PART 4

Hey, JK Rowling, "sue" is a girl's name! "Call The Man" is Celine's but she's letting me borrow it and not suing me! Ain't she nice? Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but Ron is kinda hard for me to write and it kept coming out weird. I hope it turned out okay. Thank you for all your reviews, and thanks especially to dragon-ash, who gave me my first ever review and to alaskantiger, who keeps coming back for more.

Close the door

Shut the world away

All the fight's gone

From this wounded heart ***

When Harry finally climbed the stairs to the boy's dormitory it was nearly 1am. As he entered the room he was greeted with the sounds of Ron's furious muttering.

"Oh thank God." came from Seamus' bed. "Harry."

"If you don't shut him up, Harry," Dean promised. "I *will* kill him."

Harry crossed quickly to Ron's side. "Um... Ron..." he hesitantly started.

"Careful," Neville called. "I tried that and he nearly broke my nose."

"Ron!" Harry admonished severely.

Ron looked up, a wild look in his eyes and Harry wanted to run screaming for Dumbledore to protect him. "What, Harry." Ron spat, his voice hoarse. "What. You want me to calm down? You want me to go and forgive.... that slut? NO. I don't even want to SEE her!"

"Ron..." Harry knelt down beside him and saw that Ron had upended his box of pictures onto the rug and was currently engaged in torturing a terrified, miniscule Hermione, who was trying to hide beneath the edge of the picture but not quite making it. Harry, paused for a moment, disturbed, then he blinked and took the picture gently out of Ron's hands.

Ron didn't fight, but as the picture left his hand, the tiny Hermione looking gratefully at Harry, he deflated. There was no other word for it. His head sunk down to his knees, all anger gone from his body. Harry awkwardly settled himself next to Ron and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ron, it... it's not that bad. She talked to him and they're going to work it out."

Ron looked up and Harry was shocked to see tears flowing freely down his face. "It won't be alright Harry."

"Erm..." Looking at Ron, who was looking as if he had just lost his closest friend, Harry couldn't think of anything to say.

"She's gone, Harry." Ron's voice wavered in the darkness surrounding them. "I... I loved her and she's gone. I can't.... not anymore."

Ron wasn't making any sense. "What are you on about? She's still here. It's not like we've lost her. It's.... it'll just be... different."

"Harry, you don't understand." Ron's voice now had a slightly frantic edge to it. "I *loved* her."

"...Oh..." Harry suddenly felt very stupid.

Ron lowered his head back to his knees and started to cry. Not knowing what to do, Harry awkwardly shuffled the spilled pictures together and placed them back into the box, absently slipping the one Ron had been abusing into his pocket.

"Oh my God, Weasley! Will you shut up!" Dean made a noise that sounded like he was very close to ripping out Ron's throat and cast a sound- proofing charm on his bed, just as effectively shutting Ron up, as far as he was concerned, without all the blood stains. Harry idly wondered why Dean hadn't done this earlier.

A box of tissues came whizzing from the direction of Neville's bed and landed next to Ron. Ron ignored them. Harry reached out a finger and poked them closer. Ron continued to ignore them.

"Ron... -" Harry began.

Ron looked up at him. "No."

Harry started. "You don't even know what I was going say."

"I don't care." Ron unfolded his lanky body and stood, towering over Harry. "I don't care what sort of wisdoms or... or... *crap* you were going to try to feed me. You know," he continued, a horribly cruel glint in his eyes. "just because you're The Boy Who Lived doesn't mean you know everything."

Harry scrambled to his feet, suddenly aware of Ron's recent growth spurt and the fact that he had yet to catch up.

"In fact," Ron poked him in the chest, hard. "You know nothing. You're blinded by her. You think she's something special? You think she's worth our worries? Worth *anything*? Well, she's not. If she's so special and smart, WHY IS SHE WITH MALFOY?"

"Ron, shut up - " Harry glanced frantically around the room.

"DON'T tell me to shut up." Ron took a deep breath. "Harry. Now is the time to choose."

"What?" Harry's brow furrowed. "Choose?"

"Don't act stupid. Choose. Me. Or Her."

"Choose?!"

Ron nodded.

"Ron... I can't.... I couldn't.... don't make me do this." Harry reached out for Ron, but he sidestepped and went around him towards the door.

"This is your last chance, Harry. What is your choice?"

"Ron!!" Harry started after him. "I don't want to... how could I possibly make that choice? I love you both - "

"NO! Not both. I don't want any simpering placating bullSHIT from you. I want an answer, damnit! Me. Or. Her."

Harry couldn't meet Ron's eyes. "I can't do that, Ron."

Ron nodded, suddenly, drew himself and erected an almost palptable barrier between himself and Harry. "OK. That's the way it is then." he closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them, Harry felt like crying. "Perhaps I'll see you around."

Ron gave Harry one last look, slammed the door open and didn't even look surprised to see Hermione standing there, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ron - " she reached for his arm, but he shouldered coldly past her and stalked away down the hall.

The only sound breaking the stunned silence of the dormitory was Hermione's heart-breaking sobs. Slowly, ever so slowly, feeling came back to Harry and he slowly crossed the room and took Hermione into his arms, tears slipping down his cheeks as well.