Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Forgiveness
By: ChoCedric
Ron Weasley and hermione Granger lay in the tent together, both stewing in their own thoughts. Harry was keeping watch, and Ron thought it was high time he apologized to Hermione for everything he had done wrong on this trip. It was his fault he had gone and left her and Harry just because his stomach had gotten the better of him, and he felt awful for blaming it simply on the locket Horcrux. But if he was honest with himself, the Horcrux had made him think some awful things.
"Hermione?" he said softly, hoping that she would at least listen to him.
"What do you want, Ron?" Hermione snapped, turning away from him.
"Hermione, please listen to me," Ron begged. "I'm really, really sorry for ..."
"Why should I listen to you?" Hermione snarled. "Do you know what you've put me through these last few weeks?"
"I know," Ron told her, starting to get frustrated. "I know I've put you through a lot, but please let me explain."
"There's nothing to explain," Hermione fumed. "You tried to tell Harry that you and I thought he didn't have a plan, and ..."
"But you DID think that!" Ron interrupted, highly annoyed. "Remember that day you told me you were annoyed with him for not knowing what he was doing?"
"But I didn't say it the way you implied!" cried Hermione. "Listen, Ron, I don't want to talk to you."
"Well, I'm going to talk to you whether you like it or not," said Ron loudly, his resolve remaining firm. "You're angry right now, and I understand that. But I really need to explain why I acted the way I did!"
"Yes, yes, you're going to blame it all on the locket, aren't you?" said Hermione shrilly. "And your stupid stomach! Why do you always think about food? This is way more important! We're trying to destroy You-Know-Who here! Do you not care?"
"Of course I care!" Ron shouted, his temper getting the best of him. "Don't you understand, Hermione? I tried to get back to you and Harry the moment I Disapparated, but I couldn't! I've done nothing but continue to try these past few weeks! I've realized that there're a lot more important things in the world than food, that you and Harry are the most important people in my life. When I destroyed the Horcrux tonight, I saw ..." He stopped, his face paling at the remembrance of the images he had seen.
"What did you see?" asked Hermione in spite of herself.
"I saw ... you and Harry ... saying you didn't need me," answered Ron slowly. "And then I saw you two ... kissing."
"Ron," said Hermione, her face softening a little. "Why would you think Harry and I wouldn't need you? I've always known that you've somehow felt inferior to us, that you thought we were friends with you out of pity. That's not true at all, and I wish you'd stop thinking that. The fact is, Harry and I need you more than anything. We didn't know what we were doing without you there. And as for Harry and me kissing ... Ron, Harry's like my brother, I don't have romantic feelings for him." She climbed off her bunk and went over to him.
"That's what Harry said," Ron said thickly, his emotions roiling inside of him. "He also told me you cried for a week after I left."
Hermione's face turned red with embarrassment. "I did," she admitted quietly.
"I'm sorry," Ron repeated softly, and Hermione put her hand on his. "I'm sorry I caused you so much pain."
"I know you are, but I'm still angry with you," Hermione confessed. "And it's going to take me a while to forgive you."
"I understand," Ron said miserably. "I know I've been a real prat."
"You have," Hermione agreed. "But why do you have so much trouble with your self-esteem? Why do you think people only like you out of pity?"
"Well ..." Ron mumbled, putting his head in his hands. "It's because of my brothers and Gin. Everyone in my family's doing something special, but me, I'm just plain old Ron Weasley, the boring bloke extraordinaire."
"Ron, that's not true and you know it," Hermione said, her usual bossy tone breaking through. "I want you to stop thinking that about yourself."
"How can you say that when you're angry with me?" Ron asked, looking right into her eyes.
"Because I won't be angry with you forever," Hermione answered. "The truth is, you hurt me a lot, Ron. But I've known you for six and a half years, and I know you didn't mean to. I think you're a great person, and you are doing something worthwhile. You're helping to destroy You-Know-Who. You got rid of a Horcrux tonight, and you faced your demons. I'm very proud of you for that."
"Really?" asked Ron, hope shining in his sad blue eyes.
"Really," Hermione said gently.
"I hope we can destroy that monster," said Ron strongly. "And I hope I can prove to you that I deserve your forgiveness. I'm going to fight for you, for us. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
For the first time all night, Hermione smiled and touched Ron's hand. She intertwined her fingers with his, and she thought of how wonderful it was to have him back with her and Harry. "I'm glad you're here, Ron," she said softly. "While you were gone, I was worried that I was never going to see you again. This war can take people away so swiftly."
"Hermione, I fought tooth and nail to get back to you," Ron said honestly. "I wanted to see you again, no matter what."
Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she sat at the end of Ron's bunk. Ron sat up too, and he put his arms around her. They held each other like that for a while, both relishing the fact that they were in each other's presence again. And Ron vowed to himself that he would never leave her side, and he was going to prove that he could earn her forgiveness no matter what.