CHAPTER NINE

True enough, Madam Pomfrey released Harry two days after. It was a Saturday, and he hung out with Hermione and Ron that afternoon. But Ron seemed unusually cold all throughout the day.

"I'll just go to the library," Hermione informed the two. Harry and Ron were left in the common room. Alone.

Harry was reading the day's Daily Prophet when Ron suddenly stood up, upsetting the table on which Harry's elbows were rested. He looked over the paper and saw Ron glaring at him. He out the paper down calmly and said, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Ron echoed. "What's WRONG? I'll TELL you WHAT'S WRONG, you bastard!"

Harry was taken aback by Ron's words. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly.

"You know EXACTLY what I mean, Harry Potter," Ron spat.

Harry stood rooted to the spot, totally confused.

"You stole Hermione from me!" Ron yelled, pushing Harry to the ground. Ron was walking forward while Harry was backing away.

"I. I don't know what you mean." Harry stuttered, but Ron heard none of his words. Ron grabbed Harry's shirt and stood him up.

"You. Stole. Hermione. From. Me." Ron punctuated his every word. "I told before that I was in love with Hermione, didn't I?" he asked, his voice getting higher by the second. "But what did you do? You double-crossed me! You fell in love with the girl of my dreams! And worst of all, you've made her yours!"

Ron was now crying, but Harry could still see the rage in Ron's eyes.

"I thought you were my best friend," Ron continued. "But now I know that you're a good-for-nothing bastard!"

Without warning, Ron punched Harry in the stomach. Harry buckled, clutching his stomach, which was presently in absolute pain.

"Damn you!" Ron yelled.

Harry stood erect. I hate to do this, Ron, he thought, but I have to. And he punched Ron in the stomach as well.

It took only about ten seconds for Ron to recover from Harry's blow, but it seemed that the punch only increased the level of Ron's anger. He moved dangerously towards Harry, jaw clenched. He gave Harry a right hook, once again in the stomach; afterwards he punched Harry right in the nose.

The blow knocked Harry's glasses off and he fell to the carpeted floor. Ron knew Harry was now helpless and started kicking him.

Harry grabbed Ron's foot and pulled ---HARD. Ron fell to the floor; now it was Harry's turn.

Harry grabbed Ron's collar and stood him up, just like how Ron stood him up a few moments ago. Then he gave Ron a left uppercut in the stomach; Ron buckled, but Harry didn't dare waste a second. He punched Ron in the face, followed by another series of right and left hooks and uppercuts.

"It's not my fault Hermione loves me!" Harry shouted as he punched his EX- best friend. "Hermione doesn't love you! She loves ME! And there's nothing you can do about it!"

Ron was now really angry --- his blood reached WAY past the boiling point. He returned Harry's punches, and no sooner the two were locked in a shouting-boxing match, shortly followed by a boxing-wrestling match.

The two were so hooked up on their fight that they didn't notice Parvati and Lavender come in. The two girls saw Ron and Harry. Their jaws dropped open and they were left speechless. A few seconds later Dean, Seamus and Neville walked into the common room. The three had the same reaction as the two girls before them.

Still later Hermione walked into the common room. She wondered what the holdup was all about. Then she saw IT.

Ron Weasley and Harry Potter were fighting like animals --- wild beasts.

"Stop it!" she screamed as she walked over to the two. The two immediately stopped at the sound of her voice.

Hermione didn't need an explanation --- she knew instinctively that Ron started the fight.

"What happened to you, my baby?" she asked affectionately, stroking Harry's cheek.

Harry still had his eyes glued on Ron. "Don't worry," he told her. "I'm fine."

"Oh my God! I cannot believe this!" Ron exclaimed. "Hermione, don't you get it? I fought Harry because of my love for you!"

Hermione pivoted her head at Ron's direction. "Well why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked disgustedly.

"C'mon now," she said as she helped Harry up the staircase to the boys' dormitories.

"Hey Hermione!" Ron called. "You're not allowed up there!"

"I don't care!" Hermione called back. She turned around. "And besides, THEY don't seem to mind. Do you?" she asked Seamus, Dean and Neville. The three shook their heads.

Hermione smiled. "See?" She resumed the climb to the boys' dormitories.

Ron looked behind him. There he saw five faces staring at him --- Neville, Parvati, Dean, Lavender and Seamus. He glared at them.

"What're YOU looking at?" Ron demanded.

"Nothing," the five said at the same time and scrambled towards their dormitories.

Once again, Ron was alone. He plopped down on a couch and heaved a sigh.

I've lost Hermione again, he thought. I've lost her again, and I don't know if I'll ever win her back.

I still love you Hermione, even if you chose Potter over me.



Author's Notes: OK, so this is the end, I guess. I know it's sad, but I like sad endings (see my other fanfic entitled "Forever" --- Category: Anime, Subcategory: Fushigi Yuugi) but I like happy endings better. Don't worry, if all goes according to plan, you'll be reading a sequel to this. Let's work together, shall we? Please email me your thoughts on what you want the sequel to be like. The email's chochang_13@crazysexycool.com or koenma_luvr@starmail.com (I'm proud to say there're two, but I know that's no wonder). Thank you all so much for spending (hopefully not wasting) time on reading my work.