Depth of Knowledge
A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all your feedback from the last chapter like usual. Enjoy the next one. =D
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all its characters and plot are not mine. Only the plot, I hope.
Chapter 8: Ron's Decisions and Outings
The following morning found the trio eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Harry's determined mood had faded slightly, a more fearful one serving as a replacement. He was going to die. The thought sent shivers through Harry. Would it be painful? Feel like nothing? How were they even going to kill Harry? Who was going to kill Harry?
"Harry, Hermione and I were thinking that you needed some time for, well, some relationships before you go." Ron said uncertainly, poking his food slowly. This was unlike Ron, who ate with vigour twenty-four seven. Harry snickered.
"I think there are better things to do besides finding a girlfriend for myself I'll only have for a year, give or take." Harry stated. "Besides, I doubt any girl would even think of dating me when I tell her about, well, my "problem."
"Harry, trust me, many girls would like to go out with you!" Hermione confidently said, girls around the Gryffindor table looking weirdly at the two. Harry sighed.
"Hermione, can we do something else besides get me into a pointless relationship? I mean, I'm a dead man walking basically. Can we, I don't know, have some fun outside of Hogwarts for a change?"
"Harry, you know Dumbledore…"
"I don't give a damn about Dumbledore at the moment!" Harry whispered furiously, stabbing his fork into the table. "He's been a manipulative idiot who can't seem to help me at all! I swear, it seems like the man knew of my inevitable death long before you guys discovered it!" Harry took a deep breath.
"Hermione, come on! Maybe we can ask Dumbledore to permit Harry and us outside the castle walls for a bit?" Ron pleaded, interested in seeing muggle amusements. He hadn't been to the "movies" yet.
"Oh, alright, but this is just for you, Harry!" Hermione huffed before she got up and left. Ron laughed.
"Well, you know how persistent Hermione is with her rules."
Harry smiled.
Harry was devastated to hear news that Dumbledore hadn't permitted the three from leaving the grounds. Sad, but expected. Harry knew the headmaster wouldn't let his precious Boy-Who-Lived leave. Harry had a plan though, a simple one, but effective.
"Okay, so here's the plan." Harry quipped, showing Ron and Hermione the scroll he had written on the past night. Harry swore he hadn't seen Ron come in until late that night.
"With the invisibility cloak, we'll get out of the castle easily. The problem is, who will serve as our replacements? Well, for the past several days, I've been brewing a polyjuice potion in Myrtle's bathroom. As simple as it sounds, I have asked two house elves to take the potion every night until we get back." Harry finished, wrapping up the paper.
"Harry, house elves have different magic! You can't just assume they'll have the same results as witches and wizards!" Hermione said exasperatedly. Ron didn't seem to be in the program. His eyes were fixed on a wall behind Harry.
"Yes, but doing some research, I have discovered Free Elves to have the same effect of the potion as wizards and witches!" Harry replied triumphantly. Hermione's eyes widened.
"Which would mean you could use Dobby and Winky!" Hermione excitedly whispered. "Harry it's brilliant!" She went to embrace Harry, but he meandered out of the way. Hermione seemed shocked.
"Sorry, Hermione!" Harry said quickly. "But look at Ron. What's going on with him?" Hermione looked at her boyfriend, who appeared to be in a daze.
"Ronald?" Hermione asked, sitting beside him and patting his head. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, just fine." Ron replied, his eyes never leaving the wall in front of him.
"I saw him come in late last night. You guys have a row or something?" Harry asked. Hermione, surprised, shook her head.
"No, we just said goodnight and he went up to your guy's dormitory right after."
"Hermione, I'm sorry."
Both Harry and Hermione looked over at Ron.
"Sorry, for what?" Hermione asked slowly. Harry had already caught on. He had had his suspicions beforehand.
"Hermione, I...I...I kissed Lavender. Then it got out of hand... and then we ended up…" Ron looked ready to kill himself.
Harry immediately pulled out his wand and made a shield charm between the two. This was going to get ugly, fast. Hermione didn't seem to have understood.
"Wait, so you and Lavender…"
"Hermione, Ron and Lavender did it last night. It's quite clear." Harry cleared the situation up for her.
