AmenthystStar's and Deadangel: Domo Arigato (thankyou very much) for your reviews, they are greatly appreciated. I'm flattered when you said that this was the best you've ever read yet.

As to anyone else who is reading this and have not reviewed, feel free to do so. This is my first fic so go easy on me but if there is something that you want to comment on, please feel free to do so. Just remember to be nice about it, because flames you post will be used to roast your a** *readjusts halo again*

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Disclaimer: see first chapter.

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Chapter Ten – Ron and Hermione's Return

Like every other time, the attack was provoked by the same git. He dished out a lot of bad vibes and those in the receiving end suffered the consequences. God only knew what Dr Bell was going to do to me. Perhaps she would have locked me in my own cell for a week, bound by a strait jacket. Or even worse, she'd probably counsel me to death.

Soon after I entered her office and sat down on the recliner, Dr Bell popped her head in. "Good," she snapped. "Stay there while I make an important Floo call. Nurse Jones and Madam Gough are tending to Mr Malfoy's needs at the moment – DO NOT MOVE A MUSCLE!"

As quickly as she came Dr Bell left briskly, leaving behind a stunned silence. I seized this opportunity to take a sneak peak at her desk. On top of it were numerous photographs, presumably of friends and family. The one that caught my particular attention was the moving photograph of Dr Bell and another, much younger girl with the same blonde hair and facial features. The girl was wearing Quidditch robes for Pride of Portree and had a Firebolt slung over her shoulder. I suspected that Dr Bell was related to Katie Bell and this confirmed it. That was why Katie looked so familiar. I also couldn't believe that a nice girl like Katie could be related to such a monstrous bitch.

Half an hour later Dr Bell returned but she didn't come alone. Tailing behind her were Ron and Hermine, dressed in their nightgowns and covered from head to toe in soot. I guessed they were the 'important' Floo call.

"Here," said Dr Bell. "You know what to do."

She then turned on her heel and disappeared.

Ron and Hermione edged towards me tentatively before they made themselves comfortable on the seats provided; Hermione to my right and Ron in the seat where Dr Bell usually sat. They were going to counsel me instead. Why couldn't Dr Bell do this herself? That was what she was paid for, after all.

"Dr Bell told us what happened," said Hermione.

I didn't say anything after this.

"Harry, we are not going to have a repeat of earlier on," Hermione added. "I'm not going to argue with you."

"I didn't say anything!" I exploded.

I saw Ron's upper lip twitch as he glared at me through narrow eyes. I didn't know why he couldn't just get a grip on himself. He needed to overcome his immaturity. It was fair enough that he was angry at me but did he have to rub it into my face.

Maybe I needed to overcome my immaturity first.

"Listen to us!" Hermione cried. "Harry, you're going to have to get yourself together. You can't go around causing trouble – and don't say that trouble finds you because that is nonsense!"

"I was provoked!" I cried. "Malfoy made a horrible reference to my mother and Ginny!"

"I would have thought that dealing with Malfoy for seven or so years would make you ignore all his crap," said Ron.

"Ron's right," said Hermione. "You're eighteen years old now, not twelve."

"Malfoy's being immature," I retorted.

"The more you should ignore him," said Hermione.

"You're not my mother!" I yelled.

"That may be the case," Ron cried out in indignation, "but she's your best friend. We're your best friends – no, we're like a brother and sister to you!"

"Would you put your brother into a mental institution?"

"If he needed it, then yes," Ron replied.

"How many times do we have to tell you that this is for your own good?" Hermione asked.

Something was amiss here. Ron and Hermione weren't like their usual selves. I expected them to bicker at each other but that certainly wasn't the case. I WANTED them to bicker at each other for it would bring some normality to the situation. However, they decided that now was the time to sort their differences aside and gang up on me. Finally, I folded my arms over my chest and said, "I hate it here."

"Just co-operate with Dr Bell and you'll be fine," said Hermione. "Sooner or later everything will return to normal."

"What do you define as normal?" I asked vindictively.

"Don't start," snapped Ron. "He were are trying to be as positive as possible and here you are being the biggest git on earth!"

"I wouldn't be such a git if you laid off my back!" I shot back.

"You know!" said Ron exasperatedly, "I don't know why I bother with you. This world has corrupted you so much that I'm afraid you'll never change."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You're an intelligent boy," Ron replied, "figure it out for yourself."

