Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I couldn't do half the job JK Rowling does.

A/N - This is Chapter 2 of Tomorrow's Pain. Seamus and Hermione are a pretty hot item now, but one tragedy may change all that.

Shout outs to Dreamer4, Dark Gamer, Light Gamer, EeyoreP, Knight, EvilTenchi, SaturnsChild, PhoenixChild, Wolfie, TogetherAgain, AAUK, Arylwren, DC Reborn, Blackout12, SC, Fallen angel of Hope, Immia, AlexPG13, and shadow2k. Special dedication to Ashes for inspiration.

"..." means someone is speaking, ... means flashback, *...* means the word is stressed, -...- means someone is thinking.

Tomorrow's Pain

By: Hopeful Writer

Chapter Two: Harsh Words

Ron tried not to bemoan his fate, but he could barely stand to see Seamus and Hermione together. His heart seemed to break in two when they kissed or even just flirted. -Why are you so stupid?- he asked himself, time after time after time. He would curse constantly, and he never hung around Harry and Hermione anymore.

Meanwhile, it seemed that the more it bothered Ron, the worse Ginny got. His little sister was kind of like Hermione was her first year: a miserable stickler. Everyone in Gryffindor knew when the bickering started to just let the two fight, but one day a particular fight caught everyone's attention.

"Ron, did you do all your homework?" Ginny asked, sounding more like a mother than a sister.

"No!" he yelled, attracting the attention of several third-years, one being Denis Creevey.

"What's the matter?" the boy asked, having matured rapidly, completely opposite his brother.

"Nothing. Just shut up, Denis," Ron snapped. "Ginny, you better cut it out. You sound like Mum more than Ginny anymore. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but you sound so stupid when you do that sort of thing!"

Ginny was being to wither under Ron's fierce glare. "I'm just looking out for you."

"You know what? I can do it myself. You're just a pain!" He whirled around and stormed out of common room.

Hermione glanced apologetically at Seamus and then tore up the stairs after him. "Ron, what's wrong?" she demanded, grabbing the redhead's shoulders and spinning him around.

"Why do you care?" he asked coldly.

Hermione was taken aback. "You're my best friend, Ron."

"Why don't you just go back to your *boyfriend* now?"

"What the hell is your problem?" she cried. "You haven't spoken to me in weeks, you barely speak to Harry, you're blowing up at Ginny. What's the matter with you?"

"You know what?" Ron spun on her. "It's none of your business, or Harry's business, or Ginny's business, or *Seamus's* business, either."

"Are you mad that I'm going out with Seamus?"

"No!" Ron exclaimed curtly. "Just... just leave me alone." He bolted up more stairs in the hopes that Hermione would take the hint and not follow him. She did, but each step in the opposite direction pained her.

The next morning, however, Ron felt badly about the way he'd treated Ginny and Hermione. He went to the Great Hall in hopes of apologizing, but he was greeted by solemn faces. Harry spoke to him first. "Ron, Ginny died last night."

A/N - Ooh, how's he gonna take it? Well, Chapter 3 will be up soon enough if I get some good reviews. §LaTa§ -- hW