Chapter 5

The Black Lake

Hermione turned around and there Harry was standing next to the tree she was leaning against. He seemed nervous and unsure, his hands in his pockets and staring at the ground.

"Hermione, are you okay?" He said still looking at the ground.

"No! I feel like an idiot. I can't believe that I ever believed that…" Hermione start saying but, Harry interpreted her.

"Ron does love you." Harry said knowing what she would say.

Hermione looked up at Harry surprised. She knew that he knew about her and Ron kissing but, she didn't know that he had any idea about anything else. However, she tried her hardest to sound brave and angry, that is all she wanted to feel.

"Yeah, Ginny and I were under the invisibility cloak and we saw." Harry said smiling a little.

"Well, Then you what a dirty little liar he is." Hermione said angrily.

"Hermione, He does love more than you could ever know." Harry said remembering an event that seemed like ages along.

"O, really and what makes you so sure?" Hermione said staring at him.

Harry quickly sat on a rock at the edge of the Black Lake. He stared at the lake, not wanting to look into Hermione's eyes.

"He is my best mate. I just know." Harry said picking at a pebble on the ground.

Hermione know Harry was lying. She was use to having Harry cover up the truth.

"Harry, don't disrespect my intelligence." Hermione said in the matter of fact voice, she used so often.

"Well, you see when Ron destroyed the locket…" Harry said reluctantly breaking off unsure whether he should be telling Hermione this or not. Ron was about to tell Hermione what happen that night in the tent but, Harry covered up for him. Hermione stared at him anxiously.

"The night he destroyed the locket, it didn't go as easily as I made it seem. When I opened it, it started talking and teasing Ron. It said that it knew his heart because he wore it. O, Hermione it said awful things. It revealed Ron's secrets. I felt terribly bad for him. It told him how he was always second best or least liked. Telling things like his mother wanted a daughter and not him. Then, well…" Harry started breaking off again.

He wanted Hermione to know how much Ron loved her and how he had for a long time. Hermione was looking at him waiting for him to complete the story. Harry knew she needed to know and decided to push on.

"Two distorted figures appeared from the locket. One was you and the other me. The one that was you was saying things like 'Who could love you next to Harry Potter?' Then they said that we or they, depending on which way you see it, were happier without him. And then…and then we kissed well, the figures kissed." Harry said adding particular speed to the last sentence.

Hermione sat there looking disgusted and regretful at the same time.

"But, I always thought of you as a brother. I never felt that way about you." Hermione said looking surprised.

"I know that is what I told Ron. But, that is how he always felt. So, you see he does love you more than anything or anybody. He didn't realize that…that Fred and everyone else were really gone. Ron needs time to deal with this and sometime will need to be on his own." Harry said trying to explain everything to Hermione.

"I get it, I just…I just don't want to lose him." Hermione said teary eyed.

"You won't, just be there when he needs you." Harry said kindly.

She smiled and finally understood everything. Why Ron was jealous and distant at times. She felt slightly lighter and smiled back at Harry.