Faded Pictures
Chapter 3
"But I still remember
how it felt when our love was gone...
In a tattered picture book,
was a photograph she took years ago.
Secret memories in her mind...
How could love be so unkind?
Heartbreak time..." – Case & Joe "Faded Pictures"
*~*~*
Xan hesitated in utter shock before hurrying after his bawling fiancée. He found her standing in front of the fireplace, watching the flames flicker enticingly. The firelight gleamed golden on her face, catching each tear as it rolled down her cheek. He walked quietly behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her thick brown hair.
"You are going to have to face your past sooner or later, 'Mione, Baby. You might as well get this over with now, before the wedding. I'm here with you, and everything is okay." Xan murmured softly against Hermione's hair. "Would you like to go look in the trunk, cause I certainly would like to know what my fiancée was like as a child."
Hermione nodded, silent tears streaming down her face. She knew it was time to confront her past, and Xan deserved to know everything that happened... well, maybe not everything. She still didn't think she could talk about what happened just before graduation... the last time she had talked to Ron. Turning in Xan's arms, she lifted her face to look into his deep brown eyes. "C'mon, Sweetie, let's share my past."
Xan followed silently as Hermione led him back into the room and over to the chest. Sitting on the bed, he heaved a heavy sigh. Somehow he just knew this was going to be a long night full of tears. He just hoped there was some laughter in it too, as he watched her bend over the trunk and utter a quiet "Alohamora."
The trunk popped open with a soft click and Hermione reached inside to pull out the top item. It was her old school robes, just as clean and fresh as she had left them so many years ago. She smelled her perfume on them as she placed them to the side, the perfume that Ron had given her that one Christmas... She wiped away a tear as she reached for the books that had been lying underneath her robes, her school books.
Hermione smiled lightly at her old school books, setting those aside as well. "I was a bit of a bookworm in school..." She began, turning to Xan. "What do you mean 'in school'?" He began snickering into his hand as she through a book at him. "Shut up you!" She scowled at him before turning back to the trunk. "Keep acting like that and I'll kick you out."
The woman sat cross-legged in front of the trunk for several minutes, removing little trinkets and keepsakes. Each item had a story, and each story was told dutifully to Xan. He sat quietly as his fiancée's life unfolded before him, all her idiosyncrasies finally falling into good reason. He ooh-ed and aah-ed at appropriate moments, and laughed at all the hilarious memories she shared with him. Every so often, a tear would roll down her cheek during the revelation of some of the more bittersweet memories.
Hermione reached into the trunk again and paused as she pulled out a worn, leather bound photo album. She rose slowly to her feet, walking hesitantly to the bed, and plopped down next to Xan. "This..." She said, voice shaking, "Is where all the real memories are."
Xan watched as she opened the book to the first day, shocked to see the reflection of an extremely bushy-haired 11-year-old girl grinning up at him. She was waving fanatically from between a tall, gangly, redheaded boy, and another boy who he recognized instantly as Harry Potter (complete with the wild black hair and the lightening scar). "Whoa, Sweetie, you didn't tell me that your friend Harry was THE Harry Potter. You really do have connections."
Hermione laughed as her amazed fiancé ran his finger over the picture of Harry. "It wasn't that important to me. Harry had indeed been the "Boy- Who-Lived" to me at first, but then I got to know him and he became the boy who lived to get Hermione into as much trouble as possible. I love him very dearly... He was my best friend in the world then, and he still is now." She smiled sweetly at the picture. "We were inseparable, Harry, Ron, and I were. We had the most fabulous adventures and got into all sorts of dangerous situations, starting with our first year of school."
The pictures throughout the next couple of pages all showed happy, youthful faces of Hermione's schoolmates. She pointed out to Xan all the people who would be attending the wedding. "You'll have to wait till later to see pictures of Draco and Pansy. We weren't especially fond of each other until much later." He laughed at the stories of their rivalry with the Slytherins and marveled at how it all seemed to become null and void during their last two years at Hogwarts.
"That is one sexy man..." Hermione pointed at a picture taken from Harry's collection of pictures. "Sirius Black, mmhmmm..." She trailed of as she saw the look of horror cross Xan's face. "You, Hermione Granger, consider a convicted murderer sexy?! How did you get that picture of him?!" She burst into a fit of laughter as she realized that not everyone knew that Sirius Black was innocent. So, she retold the story of their third year to him, watching as his expressions changed from horror, to shock, to amusement...
