Author's Note: This chapter was largely planned out by my brilliant beta
reader Stellar Snape. She has helped keep me in writing mode,
Harry was happy again. He was finally back at The Burrow. Things had stayed quiet, and he had not seen Ron yet. Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had both come up to him to see if he made the trip home all right. Harry laughed and said, "Oh please, you two. It's just floo powder."
"Yeah, it may only be floo powder but you have just come home from hospital too,, " Hermione said worriedly. Harry hugged Hermione, and sighed as he said, "Hermione, I'm fine. Can't we please just get on with summer vacation?"
Just then, Ron walked into the room. Harry did not break free from the hug. It was time for him and Ron to talk. "Hermione, would you mind going to talk with Ginny? I've got some things I want to discuss with Ron."
Hermione, who wasn't offended in any way, broke free of the hug, and said "Sure, I'll go bother Ginny for a bit. I understand." She then kissed Harry on the cheek and flounced up to Ginny's room.
"Ron," Harry seethed, "Finally I get the chance to talk to you ALONE!" He tone of voice was unmistakably angry now. "I want to know why you did what you did. Why couldn't you just talk to us? We would have tried to listen, but no, you go off and try to get us killed! I can't believe you would do that to Hermione! What do you have against her?! The fact that I'm with her, and you're not?! Talk to me!"
Harry looked at Ron. Ron was staring at Harry with his mouth open. Ron finally shut his mouth only to open it again. Ron's brown eyes were looking straight at Harry's bright green ones. Ron finally spoke, just as angrily at Harry.
"I couldn't talk to you! I didn't know what to say! There is something that Hermione and I have kept from you!" Harry had an astonished look on his face. He gulped, then replied, "What? Were you two together before she and I got together? Is it something like that?" He demanded waiting for Ron's answer.
"No, it's not that at all!" Ron replied. He continued speaking, "I've had a crush on Hermione ever since fourth year, and you of all people should know that. I got brave enough to ask her out fifth and sixth year, and she denied me every time! She must have loved you since before I even started asking her out! You two got together so quickly, and I was hurt! How could she love you and not me? How could we keep a friendship between us three if two of you are involved as a couple? I couldn't talk to you two earlier about this without feeling like a childish whining git! I'm sorry!" Ron finished yelling, looking rather red faced.
Harry nodded as understanding flooded him. He was still a bit angry and confused though. He looked Ron straight in the eye and spoke, "OK thanks for explaining things. What I want to know now is your reasons for going after Hermione and I with the Bludger? What would that prove? Nothing, except get someone hurt, which it did! I'm just glad it wasn't Hermione. It alarms me to know that you can stoop so low to use violence instead of just a good truthful talk!"
Ron looked at Harry guiltily and said shakily, "I'm sorry. I'll tell Hermione this later too, but I'm sorry. When you were laid out there after the Bludger hit you, I was beyond scared! I was scared for you; heck even a bit scared of me. If I could hit you and go after Hermione with a Bludger, what would something worse make me do? I then came to the hospital and you were finally awake, and were being examined. I hoped with all of my heart that you were OK. Finally you came back in the room and gave me the good yelling, and I knew, just knew, you'd be fine. I promise to control my temper better, and when I'm upset about something to talk to you about it, ok? Can't we just reestablish the friendship now?"
Harry looked at Ron, much calmer now. He stated, "I have no problems reinstating the friendship as long as you can control your temper, and if you are mad, please just talk to one or both of us! We are your friends, we are meant to help each other out when something is wrong. Don't ever play human Quidditch with me and Hermione again, please. Now, let's go distract Hermione from Ginny. Ron smiled, a look of relief crossing his face, "Ok, let's just do that then. I hope she is relieved to find out that we can be friends again. Thanks." He grinned sheepishly. "No problem," Harry replied. "Now let's go drag Hermione away from that girly talk why don't we?" ~*~ He and Ron went up to Ginny's room and on the way Harry had a plan, just to have fun of course. He took Ron back to his room, and shut the door.
