Chapter 7

He stood, backing out of the room, leaving her with another admonition to take care of herself. Walking out, he didn't look, nor really care, where he was going. He ended up sitting under a tree out by the lake.

He knew Ginny and Hermione had feelings for each other, even if they didn't yet. He loved Hermione. He had been planning on proposing after graduation in the spring. The problem was, if he didn't tell Hermione how Ginny felt, and they never realized their feelings for the other, Hermione would probably say yes.

But he couldn't do it. He knew it wouldn't last if his hunch about them were accurate. And he'd even do, knowing it wouldn't last, just to be with her while it did. But he would know why. And he knew it would eat at him, knowing he kept them apart for his own selfish desires.

He couldn't bear to keep two people he loved in the pain they were both obviously suffering from. So Ron would give her up. He knew he needed to. That it was the right thing to do. But it still hurt.

He sat out there remembering all the happy, and the not-so-happy times he and Hermione had spent together. When they first met. Becoming friends. When he first asked her to Hogsmeade. Their first kiss. Those and many other memories kept him out there for hours.

He was jolted out of his almost painful reminiscing by a hand waving in front of his face.

"Hey! Did you hear me? I asked you what you were doing out here." Harry said, stomping his feet against the cold. "Hermione asked me to come and find you. She's been worried." He admonished his friend.

Ron winced at the mention of her name. As he did he felt a drop slip down his cheek. At first he thought he'd been crying, but hen he realized he was drenched. He looked up into the dripping branches of the tree, quickly looking back down, as the water stung his unprotected eyes.

"I didn't realize it was raining. Or that I had been out here for so long." Ron said, slowly standing up.

Harry hadn't missed the wince, or Hermione's haggard appearance. "What's wrong mate? Is something the matter with Hermione?" he asked stepping over a root and helping Ron up.

Ron looked at Harry. This time it was a tear slipping down his cheek. "I'm not really sure." He said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

They started walking back to the looming castle, Harry looking confused, but not quite sure what to ask. When they reached the Great Hall Ron tried to beg off with complaints of a headache, but Harry pulled him into an abandoned classroom and gave him a LOOK.

"We're best friends. I don't really want to push, but I know something's wrong. Maybe I can help." Harry said quickly, trying to let his friend know he would support and help him deal with whatever he was going through.

Ron smiled a pain filled smile and shook his head. "There's nothing you can do mate. There's very little I can do."

Harry's heart went out to Ron. He'd been spending so much time trying to prepare for facing off against Voldemort he'd let everything else slip away. At that moment he promised himself he would never do it again.

"You want to talk about it?" Harry asked softly.

"I don't even want to think about it. I mean, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm imagining things." Ron rambled, not convincing Harry that even he believed what he was saying.

Harry just gave him a concerned inquiring look.

Ron sighed and told Harry of his conclusions concerning Ginny and Hermione. When he finished they both sat in silence. One shocked, one in turmoil.

"I don't know what to do!" Ron shouted, an unsteady edge to his voice that pained Harry to hear. "I should just let them be together – dammit, tell them how the other feels, help them... but I can't. I don't want to loose her. Not now. Not yet." His voice trailed off into a whisper.

Harry got the sense that he was just arguing with himself out loud, rather than expecting an answer. But, by gum, he was going to get one.

"You've already lost her. You said it yourself. She's in love with Ginny. You lost her heart. Or, at least, the part you're talking about loosing. I don't think you'll ever loose her friendship. And that's what you're going to have to be. Because that's all you CAN be. You've lost her. Now let her go. Let her be happy. Dammit, help her be happy if you love her that much!" Harry nearly shouted, waxing passionate in his lecture. Advice. In his advice.

Ron lifted his head from his hands where it had fallen after the first sentence out of Harry's mouth. "Yes. And I should be taking your advice because?" He retorted, the ice in his voice cold enough to burn, as he raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Harry's eyes dropped and his face flushed in both embarrassment and anger. Ron could see his internal debate, and he felt a flash of guilt for saying that to him. But the Harry opened his big mouth again.

"So I've been busy. Just trying to save the world from evil. So sorry."

Ron snorted, earning a disgruntled look from Harry, who had expected an entirely different response. "Whose world? Mine? Mine's falling merrily all to pieces, and in all honesty, I'm surprised you even noticed." Ron began to pace around the empty classroom as he continued.

"Hermione's? Her world consists of books and long conversations with Ginny. Everything and everybody else have fallen to the wayside." Harry was shifting around uncomfortably and rubbing the back of his neck. When Ron paused he opened his mouth to defend himself.

"Don't even." Harry's mouth snapped shut and he looked askance at Ron. "It's my turn. Moving on, you think you're saving someone? The world? From evil? Yeah. And I'm sure the world will thank you for it. But your friends won't. They're fading away as we speak." Ron finished his tirade and plopped down on the ground as though his legs had become to weak to support him any longer.

Harry let out the breath he had been holding (unconsciously, I might add), in a sigh. His friend's situation alone spoke volumes of the – however well intentioned and unavoidable – neglect he had been heaping upon his friends.

He looked over at his friend sitting on the floor and staring vacantly down at his hands. He didn't understand how he could fix everything, or anything for that matter, but he knew he had to try. And the first thing to do is fix this friendship he hadn't even realized was floundering and in need of fixing in the first place.

A/N: Long. But necessary. And no, I don't think I'm going to have Harry and Ron get together. But any suggestions as to whom you think Ron should get with are welcome. (I'm not really planning on turning him gay, unless there's a really good suggestion.) Anyways, I know this wasn't about Ginny or Hermione, but it had to be done.