Hermione apparated into a hallway. She knocked on the adjacent door. Tears continued to spill from her eyes. After a few minutes the door opened.
"Harry…"
"Hermione, what's wrong?"
Hermione fell into his arms and cried in his chest. "Ron cheated on me."
Harry held her closer. "Are you serious?"
She nodded her head.
"Oh Hermione." He rested his head on hers and put one hand on the back of her neck. "Come in and sit down."
She stepped back and wiped her eyes. Harry let her in and closed the door behind her.
"Tell me what happened."
Hermione sat on his couch. Her crying became uncontrollable to the point where she couldn't speak. Harry sat down next to her and held her close. She cried into his chest once more. Harry's mind was racing. How could Ron do this? He would never stop talking about how much he loved Hermione. Who was this girl? When did all of this go on? Harry stroked her head as he thought. Poor Hermione, how could Ron do this to her? If Hermione was my girlfriend I would treat her a lot better than that. Harry paused for a second. Wait a minute, I just convinced myself that I actually do love Hermione…all of these years of hidden feelings. This is no time to think of yourself, Harry. Anyway, Hermione obviously still loves Ron. She wouldn't be all worked up about it if she didn't. Harry watched Hermione cry and it made him hurt even more.
"Hermione, I want to know what happened."
Hermione looked into his eyes. They looked so caring and kind. How could he be best friends with a bloke like Ron?
Harry wiped the tears fro her eyes.
"Bill's birthday party was last night and he asked me to go. I couldn't because I had made plans with my parents since it was my dad's birthday last week and I wanted to treat them to dinner. Ron understood and went to the party alone."
"He invited me to go as well but I had a lot of work to do and had practice, which he was skipping."
"Well, according to Ron there was a lot of alcohol and knowing him, he got drunk." Hermione struggled to get her words out. Tears filled her eyes and Harry tried to catch them all as they fell but there were too many and were going too fast.
"He is someone who can drink a little too much without thinking." Harry looked at Hermione. "Don't cry."
Hermione gave him a do-you-think-that-helps look.
Harry stopped. "So what happened when he got drunk?"
"He claims he blacked out and didn't remember a thing." Hermione wiped her cheek with her palms. "Yet I have never known him to drink that much in one sitting."
"Neither have I but it could happen."
"I thought I knew Ron better than that."
"So what happened after that?" Harry asked even though he knew the answer.
Hermione pressed her lips together as her bottom lip trembled. "I don't know but I can only guess because he woke up with another girl in his bed."
"Hermione, everything is going to be okay." He hugged her and held her close.
"Thanks Harry."
"Tomorrow I am going to beat his face in."
Hermione pulled back and looked at him.
"What?"
"Are you really going to beat him up?"
"Yeah…"
"Don't."
"Oh come one Hermione, he has hurt you. It makes me furious. He shouldn't do that to you. Don't let him get away with it!"
Hermione laid her head on his lap. "Thank you for caring."
"It is not about just caring for you, Hermione. Ron did something to you and I won't stand for it. You shouldn't be treated this way."
Hermione didn't respond right away. "But I was supposed to be there with him. Because of me he did that."
"Don't say that. You know it isn't true."
Hermione remained quiet.
Harry let it go and lay back on the couch.
"Can you believe that he blamed it all on the alcohol? He thinks the alcohol made him do it."
"What if he is telling the truth?" Harry looked at the ceiling.
"Whose side are you on?" Hermione became very defensive.
"Yours…but maybe the alcohol had something to do with it."
"Oh, so you think alcohol leads to him cheating on me!"
"Whoa Hermione, calm down. I don't know what happened. I am trying to figure it out though. I am 100 percent on your side. I am only here to help." He got off the couch and left the room. Hermione sat up and stared at him.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapters. I hope you guys enjoy them. Thank you for all of the reviews, they mean a lot. This is one of my shorter fics so I hope you enjoy. TTFN!