"Wait, I've got a plan to terrorize the girls. Let's go to Ginny's door, and knock furiously, and then look extremely angry when one of them opens the door. Let's try to fool them for a bit, shall we?" Harry laughed looking at Ron. Ron had a rather peaceful relieved look on his face. ~*~ "Let's have some fun!" Ron said. So they both headed for Ginny's room. Harry put his head up against the door. He heard plenty of girly giggling going on in the room.Hewhispered to Ron, "Let the fun begin!" He knocked rather violently on the door.
Ginny opened the door looking rather peeved at the interruption. "What do you two-" she interrupted herself as she looked at the anger and hatred filled looks on Harry and Ron's faces. "Oh my gosh, Hermione come here!" Ginny yelled into the room feeling a bit shocked. Hermione had told her that they were going to talk, and hopefully make up, but this didn't look good.
Hermione hurriedly rushed up by Ginny's side. She asked, "What's going- Oh no, what happened to you two?" She looked a bit puzzled at the angry expressions on their faces.
Ron was angry, "Just c'mon Hermione, Harry said he wanted to talk to both of us. He isn't going to be here long."Harry was even angrier, and she had no idea what had happened. Surely things couldn't be bad enough that he would want to go home now could they? She looked between Harry and Ron; their eyes were blazing bolts of fire at each other. She could not imagine what had happened during the talk.
She decided to boldly speak up, "OK What's the deal, Harry? Just yesterday you were telling me this is your home, no matter what happens! You can't just LEAVE! I'll-"
Harry was beginning to lose his cool, he couldn't just stand let there and have Hermione believe that, "Oh Hermione, calm it! We wanted to see the look on your face if you found out that we didn't make up. Now come on, we really do need to talk to you. "
Harry couldn't hold it in any longer. He dropped the angry _expression and started laughing so hard he couldn't keep the look on his face any longer. He spoke between spells of laughing "We are," laugh, "back" then some more laughing, "to being friends again". Finally Harry couldn't help himself and he had laughed hard enough he was crying. It was too much; he just couldn't pull it off.
Ron, who was laughing pretty hard himself by now confirmed Harry's declaration. "Hermione, if you don't mind can we talk to you, there are some things that I need to say to you." He was tired as well from laughing so hard. The laughter for Harry and Ron was in a way relieving the pent up stress and tension both of them had been experiencing over the situation.
Harry watched Hermione as her face changed from puzzlement to one of happiness at the situation finally being somewhat resolved. She declared, "Oh this is wonderful news, you two. Ron where do you want to talk?" Ron answered Hermione quickly, "Let's just go to my room. I have talked to Harry already, but we all need to discuss this friendship and some things
Harry took Hermione's arm and they walked to Ron's room. Hermione asked "What happened?" to Harry, but he had to whisper back, "it's all been worked out, just hold on and you'll hear from Ron himself."
Finally, everyone was back in Ron's room. Harry and Hermione sat on Ron and Harry's beds, and Ron took the desk chair and sat in it. He started speaking assuredly, "Hermione, I want to apologize for what I did to you and Harry first. I regret ever doing that, and no one can understand how eaten up with guilt I was when I saw Harry face down in the grass that day. I have promised Harry just as I'm promising you not to ever let violence control me ever again. I was just jealous since Harry and you were happily together. I wanted that with someone, you especially but now I see why you said no to me before. I can't be the one for you, when you and Harry are so happy together. I'm sorry I acted like such a git. Can we be best friends again now? " Harry looked at Hermione, his green eyes twinkling. While waiting for her to respond, he took one of her hands and clasped it in his. He asked rather anxiously, "What do you think, Hermione?"
Hermione took a deep breath, and looked around the room. She had never heard Ron's true honest opinion like this before. She was obviously feeling a bit stunned, but she wanted the friendship between the three back. It could never be the same with her and Harry being together, but it was still a friendship very much worth saving.
"Thank you Ron," She said smiling, "I can and always will remain friends with you both, I hope you know that. This friendship is too good to lose."
Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance, and Harry said honestly, "Ron, I will tell you now, as much as we need 'trio' time, Hermione and I will want time as a couple too. We will try our hardest not to push you away again, but we do need time to ourselves every once and again."
