::::::-------------
Chapter Sixteen: What Will Be
::::::-------------
GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM
Ron's attack didn't stop the exams from approaching. In fact, it made them suddenly seem much closer. Ten o'clock advanced, and the pair were too worn out by the day's events to study any more. As they set down their books, Harry decided to have a heart-to-heart with Hermione.
"Hermione," said Harry, "look: I'm not sure if we should-"
"This is because of Ron, isn't it Harry?" Hermione interrupted quietly.
"Well, er-"
"You don't want to ruin your friendship with him," she said, "because we've already spoiled ours."
"Hermione - it wouldn't be right for me to go out with you if Ron . . . well, you heard Ginny." Against his will, tears burned the backs of Harry's eyes like acid.
"Yes, I did." Tears filled Hermione's eyes and she looked at the ground to hide them. A lump grew in Harry's throat. He didn't want to be having this conversation.
"You know what?" said Harry, stronger than he felt, "Forget Ron. If it doesn't work out, it won't. If it does, what will be will be."
"Oh, Harry," sighed Hermione, throwing her arms around him in a warm hug. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Harry was reminded of another time spent with a girl he'd once liked. Mistletoe had hung in the Room of Requirement.
*****
HOSPITAL WING
Apollo slept in that morning; dawn was late. It was Sunday and Ron was healing fast.
"All right, Ron?" smiled Harry. He was, for the first time in two years, uncomfortable in his best friend's presence.
"Yeah," grinned Ron, "You?"
"Not too bad." Harry's grin vanished. "Look, Ron - I need to talk to you."
"'Bout what?" Ron's mouth was now full of Fizzing Whizzbees.
"Hermione." Ron swallowed. It looked rather difficult. His smile also disappeared.
"Oh."
"Okay-"
"Look, don't break up with her just because of me!" said Ron wildly. "I'm guessing you've had a chat with Hagrid."
"Yeah, but it wasn't necessary. Ginny-"
"For her own health she'd better get out of the way once I'm better!" cried Ron fiercely, but they both knew it was a hollow threat.
"Ron, I'm sorry. I never would have got together with Hermione if I'd known you liked her."
"It's all right," said Ron softly. "She never really liked me anyway. I mean," he snorted with laughter, "remember that Halloween in First Year, I called her a nightmare and she went off to the toilets crying and nearly got killed by that troll! Wasn't really that funny, actually."
"It wasn't," agreed Harry, though with a smile on his face. "But it was because of that that we're friends."
"Harry," Ron began sincerely, "If I'd been a bit ruddy smarter I would have asked her out long ago. You know why I didn't? I told myself I had nowhere to take her. That wasn't it though. Wasn't a pleasant thing to admit, but I realised she didn't like me that way. It was you, Harry. 'H.P.' all over her timetable, not 'H.W.'" Ron's voice was now slightly bitter, a weak smile on his lips that did not clear the disappointment in his eyes.
"You know-"
"Harry, you have nothing to apologise for. I hope the two of you are really happy."
To Ron's great surprise, Harry started to laugh. "This weekend I've finished about four sentences without being interrupted." Ron wasn't sure why that was funny, but the laughter was infectious and soon both of them were in near-hysterics.
"I have one rule, though," Ron beamed, as the gales subsided, "None of that lovey-dovey dung in front of me."
"Agreed," said Harry.
Chapter Sixteen: What Will Be
::::::-------------
GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM
Ron's attack didn't stop the exams from approaching. In fact, it made them suddenly seem much closer. Ten o'clock advanced, and the pair were too worn out by the day's events to study any more. As they set down their books, Harry decided to have a heart-to-heart with Hermione.
"Hermione," said Harry, "look: I'm not sure if we should-"
"This is because of Ron, isn't it Harry?" Hermione interrupted quietly.
"Well, er-"
"You don't want to ruin your friendship with him," she said, "because we've already spoiled ours."
"Hermione - it wouldn't be right for me to go out with you if Ron . . . well, you heard Ginny." Against his will, tears burned the backs of Harry's eyes like acid.
"Yes, I did." Tears filled Hermione's eyes and she looked at the ground to hide them. A lump grew in Harry's throat. He didn't want to be having this conversation.
"You know what?" said Harry, stronger than he felt, "Forget Ron. If it doesn't work out, it won't. If it does, what will be will be."
"Oh, Harry," sighed Hermione, throwing her arms around him in a warm hug. Tears spilled down her cheeks. Harry was reminded of another time spent with a girl he'd once liked. Mistletoe had hung in the Room of Requirement.
*****
HOSPITAL WING
Apollo slept in that morning; dawn was late. It was Sunday and Ron was healing fast.
"All right, Ron?" smiled Harry. He was, for the first time in two years, uncomfortable in his best friend's presence.
"Yeah," grinned Ron, "You?"
"Not too bad." Harry's grin vanished. "Look, Ron - I need to talk to you."
"'Bout what?" Ron's mouth was now full of Fizzing Whizzbees.
"Hermione." Ron swallowed. It looked rather difficult. His smile also disappeared.
"Oh."
"Okay-"
"Look, don't break up with her just because of me!" said Ron wildly. "I'm guessing you've had a chat with Hagrid."
"Yeah, but it wasn't necessary. Ginny-"
"For her own health she'd better get out of the way once I'm better!" cried Ron fiercely, but they both knew it was a hollow threat.
"Ron, I'm sorry. I never would have got together with Hermione if I'd known you liked her."
"It's all right," said Ron softly. "She never really liked me anyway. I mean," he snorted with laughter, "remember that Halloween in First Year, I called her a nightmare and she went off to the toilets crying and nearly got killed by that troll! Wasn't really that funny, actually."
"It wasn't," agreed Harry, though with a smile on his face. "But it was because of that that we're friends."
"Harry," Ron began sincerely, "If I'd been a bit ruddy smarter I would have asked her out long ago. You know why I didn't? I told myself I had nowhere to take her. That wasn't it though. Wasn't a pleasant thing to admit, but I realised she didn't like me that way. It was you, Harry. 'H.P.' all over her timetable, not 'H.W.'" Ron's voice was now slightly bitter, a weak smile on his lips that did not clear the disappointment in his eyes.
"You know-"
"Harry, you have nothing to apologise for. I hope the two of you are really happy."
To Ron's great surprise, Harry started to laugh. "This weekend I've finished about four sentences without being interrupted." Ron wasn't sure why that was funny, but the laughter was infectious and soon both of them were in near-hysterics.
"I have one rule, though," Ron beamed, as the gales subsided, "None of that lovey-dovey dung in front of me."
"Agreed," said Harry.