"Quite and interesting story you have there, 'Mione." Xan told her as she finished telling the story. "So, is he coming to the wedding? I think I'd rather like to meet him." He wished he hadn't said it as he saw the tears well up in her eyes.
"Sirius is no longer with us." Hermione glanced at her hands before looking into Xan's soulful eyes. "He died two years later, trying to save Harry from a bunch of Death Eaters and Voldemort." She shuddered slightly as she said the name of the THING that caused so many deaths.
Xan wrapped both his arms around the beautiful young woman sitting next to him on the bed. She had been through so much that he never knew about. "You certainly were put through a lot of awfully dangerous situations." He squeezed her tightly in his arms, kissing her softly on her lips. "I'm just glad you've made it through. One thing, though... Where you there when... well, y'know..."
Xan watched as Hermione's eyes glazed over. She was apparently falling into some memories, falling out of the present reality in the process. "I was there." She blinked unseeingly as she spoke in a hazy voice. "I saw everything. I saw some of my closest friends and acquaintances go down, never to get up again. I saw the blood and the tears, the anger and the sadness, but more importantly I saw the love... In that moment, when Harry stood over top of that piece of shit, I saw the love that Harry had for everyone, the entire magical world."
Xan wiped a stray tear from Hermione's cheek, wondering if she was even aware that he was still there. "Hatred backed by love is quite possibly the most powerful emotion there is." She spoke again in a shaky voice, frozen in her memories. Her eyes started to close and Xan reached out to shake her slightly, afraid of what would happen if she drifted into unconsciousness.
Hermione came back with a jolt, eyes wide and full of tears. She had just remembered the ensuing scene on that battleground... finding Ron near death and holding him tight in her arms as she whispered reassurances in his ear. Then she remembered what he said to her before lapsing into a coma...
Xan tightened his arms around Hermione as her body was suddenly wracked with cries of grief, sorrow, and emotional scars. "I know that must have been difficult, 'Mione." He rubbed his hands up and down her heaving back, wishing he could make the pain go away forever.
"You don't understand, Xan. You'll never understand..." Hermione choked on her words, emotion filling her to the point where she thought she'd explode. Ron... She wished she could go back and stop him from ever saying those words to her. "Such an idiot..." She sobbed into Xan's chest.
Xan didn't question who the idiot was that Hermione spoke of, thinking she was obviously remembering someone else. He was right, of course, but he was still just as lost as ever. He waited for an hour, expecting the sobs to dissipate. He looked at the clock on her bedside table. The large red numbers blazed '2:00' and he decided that they'd had enough reminiscing for one night.
Trying not to disturb Hermione too much, Xan stretched their bodies across the bed, still holding her tightly to his chest. He kissed her head softly as he whispered soft words of comfort in her ear. His eyes started to close when she finally spoke again. "I love you so much, Xan. Thank you..." He felt her kiss his cheek softly and felt her breath on his ear as she mumbled a faint, "Good night."
*~*
"Hermione WHAT?!?!?!" Ron sprang from his seat on the couch, turning to look into his best friend's eyes. He hoped that Harry was joking, though that didn't seem the type of thing he'd joke about. His heart felt like it was about to shatter into a million pieces. He rubbed angrily at his traitorous blue eyes, feeling them start to well up with tears.
"She's getting married, Ron." Harry stated calmly for what seemed like the fiftieth time. He looked at the furious redhead that stood towering over him in a confusing onslaught of emotions. "She wrote to us the other day, inviting us to the wedding, and asking if I'd invite you for her. It'd mean a lot to her if you came too."
Ron looked as though he'd just been backhanded by Lucius Malfoy himself. "Why couldn't she ask me herself?" He gaped at Harry in saddened disbelief, hoping against hope that Hermione had forgiven him at least a little. "You mean to tell me that she couldn't bring herself to tell me personally?" He sat shakily back on the couch, suddenly drained of all energy.
Harry looked pitifully at Ron, nodding slowly. "Hermione is still hurting. She hasn't entirely recovered from the pain you apparently caused her. That doesn't change the fact that you were a major part of her life and she wants you to be there when she gets married. Can't you see she cares about you, Ron?" He reached out a hand to pat the young man on his back. "Think of it this way... How would you feel if she hadn't invited you at all?"
