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Chapter 13
Surviving Alone

Harry didn't go back to Everwood with Ron that night. Hurt and angry, he explained to Cam and Amanda that word had spread back in London about Ron's sickness and that Harry had found out when Ron's mother had called to reprimand him for keeping it a secret. Cam and Amanda were under the impression that Ron and Harry visited friends in a nearby town called Silverton each week for dinner, considering Ron couldn't exactly explain how they'd get to London for supper and back to Everwood in the course of three to four hours. Ron had also thrown in a lie about where Harry was, saying that he'd decided to stay in a hotel in Silverton until he could sort out how to handle the new information. Cam and Amanda had understood Ron's silent plea to drop the subject, Cam running to order pizza and break out a new carton of ice cream and Amanda picking out movies to take Ron's mind off of everything for the night.

Ron appreciated it, as did his stomach seeing as he didn't eat at his mum's. He spent half an hour explaining everything to his mother, father, and best friend. When he'd finished, his mum and dad had asked questions determinedly. His mum had told him about her friend from Hogwarts that was now a Healer and promised him that she'd owl him that evening. Ron had been factual about everything, not letting his feelings get to him. Harry sat at the table with them the whole time, staring at his feet silently. After an hour or so, Ron's dad went for a walk around the garden to swallow everything while his mum went straight to the stove to cook. Harry, though, had stood after only a small second and mumbled that he "couldn't do this," before Apparating away. Ron had been so heartbroken that he'd given his mum a small kiss on the cheek before grumbling that he had to get back home and Apparating to the back alleyway in Everwood near his apartment that he and Harry used for leaving and entering the town.

Cam and Amanda were great and it was just what Ron had needed, yet halfway through the first movie, Ron had ran to the bathroom to retch. He had briefly thought that maybe he had food poisoning, or his stomach was upset from day's happenings, but deep down he knew it was the illness; and what was more: he knew it was getting worse.

Cam and Amanda settled him into his bed with his sick bowl and a glass of water. They didn't call Jeremy this time, because Ron didn't want to bother him. There was nothing Jeremy could do until he came up with a cure. As far as the episodes, Ron knew he just had to ride them out. He planned to call Jeremy the following day to let him know that the episodes were getting closer together, but other than that Ron just planned to let the episode blow over while he stayed in bed and tried not to think about the fact that he missed Harry. He knew it was better off if Harry left him. He knew that if Harry stayed with Ron it would just be worse in the end if the illness took Ron. He just couldn't help that he loved the raven-haired boy and wanted nothing more than said boy to be lying beside him, running a cold wash-cloth over Ron's overly-sweaty forehead.

When the episode had finished, Ron felt knackered. It took while due to his overactive thoughts, but eventually sleep took Ron and Ron surrendered gratefully.


Two days later found Ron and Amanda on their lunch break at work, eating sandwiches under a tree. Harry still hadn't contacted Ron, but he wasn't letting his fear and anxiety about it show on the outside because he didn't want his friends and coworkers to know he was hurt by it. More than that, though, he was trying to convince himself that it was for the better and it proved easier to do that when he wasn't letting himself fall apart.

"I think it's time you drive down to Silverton," Amanda told Ron nonchalantly between bites.

Ron chuckled. "Something tells me he isn't there anymore."
"You think he went back to London?" she asked, her eyes bearing into his questioningly.

"Er, yeah. I dunno, doesn't seem like he's coming back, does it. So, it doesn't make sense for him to stay there,"

Amanda stopped eating and put her sandwich down. "He's coming back. He's in love with you."

Ron felt uneasy. That was weird to hear. They didn't talk like that to each other, or especially about each other to other people. Trying to change the subject, he remembered Cam had taken Amanda out last night. He'd shown Ron the engagement ring he planned on giving to her. Ron instinctively looked down at Amanda's ring finger and broke into a wide grin.

"Goofy git finally asked, I see," Ron stated happily, his eyes telling her what he meant.

She laughed easily and unconsciously grabbed at the ring and started to play with it, never removing it from its place on her finger.

"Do you think it's too soon? We've only been together for less than three months, you know?" Her question seemed hesitant, but her voice didn't. Her voice seemed excited and happy, hopeful and in love.

"I feel like you can be engaged for a while, I mean you don't have to get married right away. I've never seen a couple as meant-to-be as you two," Ron told her, meaning every word.

Amanda looked Ron straight in the eye and her face turned serious and determined. "I have."

Change in POV
I could say that it didn't hurt me, that time when Harry wasn't speaking to me. I could say that I was being selfless and knew it was for the better. I could say that I didn't even noticed how much time had passed- (twelve days, twenty-three hours, and thirty-six minutes). I could tell you that it didn't phase me that he didn't care that I was sick and didn't want to be there for me and help me beat the illness and get through it all. But, of course, I'd be lying. It hurt like hell. My true love for this one man was the most painful experience I've ever survived. But I did survive that. I was just struggling to survive my illness, and Harry's absence was making it a lot harder.