A/N I'm baaaacckkkk! :) Do you guys miss me? Hehehe. I wanted to apologize for the long delay. This chapter had long been sitting on my flash drive. I just became too busy that I didn't have time to upload it. So here it is now! Tadaaaahhh! :) Enjoy reading. And let me hear your thoughts after :)
Chapter 6: Aftermath
Christmas was only three days away. Everyone in Hogwarts – students and teachers – was at their happiest mood. Everyone was preparing to leave the school to join their families for the holidays. Everyone was cheerful, everyone, except Harry.
He was sat at Gryffindor boys' dormitory's window sill, his favorite spot whenever he wanted to think things over. He couldn't bring himself to be happy, not after what happened last night. He felt like a total jerk. He knew how bad he had hurt Ginny and he knew he didn't deserve to be forgiven, not by Ginny, not by Ron.
Ron. Harry wondered if Ron already found out what happened last night. He pretended to be asleep earlier when Ron asked him if he wanted to come down for breakfast. Harry didn't think he was ready to face Ron. He didn't think he was ready if Ron suddenly punched him on the face. But he knew that sooner or later, he will have to face Ginny and Ron, and worse, the entire Weasley family, for he will be spending the Christmas with them. In fact, in just a few hours from now, he will be boarding the train with them on the way to the Burrow.
A slight knock on the door made Harry break free from his thoughts. It was Dean.
"Harry, Hermione's waiting for you downstairs. She told me she won't leave unless you come down to breakfast with her."
That was typical of Hermione. "All right, I will come down in a bit," Harry said and thanked Dean.
Harry found Hermione seated on a chair by the fireplace. The common room was quite deserted indicating that the other Gryffindors might have gone down for breakfast. When she saw him, she smiled at Harry.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked him.
"I don't know. You?" Harry asked her avoiding her eyes.
"Quite alright. We should go down. The others are waiting for us," Hermione told him and they headed towards the Great Hall.
"Hermione..." Harry said while they were walking. He wanted to ask her if she already knew but didn't know how to start.
"I know. Ron does too." Harry was a bit surprised on how Hermione read her mind. Maybe he was just that transparent.
"I heard her crying last night," Hermione continued, though Harry could tell that she was a bit awkward talking about this. "I immediately knew something was wrong when I saw you looking for her. I kind of figured that out especially when you didn't come back to the ball. Ron and I looked for you and Neville told us you went back to the dorm."
"Yeah, I'm sorry I wasn't able to say goodbye last night. I suddenly felt sick so I had to go back," Harry lied.
"Harry, Ron's not mad at you so don't worry," Hermione told him as they entered the Great Hall. Harry realized that there's no point in lying. His worries are too obvious, apparently, to Hermione at least.
Harry knew Hermione was only saying that to make him feel better. There was no way Ron wouldn't be mad at him. In fact, Harry was convinced that Ron would petrify him the moment he saw him. He almost wanted to cast a protective charm on himself right away, only he thought that he deserved to receive Ron's wrath.
As he and Hermione were approaching the Gryffindor's table, his eyes automatically searched for Ginny but he couldn't find her. Instead, he looked towards Ravenclaw's table and found Cho, smiling at him. He smiled back.
"Come. Ron saved us a seat," Hermione took his arm and led him.
At the mention of Ron's name, Harry felt like running away. When he saw Ron, waving at them, he felt worse than he was feeling earlier. He sat next to Dean, across Ron and felt even more awkward when Ron greeted him as if nothing happened.
"Morning, mate," Ron said and passed him the toast.
Harry knew Ron and Hermione were just pretending to be innocent to spare him from embarrassment in front of the other Gryffindors. No one mentioned about last night. In fact, they had a good laugh over breakfast, at least Hermione and Ron did since Harry never really felt like laughing since last night.
After breakfast, Professor Mcgonagall instructed them to get their trunks and to prepare for departure to Hogsmeade station where they will be boarding the Hogwart's Express. Still, Ron and Hermione were still talking to Harry as if nothing happened. They went to see Hagrid first to say their goodbyes.
" 'Arry! I 'ope you'll 'ave a happy Christmas. I really do," Hagrid told Harry and hugged him. He wondered if Hagrid knew what happened too.
The three of them then headed to Hogsmeade station together. Harry wondered why Ron hasn't mentioned the incident or why he hasn't punched him yet. Hermione too, was acting as if nothing is wrong when in fact Harry clearly knew that both his best friends knew what happened. When they arrived at Hogsmeade, the other students were already there. Harry saw Cho coming to his direction, and for a split second, he felt awkward talking to her in front of Ron so he walked a little further away.