Ron's head shot up as he glared at Harry. "Harry, just the fact that she is getting married at all is bad enough. Don't make things worse with what ifs. Merlin knows I've gone through enough of those for one lifetime." He sighed heavily, shoulders sagging, and buried his face in his hands. "I've looked for her for five years now, Harry. I've sent her countless owls of apology and not one was returned. I doubt she's even read any of them. She probably just tossed them away like she tossed our relationship away."
Harry reached out to the man once again, smacking him soundly in the back of the head. "Look here, Ronald Weasley! For once in your life, think of Hermione. She loved you Ron, possibly even still loves you, and if you hadn't had your head shoved so far up your own arse, you might've had a chance at something truly wonderful with her. Now suck up all your self- pity and pack, cause we're leaving in like three days to go to the wedding." He stood up, walking to the door. Just before leaving he turned, looking back at the redhead still seated on the couch. "Think of Hermione."
Ron turned to see Harry's back disappearing and the door closing behind him. Think of Hermione, what in bloody hell was that supposed to mean? He always thought of Hermione. Every one of his waking thoughts was of her and what he'd lost... His eyes widened as he suddenly realized that he hadn't truly been thinking of her. Sure, he'd thought about her, but that isn't quite the same thing. He had never considered her side of the whole thing, didn't even fully understand what had gone wrong. All he knew was that his heart had broken when she left. He had never even paused to think of how she'd felt in order to make her leave.
Ron thought back to the last few times he'd spent with Hermione, searching for what would make her run off like she had. They'd been fighting, he knew that much. It had something to do with Parvati Patil. He knew that as well. He had thought they'd come to an agreement about the whole thing, though. There were two occasions they'd fought about her, once before the battle and once afterward...
*FLASHBACK*
Ron sat quietly on the couch next to Parvati, why she'd asked him to help her study was beyond him. He stared into the fire burning in the common room fireplace, wishing Hermione was with him instead. Feeling a light touch on his arm, he turned to face Parvati and found himself looking into her dark brown eyes... eyes nowhere near as beautiful as Hermione's.
Parvati leaned in close to Ron, her eyes dark and sensuous. She licked her lips as she moved closer, feeling the heat from his body. She saw recognition mixed with alarm flicker in his blue eyes as he backed partially away from her, but she'd waited too long for this opportunity. Closing the space between them, she placed her lips sweetly over his, pressing her body firmly against him. She felt his resistance and kissed him more fervently, hoping that her enthusiasm would spark a response. She'd liked Ron for a while now and had been nearly heartbroken to see him and Granger get together.
Parvati sighed, breaking the kiss when she realized she'd get no response from him. He was too in love with Granger to even look at another girl like that. She looked at her hands as she waited for Ron to say something, but he never did. Glancing up, she saw that he wasn't even paying her any attention at all. He was looking dazedly over her shoulder at something. Curious to know what was so interesting, she turned seeing instantly what it was.
Hermione stood shakily on the bottom step of the stairs leading to the 7th year girls' dormitory. Her eyes lacked the certain glow that was normally present and she looked as though her heart had just torn in two pieces. A tear rolled from her eye as she turned, running back up the stairs from which she came.
"Hermione," Ron yelled, jumping from the couch and chasing her up the stairs only to have them turn into a slide, sending him hurtling back to the bottom.
*~*
It wasn't until a few days later that Ron got to talk to Hermione. She had avoided him quite successfully with the help of Ginny. Ron knew the only reason he finally got to talk to her was because she knew it was inevitable that they had to sort things out.
"Why, Ron?" Hermione bit her lip anxiously. She didn't want to break up with Ron. She loved him and she couldn't imagine her life without him, breaking up with him would damn near kill her. She looked into his blue eyes that were swimming in unshed tears. Damn him... he can't cry...
"I swear I didn't do anything." Ron's voice trembled as he answered. He reached out to hold Hermione's hands in his. "Look at me, 'Mione. Do I look like I would risk being with you for her?" He hoped that she saw how sincere he was. He truly did love this girl... this once bushy-haired know- it-all. He couldn't even stand to be around her at first, but she had somehow managed to grab hold of his heart and he knew she wouldn't let go. "She kissed me. It meant nothing to me, I swear."