Ron looked straight at the happy couple, and said, "I understand, just let me know, and things will be fine." Just as he was finishing his reply to Harry and Hermione, Mrs. Weasley entered the room looking rather cross. "Ron, I need you to degnome the garden again. I've asked Fred and George three times this week and they haven't done a bit out there. Too busy with that bloody joke shop of theirs, I suppose. So can you please do this? I know you probably want to spend time with your friends, but I need your help around here too, the blasted gnomes are really cutting our vegetable garden short this year. You know how much we depend on that garden too."
Harry piped in with, "Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and I don't mind helping him, and with three of us we can get the job done that much faster. Is it a problem if we help?"
Ron sighed in relief. Mrs. Weasley replied, "Not at all. I'm sure you three can get things done in no time at all. Why don't you get busy, Oh, and your father and I" she said, looking at Ron, "have an announcement for all of you during dinner. It proves to be fun for the whole extended family," she said looking pointedly at Harry and Hermione.
Ron said, "Thanks Mum. If you don't mind, I'd like to get this done and over with. C'mon you two."
"Certainly," Mrs. Weasley responded back to her son. She realized it was time to listen to her favorite wireless soap opera, so she headed down to the kitchen, turned on the Wizarding Wireless and found the station that broadcast "As the Wizarding World Turns".
Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed down to the somewhat large Weasley garden. Harry noticed right away that the gnomes had been especially pesky this summer. Leaves that were once green and thriving had been shredded to near nothingness. He saw one of the pesky little buggers, and grabbed it skillfully, then threw it out of the garden rather quickly.
Ron looked past Harry amazed, "Good one! That had to be at least fifty feet!" Ron felt a bit competitive, as usual, so he tossed the first gnome he could find, which was a good toss, but hadn't rivaled Harry's.
Harry watched as Hermione just sighed and shook her head. "You boys," she muttered "never stop competing, do you?" She threw a nasty little gnome out of the garden, herself. This was all new to her, Harry thought. He had realized she had only done the degnoming process a handful of times compared to Ron and him. Growing up Muggle, there was no telling what was thought of the pesks the Wizarding World called gnomes.
Finally, a good two hours later they had finished ridding the garden of the gnomes. They could guarantee about a week gnome-free before they had to do it again. Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked back into the house feeling better than anyone had seen them feel in days. Mrs. Weasley looked up from her dinner preparations and saw them come in the back door, which was located in the kitchen. She called out to them, "You three better wash up, dinner is nearly ready."
"Ok mum," Ron answered back. Everyone hurried up and got as cleaned up as they had to without taking a quick shower. Luckily England summers were never that hot, but they had worked up a sweat not to mention an appetite. Everyone was washed up and looked at least halfway decent when Mrs. Weasley called out that it was dinner time.
Harry sat down at the table, at his usual spot, along with everyone else and marveled at how Mrs. Weasley levitated the main dish over to the hot pad on the table. Tonight it was her famous award winning recipe for shepherd's pie. She had gotten the "MOST SAVORY MEAL" Recipe award from "Witch Weekly" when Ginny boldly sent the recipe in to that magazine two years ago.
Everyone was at the table, by now. Even Arthur and Molly were sitting down and passing the dish around to help speed up the serving process. He began speaking as soon as everyone was served and digging into their food. "I have an announcement to make. It has been a good few years since this family has had a vacation, and your mother and I have decided to plan one. It's just a small two week long trip, but I think everyone will enjoy it."
Everyone was smiling, and the commotion began as questions were being fired, one after the other, most noticeably, the questions of "Where are we going?" and "How will we be getting there?"
Mrs. Weasley said dreamily, "We are staying in Hogsmeade. I know that may sound boring, but there is more to Hogsmeade than you kids see on your brief trips away from Hogwarts. What you see is blocked by wards. There is a really nice hotel, a cinema, and there is even a Quidditch field with stands and everything!" Her eyes shone brightly, as did Ron and Harry's at the last thing she said.
Mr. Weasley continued "We will be leaving tomorrow morning. I've arranged a Ministry car to get us there and back, since some of you are still a bit young to apparate. Well, not Harry". He said winking at him. "Everyone needs to get busy packing after dinner. Give Molly any laundry you need magically laundered for the trip, and get ready to be out of this house by 9 o'clock tomorrow morning!"
