Disclaimer: Not mine!
Author's Note: I know you're all waiting for an update on Hermione's Conditon but I had this plot stuck in my head and it wouldn't go away. So here we go!
A Personal Question
"How old are we again?" laughed Hermione.
"Stop putting it off. Everyone else has gone already! Pick- truth or dare?" Ron demanded.
The circle of friends smiled indulgently. They knew what Ron wanted her to pick. He was desperate for her to show some affection in public. If Harry and Ginny had to do it all the time…
"Besides, my dear," bellowed George, making Alicia, whose dare had placed her in his lap, cringe, "when you pair anything with some good ol' alcohol, it becomes absolutely adult-like."
Hermione examined the shot of firewhiskey that she would have to drink should the question or dare prove too difficult. She figured she could take up to five without getting drunk. More than that would be like asking to embarrass herself.
"Alright," she scrunched her eyes and then said, "Dare!"
Ron smirked- "I dare you to kiss me on the lips for ten seconds."
"In front of all these people?" she squeaked as she looked at Harry, Ginny, George, Alicia, Lee, Seamus, Angelina, Dean, Neville, and Luna. She gulped.
"Merlin's pants, you're twenty-one!" Ginny exclaimed. "As much as I'd rather not see my brother get snogged the dares are only getting harder. You're his girlfriend for heaven's sake!"
"Fine," Hermione announced defiantly and looked Ron in the eye, "But savor this because you aren't getting any of my affection for the next month!"
He grinned widely. "I'll take that."
The others laughed uproariously as she turned a color to match his hair, and with a huff crossed the circle in three strides, kissed him firmly on the mouth, and ran back to her seat. "Can we move on now?" she said shrilly. "I believe it's my time to ask the infamous question."
"As much as I'd love to see what brilliance you come up with, I really must be going," Dean excused himself.
As he made his way to the door, Alicia struggled to stand up. "Yeah I really think I should be going to, you know, I have to, er, have to… Oh drat!" she made a sudden attempt to escape. "Let me go George!"
"Sorry m'dear," he smiled widely, "I believe the dare said you have to sit here for three turns. That's just a minimum of course, if you want to stay longer, my lap is always available for you, sugar." He winked as she sputtered in anger.
"I will pay you back for this Lee!"
"Don't worry, honey, I already paid him off. It's customary for the guy to pay for the date."
"GEORGE!"
"Bye everyone," called Dean. "Good luck, Hermione."
Hermione pulled herself back together and with the color of her face only a muted pink she asked, "Okay fine, Katie- truth or dare?"
Neville was the first to take a swig. He absolutely refused to go within ten feet of a broomstick, let alone ride it. "My experience first year was quite enough for me thank you very much."
A few rounds later, everyone had consumed quite some firewhiskey, although George and Lee only drank to 'level up the playing field' (their words) and everyone's inhibitions were lowered. In this state, Ron sent a love letter to Professor McGonagall, Alicia gave George a massage, and Seamus admitted to having taken ballet lessons as a kid. ("I was only five, my mum made me!") They also raised the number of drinks for refusing to complete a task or admit something.
The high lasted for about an hour and then people slowly began to leave until the only ones left were the Golden Trio, Ginny, and George. Lying lethargically on the couch, Ginny called to Ron who leaned against Hermione's armchair, "Truth or dare?"
"Truth," he yawned, "I can't move!"
"Alright, give me a second while I think of a really good one." She looked at Harry and her eyes lit up. "Of all the rows you and Harry have gotten into over the years, when were you the angriest? Details please."
Harry started. "Gin, don't you think that's a bit of a personal question?" asked Ron with a glare.
"It's truth or dare, it's supposed to be uncomfortable to answer. Besides, I want to know and I'm sure Harry does too." Harry started to shake his head, "Of course you do. Now I don't thing you can handle any more firewhiskey so let's get on with it."
Ron began to argue and then fell back, "You're right, I can't take anymore but I don't have much of a choice," he threw a glance at Hermione. "It's not exactly my secret to tell." She bit her lip.
"Oh c'mon Ronneikins," George exclaimed, the only one who still had energy left, "stop being so noble and let's hear. Was it when you were a jealous prat by the Triwizard Tournament or when you were a self righteous prat the first time Harry kissed Ginny?"
"Wrong and wrong again," growled Ron. "I'm not telling you!"
"Ron just spit it out," Harry said.
"No!"
"What did I ever do that was so bad that you can't tell me?" Harry stood up, his eyes flashing, and Hermione hugged her knees. "Do I even know about it? I bet not! Maybe if you would tell me, I could clear things up for you!"
"I can't, it's not my business."
"What does that mean?" Harry was livid. "You obviously haven't gotten over the incident. You're the one who's mad and I'm the one you're mad at, it can't get to be more of our business than that!"
"It involves someone else too."
"I can't believe you! Stop making up excuses. Who's this mysterious third party?"
"I believe that would be me." All heads swiveled to the source of the voice. "Am I right, Ron?" Hermione asked softly. He nodded. "You're still upset about that? It happened ages ago; I told you it wasn't such a big deal."
"Not such a big deal?" He exclaimed, flabbergasted. "But you… but that night… it was a big deal!"