"Ron," Hermione began shakily, "I want to believe you, to trust you, but I've been seriously hurt by this." Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued to explain her feelings to him. "Hearing and even believing that it wasn't your fault won't erase the image of that kiss from my head." She shook her head sadly and felt his arms creep around her waist.
"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, it doesn't matter if it didn't seem wrong on my part, I'm sorry for everything. It won't ever happen again. I should've known better than to study with her alone. I should've known what was going on... I should've..." Ron paused as Hermione lifted her face to his, kissing him soundly.
"I can see that you're sorry, and I realize that it probably wasn't entirely your fault... And you're damn straight it won't happen again." Hermione chuckled bitterly. "But, don't hurt me again, Ron. If you do, there won't be any more chances. Oh, and let Parvati down easy, but make sure she knows she has no chance."
Ron nodded happily. He definitely wouldn't hurt her again because he never wanted to see her that unhappy. He hugged her tightly and showered kisses all over her face. "I love you, Hermione."
*~* A few days after the battle *~*
"Ron, I'm so glad you're okay!" Parvati flew into the hospital wing, flowers in her hand. "I just heard that you woke up, so I had to come see you." She handed the bouquet of flowers over and sat down next to the bed, ignoring the pained and confused expression that marred his face.
"Parvati, I..." Ron didn't know what to say. He had tried to convince the girl that he was totally off limits and wasn't the slightest bit interested, but she seemed to be even denser than he was. "I thought I told you that..."
Parvati cut him of with a strangled sort of laugh. "Oh, Ron, I know what you said. I was worried about you though. Nobody would tell me how you were and I was about to drive Lavender crazy when she finally broke down and told me that you woke up this morning." She played with her long, single braid nervously and looked past Ron at the wall. "Besides, just because you say that now, doesn't mean I can't hope that someday you'll change your mind."
Ron scowled at her, muttering about being seriously thick-skulled. "Look, Parvati..."
Ron couldn't get another word out, however, because Parvati had her mouth on his once again. Ron jumped, pushing her back rather roughly as he heard the crash of glass. "No, this isn't happening..." He couldn't believe it had happened again. Hermione stood in the doorway over a tray strewn with the remnants of what would have been tea.
"Patil... Out NOW!!!" Ron shouted at Parvati. He was livid. If that girl had messed things up for him and Hermione again he would... well, he didn't quite know what he'd do. She scurried quickly from the room, not believing that Ron had been so incredibly rough with her.
"Herm..." Ron began quickly.
"No, Ron."
"But..."
"I said NO. I don't want to hear it. I thought I told you to tell her to get lost."
Tears... She's crying... He made her cry again. That meant pain... He'd hurt her again... No more chances. Ron's head ached and he felt tears well up in his own eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too."
"It's not how it looked, y'know. I did tell her... more than once." Ron bit his lip.
"I'm sure you did."
Ron blinked. The tears were gone from her eyes. She looked... indifferent. He had to be seeing things wrong. Why did she seem so calm all of a sudden?
"Are you okay? What's going on?"
"..." Silence... that's never good...
"Herm.... talk to me."
"..." More silence... What the hell is going on?! Ron was confused and angry all of a sudden.
"Answer me, damn it!"
Ron turned bright red with anger as Hermione turned to leave.
"I know you are NOT bloody walking away from me!"
He watched as she stepped into the hallway, pausing for a second.
"Fine! Go! I don't care... it wouldn't work out anyway! Sheesh, it's not like we're gonna get married or something!"
Ron knew he had made a big mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. He saw Hermione's shoulders slump and her feet stumble as she turned on heel and ran. He heard a 'tsk' from another doorway and sneered at Madame Pomfrey.
"Oh, what do YOU want?!" Ron yelled at the nurse. He was too upset to care what the consequences of that would be. He had just ruined everything and he knew it... and all over Patil and his hot Weasley temper.
*END FLASHBACK*
"Oh fuck!!!" Ron banged his head against the wall with a loud thud. He finally realized why she had run away. "She DID want to get married... bloody fucking hell!"
*~*~*
(A/N): This looks like a good place to end the chapter, eh? What? You don't think so?! Well then screw you guys, cuz it's my story anyway... So there... ^_^ and look at that... now my beta reader (the one and only N.C. PsyChick) has me doing that little face thing... well, whatever. Just go review or something... yeah, review.
