

"Thanks, mate. Now that you mention it, there is something that you could do for me. It would make me really happy if you'd do it."

"Anything, Harry. Anything at all. I'd go toe to toe with Vol...you-know-who if you wanted me to. I'd face a thousand dementors if you asked me to. Just name it, what do you want me to do for you?"

"I want you to talk to Hermione."

"Anything except that."

Harry gave a frustrated sigh and grabbed Ron's arm to stop him again.

"Come on, Ron. You can't just ignore her forever. She's your best friend, you can't just walk away from her."

Ron's face pinked up a bit, but he didn't try to run away as Harry feared he might.

"She lied to me, Harry. She's known for two years now how I feel, and she's been lying to me about why she won't go out with me. Best friends don't lie to one another."

"Ron, what about the thing that happened to the three of us this past summer? You thought I was with Hermione, and you freaked out over nothing. We all talked about it, and then we put it all behind us. Why can't you and Hermione do that now?"

Ron's face reddened a little more.

"That was different, Harry. I assumed something and it was proven wrong, and then I apologized to you both. This is something that I know for sure. I still see those words in my nightmares. 'I love you, Viktor'. How can I be wrong about that? 'I wish you were here with me.' You don't have to read between the lines, Harry. She's been going out with Viktor since the Yule Ball. I've been wishing for something that I could never have for two years now. Two bloody years! How would you feel if you were me?"

Harry didn't know what to think. Had Hermione been carrying on a relationship with Krum all this time? He could hardly believe that she wouldn't have told him about it, even if she hadn't told Ron. All that didn't matter right now, though. What mattered now was getting his best friends to at least acknowledge each other's existence again.

"Look, Ron, I know you're hurt, but you can't just shut Hermione out of your life. I can't pretend to understand what kind of relationship she's having with Viktor, but the only way you'll know for sure is to talk to her about it. If it were I, I'd wait until we were alone in the common room and talk to her about it. I just can't believe that she'd lie to either of us, but if she is, maybe there's a reason for it. You're just going to have to talk to her. Please, for me. I can't stand the two people that mean the most to me in the world not talking to each other."

Ron seemed to be thinking over Harry's words. After a few moments of his face contorting into various expressions, he finally nodded and ran his hand through his hair.

"Fine, I'll talk to her. You've got to help me, though. What should I say to her?"

Harry's eyes widened.

"What are you asking me for? How the hell should I know how to talk to a girl about me feelings?"

"Oh don't give me that, Harry. You were the one that talking about Luna being a 'gold thread amongst straw'. And I know that you talk to Hermione about all that touchy-feely stuff, so either you help me out, or it's no go."

Harry was now running his hands through his own hair in anxiousness.

"Ok, fine, I'll help you. First of all, you've got to keep your temper when you talk to her. If you fly off the handle, you'll just end up yelling at each other and nothing will come of it. Secondly, you need to actually listen to what she's saying, instead of thinking of the next thing you want to say. Pay attention to her. Third, don't be afraid of telling her how you feel. Hermione really does care about you so she'll be compassionate. So, to recap, keep your temper, listen to what she tells you, and don't be afraid to tell her how you feel. If you want to talk about it afterwards I'll be there for you, ok?"

Ron pondered this all again and seemed to resolve himself to his decision.

"I'll do it, Harry. I'll tell her how I feel, and I promise I won't get upset...well, not too upset. I do miss talking with her. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually miss her hounding me to do my homework. I know when she starts to resort to physical violence I need to get cracking. So, when do you think I should do this?"

"What about tonight?"

Ron's eyes widened.

"Tonight? Why does it have to be tonight?"

"Ron, the longer you put this off the harder it will be to do. Besides, the sooner you talk to her the sooner she can help you with the Potions essay that's due Monday."

Ron's eyes widened even more; they now slightly resembled Luna's.

"That's due this coming Monday? Bloody hell, let's haul ass back to the castle!"

That night Ron did as Harry had suggested and waited until it was just he and Hermione in the common room. Harry had waited as well to make sure Ron didn't try to back out. Giving him a thumbs up and saying good night to Hermione, he climbed the stairs to leave the two of them alone.

