Chapter 10: Preparations
He was a frightening sight to behold. His defined muscles were taught and tense, his mouth was set in a thin, grim line, his body was tilted slightly towards them like a lion readying to pounce. His bright red hair stood up in places where he had in his aggravation run his fingers through it, giving him the look of one who had just come out of a fight the victor. His eyes blazed cold with furry and betrayal sending a chill of dread down Harry and Ginny's spine. For the first time since he had meat Ron he really feared that his friend might hit him.
"Ron…"
The intense look of loathing Ron turned Harry's way when he began to speak instantly silenced him.
"You were supposed to be my best friend." He spoke with a voice that was low, lifeless and cold.
"I am."
Ron shook his head, tears of humiliation, betrayal and furry gathering in the turbulent orbs. "You lied to me."
"Ron…"
"I've been trying…and you…how could you not tell me?"
"Ron," Ginny's own voice was chocked with tears. "We wanted to tell you but…"
"But she made you promise, right?" Ginny and Harry nodded feebly, knowing it was a woolly excuse at best. "Like she was trying to make you promise not to tell me she was coming home?"
"Ron we weren't going to…"
"Save it, Gin." Ron cut her off angrily. "All of this time I have been trying to make things right. And I thought that through all of this I at least had your friendship and support."
"You do!" the pair cried together, but Ron continued as if he hadn't heard them.
"But really you've been working against me."
"No. Ron we…"
"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MY BEST FRIEND!" He shouted efficiently cutting Harry off. "YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOYT HER! YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO! I KNOW YOU DO! I KNOW YOU SAW THEM!"
"Ron," Harry implored. "I've been trying to make her see reason!"
"Yeah?" Ron snorted with disbelief. "How do you expect me to believe that when everything you've said to me since August has been a lie?" He took several deep breaths trying desperately to bring his body and emotional turmoil under control. He was determined that he would not give Harry or Ginny the satisfaction of seeing him cry.
"Do what ever you want." He turned his back on them. "I don't care anymore."
"Ron!" Harry ran forward and took hold of his arm, determined to make him stay and listen.
Ron whipped about, tearing his arm free whilst pinning Harry with a look so full of hatred and disgust that it caused him to stumble back in surprise. "Leave me the bloody hell alone." He seethed through his tightly gritted teeth.
Harry watched, heart sinking as Ron turned and walked up the spiraling staircase ignoring his calls after him.
"Shite! Shite! Shite! Shite! Shite!" Harry sank onto the bottom step, his head falling into his hands. "How the fuck did I let this happen?"
"Harry?" Ginny placed a gentle, comforting hand on his shoulder.
Harry looked up at her, his green eyes filled with an odd mixture of furry and sadness.
"Did you know," he began in a voice chocked with tears, "that Ron has been writing to Hermione every day since she left?"
Ginny shook her head dumbly as she too sank onto the step beside him. "No. I had no idea."
"Neither did I. Not until two days ago when Ron and I were getting ready for Quiditch practice and he reached under his bead for his broom. When he pulled it out he knocked over a box and spilled…I don't even now how many letters on the floor. He tried to pick them up and hide them before I saw them, but… I didn't even know what they were at first. I know I shouldn't have but… I went back later when he was studying. I think there has to be almost one for every day since she left. And every single one has come back unopened. Every…single…one."
Ginny's eyes widened. "I had no idea." In a moment of clarity she understood her brothers furry at them. "That's what he meant when he said you know what I've been trying to do." Harry nodded. "Poor Ron. Every day and not a single response?"
Harry nodded again as his head sank further towards his knees. "I wish I had never told Dumbledore I was all right with Hermione going to Bulgaria." He looked up at Ginny with mournful green eyes. "I thought things would just work themselves out, you know? I thought it was going to be just like all their other rows. Ron was a git and said something stupid, Hermione wouldn't talk to him for a while to teach him a lesson, he would realize he had been a prat and she would forgive him. That's the way it has always been. But this time…" his eyes glazed with tears. "I don't think it's going to work out this time." Harry's heart clenched tightly with the realization. "I don't think we'll ever all be friends again. Ron and Hermione have hurt each other too much and I…I really screwed up with Ron." Sensing Harry's need for comfort, Ginny scooted closer resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"He'll forgive you eventually."
"Will he?" Harry looked down into Ginny's coffee brown eyes. "During the Tri-Wizard Tournament it took me almost getting eaten by a fire breathing dragon for him to come around and forgive me, and I didn't even do anything then. What am I going to have to do this time for him to forgive me? Throw myself at Voldemort's feet and beg him to kill me?"
