Chapter Nine
Days turned to weeks, and they took their lives by the second.
"See you." Harry said, giving Hermionie a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye." She said, and walked toward the library.
"I wish you guys would stop that. It makes me sick." Ron said making a gagging noise.
"Oh shut up!" Harry shoved him playfully.
Hermionie had gone to the library to study some more. Harry and Ron had their fill of studying for Exams, and Hermionie was tired of trying to get them to keep studying. So, on occasions, she went to the library by herself, while Ron and Harry stayed in the common room.
"I HATE potions!" Ron groaned as he and Harry sat in the near empty common room, trying to finish up their potions homework.
"It wouldn't be that bad if Snape didn't make it a living hell." Harry said, putting down his quill, "I quit."
"Ditto." Ron said, rolling up his parchment, and slamming the many books strewn around the table they were working at. Harry helped him carry them back to their dorm. As they were walking back down the staircase, Harry thought aloud.
"Where is Hermionie? It's been about an hour. She never stays that long."
"Come on, let's go find her." Ron said. The worry in his voice scared Harry.
They both headed down to the library, the darkness settling in.
When they got there, they both walked in and saw Hermionie, sleeping on a book. Harry chuckled; he wasn't surprised. Quietly, he walked over to her, and gently shook her awake.
"Hermionie," Harry chuckled, "wake up. You've been here for over an hour."
"Huh?" She said sleepily lifting her head. "Must study."
"Not now," Ron said squatting down near her with a hand on her shoulder, "Come on Hermionie, you're over working yourself."
"Am not." She said as she got up, "I gotta put these books away."
"Don't worry about it.I can handle it." Ron said, "You go back to the tower with Harry."
And they did so, Harry's arm around her waist. Ron stacked the books and put them back where they belonged. The silence around him was leaving a ringing in his ears.
When Ron reached the fat lady, he hesitated, and said the password. When he got in he wished he'd just forgotten the password. He looked to his left and saw Hermionie and Harry cuddling rather close on the couch. Hermionie looked asleep. Ron crept by, trying not to be noticed. He wanted to get away, and get rid of the sickening squirm of jealously writhing in the pit of his stomach.
"Going somewhere?" Harry whispered.
Caught. Damn him. Ron thought, and he stopped. "Yea, up to bed." Ron said simply.
"Ron, its eight o'clock. How stupid do you think I am?" Harry said without looking at him.
Ron just stared at the back of Harry's head. Thinking of what to say. "I just want to go upstairs Harry, okay?" Ron said irritably. Hermionie stirred. Harry's arm was around her. Harry didn't say anything; he just sat, in silence. The only thing Ron could hear was the light flickering of the fire. Ron made another move toward the steps.
"Sit down Ron. I want to talk to you." Harry said.
Ron sat down in a red armchair to Harry's right. He sat there, drumming his fingers, wishing beyond hope that he really wasn't here.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked, finally turning his green eyes upon his friend.
"Yea I'm fine." Ron lied. This was an automatic response. Ginny and his twin brothers had been asking him the same question very often.
Harry cocked an eyebrow at him. "Come on, Ron. I'm not stupid."
"I think we've covered that." Ron said sourly.
Harry turned away from him, and brushed a loose hair out of Hermione's face.
"Can we talk about this later?" Ron asked hopefully, wanting to escape from this torture, that Harry seemed to hold him too.
Harry looked at Ron, and scanned his face, as if looking for something. "Yea, whatever." Harry said, turning back to Hermionie.
Freedom. "Night Harry." Ron said and made a dash for the stairs so Harry couldn't bring him back to that hell. He fell onto his four-poster with a heavy sigh. Seeing him and her so close like that made Ron feel sick. It wasn't an illness sick, it was more like a sick that tears you up from the inside out. Ron and Hermionie were best friends. I'm not going to let my selfish feelings get in the way of her perfect relationship, and the friendship that we have. That would ruin everything. He thought. After a few minutes of silent thinking, the dorm door creaked open.
