Disclaimer: J.K. Rules.
George and Fred had joined them for dinner, most of the students had left on the train before dinner and the grand dining room felt very empty.
"Oi! What kind of trouble do you think we can get into in three weeks lil brother." Fred cheered as he slid hard into Ron on the bench.
"We have a few new candies to try out on you, I think you'll enjoy them" George added.
"Yeah you will they are bloody brilliant" Fred and George exchanged a high-five.
"Hey Harry, did you change your mind mate?" Fred asked.
Harry looked at him "Change my mind about what?"
"You're not on the train back to London… does that mean you here with us for another Christmas?"
"Oh, no I leave in the morning, I got a different ride." Harry answered. He looked to Hermione to see if he could catch on to any reaction to him leaving. He really felt bad about leaving her. She was focused on her food.
"Oh well have fun, mate. Don't worry we'll hold down the fort for you" George essentially ended the conversation and began eating.
It was Fred and George who were making the most noise at the table but Hermione felt that it was way to quiet.
"umm, Ron you're awfully quiet." She pointed out, half to get him back for calling her out earlier in the common room and half actually wondering why he was being so quiet. He was one of the most talkative people she knew.
Ron's ears went bright red. He had been keeping to himself the entire meal, he was having a hard time looking at Harry and Hermione across the table. Every time he saw Harry look at her he thought to himself that he would do anything to switch places with him right now.
Ron dropped his fork on his plate. "Yeah, sorry." He started to stand up from the table. "I'm not feeling very well I'll think I'm going to turn in." He gathered his things. "Night Harry…Hermione" he let out a small smile for her name.
Hermione watched him leave and wondered what was wrong. She made it a point to talk to him the next day, it wasn't like him to just leave a meal.
The remaining group members made small talk for another hour before Hermione asked Harry if he'd walk her back to the common room. He of course smiled and held her hand as they walked.
"I left you a Christmas present under the tree. I've instructed Ron how to open it for you, so you can't cheat before Christmas Eve" Harry smiled, she knew how much she loved presents.
"Oh how thoughtful" she said sarcastically "I've already sent yours ahead to the hotel you told me you'd be at. You can open it whenever you'd like" She smiled and squeezed his hand.
"I'll look forward to it." He said as they reached the portrait that led them into their house.
She loved times like this with Harry, just easy and simple. The problem was she knew it couldn't be like this forever and she couldn't help but think for the worse when he all but refused to take their relationship to the next level. On more than one occasion she thought he was cheating on her because of it but would always push that idea out of her mind as quickly as possible.
When they entered the room she looked to the tree and immediately saw the present she knew was hers.
"So what did you get me?" She turned to face him.
"Well if I tell you that then there would be no reason for the spell I have over it now would there" he grinned and grabbed her hands in front of him.
Hermione looked down between them and their joined hands, she didn't want to start this again. Her head was still reeling in frustration from their previous encounter and she was sure she'd be able to handle another one of his abrupt stops. She feared she would lash out. Instead she merely raised to her tip-toes and gave him a swift kiss on the lips.
"Do you want me to wake early and see you off tomorrow?" She asked.
Harry looked at her, the kiss she had just given him had sent him some confusing signals and he wasn't sure what to make of it. Then her question which he thought would be a no-brainer hit him as well.
"Wasn't that the plan all along? Breakfast and good-byes?" he asked unsure now.
"Oh well yes, it was. I just wasn't sure if you had changed your mind or not"
"Hermione why wouldn't I want you to?" Harry asked. He sounded a little upset.
"Harry, I wasn't saying that. It was just a question. Please let's not argue about this." Hermione dropped her hands from his. Harry just got more upset, he felt that she was slowly slipping away and it was all his fault.
"Well I want you there." He stated.
"Ok, I'll be there." She answered but not with the reassuring tone he had hoped for.
"Ok. 7am. I'll be here. Waiting" he spoke, every word sounded miserable. Hermione felt horrible for making him feel this way but she couldn't bring herself to fake being happy for much longer. It wasn't like she wasn't happy with Harry, but she thought she shouldn't have to try so hard.
"goodnight harry" she feigned the smile she knew he loved.
"goodnight" he leaned in to kiss her. She kissed him back but only for a moment, it was Hermione who was now pulling away. She took it as her moment to turn for the stairs that lead to the girls bedchamber.
Harry just watched her as he always did. She gave him another smile before disappearing. Harry felt defeated. That was the closest they had ever come to having an argument about their relationship and he didn't feel good leaving for three weeks on that note. He made a mental note to try and fix it in the morning.
He entered the half empty bedroom of his all of his roommates had already left, except for Ron who was reading on his bed from the light on the end of his wand.
"Feeling better Ron?" Harry asked as he began to change for bed.
"Yeah it was just a little headache, I just needed to lay down" he lied. "How was the rest of dinner?"
"Well Fred and George never cease to entertain. They went on about a courage potion they plan to slip in to Malfoy's pumpkin juice after break. That prat deserves it." Harry had finished changing.
"Courage potion? Doesn't that seem like the last thing anyone should be giving Malfoy?" Ron asked actually interested in the reason.
"You know you're probably right, I think it was the humble potion they were going to give him. Sorry I was distracted."
" Much more sense. Distracted by what" he hoped he didn't go into more detail about Hermione even though he knew that's why he was distracted.
"I think I'm losing her Ron." Harry was now lying on his bed.
"What makes you say that mate" Ron perked up a little.
"I just feel it coming. It's been a cycle now for the last two weeks and not it's just coming to a head. I guess we'll see. Night Ron." Harry didn't want to talk about it anymore he just wanted to get some sleep in.
"Yeah, night" Ron sat up a little straighter. He spent the next hour wondering what the punishment for using this intel to his advantage with Hermione but against Harry. He knew he couldn't but obviously couldn't help but want to.
Ron's last thoughts before falling asleep were of what it would be like to be with Hermione. Needless to say these thoughts quickly turned into Ron's own personal nightmare of him walking in to his home bedroom only to see Harry and Hermione "getting physical" on his own bed. He woke abruptly and was covered in a cold sweat. He saw no end to this torture she was unknowingly putting him through, he was going to have to keep busy away from Hermione for the next three weeks or it would surely be the death of him.
Readers stick with me, it's killing me having Ron and Hermione apart for so long haha. Don't worry as Harry departs the action escalates. I just have to set it up haha.