Chapter Six::

Talks, Fighting Words and Getting Slapped

Hermione was having second thoughts. She loved Ron, there was no question about it; Ron loved her just as equally. Why the second thoughts? She was the only sixteen, practically a child. What would happen if her mum was right? She knew he wouldn't. She knew he wouldn't break her heart or hurt her. That was the last thing he would want, right?

Ron decided he needed to patch things up with Harry. Harry was out of St. Mungo's now; he had been for around two days. He knew now that Sirius was gone, Lupin had become like his family. Before Sirius died, Lupin and Harry weren't that close. Not as close as he and Sirius. Ron knew. He understood. They both loved Sirius dearly; Lupin as a brother and Harry as a father. He went to stay at Grimmuald Place with Lupin.
Ron Apparated to the former Order Headquarters, hoping Harry was there and not out and about in Diagon Alley. He walked into the still dodgy looking kitchen, at the table sat Harry, reading The Daily Prophet.
"Hey Ron."
"Hey Harry. You're welcome at Hermione's, you know."
"You know how I feel about that. I think Sirius would want me here."
"What about Gin?" Ron mentioning his not-so-little sister shocked him.
"I know you fancy her, mate. She's quite taken with you, you know."
"You aren't upset?" Harry asked, running a hand though his already untidy hair.
"Do you want me to be?"
"Err... No." Ron decided he was going to change the subject. That was not what he was here for after all. Not to talk about his sister.
"Err, I was thinking about sleepingwithHermione." Ron said, hoping Harry didn't catch the last part.
"Repeat that? It sounded as if you said you were thinking about sleeping with Hermione." Ron's ears turned crimson embarrassed now that he had brought it up.
"I- I did." Harry took a sharp intake of breath. He couldn't have heard him right.
"Mate, I don't-" Ron cut him off.
"She made the advancement, not me. I love her but I'm not sure if we should."
"Err..." Harry was looking very uncomfortable by then.

"We won't be able to go back once we do, I don't want her doing this because of me, or to spite anyone."

"Ginny, you would tell me if you and Harry are- if you- if he-" Ginny got the gist of what Hermione was stumbling over.
"Well, we aren't... Are you and Ron?" She asked uncomfortably. She didn't want that image in her head. Ron shagging Hermione. It made her cringe.
"I've brought it up."
"You?" Ginny never thought she'd be the one to bring up sex. Ron was always randy; it made perfect sense, but Hermione?
"Is that so wrong? I have needs too, you know."
"I know. You aren't doing this to please Ron, because he wants to? Or to spite everyone since we brought it up?"
"No. I've thought this over. Thoroughly, mind you. I love Ron."
"I know. Just don't do anything you'll regret, okay?"
"Why would I regret Ron, Ginny? I've loved your brother since the first train ride to Hogwarts, since I told him he had dirt on his nose." Ginny never knew the longtivity of Hermione's love for her brother. Since the train?
"Things change after you sleep with someone, Hermione. Once you do, you can't go back." Ginny looked at her friend lovingly, knowing in the back of her mind that Hermione had already made up her mind.
"I know things will change, Gin. I love Ron very much, and even though he has me, he doesn't have all of me. I want all of him. I have since before I knew what it meant."
"Oh. Didn't need to know that. You are talking about my brother here. That's one mental image I don't need."
"Oh, grow up! I don't get like that when you gush about Harry."
"Harry's not your brother!"
"Might as well be."
"But-"
"Trust me, he might as well be. We've been through near-death together. He might as well be."

