Hi everybody. :J So, here's the next chapter. It is based on the song "I Won't Let Go" by Rascal Flatts.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.
Harry couldn't believe how terribly wrong that had gone. He knew she was going to be mad, but he hadn't expected her to be that mad.
Well, what did you expect? Harry thought. Did you think that she'd just come running back to you because you said you were sorry? You abandoned her.
Harry needed to clear his head. He wasn't exactly sure how to do that though. He couldn't go talk to Ron or Hermione. They'd just want to talk about it and dissect every last word that was shared. He couldn't put up with that. It was really the last thing he needed.
So it was that he took to wandering the halls aimlessly. He didn't really know where he was going, but he also didn't really care. It wouldn't have been the first time.
He walked on and on and suddenly found himself in a courtyard nearly all the way across the castle from where he had started. He sat down on the ground and leaned back against the wall. He didn't know how long he had sat there when he heard a voice behind him.
"How did it go?"
Hermione. Harry mentally sighed and turned his head to her. It was silly to think that he could avoid her. She would run around the world to find him if she had to knowing that he had just talked to Ginny.
"Terrible," Harry said.
"Really?" Hermione asked. "What happened?"
"Hermione, I'm not having this conversation with you. I'd really rather not think about it."
"Harry…" Hermione gaze was sympathetic and she sat down next to him. "I'm so sorry…Honestly, I didn't-"
"Hermione? Where did you go?"
Hermione and Harry both turned to the voice. Ron appeared from around the corner.
"Oh, hey, Harry," Ron said, surprised.
"Hey, Ron," Harry said.
"You okay, mate?"
"Just dandy."
Hermione's sympathetic gaze came back with a vengeance while Ron just looked really confused.
"Um, okay…" Ron said, joining his two friends on the ground. Harry just sighed and pretended he didn't hear Ron and Hermione's whispers of "What's up with him?" and "He talked to Ginny." He knew he wasn't supposed to hear them, and decided to humor his friends.
"Hey, look, Harry," Ron said. "If you ever need to talk, we're both here."
"Yeah, until we breach the subject of your sister, that's off limits," Harry spat, not exactly sure why he was so mad.
"Hey, I'm not the one that made her cry all last summer," Ron said defensively.
"It's not like I did it on purpose!"
"She didn't know that!"
"Stop it, both of you!" Hermione cried. "You two are best friends, you shouldn't fight like this."
Both boys looked sheepishly at the ground.
"Sorry, mate," Ron mumbled.
"Yeah, sorry," Harry muttered back. He placed in head in his hands.
"Seriously though," Ron said, "we really are both here to talk to."
Harry didn't respond, but lifted his head.
"Harry, I know things are rough right now, but they'll get better," Hermione said. "Believe me."
Harry sighed.
"It will," Hermione assured him.
"And you're not alone," Ron added. "Hermione and I are always here."
Harry knew they were no longer talking about just Ginny. They were talking about everything. Everything that had happened. All the deaths. All the pain.
"We all know what you're going through, Harry," Hermione said. "And we're going to stand by you."
"Yeah, mate," Ron said. "We've come this far together. The three of us. It doesn't end here."
Harry couldn't help half-smile at that.
"We're always here," Ron said. "When you've reached your limit, and can't do anything more, we'll be here. And you might not want to hear this, and you may not believe it, but I know Ginny hasn't completely given up on you. I don't think she ever will."
"You'll be okay Harry," Hermione said. "Everything is going to be okay. It's hard to see now, but it will all work out now. It's dark now, but it will be brighter soon. The worst is over."
Harry nodded, but couldn't help but feel that the worst was yet to come in the aftermath of the war. They were missing so many people; nothing would be as it was. That would be the hardest part of it all.
"You have to believe us, Harry," Hermione said. "You may think you're lost, but at least you're not lost alone. We're right here with you. We always have been."
Harry gave her a sad smile. It was the best he could do. Both Ron and Hermione returned it.
"Now this has been really fun, but is it too much to ask to go back inside?" Ron asked. Just like Ron to totally obliterate the moment. The trio got to their feet and walked back into the castle in silence except for the sounds of their shoes on the destroyed castle floor. Harry had a large feeling of gratitude for his friends.
That one was pretty short, but they'll probably get a lot longer as we get farther into the story. I'm sorry if you thought that was too OOC or too mushy or whatnot, but I thought this discussion was needed, and it fit so well with the song.
Next Chapter: Someone dies…
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