Grimmauld place

It was Saturday morning Harry was starting breakfast when the floo activated. He took his wand and went on search for the intruder. He saw a redhead dusting himself near the fireplace.

- Good morning Ron.

- Hey mate, morning! Sorry to bother, but mum had some pastries done yesterday I thought you would appreciate breakfast- He pulled a paper bag in front of him.

- Well I was starting to look for something so good time!

- Perfect!

They prepared the rest of the meal while chatting about quidditch and the joke shop.

- Spill it Ron.

- How do you…

- Ron you are my best friend and if the roles where reversed you would know that too.

Ron sighed, - Got a text from Hermione she wants to meet to talk.

- And that is a bad thing? You can't keep avoiding her and expect to everything be fine without doing anything.

- Yea but I've got a bad feeling this time, and I'm not sure what to say or do I'm pants at this and you know it! I will say something that I don't mean, she will take it bad and the screaming will start again.

- First of all, you are not pants at this, look I'm not your girlfriend but you just brought me breakfast on a Saturday morning, did you ever done anything like that to Hermione?

- Well yes, a couple of times, but I don't know if she appreciated it.

- She is Hermione, I'm sure she appreciated it but the same way you don't reassure her when she gets you your quidditch magazines I doubt that she thought that had to congratulate you for doing nice things for her.

Look one of the things that we are likewise is that we both are insecure in relationships and the only advantage that I have on you is that I still ask Hermione about it and I do not feel embarrassed about it. But mate, you know that she is the most talkative person in the world, she is a chatterbox and always helps us, you can always ask her, I don't get why you stopped.

- Because she is my girlfriend, I'm supposed to know her, to know how to be good to her but I'm always second guessing every move, both mine and hers. It's like I'm always doing an exam and I need to prove to her that I don't need her help on it, that I grew up that I can do it without her guiding my hand like always.

- Ron, girlfriends like to take our hands and guide us occasionally, Ginny practically was like a having a service dog.

- Well you never said no to her and look how your relationship ended. But it's not that, I don't want her to think that she has to do my part as a boyfriend.

- I still don't get it, either way you have to talk to her not me.

- That's it, I'm afraid that this talk will be the last as a couple and I can't fuck it up, because we're friends and I don't want her as a mad ex-girlfriend.

- So, you already have in mind that she will want to breakup?

- No! no, I don't know but we can't keep up like this, it's a row after row, we couldn't even talk about moving together! I just, I don't know! And she will know! She is Hermione she knows everything! – He stood up looking helpless.

Harry took a deep breath and looked at him and sighed.

- I don't understand why both of you came to me for this I'm the worst of the three in relationships!

- What? She came? When? Wait don't, she came to you after our fight?

- She came to me two days after the fight. Because she knew you would come here too and didn't want to intrude. But yes, she came after I send her a text. - He looked at him in the eye seriously - She kept everything to her until I called on her.

- But why? she always come to you! Why wait? I was awful to her!

- Because! – He stood up – She is Hermione she knew you would come here too so she stood back!

- But that, why? She could have come you don't mind, do you?

- But that's Hermione to you, as you said she is always to steps ahead of us. And mate, if the same night you both stood in front of each other here, my job at tearing apart the place would have been meaningless, you would have done within an hour.

Ron looked at him sheepishly. – I wasn't the only one enraged, was I?

- It was two days later, and her magic was still cracking Ron.

- I guess that her job didn't help isn't it?

- That's the understatement of the year.

- She must quit, she's too good for being stuck like that at the Ministry.

- Maybe you can talk to her about that.

- O hell no! if I touch that topic we will scream again, you know how it gets to her those critics.

- Ron, she takes closer the critics about her capabilities, not the bigotry on the ministry. If you say that same phrase to her she will appreciate it.

- Easy to say for you, you never stuck a foot in your mouth.

- Hey, I've done it before, but I usually apologise, something that you are not very good at, mate. - He threw him a pointed look, at what Ron looked ashamed.

- Yeah, I know sorry.

- What time are you meeting her? You can't be late.

- She said to meet at Hogwarts in the quidditch pitch at eleven.

- Well at least she picked a nice place.

- That's what I thought she knows that when we are upset we like to take a broom ride. That's why I assumed the direction of the conversation.

- Have you thought that maybe she wants to finish a conversation without you storming out in rage? And that she thought that if you can fly at least you can calm down enough to listen?