"Hermione, we need to talk." Ron told his curly-haired girlfriend as he walked into her kitchen.
"Ok." She answered, getting up from her chair.
"Let's go to your room, yeah? So we won't be overheard." She followed the tall redhead, up the stairs and to her room. He quietly shut her door, cast a silencing spell and lastly, before putting his wand away cast a locking spell on the white wooden door.
"Mione, you know I love you, right? That I'd do anything for you? Anything you would need me to?"
"Of course." She smiled at him; she loved when he claimed his love for her, no matter how often he did it.
"Are you sure you want to sleep with me?"
"Yes," she answered simply.
"You aren't doing this to please me?"
"Isn't that the point? To please you?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Ron, I've thought about this."
"Mione, I know."
"Then what's the matter? Don't you want me?" Ron's eyes darkened considerably with desire. Her words sent small shocks through him.
"Fuck yes. I want you so badly." She closed the gap between them, stood on tip-toe and covered his mouth with hers. His hands ran up and down her sides, making them tingle. Her hands tangled themselves in his ginger hair. After a few minutes, the need for air over took them.
"Mione, I don't want you regretting me." He said, leaning his forehead against hers.
"Why would I? I love you."
"I don't want you to rush into this. I can wait. If you're not ready, I'm not going to get upset with you. I don't want things to change, even though they will if do decided to go through with it. I love you, and don't want to hurt you in anyway. That's the last thing I would want."
"I know. I want you to have all of me. My mind my soul, my body. Everything." He brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Let's take this easy, yeah?"
"What if I don't want to?" She asked, feeling bolder as her eyes bored in Ron.
"I know you said you've thought about it, but-"
"Fine. We'll slow it down then. I don't understand why. Since you're so randy all the time, normally."
"I can handle it."

At breakfast the next morning, Ron was quiet. He hardly ate a thing, and that worried Hermione.
"Why aren't you eating?" She asked; concern in her eyes.
"Not hungry," was his only answer.
"But you're always hungry. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." He whispered. Soon after, Ron went outside with Harry, who had dropped by shortly after they had finished eating.

"It's about time you got that play down." Harry said, with a smug look on his face.
"We all can't be you, you know. The youngest Seeker in a century, The-Boy-Who-Lived-And-Who-Defeated-The-Dark-Lord, be rich and be every girl's fantasy." Ron said angrily. It seemed Harry thought himself superior to Ron.
"I didn't ask for all of this! It's not like I sauntered up to Voldemort and asked, 'Can you kill my parents, try to kill me but have the spell backfire on you and make me a famous wizard?'"
"Harry," Hermione interjected as she had just walked into the kitchen from her room, "you have to remember Ron has five brothers that over shadow him. We know you didn't ask for everything that's happened to you, but you don't have to be so pushy about it. It's great that Ron finally got that Quidditch play, he's been practicing for ages." She smiled at Ron, obviously proud that he had finally got something he had been working so hard on.
"I don't need a lecture from you, Hermione."
"You're acting like a spoiled child!" Hermione shrieked. She'd never seen Harry act like this.
"Maybe I deserve to! Maybe I should have gotten a medal, some kind of recognition that I defeated the most dangerous wizard there ever was."
"Why are you acting so spoiled? We all appreciate what you did, you should know that! Stop being such a bloody git!" Ron spat, taking Hermione and leading her out of the kitchen.

Ron and Hermione had never been mad at Harry at the same time before. Sure, they hadn't spent much time with him as he'd like since they started dating, but they did try as much as they could. Even after two years, they still tried to spend time with him. He couldn't forget that, could he? He was happy he had Ginny to talk to, still.
"Harry?" Ginny had just walked into the kitchen.
"Hi Gin." She sat across the table from him.
"I heard about the row you had with Ron and Hermione."
"They think I'm being a spoiled git."
"Well, what do you think?" She asked as she tilted her head to the side, listening to Harry closely.
"I think they're just jealous."
"Jealous? Of what?"
"Me."
"Do you think you're entitled to everything you want? Why is that? Isn't it enough everyone practically owes you their lives? That we've all grown up knowing your name? You're acting a bit selfish."
"So you're on their side?"
"I'm not one anyone's side, Harry."
"Sure sounds like it." He said, anger rising in his voice.
"Don't you dare take that tone with me, Harry Potter! You may believe you're entitled to your every whim. Newsflash! You're not!" Her face was now more scarlet than Harry had ever seen it. He had never seen her this angry. Wanting to shut her up, Harry did the only thing he could think of- kiss her. Ginny let out a squeak of surprise when his lips covered hers. After a few seconds, Ginny pulled away and all that was heard in the Granger's tiny kitchen was Ginny's slender hand connecting with Harry's cheek. Her hand was imprinted, red, on his face.
"Oi! What in the bloody hell was that for?" Ginny never answered, because she walked out of the kitchen, and out of the house.