Ron took the time to cross himself quickly before he walked over and sat himself down across from her at the table she had claimed for studying. When a few long seconds went by and she hadn't looked up at him he cleared his throat and drew upon all his Gryffindor courage to aid him.

"Hermione, uh, could I talk to you about something?"

Hermione had been wondering for the last hour when Ron would finally get up the courage to talk to her. The fact that she had caught Harry shooting him looks all evening meant that it would be something serious. She had hopes that whatever he had to say would get the three of them back to normal. She was smart enough to know what he wanted to talk about, of course. He had the same look on his face when he looked at her that Luna did whenever she looked at Harry. Talking about emotions would be difficult for her with Ron, but she very much wanted him back as her friend, so she would do it.

"Of course, Ron. What's wrong?"

Ron felt a bit of relief after he had finally broke the ice and spoken to Hermione, but it all returned when he realized that he would have to continue to talk to her now. He became quite aware that they really were alone in the common room. This was good in the fact that he could say what he felt and not be concerned with people hearing him, but bad in the fact that there was nobody there to save him. While all of this ran through his mind, Hermione was continuing to look at him in a combination of confusion and anger. Ron soon realized that he hadn't uttered a single sound in nearly five minutes.

"Uh, well, there's nothing wrong really. Well, nothing more than there usually is, I mean. You-know-who is still out there, I haven't started on my Potions essay, and Dumbledore isn't getting any younger, Ginny's turning into quite the little..."

Hermione interrupted before Ron could go into full-blown ramble mode.

"Ron, I meant what is it you wanted to talk to me about right now? What's been causing you to be so weird around me lately?"

Ron swallowed hard and took some deep steadying breaths. He'd gotten overly nervous and left his mouth running again. He attempted to refocus and get back to the plan he had discussed with Harry. He would tell her how he felt. Honesty was the best policy. She'd appreciate it and probably give him one of those patented Hermione hugs, Ron had enjoyed those hugs more and more this past year since Hermione had hit her development spurt last summer.

"Look, Hermione, the reason I've been acting weird lately is because ever since I read what you wrote to Viktor I've felt like you've been dishonest with me. If you would have come to me and told me that the two of you were together, I would have never made an ass of myself this summer when I thought you and Harry were together. Anyway, I know you're sorry for not telling me, and I'm sorry for being angry with you, so what do you say we put all this behind us?"

Ron then opened his arms to accept Hermione's hug. Unfortunately, it didn't appear that was on her mind at the moment.

"Wait, how did you know about what I wrote to Viktor? Oh my god, have you been reading my letters? HAVE YOU?"

Ron was smart enough to let his arms drop to his sides now. It didn't seem like honesty had helped him here after all.

"I just saw the one you were working on that last night we all studied together. I had asked you about it and you wouldn't tell me, so I thought it was an assignment you were working on. I didn't read the whole thing, but from what I did read, I could tell that the relationship between you and Viktor isn't just one between pen friends like you wanted everyone to believe."

Hermione's chocolate brown eyes turned to a coal black. Ron had seen this happen before when she had punched Draco back in third year. He instinctively stepped back so that a chair was between the two of them. Hermione may have been a foot shorter than him, but that just gave her a better shot at the areas that would especially hurt when punched.

"You read my letter? How could you? That's something personal between Viktor and me! How did you get to read it anyway?"

"Remember when I sent you up to your dorm to get your notes? Well, while you were gone I got a look at it. Harry told me not to, but I couldn't help myself. I really am sorry, Hermione."

Hermione continued to look lethal. At the sound of Harry's name her murderous glance shifted to the stairs that lead to the boy's dorms.

"Harry knew about this? He knew and he didn't tell me? God, I could absolutely kill the both of you!"

"Hermione, look, you can't blame Harry for not telling you. The reason he didn't tell you is because he didn't want to rat me out. Think about it, if things were turned around, do you think Harry would rat you out?"

"It doesn't matter, Ron! I would never have done something that stupid!"

"I know, I know, but think about it. Would you ever rat out a friend?"

Hermione didn't say anything for a few moments as she shifted her eyes away from the dorm steps to the fire in the hearth. Eventually she let out a frustrated sigh and returned her eyes to Ron.