Harry was happy again. He was finally back at The Burrow. Things had stayed quiet, and he had not seen Ron yet. Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had both come up to him to see if he made the trip home all right. Harry laughed and said, "Oh please, you two. It's just floo powder."
"Yeah, it may only be floo powder but you have just come home from hospital too,, " Hermione said worriedly. Harry hugged Hermione, and sighed as he said, "Hermione, I'm fine. Can't we please just get on with summer vacation?"
Just then, Ron walked into the room. Harry did not break free from the hug. It was time for him and Ron to talk. "Hermione, would you mind going to talk with Ginny? I've got some things I want to discuss with Ron."
Hermione, who wasn't offended in any way, broke free of the hug, and said "Sure, I'll go bother Ginny for a bit. I understand." She then kissed Harry on the cheek and flounced up to Ginny's room.
"Ron," Harry seethed, "Finally I get the chance to talk to you ALONE!" He tone of voice was unmistakably angry now. "I want to know why you did what you did. Why couldn't you just talk to us? We would have tried to listen, but no, you go off and try to get us killed! I can't believe you would do that to Hermione! What do you have against her?! The fact that I'm with her, and you're not?! Talk to me!"
Harry looked at Ron. Ron was staring at Harry with his mouth open. Ron finally shut his mouth only to open it again. Ron's brown eyes were looking straight at Harry's bright green ones. Ron finally spoke, just as angrily at Harry.
"I couldn't talk to you! I didn't know what to say! There is something that Hermione and I have kept from you!" Harry had an astonished look on his face. He gulped, then replied, "What? Were you two together before she and I got together? Is it something like that?" He demanded waiting for Ron's answer.
"No, it's not that at all!" Ron replied. He continued speaking, "I've had a crush on Hermione ever since fourth year, and you of all people should know that. I got brave enough to ask her out fifth and sixth year, and she denied me every time! She must have loved you since before I even started asking her out! You two got together so quickly, and I was hurt! How could she love you and not me? How could we keep a friendship between us three if two of you are involved as a couple? I couldn't talk to you two earlier about this without feeling like a childish whining git! I'm sorry!" Ron finished yelling, looking rather red faced.
Harry nodded as understanding flooded him. He was still a bit angry and confused though. He looked Ron straight in the eye and spoke, "OK thanks for explaining things. What I want to know now is your reasons for going after Hermione and I with the Bludger? What would that prove? Nothing, except get someone hurt, which it did! I'm just glad it wasn't Hermione. It alarms me to know that you can stoop so low to use violence instead of just a good truthful talk!"
Ron looked at Harry guiltily and said shakily, "I'm sorry. I'll tell Hermione this later too, but I'm sorry. When you were laid out there after the Bludger hit you, I was beyond scared! I was scared for you; heck even a bit scared of me. If I could hit you and go after Hermione with a Bludger, what would something worse make me do? I then came to the hospital and you were finally awake, and were being examined. I hoped with all of my heart that you were OK. Finally you came back in the room and gave me the good yelling, and I knew, just knew, you'd be fine. I promise to control my temper better, and when I'm upset about something to talk to you about it, ok? Can't we just reestablish the friendship now?"
Harry looked at Ron, much calmer now. He stated, "I have no problems reinstating the friendship as long as you can control your temper, and if you are mad, please just talk to one or both of us! We are your friends, we are meant to help each other out when something is wrong. Don't ever play human Quidditch with me and Hermione again, please. Now, let's go distract Hermione from Ginny. Ron smiled, a look of relief crossing his face, "Ok, let's just do that then. I hope she is relieved to find out that we can be friends again. Thanks." He grinned sheepishly. "No problem," Harry replied. "Now let's go drag Hermione away from that girly talk why don't we?" ~*~ He and Ron went up to Ginny's room and on the way Harry had a plan, just to have fun of course. He took Ron back to his room, and shut the door.
