Chapter 28
Regrets
Author's Note: Thank you for all your awesome reviews from the last chapter. As some of you said, it is rather obvious Ron and Hermione will get back together soon. Now it is my job to figure out HOW and WHEN to do so. I don't want to do it too quick, because that would seem kind of pointless right? This is going to be tricky. This chapter starts a few minutes before the last chapter ended. Also a portion of this chapter is in italics, and we all know hates Italics, so if something messes up, you know why!
(Ginny's PoV)
Ginny's day off from Quidditch practice had been quite boring... that is, until very recently. Even though it was her day off, she studied her Quidditch playbook because had nothing better to do. When she had finished with that, she had tried to watch the telly, but couldn't figure out how to work it.
When Harry returned home from training, he looked sick, almost to the point of collapsing...
Flashback
Ginny was in the kitchen making dinner when the front door opened.
"Finally, you're home!" Ginny said, walking toward the living room, "Why did they keep you so-"
Ginny gasped. Harry was sitting against the backside of the couch, breathing hard. He was sweating profusely and he looked really pale.
"Harry, what happened?" Ginny demanded.
Harry shook his head, still breathing deeply.
"Harry, tell me right now," Ginny said, in almost a strict motherly voice that sounded much like her own Mum's, "or I will send Ares to Ron. He'll tell me if you don't."
"Ron—already—know," Harry said, in between breathing, "Help me to the couch, will you?"
Ginny helped Harry off the floor, and over to the couch.
"You've never come home from training looking like this!" Ginny said, helping Harry sit down, "What happened?"
"Been—Azkaban," Harry said, "Mission."
"Mission?" Ginny asked, "Harry, you're still in training. Why were you on a mission?" And did you say Azkaban?"
An odor of burning wafted in from the kitchen.
"Oh, bloody hell!" Ginny said, "Harry, when I come back in, you are going to tell me everything!"
Ginny raced into the kitchen, where the pot of boiling potatoes was steaming rather profusely.
"How water can burn, I don't know!" Ginny muttered to herself.
She waved her wand and the water and boiling potatoes vanished. She then took a washcloth and soaked it down with water, then raced back into the living room. She walked over to Harry, who was laying down, and put the washcloth on his forehead.
"Thanks, Ginny," Harry said.
"You owe me now," Ginny said, "Tell me what happened."
Ginny listened to Harry's story.
"And then Ron left to take the two suspects to the Ministry," Harry said, "I'm sure he's fine. He didn't stay too long."
"Why did you stay?" Ginny asked.
"Billingsley and I," Harry said, "We interrogated the other guards that were there. There were like two dozen or so. It took so long."
Harry scoffed.
"Pointless, really," he said, "We got nothing from them. They are as innocent as you and I."
"Then you came home?" Ginny asked.
Harry nodded.
"Billingsley told me to come home when we got back to the Ministry," he said, "He said he would do our reports. He could see the state I was in, and he was healthier, I guess you could say. He'd been there before... on a tour. So he knew what it was like to roam Azkaban."
"It must have been horrible," Ginny said, "I remember when Dad went for a visit. Ministry work, or something. He was different for a while when he came back, and he was only there for a few hours."
"I'll be okay," Harry said.
"No, Harry, you need some rest," Ginny said, "Let me help you up to bed."
Harry shook his head, but when Ginny glared at him, he nodded. Ginny helped Harry walk up the stairs. It was a little tough, because every few steps, it seemed like he was going to faint. When Ginny finally got Harry into bed, he was fast asleep.
Flashback ends
Ginny had written Ron a letter demanding to know how he was, and was now waiting for Ares to come back. She had almost decided to start on dinner again, but she knew if the letter came before she was finished, the dinner would probably burn again. Even with magic, she was never good as her mother when it came to cooking.
Soon, there was a pecking sound on the window. Ginny raced over to the window, opened it and allowed Ares in. Ginny took the letter from Ares and read it.
"Don't talk to Dad," Ginny muttered, "Right. I still may do it. Sending Aurors in training to Azkaban for a mission. What were they thinking?"
CRACK! Ginny's head jerked toward the door. Was that apparation, or a car backfiring?
"Hello?" Ginny called, "Who's there?"
Ginny slowly walked over to the door. She thought she could hear something outside. She opened the door... and saw Ron on the steps. He was facing the other way, and he seemed to be shaking.