Ron looked at his hands. – I usually assume the worst about her, and I don't know how to stop it, I tried but I keep seeing conspirations or second meanings in what she or people around her does. I love her but I don't trust her? I don't know why, she never did anything to imply that.

- Ron, it's not me that you must have this conversation.

- You're right, thanks.

- And Ron, please you're my best friends, BOTH of you, don't force me to take sides. So please wherever goes this conversation, please please, we survived a war and that long path that we: Hermione, you and me took. Only we three know what we went through. Please I NEED you two, both of you.

Ron looked at Harry, those piercing green eyes pleading him, Harry never plead to anybody, he always kept a façade at least in front of everyone else, only three people have seen him broken: Hermione, himself and Andromeda, and the last one was because she kind of taken him in after a breakdown that Harry had one afternoon, and neither him or Hermione knew what to do.
Harry never asked for anything he was one of the most selfless and giving person he knew besides from his own mother, even Hermione didn't reach his level but still close enough. He supposed that the difference was their upbringing, Hermione wasn't shy to ask for things. And Harry feared to ask for them.

The day of the breakdown he and Hermione felt like they were smacked, the severity of the pain that Harry was feeling but he never said anything, he didn't reach for any of them and that was one point that Hermione and him promised to never return. Harry was their rock and they failed to notice its cracks, and that afternoon they were unprepared and lost of what to do, until he remembered that George mentioned that Andromeda was one of the seniors Healers at ST Mungos. Harry appreciated the discretion and Andromeda found a way to treat him and herself. So, she offered Harry to live with her and for a hand to help to rise Teddy.

At first Molly was disappointed that Harry preferred to live with Andromeda, but after seeing that living in a house full of people grieving and building up it again, even if she considerate Harry one more of the family. He had his own demons to face and having a baby to take care of and a routine that Andromeda always had, was helping him to keep going on.
A year later the Weasleys had taken two more members to the family, the two Tonks.

- I promise Harry. - Ron looked Harry in the eye, he had broken some nonverbal promises to his friends, but he was committed to never fail to them again.

Harry just nodded his head and went upstairs. A few minutes later some noises could be heard. He was really working on dismantling that place barehand, only using magic when needed. He shook his head. With a deep breath he went to the only point of the house that you could aparate.

Hogwarts

When he arrived at the quidditch grounds Hermione was already there. She was sitting on the grades at the same spot she had occupied while waiting for Harry and him to end the quidditch training. She was the same sight, just a little older: heavy book in hand and crystal jars with blue flames around her.

- Hey! Have you been waiting long here?

- Hello Ron, just a few, I needed some pace and it's really calm here when there's no teams doing training sessions.

He smiled and notices a picnic basket at her feet. She followed his eyes and closed the book. – Yeah, I brought some food for lunch I thought that the weather is nice enough for a picnic.

- That means that this will be a long conversation. – He went to seat near her.

- Well, I think that we ought to explain ourselves and we have a few topics to talk about, and I really want your opinion in one mater.

- Ok, just let me start- He fixed her with a look as she seemed a little upset that he wanted to speak first but relented. – I know that you may have a speech ready but, I think that I have to apologise first, I owe it to you. I'm sorry to have shouted to you and then to leave like that without listening, and not answering your phone calls or letters. I just, I needed space to think but I went in a wrong way and that was a jerk move and I'm really sorry. – He raised his head and she nodded to him. He took a deep breath and changed his position facing the pitch. – You know Harry was right you are always two steps ahead of us. – When he looked back at her she had her eyebrows up like asking a question – You knew that the pitch would calm me down and that not having walls around will help us to relax. I'm usually the strategic person of the trio, but you know were to pick your battles.

She chuckled – Well I've been rubbing things of to you and Harry I guess that in the meantime I learned something from both of you too.

- I'm sorry that you thought that you couldn't reach for Harry after our row. I would never do that to you. You believe right? He is our best friend I have no more rights over him than you do.

- The way you stormed out of my apartment and the last words that you said to me were saying the complete opposite.

- Sorry I just, I was jealous that you went to him first for his opinion and not me.

- Ron you have work ours. Harry doesn't have a job so it's easy to catch him on free time. I couldn't bother you at the shop even if you work for your brother. Besides we had a dinner date planed in which you arrived ready to fight.
And then you didn't even listen when I tried to explain! You already had your own version in your head and anything that I was saying didn't even reach you.

- You are right, it's been a couple of rough months for both of us and I didn't make the things easy. I don't understand it myself. I know that we are a tight group, but I guess that I always envied the way you and Harry trust each other without questioning. Like you could be half away in the globe and knew what the other is thinking.

