Harry and Hermione - Chapter 2 - Goodbye Weasley's
Harry and Hermione heard Ron caterwauling all the way back to the house. Mr and Mrs Weasley apparently heard it to and came out to see the two walking back together,
"Where are Ron and Ginny, they came out to meet you," said Mrs Weasley looking confused.
"Oh they did Mrs Weasley, and now they appear to be having a chat over by that tree," replied Harry, indicating the direction from which they had just come and two figures could be seen gesticulating wildly even from this distance.
"I think I will just head over," said Mr Weasley his voice trailing off.
"Let me take your tea things," said Mrs Weasley relieving Harry of his cups and saucers.
"Mrs Weasley," began Hermione, "Is there anything we can do, I can do for you?"
"Oh no, Hermione dear, it must be dreadfully dull for you both just at present, but try to be patient with Ron and Ginny, they've both had such a dreadful shock." She looked imploringly from Harry to Hermione and back again.
Of course," They both said together, and feeling awkward they turned and took the stairs up to the room Harry shared with Ron.
Truth be told, Harry had had a gutful of Ron - their relationship had never fully recovered from Ron's walking out on them when they had been hunting Horcruxes. Harry had heard all of Ron's excuses - he'd been injured from the splinching, he'd been worried about his family, he'd been jealous of Harry and Hermione's relationship, he had thought that Harry had known what he was doing, he had been wearing the locket. Yes yes, Harry knew it all, but it wasn't enough.
He supposed it came down to what he had been saying to Hermione earlier, he just wasn't that into it. In the beginning he had been attached to Harry and Hermione had been on the outer, later that attachment had moved to Hermione and then Harry found himself on the outer. Not to say that he and Hermione had never fought, but their fights were not personal, neither had ever wanted to hurt or be rid of the other. It was more often disagreements over strategy or something. And Harry could never forget how heart sick Hermione had been when Ron had abandoned her, he had listened to her cry, night after night. If Hermione wanted to forgive him, fine, but Harry never could.
Ron is lazy, selfish, jealous, moody, bad tempered and disloyal. Harry would add abusive to that list based on his behaviour to Hermione in the last half an hour alone, but it wouldn't be the first time, and not only directed at Hermione. If he and Ginny ended up together and Hermione and Ron ended up together then he was going to have to find a way to manage long term, but it would be tricky indeed.
Until then, perhaps he could just use a Confundus Charm?
Several days went by in much the same fashion. George was utterly bereft and largely silent, Mr and Mrs Weasley were devastated, Ron and Ginny shadowed their parents trying to hold everyone together. Meanwhile others had begun returning to their pre war and pre Fred's death lives; Aunty Muriel told everyone to employ a stiff upper lip and get on with it, escaping a war with six children in tow is more than most people could boast. Charlie returned to Romania, then Bill and Fleur travelled back to Shell Cottage. Percy hadn't actually formally resigned from his Ministry position so he returned in the hope of securing himself a better position, inside or out of the Ministry.
Harry wasn't able to spend much time alone with Ginny which he understood, she was Mr and Mrs Weasley's only daughter, she was still under age, there had just been a war, Fred had just been killed. Yes it was all very fraught and he understood that Ginny herself was recovering from all of these things and grieving for Fred as well. Still he would have liked to have sat in the garden with her just a little.
Ron showed no desire to spend any time with Harry at all, and hardly any more with Hermione. He had stopped being mean to by virtue of hardly speaking to her at all. Harry had decided to move on the Burrow for the time being. He had no firm plans of his own, and neither it seemed did the Weasley's. Only Ginny had school to consider in the future but that was still a long way off, given it was still a literal war zone. There was no reason for him to stay, he was not of use to any one, in fact he felt like an unwanted guest. It would break Mr and Mrs Weasley's heart, and Gunny's to know that he felt that, but he didn't blame them. It was circumstances, circumstances and Ron.
He managed to communicate his feelings to Hermione who was relieved that he had been thinking the exact same thing as herself. Harry suggested that they not plan their trip to Australia immediately, but leave the Burrow and travel to say London or whatever for a week and then contact Ron and GInny and invite them and make our plans from there. Hermone was so uncomfortable and so keen to leave that she would have agreed to almost anything.
So Harry communicated his plans to leave with Ginny who, although sad, understood. She knew Ron was acting like a jerk, and although she understood grief, she knew he was being unfair to Harry and especially to Hermione. She asked Harry what his plans were and he told her that he was going to London immediately and that soon he would be going to Australia with Hermione and that he hoped she and Ron would join them. When he saw how round Ginny's eyes became, he assured her that it need not be soon and that all the details could be worked out to the satisfaction of all.
Harry and Ginny heard Ron's response to Hermione's similar suggestion. He started screaming, swearing and shouting. They ran in the direction of the voices and saw Ron furious, red in the face, spittle flying from his mouth.
"Are you mental, Hermione? My brother is dead. His twin is devastated. My parents can hardly function. And all you can think about is going to Australia. Go then, Hermione, just go." and when he saw Harry entering the scene he turned his rage on him as well,
"Oh here he is, just saved the world from you know who and now here he is saving Hermione from a few home truths. You can eff off too, mate." He turned back to Hermione and shouted, "Take him to Australia with you, you make a great pair." and he stormed off back towards the Burrow.
Ginny approached Hermione and laid an hand on her arm,
"Oh Hermione, I am so sorry. Ron is bang out of order," she put an arm around her friend feeling somehow responsible.
"I suppose you will both go now? I don't want you to, either of you but I completely understand. And, I don't think he is going to get any better." Ginny looked so young all of a sudden, crestfallen and Harry felt like he was abandoning her to a mausoleum. But that wasn't fair. The Weasley's had just lost their son and brother and he didn't begrudge them their grief, he just wished there was a way to that he could help Ginny with hers.
As though she could read his mind she wrapped her arms around his waist and lay her head on his shoulder, "There is nothing you can do Harry, I know you and you are very sweet. But I think the best thing for you both to do right now is get the hell out of here while you can."
"But your parents, Ginny, George?" Said Harry.
"I will tell them, they will understand," said Ginny, "I really am sorry, Hermione are you going to be alright?"
"Our things, Ginny?" Hermione asked still hiding her ashen face and her red ringed eyes.
"Of course, you're the best at spells Hermione, can you just summon them? And I will race back to the Burrow and explain to mum why your things are leaving in such a way, and why you won't be here for dinner - " At this she burst into tears herself. "I'm sorry she said, take care, both of you," and ran away towards the Burrow before anything else could be said.
Hermione summoned their things and then Harry took her hand the disapparated to Shaftesbury Avenue London, remembering to walk immediately and briskly off the busy main road and onto the pedestrian pavement. They looked at each other suddenly feeling like they were at the beginning of another one of their adventures.
"Well at least this time we don't have to 'get off the street' and aren't being chased by death eaters." said Harry.
"No," agreed Hermione, all we have to worry about now is traffic, cash and where we are going to stay tonight.
"I want luxury" said Harry immediately, "I want the biggest bathtub we can afford, I want to eat my dinner while I'm in the bath and then I want to fall asleep in the biggest bed in London and I want to not hear Ron snoring!"
"Agreed" said Hermione, looping her arm through his.