The Day After Voldemort's Defeat
Ron Weasley fumed as he made his way to the hospital wing. The last few days had been an emotional rollercoaster. He had discovered his best friend in bed with his girlfriend, and listened helplessly when she said she didn't love him anymore. His heart had been broken by his first love; she had thrown away their relationship like it was yesterday's paper. He felt betrayed by his best friend who had taken his place, roaming about with said ex-girlfriend. He was destroyed from witnessing the deaths of his eldest brother and mother. He was trying so hard to keep everything in to be strong for his family, but he didn't know how much longer he could take it. It was only at his father's insistence that he was going to the hospital wing to try and patch things up with Harry. He knew that Harry had lost as much as anybody, if not more, but he couldn't help feeling resentment towards him because of the Hermione situation.
When Ron reached the hospital wing, his last few strands of sanity broke. He saw Hermione sitting next to Harry's bed, clasping his hand. He heard the words 'I love you' leave Harry's lips. He saw Hermione kiss him and repeat those same three damning words. It was like watching a train wreck; he didn't want to look but he couldn't turn away. He was going to turn and leave when he heard Harry call out his name.
"Ron, I'm so glad you came," Harry said quietly.
"Why? So you could flaunt your new relationship in front of me?" Ron asked angrily. Harry's face paled. "Or maybe this isn't so new. How long has this been going on?"
"Ron, it's not like it looks," Hermione said calmly.
"So you didn't just profess your love for each other?" Ron snapped.
"Not like you think," Harry began, but Ron cut him off.
"How could you do this to me? All this time, lying to me about your interest in my sister so I wouldn't notice that you were going after my girlfriend?"
"Ron…"
"SHUT UP!" Ron screamed. "I don't want to hear another word out of your murdering mouth! Nothing but evil has come to my family since you entered our lives. You're the reason that Percy died without having spoken to his family in almost two years, and you're the reason Bill died; it was you who killed my mum, not some Death Eater. In fact, that's why I came here today; to tell you how much my family hates you." Silent tears fell down Harry's face as Ron's words cut through him like a knife. Ron's voice went from being loud and full of hurt to quiet and cold. "You've ruined my life. I hate you. If you ever come near me or my family again, I'll kill you with my bare hands." Ron turned around and left the hospital wing with Hermione hot on his heels. When they reached the hall, Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him so he had to look in her eyes.
"Ronald Weasley, I am ashamed of you!" she screamed. "You've just succeeded in completely destroying what was left of your best friend in the entire world."
"Good," Ron answered calmly. "Now he knows how it feels." Hermione gaped at him. Ron grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and shook her. "Tell me you didn't break up with me for him!"
"I didn't," Hermione insisted, for the first time in her life fearing the man before her.
Ron released his grasp on her and his voice softened. "Then why?" Hermione looked to the ground. She couldn't find the words. "Just like I thought." Ron turned around and walked away, leaving Hermione crying alone in the hall.
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The rest of the weekend was a blur to Ginny. She and Ron were the only two in the Burrow with their dad after the Friday night dinner, and although they had reached an understanding on the Harry situation, things were still a little tense. To say that Ginny was looking forward to returning to the manor would have been an understatement.
When Ginny arrived back at the place she was coming to regard as home, she was surprised to see Harry sitting in the living room reading a book, looking well-rested.
"Hello," she said with a smile.
"How was your weekend?" Harry asked, looking up from his book.
"Awkward and uncomfortable," Ginny replied bluntly.
"Was Ron upset with you?"
Ginny sighed. "We talked and reached an understanding of sorts."
"Did you try and make things like they used to be?" Harry asked.
"Well, no," Ginny said, somewhat surprised.
"If you don't try, how are things ever going to get better?" Harry asked.
"I guess they're not…" Ginny looked at Harry and tried to figure out when he had grown up. "Is that what you're doing with Ron? Trying?"
"Touché," Harry replied with a grin. "Although I did try before, but Ron wasn't having any part of it. In fact, neither were you for that matter."
Ginny was startled and decided to change the subject. "How was your weekend?"
"Fine. My guard and I did some redecorating in my room, we played some games, and I flew a bit," Harry answered. "Actually, I had a lot of fun."
"Was your guard anyone I'd know?" Ginny asked.
"I'm not supposed to say who it was. Something about it putting them in danger," Harry said. "But it was one of the Order members."
"Well, I don't think Snape would have played games with you," Ginny mused. "And I know it wasn't anyone from my family." Ginny looked at Harry and suddenly it dawned on her. "It was Tonks! She got called away for an assignment and had to miss dinner!"
"I'll never tell," Harry replied playfully.
"You don't have to, I figured it out!" Ginny said triumphantly.
"Maybe…"
"Oh, I know I did," Ginny said.
"Whatever," Harry said as he rolled his eyes. "So, that must have been some talk with Ron."
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.
