Ron is eating dinner at the Burrow. When his Mum had come by the store yesterday to make sure he was coming for New Year's Eve, he'd assumed everyone would be here including Harry and he had hoped Hermione would be too. It's been several months since he's seen her and he has really missed her, especially since Christmas. The anger he had felt toward her has dissolved into an ache to be with her again. He offers to help his Mum clear the dishes so he can ask the question he has been dying to ask all night. He just didn't want to do it with an audience. He knows she will be out with them, where ever they are, and maybe he can show up and apologize to her. He clears his throat and tries to sound casual when he asks, "Where are Harry and Gin?"
Molly's heart clenches when she hears Ron's question, thankfully her back is to him as she is facing a sink full of dishes. She tries to sound nonchalant as she replies "Oh, at some party somewhere," she hopes it is evasive enough to sound like she doesn't know where. Ron's shoulders slump and he sounds dejected, "Uh, okay." Before he can question her further, she dismisses him from the kitchen, "I've got everything covered, why don't you go play a game of chess with Percy, since he was talking about a rematch during supper." He walks toward his Mum, kissing her cheek. "Sure. Thank you for dinner. It was good." She beams at him, watching him leave the room. Molly shakes her head; wishing things would have gotten better sooner.
When he walks in, everyone is talking and laughing and he feels out of place. Since he was 11 it has always been him, Harry and Hermione. Without them there, part of him is missing. He isn't angry, just sad that he caused the riff with his two best friends. At least he is making amends with his family. Ron walks over to Percy and asks, "So you think you can beat me this time?" Percy smirks, "I know I will little brother." Their game continues until well after midnight.
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A loud pop echoes around Grimmauld Place. Harry gives Ginny a stunned look as he falls onto the sofa. He stammers, "What the … when … Ginny?" She laughs at the befuddled expression on his face and chuckles, "Oh Harry. You really should be more observant." She sits down next to him, grabbing his hand saying, "It's been building for months, well probably years, especially for Malfoy." He turns to her and shakes his head and argued, "Years? Hermione? No way. And Malfoy? He has always hated her. He treated her horribly at school." She smiles, "You should have noticed it when you were so obsessed, albeit rightly so, your sixth year with Malfoy being a Death Eater. I can't believe you didn't know how they watched each other." He looked at her shocked, "They did?" She nods, "Yes, especially after you cursed him." He dropped his head, still feeling guilty about almost killing him. She grimaces, "Sorry, Harry. Didn't mean to bring that up, but I guess you weren't watching him in person a lot after that. The day after the curse, I overheard Parvati and Lavender laughing about Hermione being gone that night, thinking she fell asleep in the library. I figured out that she had gone to see him. Before we got you to get rid of the potions book, we talked. She felt guilty and was really angry at you and it wasn't only because you were besting her in potions."
Harry blanched, "I knew she was disappointed in me, I didn't know she was angry too." She kisses Harry's hand, "Of course you didn't know love. There was no way she would have told you she was upset you hurt Malfoy. I watched them both afterward, when they thought no one was paying attention and they were always looking at each other." Ginny sighs, "Then Dumbledore was dead and our world was turned upside down. Sometimes I think if it wasn't for Voldemort and the war they would have gotten together before now."
Harry disagrees, "No, she loves Ron." Ginny muses, "She loved Ron, but was she ever in love with him? Yes, she had a crush on him, but gods they argued all the time and he made her cry a lot. Plus he isn't near as intelligent as Hermione. She stayed with him a whole lot longer than she should have. Sometimes I think it was because that's what was expected of her. Their first kiss was in the heat of the battle. I'm not sure that would have developed into a relationship if Ron hadn't gotten so screwed up and Hermione felt responsible for fixing him. I dunno Harry. I guess if it wasn't for the war, maybe Malfoy prejudices wouldn't have changed, maybe he wouldn't be working as an Auror and their paths wouldn't have crossed, but they have been spending some time together since before Christmas and they seem to be good for each other."