Chapter 3
"But I still remember
how it felt when our love was gone...
In a tattered picture book,
was a photograph she took years ago.
Secret memories in her mind...
How could love be so unkind?
Heartbreak time..." – Case & Joe "Faded Pictures"
*~*~*
Xan hesitated in utter shock before hurrying after his bawling fiancée. He found her standing in front of the fireplace, watching the flames flicker enticingly. The firelight gleamed golden on her face, catching each tear as it rolled down her cheek. He walked quietly behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her thick brown hair.
"You are going to have to face your past sooner or later, 'Mione, Baby. You might as well get this over with now, before the wedding. I'm here with you, and everything is okay." Xan murmured softly against Hermione's hair. "Would you like to go look in the trunk, cause I certainly would like to know what my fiancée was like as a child."
Hermione nodded, silent tears streaming down her face. She knew it was time to confront her past, and Xan deserved to know everything that happened... well, maybe not everything. She still didn't think she could talk about what happened just before graduation... the last time she had talked to Ron. Turning in Xan's arms, she lifted her face to look into his deep brown eyes. "C'mon, Sweetie, let's share my past."
Xan followed silently as Hermione led him back into the room and over to the chest. Sitting on the bed, he heaved a heavy sigh. Somehow he just knew this was going to be a long night full of tears. He just hoped there was some laughter in it too, as he watched her bend over the trunk and utter a quiet "Alohamora."
The trunk popped open with a soft click and Hermione reached inside to pull out the top item. It was her old school robes, just as clean and fresh as she had left them so many years ago. She smelled her perfume on them as she placed them to the side, the perfume that Ron had given her that one Christmas... She wiped away a tear as she reached for the books that had been lying underneath her robes, her school books.
Hermione smiled lightly at her old school books, setting those aside as well. "I was a bit of a bookworm in school..." She began, turning to Xan. "What do you mean 'in school'?" He began snickering into his hand as she through a book at him. "Shut up you!" She scowled at him before turning back to the trunk. "Keep acting like that and I'll kick you out."
The woman sat cross-legged in front of the trunk for several minutes, removing little trinkets and keepsakes. Each item had a story, and each story was told dutifully to Xan. He sat quietly as his fiancée's life unfolded before him, all her idiosyncrasies finally falling into good reason. He ooh-ed and aah-ed at appropriate moments, and laughed at all the hilarious memories she shared with him. Every so often, a tear would roll down her cheek during the revelation of some of the more bittersweet memories.
Hermione reached into the trunk again and paused as she pulled out a worn, leather bound photo album. She rose slowly to her feet, walking hesitantly to the bed, and plopped down next to Xan. "This..." She said, voice shaking, "Is where all the real memories are."
Xan watched as she opened the book to the first day, shocked to see the reflection of an extremely bushy-haired 11-year-old girl grinning up at him. She was waving fanatically from between a tall, gangly, redheaded boy, and another boy who he recognized instantly as Harry Potter (complete with the wild black hair and the lightening scar). "Whoa, Sweetie, you didn't tell me that your friend Harry was THE Harry Potter. You really do have connections."
Hermione laughed as her amazed fiancé ran his finger over the picture of Harry. "It wasn't that important to me. Harry had indeed been the "Boy- Who-Lived" to me at first, but then I got to know him and he became the boy who lived to get Hermione into as much trouble as possible. I love him very dearly... He was my best friend in the world then, and he still is now." She smiled sweetly at the picture. "We were inseparable, Harry, Ron, and I were. We had the most fabulous adventures and got into all sorts of dangerous situations, starting with our first year of school."
The pictures throughout the next couple of pages all showed happy, youthful faces of Hermione's schoolmates. She pointed out to Xan all the people who would be attending the wedding. "You'll have to wait till later to see pictures of Draco and Pansy. We weren't especially fond of each other until much later." He laughed at the stories of their rivalry with the Slytherins and marveled at how it all seemed to become null and void during their last two years at Hogwarts.
"That is one sexy man..." Hermione pointed at a picture taken from Harry's collection of pictures. "Sirius Black, mmhmmm..." She trailed of as she saw the look of horror cross Xan's face. "You, Hermione Granger, consider a convicted murderer sexy?! How did you get that picture of him?!" She burst into a fit of laughter as she realized that not everyone knew that Sirius Black was innocent. So, she retold the story of their third year to him, watching as his expressions changed from horror, to shock, to amusement...
