Quick Author's Note: You know, when I started this, I had no idea that I was going to enjoy writing this so much. I literally have times where this thing writes itself, and that happens rarely to me. So, I'd like to take a minute to thank those people who have given me such positive feedback :) I'm really flattered by it.
May-my first reviewer, and I thank you :) 'Wise' was part of what I was aiming for, and I'm glad you liked it.
Hoshiko-Malfoy-I'm adding more as fast as I can, believe me :)
Dracona-I'm glad that you like the plot's kind-of originality. I wasn't trying for that-it just...happened. And of *course* there will be more!
DiagonAlley-I'm continuing, definitely, and I'm glad you love it.
kiwi-the best I can hear is to hear that I've moved someone :)
El-well, I like ending with those kind of things-I consider it payback for all those fics that have done the same thing to me :-p
Tea-what can I say to my dear friend? I'm so glad I have your support, both in RL and online. And, by the way, just when are you going to finish those GW fics *you're* working on, hmmm? :) *hugs*
aurora-I'm definitely writing more soon *points to fic part below* I don't think I've ever gotten out chapters this fast before....
TheLostGirl--*blushes* I'm flattered that you think I should have more reviews. I'm glad you like my work so much, and I'm writing as often as life will let me.
Schulyr-thanks for the encouragement :)
Gia-wow...another that thinks I should have more reviews *blushes some more* I don't know if I can email you individually, though...it really wouldn't be fair, and besides, I don't even email chapters to my RL friends. *expects to be hearing about this soon*
Shinigami-yes, that dratted 'electronics don't work at Hogwarts' thing :-p I agree with you assessment of the Weasleys and Sirius, too. Can't do *too* much about Percy and Sirius, but you might have given me an idea.... :) As for Remus...well, you'll see!
Shell-thanks! :)
Aurora(are you the same one as before? I can't tell...)-thanks for the good feedback, and don't worry-I am writing!
Well...on to the story that y'all seem to be waiting for! Thanks again for reading! :)
**********
Neville and Hermione emerged from the Hospital wing to find that everyone else had either gotten bored and left, or, more likely, were shooed away. Hermione looked at Neville and shrugged. "At least we won't be getting interrogated here where anyone can overhear."
The two students made their way back to Gryffindor. After giving the week's password, they walked into the common room, where they were immediately accosted by Ron. "Well? How is he? What's going on? Why didn't he want to see me?"
Hermione rolled her eyes as she pushed Ron away from her. "If you wait a second, I'll tell you! But sit down...this might hurt."
Ron sat down, frowning. "What do you mean?"
Hermione hesitated. She knew Ron's reaction was either going to be hurt or anger, and she wasn't sure she was strong enough to deal with either reaction. Luckily, Neville jumped into the breach before Ron could get too antsy. "He didn't want to see you because he doesn't trust you."
Silence. Then, "WHAT!!!"
Hermione sighed. "Ron, calm down."
"I will not! Who does he think he is, saying he doesn't trust me? After being his friend all these years, suddenly he turns around and says something like that! Why I-"
"Ron!" Ron jumped. Neville never raised his voice...*never*. Yet there he was, shouting to be heard over Ron's ranting. "Will you pull your head out of your ass and *listen* to yourself?"
"But he said he doesn't trust me...." Hermione rolled her eyes again. The anger seemed to be shifting into insulted and hurt. Great.
"That's right, he doesn't trust you...or me, or Hermione, either. He trusts *none* of us."
"But...he let the two of you in...."
Hermione spoke up. "And he obviously wasn't wrong, seeing your reaction just now."
"But-"
"So help me, Ronald Weasley, the next word out of your mouth better not be 'why,' or I will transfigure you into a catnip mouse and give you to Crookshanks! I would think that *that* answer would be obvious enough-would *you* trust someone being nice to you right after a suicide attempt when they had been actively harassing you, hating you, and being a general bastard towards you prior to that event?"