Harry's still confused, "So they have been dating?" Ginny smiles at her clueless boyfriend. One date with Cho Chang and a relationship with me has not made Harry a dating expert by any stretch of the imagination. She soothes, "No sweetie. In fact, we all just witnessed their first kiss." His brows furrow, "Then how do you know?" She rolls her eyes, "Observation and conversations with Hermione." She stops and takes a good look at Harry. His face is scrunched up and looks like he smells something awful. She chastises, "You are planning on supporting Hermione in this aren't you?" He won't look at her, but says under his breath, "It's Malfoy."
Ginny is taken aback, she stands up and exclaims, "HARRY JAMES POTTER! Do you want to know what the first thing Hermione was concerned about?! Not if Malfoy is good enough for her or anything else that concerns them! It was if we would be okay with her dating him! I can't believe you! Malfoy has gone out of his way to be nice to her and apologize to her. You told me he watches her back in the field, and you have even told me he's changed! He gave her the beautiful time-turner necklace and helped her get her amazing apartment!
Harry shakes his head and balks, "A couple nice gestures and Hermione decides to date him?" Ginny snaps, "It's more than a couple of nice gestures!" Harry stammers, "So what G-Ginny! Ugh! Malfoy! It should be Ron!" Ginny's face is bright red. She can't believe what she is hearing! She continues on her tirade, "WHAT? Are you still holding out hope for her and Ron? Is that why you said love earlier instead of loved? How could you possibly want Hermione, our best friend, to be with someone that is such a horrible fit for her? Especially after everything he's done to her. I know Malfoy was a shite to her and all of us in school, but he has changed! You know that! Ron grew up knowing better and still was an arse to her in school, more often than not, and was worse when they dated! Do you think Hermione will forget what he did to her? To us all! We are all hurting but he was the only one to be so nasty about it. And to top it off he takes it out the most on Hermione! She saved all our arses from Voldemort! We all know if it wasn't for her you would have never defeated him!" He stares at her in shock and she shouts, "Ron should have been bending over kissing her feet! Instead, he treats her like a whore and a house elf!" Ginny knows she's telling Harry too much but she can't stop herself. He has to know why they can't be together again. She loves her best friend like a sister and she refuses to let Harry think Ron deserves another chance. Tears are running down her cheeks as she continues, "Do you know that he used to guilt her into sleeping with him? That she has never once had an orgasm or knows what it's like to make love?" She takes several jagged breaths, no longer loud but seething, "I know he's getting help now, but how can Hermione ever forgive him for what he did! How can you? I can't!" Ginny turns away, sobbing into her hands. She crumples to the floor when she realizes she unleashed the tirade she has kept bottled up for Ron on him.
Harry stares at her for several beats, astonished. Then he gets up and walks over and sits next to the witch he loves pulling her into his arms, rocking her until she quietly says, "I've heard her scream from night terrors, 'Ron please, stop. It hurts...' and worse on more times than I can count. She also has panic attacks, she doesn't know I know, but I've seen them. They didn't start right after the war, they started after she and Ron started…being together. She told me he never forced her but I wonder if she even realizes what consent means." She takes several deeps breaths then says, "Harry he broke her and Malfoy is helping her put herself back together, one piece at a time. Please believe me when I say he is good for her." Harry dries her tears and replies softly, "I do love." He pulls her up, cradling her against him and carries her to his bedroom. His last thought before sleep overtakes him is he is no longer sure who Ron is and isn't sure what he should do about it.
A/N: I'm sorry there is no Dramione this update. Hiding behind my laptop - please don't throw anything at me. We needed to see what is up with Ron and how Harry handles seeing Draco & Hermione together. Yes, Harry has accepted that Draco's changed but he has not forgotten what he did. Harry is still clinging to his dream of one big Weasley family. I hope you like my version of Ginny. To me, this is how I see her developing from the book. She is not whiny, clingy, and insecure, but strong and somewhat broken. I think she also would be very thankful and loyal to Hermione for bringing Harry back to her.
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