Days turned to weeks, and they took their lives by the second.
"See you." Harry said, giving Hermionie a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye." She said, and walked toward the library.
"I wish you guys would stop that. It makes me sick." Ron said making a gagging noise.
"Oh shut up!" Harry shoved him playfully.
Hermionie had gone to the library to study some more. Harry and Ron had their fill of studying for Exams, and Hermionie was tired of trying to get them to keep studying. So, on occasions, she went to the library by herself, while Ron and Harry stayed in the common room.
"I HATE potions!" Ron groaned as he and Harry sat in the near empty common room, trying to finish up their potions homework.
"It wouldn't be that bad if Snape didn't make it a living hell." Harry said, putting down his quill, "I quit."
"Ditto." Ron said, rolling up his parchment, and slamming the many books strewn around the table they were working at. Harry helped him carry them back to their dorm. As they were walking back down the staircase, Harry thought aloud.
"Where is Hermionie? It's been about an hour. She never stays that long."
"Come on, let's go find her." Ron said. The worry in his voice scared Harry.
They both headed down to the library, the darkness settling in.
When they got there, they both walked in and saw Hermionie, sleeping on a book. Harry chuckled; he wasn't surprised. Quietly, he walked over to her, and gently shook her awake.
"Hermionie," Harry chuckled, "wake up. You've been here for over an hour."
"Huh?" She said sleepily lifting her head. "Must study."
"Not now," Ron said squatting down near her with a hand on her shoulder, "Come on Hermionie, you're over working yourself."
"Am not." She said as she got up, "I gotta put these books away."
"Don't worry about it.I can handle it." Ron said, "You go back to the tower with Harry."
And they did so, Harry's arm around her waist. Ron stacked the books and put them back where they belonged. The silence around him was leaving a ringing in his ears.
When Ron reached the fat lady, he hesitated, and said the password. When he got in he wished he'd just forgotten the password. He looked to his left and saw Hermionie and Harry cuddling rather close on the couch. Hermionie looked asleep. Ron crept by, trying not to be noticed. He wanted to get away, and get rid of the sickening squirm of jealously writhing in the pit of his stomach.
"Going somewhere?" Harry whispered.
Caught. Damn him. Ron thought, and he stopped. "Yea, up to bed." Ron said simply.
"Ron, its eight o'clock. How stupid do you think I am?" Harry said without looking at him.
Ron just stared at the back of Harry's head. Thinking of what to say. "I just want to go upstairs Harry, okay?" Ron said irritably. Hermionie stirred. Harry's arm was around her. Harry didn't say anything; he just sat, in silence. The only thing Ron could hear was the light flickering of the fire. Ron made another move toward the steps.
"Sit down Ron. I want to talk to you." Harry said.
Ron sat down in a red armchair to Harry's right. He sat there, drumming his fingers, wishing beyond hope that he really wasn't here.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked, finally turning his green eyes upon his friend.
"Yea I'm fine." Ron lied. This was an automatic response. Ginny and his twin brothers had been asking him the same question very often.
Harry cocked an eyebrow at him. "Come on, Ron. I'm not stupid."
"I think we've covered that." Ron said sourly.
Harry turned away from him, and brushed a loose hair out of Hermione's face.
"Can we talk about this later?" Ron asked hopefully, wanting to escape from this torture, that Harry seemed to hold him too.
Harry looked at Ron, and scanned his face, as if looking for something. "Yea, whatever." Harry said, turning back to Hermionie.
Freedom. "Night Harry." Ron said and made a dash for the stairs so Harry couldn't bring him back to that hell. He fell onto his four-poster with a heavy sigh. Seeing him and her so close like that made Ron feel sick. It wasn't an illness sick, it was more like a sick that tears you up from the inside out. Ron and Hermionie were best friends. I'm not going to let my selfish feelings get in the way of her perfect relationship, and the friendship that we have. That would ruin everything. He thought. After a few minutes of silent thinking, the dorm door creaked open.