"Quite and interesting story you have there, 'Mione." Xan told her as she finished telling the story. "So, is he coming to the wedding? I think I'd rather like to meet him." He wished he hadn't said it as he saw the tears well up in her eyes.
"Sirius is no longer with us." Hermione glanced at her hands before looking into Xan's soulful eyes. "He died two years later, trying to save Harry from a bunch of Death Eaters and Voldemort." She shuddered slightly as she said the name of the THING that caused so many deaths.
Xan wrapped both his arms around the beautiful young woman sitting next to him on the bed. She had been through so much that he never knew about. "You certainly were put through a lot of awfully dangerous situations." He squeezed her tightly in his arms, kissing her softly on her lips. "I'm just glad you've made it through. One thing, though... Where you there when... well, y'know..."
Xan watched as Hermione's eyes glazed over. She was apparently falling into some memories, falling out of the present reality in the process. "I was there." She blinked unseeingly as she spoke in a hazy voice. "I saw everything. I saw some of my closest friends and acquaintances go down, never to get up again. I saw the blood and the tears, the anger and the sadness, but more importantly I saw the love... In that moment, when Harry stood over top of that piece of shit, I saw the love that Harry had for everyone, the entire magical world."
Xan wiped a stray tear from Hermione's cheek, wondering if she was even aware that he was still there. "Hatred backed by love is quite possibly the most powerful emotion there is." She spoke again in a shaky voice, frozen in her memories. Her eyes started to close and Xan reached out to shake her slightly, afraid of what would happen if she drifted into unconsciousness.
Hermione came back with a jolt, eyes wide and full of tears. She had just remembered the ensuing scene on that battleground... finding Ron near death and holding him tight in her arms as she whispered reassurances in his ear. Then she remembered what he said to her before lapsing into a coma...
Xan tightened his arms around Hermione as her body was suddenly wracked with cries of grief, sorrow, and emotional scars. "I know that must have been difficult, 'Mione." He rubbed his hands up and down her heaving back, wishing he could make the pain go away forever.
"You don't understand, Xan. You'll never understand..." Hermione choked on her words, emotion filling her to the point where she thought she'd explode. Ron... She wished she could go back and stop him from ever saying those words to her. "Such an idiot..." She sobbed into Xan's chest.
Xan didn't question who the idiot was that Hermione spoke of, thinking she was obviously remembering someone else. He was right, of course, but he was still just as lost as ever. He waited for an hour, expecting the sobs to dissipate. He looked at the clock on her bedside table. The large red numbers blazed '2:00' and he decided that they'd had enough reminiscing for one night.
Trying not to disturb Hermione too much, Xan stretched their bodies across the bed, still holding her tightly to his chest. He kissed her head softly as he whispered soft words of comfort in her ear. His eyes started to close when she finally spoke again. "I love you so much, Xan. Thank you..." He felt her kiss his cheek softly and felt her breath on his ear as she mumbled a faint, "Good night."
*~*
"Hermione WHAT?!?!?!" Ron sprang from his seat on the couch, turning to look into his best friend's eyes. He hoped that Harry was joking, though that didn't seem the type of thing he'd joke about. His heart felt like it was about to shatter into a million pieces. He rubbed angrily at his traitorous blue eyes, feeling them start to well up with tears.
"She's getting married, Ron." Harry stated calmly for what seemed like the fiftieth time. He looked at the furious redhead that stood towering over him in a confusing onslaught of emotions. "She wrote to us the other day, inviting us to the wedding, and asking if I'd invite you for her. It'd mean a lot to her if you came too."
Ron looked as though he'd just been backhanded by Lucius Malfoy himself. "Why couldn't she ask me herself?" He gaped at Harry in saddened disbelief, hoping against hope that Hermione had forgiven him at least a little. "You mean to tell me that she couldn't bring herself to tell me personally?" He sat shakily back on the couch, suddenly drained of all energy.
Harry looked pitifully at Ron, nodding slowly. "Hermione is still hurting. She hasn't entirely recovered from the pain you apparently caused her. That doesn't change the fact that you were a major part of her life and she wants you to be there when she gets married. Can't you see she cares about you, Ron?" He reached out a hand to pat the young man on his back. "Think of it this way... How would you feel if she hadn't invited you at all?"