"Well, you're talking to me like you don't hate me. I didn't think that was possible," Harry replied with a shrug.
Ginny was about to argue with him but stopped to think about what he said. It was true, before this weekend, she had held a certain amount of bitterness towards him. Even when they had been getting along, somewhere deep down she was resentful of what he had done to Ron. "You're right," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be, I didn't expect anything else. When you sent my letters back unopened, I knew that the damage ran pretty deep. Honestly I'm more surprised that the resentment isn't there now than I was that it was there before," Harry said quickly.
"Again, I'm sorry…" Ginny's voice trailed off as she realized exactly what Harry had said. "I didn't get any letters!" she exclaimed.
"I sent you and Ron letters everyday for a week right after graduation!" Harry cried. "And everyday when I got home they were waiting there for me!"
"I never got any letters! Maybe Hedwig messed up!"
"Ginny, listen to yourself; Hedwig mess up?" Harry said calmly. "No, there's a reasonable explanation for this. Ron got the letters and sent them back. His first letter was the only one that had been opened."
Ginny's face turned red in her anger. "How dare he decide whether or not I get your letters!"
"He was hurt, he still is hurt. He just wants answers for me that I can't give him, and he's too proud to go to Hermione with the questions," Harry replied.
"How can you stay so calm?" Ginny yelled.
"I've had a lot of time to think about it."
"Well, it's not normal to be so calm!" Ginny yelled. "In fact, your calmness is annoying me! I mean, my idiotic brother kept your letters from me to ensure that I would stay mad at you with him!"
But before Harry could respond, MJ and Wesley walked into the room. "Well, well. What do we have here?" MJ said slyly. "A lover's spat
"No!" Ginny exclaimed, still furious. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "We were just discussing my brother."
"Which one?" Wesley asked.
"Ron," Ginny said.
"He seemed to be an okay bloke at the press conference," MJ said.
"He is most of the time," Ginny replied. "He just thinks he knows what's best for everyone and doesn't bother to see what everyone else wants."
"What?" Wesley asked.
Ginny shook her head. "Never mind. Why don't you guys go get settled back in. Lunch should be ready in like thirty minutes. Hopefully, everyone will be back by then."
Ginny walked up the stairs to her own room and threw herself down on her bed. She was caught between wanting to cry and wanting to strangle Ron. She couldn't comprehend how Harry had been so calm about the whole situation. She really couldn't believe how he'd been so nice to her, apologizing for everything when he thought that she hadn't even acknowledged his prior attempts at explaining himself. It was only then that Ginny realized that Harry never had actually explained himself; she still didn't have the answers she desperately wanted. If only Ron hadn't sent her letters back! Ginny groaned and got out of bed. She knew that it would probably be a long time before she got Harry alone and talking openly again. She headed back downstairs and found Tank, Jacob, Dustin, and Harry sitting talking in the living room.
"Hello, Ginny," Jacob called.
"Hello," she answered in what she hoped was a cheerful voice. "Did you all have a nice weekend?"
"It was too short," Tank said. "I'm going to miss all of the morning sickness and stuff like that this time."
"You're actually going to miss it?" Dustin asked chuckling.
"Oh, just wait until you have kids, Jake," Tank said happily. "The morning sickness, the mood swings, it's great!"
"Well, you should be used to the mood swings after living with Potter," MJ teased as he, Jeff, and Wesley walked back down the stairs.
"Hey!" Harry cried as he threw a pillow at MJ. "I'm not that bad!"
"No, I think you may be worse than a pregnant woman," Wesley said seriously. "At least they're good for something." Wesley winked at Ginny suggestively.
"Okay, that's enough of that!" Ginny said laughing. "Let's go eat lunch before you lot destroy my innocence." Ginny batted her eyes and put her hands over her chest.
"Who said you were innocent?" Harry asked.
"Hey!" Ginny cried.
"He's right, you know," Tank said. "I don't think anyone could grow up with Fred and George and still call themselves innocent."
"Too true," Ginny said with a grin. "Now can we please eat?"
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Ginny was sitting in the living room reading. The team had been out at practice for an hour, and it had just started to rain. She had conjured up towels for the team, unsure if practice would be called off because of the weather. She should have known that Mason would want to make them practice even longer in the bad weather. It was almost two hours later when the team came back inside, dripping wet. They immediately went for the towels waiting for them by the door.
"Thanks," Jeff said as he stripped off his muddy Quidditch robes.
"Yeah, very thoughtful," Tank said as he followed Jeff's example. Soon Ginny was in a room with seven wet, dirty, partially dressed Quidditch players. She noticed that Jacob was holding his neck.
"Are you okay, Jacob?" she asked.
"Yeah, just a little sore from a run in with a bludger," he replied. Ginny shot MJ a dirty look.
"Hey! It's our job to try and hit players with the bludgers," MJ said defensively.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ginny said. "Do you need to go to St. Mungo's?"