Silence, except for the buzzing shield charm.
"Ron." Hermione said quietly. The boy was backing up slowly.
"Why." Hermione stepped even closer to Ron's retreating body.
"Would." Harry tried to make another shield charm, but failed when he dropped his wand.
"You."
"DO IT WITH LAVENDER!" Hermione grabbed Ron by the collar and started punching the lights out of him. Harry, horrified, ran to the scene and tried pulling the rage-induced girl away from the poor boy.
"GET OFF OF ME, HARRY!" Hermione shrieked, turning around and kneeing Harry in the crotch.
"What the hell!" Harry yelped, rolling to the ground and groaning in pain. Hermione had stopped beating Ron senseless. She looked between the two boys, now sprawled on the ground clutching their injuries.
"Oh my gosh, Harry, I'm so sorry!" Hermione shrieked, coming to his side.
"It's, alright...I think. Might need to...limp over to the infirmary." Harry grunted, getting up slowly and hobbling over to the portrait. He turned back.
"Oh, and give me Ron." He added.
"No, he's staying right here!" Hermione commanded, and Harry shrugged before exiting the Common Room. Harry guessed a talk was coming between the two. Harry also guessed Hermione had made him incapable of having children again.
Harry emerged later from the hospital wing that day, hobbling at a slightly faster pace than when he entered. It was a good thing it was Saturday, because Harry really didn't feel like doing homework. About to enter the Common Room, Harry heard loud screams filling the room behind the portrait.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you." The Fat Lady said, gesturing at the commotion. Harry nodded before going back down the stairs. He couldn't decide where to go. The lake? The hall? With a sigh, Harry decided to go back. He might as well try and save his mate from any more beatings coming his way. Muttering the password and stepping inside, Harry found Hermione fuming on the couch, Ron at the other end of the room. He looked like crap.
"So, I'm guessing things went well?" Harry asked, looking between the two. No one answered. Hm, now the decision came. Would he comfort his black-eyed mate or the heartbroken girl? It was an easy decision. Harry walked over to the couch and sat down next to Hermione.
"So, have things been sorted out?" Harry asked exasperatedly. "I'd rather not risk another kick to the privates." Hermione smiled slightly.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I was just a little bit mad." Hermione apologized, a sad expression falling on her face. "Ron and I have broken up." Harry's heart stopped, a huge wave of guilt surging through his mind. What monster was he, thinking of such selfish thoughts?
"Oh, I'm sorry." Harry murmured quietly, watching Hagrid's hut outside. Harry could hear Ron sulking about his cuts and injuries, and felt sorry.
About to get up to comfort his friend, Hermione lunged at Harry and pressed her lips to his. A shock ran through his body, and he tried to squirm out of the deathly grip the girl was holding him in. She let go, Harry flying backwards and crashing into the nearby window. A look of astonishment was plastered on his face. Ron had angrily stomped up to the dormitory.
"What the bloody hell was that?!" Harry shouted at Hermione. She looked smug.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I've got a plan."
"A PLAN TO USE ME FOR JEALOUSY?!" Harry screamed, his rage unleashing through his mind. He couldn't control it this time. Hermione's eyes widened, a look of major guilt passing through them.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I've been so selfish, I shouldn't have..." Harry was shaking, his hands uncontrollably reaching for his wand.
"You know I like you, Hermione. I know I do. Why would you do such a thing to me?" Harry's anger had reached its highest point, the time when he fell quiet. Hermione was backing up slowly.
"Harry, I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking and..." Harry, in fury, picked up a flower vase on a table and threw it across the room, it shattering instantly.
"You weren't thinking? Oh, I couldn't tell Hermione. Right now, Ron seems like a decent guy compared to you!" Harry, finally fighting down his anger, spat before bumping hard against her as he passed to the dormitory stairs. He didn't look back.
Climbing the stairs, Harry found Ron at the top with his ear pressed to the wall. He jumped in surprise when Harry tapped him on the shoulder.
"Eavesdropper." Ron inhaled a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.
"Sorry, mate. I was just really curious, you know, with my ex-girlfriend kissing you." Ron sounded genuinely apologetic.