"Wait, I've got a plan to terrorize the girls. Let's go to Ginny's door, and knock furiously, and then look extremely angry when one of them opens the door. Let's try to fool them for a bit, shall we?" Harry laughed looking at Ron. Ron had a rather peaceful relieved look on his face. ~*~ "Let's have some fun!" Ron said. So they both headed for Ginny's room. Harry put his head up against the door. He heard plenty of girly giggling going on in the room.Hewhispered to Ron, "Let the fun begin!" He knocked rather violently on the door.
Ginny opened the door looking rather peeved at the interruption. "What do you two-" she interrupted herself as she looked at the anger and hatred filled looks on Harry and Ron's faces. "Oh my gosh, Hermione come here!" Ginny yelled into the room feeling a bit shocked. Hermione had told her that they were going to talk, and hopefully make up, but this didn't look good.
Hermione hurriedly rushed up by Ginny's side. She asked, "What's going- Oh no, what happened to you two?" She looked a bit puzzled at the angry expressions on their faces.
Ron was angry, "Just c'mon Hermione, Harry said he wanted to talk to both of us. He isn't going to be here long."Harry was even angrier, and she had no idea what had happened. Surely things couldn't be bad enough that he would want to go home now could they? She looked between Harry and Ron; their eyes were blazing bolts of fire at each other. She could not imagine what had happened during the talk.
She decided to boldly speak up, "OK What's the deal, Harry? Just yesterday you were telling me this is your home, no matter what happens! You can't just LEAVE! I'll-"
Harry was beginning to lose his cool, he couldn't just stand let there and have Hermione believe that, "Oh Hermione, calm it! We wanted to see the look on your face if you found out that we didn't make up. Now come on, we really do need to talk to you. "
Harry couldn't hold it in any longer. He dropped the angry _expression and started laughing so hard he couldn't keep the look on his face any longer. He spoke between spells of laughing "We are," laugh, "back" then some more laughing, "to being friends again". Finally Harry couldn't help himself and he had laughed hard enough he was crying. It was too much; he just couldn't pull it off.
Ron, who was laughing pretty hard himself by now confirmed Harry's declaration. "Hermione, if you don't mind can we talk to you, there are some things that I need to say to you." He was tired as well from laughing so hard. The laughter for Harry and Ron was in a way relieving the pent up stress and tension both of them had been experiencing over the situation.
Harry watched Hermione as her face changed from puzzlement to one of happiness at the situation finally being somewhat resolved. She declared, "Oh this is wonderful news, you two. Ron where do you want to talk?" Ron answered Hermione quickly, "Let's just go to my room. I have talked to Harry already, but we all need to discuss this friendship and some things
Harry took Hermione's arm and they walked to Ron's room. Hermione asked "What happened?" to Harry, but he had to whisper back, "it's all been worked out, just hold on and you'll hear from Ron himself."
Finally, everyone was back in Ron's room. Harry and Hermione sat on Ron and Harry's beds, and Ron took the desk chair and sat in it. He started speaking assuredly, "Hermione, I want to apologize for what I did to you and Harry first. I regret ever doing that, and no one can understand how eaten up with guilt I was when I saw Harry face down in the grass that day. I have promised Harry just as I'm promising you not to ever let violence control me ever again. I was just jealous since Harry and you were happily together. I wanted that with someone, you especially but now I see why you said no to me before. I can't be the one for you, when you and Harry are so happy together. I'm sorry I acted like such a git. Can we be best friends again now? " Harry looked at Hermione, his green eyes twinkling. While waiting for her to respond, he took one of her hands and clasped it in his. He asked rather anxiously, "What do you think, Hermione?"
Hermione took a deep breath, and looked around the room. She had never heard Ron's true honest opinion like this before. She was obviously feeling a bit stunned, but she wanted the friendship between the three back. It could never be the same with her and Harry being together, but it was still a friendship very much worth saving.
"Thank you Ron," She said smiling, "I can and always will remain friends with you both, I hope you know that. This friendship is too good to lose."
Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance, and Harry said honestly, "Ron, I will tell you now, as much as we need 'trio' time, Hermione and I will want time as a couple too. We will try our hardest not to push you away again, but we do need time to ourselves every once and again."