"No, I'm fine, just a little sore,' Jacob assured her.
"At least let me look at it," Ginny insisted. Jacob walked over to where Ginny was sitting and sat down on the ground in front of her. After Ginny was certain there wasn't any permanent damage she began to massage Jacob's neck and shoulders.
"Hey MJ, hit me with a bludger next practice," Tank teased. "I like the looks of that treatment."
Jacob turned bright red and quickly pulled away from Ginny. "I feel better now," he said quickly.
"Good," she replied with a chuckle. She noticed that Harry had transfigured his towel into a robe. "Well, somebody was thinking."
"Potter, will you do mine?" Wesley asked sweetly. Harry pulled out his wand and turned Wesley's towel into bright pink, fluffy bathrobe. "Thanks a lot," Wesley muttered, causing everyone else to crack up.
"Anyone else?" Harry asked.
"No thanks," Jeff answered. "I'm just going to go grab a shower."
"Me too," Tank answered. All of the guys eyed one another, and before Ginny could say anything they were all running up the stairs, fighting to get into the bathrooms first; everyone but Harry.
"Don't you care about being clean?" Ginny asked him.
"Well, when I got Tank's room, I got my own bathroom," Harry explained with a grin.
"Ahh. You still never really said why you wanted your own room," Ginny said.
"I know," Harry replied.
"So are you going to?"
"Nope," Harry answered.
"Will you tell me what the letters said?" Ginny asked.
"This isn't the time or the place," Harry said quietly.
"So, when is the right time and place?" Ginny asked, her voice level rising. She could feel her anger from earlier in the day returning.
"I don't know."
"You just know it's not right now!" By now Ginny was yelling at him. Her desire for answers was clouding her normal good judgment. "Why do you feel it's so important to keep secrets from everyone?"
Harry's face flushed. "Did it ever occur to you that knowing my secrets put people in danger? Or maybe that the secrets I have aren't mine to tell? Or that I couldn't tell you my secrets even if I wanted to?" Harry yelled.
"That wasn't a problem in the past," Ginny yelled back.
"And look how well that turned out!" Harry turned and ran up the stairs, almost knocking Tank down on the way. Ginny collapsed on the couch and angrily stared at the ceiling.
"You okay?" Tank asked, sitting down beside her.
"Fine," Ginny replied.
"You're not a very good liar."
Ginny couldn't help but smile. "Actually, I really am. Just not when I'm this emotional."
"So you'll at least admit you're emotional," Tank said.
"I don't think any kind of lie could hide that."
"You two really need to settle things. I thought you two had reached some kind of an understanding," Tank said.
"We did, but then I found out some things. I have so many questions and he just refuses to answer me," Ginny said. "If I could just find out why he did some of the things he did, it would really help me find closure to everything. It would finally take away some of this pain that has made its home in my chest."
"Did you ever think that maybe talking about it hurts him?" Tank asked. "Maybe he's been able to find closure, and you wanting to bring it up again is really painful for him?"
"How'd you get to be so smart?" Ginny asked.
"Lots of life experience. Plus, I'm a dad. I think when your first child is born you automatically increase your knowledge of life."
"Maybe that's what I need to do, have a kid," Ginny replied smiling.
"For some reason, while I think you would be an excellent mum, your dad and brothers would probably want to kill me for putting that idea in your head. You should probably wait until you're in love and married," Tank said.
"Oh, I don't know," Ginny mused. "I think I'll go write them all right now and tell them what you suggested."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Well, I'm going up to my room to get cleaned up for dinner, I guess you'll just have to wait and see if I write them or not," Ginny said playfully. She stuck her tongue out at him and ran up the stairs to her room. When she was gone Dustin came down the stairs.
"Crisis over?" he asked Tank.
"For now," Tank replied with a sigh. "I have half a mind to lock them up in a closet or something until they get things straightened out."
"You know, that's not such a bad idea," Dustin mused. "Although, it may need to be a room bigger than a closet, and you may want to take away their wands first."
Tank grinned at Dustin mischievously. "I think we've got ourselves a plan."
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A/N Okay, well while I haven't had a moment to write so far this week, but I couldn't resist posting any longer. I have to say, the next two chapters are my favorites so far, but unfortunately they haven't come back from my beta yet. I most likely won't post before Saturday, but if I haven't heard back from my beta by Sunday I'll get my roommate to look over the next chapter. It's just a busy time of year for everyone! I guess that means I should get back to studying for my next exam… Thanks as always for all of your reviews. I must say I check my mail about 100 times a day right after I post a chapter, lol. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please don't jump down my throat and tell me that Ron would never say those things; he was an emotional wreck and he lost it. Harry and Hermione were just the unfortunate ones to be there when it happened. He knows what he said was wrong, but those Weasleys are known for their stubborn streaks!