"It's okay. Really angry with her at the moment." Harry padded across the room, flinging himself onto his bed and turning over to look up at the ceiling. "So, about enjoying some time away from the wizarding world…"
Harry and Ron managed to sneak away from the castle grounds, Dobby and Winky agreeing to take the polyjuice potions every day for that week and attend their classes. Although Harry knew that the elves would not be able to answer most questions the professors asked, he was sure they wouldn't suspect much. After all, Harry and Ron weren't known for answering questions correctly every time. Not like Hermione.
The boys exited Hogwart's premises, able to apparate away once they had cleared the grounds. Harry suggested the boys go to downtown London in search of amusements, Ron agreeing immediately. He had no knowledge of what muggles did for entertainment. The boys trudged through downtown, unsure of what to do.
"Fancy a butterbeer?" Ron asked. "There ought to be a pub somewhere around here." Harry laughed.
"Ron, there isn't any butterbeer in London. How about we go to a coffee shop instead?" Harry asked, gesturing to a quiet cafe near a clothing shop. The two entered, ordering two hot chocolates after discovering that coffee had something called "caffeine." Harry didn't like the sound of it.
"You know, Harry. Maybe you're being a bit harsh with Hermione, especially this decision to go with only me." Ron mumbled while sipping his hot drink. Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes under his glasses.
"I know. I feel terrible for not inviting Hermione to come. It's just, the girl really got on my nerves and it still pains me." Ron nodded in understanding.
"Yeah, I know how that feels." Harry started snickering.
"Hah, you also know how another thing feels, if I've been aware of correctly. Lavender seemed to be part of this." Harry prodded, poking his finger into his mate's chest. Ron blushed a reddish color.
"Yeah, let's not go into those dark corners of conversation." Ron tried to steer away from his cheating with Lavender, but Harry remained curious.
"Not to prod or pry into your personal life, Ron, but what was with this entire cheating scandal with Lavender. I find it so against what you normally believe in." Harry was irked of his best friend cheating on his other friend, but he definitely wanted to hear Ron's side.
"I don't know. Something went through me, and I just had this moment where I wanted to..."
"Do it with Lavender?" Harry finished, Ron nodding slightly while he smashed his head against the cafe table multiple times. "You know she was a mess after facing Hermione?" Ron nodded glumly.
"Proof I'd be the worst candidate for a girlfriend, making two girls that were once in a romantic relationship with me despise me in one day." Ron was beating himself up, and Harry felt pity for him. And for Hermione.
The boys exited the café after a couple more minutes, shivering after entering the brisk afternoon air. With the temperature still cold, Harry and Ron decided to go to the cinemas to catch a movie. They watched an action film about some cars and shooting, a romance movie where the desperate maiden falls in love with an ugly beast, and a show about true love. Harry thought they were all cheesy and unoriginal, but Ron thought the opposite as they exited the cinemas.
"That HAD to have been one of the most interesting things I have seen in my life!" Ron exclaimed. Harry shook his head.
"Watch, you'll say that's boring after we do better stuff." Harry said as they continued up Viewmont Blvd to a street that connected to The Leaky Cauldron. It was getting late, and Harry decided the boys had better find a place to crash. Harry entered and Tom came rushing over, ignoring a waiting customer.
"Why, Mr. Potter!" He gasped, looking up at his scar. "What brings you hear besides being in school?"
"Hello, Tom. Ron and I are just exploring more of London and the muggle world." Harry responded politely. Tom showed them to their room which consisted of two beds and a nightstand. The boys crashed almost instantly, having had almost no sleep from the night before.
Crying. Sniffles.
Harry turned on the light on the nightstand to see Hermione, her body curled next to Harry's bed on the ground with her head propped on the nightstand.
"Hello, Harry."
Harry turned his body the other way, turning the light off and staring at the opposite wall. Morning was a long ways away.
A/N: Man, that's kind of a stupid and selfish move on Harry's part, leaving Hermione at Hogwarts. He did feel quite upset, though, with her dreamt up plan. Thanks for reading!
Vegasman59: Haha, well, we'll say later in the story how she turns out. Right now, I totally agree. She really does seem quite shallow, and just cruel and mean. Like, seriously. Thanks for the review!?
And THANKS to all my new followers and favoriters!
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