"No, I wouldn't rat out a friend. But, that's no excuse for what you did. I'm supposed to be one of your best friends, Ron! How could you invade my privacy that way?"

Ron's fear of getting hit ebbed away as the original anger returned that he'd felt when he had first read the letter.

"I wouldn't have had to invade your bleeding privacy if you'd been honest with me in the first place about you and Viktor! All those times you told me it was because you were too busy with school, when in reality it was because you were already with someone. I would have dealt with you having someone else, Hermione, I really would have. Why did you have to lie to me?"

Ron's anger turned to raw emotion as he spoke. The last few words barely came out before his voice broke. He felt ashamed that he could feel tears coming to his eyes, but he knew he couldn't back out now. He'd come too far.

"Ron, my relationship with Viktor is my own business. I have never lied to you, ever. If you honestly think of me as the kind of person who would lie to a best friend, than I don't think we're friends after all."

Ron felt his chest constrict at her words. He had never intended for their friendship to come into question, he had just wanted for her to tell him that he was wrong, that she and Viktor weren't in love, and that they never had been. She hadn't admitted that they were either, but he found no comfort in that fact.

"Hermione, you're a great friend, and I never want that to end. It's just that, well, you know how I felt about Viktor and you even back in fourth year. Hermione, he's not the great guy you think he is. He'll end up hurting you and breaking your heart. I think...I think you should stop writing him."

Ron astounded himself by his own resolve at telling her not to write Viktor anymore. He knew that his reasoning had been a bit feeble, but he hoped that his friendship meant enough to Hermione to make her see sense. Hermione stood there looking at him for a minute before she gathered up the rest of her stuff into her bag and headed over to the steps leading to the girl's dorms. Ron watched her go and locked eyes with her when she stopped at the bottom step and turned back towards him. He didn't know what she would say to him, but the four words she chose told him the conversation had not been the success he had hoped for.

"Go to hell, Ron."

Over the next couple of weeks, both Ron and Hermione avoided one another and spoke only when they absolutely had to. Since Harry was their mutual best friend, he found himself caught squarely in the middle of things.

He had asked Ron what had happened, but hadn't got much response. Ron had merely told him he had taken Harry's advice and been honest with her, and that it hadn't helped a bit. Harry then urged him to speak to her again, but Ron shook his head and said he'd had enough of his 'good advice'."

Hermione wasn't much more informative, but she did tell Harry that along with being 'honest' with her, he had also told her that she was to stop writing to someone. Harry had asked her who it was, but she said it didn't matter. He agreed that it didn't, knowing that it had been Viktor, but also knowing that Ron would have disapproved of whoever it was. He continually tried to get the two of them to call a truce, but each time his attempt failed due to one of them starting up and argument with the other. After one such failed attempt in the Gryffindor common room, Harry finally cracked and told them he was tired of the two of them acting like children. Both Ron and Hermione looked slightly shamed by the pronouncement, but Harry no longer cared. Throwing open the portrait door he stomped out of Gryffindor tower planning on heading down to the kitchens to cool off with a butterbeer or two. He was just about to head down the steps to the kitchens when he heard someone call his name.

"Hello, Harry. Are you out for a little stroll?"

Harry turned to see Luna walking over towards him. He had never welcomed with sight of her more, seeing as he was very stressed out over the immaturity of his best friends.

"Hey, Luna! Yeah, I was just going down to the kitchens to grab a butterbeer. Would you like to come with me?"

Luna smiled and met Harry on the steps. She then took his hand in hers and they began their descent.

"I've never been in the kitchens before. I'm glad I decided to go for a walk when I did. Everyone else in the Ravenclaw common room was working on their school work and complained about my interpretive dance, so I decided I'd take a walk instead."

Harry smiled at the idea of Luna doing interpretive dancing. The idea was funny, but he had to admit that he wouldn't have minded seeing it sometime.

"Luna, why didn't you just turn the music down?"

"Oh, I don't play any music. My dancing comes from my soul. Anyway, Cho and Marietta threatened to shave my head so I thought I'd better go. I don't think I'd look very good with a shaved head, do you?"

Harry chuckled at the thought of Luna dancing around with a shaved head. He couldn't remember a time in the last couple weeks that he had laughed this way.

