This Time Around

Chapter 7

Hotly Tempered

"Harry, can you believe what she said! I can't believe what she said!" Ron's words were flying out of his mouth so fast; Harry didn't get a chance to say anything. Ron's hot temper showed so much he couldn't stay seated. "She left me – because -- she had – to make sense – of – her life!" he threw his hands up.

Harry, sitting in a black, lunge chair, just sat there smirking at Ron's anger. Humorously, he was rather enjoying this little outburst of rage.

Ron stopped pacing for a second to make eye contact with his friend. "What are you smirking at? Do you think this is funny! She doesn't know the bloody hell why she came back! She just doesn't know why! What the bloody hell is up with that!?"

"You." Harry said in a blunt tone.

Frozen, Ron stared at Harry. His green eyes were tense with his. "What?"

A smirk returned to Harry's face, rather enjoying himself. "You are what's up. She came back because of you Ron."

"Oh Harry, that's the first load of shit I've heard from you in a long time. Why the bloody hell would she come back because of me? She's the one that left! And that was because of me!" Ron, getting exhausted, slumped into the chair across from Harry.

Harry didn't stop; he wanted to find out more, his mind just inching to find out more of Ron's experience. "Do you know where she went before the wedding? I'm not going to believe this either, am I?" he smirked.

Ron's head began to boil, he could feel the blood rushing to his head and his heart beat in his temples. "OH, don't get me started Harry! She disaperated and went to Bulgaria."

Harry's smirk was plastered to his face, "You didn't want me to get you started on Hermione going to Bulgaria? Ron come on!"

"Do you know what's in Bulgaria? Vi –"

"Only the coolest quidditch team and –"

"No, Harry, Viktor Krum! She left the Burrow to go talk to Viktor Krum, about me!" Her pointed at himself and let out a huge sigh of frustration.

"Why is this bugging you Ron? You don't like her anyway; what does it matter if she likes Viktor and goes to talk to him? You don't like her, do you?" Harry's eyes peeled through Ron's. He could tell he had hit a soft spot, for Ron was frozen in his chair, stunned to hear his thoughts spoken from Harry's mouth.

For a few minutes, the two just sat in their seats, Harry still enjoying himself and Ron not knowing what to say. All of a sudden, a sharp pain came to his heart. However, it wasn't a pain caused by a weapon, but something less tangible. A pain that could only be caused by love.

The pain didn't last for long when it turned into an ache, and then finally he had a longing to touch the soft, smooth read lips that belonged to Hermione.

Harry then spoke, "It's about time you two talked about this little episode. Maybe now you two can start over or something. You guys belong together for crying out loud. Ron, I know you know this, but –"

Ron's hands clenched to the end of the arms of his chair, his knuckles beginning to turn white. "Harry, you don't understand I can't love her for what she did to me!"

Harry reached across to his friend's hands to loosen their grip. "Wait a minute, you're telling me that you can't love her?"

Roughly pushing Harry's hands off his, getting frustrated, Ron blurted out, "You're just as bad as her! Why the bloody hell do I want to go back out with her? Come on Harry, tell me that?! What would you be doing at this moment if you and Ginny marry, she disaperates on you for five years. She then comes back to tell you she went to Seamus Finigan's place to figure out her life? I wouldn't talk if I were –"

A dumbfounded look slapped onto Harry's face, and stunned him, "Bloody hell Ron!? Why would Ginny go to Seamus' place? Besides he's probably snogging Susan Boones or something at this moment."

"Oh for crying out loud Harry, it's just an example, and his name was the first name that popped into my head. But you get the bloody concept, now give me an answer."

Ron looked intensely at Harry for his answer, and Harry just sat there shaking his head at Ron's nonsense. "I'm sorry Ron; I don't know what I'd do, because Ginny has never showed any interest in Seamus."

"Oh my fucking . . . Harry! You can't seem to get it do you?"

Finally, after all this time, Harry had to lay it down for him. Ron just wasn't getting anything. Harry's heart started to pound, moving his feet to stand up. "Ron, I don't think you get it! Hermione came to apologize to you, tell you what happened. Here you are acting like a big arse baby and can't see past that she still loves you, and I know you're not going to like this statement, but you - - still - - love her - - Ron! Who the hell cares about Viktor! He's crazy anyway! Hermione doesn't love him anymore! It's you!" Harry fell back into his chair, exhausted on wasting his breath on Ron's "Weasley stubborn Temper"

"Harry, you just don't get it. I - - do not - - love her. Drop it ok? I'm leaving, see you . . . sometime." At that time, Ron's knuckles began to turn their normal color after he released from re-gripping the chair. He grabbed his coat and slammed the apartment door on his way out.

Faintly, Harry could hear the stomping of his footsteps down the stairs in the 11:36 nighttime quiet.

Knowing Ron was making a mistake, Harry had to play matchmaker. Somehow, Ron and Hermione had to get back together. Now, both probably wouldn't talk to the other without some help. His mind began to race, but no sooner had he tried to think of the ideas in his head had he fallen asleep on his lounge chair.