A/N: This chapter is slightly shorter...and fluffier. Don't you just wanna hug Ron sometimes? I know I do...

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. JKR does.

So Sick of It
KiahWMConnie
Chapter 2

The street was almost as dark as it was deserted. Only the moon and a couple of streetlamps luminated the way of the abandoned area. Without warning there was a small 'pop' and a figure stood in the street.

Ron was dripping now with rainwater. This new street, however, was dry as a bone. He was breathing hard and his fists were as tightly clenched as his teeth.

He was alone now. He was truly alone. At least he was in familiar surroundings. This place was just as he remembered it: dark, cold, and barren. Harry, Hermione, and he had come here once prior to a great fight against the Death Eaters. They had come here and spent the night in one of the many shabby houses. It was a scary time then. The funny thing was, it was a scary time now. He wasn't fearful for his life now. There was no threat of anyone trying to kill him. However, back then, he had his friends with him. They had eachother to laugh and cry with and could fight beside eachother at a moment's notice. Now, he was alone. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and his wand.

Ron took a few long breaths. Suddenly he shot his head up to the sky and began yelling at nobody.

"OKAY! I GET IT! I'm a screw-up! I'm destined to be a failure and I'm good at it!" As he continued to yell at no one, he began to move. He almost began to jog, as if he were trying to reach a moving person, "There's always a mountain I have to climb if I'm ever going to be happy. But every time I reach top, I get sucker-punched and fall all the way back to the bottom. No one respects me; not even my own damn family! I understand that I'll never be as strong or smart or brave as I should be. I understand that no matter what I do, I'll never be as good as my brothers. All I ask is that I can be a failure in peace!"

Ron began to gasp for breath in the cold, night air. He stopped moving and hung his head. He added, barely above a whisper, "I know you're supposed to play the cards you're dealt...but what do you do when everyone else has an ace up their sleeve but you?" Ron began to shiver in the night. Tears threatened to well up in his eyes. Ron blinked them away. It didn't matter if no one else was around; if there was ever a moment when he needed to be strong, it was now.

"R-Ron?" he heard a voice behind him say.

He spun around and immediately gasped. In the pale moonlight, he recognized the brown bushy hair and the intelligent, though kind brown eyes.

"H-Hermione?" he stuttered, "W-what are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same question," she responded quietly.

"I-is that really you Hermione?" Ron asked, "After so many months...is that really you?"

"Of course it's me, Ron," she replied slowly, "I had some free time and decided to reminisce. What about you?"

Ron began to look quite ashamed. He turned his head from his good friend and slightly cringed.

"Ron...?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I blew it, Herm," Ron finally answered, his voice slightly shaking, "I really did it this time. But...when he called me that...I just lost it."

"Ron, what are you talking about?" Hermione put her hand on his shoulder, "Here, see that bench over there? Under the streetlamp? Why don't we sit down and talk there?"

They did as she suggested. Ron told her the entire story; everything from his forgotten birthday to his short conversation with Ginny before he apparated to the deserted street. When he was done, they remained silent for quite a while.

"It sounds just like Sixteen Candles," Hermione said to the side.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

"Nevermind. Muggle movie."

They were quiet again. Hermione broke the silence, "Ron, forgive me if I pry, but this seems to go a lot deeper than a forgotten birthday and a rude nickname."

Ron gave a sad smile, "You really are quite clever, Herm. But i don't think you'd understand, being an only child and all."

"At least let me try," she pleaded softly as she put her hand on Ron's forearm.

Ron blushed slightly at the contact, but continued after a sigh, "It's...really complicated, Hermione. I'm the youngest. I'm the baby of the family. And Ginny doesn't count because she's a girl, therefore, everyone immediatly notices her!"

He took another big sigh, "I'll tell you exactly what I told Harry our first year at Hogwarts. It's not easy being the youngest. Even if I accomplish something great, no big deal, because it's already been done! However, everyone still expects me to do great things, and if I don't, I'm a damn failure!" he added with a swift kick to an innocent rock that was nearby. Ron rested his elbows on his knees and let his head hang low.

"So...you're either a failure or just another Weasley brother?" Hermione winced at her own question, "Some choice."

"Bill's the oldest one, Charlie's the strongest and kindest one, Percy's the smart one, Fred and George are the funny and successful ones, Ginny's the prettiest and only girl, and I'm..." he swallowed hard, "I'm just another mouth to feed. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better for everyone if I just didn't exist anymore-"

"Ron!" Hermione gasped.

"I'm not going to commit suicide!" Ron quickly told her, "Don't worry about it. It's just...hard not to think about it is all."

Hermione looked sad and helpless at her oldest friend. Just how long had he been this depressed? All these years, they had looked out for eachother, and now this had happened to him. Was it fate that she just happened to come to this street at the same night he did...after so long?

"Ron," she said softly, "What are you planning to do?"

"That's just it," he buried his face in his palms and tangled his fingers in his thick hair, "I don't know! I have no idea what to do! I'm all alone out here. I'm too prideful to go back...but I don't think I'm strong enough not to go back. I...I was planning on moving out anyways, but not this unexpectedly! I don't have a single Knut with me, much less any food or clothing."

"Ron," Hermione put her hand on his arm again, "Look at me."

He slowly raised his head to look her in the eye. Thoughtful, kind, brown eyes met wide, fearful, slightly red ones.

"I want to help you. I want you to come stay with me."

"W-what?"

"Listen, I know I haven't told you yet, but my extended schooling only lasted one semester. I have my own apartment in London where I'm training to be a nurse. I have an extra bedroom there."

"Her-Hermione, I couldn't! I'd be such a burden! I-"

"Hush," she put a finger up to his lips, "I distinctly remember back in our first year at Hogwarts when there was a certain troll that attacked me, and you, along with Harry, came to my rescue."

"Herm, I was the reason you were in danger in the first place!"

"That doesn't matter! The point is, I promised that we would always be friends. We'd always be there for eachother. We kept that promise at school and all during the second war. And I'll keep the promise now. Face it, Ron, you have no where else to go. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. And I won't take no for an answer!"

Ron was speechless. But eventually, his lips formed a kind, gracious smile.

"Where would I be without you, Hermione?"

"Still on this street, apparently," she replied with a smile, "Come now, let's go home."

They both stood up and prepared to apparate.

Hermione entwined her arm with Ron's, "Better let me lead the way, since you don't know exactly where I live."

Ron blushed greatly, but obeyed her anyways. He smiled, thanking Heaven that he had such a wonderful friend.

A/N: Am I sappy or what? Remember that an authoress thrives on reviews!