CHAPTER NINE: Mending Bridges
A/N: I don't own any rights to Harry Potter. Little magic is used and homosexuality, violence, rape and language are used. Don't like it? Don't read it. You've been warned.
"Hermione!" Ron yelled, "Wait up!"
"Just leave me alone, I don't want to talk to anyone right now."
"I need to know…is what you said true?" Ron fixed his eyes upon the love of his life and waited for what felt like a lifetime to him for her to answer.
"Ron…I think you're a great guy but yes…what I was is true and…I'm not the same person I was a year ago. I need to get this out in the open. I'm not seeing someone but I am a lesbian and I couldn't stand to break your heart…I'm sorry Ronald but…we can't see each other anymore. I'm sorry…"
"My heart is breaking right now Hermione…why didn't you tell me? The longer you wait, the more it'll hurt, don't you know that?" Ron didn't love her but that doesn't exclude the fact that it didn't hurt. She lied to him and not as a friend but as a girlfriend, she lied. If they haven't ever dated, he still would be hurt by it.
"I know Ron and…I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"Don't bother. The only things I want are the things you'd rather give to a girl."
"Ron, don't be like this! Please! I just made myself look like a fool in there and now you're turning into one of them!"
"Who's them?"
"They are! Those students! Ron…why can't you accept this? I know you're in pain and if you need time away from me, I'll understand but you need to tell me or else I won't know. We can split breakfasts, lunch and dinners with Harry. I'll have all three meals with him on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The rest are yours! Don't make this harder on me than it already is. I just publicly displayed my sexuality in front of all of them. I was sick of hiding and now that I'm not hiding…it feels great but I want you to feel happy for me, not without me."
"You and Harry are both freaks. He's dating Draco and never told me, you're a lesbian and you never told me."
"Maybe if you made yourself more open and understanding, people wouldn't be so fucking hesitant to approach you! They think you'll yell at them like you always do Ron! That's why nobody tells you anything!"
"Did you cheat on me with a girl?"
"What?"
"You heard me Hermione…did you cheat on me with another girl?"
"No. I don't believe in cheating. I don't appreciate it. I would never rob you of your friendship or your love. You should know me by now Ron…"
"I thought I did but apparently, I don't."
"Well…if it makes you feel any better…you know me now. You know who I am, you know what I am and for once, I'm not ashamed of being who I am."
"You should be. You and Harry both should be ashamed of yourselves. My mother always taught me that love is between a man and a woman! Not two men and two women!"
"She's never told you about gays I know but I'm sure that she didn't disqualify them altogether Ron…or maybe you just weren't listening properly."
"If she found out that Harry is gay, she'd never let him back into our kitchen! She wouldn't let me speak to him anymore!"
"Then you need to tell her that she's the mother that Harry never had…she's one of the few adults who truly care about him and he needs that in his life so remind her of that. I'm sure she'll hear it from someone about this…Ron…I want you to understand something and I'd like to make this clear… Accepting someone for his or her own imperfections is not only staying true to the people you love but…it's also accepting your own flaws and your own mistakes. It's being able to say that yes, you make mistakes and you're not perfect and you're not trying to be perfect. You need to talk to your mother and make it clear that Harry is happy. You also need to give yourself a good talking to…be his friend. Don't be one of them."
Harry had climbed halfway up the stairs to the roof of the school but got yanked down and knocked over by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry's head was pounding from the fall and could barely make out who was standing over him.
"W-Who's there?" he asked in a weak tone.
"Don't fuck with our friend, Potter. He's upset about this enough. Don't meet him tonight. He's busy. He told us you and him were seeing each other secretly but we don't want you to anymore. Stay the fuck away from him or we'll do worse than pull you down from a set of steps." They both walked away leaving Harry to lie there on the floor (once again) and to ponder the questions in his mind, 'He told them? Why did he flip shit on me for telling Hermione but he can go and tell Crabbe and Goyle?'
Harry didn't care what Crabbe and Goyle said. 'I've overcome much worse things than two blokes who don't know the difference between pudding and Jell-O. I'm not afraid of them.'
Later on that night, Harry paced back and forth for the time to come to go and meet up with Draco when Ron abruptly burst into the bedroom. They both stood silently just staring at each other.
"So…you and Malfoy, huh?" Ron asked.
"Is that a problem?"
"Well…he's only been your enemy for how long now?"
"Ron…things are going great. I really like him and quite frankly, I don't care what anyone else thinks."
"I'm not here to argue Harry…I'm here to wish you best of luck walking into the Great Hall tomorrow morning. You should sit with him."
"I can't sit with him…people would stare at us."
"So? Let them stare. They're only making fools out of themselves." 'He's been talking to Hermione, I can tell,' he thought.
"What Hermione said earlier today…was that true?"
"Unfortunately, yes but she's not dating anyone. She said she was just lonely and whatnot…"
"I'm sorry Ron. That kinda…sucks."
"Well it ruined my ego a bit but at least we are still friends."
"That's good."
"You on your way to meet Draco?"
"Yeah…"
"Make things right with him again…I'm sure this will blow over by tomorrow."
"I doubt it. Get some sleep." Harry began walking toward the door nervously.
"Hey Harry…good luck tonight. I hope everything works out between you two and if not well…I'm always here for you, you know that." Harry felt comforted and thankful for Ron's words.
"Thanks Ron…Goodnight."
"Goodnight Harry."