True Friendship:
Chapter One:
Life and Death
It was over. The final battle with Lord Voldemort was over. He was defeated of course, but almost at the cost of Harry's life. Harry was still alive, but barely. The healers at St. Mungo's said that if and that was a big if, but if he woke up he probably wouldn't be the same person.
Ron and Hermione were sitting at the foot of their best friend's bed...silent. No words could be spoken that would change how they both felt. Then Ron blurted out, "It's all my fault. If only I hadn't of tried to jinx Voldemort and missed; Harry would not have jumped in front of me to shield me from the counter-jinx."
"Oh Ron, don't blame yourself. You know you would have done the same thing for Harry if he was in danger. At least he got the killing curse off before he was hit or we all would be dead," said Hermione trying to comfort Ron. Then Ron, began to weep, he didn't even realize it was in front of Hermione, the girl he secretly crushed on for the past seven years.
"Ron…Ron, we should go. I can tell you need some fresh air. Let's go get something to eat, and buy some flowers for Harry's room," she said as she touched his arm and escorted him out of the room.
"So Ron, where do you want to eat?" she said.
"I can't eat…not now. I just want to walk. Can we please just do that?" he said. They began to walk through Hogsmeade, this was one of the few times that they had been able to be alone together. 'Best friends that's all we are,' he thought.
"The flower shop is up this way a bit more. Ron…Ron. Earth to Ron," she said waving her hands in front of his face.
"What? Oh, okay what are you waiting for let's go in?" he said back. He then quickly entered the store and began to look for the perfect plant for Harry. They decided on Gilly Weed. It was something they thought would give him good luck. It had helped him swim during the Triwizard Tournament. It was Harry's plant. When they got to the cash register Ron looked frantically for some money.
"It's okay Ron, I'll pay," Hermione said.
"Fine, but I'm paying you back," he replied. They paid for it and left, the two friends were going to arrparte back to St. Mungo's. 'But she's more than a friend…she's Hermione,' he thought again. This conflict between his heart and reason had been knocking at his brain for weeks now. He didn't know what to do. If he told her, would she laugh in his face? And if he didn't tell her would he die of heart ache? But he had to put aside this argument for another time, since they had walked back into Harry's room.
"Hey Harry, we brought you some gilly weed. I hope you like it. It gave you strength before. You have to come back to us," he said as he crouched down by Harry's ear and whispered so Hermione couldn't hear, "I love you man; you're my best friend."
"Ron, I'm going to go home for a while and sleep. You are welcome to spend the night, she said. 'What will he think I mean?' she thought embarrassed."On my couch of course," she added quickly and left.
But Ron was going to stay. He couldn't leave his best friend side. Harry had given the ultimate sacrifice and Ron was going to stay until Harry woke up. How ever long it took, Ron would be there. Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep, rolled up in the chair beside the bed.
The next morning Hermione walked in and smiled. There were her two best friends sharing a room just as they had at Hogwarts. Only this was different, they weren't at Hogwarts. They weren't stressing over homework. They were battling life and death. 'Oh Ron, he looks so peaceful when he's asleep. Would he laugh in my face, if I told him I loved him?' she thought not knowing Ron had thought the same thing only yesterday. That's when Ron woke.
"Hi, Hermione, why did you come back so late? You should be asleep, " said a groggy Ron.
"Uh Ron, it's morning, you slept here all night. I brought you some tea," she said handing him the cup.
"I did…oh I did. Well, I am up now. Did the healers say anything about Harry?" he questioned. Ron got off the chair and walked out of the room. He was going to the bathroom…to think.
When he came back Hermione said, "Ron the doctors said that Harry was improving. Slowly they said, but he might wake up in the next couple of days," she said smiling.
"Well then, I can't leave this room. I'm staying with Harry," he said. 'But I did enjoy that time alone with Hermione. But Harry, I can't leave him. But I love Hermione. No, I'll have Hermione for ever. But Harry…he might die. I'll stay with Harry,' thought Ron yet again battling with himself.
"Then I'll stay with you. Harry is important to me too. He needs us right now more than ever," she said agreeing with Ron. With that they had sealed an agreement; the two of them would stay by Harry's side until he woke up, no matter what. Their friendship would not be broken by anything.