Title: Found You
Rating: T (16+)
Summary: For the sake of Ron's sanity, Harry lies. For the sake of Hermione's safety, Harry lies. For the sake of Ginny's misconceived dreams, Harry lies. Harry cannot lie to himself.
Warnings: Angst, depression, momentary mention of suicidal thoughts
A/N – Obviously, I'm a Harry/Hermione shipper. It'd be more accurate to say that I support most any ship besides R/Hr and H/G, actually. I've read some fics that pull it off well, but as far as canon goes, my answer remains a resounding 'No'.
-FY-
She's like my sister.
Hadn't he been making sacrifices like this all this year?
She's like my sister.
What was one more? Especially for Ron; he'd just come out of a Horcrux trance, was thoroughly depressed, dripping wet in the dead of winter, and still holding the basilisk venom-imbued Sword of Gryffindor.
She's like my sister.
It was obvious – now, of course it was, in light of that vision from the Locket – that Ron loved Hermione. And it was obvious – this, from years of friendship, though – that he'd never get it in himself to approach her unless someone he trusted laid out the path with a velvet carpet and blaring trumpets.
She's like my sister.
Ron was currently a danger to himself. In this hyper-depressed state, especially with such easy access to a deadly sword, Harry could only imagine what one more moment of hopelessness would do to his redheaded friend. It didn't matter that Harry was lying through his teeth. It didn't matter that he'd only avoided asking her out for the same reasons he'd broken off his half-hearted attempt to feel with Ginny: Voldemort. What mattered was that Ron would buy it, and Hermione was torn between them enough to go with who ever asked first.
She's like my sister.
And if giving up Hermione for Ron would keep them close to each other – and most importantly, out of the line of fire that he drew – then that's what he would do. And Harry, in the midst of trying to bring Ron out of the Locket-induced funk, sealed his own fate.
"She's like my sister. I love her like a sister and I reckon that she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew."
And even as he hardened his own heart, he watched Ron's expressive blue eyes light up with barely-kindled hope. Harry would never give up on the Golden Trio… and that meant, for the rest of their lives, he'd have to hang around and watch the one person who'd ever stood by him, who'd supported him through thick and thin, who'd stolen his heart before he'd even known that the opposite sex existed stand in the arms of his best friend.
She's like my sister.
Ouch. Merlin, being self-sacrificing sucked.