"Harry, " Cho said as soon as she reached him and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hi. I'm... I'm sorry about last night. I wasn't able to come back because –"
"That's alright. Ron told me you felt sick and went back. I was kind of worried about you actually. How are you feeling now?" Cho said and touched his forehead.
At that moment, Harry saw Ginny from afar talking to her friends. He was a bit lost, and for a moment he felt like running to her to apologize. It was Cho's touch that brought him back to his senses.
"Oh, I'm feeling better now. Thanks. Listen Cho, would it be okay if I sit with Ron and Hermione for a while and then I'll come and find you?" Harry asked her. Harry hated himself for asking that question. But he hated himself even more for the reason; it seemed like he didn't want to be seen with Cho, for now. He didn't want to be seen by Ginny at least.
"Sure, that's fine. I figured you would want to talk to them that we got back together. So yeah, that's fine," Cho said smiling at him.
Harry helped Cho settle down on a compartment first and then went to look for Ron and Hermione. He was kind of expecting Ginny to be on the same compartment and felt disappointed when she wasn't there, only Ron and Hermione. He then realized Ginny would probably never stay at one place again if he's there. This thought gave Harry a slight pang in the chest. As soon as Harry closed the door to the compartment, there was an awkward silence. Harry knew that this was the time to talk about what they were supposed to talk.
"Okay. Drop it. There's only the three of us now so both of you can stop pretending like everything's fine," Harry said while looking at both Ron and Hermione's knowing faces. He noticed that Ron's mood suddenly changed. He fell silent and just looked at the floor. "I'm sorry, mate," Harry continued looking at Ron. "I knew how bad I had hurt Ginny and I deserve whatever it is that you would say to me. I would understand if you punch me, right here, right now."
Ron looked up at him but Harry didn't see any anger in his eyes.
"I'm not mad at you, Harry. Well maybe I was when I first found out. I can't help it right? I mean, she's my sister. But then I realized it wouldn't help if I'll get mad at you. And besides, it wasn't like you cheated on her or something. Instead of mad, I'm more of worried about you," Ron said while looking at Harry.
"Yeah, thanks. But I'm fine. You don't have to worry. I feel better now," Harry answered and gave Ron a reassuring pat.
"No. That's not what I meant. I'm worried about you… and Ginny," Ron said with a worried face.
"What do you mean?" Harry and Hermione asked in chorus.
"Ginny… She may seem nice and all but she doesn't forgive easily. There was one time when Fred and George played a prank on her and she got really mad. She didn't talk to them for a month! They literally did everything just to get Ginny talk to them again. And now… it seems like you'll be going the same so good luck with that, mate," Ron said earnestly.
Harry didn't know what to say. If Ginny really didn't talked to the twins for a month just because of a stupid prank, then how long will it take him? Six months? A year? He was in deep thought when Ron spoke to him again:
"And another thing, she may look sad and hurt right now but believe me, she'll get back up. She always does. And when she takes her turn, I'm not sure whether you'll like it or not. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Harry answered. "Totally."
Harry didn't know if talking to Ron about what happened had been a good idea. He should feel relieved that his best friend wasn't mad at him. But after everything Ron told him about Ginny, he felt even worse. He knew Ron wasn't joking when he said those things.
At long last, the train came to a stop signaling that they've arrived at King Cross' station. Harry felt somehow better that they could finally get off from the train and that in a few hours, he will be at the Burrow with his favorite family. But as soon as he caught sight of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's happy faces, he wanted to disappear. For a moment, he thought of spending the holidays with the Dursleys just to escape from all of this. But he knew that wasn't happening.
Mrs. Weasley hugged him, Ron and Hermione as soon as they came near them.
"I missed the three of you! I'm so glad you'll be spending Christmas with us Harry. And you too Hermione," said Mrs. Weasley without letting go of Harry.
"I'm more than pleasured Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said, beaming.
"Oh here they come," Harry heard Mr. Weasley saying pointing at the area where they came from.
When Harry followed where Mr. Weasley was pointing, his heart stopped. There she was, Ginny, walking towards them with Fred and George. She didn't look sad and hurt. She greeted her parents brightly and hugged them. She even teased Ron and Hermione about spending their first Christmas together. For a moment, Harry thought that Ginny was no longer mad at him, until he noticed one thing:
Ginny wasn't even looking at him. She was acting as if he wasn't there.
A/N What do you guys think? How awkward can it get once they arrived at the Burrow and literally "sleep under the same roof"? Lemme hear your thoughts! :)