"I think you'd look beautiful not matter what, actually."

He hadn't thought about what he was saying until it was out of his mouth. When he heard his own voice saying that Luna was beautiful he blushed. Luna looked at the color in his face and giggled.

"Thank you, Harry. I'll keep that in mind if I decide to change my look. Ooh, look at that painting of fruit! That pear almost looks real."

"Actually, the pear is what you use to get in. Watch what happens when I give it a tickle."

Harry then gave the pear a little tickle and the painting slid back into the wall revealing the entrance to the kitchens. As soon as the two of them had entered, Dobby threw himself at Harry's knees nearly causing him to topple over.

"Harry Potter has come to see Dobby! Dobby and Winky have just finished up polishing the wooden floors on the sixth floor, sir. You'd be amazed at how much Drooble's gum we cleaned up. Ooh, Dobby is so happy to see Harry Potter! But where are his Weezy and Miss Hermione? And who is this new friend Harry Potter has brought with him and is holding hands with?"

Harry hadn't realized that Luna had been holding his hand, but he didn't feel embarrassed by it at all.

"This is Luna, Dobby. She's a Ravenclaw and a very close friend of mine. Luna, this is Dobby. If it wasn't for him, I would have never lived through the second task two years ago."

Dobby immediately blushed deeply, making his large ears look like devil's horns.

"Harry Potter is too kind to Dobby. Dobby was merely helping him save his Weezy."

Luna gave a little chuckle and looked from Dobby to Harry.

"Your Weezy?"

Harry grinned widely, he had forgotten about what Dobby had called Ron back then.

"That's what Dobby calls Ron."

Luna giggled even more, causing Harry to laugh along with her as he felt more of his tension and stress float away.

"Oh, I thought he was talking about something else. I'd hate to think that you'd lose your Weezy before you were able to use it."

Harry didn't understand what Luna had meant but finally twigged it's general meaning when she gave a lingering glance to his pants. Feeling slightly embarrassed he cleared his throat and focused again on Dobby.

"Right, uh, Dobby, do you think you could round up a couple butterbeers for Luna and I?"

Dobby's face immediately brightened and he rubbed his hands in positive glee.

"It would be an honor, Harry Potter! You and Miss Luna sit down and Dobby will get you some butterbeer and cashews."

Dobby then ran off and set about getting the two of them their drinks and snacks. Harry led Luna over to the large butcher-block table and they sat down. Once Dobby had put the bottles and a bowl of cashews on the table he bowed low several times and went off to tell Winky he had talked to Harry.

"He seems very fond of you."

Harry took a swig of his butterbeer and grabbed a handful of cashews. He had once mentioned in passing to Dobby that he liked them and since then had been supplied with as many has he wanted.

"Yeah, me and Dobby go way back. Our relationship didn't start off so well, but once he stopped trying to help me out by maiming and/or killing me we got along like a house on fire."

Despite the relative absurdity of Harry's statement, Luna merely nodded and took a drink from her bottle. Harry then remembered what it was he really wanted to discuss with her and paused before reaching for more cashews.

"Luna, its Ron and Hermione who are driving me crazy. Ron is head over heels in love with Hermione and has been for over two years. Hermione is, well, I'm not totally sure what she feels for him, but I'm pretty sure she's not quite as in love with him. I know she cares about him, but she's just not in the same place as he is. Well, Ron finally accepted this, and then he goes and reads a letter that Hermione was writing to Vik...I mean, another man, and Ron lost his plot entirely. I told him he shouldn't have read it, but it's too late now. Ever since then I've been trying to get them to talk to one another, but they can't hardly even be in the same room together. I hate being caught in the middle, so what am I supposed to do?"

Luna swallowed her butterbeer and furrowed her brows in concentration. After a moment or two her face relaxed and she regained her dreamy smile that Harry found ever more endearing.

"Well, I think one problem is that Ron has a lot to learn about love. Love isn't some kind of magic spell that solves all of your problems. Love doesn't always make things easier; sometimes it makes things even harder. Love does make all things possible, but it doesn't make them easy. If he really does love Hermione, he'll have to work at it. Hermione is a beautiful, intelligent, compassionate girl. He'd be a fool to just give up on her. He just needs to work on it."

