Disclaimer: same as all the other chapters…. Remind me again why we have to post this every single chapter?
She apparated right in front of the front door. It opened to her touch, which surprised her. If Ron was here with Hannah or at her flat, he would have locked the front door. Had someone robbed them while they were away? I'm sure you're overreacting, Hermione. Sure enough, when she turned on the hall light, the place looked like normal.
She began to walk softly back to her room, not wanting to wake Ron if he WAS home. Hermione had gotten used to walking in shadows, so as not to wake Ron. Sometimes it seems that all I do is not disturb Ron. Maybe he had tonight coming to him…
"Late night, huh?" The voice startled her, just as it had much earlier in the day.
"Ron! What are you still doing up?" She asked, surprised. I would have thought he'd be in bed by now. Did he and Hannah have a fight? Why else would he be up? Hermione could remember many times where she had waited up for him, but not once in five years of living here had Ron waited up for her. How ironic, the roles reverse the night I blow up at him… maybe he's realized that he was being a complete arse earlier. Maybe now he knows what it's like to sit up, worrying about whether or not someone who you care about is coming home.
"Thinking, actually…" His voice trailed off. "I was wondering what Harry really would have said if he saw you with Malfoy tonight…"
Hermione sighed to herself. Looks like another night dancing around the issue and forgiving him without him ACTUALLY apologizing… She flipped on the lights, startling Ron.
"Geez 'Mione! Give a guy warning, won't you!" He blinked a few times, obviously trying to adjust to the sudden light all around him. "Why did Harry insist we have electricity again?" He mumbled to himself.
"Because we could have muggle friends, Ron. Honestly, you think you'd remember something like that by now!" Hermione really wasn't in the mood to play sympathetic friend to someone who didn't trust her to handle situations on her own. Even if he DOES look rather cute when he's grumbling… Down girl! You don't think of Ron like that. He's just a friend. End of discussion. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
Ron didn't seem to notice her lack of attention. She tuned in at the end of his rant "… and of course I remember why we got the electricity. I'm not a complete idiot!" All of a sudden he stopped and stared at her.
For some unknown reason, Hermione blushed under his stare. "What?" She asked nervously.
"We DO fight all the time, don't we?" He asked, almost ruefully.
Hermione blinked. That was definitely NOT what I expected him to say… She smiled back at the redhead sitting across from her. "We certainly seem to."
"What happened to our days of banter? Of serious talking? Of…" Ron paused. He seemed to be searching for the right word…
"Of companionship?" Hermione completed almost wistfully.
Ron nodded slowly. "When did that change?"
She bit back her first answer. Ron's finally ready to talk – not fight, talk – and what do I do? Almost ruin it by saying something completely mean to him…When DID it change? "Probably began during fourth year…" She murmured to herself.
"WHAT! WHY would you think THAT?" Ron had apparently gone back to being furious with her.
"Maybe because that's when we started all these yelling matches between us, and stopped talking civilized to each other." She snapped back. Oh dear, I didn't mean to lose my temper…
"CIVILIZED?!?!? You were always bossing me and Harry around. 'Ron! Haven't you started that essay yet?' or 'Harry! You shouldn't be doing that inside the school!' How is that civilized?" Ron spat back at her.
There was silence between the two of them for a few seconds. Hermione could hear Ron's statement from 1st year in the air between them. "She's an absolute nightmare." Even to this day it haunted her. She cleared her throat.
"Why are you my friend, Ron?" She glanced up into his blue eyes, which weren't sparkling, like normal, but solemn. She looked back down quickly. "You… you don't have to answer that." She could see Ron begin to open his mouth, and covered it quickly with her hand. "No, please don't answer that. I don't think I really want to know the answer." Ron slowly closed his mouth.
The silence between them now was deafening. All those fights, all the harsh words that they had said to each other hung in the air, stifling the new, unsure words that made both of them feel uncomfortable.
"Do you know what the other kids at school thought of us?" Hermione asked suddenly. What made me ask that? After a pause, she continued, "They thought we were untouchable. They called us the Dream Team." Here she laughed. "The 'Dream Team' who could not be hurt by anything except themselves and each other." She looked up at Ron again. "Isn't that ironic, Ron? How right they are?" Another, longer pause, then, "You know what Draco said when I told him what you accused me of this evening?"
"You were with HIM?!?!?!?" Ron was bright red, obviously furious with her again.
"Yes, Ron. I was with someone who asked me what everyone has been dying to ask me ever since Harry died – probably from before he died too." She said this sarcastically. "Don't you want to know what he asked me, Ron? Aren't you dying to know the answer yourself? He asked me point blank if I was in love with Harry. Don't you want to know what my answer was? DON'T YOU CARE?" By the end of this, she was screaming at him.
"What did you tell him?" Ron's voice was small, meek even.
"I told him what I would have told you any time during the five years we have been living in this apartment. I told him what I would have told you even BEFORE Harry's death, what I would have told Harry if he had ever asked me himself. I told him NO." Tears were running down her face by now. "I told him no." She looked up at Ron, up at the guy that should have been the one to ask her, the one to comfort her. But he wasn't, and now it all spilled out. "I told him that by everyone's ideals and standards I should have been in love with him. But I only loved him. And I couldn't change that, not for Harry, not for anyone."
Suddenly, Ron's arms were around her, holding her, rocking her. Murmuring comforting words in her ear. "Shh… honey, let it all out. I'm here for you 'Mione. I'm not leaving you. Shh…" Hermione just cried all the harder. He continued to rock her, and hold her. It feels so good just to be in his arms…
Hermione began to drift to sleep, lulled by Ron's voice crooning a song in her ear.
"Kai Tani, she stays by the ocean
Tare Tani, she lives by the stars
But Nerea Tani is mine forever and a day
And forever and a day am I hers."
A/N: Okay, this chapter is dedicated to my *NEW* beta-reader, teethshaver. Thank you SO much for your input!
Also, I'm celebrating because I get to claim the song Ron sings. It's all mine! NO one else to thank for it! yea! The prophecy that Draco told Hermione in Chapter 4 were mine too! This is great! grin
PLEASE REVIEW!
Thank you
Shout outs:
Terpsichore the Whirler: Are you SURE that it's shaping up to be a H/D romance? raised eyebrow I'm still debating who Hermione is going to get with. Glad you like "my" future for the characters.
Quoth the Raven: I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. I think that the definitions of love are very important in this story. Keep your eyes open for more later on in the story.
Arcee: Harry had a major role in developing the storyline, so I felt he should be included SOMEHOW. Since he couldn't be included physically, I thought that emotionally was a nice touch. Besides, I love plot twists, don't you? grin
Teethshaver: Again, thank you so much for beta-reading for me. Just for you, I left it as is. wink Never fear, Draco isn't changing soon!