Chapter 18

Harry looked at Parvati as they both reddened.

"Guess you were right" she said with a giggle. Harry let out his breath and laughed also. How embarrassing that was.

"Well I better go see what he wants…" Harry said, finishing buttoning his shirt and pulling his sweater back over his head. Parvati nodded and went her own way.

Harry reached the common room where McGonagall was waiting for him. He felt his face grow hot again remembering what she had just seen. Her eyebrows arched up as she looked over her glasses at him.

"I'm going to forget what I just saw Mr. Potter… but only because there are more important matters at hand." She said to him in a disapproving tone. Harry felt somewhat relieved anyway.

***

Ron walked aimlessly around the halls and around the outside of the castle. Just thinking. He knew why they had kept that from him, and he guessed it was pretty smart of them, and right also. He just didn't like the fact that he had been lied to, and they were purposely keeping it from him behind his back. No, he wasn't ready to forgive them just yet.

As he sat on the Quidditch pitch, rain began to fall from the sky. He lifted his head and gladly accepted this shower, just to cleanse him of his anger. As the cold rain dripped down his face he felt warm drops release from his own eyes; they mixed together with the rain. He knew he didn't want to lose Hermione because of this so he better make amends soon before she becomes the stubborn girl that she is, and breaks his heart.

"Ron! Ron, come inside you're gonna get sick!" Ron looked over to see Hermione screaming at him, arms folded, wet hair blowing in the wind. She was all he ever wanted. He didn't move. Just lifted his head to the sky again. She ran over to him and looked down on him, just sitting in the rain.

"Sit with me 'Mione, maybe the rain will wash away your sins."

She looked angry.
"Ron I don't have any sins, I kept that from you to protect you, you should be thanking me instead of being a selfish stubborn git that you are" she said, beginning to storm away.

Thunder cracked above them as Ron watched her walk away. He knew she was crying. He wanted to go after her, and comfort her, but he was still too angry. He just needed time.

"Mr. Weasley" he heard a familiar older voice call to him from where Hermione had disappeared.

Ron got up and went over to professor McGonagall who was holding an umbrella that was violently trying to get away from her.

"Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you in his office." She told him.

Ron nodded and followed her off the field.

***

When Ron reached Dumbledore's office, he was surprised to see Hermione and Harry seated in there also. Dumbledore quietly conjured another chair for a wet Ron to sit in.

"I suppose you three are wondering why I've asked you here" The three nodded. "Well, I'll have you know that Mr. Malfoy has been removed from this school and is to go on trial before the ministry of magic the day after tomorrow."

All three pairs of eyes grew large and they looked at each other in disbelief.
"Um professor, I can't help but wonder.." Hermione started to say quietly, looking at the floor.

"Don't you worry miss Granger, you're perfectly safe, I can assure you"

Hermione smiled. She always did feel safe when Dumbledore was around. Ron absentmindedly placed a comforting hand on her knee then realized they were fighting and removed it with a quick "sorry" under his breath.
"Anyway, I've brought you here today to tell you that the Ministry expects the three of you to testify against Mr. Malfoy on what you saw or experienced."

The three were surprised and not happy to hear that news, but nodded anyway.

"You may return to your dormitories, I'll notify you of more information tomorrow" he told them.
The three began to leave the room when Ron turned around and looked at Dumbledore again, "Will Draco go to Azkaban" he asked. The other two quietly admitted to themselves they had been wondering the same thing.
"This, I do not know" Dumbledore told him, and they left the room sulkily.

When they were out of the room and walking down the hall, Harry broke the uncomfortable silence.
"I don't know about you two" he said, "I hate Draco, but I don't want to see him at Azkaban, not so young"

The two didn't say a word.
"Oh yes, that's right, I forgot you two aren't talking to me for the stupidest reasons in the world"

Hermione stopped in the hallway.
"I'm sorry Harry, it's not you I'm angry with…"

"Yea cause I'm obviously the one in the wrong here… you know, what a sin, having secrets kept from me" Ron said sarcastically, never stopping to look at them.

"RON why don't you just grow up or get over it or do SOMETHING because I am NOT going to tolerate your immature stubbornness ANY LONGER" and with that she did her usual 'stomps off angrily' and didn't look back.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and shared their usual unspoken words. They knew this wasn't worth fighting over.

"It was for your own good you know" Harry said, when he was sure Ron wasn't gonna blow up at him,

Ron sighed, "I know"

"Why don't you go talk to Hermione"

"Not ready to yet, I'm still angry. I don't want to say anything that I'll regret"

"That's actually rather mature of you Ron, maybe you should tell her just that, I'm sure shed understand"

"Yea maybe I will, she's so mad at me…"

Harry placed his hand on Ron's shoulder, "It will be alright mate, she's not going anywhere"

Ron smiled. He liked to think that way, but it was nice to hear it to know that it was true.

"How's Parvati" Ron asked, changing the subject.

Harry reddened again, remembering the McGonagall incident.

"That good eh?" Ron teased, smirking at Harry.

"Ron… do you think we're… too young… to be doing… things"

"Harry! You scoundrel!"

"I'm serious Ron!" although he was laughing.

"I dunno! I mean, if you have needs she's willing to fulfill… by all means!"

Harry playfully punched Ron in the arm. He stopped in the hall and put his head against the wall. "Seriously, though, its so hard to hold back, I feel like I'm fighting a power worse than you know who!" Harry joked.

"Hahahaha, restraining yourself from shagging Parvati Patil senseless is harder than defeating he-who-must-not-be-named? Well there's something to go down in Hogwarts: A History" he mocked, laughing all the while.

"That does sound pretty stupid doesn't it?" Harry asked, chuckling himself, "What about you and Hermione… I mean if you don't mind me asking… are you guys taking it slow?"

Ron looked embarrassed for a moment, shoved his hands in his pockets, and looked at the floor.

"Yea… I actually want to… ya know, we're so young, and …. This is gonna sound really corny and stupid, but I want to be with her for a long time… I don't wanna waste everything now… you know?"
Harry looked at Ron to see that his face color closely resembled that of the second color on his tie.

"Yea, I know what you mean… but with Parvati I'm not thinking long term… I'm not thinking at all, I'm just trying to keep my pants buttoned! Hahah"

"HAHAHA I know man, it's SO HARD! It's harder than potions! There should be a class on it, 'horneyness 101' hahaha"

Harry fell on the floor in a fetal position in a fit of laughter. In between laughs, he remembered thinking how nice it was to be laughing like this with Ron again. He missed those days.