Harry nodded his head. Luna always seemed to be able to make things easier to understand. He wished that he could do the same for his two best friends.

"You're right, Luna. I know in my heart that Ron really does care about her, and I know she cares about him, too...deep down."

Luna smiled and took another swig of her butterbeer.

"Well then, I have a plan."

Harry's grin widened on his face and he squeezed Luna's hand slightly.

"You do? What is it?"

"Desperate times call for desperate acts. The plan is to lie."

Harry nearly choked on his butterbeer.

"Luna! I thought you said you couldn't lie!"

Luna grinned and squeezed his hand back.

"I can't, but you can."

Harry still looked a bit confused but nodded his head in agreement.

"Ok, I'll do whatever you want. I can't stand the two of them being so distant with one another."

Luna took her other hand from her butterbeer bottle and placed it over Harry's other hand, making it so that she was now holding them both.

"So, you'll do anything?"

"Yeah, of course I will."

"Well then, when can I see your nuts?"

Harry choked quite badly on his butterbeer at Luna's response and began to cough and sputter violently. Luna giggled as a host of house elves slapped him on the back to clear his lungs for him. Once he had regained his composure and waved them all off he wiped the tears from his eyes and gaped at Luna.

"What did you say?"

"Your nuts, Harry. You've been hogging those cashews since Dobby brought them. Why, what did you think I meant?"

Harry took a few steadying breaths as he opted not to answer her question. He also decided he'd wait until later to tell her how he felt, owing to the fact that his mind was now locked onto the sight of Luna licking the salt off of the cashews before eating them.

"Harry, are you all right? You look a bit flushed."

Hermione and Ron were still not talking to one another as they made their way to the room of requirement for the special meeting Harry had set up for the DA. He had only told them about it this morning and said it was important for them to be there prompt. Neither of them could quite understand the urgency and secrecy. Everyone knew about the DA now that Umbridge was gone, but they assumed that Harry must have had his reasons. After walking back and forth the customary three times, Hermione knocked on the door to see if Harry and the others were there yet.

"Come in!"

Opening the door to go in they were met with what appeared to be a completely empty room, save for two chairs in the middle that were facing each other. They both stood in confusion looking around to try and find a trace of anyone or anything else when, suddenly, they felt something whoosh past them and slam the door behind them. Turning around quickly to see what it was, they noticed immediately that they couldn't see anything there...including the door itself.

"What the bloody hell is this about?" Ron stated grumpily as he felt the area of wall that once was a door.

"Of all the stupid things! Who could have done such a...wait! What about Harry? Something must have happened to him! We have to figure out a way to get out of here and try to save him!" Hermione yelled as she pushed Ron aside to try and locate something that would cause the door to return. As Ron glared back at her for pushing him aside, he noticed a note laying in one of the chairs.

"Hermione, look, there's a note on one of those chairs! Maybe it's a ransom note, or something!"

Both of them sped over to the chairs to have a look at the note. Ron managed to get hold of it first due to his longer arm span and began to read it aloud.

Hermione and Ron

Please don't be angry with me. Knowing the two of you as well as I do, you both probably think that something bad has happened to me, and you would be right. Something bad has happened to me; I've lost my two best friends. I've been trying to get the two of you to talk to one another, but neither of you would go for it. So, I've decided to force you into talking to one another. As you know, the room of requirement takes on the environment of whatever the person who enters wants it to. Since I was the first in, I made it so that it would have a place for the two of you to sit and really talk to one another. I also made it so that you couldn't leave until you had talked to one another for one hour. Don't try just sitting there in silence; it won't open unless you talk. I know this is a little extreme, but I felt I had no choice. As I was recently told by someone much smarter than I, 'desperate times call for desperate acts'. I care about you both too much to see you acting this way. Remember what Percy said to us, I can't go through this alone. I need you both, and you both need one another. I won't pretend to understand what exactly the two of you are fighting over, but is it really anything important enough to make yourselves (and me) miserable? Please talk to one another. I'm sorry for the deceit, but I didn't know what else to do.

