Chapter 10.

Harry had walked what seemed like miles that night. His feet were sore from walking, and he had stood in glass many times. The breeze was cool on his tear-stained cheeks. He stopped at a park and sank into a swing. It was dark by now. He leant his head against the side of the swing as another tear fell down his cheek. How could he have let this happen? He imagined Hermione sitting at home, reading, watching TV, cooking...normal, "happy-home" things. With no idea how much that "happy-home" had been destroyed. She'd probably be worrying about him by now. He furrowed his brow and brought his hand up to his face. His head was thumping. How could he go home now? How could he even be in the same room as Hermione? The girl he loved so much...No. A voice in his head yelled. HOW can you love her that much if you've done this to her? You can't love her. It's all a lie. The voice continued.

"NO!" He yelled out to the silence. But he knew the voice was right.

A few more tears trailed down his cheeks, before he saw a figure moving by some trees ahead of him. He wiped his eyes and caught his breath.

"Hello?" He called out.

"Harry?" A voice answered.

"Ron? What're you doing here?"

"Could ask you the same, mate." Ron said, sitting in the swing beside Harry.

"What's up?" Harry asked, hoping Ron hadn't noticed he had been crying.

Ron sighed. "I just had to get out of that house, you know?"

"Why?" Harry asked, a bit confused, but terrified all the same that Ron was talking about Ginny.

"Oh everything. I was staying at home tonight as Lavender's having some friends over. Charlie's home, and he and dad are in a big argument about something they won't tell me about...And Fred and George were disagreeing about money and stuff...then there's Fred's girlfriend getting in the way of business, which George is mad about...Then there's Ginny." He continued. Harry gulped, closing his eyes briefly.

"W...what's up?" he stammered.

"She's still acting really...strange. I mean, one minute she's yelling at everyone, and slamming doors...and the next...she's crying and apologising. Then the next she's yelling at mum for not having any strawberry milkshake...I mean...where's that coming from? She doesn't even like strawberries! It's just...everyone was yelling, and I had to get out, you know?"

"Yeah." Harry said, staring into space.

"So...what's up with you?" Ron sighed.

"Don't ask."

"You sure? Wan't to talk about anything?" Ron said, turning to him.

"Naah." He said, thinking. "Hey, can I stay at your place tonight?"

"Um...sure. Is this about Hermione?" Ron asked.

"No. Well...sort of. I just...I know you're back home tonight and everything, but...I'd really appreciate it."

"No problem mate." Ron smiled. "You're always welcome!" He blushed at sounding like his mum.

"Thanks." Harry half-smiled at him.

"Want to head? It's getting a bit cold." Ron suggested.

"Ok." Harry sighed and got up. "Thanks again." He smiled,

"Harry, why haven't you got shoes on?" Ron looked at his dirty sock-covered feet.

"Umm...don't ask."

"Alright." Ron shrugged, before they apparated to the Burrow's kitchen.

"Hey, Ginny." Ron said tentatively as he spotted his sister at the table reading a magazine.

"Hey." She smiled briefly at the two before going back to her magazine. She done a double take when she realised Harry was there too.

"Oh, Harry. Hello! What...what are you doing here?" She tried to ask calmly, as Ron was in the room.

"I'm staying here with Ron tonight."

"Oh...ok." She said, before a few tears rolled down her cheeks and she ran upstairs.

"See that?" Ron stared at Harry incredulously.

Harry didn't know what to say.

"Have you done anything to her? No! And she goes and acts like that!" Ron exclaimed as they heard a door slam upstairs.

"Come on. I'm tired." He said, making his way upstairs. "The spare bed was out in my room anyway for Charlie, but I don't think he's coming home."

"Okay." Harry said, following him upstairs. He cringed as he passed Ginny's room, at the memory of that first night, after the stag night, which seemed an eternity ago now.

Harry lay awake that night, long after Ron had finally drifted off to sleep after his moaning about his arguing family. He tried to think of a reasonable way to tell Hermione, but, of course, there wasn't one. He heard someone creeping across the hall outside. He held his breath as someone slowly pushed the door open.

"Harry?" Ginny whispered. "You awake?"

"Yeah." He said, and rolled over so that his back was facing her.

"Can we talk?" She said.

"Fine. Hold on." He whispered and got out of bed.

"Come downstairs." She said, and led him down to the kitchen where they sat down at the table.

"So." He said, though he knew exactly what this was about.

"You...you didn't say much on the phone." She said, looking very small and vulnerable. She was wearing a lilac dressing gown.

"I..I know." He said, looking into the table.

"So..."

"Ginny, you don't know what this means. I still don't know why what happened...happened, but I had put it behind me. I put it in the past and tried to start again with Hermione. And we were doing great. Until you phoned last night. How am I supposed to tell her this? It will crush her. It'll kill her."

"I know." Ginny said quietly.

"How am I supposed to tell her?" He repeated, putting his elbows on the table and letting his head fall into his hands, tangling in his already-messy hair.

"I...I'm sorry Harry, but what's happened has happened. You may have been able to put that in the past, but not this." Ginny looked at him.

"How am I supposed to tell her? Hermione. The woman I love with all my heart...but then again..." he sighed. "I love her so much. And I made one mistake, and now I'll have to live with this mistake forever." He raised his voice slightly, but still aware that the rest of the house was asleep.

"There's no need to be like that!"

"I...I have no idea what to do." He confessed. "I know I need to tell her, but I'm too scared I'll loose her."

"You will." Ginny said in a small voice.

"I know." Harry said, staring at the table once more.

They sat there in silence for a while, before a single tear escaped the corner of Harry's eye. He quickly wiped it away, but more followed it, covering his hand.

"Hey." Ginny said, leaning over and putting a hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged off.

"Don't." He said. "I don't need your sympathy."

"Harry?" She asked.

"What?"

"Ron." Was all she said. Harry's heart sank even further. He had forgotten about Ron. His best friend, beside Hermione. He would probably loose Ron over this too.

"Oh great. I loose everyone I care about." He said, as more tears chased down his cheeks and dropped onto the table.

Ginny stood up and came round to hug him, but he batted her off. "Just leave me alone." He sobbed. She sighed and slowly walked back upstairs, leaving him at the table alone.

Everyone I care about. His own words echoed in his head. His mind flashed back through his life, Mum, Dad, Sirius...Hedwig...everyone who died because of me in the Great War...and now Hermione and Ron...

He laid his head on his arms on the table and sobbed into them. He had no-one to turn to. No-one to talk to. He sniffed as he re-adjusted his head and closed his eyes, trying not to think, as it was making him cry, and he hated crying. It wasn't long before his tired body was consumed by sleep.