"Well...putting it that way, no. But it wasn't like that!"
"Oh?" Neville raised an eyebrow, looking to Hermione eerily like Snape in that moment. "You mean, it wasn't you that accused Harry of being worse than Voldemort? It wasn't you that told him that he'd betrayed everything you stood for? It wasn't you that accused him of sacrificing your brother? It wasn't you-"
"All right, I get the point, Neville." Ron looked abashed.
"No, I don't think you do!" Ron looked to Hermione, his eyes begging for support, but she stepped back, sensing that this was something Neville needed to do. "What everybody thought about Harry...it was you who started it. You brought it into our House-into our dorm. No one else's words could've affected Harry more than yours did. I admit that I was a coward-I should have spoke up. But Ron...what happened...do you think that Percy would've wanted that? Do you think he'd be *proud* of what's been happening? That any of your family would be?"
Tears began to fall from Ron's eyes. "No," he whispered. "You're right. Percy-he would've seen the truth. He wouldn't have had to see it-he'd have *known*. I don't know why I said what I've said, did what I did."
"You were scared, Ron." Hermione finally stepped forward, laid a hand on his arm. "You saw what was going on, you saw Voldemort kill...then you saw Harry do the same thing. It scared *me*--but we shouldn't have let it. We were both stupid, thinking that Harry was like Voldemort. We couldn't have been more wrong. Voldemort killed for no reason other than his own bitterness and anger, liked the power, and killed more. Harry killed out of necessity to save a world, and felt guilt-made worse by us-and tried to remove himself from consideration."
"He'll never forgive me...and he shouldn't."
"It is not for us to dictate who Harry should and shouldn't forgive. It is only for Harry to decide."
Ron straightened, tears still running down his face. "I want his friendship," he said. "Even while I was trying my best to hate him, I felt the hole inside me-the hole where Harry belongs. But I'd gladly keep that hole, if that's the price for Harry's well-being."
Neville grinned and patted Ron on the back. "Now you're getting it," he said.
"Can you...convince Harry to talk to me?"
"I'll try, mate, I'll try."
**********
May-my first reviewer, and I thank you :) 'Wise' was part of what I was aiming for, and I'm glad you liked it.
Hoshiko-Malfoy-I'm adding more as fast as I can, believe me :)
Dracona-I'm glad that you like the plot's kind-of originality. I wasn't trying for that-it just...happened. And of *course* there will be more!
DiagonAlley-I'm continuing, definitely, and I'm glad you love it.
kiwi-the best I can hear is to hear that I've moved someone :)
El-well, I like ending with those kind of things-I consider it payback for all those fics that have done the same thing to me :-p
Tea-what can I say to my dear friend? I'm so glad I have your support, both in RL and online. And, by the way, just when are you going to finish those GW fics *you're* working on, hmmm? :) *hugs*
aurora-I'm definitely writing more soon *points to fic part below* I don't think I've ever gotten out chapters this fast before....
TheLostGirl--*blushes* I'm flattered that you think I should have more reviews. I'm glad you like my work so much, and I'm writing as often as life will let me.
Schulyr-thanks for the encouragement :)
Gia-wow...another that thinks I should have more reviews *blushes some more* I don't know if I can email you individually, though...it really wouldn't be fair, and besides, I don't even email chapters to my RL friends. *expects to be hearing about this soon*
Shinigami-yes, that dratted 'electronics don't work at Hogwarts' thing :-p I agree with you assessment of the Weasleys and Sirius, too. Can't do *too* much about Percy and Sirius, but you might have given me an idea.... :) As for Remus...well, you'll see!
Shell-thanks! :)
Aurora(are you the same one as before? I can't tell...)-thanks for the good feedback, and don't worry-I am writing!
Well...on to the story that y'all seem to be waiting for! Thanks again for reading! :)
**********
Neville and Hermione emerged from the Hospital wing to find that everyone else had either gotten bored and left, or, more likely, were shooed away. Hermione looked at Neville and shrugged. "At least we won't be getting interrogated here where anyone can overhear."