I love you both,

Harry

"That no good sneaky rat bastard!" Ron said as he finished reading the letter.

"I can't believe Harry would do something like this!" Hermione stated as she resignedly slumped down into one of the chairs.

"Can't you? He says right here that someone much smarter than him told him some bollocks about desperate times and desperate acts. Gee, I wonder who that could be...Hermione!"

Hermione's head snapped up to glare at Ron.

"Me? Do you really think I would have come here if I knew I would be trapped in here with you? He must have talked about this with someone else. I wonder who...oh...that bitch!"

Ron's eyes widened in amazement at hearing Hermione swear.

"Hermione! Who are you talking about? Who's a bitch?"

Ron set himself down in the other chair and watched Hermione's face redden in anger.

"Luna! It has to be her. I bet she gave Harry those big doe eyes and swished her hips and he told her all about it. Why couldn't they just let us deal with this? What do you think, Ron?"

Ron sat in quiet concentration for a minute or two before looking back up at Hermione with a confused look on his face.

"Since when does Luna swivel her hips?"

Hermione let out a shriek that caused Ron to nearly topple out of his chair.

"That's not the point! The point is that she got involved in something that she should have stayed out of. We are the ones who are handling this."

Ron recovered from his shock and remembered why it was that they were there.

"That's just it, Hermione. We aren't handling this. All we've been doing is avoiding one another. The only way things are going to get better is if we really do talk about it. Maybe the way Harry went about things was a little...drastic, but the fact remains that we need to deal with this before it tears us both apart."

"I hardly think it's that serious, Ron."

"Really? Maybe this time it isn't, but what about the next time? Remember the fight Harry and I had over the summer? All of that was because I thought that the two of you were having a relationship and didn't tell me. It wasn't the fact that I couldn't understand why you would be together, you and Harry have known each other just was long as we have, and I know that the two of you share a bond that goes beyond just being friends."

"Ron, don't..."

Ron cut her off before she could continue.

"No, please, let me finish. It's been there since day one, Hermione. For the first three years it wasn't something I gave any thought to, it was just there, you know? It started to really bother me in fourth year. For some reason I got it into my head that Harry had put his name in the goblet to impress you. And when you were the only one to automatically come to his defense, well, I thought he'd succeeded. I pushed all of this down when I saw him risking his life over and over. I could understand why you'd feel more towards him than me. I was just the sidekick, he was the hero."

"Ron, that's not true. You're..."

"Hermione, please, let me talk. I need to say this stuff. I've been carrying it all around long enough. Fifth year I was doing ok until that article from Skeeter came out. Didn't you ever notice that I never talked about it? I could have told mum that it wasn't true, but I had to convince myself first. I know that the two of you said it was a bunch of lies, but I didn't know if you were upset about that, or about being found out. I know I was being stupid, but I couldn't help it. I focused so much on Harry being the one you would be in love with that I never gave much thought to Viktor after fourth year. I hated him asking you to the Yule Ball first, but once he was gone, I thought he was out of the picture. I knew that you had continued writing him for a while, but I thought it would stop after a while. I know I shouldn't have read your letter, and I really am sorry, but I can't forget what I read in it. What I don't understand is why does it have to be Viktor? What's wrong with me? Why couldn't you fall in love with me?"

Hermione sat in stunned silence as she listened to Ron talk about his emotions for longer than she had ever heard him do so before. She still didn't like the fact that he had invaded her privacy, but she knew that he hadn't meant to hurt her, and never would.

"Ron, what does it matter that I still write to him? It doesn't have anything to do with my relationship with you."

"Then why didn't you tell me what you were writing when I asked you all those times?"

Hermione's face reddened slightly. Whether it was due to embarrassment or anger, Ron wasn't sure.

"It was none of your business, Ron! I don't have to tell you everything I do. What the hell does it matter to you anyway?"

Ron's ears started to turn red as his temper began to slip away from him again.

"I'll tell you why they hell it matter to me! You've been fucking lying to me for almost a year now! You kept telling me you were too damn busy to go out with anyone. Well, now I know the real reason, don't I?"

Hermione's own temper began to flare at the continued accusations from Ron of her being a liar.

"I didn't lie to you, Ron!"

