Chapter 17

Hey guys, sorry this is quite late, but recently I've got back into writing, which is good for you, and me, and this story. Theres another chapter for this stoy that you can expect in the next few weeks that Ive already written! I know, I do treat you! Anyway, on with the show!

RON'S POV:

"I think we should visit Lovegood," said Hermione, almost nervously as she addressed the black haired wizard before her.

"What? Hermione that's insane! It's too dangerous-"

"I'ts a risk I know we have to take. Come on Harry; he obviously has information he can share with us about the Deathly Hallows! We need all the answers we can get if we want to get this done!"

"But Hermione-"

"But what? We obvioulsy aren't epiphinising right now, are we? So let's just go! Any information is good information, right?"

Harry was huffing, trying to come up with some way to disagree. But of course Hermione was right: this is Hermione we're talking about; she's always bloody right!

"I agree with Hermione. We should go see Lovegood. Let's take a vote, eh? Who says we go?" I say enthusiastically, raising my hand. She looked up at it, then to m face, so I smiled toothily. She turned to Harry, and I definately saw her raise her eyebrows before she walked out of the tent. Just before she left, she turned and said, much more confidently than before: "I guess that means we're going. Tomorrow morning." She was on first watch, and I gazed after her as she went to sit at the mouth of our home.

"You should go talk to her," prompted Harry as he went into the kitchen to make a brew.

"She won't talk to me. She'll just ignore me or tell me to piss off!" I say, leaning against the sink.

"Then maybe you should fight for her attention. She needs to know that you're stillthe annoying wanker you were before and then work up from there! She's only making you suffer because she suffered. She cried for weeks Ron! Probably longer, she just didn't let me hear. And all that time she hated herself for suffering and hated you for leaving her and making her suffer."

"I suffered! Doesn't she think I hated myself too? She has every right to hate me!"

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and fight for her. That's what she needs right now." We paused in our discussion as Harry stired his tea. "And take her this; make it a conversation starter if you will," he smiled, passing me the chipped mug, with a faded Harpies logo on it. I returned the smile, thanking him, and then walking to the door, dodging her blanket-clad figure.

"Here you go, that'll warm you up," I say, handing her the mug.

"Thanks Harry," she calls back into the tent, replied by a chuckle from within the canvas, all while she raised an eyebrow at me. She took a sip and went back to her book, her wand blanced behind her ea, as if it wasn't even there. The ignorance was killing me.

"Tell me!" I siad, slightly louder than I had planned, making her jump.

"My god Ronald! Tell you what?" she gasped, putting down her book.

"Tell me what I've got to do to get you to talk to me again! I miss you!" I say desperately.

"You miss me? You say that as if you're surprised! Didn't you miss me before? You know, when you left us! Don't you realise that you can't just come back into our lifes and expect everything to go back to the way it was within a few days!"

"Why not?" Oh Merlin, I should NOT have said that, I knew it the second the words left my stupid bloody mouth.

"Why not?! WHY NOT?! Why do you think 'not'? Need I spell it out again? You. Left. Us. At the worst possible moment to leave us. And you chickened out, because our life isn't glam enough for you, or because our food doesn't match up to your mothers perfect cooking. Do you not see how stupid that was?"

"Why was it stupid? You guys don't need me; you've got the brains, he's got the power, and what do I have?"

"Without you we are nothing! You mean everything to me!" She gasped as she realised her error, though it took me a few seconds to register what she had just said. Once everything was taken in, she sat down (I hadn't realised she'd stood up) her head in her hands. I just stood there awkwardly, of course, because I'm a prick, until I saw her shoulders shake.

"'MIone," I whispered, kneeling in front of her. She had her face hidden, so I parted her hair and prised away her hands. "'MIone, it's okay." She just nodded, and leaned on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her slim shoulders instinctively and I felt her relax into me. I caught Harry's attention with a wave of my hand, and with awful sign language got him to take Hermione's shift, promising to repay him later. I released one of my hands from behind her and shifted her so I could pick her up. She mumbled some sort of "leave me be" but that wasn't going ot happen. Takingher inside, I laid her on her bed. When askd if she wanted anything, with her eyes closed,she tugged on my Cannons hoodie, "'Mione, you don't like the Cannons!" to which she replied with a pull on my hand.

So there I was, two minutes later: in bed with Hermione Granger. I knew I was only acting as a pillow, and if she came to her senses she'd probably kill me, but I decided to savour every moment,because for all I knew I couldnever get this chance again: either of us could be dead tomorrow! She smelt so nice, even though I'd seen her throw out her bottle of perfume I bought her years ago two days earlier: yes I had noticed. Itwas just her natural smell...and it was heavenly.

HERMIONE'S POV:

Honestly, Harry needs to trust me more! Visiting Lovegood could give us answers we would never establish on our own!And I cannot believe Ron felt he had to stick up for me; I'm not a helpless female! I've had to look after and defend myself for quite some time, thank you very much. He cam eoutside and handed me a cup of tea, but I wasn't fooled for a minute. "Thanks Harry" I almost laughed at how silly it all was, but of course Ron had to come and blow everything out of the water. He's really tiring me out at the moment. I'm so tired. And I know for a fact that I've never looked worse.

"Why not?" I looked at him, incredulously pondering how to deal with his pettiful stupidity. This argument went on, shouts getting louder, and I ended up stood, wand in hand, ready to seriously damage the arse off of him!

" You meaneverything to me!" And there it was, out in the open: i display of my weakness. I sat, not so gracefully, and the tears began. I had no idea where they were coming from anymore, I'd cried so much in the months previously. But they insisted on carrying on, pouring down my cheeks, into my hair, my face a mess once more. The way I saw it he was just a shoulder to cry on. Well, not just that, he is Ron after all. I vaguelly remember being carried back into the tent, but when he let go of me I felt instantly cold. I had to have him, if nothing else. He would do to take the nightmares away, just for tonight.

Next morning I found myself in an empty bed, beign rocked awake by Harry, and I noticed a huddled shadow outside our tent: Ron, keeping watch. I was grateful to him for once: no nightmares. That certainly was a plus.

"So, Lovegood's today!" I say, getting up and picking up a jumper that was strewn across the floor (that's what you get when you live with boys) and putting it on.

"'Mione, I'm not-" Harry began protesting.

"Shut up right now Harry Potter: we agreed last night! We are going and that is final!"

"Okay mum!" He said jokingly. "Tea?" Harry asked, quickly changing the subject. Accepting his offer, I turned to see Ron staring at me, a bit too low for my liking.

"Ronald, my eyes are up here, you know! And it's rude to stare," I smirk, putting my hands mock-angrily on my hips.

"No sorry, it's just...that's my jumper," he looked slightly embarassed as I looked down at the big R on my chest.

"Oh, umm, yes, it appears so..."

"I thought I'd lost it after I left..."

"Oh..." there was an awkward silence between us as we both looked at his initial on my chest, "Yeah, I've had it...sorry. You probably needed it, but it was in the dirty pile and by th time I realised, you had already gone so...yeah."

"No, no, that's...that is fine," he half-smiled, and I found myself smiling back. I'd missed his smile.

So there you go, another chapter complete. I'm sorry if the spacing is weird: I'm on my Mums computer and the space bar doesnt work properly. Hope you're having a good summer!