Harder to Breathe

Chapter 2

Ron Weasley headed towards the Gryffindor common room, happily munching on a Chocolate Frog. Weekends always put him in a cheery mood. Even if Hogsmeade weekends hadn't started, it was still better than being in class as far as Ron was concerned. Granted he didn't have as many classes as, say, Hermione, but seventh year was tough nonetheless. Ron was certainly dreading the N.E.W.T.'s at the end of the year. Tests always made him rather nervous, especially ones that could make or break his future.

But thoughts of the future were the last thing on Ron's mind as he finished off his Chocolate Frog and entered the common room. It was too nice of a day to think about anything serious. Just as the portrait swung shut behind him, Hermione appeared at the bottom of the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Ron noted that she looked slightly disheveled, and instantly grew suspicious. Had Hermione been with someone in his dorm? When she spotted him, her eyes widened slightly. Ron's ears burned with a jealous rage.

"Why were you in the boys' dorm?" Ron demanded, striding towards Hermione.

"I was looking for Crookshanks. I haven't seen him all day," Hermione replied coolly.

Ron scoffed skeptically. "Looking for Crookshanks indeed. Who were you up there with? And what's that spot in your neck?! Hmm?"

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione exclaimed, clapping a hand to her neck, her cheeks turning pink. "How dare you?! And if you must know, Crookshanks nipped at me last night."

Ron inwardly groaned. Now he'd done it. Hermione was likely not to talk to him for at least a couple of days. His temper cooled significantly, realizing that he trusted Hermione. If Hermione said that she was looking for Crookshanks, well then Ron believed that she was looking for Crookshanks.

"Er—sorry Hermione. I didn't mean to, uh, accuse you of anything," Ron said somewhat awkwardly.

Ron could see Hermione's face soften visibly, and he let out an inaudible sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to have yet another row with Hermione. He was tired of fighting with her, but it seemed like most of their conversations led to that. He couldn't understand why Hermione seemed so agitated with him recently. 'Women!' he'd just thought with exasperation.

"Well, I'm going to go grab something to eat," Hermione said. "See you later, Ron."

"Bye," Ron replied.

They walked past each other and Ron headed up the stairs. He thought of the way he had felt upon first seeing Hermione come down that staircase. Jealously had been an instantaneous reaction. It was so blatantly obvious that Ron had feelings for her, but for some reason he could not bring himself to say so. He cursed himself for being doomed to start fights instead of confessing his true feelings. Shaking his head, Ron pushed open the door to the dorm. What he saw did nothing to help the lingering feelings of suspicion in his mind. Harry was alone in the room, sitting on his bed, pulling a t-shirt on. His hair was untidy, but that really wasn't anything new. Still, Ron felt that all-too-familiar rage bubbling within him. It seemed ever at the surface these days.

"Hey Ron," Harry said good-naturedly. 'Sounds a little too cheery if you ask me,' Ron thought angrily.

"Hello," Ron retorted. He did nothing to conceal the harshness in his voice. Harry looked somewhat startled.

"Er—you okay mate?" Harry asked. Ron detected a hint of nervousness in his voice. Or maybe Ron was just being paranoid. Ron narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms nonetheless.

"I'm fine," he said tetchily. "Just wondering something. Why was Hermione up here?"

"Hermione? She was just...looking for something," Harry said.

"Oh really? What was she looking for?" Ron challenged.

"Ron I don't know what's wrong with you—"

"Just answer the question!" Ron's suspicions were nearly confirmed at this point. And he felt like throwing up.

"She was...she was looking for that quill she got for Christmas last year," Harry replied, attempting to sound confident in his reply.

"AHA!" Ron exploded. "I KNEW IT! Hermione was "looking for" Crookshanks. But I know what she was really doing. What you were doing! How could you Harry? HOW COULD YOU!?" Ron's face was the color of the Gryffindor Quidditch uniforms, his voice shriller and angrier by the moment. One wrong word from Harry, and he was ready to lunge at his throat.

"Ron...I—we never meant it to happen...we aren't dating or anything..." Harry floundered, trying to explain the situation.

"I don't want to hear it!" Ron yelled. Not only was he furious with Harry, but with Hermione as well for lying right to his face. He was going to take it all out on Harry however, since he could not keep anything in. "You lied to me, she lied to me, you are both lousy friends! I can't believe you would betray me like that! YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT HER!"

Now it was Harry's turn to be angry. "YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT!" Harry raged, his eyes now smoldering with fury. "You can't expect Hermione to wait around for you to come to your senses!"

"BUT YOU ARE MY BEST MATE! MY BEST MATE HARRY!" Ron roared. "I thought you were better than that, but apparently you're not. You're no better than Malfoy. You may as well be Malfoy as far as I'm concerned," he added bitterly.

Harry clenched his jaw and jumped up. He strode over to Ron until he was barely inches from his face. "Don't you dare," Harry said through gritted teeth, raising a fist.

At that very moment, Seamus and Dean came walking through the door, laughing at something. As soon as they caught sight of the tense situation between Ron and Harry, they stopped laughing. They looked back and forth between Ron and Harry, then at one another.

"What's going on?" Seamus questioned.

"Nothing!" Ron snapped.

"I don't think Harry looking like he's about to punch you qualifies as 'nothing'," Dean commented.

Ron turned to Dean. "Well, I don't really care what you think, and the last time I checked, this was none of your business," Ron replied icily.

Dean scowled. "Whatever man," he muttered, flopping down on her bed. Seamus followed suit, clearly not wanting to get involved.

Ron turned back to Harry, who had lowered his fist. Ron knew getting into a fight would be useless. Though Ron was taller, Harry was stronger and more muscular. However Ron did not know if he could contain himself. The recent revelation had put him in a particularly bellicose mood.

"So how long has this been going on?" Ron hissed. "Been sneaking behind my back for ages now have you?"

"I don't have to deal with this, Ron. Neither does Hermione. So you just leave her alone." Harry said the last part in a low, threatening voice. Ron did not back down.

"I'll do whatever the bloody hell I want," said Ron.

Harry shook his head and walked past Ron. He pulled the door open, left, and slammed it shut behind him.

"Forget you!" Ron yelled after him. He shot a look at Dean and Seamus, who were openly staring at him. He raised an eyebrow as if daring them to say anything. When neither of them said a word, Ron threw himself down on his bed, not bothering to wipe away the angry tears that rolled down his face.