Chapter 5 - The Fight

'Ow!' Bill exclaimed as he caught his leg on a nearby bramble. 'This is really starting to annoy me now.'

'I know what you mean,' agreed George as he swerved to avoid a low-hanging branch, 'Where the bloody hell could they be?'

Despite their regular complaints, neither of them really wanted to find Harry and Ginny, as that would mean going back to the Burrow. And at that particular moment in time, the Burrow wasn't quite the place it used to be.

Again, though neither of them voiced it, they were each very concerned about what 'position' they might find the couple in. They had brought their wands, for if Harry did, or had done something they weren't too happy with, he was going to know. Hey, she was their baby sister; no-one could blame them for wanting to protect her.

'Remember, we're listening out for a river, that's where they always talk about going, and I'll bet they'll be there this time,' Bill repeated for the tenth time that morning.

'Yes Bill, I noooooooo.'

'Ok, ok, just reminding you.'

They continued in silence for a while, weaving in and out of the trees. They had been searching for nearly an hour now and Mrs Weasley was sure to be wondering where they had got to.

'Stop!' Bill yelled, 'Hear that?'

'Nope, what is it?'

'Rushing water,' he paused listening. 'That way,' he pointed and starting heading off to his left.

'Aha!' cried George as they rounded the last of the trees to find the couple lay on the bank of the river in each others arms, Harry's lips still pressed against the top of Ginny's head, which was sat on his chest.

They both stirred at the sound of George's voice.

'Eh,' Harry was the first to speak. 'What's goin' on?' he asked groggily, as he shook Ginny off him and sat up.

'We are so very sorry to wake you from what I'm sure was a very,' George paused to find the right word, 'romantic little sleep, but it is 11 'o' clock and everyone's re-'

'Eleven?!' Harry cried jumping up.

'What's wrong Harry?' Ginny asked, still sat on the ground.

'Hermione,' he replied, taking her hand and pulling her up, 'She should have woken up by now and if she hasn't, she will do very soon. We'll see you at the Burrow in about 10 minutes, we'll be in contact if it's gonna be any longer,' he added to Bill and George, who nodded absentmindedly, seeming to get the gist of what was going on.

'Hang on!' Bill added, 'We don't know how to get back . . . ' But he petered off at the end, for Harry and Ginny had already gone.

'Phew,' Harry sighed, 'she's still asleep. We should wake her up though, we need to get back to the Burrow,' he added, looking up at Ginny.

'But she looks so peaceful just there.' Ginny argued. Harry looked back down at Hermione; it was true, she didn't look worried or phased by anything. He didn't want to wake her either.

But it seemed their talking had already roused her. 'Huh?' she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

'Hermione,' Ginny began, resting a resurring arm on her shoulder, 'we need to get back to the Burrow now. We understand if you don't want to come. You can stay here all day and we'll come back later and tell you everything if you want.'

Understanding replaced curiousity on her face. 'No, no!' she cried, jumping up, 'I want to know what he-' a dark look flashed across her face '-has got to say for himself. I need to know.'

'Well, if you're sure.' and with that Ginny grabbed both their hands and they apparated back to the Burrow.

The tension in the usually warm and friendly lounge could be cut with a knife. Everyone was crowded around one end of the room, with Ron sat fidgetting at the other. No-one knew what to say. No-one knew where to start. Everyone however, was avioding meeting Ron's eyes.

'Well . . . Er . . .' Mr Weasley began with a cautious look at his wife. 'We all know what Ron has done,' he said more confidently, like he was at some sort conference, 'and we are now going to discuss it.'

Everyone was now looking at Mr Weasley, waiting for him to go on. 'Well don't look at me, I haven't done anything!'

All eleven heads whipped around to face Ron, who looked swiftly up.

'Wha' d' ya wanna know?' he asked very quietly and very roughly.

'Why, Ron,' Hermione whispered through her tears. Her voice sounded as though it might just break with emotion.

Ginny wrapped her arms around her in comfort and Ron turned to face them, guilt and sorrow all over it.

'I-I just . . .' he looked down at his lap. 'I was jealous,' he blurted out suddenly. 'They were so happy, everything was working for them. They weren't even mourning Fred or Tonks or Lupin or anyone!'

'Fred would have wanted them to be happy!' George yelled out, his anger getting the better of him. 'He wouldn't have wanted them to mourn.'

'Ron, don't you understand? Harry's spent his whole life being bullied, worrying, fighting, mourning, or something like that. Didn't you think he deserved a bit of happiness after everything he'd done for the wiarding world?' Mr Weasley asked, leaning forward.

'But we were there too! Me and Hermione!' Ron exclaimed, angry now. 'He was always the one who got the attention! It was him who won the Triwizard Tournament and got all that fame, but he wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for us two! No-one ever noticed us, no, we were just famous Harry Potter's famous friends! One step behind him all the time!'

WHAT?! Harry's mind exclaimed . He knew had Ron got jealous, but that was years ago! He was sure Ron had got over that.

Harry was quick to recover from this revelation. 'Do you think I enjoyed that Ron? The staring and the whispering? Everywhere I went?' He was now standing up in front of the sofa, ''cos you're welcome to it Ron, anytime!'

'Uh-uh,' he faltered, looking down. There was silence for a moment, the only sound Harry's heavy breathing and all eyes focused on Ron.

'But even now!' he continued, looking back up, 'You and Ginny! Won't leave each other alone! Ever!'

'Yeah, well,' Harry sat slowly back down, 'you're not a lot better.'

'Actually, me and Hermiome-' he broke off.

It was then Harry realised what he had said; Ron and Hermione were forever getting on each other's nerves. They always seemed to Harry to be on the very edge, but this was sure to have knocked them right over.

But he didn't regret it. Not at all. The worse Ron felt, the better.

'But that's beside the point!' Ron yelled. 'You just don't understand how I was feeling! How I am feeling!'

'Then help us to Ron,' Mrs Weasley said softly.

'Urgh,' he replied, shooting an irritated glance at his mother, 'fine!'

He paused.

'I was still upset! I was still scared! Not everything was working out for me! But to Harry. Oh yes, to Harry! Life was perfect! Everything was just so bloody perfect! Urgh!'

Everyone was staring at a now hysterical Ron.

'What?' he shreaked.

'So you chose to destroy everything I had? That was making me happy?' Harry asked, standing up and advancing on Ron.

'YES!!!'

'And you thought we'd both just go on with our lives? As if nothing had happened? Except without the other?'

'Well, I didn't think you behave as much as an ... an ...' Ron struggled to find the right word, 'an whatever as you have been!'

Harry plunged his hand into his back pocket.

He didn't believe this was happening - Ron, his best mate, and now he was prepared to hex him. More than prepared to, he really, really wanted to hex him, and now, in this very minute, he was going to.

But as he raised his wand, he saw three lines of red light whizz past him, and seconds Ron was slumped back against the wall.

Shocked, Harry spun around. What he saw very much surprised him; three people were stowing theirs wands away, but they were not the three people he had expected to see.