"Bullshit! You're with Vicky, that means you have enough time for him, not me. How long have the two of you been doing this? When the hell do you two get to see each other if he's playing professional Quidditch? Is that where you really go during the summer? You always told us you were on holiday with your parents!"

"Ron, how could you say that? Listen to me, I am not now, nor have I ever been, dating Viktor! It's no concern of yours who my friends are. I have never lied to you, and it hurts me that you would think that I could."

"Come on, Hermione! Do you honestly think that Viktor just wants to be friends with you? I may be stupid, but you don't have to be number one in the school to know that he's been trying to get in your pants since fourth year. Why do you think he took Harry aside and asked him about the two of you? Ever since he knew Harry wasn't with you he's been after you like a niffler in a jewelry store."

"Ron, that wasn't what Viktor meant when he talked with Harry at all! He wasn't even talking about me, he was talking about...nothing, never mind."

"No, tell me, what the hell was he talking about?"

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. After taking a minute to compose herself she continued.

"It doesn't matter who he was talking about. Besides, Mr. Crouch interrupted them anyway. Ron, you have to believe me, Viktor and I are not dating. I'm just not ready for that right now, not with anyone."

Ron's face softened as he heard Hermione's voice become quieter. He realized that he had been heading towards a complete melt down, and that had yet to ever solve anything. As he thought again about some of the things that Harry had told him, he looked again into Hermione's eyes and decided to speak from the heart.

"Hermione, I'm sorry I called you a liar. I don't mean the stupid things I say, I just get upset and frustrated and end up assing things up. It's just that you're the closest person to me in the world. You're the one constant in my life, apart from my own family. Ever since we faced that troll together, you've been able to bring out the best in me. You've saved my life more times than I can count, and I'd never have gotten any O.W.L.'s if it wasn't for you. I've always felt inferior to my older brothers, and to everybody else for that matter. The only time that I feel like I'm good enough is when I'm with you, Hermione. I can't bear to think of my life without you in it. In fact, I don't think I'd even want to live without you."

"Ron, what are you trying to say to me?"

Ron took a deep breath and forced himself to continue. He could no longer avoid the truth.

"Hermione, I told myself for the longest time that I just had a stupid crush on you. I told myself that it was just because I had known you for so long, or that it was just because you were pretty, or that you always knew just the right things to say. Well, this summer proved to me that I was wrong. It's not just a crush, Hermione. A crush is what Ginny had for Harry. A crush burns brightly but burns quickly. What I feel for you is much more than that. Hermione, I...I love you."

The silence that hung in the room now was practically tangible. Ron had never spoken those three words in his life before, and Hermione had never heard them. Well, she had, but never in this context. As he looked around the room to find something to focus his attention on he discovered that the door had reappeared, meaning that they had been in there for at least the required hour. Not knowing what else to do at the moment, Hermione fell back on basic human instinct and decided to run.

"Ron, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

Hermione then jumped out of her chair and ran out the newly reappeared door, leaving Ron behind to stare after her. All he could think of was her reaction to him saying he loved her. Why had he said it? Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut? Was this the end of their friendship? Would she ever speak to him again? What about Harry? Who would he side with? As he sat there in the now vacant room he realized that the room now took on the environment of how he felt right now, empty and alone.

I'm alone, the safest place I should have known

All the time I let you in I was breaking a code within myself

And now I'm lonely as hell

But I won't tell it, and I won't show it

'Cause all the time I should have known it's

Better to keep it inside, it's easier to hide

I'm alone, the only place that I belong

All the time I let you in I was breaking a wall around my heart

And now I'm broken apart

But I won't tell it, and I won't show it

'Cause all the time I should have known it's

Better to keep it inside, it's easier to hide

What's the point in giving you my heart,

When it's kicked around and broken torn apart?

And what's the point in giving you my soul,

When you never really ever wanted it at all?

And now I'm alone, the only place I'm really home

All the time I let you in you were taking a part that I had kept

And now I'm crushed that you left

But I won't tell it, and I won't show it

'Cause all the time I should have known it's

Better to keep it inside, it's easier

And I won't tell it, and I won't show it

'Cause all the time I should have known it's

Better to keep it inside, it's easier to hide.