I know that part of that is my own fault. During the tournament and the hunt, I let you both down and that could have ended our friendship, but you both kept reaching for me. I still wondering sometimes if I really deserved to be your friend. And I guess that I took it from granted. Like when I fought with my siblings they were always there, annoying but because they are my brothers, I can count on them. I always mistrust them because of the pranks or the jokes and everything but then mum or dad kept pushing us together again because family is always going to be there. So, I guess that in extension I treat you and Harry the same but you're not family you don't have the obligation to come back. At the tournament I saw that a bit. But it was during the hunt while I was away, and I couldn't find a way to reach you that it hit me.
That maybe this time you wouldn't come back for me and not because you were still angry with me, but maybe because you would be dead. And I felt like I was the one that pushed you to that.

And I still have that feeling sometimes that if you and Harry realise this, there won't be a next time of forgiveness. And I know it's stupid but, everything that you do I'm always wondering if there is a second meaning to it. I'm being a paranoid searching for the moment that you and Harry realise that you are better of without me, that you are happier. And I'm so sorry because this insecurity is one of the main causes that our relationship isn't working.

He stopped talking trying to keep his breath at bay. He was opening to her about his fears and that was terrifying him. He never did that he was aware that Harry and Hermione and certainly a lot of their peers were having the same problems. Harry started therapy and Hermione he had a feeling that she talked to someone about it too, but he didn't know to who to turn on for the help.

- Ron, look at me please. – He turned to her and was afraid to see pity in her eyes. But he found those same warm eyes that had some understanding in them. – Harry and I would never be happier without you, and deep down you know it, there's no us without you, we keep each other on balance. We know of your jealousy and we still love you, we know of Harry gloominess and we won't get ride of him because he is a depressing guy right? And I know that I came too strong on some topics and I can't let arguments go. And even having those same fears as you, have I convinced myself that you and Harry can see past those flaws and still want to keep being friends with me.
It wasn't easy to keep this hope light up you know? Our third year with the firebolt and sixth with that stupid potion book made me question if you and Harry really wanted me around.

- I'm sorry for that too, I think that neither of us apologised for it. And now I'm ashamed because I really didn't cross my mind that you had this fears too.

- Well to be honest sometimes I still think that if our friendship had ended then, I would had the worst time than you two. You always had good relationship with the other boys you have a talent to make friends. Harry is a loner, I think that he would have accepted it just like everything else in his life, but he would still have the other boys around too. I for the other hand, I had never been close with the other girls, they were cold towards me and it took time for them to approach me without using homework topic. And then in sixth year when I thought that I had build some kind of relation with them it fell apart because of your rendezvous with Lavender.
That being say we were teenagers Ron we were stupid kids doing work that the adults should have to be doing. That is water under the bridge we grew up and we are adults. You can't keep storming off like a petulant child when the wind doesn't blow your way. I'm not your sibling I'm your girlfriend and you can't do that. I feel like you don't respect me enough to take you time to listen or to talk things.

- I know and I'm sorry for that. I just, I feel like every time that we discuss something I'm losing, you always have facts, strong opinions and I feel like I'm class again lost in the topic. Not knowing if you are asking for my opinion or you want to change mine.

- Ron, you almost blew my apartment up when I told you that I wasn't ready to live together, you accused me that I had no complaint when Harry offered me a room in Grimmauld and then you said that I rented a flat by myself just to rub into your face. You assumed everything as always, not asking a single question and leaving without listening. A week later you bring flower you apologise but even then, you didn't ask why. You just don't touch again the topic.

- I didn't want to upset you again. I wanted you to see that I trusted you with that decision and that I could wait, you were right it wasn't a good timing and we were only a few months in our relationship.

- Ron do you see our problem? It's been always the same, our communication fails both ways and while were only friends, we had Harry to buffer us, but now we can't have a person to meddle us.
It wasn't that the only reason, my parents just came back and forgave me. How would you have taken that your own daughter after sending you away because you are helpless in her world moved you again across the globe and then left to live in that world with her new boyfriend?

And we went to see apartments Ron, did you forget that? But you assumed that we would live in a magic place, but Ron, I want my parents to come to visit me and I don't want leave behind the muggle world, it's my world too deep down for me it's my normal world. And I'm never giving that up, not for my job, not for my partner not for anyone. It's part of who I am. And at the end of the day I need some place that its magic off. And as you have said before my place is like a mix of magic and muggle, like me. And I love it!