"Harry." Ginny's head snapped up angrily. "That's not funny."
"It wasn't meant to be." Harry rubbed his eyes angrily with her fingers beneath the rim of his glasses. "You don't know what it was like fourth year. Life was hell without having my best mate."
"So, what do we do?" Ginny laid her head solemnly back on his shoulder. "Do you suggest we stop speaking to her?"
"No." He said immediately though it sounded to Ginny as if it were a bit reluctant in coming. "Of course not. That wouldn't solve anything. It would only cause more problems."
"So what do you suggest?" She prompted.
Harry opened his mouth to answer but found that he was completely devoid of all ideas. His mouth closed and his shoulders hunched around his ears as he hung his head between his hands in despair. The pair sat their silently for a few minutes in deep thought, but in the end were both at a loss over what to do about the situation between Ron and Hermione.
"I guess," Harry said slowly, "that we have to find a way to get them together over the holiday and force them to talk." He suggested lamely.
"Oh sure." Ginny rolled her coffee brown eyes. "That's a brilliant idea. Only one problem; there is no way that we are going to get them in the same room at the same time. I'm sure we could get Ron to go with us to Hermione's house but she would slam the door in our faces and I'm fairly sure there's no way we can convince her to come with us to where Ron is waiting."
"Well we have to do something!" Harry shouted angrily bounding to his feet and pacing aimlessly before her. "I can't take this anymore, Gin."
"I know Harry." Ginny's slender arms wrapped around his waist from behind, pulling him tight against her body and resting her cheek on his shoulder blade. "I know. We'll think of something. We always do."
Up in the sixth year dorm Ron was sitting at the foot of his bed staring at his favorite picture of him and Hermione. The laughter and sparkle in her eyes as Ron spun them around tore painfully at his heart.
Wiping angrily at the tears leaking down his face he tossed the picture on the bed before standing up and moving to his trunk. He knelt before it, unlatched the closures and opened the lid. He rifled around amongst the contents until he found what he was searching for. He pulled out a square box that was closed tight with a lid. He closed the trunk and placed the box on top before he crouched down to find another box stuffed under his bed. This too he pulled out and placed on the lid of his trunk.
Sighing heavily Ron sank onto the end of his bed and pulled the lid off the first box. He removed the contents of both boxes, laying them in front of him so he could look upon it all. After several minutes of silently staring Ron picked up the bundle of envelopes and set it at the bottom of the square box and began to cover it with a small book, scraps of paper and several pictures.
When the box was full he picked up the lid to put it back into place but stopped. Setting it down he turned around and tenderly lifted the picture he had tossed aside off the counterpane. He watched for several silent moments as the Ron and Hermione in the picture spun around and around. When he could take the torment no more he placed the picture face up at the top of the pile and slowly lowered the lid into place. When the lid was secure he tapped it with his wand making the box seamless.
Sighing heavily he lifted the lid of his trunk once more, set the box inside and let it fall with a loud thud.
Bjorn sat in Hermione's desk chair and watched solemnly as she packed the last of her clothing into her trunk for the Christmas holiday. "I still don't see why you can't come and stay with my family over Christmas." He burst out when Hermione had gotten her trunk closed.
Sighing heavily she turned to face him, arms crossed moodily in front of her chest. "Bjorn we've been over this." She said shortly. "I haven't seen my mum and dad since the begging of summer holiday. I haven't seen Harry, Ro…an… and Ginny since August. I'm going home."
Bjorn slumped in her chair, arms crossed over his chest, his face marred with a deep scowl. She knew Bjorn was put out but she couldn't help but chuckle slightly. He was so cute when he pouted like that.
"Bjorn." Her voice was soft as if comforting a small child. "I'll be back before the start or term."
"I know." He sulked grudgingly. "But I've gotten use to having you around. What am I going to do for three weeks without you?"
Hermione patted his cheek playfully. "You managed sixteen years without me." She laughed. "I think you can survive three weeks."
A roguish gleam appeared in Bjorn's eyes a split second before he took hold of her wrist and tugged her into his lap. Hermione squealed as she landed, pushing against his chest as she struggled to regain her feet. "Bjorn, let me up."
"What will you give me if I do?"
Hermione stilled as she focused on his handsome face. She tilted her head to the side, her face contorted in exaggerated consideration. "Hmm." She bit her bottom lip playfully seductive as she contemplated. "Would a kiss be a fair price?"
"A kiss?" His eyes arched.
"Umhm." She nodded. "One kiss in exchange for my freedom."
Bjorn's cheeks flushed a bright red, his gray eyes blazed with excitement. "I think you got yourself a deal."
