Redemption

Chapter Thirty-One:

That night, dinner was a tense affair. Harry had elected to go down as soon as possible - he was starving. Hermione and Ginny watched in amusement as he devoured a considerable amount of food. Then, all at once, he lost his appetite completely.

The moment Ron sat across from them a few seats down, Harry ceased to eat. He also lost all interest in conversation. The mood soon spread to those around them, who seemed to notice that Ron, too, was remarkably quiet.

When Wufei made his way in, and a spot was cleared for him next to Harry, the tension was almost palpable. He soon picked up on the atmosphere and turned his eyes to Harry in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Harry muttered, refusing to look him in the eye.

But Wufei's eyes drifted down to Ron, who watched them both for a moment more and then turned his head away.

"I see," Wufei said quietly, his eyes narrowing. "Right, then, Ron. Can I speak to you a moment?"

Anyone within earshot was surprised at that, but none more than Ron and Harry. Harry looked terribly worried, and seemed about to protest. Ron, on the other hand, had snapped his head around, eyes widening a little.

Noticing everyone's eyes on him, he answered with the barest of nods and walked off, Wufei following him. Once they got outside, Wufei pulled him into the nearest classroom.

"I think it's pretty obvious what's going on," the Chinese boy told him. "Personally, I think you're being damned childish."

Ron rounded on him in anger. "Then, you think I should just shrug off the fact that a Muggle I barely know is fucking my best friend, who, until this afternoon, I thought was straight?"

"Of course not, but do you have any idea how much your opinion means to him? I don't know what happened, but whatever it was has hurt him, or can't you see that? If you think you're his best friend, then why don't you act like it?"

"How dare you! I've known Harry for six years, and then you come waltzing along all high and mighty. I earned his friendship. I've stood alongside him whenever he needed it!"

"And now?"

Unable to answer, Ron sat on a desk, angrily picking at the rubber round the edge.

"Are you going to carry on like this?" Wufei asked, finally, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you expect of me? I'm only human! First Hermione and my sister, and now Harry? It's... It's too weird! I feel like I've been dropped into an alternate reality!"

"What's different? He's exactly the same person you've always known!"

"But I didn't know about this."

"So what? It doesn't change anything. Just because you didn't know before doesn't mean it wasn't there. He's never made a pass at you, or-"

"That's not the problem."

"Then, what is?"

"I... I don't know!"

Wufei drew back and landed a solid punch to Ron's cheek. "Wake up, Weasley. If you can't put this petty bullshit aside, then Voldemort's already won." Ron flinched at the Dark Lord's name, a hand held to his throbbing cheek. "Harry needs you beside him as much as anyone else. If you aren't strong enough to do that, then as far as I'm concerned, six years have been truly wasted."

Ron rubbed his cheek. His hand fell to the table as he stared at the floor. After a long period of silence, he sighed deeply, thought for a moment, and jumped down off of the desk. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I don't know what came over me... I've been a right arse."

"Damn straight," Wufei growled.

Ron gave him a puzzled look for a moment, before cracking a grin. "That has to be the worst pun ever." Then, he held out his hand, shaking Wufei's firmly. "I should really go apologize. I hope he'll forgive me after the way I acted." He cast an apprehensive look towards the door.

"I don't think there'll be any problem with that," Wufei told him, walking past, and opening the door. "Although, he was the one fucking me," he threw over his shoulder, thoroughly amused by the distinct reddening of Ron's ears, and the shocked expression planted on his face.

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Harry lay face down on the bed. After Wufei had left with Ron, he hadn't been able to stand it any longer and made his way up to Gryffindor Tower, heading straight for his dorm room. Neville was sitting in bed, reading.

Flopping down on his bed, Harry ignored the other boy who had quietly asked how he was. Getting the hint, Neville apparently decided that reading in the common room was a much better idea, and left Harry to his silent brooding.