"Ron?" Ginny said.
He didn't seem to hear her. Ginny walked over to him. His face was between his knees, and he was sobbing.
"Ron?" Ginny asked, sitting beside him, "What happened?"
Could this have been from his trip to Azkaban? Had Ron been there longer than Harry thought? No, Ron had said in his letter that he was fine. But this was not "fine".
"Ron?" Ginny repeated a third time, "What happened? Is it Hermione -"
Ron jerked away from Ginny. Ginny gasped. What had happened to Hermione?
"You tell me now, Ronald Billius Weasley!" Ginny said, using the same tone her mother used constantly.
"Ha-have you e-ever done anything you ever regretted?" Ron stammered, his voice full of sobs.
"Well, sure," Ginny said, "Opening Tom Riddle's diary, for one. And... snogging boys I didn't really fancy."
Ginny expected Ron to laugh, but he seemed to be shaking even more.
"Why?" Ginny asked slowly, "What did you do?"
Ron muttered something Ginny couldn't hear.
"What?" Ginny said, "Didn't catch that."
"I left Hermione," Ron said.
"What?" Ginny asked, "You mean you-"
"I broke up with her!" Ron said, his voice louder than before.
"Why?" Ginny asked.
"Cause I'm a bloody arse, that is why!" Ron forced out.
"So you broke up with her because you are an arse?" Ginny replied. "Ron, this is the girl you couldn't stop talking about over the summer before school started every year. This is the girl, that, when she said she would come over, you'd count down the days till she did. You didn't even do that with Harry!"
"You think I don't know that, Ginny," Ron said.
"Then why did you really break up with her?" Ginny asked, "You were going to get married. Ron, she took me to Diagon Alley this weekend just to help her shop for your wedding."
"If you are trying to help me," Ron said, "This isn't working."
"Just tell me why, then," Ginny said.
"Because I thought I was going to die in Azkaban today!" Ron forced out.
"What?" Ginny said. "Ron, Harry told me what happened. You weren't going to die."
"He said that because he is bloody brave," Ron said, scoffing, "There was a chance, we both knew it. And... there is always going to be that chance. I can't do that to Hermione."
"You just said it, Ron," Ginny said, "There is always going to be that chance. If you ask me, it is a sad excuse to break up with a girl."
Ron looked over at Ginny, his soaked eyebrows narrowed.
"Ron," Ginny said, "Hermione loves you. I don't know why she does. I'm sure she told you why. But she does. Let me tell you from experience... you need to count yourself lucky with this."
"It would have only broken her heart if I died," Ron said.
"Oh, and you don't think her heart is broken now?" Ginny asked, "She's probably crying her eyes out."
"You don't need to give me more reasons why I'm an arse," Ron said, "I have enough."
"Well, obviously you regret doing this," Ginny said. "You should go back to her and tell her you are sorry."
"She wouldn't take me back," Ron muttered, "I broke her heart, remember."
"Ron, if there is one person in this world who would take you back," Ginny said, "It is Hermione Granger. You are lucky she is that way too. Otherwise, you wouldn't been friends with her past your first year at Hogwarts."
Ron scoffed.
"I can't face her after this," Ron said.
"Right," Ginny said, "Some bloody Gryffindor you are."
Ron narrowed his eyes.
"Gryffindors are supposed to be brave," Ginny reminded him.
"Then I guess I should have been in Slytherin," Ron muttered. "With the cowards like Malfoy."
The front door opened, and Ginny looked over her shoulder. Harry was in the doorway.
"Harry, what are you doing out of bed?" Ginny demanded.
"I thought I heard Ron's voice," Harry said, then looked at Ron, "I guess I was right. What's going on?"
Ginny looked at Ron.
"Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Ginny asked.
Ron scoffed.
"He broke up with Hermione," Ginny said.
"Why did you go and do something like that?" Harry asked.
"Cause he's a bloody arse," Ginny said.
"What she said," Ron muttered.
"Poor girl," Harry said, "I bet she's crying her eyes out."
"That's what I said!" Ginny said.
"Ron, you better go and talk to her," Harry said.
"I can't," Ron said.
"If you don't," Harry said, "Then I will."
"Why?" Ron asked.
"Because I am not going to see my two best friends end up like this because one is a complete arse."
"You don't even know why I broke up with her," Ron said.
