The Weary Rise Up
by Charli J

"There's this thing," Hermione says, and curls two fingers under the corner of a page, " - a poem, really. You probably haven't read it."

"Oh, no. Of course I haven't read it - I mean, it's not like I read or anything," Ron says, dryly. He rolls his eyes and stares back down at the book Hermione's skimming. He doesn't know what it's a book for.

"Don't be dramatic. I just meant that it's Muggle poem, and so you probably haven't read it," Hermione clarifies.

Ron says, "You're right. I haven't."

Hermione reads page with her finger underlining the sentences as her eyes move over the text. After a minute she pauses and jots down some notes.

"Anyway," she says, "this poem. I read it in one of my mother's books once, and this morning I was reminded of it and thought of you."

Ron frowns. "It's not insulting is it? Not a poem about rats, or snakes, or anything? There's nothing slimier or worse than a snake. Except maybe being stupid like a troll. Pathetic creatures - you calling me a troll, Granger? I don't care about how smart you are, Harry and me can easily find a new third - "

Leaning over, Hermione slapped a palm over Ron's mouth. "Ron! Shut up. You're jumping, no leaping to conclusions again."

"Right. Sorry," Ron apologizes quietly and settles back into his seat. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

Ron huffed. "What was the bloody poem about then? You can't just leave something up in the air like that."

"Oh. Ok." She pauses and presses her lips together. There's probably a reason she shouldn't have brought the stupid poem up, but, "It's nothing much. A silly little rhyme about seeing things and not really seeing. People miss great opportunities because they spend too much time dwelling on things past."

Ron fists his pants leg. He's suddenly hostile.

"Hermione, no," he says. "I know what you're implying."

"I'm sorry. It was wrong for me to bring it up," Hermione apologizes. "But Harry. Harry has someone, Ron. And you're clearly still miserable; maybe it's time…"

Hostility quickly melts into desperation, defeat. Ron frowns. Hermione covers his hand with her and smiles slowly. She tilts her head, letting hair fall over her face and opens her eyes a bit wider. She says, "You two are still great friends, you know. Just because you can't be happy having more, doesn't mean you can't be happy at all."

Ron says, "I thought I was doing pretty well. I'm not having a breakdown or anything unbearably pathetic."

He doesn't quite catch what Hermione means now, but she leans over to hug him anyway. She reads the textbook out loud while he leans against her, hopeful that he will.