Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue... so forth and on with the fic!!! Chapter 3 of Out of the Woods!!! Hope you like!!!
Chapter 3: Jealousy Strikes in Surprising Places
"What do you think's going on with him?" Harry asked thirty minutes later, as they concentrated on Snape's homework.
"Ron? I dunno, but it's really weird..." Hermione faded off, staring out onto the lake.
"Yeah, it really is. I mean, what do we say to him?" Harry added.
"What do we need to say to him? I don't think he has the right to be so upset by nothing," Hermione said, turning back to her book.
"Yes, but still... I mean, this is apparently bothering him, we need to say something," Harry sighed, writing down an answer.
"We'll finish our homework, then take him the answers, and talk to him," Hermione shrugged.
"Alright," Harry nodded in agreement, and they turned back to their work.
They finished about two in the afternoon, after taking a small break for lunch. Then they headed back up to their common room, and Harry went up to get Ron from their dorm room.
He came down a few minutes later, without Ron behind him.
"He didn't want to come down," Harry sighed, sitting at the table with Hermione.
She stood up and walked toward the stairs, and turned to Harry.
"Be right back," she said glumly. She walked up the stairs to the boys' dorm room, and entered the one she knew to be the Seventh years'.
"Ron?" she asked, peaking through the curtains of his bead. "Ron, what's the matter?"
"Go away, Hermione," Ron replied nastily. "You don't care, so go away!"
"Ron, if I didn't care, trust me, I wouldn't ask," Hermione said comfortingly, sitting on the bed, next to Ron who was sprawled onto his stomach, his face pointing in the direction away from her.
She patted and rubbed his back gently, offering him words of comfort. Finally, he spoke.
"I should be happy for the two of you, but please forgive me if I'm not. I just feel, and felt like, that if you two have each other, you won't need me."
Hermione was taken aback, and for a moment, didn't know what to say to make him feel better. Then she replied, with a tear-filled voice-
"Ron, I'm so sorry. We certainly didn't mean to make you feel that way! Oh, Ron, if you'd just told us that!" she cried, hugging him, as he turned and sat up. "Oh, I'm so sorry, and I'm sure Harry is, too!"
"I'm sorry, too," Ron said, tears falling down his freckled face. "I'm sorry, I should've been so happy for you two... I, I am..."
"Shh, it's alright Ron, it's alright," Hermione whispered, still sobbing, as she rocked back and forth with him in her arms.
Her voice faltered, and they sat in relative silence for a few minutes. Then she released him from her hug, and they wiped their eyes. They headed down to the common room, where Harry sat, looking toward the door for them.
He smiled as they entered, and rose to greet them.
"Ron," he said, hugging him as a person might hug their own brother or sister. "Ron, I'm sorry. Are you better now?"
"Yes, fine," Ron sighed weakly. "I'm fine. Thanks to 'mione."
He pointed back to her, where she stood propped against the doorframe.
"Hermione, thank you," Harry smiled, walking over to hug and kiss her. "I don't know what we'd do without you, especially me."
"I'm just glad that we're all friends again, because I believe Ron's got some homework to copy tomorrow..." Hermione smiled broadly, keeping one arm wrapped around Harry's waist. She stood on her toes to kiss him again, and then walked up to Ron and gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek.
"Now, I believe it would be time for supper in the Great Hall, let's go!" Ron blushed, turning to the portrait hole. "Don't take all day you two."
He turned and left them to their privacy.
'So, he's learning to accept us," Hermione nodded. 'Good...'
Okay, the end!!! for now, 'least ways... feed back welcome as always!!! Review, review, please review?! Thankies!