Harry and Hermione were stumped, neither could guess what
on Earth could have gotten into Ron to make him act so differently, once they'd
gotten over the initial shock of the whole thing they began to discuss what
they should do.
"I think you should go along with it." Mumbled Harry quietly,
"What do you mean?" demanded Hermione,
"Make it sound like you're taking his side," said Harry
even more quietly,
"Why on Earth should I do that?" said Hermione rather
loudly with a stern look on her face which reminded Harry of Professor
McGonagall,
"That way maybe we can find out what this is all about, at
least then he'd be talking to one of us." Said Harry.
Hermione still looked doubtful,
"I don't want to loose Ron as a friend." He added softly.
Hermione saw Harry's determined emerald eyes flash to her
face and sighed,
"Harry, I don't want to loose Ron either, he's meant to be
my boyfriend for goodness sake! But are
you sure about this?"
Harry smiled slightly,
"Yes, do whatever you have to, I won't mind, I need you to
do it for me."
Hermione nodded and left the library to search for Ron.
Harry sank into a chair feeling a bit dazed, then he
remembered the quidditch trials and grinned, but the thought of not being able
to talk to Ron about it made him feel the same emptiness that had haunted him
last year, he got up and headed back to Gryffindor Tower hoping for the first
time ever that Hermione and Ron would not be in there waiting for him.
Harry wasn't surprised to see that they weren't there, he
looked around at the other Gryffindors. Harry spotted Neville in the corner of the Common Room, he was sitting
alone surrounded by his schoolbooks. Harry approached slightly reluctantly, unsure if Neville would mind the
intrusion. Neville looked up and
smiled,
"Hi Harry, can I help you?"
Harry grinned,
"Well there is this herbology essay… But really I was just wondering if you
fancied a chat."
Neville looked a little surprised but pleased. He moved over so that Harry could sit down next
to him.
Harry looked around and noticed the photos waving at him,
Neville saw him stare and blushed violently
"Oh, um, they're my parents," he stammered.
Harry smiled sympathetically.
"I've got some photos of my parents too."
Neville was fingering his photos avoiding Harry's eyes.
"Do you want to see them?" asked Harry shyly
"Oh really? You
mean you don't mind?"
"Of course not!"
Harry was slightly shocked, "Here."
He pulled the photo album out of his bag and opened it, he
hadn't had any more trouble with falling into it so had decided not to worry
about it any more.
Harry and Neville looked through their photos together,
Harry thought that Neville's parents looked very friendly and he felt suddenly
sorry for what had happened to them.
The two of them had been sitting in silence together for a
while before Neville spoke.
"They don't know me you know, that is, they don't recognise
me."
Harry gulped,
"That must be hard for you." was all he could say.
"Well, no harder than for you, loosing your parents completely."
Said Neville his eyes shining.
Harry was quiet for a while, but then he said,
"No. You're wrong,
My parents may be dead, but I've always got people around me telling me how
brave I am about it when really I'm nothing special, I just get on with it."
Neville was gaping at him but Harry went on,
"At least this way there's a finality to it all, I can
mourn my parents and move on. And I
always fancy that they're watching over me somehow. I don't miss them as such, because I've never really known them. Do you know what I mean?"
Harry looked up at Neville who was nodding solemnly. Harry had a strong urge to put an arm around
him, he looked so lost, but then Neville's eyes met his and Harry felt suddenly
of him, this boy had suffered in the same way that he had, lost his parents
without even being able to grieve for them, and didn't even tell people what he
suffered.
Harry realised that Neville was probably the bravest person
he knew.
A true Gryffindor.
Meanwhile, Hermione had found Ron at the quidditch pitch,
she approached him slowly trying to interpret his body language, he was sitting
huddled in his cloak looking miserable, Hermione reached out and put a hand on
his shoulder, Ron jumped, obviously surprised,
"I didn't hear you Hermione! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
Hermione smiled slightly,
"You certainly nearly gave me one earlier, what brought all
of that on?" she asked tentatively,
Ron shrugged and shifted away from her,
"Come on Ron, tell me about it."
Ron remained silent.
"Ron, Harry was really upset, but to tell the truth I think
that I'm more upset than he was, you're meant to be his friend, it's one of the
things I've always admired about you is the way you've always stood by him."
Ron glanced at Hermione looking really pale and… sad.
Hermione was confused but her sympathy for Ron came to the
fore,
"Ron, what's happened, you can tell me you know."
Ron eyed her suspiciously and mumbled into his arms,
"What was that?" asked Hermione cautiously
Ron looked up at her and said almost angrily
"You fancy Harry, don't you."
Hermione was shocked, this whole thing couldn't possibly be
all about her could it,
"W-w-what do you mean? What on Earth made you think that?" she demanded confused.
"I read the parchment on your bedside table when I came looking
for you before the match yesterday."
Now Hermione was getting really confused,
"What? What
parchment?"
Ron frowned
"I think you know what I'm talking about."
Hermione's confusion must have finally gotten through to
Ron,
"Oh God…. You mean you didn't write it?"
Hermione was curious now, "Write what?"
"You didn't did you? Oh no! I've been such a
prat!" Gabbled Ron slapping his head,
"Written what!" shouted Hermione,
"Ummm, there was a piece of parchment, I thought you'd
written it, it said 'I love Harry Potter, I love his eyes, his hair, he's so
brave,' stuff like that." Ron trailed
off looking more and more embarrassed.
"Oh Ron! As if I'd
ever write anything so silly! It was
Lavender, she and Parvati are always doing things like that! How could you think it was me?!"
Said Hermione angrily,
"Do you have any idea how much what you said hurt Harry?"
It was Ron's turn to look shocked,
"Harry? H-H-How did
he find out?"
Hermione frowned at him,
"He overheard us in the library, he looked as though someone
had kicked him in the mouth."
Ron was looking bitterly remorseful and ashamed,
"What should I do?"
"Talk to him, and hope he understands." said Hermione
rubbing his shoulder comfortingly, "Don't worry, he will."
And with that, the two of them headed back to the Common
Room, hand in hand, feeling sobered but relieved, Hermione having found out
what was wrong with Ron, Ron having finally gotten everything off his chest.
Ah, so another mystery is revealed… Ron was jealous of Harry…
again… got angry… again! But this time
it was all about Hermione!!!!!
Ah, young love.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll all agree that Neville is the
coolest, NEVILLE ROCKS!!!!!!!!
Ahem, sorry!
I've got a ton of CDT coursework to do, so sorry if I don't
get much done on this for a while, I'll try but the chapters will probably
start getting shorter, and weirder and well, we'll see!
J Keep Reviewing! J
Jo
xxx
L (I still disclaim everything, blah, blah, don't
sue, IIIII Thank You ) L