He looked at her he could feel her magic reaching for him her hair starting to come alive and her eyes, those brown pools of warm were glassy waiting for a break and free the tears that were pooling around: She was fighting against it. Like she always had to do, fight against bullies, purebloods, death eaters, even friends and colleagues. She was an incredible woman, and he saw every step that she took to arrive where she is. He was privileged to be by her side. And only right now, he saw that emotionally she was a wreak like him, like Harry they were all still hurting from the war. And they jumped to a relationship too early because is what they thought that they needed and what they could help them to go on. And now was that same relationship what kept them from going on and they were falling on the same mistakes, over and over again.

- That's true. We don't communicate, you bury yourself in your projects, you are a driven person you have your heart in your sleeve, you try always to be prepared and you know wat you want. And I'm a self-conscious person, sometimes selfish, I only show my emotions when I feel safe mainly with my family and you two and I'm a recognized lazy person. We both are headstrong and stubborn. Do you mind if I take a break to make a few laps on the pitch while you prepare the lunch? I need to clear my head.

She watched him leave, she was surprised of how they were able to talk and not rise their voices like always, she didn't know if it was only the pitch effect but wanted to believe that both of them had made some thinking and relented to admit their mistakes. Half hour later he came back with a grin on his face looking relaxed.

- You know, Hogwarts brings me a lot of memories. But in the pitch, it's always good ones.

She looked at him with mirth in her eyes.

- That's because it's your reign and you are our king!- She watched how his ears started to turn red and mumbled a quiet shut up while sitting in front of her.

- This looks good thanks Hermione.

- Well I can never go wrong in food with you!

They ate in silence for a while – I don't think that you are lazy- He looked at her. – You are just as passionate as me but only in other topics that I usually don't. And you are a hard worker George would agree with me, like most people that know you. And it's your self-consciousness that doesn't let you see that. You always bring the good mood, you have great comebacks and always put a smile on the people faces. And don't say to Harry, but you are needed to keep up with his gloominess. – She giggled a bit.

- Thanks, It's hard to see myself that way.

- Look we always need someone to told us those things. It's what we have been doing with Harry all his life. And he is not the only one, Ginny, Luna, Neville too. As I said before you just have to open more your eyes around you.

- And now I feel bad again because as a boyfriend I didn't do this more often. I should have paid more attention to it, I'm sorry Hermione.

- Ron, I entered in this relationship knowing how you are, yes, I expected that you would have made some progress at some point, but you are and oblivious person.

- That's not an excuse I should have put more effort. Like I said before I took our relationship for granted, if you were another person, they would already left me because I didn't put work enough on it. And yet you stayed.

- Ron, listen…

- No I'm sorry but it's true I did some thinking recently, and today maybe I'm more perceptive, but even if both of us are in the wrong in this relationship I deserved some of those shouts the other day.

Most of the time I didn't think about putting effort because you're YOU, you are our Hermione and as always, I was lazy to take an effort to make you feel loved. And I need you to believe that I wasn't inconsiderate about you being part of the muggle world I just, It's taking me time to be around there, I feel like you will see me like my father, and now I see that I can't compromise on not having a magic house. Just like you my best childhood memories are tied to it, like yours are tied to the muggle world.

And the few times that I spend the night at your flat, I wrecked something, it's just my habit and when I'm half sleep it's hard to break it, it's like an reflect act for me.

- Just like me when I am on your houses and I search for the light switchers. – He looked are her confused. - You know that time that you joked about the fact that I like to caress the wall when I enter a room? – He opened his eyes, he remembered, she felt ashamed until she explained the Weasleys about it. – So, what are we doing about our relationship?

- That we should steep back and bee only friends?

- Are you sure about it?

- Listen, with all the talking that we have done today, and maybe that's the most that we have talked about our feelings. – They both chuckled at that. – I can say that for the way that we treat each other right now, it's as if we are friends just with a benefit part. And maybe if I hadn't been so immature then, we should have had this conversation earlier and we could have avoided some fights. Because it seems that we both know how we want to live, and we can't even be on the same neighbourhood.

- Sadly, that's true maybe we could have compromised but in the end is what you said before, it's hard to break some habits and more when those are part of how we grew up.

They kept looking each other softly. Until Ron cracked a bit. She raised one brow asking for an explanation.

