To stacey18, coolteen13, The Gryffindor Drummer, kizkool, Ms.LucyWeasly, Sweet-Lemmon thankyou for all your comments and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Ritual: Thanks for all your constructive criticism.
Sorry to all if I have kept you waiting I hope you like this chapter.
Hermione woke with the sun pouring through the windows. She looked to her right and saw Harry curled up with his arms wrapped around her. He looked so peaceful. Gently she lifted his arms off her feet laded on the floor a hand caught hers. She looked over to Harry and a small moan came out. "Payment." He said softly. She leaned over him and laid her lips gently on his then got up and walked towards the bathroom.
Harry and Hermione had been sharing a bed for the last week. They had decided to take a break last night but it had felt so lonely in her queen size bed that she had quickly returned to Harry's. The last few weeks had passed quietly for them and Harry and Hermione were now settled into their new jobs. But Ron had been becoming increasingly worse at studies and jitterier. Hermione had told Harry this was just because the first Hogsmeade weekend was approaching and she was right.
X
In the Gryffindor 7th year dormitory Ron was sitting upright in bed. He hadn't slept at all last night and looked horrible. His brain felt like mush and all he could think about was Angelina and what she would say to him after he opened his heart to her. Dean, Seamus and Neville were crowded around him but he wasn't listening to what they were saying. He abruptly jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom and long shower was all he needed to settle his nerves. Hermione and Harry would be there and they wouldn't let him get carried away or die of humiliation.
X
Harry and Hermione walk into the great hall hand in hand. They had decided earlier to walk past the Gryffindor table and see if Ron was alright. As they came nearer they saw that his plate was empty and he looked like he had seen a ghost. Maybe the fact that Nearly Headless Nick was sitting across from him didn't help.
"Hey Ron. Are you alright?" said Harry as he closed the gap between them. Al Harry got in reply was a small squeak.
"It's alright Ron. I'm sure Angelina feels the same way. You'll be just fine." Hermione said in a cheery voice while loading his plate up.
"What are you so happy about? Oh yeah right Harry screwed you last night. And I don't want anything to eat." Ron replied pushing the plate away. Hermione looked hurt and shocked. Ron had never pushed food away and what she and Harry did together was none of his business.
"Look," she snapped, "Fine be nervous, don't eat but don't turn your anxiety into anger. And don't turn it on Harry and me. We are only trying to help and be positive." After this she pushed the plate back in front of Ron and started to walk up to the head table. Harry looked down at Ron who was now staring at his plate and Hermione who was half way up to the table. Harry lightly patted Ron on the back then began the long walk up to the table. e hated not being able to sit next to Ron and joke about. Up at the head table you had to sit and eat and sometimes talk a bit. He missed mixing around with the other Gryffindors and getting to know the first years. He wished McGonagall would just let Hermione and he sit with the Gryffindors again even if it meant there were two empty seats up at the table.
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Harry, Hermione and Ron filed out of the entrance hall onto the Hogwarts field. A soft wind blew against their faces as they began to walk towards Hogsmeade. Harry was standing between Hermione and Ron trying to make conversation but Ron was too nervous to talk and Hermione was still wound up about what had happened earlier.
Harry looked down at his watch and saw it was nearly 11. He turned to Ron but he had already parted from them and was walking in the direction of the Hogs Head. Hermione didn't seem to care and pulled Harry into Honeydukes.
Hermione and he visited all the a few shops the headed to the three broomsticks. Harry looked around for a table while Hermione went and bought two butterbeers. To his shock he saw Ron sitting alone in the far corner. His face was in his hand but the red hair was unmistakable and sitting next to him was Ginny with her arms lightly patting his back.
Harry quickly navigated his way through the tables and chairs and sat down next to Ron. Ginny looked up then looked back down and began to whisper in Ron's ear. "What happened?" he said looking at Ginny.
"Angelina turned him down and told him that last year was just fouling around and that she loved Fred." Ron let out a whimper and burrowed his head further into his hands. Hermione sat down at this moment holding two frothing cups. She looked at Ron.
"Oh God," she sighed, "Ron I'm so sorry. Angelina doesn't know what she is missing out on. You should just get over her and start a new. From this day forward you're not a broken boy but a man that can handle these things. Come on Ron there is someone out there who would be dying to meet you and call you her own. So just hold on maybe Angelina wasn't the girl for you."
Ron's head slowly rose. He blinked away the small tears his face began to turn as red as his hair, his face was changing from self pity to anger. He stared at Hermione. "Yeah well if I can't get her and I can't get you a mudblood then what descent girl would think twice about me? Huh?" Ron suddenly stood up knocking his chair over and strode out of the three broomsticks.
Hermione blinked back tears that began to well in her eyes, one of her best friends had just called her a mudblood. Ron who had always fought against Malfoy when he called her that had called her a mudblood.
