Sometimes You Just Need a Slap in the Face

Chapter 3: Good Love

Disclaimer: I STILL do not own Harry Potter. Got it? Goody gum drops.

(A/N: I just received a review from a certain reader (you'll know who you are in about 0.5 seconds) who suggested that Ginny Weasley is a callous bitch, and using more expletives, proceeded to explain to me why Ginny cannot possibly understand ANYTHING that Harry is going through and so has no license to yell at or slap Harry. I truly appreciate you taking the time to give me such lengthy feedback, my friend. Here's a tip: if you don't like my story, DON'T BLOODY READ IT. I would prefer if you would criticize my writing style rather than my subject matter (unless you plan to be my plot beta.) It's fanfiction, for goodness sake; if you want JK Rowling, then read the books themselves.

For all my other reviewers, thank you very much; I love you people. This chappie focuses a bit more on the lovely golden trio.)

P.S. Song lyrics are in bold italics.

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Good love will make you cry

Good love will last until you die

After all the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione had eaten lunch (Harry had wolfed down even more than Ron, which was really saying something), Ginny went back up to her room, and the twins scurried upstairs talking in hushed tones with identical grins on their faces.

Hermione kept stealing glances at Ron again, as Ron kept on opening and closing his mouth, trying to break the awkward silence between the three best friends.

When I woke up this morning

Autumn leaves just pass me by

"Can we talk?" All three spoke at the same time.

"You go first."

"No you go."

"Let's go out into the garden," Hermione finally spoke on her own, "I think we all need some fresh air anyhow."

They walked out into recently degnomed green bushy garden of the Burrow.

Saw this couple just crying

And in my mind I wonder why

"Harry--we're really sorry if it seemed like we were pitying you. We honestly just wanted to know how you're feeling after--well--after everything that's happened. Obviously you wouldn't be happy or anything, but we still care about you and want to help you as much as we can. Don't we, Ron?" Hermione glared unapologetically at Ron.

I could tell it was special

'cause something felt so true yeah

"Er...yeah...I'm sorry for being...well...I'm sorry if I made you angry or anything. But--you don't have to blow up at us all the time. We're just trying to help, ya know," Ron wasn't looking directly at Harry; his face was slightly red and he seemed to be staring intently at a spot just beyond his left shoulder.

That's the thing about true love

That is the way I wanna be happy with you

"Listen, Ron, Hermione, I have something really important to tell you both. But first, I'm really sorry I keep blowing up at you two--at everyone. I guess I don't have much self control. Look--I was talking to Ginny today and she made me realize--rather forcefully, actually--that I've been really selfish. It's just that I've been feeling a lot of pain, and I never know whether or not I want to be around people, so I'm mostly just confused. It's so difficult for me to imagine life without--without---without Sirius. But for the record, I..er...I really appreciate you two and the fact that you've never...I dunno...ditched me or something." Harry was now beet red--he was not used to being so open, but it felt good to be honest anyway.

Good love will make you cry

Good love will last until you die

Hermione's large brown eyes were gleaming with tears now. "Oh, Harry--we would never ever ditch you. "

Ron finally looked up into Harry's green eyes. "Yeah, mate, I mean...what are best friends for? One thing, though---why on earth were you talking to Ginny of all people, and what exactly did she do to you."

Now it was Harry's turn to look away. "Oh, it's not important..," Then, seeing Ron's eyes darken with anger, Harry gave in, "Well, actually, she--she slapped me. Not really hard or anything! Just--back at the Dursley's, It was my fault, really--I was acting all spacey and--"

"Well of COURSE you were acting all spacey! What did she expect? I'll go talk to her. I'll go and--"

"Ronald! Do you EVER listen? Harry still has something really important to tell us." Hermione glanced at Harry as if asking for forgiveness, leaving a sputtering Ron rather angry. "Well, go on then, Harry. Tell us."