"Harry, Dr Bell called us in the middle of night because she said that you were in trouble," said Hermione. "She told us that if she spoke to you, you wouldn't listen to her. She believed that this was the only effective way to get the message across to you. We could have easily refused but we're here, Harry. Can't you be a little more thankful?"

I didn't reply to Hermione's rant. I considered the possibility of saying the next phrase that popped into my head for a minute, taking heed of all the horrific repercussions, given Ron's temper but I said those words anyway:

"You're only horrible to me because of Ginny, aren't you?"

Ron froze as he headed out the door and through his nightgown I saw his shoulders tense. In turn, the back of his neck turned the famous Weasley red. "I don't know what you mean," he said slowly and spitefully.

"I think you do," I said in that same tone.

"I don't," Ron repeated.

"Stop it" Hermione cried in a Dr Bell-like fashion, "The both of you!"

"No!" we cried in unison.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled. "Don't do anything severe."

"What makes you think I'll do anything severe?"

"I don't know," Hermione shot back. "I know something's bound to happen, severe or not. I know what you're like."

"Well, you're wrong," Ron snarled. "You don't know what I'm like."

Now THERE was the arguing and bickering but it wasn't enough for me. I wanted more.

Ron turned to me, "I'm being nasty to you because you won't get a hold of yourself. First it's hating us for sending you here THEN it's the letter -."

"I have a legitimate explanation!" I cried out in indignation.

"Ron, listen to what he has to say," said Hermione calmly.

"Be quiet, Hermione," Ron snapped.

"She's right," I said. "Listen to what I have to say."

"You don't speak!" Ron yelled.

When I looked into his eyes, I did not see the usual jovial happy glow I had become accustomed to for seven years. Instead I saw frustration, anger and sadness intertwined with pity. Pity. Ron had it in small portions and Hermione had it in droves. However, I didn't want any of it.

"Get out!" I shouted. My hands curled into fists for the second time that night and my eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Get out before I rearrange your face like I did with Malfoy."

Ron spotted my curled fists out of the corner of his eyes.

"Uncurl them," he said in a low voice.

"Uncurl what?" I barked.

"Uncurl your fists," Ron replied. "You are NOT going to hit me."

"I can do whatever I want."

"Harry, don't be silly!" Hermione exclaimed. "Just apologise to Ron and we can all leave on a happy note. Arguing and fighting will not get us anywhere!"

"For someone so intelligent, you're really naïve," I spat at her. "He's been a bastard to me since Ginny died. There's no such thing as a happy note. If anyone's being silly, it's him." I inclined my head towards his direction, to which Ron furrowed his eyebrows in the middle and pouted his lips like an immature schoolgirl.

"Look," Hermione groaned. "I don't want the two of you screaming the house down. Let's go home and we can sort this out in the morning."

"We're not sorting anything out," said Ron. "Harry, after seven years of friendship consider us through."

And with that, Ron Weasley, my best friend in the whole world walked out of Dr Bell's office and out of my life. He left Hermione and I in our wake. Hermione had tears pouring down her face as she stood on one spot and cried silently.

"Why are you crying?"

"Ron shouldn't be that horrible," Hermione sobbed. "And YOU shouldn't be that horrible either!"

"Stop crying," I snapped. "You're not supposed to cry, you're 'Hermione' for Merlin's sake!"

I should have known better. I should have known that my callousness and our fight would have been enough to break her. The usually strong Hermione was crying and it made me feel awful.

Hermione hiccuped and gathered her belongings, "I'll write as soon as I can," she said softly. "Good night Harry." She kissed me on the cheek and left in an instant.

Just as soon as Hermione left, Dr Bell stepped into the room.

"I think you should be ashamed of yourself," she barked. "You disfigured one's face and you alienate another from yourself with your ridiculous attitude. Now, get to bed before you cause more trouble."

I hung my head in shame at that precise moment. The night had been troublesome on my part and I was exhausted as a result. Needless to say, I smiled at the sight of Liv curled up on my bed when I reached my room. It was the only thing that comforted me.

So, once again I slipped in between the sheets and draped an arm around her waist. After a long night I fell asleep, dreaming of a red-haired girl with cute freckles across her nose and beautiful brown eyes … the same girl that held her wrongful place six feet under.

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