"Oh…. My…. God," Ron said slowly when Hermione had finished. Harry just sat
there with his mouth slightly open, before shaking his head from side to
side. "I'm so sorry Hermione," Ron said sadly, looking into her eyes.
Hermione had been struggling to keep tears streaming down her face, but
those heartfelt words opened the floodgates. "We called ourselves your
friends, your best in fact, and we never even supported you or knew…."
Harry said, frowning hard at the ground. With a sob Hermione held out her
arms as an invitation, and both rushed forward to give her the most
meaningful hug ever.
Madam Pomfrey reached the door of the Hospital Wing and was about to bustle in when she caught sight of the trio interlocked. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes brimmed with tears as she quietly slipped away. That picture would remain with her always.
* * * * * * * * *
"So what are you going to do?" Ron breached the question tentatively at a separate meeting. The three are closer than ever before, and Ron and Harry have taken to visiting Hermione in every free minute they had. Cuddles, the teddy bear Hermione's parents had given her, sat bonnily next to her in her bed. Hermione, propped up on her pillows, was writing an essay for Professor McGonaggal. She had insisted Harry and Ron bring homework to her so she wouldn't fall behind. But at Ron's question, which she herself had been trying to avoid, she put down her quill. "I don't know," she said with a sigh, feeling for the hundredth time that familiar heaviness on her chest.
"Do your parents know?" Harry asked.
Hermione sighed again. "No," she said meekly, a little ashamed. Then she made a spontaneous decision. "I'll write them a letter write now." She shoved aside her essay and found a fresh piece of parchment. Every now and then she looked up to find Ron looking at her. He would quickly redirect his gaze. When the bell rang, Ron lingered. "I'll catch up with you," he said to Harry, giving him a meaningful look. Harry looked from Ron to Hermione and back at Ron. A small smile formed on his lips before he swept out of the room.
"Hermione." Ron said, gazing at her.
"Ron?" Hermione said a little breathlessly.
"I…." Ron cast his gaze around the room, as if looking for something to help him find the words. "I love you," He was looking at her again now. He rushed on, "I know you've been hurt so you probably don't feel ready for a relationship now, but I want you to know none of this has changed the way I feel…about you. I'll always be here……. even just as a friend, and if you're not ready I'll wait for you. Whatever you decide, I'll be here." He took her hand in his. Hermione's eyes were shining behind a film of moisture, and there were two tears making their way slowly down her cheeks. Ron surveyed her for a moment before leaning in and kissing her tears away. When he pulled back, Hermione's eyes were closed and there was a smile on her lips.
Madam Pomfrey reached the door of the Hospital Wing and was about to bustle in when she caught sight of the trio interlocked. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes brimmed with tears as she quietly slipped away. That picture would remain with her always.
* * * * * * * * *
"So what are you going to do?" Ron breached the question tentatively at a separate meeting. The three are closer than ever before, and Ron and Harry have taken to visiting Hermione in every free minute they had. Cuddles, the teddy bear Hermione's parents had given her, sat bonnily next to her in her bed. Hermione, propped up on her pillows, was writing an essay for Professor McGonaggal. She had insisted Harry and Ron bring homework to her so she wouldn't fall behind. But at Ron's question, which she herself had been trying to avoid, she put down her quill. "I don't know," she said with a sigh, feeling for the hundredth time that familiar heaviness on her chest.
"Do your parents know?" Harry asked.
Hermione sighed again. "No," she said meekly, a little ashamed. Then she made a spontaneous decision. "I'll write them a letter write now." She shoved aside her essay and found a fresh piece of parchment. Every now and then she looked up to find Ron looking at her. He would quickly redirect his gaze. When the bell rang, Ron lingered. "I'll catch up with you," he said to Harry, giving him a meaningful look. Harry looked from Ron to Hermione and back at Ron. A small smile formed on his lips before he swept out of the room.
"Hermione." Ron said, gazing at her.
"Ron?" Hermione said a little breathlessly.
"I…." Ron cast his gaze around the room, as if looking for something to help him find the words. "I love you," He was looking at her again now. He rushed on, "I know you've been hurt so you probably don't feel ready for a relationship now, but I want you to know none of this has changed the way I feel…about you. I'll always be here……. even just as a friend, and if you're not ready I'll wait for you. Whatever you decide, I'll be here." He took her hand in his. Hermione's eyes were shining behind a film of moisture, and there were two tears making their way slowly down her cheeks. Ron surveyed her for a moment before leaning in and kissing her tears away. When he pulled back, Hermione's eyes were closed and there was a smile on her lips.