The dorm door eventually opened and Ron's voice startled Harry out of his stupor. "You awake, Harry?" the boy asked, a little uncertainly. "Can we talk?" Still no answer, so he sat on the end of Harry's bed. Glancing behind him, and hoping that he wasn't talking to himself, Ron went on a little uncomfortably. As he talked, he began to fidget nervously. "I need to apologize. I acted like a real idiot today. I forgot about our friendship. I'm sorry if I hurt you." Ron slid to the floor, resting back against the mattress. "I think... I've been scared. You're changing, Harry. But you're still my best friend. Ever since this summer when you didn't come to stay, we've been drifting apart. I wish you'd have told me earlier... I hope it doesn't mean that you don't trust me anymore. I - there's so much resting on your shoulders, Harry. I want to be here for you. If that means accepting... certain circumstances, then I'm willing to do so. Please forgive me, Harry."

As the weight lifted off Harry's bed, he continued to stare into the mattress. He knew that Ron was sincere, but he couldn't bring himself to speak right now. However, just as he felt himself begin to drift off, he mumbled. "You'll always be my best friend, Ron."

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A man stood before them, but Hermione couldn't recognize him. He may have been someone she knew, he may not. She did know that he was not an ally.

Ginny growled beside her, low in her throat. Then, she transformed, baring her teeth and snarling. The man pointed his wand at her, but she was too fast.

Hermione screamed as the fox lunged. Its teeth sank viciously into the man's throat, tearing away a chunk of flesh, and splattering all of them in blood.

A moment later, Ginny lay sobbing on the ground and moaned. "What have I done?"

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"Hermione! Hermione, wake up!"

Shaking uncontrollably, Hermione let Lavender help her to a sitting position. She realized that her face was soaked in tears, and her throat choked up.

"Parvati, go get Madam Pomfrey," Lavender urged.

"No!" Hermione called, as the other girl went to the door. "It was just a nightmare. I'm okay."

"You don't look okay to me," Lavender told her, a concerned frown on her face.

"It was just a nightmare," Hermione repeated.

It was, wasn't it? Just a nightmare. Just like the ones she'd had of Harry, Ron, her parents and everyone else she cared about. But this one had been so vivid. She could smell the coppery tinged blood; feel its slick wetness on her skin. She could hear Ginny's mortified whisper ringing in her ears.

Slowly, Parvati moved away from the door and came to sit next to Hermione. She softly stroked the prefect's hair. "Get some sleep," she said quietly.

Lavender nodded. "Parvati's right. Get some rest, and you'll feel much better in the morning.

Hermione forced a small smile and nodded. She was touched that the girls had rushed to her side so quickly. Still, as she lay down once more, she suddenly felt terrified of what her dreams may hold this time.

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Harry's happy self tearing into his room and jumping onto the bed awoke Wufei in the morning.

"What the hell are you so happy about?" he grumbled, before receiving a very thorough kissing.

"I don't know what you said to Ron last night, but thank you." Harry was positively beaming. "I'm so glad that I don't have to hide it from them anymore. Finally, everything's out in the open. Things are beginning to look up."

Wufei watched him bemusedly for a moment. It was a rare sight to see Harry so undeniably happy. The absence of tension in the boy was quite noticeable indeed. Unable to help himself, Wufei grinned, and coaxed another kiss from his love, who responded enthusiastically.

"Care for a wake up bath?" Harry whispered sensually into his ear.

"Do you plan on joining me?"

"Yes."

"Then I'd love one."

Stripping off clothes as they went, the two boys headed for Wufei's bathroom. The large bath was soon steaming and just begging them to slide into it.

Once they were settled, Wufei pulled Harry against him and proceeded to 'wake up'. He figured it was the perfect time to experiment on his lover.

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Ginny was very pleased to find that Ron and Harry had made up, and doubly so to see that Harry was practically glowing when he sat down to breakfast, Wufei trailing behind him with a smirk.

"I don't think I should ask why you two are so happy," she whispered with a giggled.

"Probably not," Harry answered.

However, both of them felt their good moods drop a little when they saw Hermione enter. She looked as though she hadn't slept at all.

"Morning," she mumbled, grabbing a pitcher of orange juice, and stifling a yawn.

Harry raised his eyebrows at Lavender and Parvati who looked fairly worried at the girl's appearance. Obviously, something had happened last night.

"You okay, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Sure, I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Obviously," Ginny observed dryly.

"Geez, I'm fine, okay?" Hermione looked around at them all. "I had a nightmare, it's no big deal.

Reluctantly, the others dropped the subject, but Ginny couldn't help exchanging a worried glance with Harry. Something was definitely up, and she intended to find out what.