Ron's head shot up as he glared at Harry. "Harry, just the fact that she is getting married at all is bad enough. Don't make things worse with what ifs. Merlin knows I've gone through enough of those for one lifetime." He sighed heavily, shoulders sagging, and buried his face in his hands. "I've looked for her for five years now, Harry. I've sent her countless owls of apology and not one was returned. I doubt she's even read any of them. She probably just tossed them away like she tossed our relationship away."
Harry reached out to the man once again, smacking him soundly in the back of the head. "Look here, Ronald Weasley! For once in your life, think of Hermione. She loved you Ron, possibly even still loves you, and if you hadn't had your head shoved so far up your own arse, you might've had a chance at something truly wonderful with her. Now suck up all your self- pity and pack, cause we're leaving in like three days to go to the wedding." He stood up, walking to the door. Just before leaving he turned, looking back at the redhead still seated on the couch. "Think of Hermione."
Ron turned to see Harry's back disappearing and the door closing behind him. Think of Hermione, what in bloody hell was that supposed to mean? He always thought of Hermione. Every one of his waking thoughts was of her and what he'd lost... His eyes widened as he suddenly realized that he hadn't truly been thinking of her. Sure, he'd thought about her, but that isn't quite the same thing. He had never considered her side of the whole thing, didn't even fully understand what had gone wrong. All he knew was that his heart had broken when she left. He had never even paused to think of how she'd felt in order to make her leave.
Ron thought back to the last few times he'd spent with Hermione, searching for what would make her run off like she had. They'd been fighting, he knew that much. It had something to do with Parvati Patil. He knew that as well. He had thought they'd come to an agreement about the whole thing, though. There were two occasions they'd fought about her, once before the battle and once afterward...
*FLASHBACK*
Ron sat quietly on the couch next to Parvati, why she'd asked him to help her study was beyond him. He stared into the fire burning in the common room fireplace, wishing Hermione was with him instead. Feeling a light touch on his arm, he turned to face Parvati and found himself looking into her dark brown eyes... eyes nowhere near as beautiful as Hermione's.
Parvati leaned in close to Ron, her eyes dark and sensuous. She licked her lips as she moved closer, feeling the heat from his body. She saw recognition mixed with alarm flicker in his blue eyes as he backed partially away from her, but she'd waited too long for this opportunity. Closing the space between them, she placed her lips sweetly over his, pressing her body firmly against him. She felt his resistance and kissed him more fervently, hoping that her enthusiasm would spark a response. She'd liked Ron for a while now and had been nearly heartbroken to see him and Granger get together.
Parvati sighed, breaking the kiss when she realized she'd get no response from him. He was too in love with Granger to even look at another girl like that. She looked at her hands as she waited for Ron to say something, but he never did. Glancing up, she saw that he wasn't even paying her any attention at all. He was looking dazedly over her shoulder at something. Curious to know what was so interesting, she turned seeing instantly what it was.
Hermione stood shakily on the bottom step of the stairs leading to the 7th year girls' dormitory. Her eyes lacked the certain glow that was normally present and she looked as though her heart had just torn in two pieces. A tear rolled from her eye as she turned, running back up the stairs from which she came.
"Hermione," Ron yelled, jumping from the couch and chasing her up the stairs only to have them turn into a slide, sending him hurtling back to the bottom.
*~*
It wasn't until a few days later that Ron got to talk to Hermione. She had avoided him quite successfully with the help of Ginny. Ron knew the only reason he finally got to talk to her was because she knew it was inevitable that they had to sort things out.
"Why, Ron?" Hermione bit her lip anxiously. She didn't want to break up with Ron. She loved him and she couldn't imagine her life without him, breaking up with him would damn near kill her. She looked into his blue eyes that were swimming in unshed tears. Damn him... he can't cry...
"I swear I didn't do anything." Ron's voice trembled as he answered. He reached out to hold Hermione's hands in his. "Look at me, 'Mione. Do I look like I would risk being with you for her?" He hoped that she saw how sincere he was. He truly did love this girl... this once bushy-haired know- it-all. He couldn't even stand to be around her at first, but she had somehow managed to grab hold of his heart and he knew she wouldn't let go. "She kissed me. It meant nothing to me, I swear."