Now I'm speaking as a woman

Raised with a mother's love

Harry tried to find the right place to start. He glanced around the garden to make sure no one would overhear them, and lowered his voice. "Alright. After--after the Department of Mysteries, I came back to Professor Dumbledore's office, right? Well, he began to look really tired--I'd never seen him look so weary. Anyway, he said he had something to tell me that he was supposed to have told me when I first came to Hogwarts. I went all mad at him and started throwing stuff, but he wouldn't let me out of his office, so I gave up and sat down. Then he got out his Pensieve, and showed me his thoughts. He was in the Hog's Head (A/N you know, the really dodgy pub in OotP.) And was interviewing--it was so weird--he was interviewing Trelawney for the spot as Divination professor. He was about to leave when her voice got all deep and husky, and she looked like she was being possessed. She said, "Born as the seventh month dies, the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who thrice defied him." Then she said that this person would, "Have a power the Dark Lord knows not" and that "neither can live while the other survives." Harry paused to look at Hermione and Ron's faces.

She said you better recognize

The truth from lies

Ron's had one eyebrow raised. "So, what does that mean?"

It's in the eyes

Gotta look beyond what you see

It's so much deeper that visually

"Oh HONESTLY Ron. It means...it means...Oh Harry..." Hermione was now openly crying, "I'm so so sorry."

"It's--it's alright, I mean, I suppose it's not, but--" Dealing with crying girls had never been one of Harry's fortes (A/N think Cho.)

Let's come together just you and me

Look and see through the trees

"WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE FILL ME IN HERE?" Ron was absolutely fuming, his face bright red. Harry was surprised smoke wasn't coming out of his ears.

The journey of

Good love will make you cry

Good love will last until you die

By now Harry's throat was exceptionally tight, and his eyes uncontrollably moist. "It means I have to be the one to kill Voldemort (Ron cringed and Hermione flinched). If I don't kill him, no one else can. It means that if I don't kill him, he'll kill me. He'll probably kill everybody, for that matter. Apparently, the only other person it could have been was Neville. His parents defied Voldemort (cringe) three times as well. But, Trelawney also said Voldemort (cringe) would mark the one in the prophecy as his equal. Dumbledore said that's what my scar is all about. So, yeah, that--that pretty much sums it up."

Love can make you warm

Or it can make you very cold

Ron was gaping, and seemed to be having a great deal of trouble finding words. "Oh." Was all he said.

If you listen to your heart

The truth will unfold

Hermione looked half intrigued, half in despair. "Kill or be killed. You can do this Harry. We'll be fighting right beside you."

When you find that honey, honey

That touches you on sight

Harry's face was wet--he must have been sweating from the summer heat. "Look, you guys, I don't expect you to help me or anything. So don't feel pressured to--"

"Are you crazy, mate, of course we're going to help you." Ron, putting all 'manliness' aside, enveloped Harry in a strong embrace.

Hermione joined the embrace and said, "That's it, Harry. It's OK to cry. We'll never leave you. Because we love you."

You should never fight that feeling

'cause good love's so right

For the first time, Harry realized that he was not sweating, but crying. And for the first time, he realized that that was the first time his best friends had been that open about their love for him. Hearing the words themselves combined with finally telling them about the prophecy lifted a fifty pound weight off of his shoulders that he didn't even know was there. As he and his two best friends held each other, Harry knew for sure that despite all of the unlucky incidents in his life, he was one of the luckiest people in the world for having friends and a family--the Weasleys--who loved him so much. Sure, Sirius' death still hurt like hell, and the prophecy was a lot to deal with, but any burden is much easier to bear when you have people by your side who are willing to bear it with you.

Good love will make you cry

Good love will last until you die

"Good Love" by Lucy Pearl (whatever happened to them?)

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A/N: Awwww....isn't that sweet. Alrighty then peeps. There is chapter numero tres for you. Sorry if I made a lot of grammar mistakes or something--I'm still looking for a beta. I started writing this lovely chappie at around midnight, which is a little crazy, but I had to; my muse made me do it! That and the little leprechaun children inside my head. jk...sort of. lol.

Please please please REVIEW!!!!! If I ever become really really rich I send you a lovely care package with cookies???!!!! lol. nighty night.

Much love and a moose,

India