- Harry will be proud of us, we survived, and he won't have to bury either of us. – At that she started laughing too. – I guess that I finally rise to the standard at the end of our relationship.

- Ron, I know that sometimes seemed that we would kill each other but it wasn't always that bad I have a lot of beautiful and good moments with you, and until those lasts months I don't regret anything. Yes, you could have been more mature most of the time, but I could have been more patient with you and tell you if I was disappointed instead of launching in my job. So, for that part I apologise.

- Apologise accepted. – He cleared his throat and squirmed a bit in his seat. She observed him for a bit amused.

- Ron! Out with it! What it is.

- Just I want to talk about your job, but I don't want to upset you and I want to keep being on your good graces.

She shook her head. – Ron the topic that I wanted your opinion is about my job. Earlier you said that I knew what I wanted, but it's been a few months since I started to question myself about that. I don't know what to do. I just I don't want to keep working like that, but I just don't want to make a wrong choice. I'm afraid that if I quit those people will see that as a win, and the muggleborns that are aspiring on work in those related places will lose the hope.

- Fuck them all Hermione. – She looked at him with a scandalized face. – They don't deserve you. As I said to you before you are scarily brilliant and those people don't deserve your time and effort, if you can't make those changes now or in that path, just find another path or wait to strike when the time present itself. It's ironic that I say this, but the magical people has already taken enough from you and another muggleborns you don't own us anything what can we offer to you? Maybe we deserve that all of you leave our community and maybe that way They will see what we noticed long ago. That our society is dying slowly. And I believe that the increment of muggleborns those last decades is the magic itself trying to compensate that.

She was speechless, he usually made some critics against some ministry departments but never bothered to explain himself.

- Now that I think of it, we should be trying to enjoy our life, we already did what other people should have done, we fulfilled the expectations. We DON'T have to clear the mess that they generated, we already took down on dark lord, we don't have to took down every corrupt person standing on a powerplace. – He was on a tirade now, he never voiced what he thought, he believed that other people would think that he had a big head for contributing on Voldemort fall. But those tasks were accomplished by three teenagers without enough knowledge, against a resurrect Dark lord that knew things that neither those on the power now and then would dream to know. And it enraged him that after what they went through not only the three of them, but other people too and mostly the young population, that those seniors that were sitting in same places and bunkered in their homes and hadn't move a finger to do anything, those people now were telling how to the society had to recover. And the changes that needed to be done to success were being filtered and progressing too slowly.

He looked at her with an intensity that usually used for chess plays, quidditch or to launch a new product.

- You should quit and find that spark that you have when you work on something that you love, if it's to study again Harry and I will come to visit, if it's to travel away maybe we can convince Ginny, Luna or someone else, I think Harry would benefit to leaving this place too. We will be by you side and we will help you. You always do that for us, what's that phrase that you told us once….. One for all, and All for one! – She smiled at that.

- So you really listen to me sometime uh?

- Of course ! Just I'm very good at not showing it!

They both laughter at that. He hugged her tightly.

- You are our brightest witch, if you want to do those changes you will do that, and Harry and I will help, and if they don't listen us then we will do it the marauder way!.

She stepped out of their embrace and looked at him, clogs and her brain running.

- You and Harry have been talking about this?

- Yes, and we have a few ideas. If they don't want to make changes, well then, the people itself will start the change. And you can't stop what people enjoy, buy or do on their time. That will force a change not promoted by the Ministry itself but outside, and they will have to keep up, so they won't be left on the dust! If they want to keep the bigotry and start to ban those things, I doubt you can prohibit people to go to the hummm cinema? Or have a TV at home. And as I said before if the muggleborns leave pur society or refuse to enter, the economy won't recover.

- So, what you have in mind is open the society to blend more with the muggle things to keep them with us.

- Yes! Like your phone things! They work in both worlds! If we keep improving those things and we benefit from it, not just muggleborns and halfblods but pureblods too. It would be marauder prank to those people.

So even if you feel like you failed, we will do those changes because they are needed, a lot of people see that. But do not let them stop you, they can't! and if they try it, you know what you must do!

- And what is that Ron? Give one of my speeches so I bore them to death?

- No! You impersonated her and you stood against her so let your intern Bellatrix out!

They both dissolved in laughter they kept joking for a while. Until they fell in a comfortable silence.

- Do you think that we could have dinner together? I can call Harry and ask him if he want too.

- Fine with me! I only have a request; can we order or go to a place and eat pizza?

- Let me call Harry and we decide.

- Ok!