This is all HARRY-
Three months today since the fight between my boyfriend, Draco, and the shred of Voldemort that had embedded itself into my best friend, Ron. Today is the day that Voldemort-less Ron will be coming home from St. Mungo's with full control of his mind after three months of intense therapy. I don't know how I feel about it. Draco is so upset we've barely talked in weeks. I stand near the door and wait. Ron will be here soon.
LATER-
Ron is quiet and doesn't look me in the eye as he approaches. "Hi, Ron," I say quietly to break the tension. He looks up, his eyes dead. "Hi, Harry," he rasps. I don't think even a lifetime of therapy can cure him from his thoughts. I lead him to the dorm room and sit on the floor. "How are you?" I ask.
"How can you look at me, talk to me, smile at me like nothing happened?" he whispers. "Because...well, because you are one of my best friends. Because I know, and you do too, that the one who... did that wasn't you. Because you're hurting as much as me and the sooner we both get our strength back and our minds right, the sooner we can destroy Voldemort for doing this to us. We were both victimized, not just me, but neither of us are victims," I say.
"That's a pretty speech, Harry, but you don't have to be nice to me because we were friends before," he says.
"We're friends now! I'm not being nice, I'm being honest, Ron. We've both had three months to be afraid of the worked and to blame ourselves but those three months are over and we have to focus on the real enemy, " I say after a long pause.
"But I allowed those things to happen. I allowed the enemy in. I wanted to.. those were my desires and all Voldemort did was twist them into evil. They still existed outside of him. I still..." Ron cries.
"You mean you want me? So, what, Ron? We all want things and if we want them badly enough we'll fantasize about how to get them and what to do with them once we've got them. You wanted to take a joyride. Voldemort is the one who cut the brakes and drove the car into a tree," I say.
All is quiet for a minute. "Harry, I'm so sorry," Ron says with tears rolling down his cheeks. I slowly move over to him and wipe the tears away. "You have NOTHING to apologize for, but for your sake I forgive you," I say gently as I pull him into a hug. I hold him to my chest as he sobs, his body racked by the intensity of his pain.
Draco walks into the room. "Hey, Harry? I didn't see you at-" he stops. "Where, honey?" I ask sweetly. He shakes his head. "What is that doing here?" he hisses. Ron starts to shake harder and my robes become soaked with his sadness. "Where, Draco? In his own room? With his best friend? In what way does he, because he is a person not a thing, not belong here?" I snap, "you haven't talked to me in weeks and now you're coming into my house and yelling at Ron?"
"It is not a person anymore! He was part of Voldemort!" Draco yells. "But he isn't anymore, I've forgiven him though he doesn't need my forgiveness. Ron didn't do anything, Voldemort did! We need to focus on the real enemy," I shout.
"I don't want you around him," Draco says. "Well, that's impossible!" I say, exasperated, "We live in the same dorm, were in the same house, we take the same classes. Not to mention you can't tell me what to do! Ron is my best friend and I will not abandon him."
Draco seethes and then spits, "You're going to have to choose, Harry."
"Chose? Draco, stop while you're at zero," I reply.
"Between me and Ron. Right now. I can't be around him and I don't want you around him either, so you have to choose," he says.
"That isn't fair and you're making an ass of yourself," I say tiredly. " .Him?" Draco says. "This is ridiculous, I'm not choosing. Let it go, or we can take a break," I say. "Then we're taking a break. I can't..." Draco says as he storms out of the room. I laugh ruefully, "I think I just lost my boyfriend." Then I dissolve into tears. Ron holds me tight and wipes the tears away.
"Don't even think about saying it's your .. don't," I say into his chest between sobs.