"You're involved in this too?" Harry rounded on her.
Ron sprang up to shield her. "Don't you dare get started on her."
Regretting that she had ever started this mess, Ginny tried to break in, "I take the question back, I'll ask a new one instead, or better yet, let's quit. I'm sure everyone's exhausted and could use…"
Ron cut her off, "Shut up Ginny." He turned back to Harry. "You know what, I don't care anymore, you are right. It is your business! You messed up and you should fix it. The time Harry made me the angriest was when he made Hermione…"
"Wait," Hermione said, "I'm sorry Ginny and George but I think the game is over." She looked meaningfully at Ginny, "Harry and Ron are going to have a talk, and I think we should go up to bed. You guys go ahead though, I'll catch up soon."
Ginny grabbed her brother by his good ear and silently dragged him out of the room, ignoring his protests of pain. They watched them leave. Only after the door shut completely did Hermione resume speaking.
"I really meant what I said about leaving; however I just have to say a couple of things first." She gently pulled Ron onto the armrest and kissed him. "I guessed I just made my threat about stiffing you empty." He laughed humorlessly. "Although I don't understand what you blame Harry for, I do recognize that this talk needs to happen. However, I can't sit through it; it would hurt too much. I love you, thanks for trying to protect my honor."
She got up and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You should know that I don't agree with Ron. I know that I'm not strong enough for you, never have been. I'm sorry. I love you too." She kissed his cheek. "Goodnight." And she left the room.
The two young men stared at each other as they heard Hermione call out, "You can put away those Extendable Ears, I'm putting an Impenetrable on the door." And then came, "Aw shucks!"
Harry plopped down on the couch. "We're alone now. So what does she," motioning towards the door, "have to do with why you're angry at me?"
"Everything."
"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."
"Wait," said Bellatrix sharply. "All except… except for the mudblood."
.......................
"I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?"
"We found it- we found it- PLEASE!" Hermione screamed again.
"You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts!"
Another terrible scream-
"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"
"And she didn't spill the truth. Through rounds and rounds of cruciatus curse along with Merlin knows what other kinds of torture, the girl who can't lie to save her life, lied to save all of ours and almost didn't survive the process!" Ron spasmed as the memories assaulted him. Every scream of Hermione's had caused real physical pain, each one a stab in the heart.
Harry was nauseous; he remembered that day all too well. The day another innocent died because of him. But he still didn't understand what this had to do with Ron's confession. He didn't have to wait much longer.
"But did you even care?" Ron roared, shaking him out of his reverie.
"Of course I did, she's my best friend," he replied, slightly miffed.
"Well you sure didn't show it. You didn't go to her bedside. She was in a pretty awful state for some time and not once did you bother to come check on her!" Harry raised his arm to object, but Ron, caught up in a fury, cut him off. "Don't you dare say you were busy with Dobby. He was DEAD! I'm sorry that it happened too, but she needed you then.
"That alone wouldn't have made me so mad but when she woke up and asked where you were and I had to tell her about Dobby, she started sobbing. Not only did she feel awful that a house elf died in a wizard's war, but more than that she thought you blamed her for his death! And to make her feel guilty like that is near unforgivable!"
"What?" Harry was bewildered. "How could she think that? She saved our lives."
"Well since you seemed to be pretty mad at her for breaking your wand and she did that in the process of saving your life too, it kind of follows."
It was true, he hadn't gone to see her, but he had to have asked how she was doing, right? Well… he had! And Ron had said she was doing better, although if he was honest with himself, Hermione had probably made Ron promise not to say anything. Plus being conscious was technically 'better.' How long had it taken him to actually go over and speak to her? Oh Merlin's trousers!
"I've gotta go." Harry jumped up but found his path blocked by Ron.
"Did you figure out why I'm mad yet?" Ron snarled.
"Yes! I've got go fix this; I've got to go to Hermione." Ron's face softened and he let him through.
He raced up the stairs, all the while cursing his own stupidity and paused outside Hermione's room. He heard whimpering like the soft cries of an injured animal. Worrying that she was hurt, he pushed the door open quickly and was surprised to find her on her bed, looking unharmed but rather frantic in addition to thrashing about wildly. A name, laden with fear and loathing, escaped her lips.
"Bellatrix."
His pulse rushing, Harry went to shake her, calling out loudly but soothingly, "It's just a dream, a horrible nightmare. Bellatrix is dead- you're safe." Her eyes shot open and her body tensed as if ready to bolt. Then she relaxed.
"How often do you have these nighmares?" he asked, a little too sharply.
She looked down, "Only when someone talks about her," then she admitted, "or the war in general really." She tooka deep breath and abruptly she burst into sobs. "I'm sorry, I'm not strong enough. I'm sorry Ron yelled at you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke your wand. I'm sorry I couldn't escape Bellatrix. I'm sorry I still can't escape Bellatrix. I'm sorry Dobby got killed. I'm sorry…" she was no longer able to continue.
Harry gathered her into his arms and hugged her, and as a flood of tears cascaded down her face, a few drops of his own fell to meet it.
"I'm sorry."
A/N: A little heavy on the dialogue, but I think I like it. I'd love to know what you thought!
Now I can continue Hermione's Condition!