"Why, then?" Harry asked.
"Cause I almost got killed today!" Ron yelled.
Harry laughed.
"Shut up," Ron said, "So did you."
"Yeah, and you don't see me breaking up with Ginny over it, do you?" Harry asked.
"No," Ron said, "Cause she'd kill you if you did."
"It's true," Ginny said.
"This is what we do, Ron," Harry said.
"I can't think of what Hermione would do if I got killed," Ron said.
"Oh, so you break up with her," Ginny said, "And hope she'd just forget about you if you got killed?"
Ron didn't reply.
"You are a complete arse if you think that," Ginny said.
"That does it," Harry said, "I am going over and talking to Hermione."
"Harry," Ginny said, "You aren't feeling well."
"I feel well enough for this," Harry said.
Before Ginny could reply, Harry apparated with a CRACK!
"He's going to be the death of me," Ron muttered.
Ginny sighed. She couldn't help, but agree with her brother.
(Harry's PoV)
Harry's feet landed on the front step of Hermione and Ron's house. Without caring to look if a Muggle noticed, he walked to the door, and knocked on it.
"Go away, Ron!" Hermione's voice echoed from inside the house.
"Hermione, it's Harry," Harry said.
A moment later, the door opened. Hermione was standing in the doorway.
"You look... terrible," Harry said.
It was true. Hermione's face, hair, and shirt were all soaked with tears. Just what had Ron done?
"You don't look too good yourself," Hermione muttered, "Get in here, before the neighbors start talking."
Harry followed Hermione into the house.
"Hermione," Harry said, "Ron-"
"Don't say his name!" Hermione growled.
"What, so it's Tabooed now?" Harry asked.
"In this house it is," Hermione said, "You say it, and I'll..."
Hermione growled again.
"You'll growl at me," Harry said, "Great."
Hermione rolled her eyes, walked over to the reclining char and forcefully sat down on it.
"Okay," Harry said, "The couch looks more comfortable than that thing, but..."
"It's where he sat," Hermione said, "When he—he..."
Tears began trickling down Hermione's face.
"He's pretty broken up about it, you know," Harry said.
"Oh, so I suppose he went over to your house," Hermione said.
"Yes," Harry said.
"Good!" Hermione said, "He can stay there!"
"He still loves you, you know," Harry said.
Hermione scoffed.
"And I know you love him," Harry said.
Hermione scoffed again, even louder.
"Oh you don't, do you?" Harry asked. "Then why do you still have the engagement ring on?"
Hermione looked at her hand. She went to take it off, but Harry was there first to stop her.
"Believe me," Harry said, "You don't want to do that."
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Because you'll take him back," Harry said, "You always do. It is like this every time. He always comes crawling back with apologies. Heck, he was probably wanting to apologize about it as soon as he walked out the door."
"Then why didn't he, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"Because he wasn't sure if you'd let him," Harry said.
More tears leaked down Hermione's face.
"He thought he really messed up this time," Harry said, "He keeps calling himself an arse."
"Good," Hermione said, the first grin of the night coming across her face.
"Harsh," Harry said.
"He said he didn't want to marry me," Hermione said.
"Did he say why?" Harry asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Cause he thought that if he died," Hermione said, "I'd take it too badly."
A sob escaped Hermione's lips.
"He's right," she said.
"I wouldn't allow that to happen," Harry said.
Hermione smiled softly.
"What did you say when he said this?" Harry asked.
"He wouldn't let me say anything," Hermione said. "I tried to tell him that it wouldn't happen to him. But he kept interrupting me."
"I think he only realized that after he left," Harry said, "Hermione, do you want me to tell him you'll take him back."
"Can't I stay mad at him for a few days?" Hermione asked.
"Wouldn't that make it worse?" Harry asked.
"Probably," Hermione said, with a smirk.
"You're evil," Harry said, "You want him to think you are mad at him."
"I am mad at him," Hermione said.
Another sob escaped her lips.
"And at the same time I want him back in my arms," she said.
"Well, it is your decision," Harry said.
"Bring him back to me, Harry," Hermione said.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded.
"Okay," Harry said, "But you have to promise me three things."
"Anything," Hermione said.
"Don't kill him," Harry said.
Hermione laughed. "I'll try not to," she said, "And the second."
"If you two split up again," Harry said, "Tell him not to come to me."