Ron looked straight at the happy couple, and said, "I understand, just let me know, and things will be fine." Just as he was finishing his reply to Harry and Hermione, Mrs. Weasley entered the room looking rather cross. "Ron, I need you to degnome the garden again. I've asked Fred and George three times this week and they haven't done a bit out there. Too busy with that bloody joke shop of theirs, I suppose. So can you please do this? I know you probably want to spend time with your friends, but I need your help around here too, the blasted gnomes are really cutting our vegetable garden short this year. You know how much we depend on that garden too."
Harry piped in with, "Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and I don't mind helping him, and with three of us we can get the job done that much faster. Is it a problem if we help?"
Ron sighed in relief. Mrs. Weasley replied, "Not at all. I'm sure you three can get things done in no time at all. Why don't you get busy, Oh, and your father and I" she said, looking at Ron, "have an announcement for all of you during dinner. It proves to be fun for the whole extended family," she said looking pointedly at Harry and Hermione.
Ron said, "Thanks Mum. If you don't mind, I'd like to get this done and over with. C'mon you two."
"Certainly," Mrs. Weasley responded back to her son. She realized it was time to listen to her favorite wireless soap opera, so she headed down to the kitchen, turned on the Wizarding Wireless and found the station that broadcast "As the Wizarding World Turns".
Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed down to the somewhat large Weasley garden. Harry noticed right away that the gnomes had been especially pesky this summer. Leaves that were once green and thriving had been shredded to near nothingness. He saw one of the pesky little buggers, and grabbed it skillfully, then threw it out of the garden rather quickly.
Ron looked past Harry amazed, "Good one! That had to be at least fifty feet!" Ron felt a bit competitive, as usual, so he tossed the first gnome he could find, which was a good toss, but hadn't rivaled Harry's.
Harry watched as Hermione just sighed and shook her head. "You boys," she muttered "never stop competing, do you?" She threw a nasty little gnome out of the garden, herself. This was all new to her, Harry thought. He had realized she had only done the degnoming process a handful of times compared to Ron and him. Growing up Muggle, there was no telling what was thought of the pesks the Wizarding World called gnomes.
Finally, a good two hours later they had finished ridding the garden of the gnomes. They could guarantee about a week gnome-free before they had to do it again. Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked back into the house feeling better than anyone had seen them feel in days. Mrs. Weasley looked up from her dinner preparations and saw them come in the back door, which was located in the kitchen. She called out to them, "You three better wash up, dinner is nearly ready."
"Ok mum," Ron answered back. Everyone hurried up and got as cleaned up as they had to without taking a quick shower. Luckily England summers were never that hot, but they had worked up a sweat not to mention an appetite. Everyone was washed up and looked at least halfway decent when Mrs. Weasley called out that it was dinner time.
Harry sat down at the table, at his usual spot, along with everyone else and marveled at how Mrs. Weasley levitated the main dish over to the hot pad on the table. Tonight it was her famous award winning recipe for shepherd's pie. She had gotten the "MOST SAVORY MEAL" Recipe award from "Witch Weekly" when Ginny boldly sent the recipe in to that magazine two years ago.
Everyone was at the table, by now. Even Arthur and Molly were sitting down and passing the dish around to help speed up the serving process. He began speaking as soon as everyone was served and digging into their food. "I have an announcement to make. It has been a good few years since this family has had a vacation, and your mother and I have decided to plan one. It's just a small two week long trip, but I think everyone will enjoy it."
Everyone was smiling, and the commotion began as questions were being fired, one after the other, most noticeably, the questions of "Where are we going?" and "How will we be getting there?"
Mrs. Weasley said dreamily, "We are staying in Hogsmeade. I know that may sound boring, but there is more to Hogsmeade than you kids see on your brief trips away from Hogwarts. What you see is blocked by wards. There is a really nice hotel, a cinema, and there is even a Quidditch field with stands and everything!" Her eyes shone brightly, as did Ron and Harry's at the last thing she said.
Mr. Weasley continued "We will be leaving tomorrow morning. I've arranged a Ministry car to get us there and back, since some of you are still a bit young to apparate. Well, not Harry". He said winking at him. "Everyone needs to get busy packing after dinner. Give Molly any laundry you need magically laundered for the trip, and get ready to be out of this house by 9 o'clock tomorrow morning!"