"Ron," Hermione began shakily, "I want to believe you, to trust you, but I've been seriously hurt by this." Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued to explain her feelings to him. "Hearing and even believing that it wasn't your fault won't erase the image of that kiss from my head." She shook her head sadly and felt his arms creep around her waist.
"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, it doesn't matter if it didn't seem wrong on my part, I'm sorry for everything. It won't ever happen again. I should've known better than to study with her alone. I should've known what was going on... I should've..." Ron paused as Hermione lifted her face to his, kissing him soundly.
"I can see that you're sorry, and I realize that it probably wasn't entirely your fault... And you're damn straight it won't happen again." Hermione chuckled bitterly. "But, don't hurt me again, Ron. If you do, there won't be any more chances. Oh, and let Parvati down easy, but make sure she knows she has no chance."
Ron nodded happily. He definitely wouldn't hurt her again because he never wanted to see her that unhappy. He hugged her tightly and showered kisses all over her face. "I love you, Hermione."
*~* A few days after the battle *~*
"Ron, I'm so glad you're okay!" Parvati flew into the hospital wing, flowers in her hand. "I just heard that you woke up, so I had to come see you." She handed the bouquet of flowers over and sat down next to the bed, ignoring the pained and confused expression that marred his face.
"Parvati, I..." Ron didn't know what to say. He had tried to convince the girl that he was totally off limits and wasn't the slightest bit interested, but she seemed to be even denser than he was. "I thought I told you that..."
Parvati cut him of with a strangled sort of laugh. "Oh, Ron, I know what you said. I was worried about you though. Nobody would tell me how you were and I was about to drive Lavender crazy when she finally broke down and told me that you woke up this morning." She played with her long, single braid nervously and looked past Ron at the wall. "Besides, just because you say that now, doesn't mean I can't hope that someday you'll change your mind."
Ron scowled at her, muttering about being seriously thick-skulled. "Look, Parvati..."
Ron couldn't get another word out, however, because Parvati had her mouth on his once again. Ron jumped, pushing her back rather roughly as he heard the crash of glass. "No, this isn't happening..." He couldn't believe it had happened again. Hermione stood in the doorway over a tray strewn with the remnants of what would have been tea.
"Patil... Out NOW!!!" Ron shouted at Parvati. He was livid. If that girl had messed things up for him and Hermione again he would... well, he didn't quite know what he'd do. She scurried quickly from the room, not believing that Ron had been so incredibly rough with her.
"Herm..." Ron began quickly.
"No, Ron."
"But..."
"I said NO. I don't want to hear it. I thought I told you to tell her to get lost."
Tears... She's crying... He made her cry again. That meant pain... He'd hurt her again... No more chances. Ron's head ached and he felt tears well up in his own eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too."
"It's not how it looked, y'know. I did tell her... more than once." Ron bit his lip.
"I'm sure you did."
Ron blinked. The tears were gone from her eyes. She looked... indifferent. He had to be seeing things wrong. Why did she seem so calm all of a sudden?
"Are you okay? What's going on?"
"..." Silence... that's never good...
"Herm.... talk to me."
"..." More silence... What the hell is going on?! Ron was confused and angry all of a sudden.
"Answer me, damn it!"
Ron turned bright red with anger as Hermione turned to leave.
"I know you are NOT bloody walking away from me!"
He watched as she stepped into the hallway, pausing for a second.
"Fine! Go! I don't care... it wouldn't work out anyway! Sheesh, it's not like we're gonna get married or something!"
Ron knew he had made a big mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. He saw Hermione's shoulders slump and her feet stumble as she turned on heel and ran. He heard a 'tsk' from another doorway and sneered at Madame Pomfrey.
"Oh, what do YOU want?!" Ron yelled at the nurse. He was too upset to care what the consequences of that would be. He had just ruined everything and he knew it... and all over Patil and his hot Weasley temper.
*END FLASHBACK*
"Oh fuck!!!" Ron banged his head against the wall with a loud thud. He finally realized why she had run away. "She DID want to get married... bloody fucking hell!"
*~*~*
(A/N): This looks like a good place to end the chapter, eh? What? You don't think so?! Well then screw you guys, cuz it's my story anyway... So there... ^_^ and look at that... now my beta reader (the one and only N.C. PsyChick) has me doing that little face thing... well, whatever. Just go review or something... yeah, review.