"Hopefully it never comes to that," Hermione said, "And the third?"
"Don't let this happen again," Harry said.
"I'll try," Hermione said.
Harry smiled, then apparated, landing back on his front porch a moment later. Ron and Ginny weren't outside, so he walked back into the house. He found them sitting on the couch in the living room. Ron turned around so quickly, Harry wouldn't surprised if he had hurt himself.
"What did she say?" Ron asked.
"Well, she's promised not to kill you," Harry said.
Ron's expression sank. "Is that all?" he asked.
"She said she'd take you back," Harry said, grinning. "Oh, and you better give her a good explanation when you go back to her. She didn't say that. I did."
"I don't know what I'm going to say," Ron said.
"I think an apology is in order first," Ginny said.
"I still don't want anything to happen to her," Ron said, "If something happens to me and I-"
"Nothing's going to happen to you, mate," Harry said, "I'll make sure of that. You'll live to be older than Dumbledore if I have my way."
"I'm an idiot," Ron said.
"Yes you are," Ginny said, "But I think that is why Hermione loves you."
"Well, time to go face fate," Ron said, "Thanks, guys."
"No problem," Harry said, "Just don't do it again."
"I'll try," Ron said.
He then apparated with a CRACK!
"'I'll try'," Harry said, then laughed.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"That is exactly what Hermione said," Harry said, "When I told her the same thing."
"They really are perfect for each other," Ginny said, smiling.
-
(Ron's PoV)
Ron landed on the front porch of his house. He took a deep breath, then walked up to the door and knocked on it. Ron heard the sound of hurrying footsteps. The door opened and Hermione was there, standing in the doorway.
Ron was suddenly reminded of when he had come back to Harry and Hermione, after leaving them during their hunt for the Horcruxes. Hermione's expression was almost identical to that moment.
"You complete arse, Ronald Weasley," Hermione said.
Ron braced himself for what he thought was going to be another physical lashing from Hermione. But when she pounced on him this time, it was, to Ron, the most welcoming hug he ever had in his life.
"I'm sorry," Ron said, his voice muffled into Hermione's shoulder.
"You better be," Hermione said.
Though when she backed away, she was smiling. Hermione took Ron's hand and led him inside. Ron looked down at her hand.
"The ring?" Ron said, looking up at Hermione.
"I never took it off," Hermione said, smiling.
"I don't deserve you," Ron said, shaking his head, "I broke your heart and you still love me."
"You may have broken my heart," Hermione said, "But you also mended it just a moment ago when you showed up on the doorstep."
"I'm sorry about everything I said," Ron said, "I... the only thing that kept me going in Azkaban today was the thought of you. Unfortunately that backfired on me, I guess."
"I can't say I blame you for saying those things," Hermione said, "I would be really depressed if something happened to you."
Ron sighed. Hermione took his hand.
"Look at me," she said, moving closer to him, "That is something we have to live with. We don't know what will happen. That is the dangers of being an Auror. But Ron, I would never ask you to stop being an Auror. I don't want you to stop. You have the makings of a brilliant Auror."
Ron smiled.
"I really don't deserve you," Ron said.
"I really wish you'd stop saying that," Hermione said.
"Make me," Ron said, with a smirk.
Hermione grinned. She kissed him so passionately, Ron was surprised she didn't knock him over. He deepened the kiss, and she giggled a little, but didn't back away like he thought she would. Ron led her over to the couch and Hermione forced him onto it.
"You know," Hermione said, "Because of the last discussion we had on this couch, I was ready to burn it."
"Let's just forget about that, huh," Ron said.
"You're going to have to try pretty hard to get me to do that," Hermione said.
Ron grinned and pulled Hermione on to him.
"What do you have in mind?" he asked.
"I'm sure I can think of a few things," Hermione said.
"You know," Ron said, "I think I was right. I really don't des-"
Hermione kissed him before he could finish the sentence. Ron knew if he let her have her way, he wouldn't say much more that night.
Aaah, I couldn't do it. I didn't want them apart too long! I guess it is the Ron/Hermione shipper in me, eh? Yes, I'll blame it on that. I hope you forgive me if you wanted the separation to last a little longer. I was going to call this chapter "Reunion" but that would give way too much away!
Also, before you say anything, I know it is not possible to burn water. I was just trying to make it a little funny.
Definitely want to hear what you think about this chapter!
