A/N: The iPod Challenge. Ron/Hermione. Beta'd by Siriusly Smart.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything in the HP universe.
Keeping me awake,
It's been like this now for days,
My heart is out at sea,
My head all over the place,
I'm losing sense of time,
And everything tastes the same,
I'll be home in a day,
I fear that's a month too late
-Always Attract by You Me At Six
The teenage redhead lay in his bed that night, thinking of how he had done them both wrong. He couldn't believe he had left when things got a little bit too hard for him. It had always been harder for both of them than it had been for him. His family usually understood why he had to do this, why he had to stand up and fight against what was wrong, and they would fight with him.
Harry had no family. He had no one that would stand by him and support his every decision. He had nobody that would be there for him, waiting for him to come home. And Hermione... Hermione fought against the world, proving just how amazingly brilliant she actually was. She fought against the world when her family didn't understand what was going on; it was easier for her not to tell them most of the time. Now she's out in the real world, fighting against people that would not think twice about killing her.
"Bloody hell," Ron whispered in annoyance as he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. His Hermione was out there somewhere, in the middle of danger. He could see it in his head. She was upset that he had left and she was probably cursing the very ground he walked on. In a fraction of a second, Ron realized that all he wanted to do was comfort her, tell her that everything was okay. He wanted her to know that he was sorry for leaving her and Harry.
Harry had stood by him for so long. He had stuck up for him when he didn't have to. Harry was always like another brother to him. And this is how I'm repaying him, thought Ron, disgusted with himself. I've been a terrible friend.
He had been like this for the few days that he had been back at home. He rarely spoke to anyone and when he did there was no meaning or feeling in his words. When the rest of the family were sitting together and talking he would be in his room, sorting his thoughts out.
His mother had been furious when he came home. "Ronald Weasley! You left your two best friends, the ones that have always been there for you, alone!" she had screamed. But now, she was worrying. Her youngest son was pale and acted distant. Did he need help? She didn't know, but she thought it best to leave him to his thoughts. He's a tough boy, Molly, she thought. He'll be alright.
It was nighttime again. Ron hated the nighttime the most. He had no distractions. Each night, he laid on his bed and thought of everything that had happened, everything that he'd done.
It was nearly two weeks later that he came to this realization: I need to find them. I need to apologize. I need to make sure they're safe. Cursing himself for leaving them, he packed everything and ran into the rain. He belonged with them, because home is where the heart is, and his heart was with Hermione and Harry.