The two students made their way back to Gryffindor. After giving the week's password, they walked into the common room, where they were immediately accosted by Ron. "Well? How is he? What's going on? Why didn't he want to see me?"
Hermione rolled her eyes as she pushed Ron away from her. "If you wait a second, I'll tell you! But sit down...this might hurt."
Ron sat down, frowning. "What do you mean?"
Hermione hesitated. She knew Ron's reaction was either going to be hurt or anger, and she wasn't sure she was strong enough to deal with either reaction. Luckily, Neville jumped into the breach before Ron could get too antsy. "He didn't want to see you because he doesn't trust you."
Silence. Then, "WHAT!!!"
Hermione sighed. "Ron, calm down."
"I will not! Who does he think he is, saying he doesn't trust me? After being his friend all these years, suddenly he turns around and says something like that! Why I-"
"Ron!" Ron jumped. Neville never raised his voice...*never*. Yet there he was, shouting to be heard over Ron's ranting. "Will you pull your head out of your ass and *listen* to yourself?"
"But he said he doesn't trust me...." Hermione rolled her eyes again. The anger seemed to be shifting into insulted and hurt. Great.
"That's right, he doesn't trust you...or me, or Hermione, either. He trusts *none* of us."
"But...he let the two of you in...."
Hermione spoke up. "And he obviously wasn't wrong, seeing your reaction just now."
"But-"
"So help me, Ronald Weasley, the next word out of your mouth better not be 'why,' or I will transfigure you into a catnip mouse and give you to Crookshanks! I would think that *that* answer would be obvious enough-would *you* trust someone being nice to you right after a suicide attempt when they had been actively harassing you, hating you, and being a general bastard towards you prior to that event?"
"Well...putting it that way, no. But it wasn't like that!"
"Oh?" Neville raised an eyebrow, looking to Hermione eerily like Snape in that moment. "You mean, it wasn't you that accused Harry of being worse than Voldemort? It wasn't you that told him that he'd betrayed everything you stood for? It wasn't you that accused him of sacrificing your brother? It wasn't you-"
"All right, I get the point, Neville." Ron looked abashed.
"No, I don't think you do!" Ron looked to Hermione, his eyes begging for support, but she stepped back, sensing that this was something Neville needed to do. "What everybody thought about Harry...it was you who started it. You brought it into our House-into our dorm. No one else's words could've affected Harry more than yours did. I admit that I was a coward-I should have spoke up. But Ron...what happened...do you think that Percy would've wanted that? Do you think he'd be *proud* of what's been happening? That any of your family would be?"
Tears began to fall from Ron's eyes. "No," he whispered. "You're right. Percy-he would've seen the truth. He wouldn't have had to see it-he'd have *known*. I don't know why I said what I've said, did what I did."
"You were scared, Ron." Hermione finally stepped forward, laid a hand on his arm. "You saw what was going on, you saw Voldemort kill...then you saw Harry do the same thing. It scared *me*--but we shouldn't have let it. We were both stupid, thinking that Harry was like Voldemort. We couldn't have been more wrong. Voldemort killed for no reason other than his own bitterness and anger, liked the power, and killed more. Harry killed out of necessity to save a world, and felt guilt-made worse by us-and tried to remove himself from consideration."
"He'll never forgive me...and he shouldn't."
"It is not for us to dictate who Harry should and shouldn't forgive. It is only for Harry to decide."
Ron straightened, tears still running down his face. "I want his friendship," he said. "Even while I was trying my best to hate him, I felt the hole inside me-the hole where Harry belongs. But I'd gladly keep that hole, if that's the price for Harry's well-being."
Neville grinned and patted Ron on the back. "Now you're getting it," he said.
"Can you...convince Harry to talk to me?"
"I'll try, mate, I'll try."
**********