A/N: Thanks again to everyone for their WONDERFUL reviews. I want to take a moment to explain to some of you my reasons for making Ron "the bad guy". We all know he isn't really the bad guy, but it doesn't mean he can't be a jackass every once in a while. I do like the Ron/Hermione ship here, and I promise, if you stick with me here for a bit, you'll like the outcome!
"I don't know if me fighting to keep her would do any good?" Ron conceded.
Harry threw his arms up in frustration.
"Merlin Ron! It would! Don't you think she is worth the fight?"
"Of course she is!" Ron exclaimed. "But I know I've really messed up here. I don't know if I can do anything to win her back."
"I still don't get it Ron. Why? I know that you were mad about the whole Kara thing, but you automatically jump to the conclusion that it was Hermione. If you just would have kept that Weasley anger under control, none of this would have happened! But what I really don't get was why the comment about men? You know as well as I do why she doesn't date a lot!"
"Harry don't start with that…" Ron mumbled thru his teeth.
"Why not? You were the one who started with it! Taking into consideration how she feels, it only makes what you said to her that much worse. Merlin, imagine your roles reversed. Hermione is out three or four times a week shagging some bloke while you sit at home not being able to look at other girls because she's who you really want to be with. Then she throws it in your face."
Ron slumped further into his chair.
"It sucks right? So because you and that temper of yours can't get it together, one of your best friends is walking out of your life. Your feelings for her are already so screwed up that now, I don't know what is going to happen to you. And to be perfectly honest Ron, I'm more concerned with hers."
And with that Harry walked back down the hall to see if he could somehow convince his roommate to continue living here. Ron just stared at the floor for a moment longer, then getting up, he apparated back to the Burrow.
Back in her room, Hermione heard a knock at the door.
"Come in Harry."
"Hermione please think about this! Moving out? Don't do that!"
"You think I want to Harry? I love it here, this is my home! But I can't stay here any longer. I've spent too much of my life already catering to Ron and his emotions! I need to take myself out of this situation."
"Then we'll make Ron move! He can find a new place!"
"No Harry. Like I said in the other room, this place holds too many memories for me. Getting a new flat will help me to start over and make some new ones. I don't mean to hurt you Harry. I would never do that. I'm not doing this to hurt Ron either. I'm doing this for me. You and Ron have been my life for years. I've been so busy looking after you two that somewhere along the way, I've forgotten to look after me."
"It's not just that Hermione" Harry said softly , "I know that your feelings for Ron have a lot to do with this too."
"So what if they do? Can you blame me?" Hermione yelled.
Harry threw his hands up again and fell back on her bed.
"I'm sorry Harry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I know that there's no one to blame for that but myself. I've been wishing and hoping that Ron would see me as more than just his friends for years. I've sat back and watched him go after anything that walked but me. Then to make myself feel even worse, I'd sit and listen to him whine and complain about his love life. I'd even give him advise to get a girl back after he had screwed up in some way or the other. Sitting there, girlfriend after girlfriend, suffering in silence. I have to stop that Harry. Nothing will ever be there between Ron and I. He make that sure the other night."
"Hermione, Ron was angry. He didn't mean that. You have know that he never would hurt you."
"I thought he did, but Harry, I'm just tired. I can't do this anymore."
"But cutting yourself off from Ron? Is that really the answer?"
"I'm a realist Harry. I know that sometimes I will have to deal with Ron in some way or another, but not on a personal level. I can't handle that anymore!"
Harry once again held her as she soaked his shirt with her tears.
Ron climbed the steps to his old room, dragging his feet as he went. Things had been bad, but tonight had made them even worse. She had told him that she wanted him out of her life. Ron couldn't imagine his life without Hermione in it. Sure they argued and she annoyed him to know end, but Ron was who he was for the most part because of her. His feelings for Hermione were complicated at best. She was once of his best friends, she knew him better than anyone else. Ron acted the way that he did with women because he couldn't face up to the way he was really feeling. Harry was right. He had to do something to make sure that Hermione would continue to be in his life. He had to fight for her. Ron decided right there that he would do whatever he had to do to convince Hermione that he was sorry for being the biggest prat ever and that she knew for sure that he loved her.