His eyes drifted closed and his lips puckered slightly in anticipation. Hermione smiled with delight as she slowly began to lean in. Even with his eyes closed Bjorn could feel her moving in closer and closer until her lips were only a breath away from his. He could feel the soft puffs of air on his lips and it sent shivers down his spine. She leaned in and turned her head at the last moment so that her lips made contact with his cheek right at the corner of his mouth.
Hermione burst into laughter when his eyes snapped open and he pinned her with an almost heart wrenchingly, dejected look. "Let me up." She tapped him twice on the shoulder as she struggle not to laugh.
"That wasn't a real kiss." He sulked with protest.
"Let me up, Bjorn." Her voice rang with laughter. "You agreed on one kiss. It was never specified where the kiss would be."
"No," his arms tightened around her waist. "I think I'll keep you here until I get a proper kiss."
Hermione's heart fluttered with excitement. This was it. He really wanted to kiss her. "Bjorn," she chuckled with laughter as he leaned in following her head with his lips as she teasingly tried to duck away. "My portkey leaves in a few minutes. I have to go."
"Not until I get my kiss." He persisted, leaning in quickly, almost making contact with her lips. But Hermione was too quick for him and when she pulled away it was with surprising force that knocked them both of the chair.
Reacting instinctively Bjorn tucked in and rolled so that he took the impact of the fall. When they landed Hermione was on top sprawled across his chest, legs on either side of his hips, hands on the floor on either side of his head. Hermione laughed as she pushed her hair out of her eyes so that she could better see the young man lying beneath her.
Bjorn was staring at her with his intense gray eyes. It was a look so penetrating and focused that she felt like he was staring into her very soul. The laughter died on her lips as she heard her blood race past her ears and felt her heart quicken in her chest, beating so loud she was convinced he could hear it as well. Reaching up Bjorn cupped her cheek and began directing her lips towards his and Hermione was powerless to stop it. Her eyes fluttered closed, her lips parted slightly so that her tongue could dart across to moistening them.
"Miss Granger?" A hairs breath away, Hermione's head snapped towards the door where there was the distinct sound of knocking against the heavy panel. "Miss Granger?" Headmaster Zograf's voice came from the other side of her door. "Are you ready to leave?"
Blushing with mortification, Hermione pushed fiercely against Bjorn's chest breaking the strong hold he had on her. She rose swiftly to her feet and reached down to give Bjorn a hand as she called out, "Just a moment Headmaster." When they were both on their feet, their clothes properly straightened and Bjorn back in the safety of Hermione's desk chair she went to the door and opened if for the Headmaster.
"I'm sorry, Professor Zograf."
The older wizard looked between Bjorn, who was now examining his fingernails with great interest, and Hermione who was still deeply flushed and breathing heavily. His left brow arched, his eyes twinkled and a smile played on his lips. "That's all right, Miss Granger. I understand."
Hermione flushed even more for she had the distinct feeling that he did in fact understand, perhaps all to well. The young witch looked down at her floor and wrung her hands anxiously in front of her.
Sensing the young witch's discomfort, Zograf took pity on her. "Are you ready to go?" Hermione glanced longingly at Bjorn before she nodded in the affirmative. "Splendid." He clapped his hands enthusiastically together. "Why don't you finish saying your goodbyes to Mr. Ivailo while I prepare your portkey?"
As Hermione turned to Bjorn she saw the Headmaster wave his wand at her trunk. It glowed bright and shook for a moment then went still. Bjorn was now standing in front of her. Reaching out he took her hands in his.
"Enjoy your time with your family, Hermione. And have fun with your friends." His eyes narrowed. "But perhaps not too much fun." He reached up and playfully wrapped a curl around his finger. "I am going to be here, after all, completely miserable without you."
Hermione chuckled sweetly as she tousled his hair. "You'll be fine." She leaned forward and planted another kiss firmly on his cheek. "Happy Christmas, Bjorn."
"And you, Hermione." He released her hand that he still held captured and watched as she turned back to the Headmaster who was smiling at them merrily.
"All right, Miss Granger. Your trunk will take you to the International Porting Station. I believe you know what to do once you are there?"
"Yes of course. " She nodded.
"Wonderful. Then have a safe trip. I'll see you next term."
"Thank you, Headmaster, for everything."
Zograf nodded. "Think nothing of it Miss Granger. It's been a pleasure having you here."
Hermione sighed and gave the room one last look. "See you next term." She reached down and grasped the handle of her trunk and felt the familiar pull behind her navel and she was gone spinning madly through space.