"Hermione he didn't mean it. He's just upset." Said Harry pulling Hermione into a hug. Ginny who was sitting on the other side of Hermione looked as shocked as Hermione. Harry let go of Hermione and she slumped back into her chair.
"Oh Hermione," Ginny cried, "I'm so sorry. He's just being stupid. We don't think of you as filth. Nobody who knows you properly would. He just isn't thinking straight. He was so upset when I saw him just wandering aimlessly outside before. I bet you tomorrow when he's calmed down he'll be really sorry. I'll go after him and make sure he's alright." She stood up and walked quickly out of the Three Broomsticks.
Harry and Hermione drank the rest of their butter beer in silence then made their way up to Hogwarts.
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The next day Ron appeared to be in a better mood. As he walked into the great hall he saw Harry and Hermione seated at the head table. Hermione was avoiding any eye contact with him and had her head gently lain on Harry's shoulder.
Harry looked up and saw Ron slouching away to the Gryffindor table looking miserable. His clothes looked like they had just been picked at random and even his hair looked duller then ever. Harry had the 7th years for class first so decided to pull Ron away sometime in the middle to talk to him.
X
Harry walked around his seventh years who were reading up on offence and defence spells. Many had already started their 2 foot essay on the differences. Harry walked behind Neville who he saw had a parchment full of blotches of ink. He seemed to be going better this year then the last few ones. Harry thought it might be because Snape had finally left Hogwarts. Harry rounded on Ron who was whispering to Dean and Seamus. Harry saw Dean hurriedly whisper something and they all put their heads down.
He missed sitting in class and whispering about what was happening. It seemed the only way he could get the information was if he literally forced Ron to tell him. Hermione hadn't been shunned by Ginny, Luna, Parvati or Lavender and rarely walked around without knowing what had recently happened.
Harry came and stood behind the three boys who were flicking through their books trying to find the right page. "Here Ron its page 58," Harry said flicking Ron's book open on the page. Dean and Seamus quickly located the page and started to read ignoring Harry. Harry felt the familiar feeling of isolation come over him. Looking back down he saw that Ron had started to write out the definitions of Offence and Defence spells. Harry looked up and scanned the class. Everything was running smoothly and all the heads were down. Harry gently reached out and tapped Ron on the shoulder then motioned for him to pack up his stuff and meet him in his office.
Harry walked swiftly to his office and sat on his comfy leather chair. The room was empty as he rarely sent time n there. Ron entered a few minutes late with his bag over his shoulder. Everyone in the classroom was looking through the door eagerly.
With a wave of his wand the door shut and another chair appeared next to him. Ron looked at the chair and sat down on it. Harry didn't really know how to start he wanted to come across as a friend except this friend had hurt his other best friend. Harry opened his mouth to begin but was cut off by Ron.
"Harry I'm so sorry for yesterday I wasn't thinking. Is Hermione OK? Today she wouldn't even look at me. I won't be mad if you both want to stop being friends with me. I know I hurt both of you. It's just that, that I just had my heart broken. I took my anger out on you and I didn't mean to." He looked up from his lap and Harry saw that his eyes were full of emotion.
"It's OK Ron. We knew you were unhappy but to call Hermione a mudblood. How could you? All of last night I could hear her crying in her room. She didn't go down for dinner and when I brought up some food she wouldn't let me into her room. She's really hurt Ron. If you want to make things better you should go say sorry to her."
'But what if she hates me. We'll have to avoid each other forever."
"Hermione isn't one to hold a grudge." Harry said patting Ron gently on his back. At that moment the bell went for end of class. "I'll be right back Ron."
Harry got up from his seat and walked over to door. He walked into the classroom and dismissed the students. Dean and Seamus stayed behind drifting around the door. "It's OK. You can go I just wanna speak to Ron for a bit."
"Can we wait for him?" asked Dean.
"I dunno how long we'll be but I guess you can just make sure the next class is quiet when they come in. You can boss them around. They're first year slytherins." Dean and Seamus' faces lit up with this news. They never missed an opportunity to mock slytherins especially first years.
Harry returned to his office and in a few minutes Ron cam out of the door. He saw Dean and Seamus waiting at the front on the classroom. Mocking what seemed like first years. Harry followed Ron down the steps and told them to hurry off. As they exited the door Harry heard Dean call back. "Thanks Harry that was fun. I love having a teacher as a friend"
Sorry again to everyone for keeping you waiting. I've been up in Sydney and haven't had access to a computer. Anyway I hope you liked this chapter. The next one probably wont be coming for a while. (Because of school).
Anyway yet again criticism, comments and ideas for future chapter are welcome.
Also this chapter isn't my best so don't be to hard I was rushing.
JusticeStrouce
