Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

Chapter Eight

Problems

Ron had been worried at first that the bookcase that Hermione had discovered wouldn't work properly. After all, he didn't really know how the Muggle law books had gotten there, and he was afraid they would disappear and not return before they could use them … or more alarming, a book would suddenly appear as Hermione was searching for the book she needed. Thankfully Harry had told Ron (on Sunday at the Burrow) that Kreacher told him that the bookcase was charmed to duplicate any book within its range (it wasn't clear how far that range was but obviously it included the London University's library) … the person just had to think about the books they wanted to read. Harry had asked if Kreacher would be able to keep the bookcase the way that Hermione had left it and was pleased to say the elf could, he could even make sure that nothing new could appear on it.

Their weekly schedule completely changed after Harry had offered Hermione the use of his newly discovered law library. For one thing, Hermione would go over to Grimmauld Place every weekday after her classes so she could spend a few hours studying (the use of the library was highly appreciated), and on Mondays and Wednesdays she would share a quick meal with Harry, Bess and Ron (as long as he didn't have to work that night) before she went to her night class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Ron and Hermione would go out and usually end up at her flat. Fridays and Saturdays they would also spend alone together. At first, Sundays were spent the same as before Hermione had met Harry, Ron would go to the Burrow and Hermione would study in her flat. However, a month before her finals, Hermione asked if she could go to Harry's place on Sundays, so she could study better while the others were away.

However, her studies weren't the only reason why she liked going to Harry's, she also enjoyed spending time with the little family (which Ron was clearly a welcome member of). She had found that she enjoyed talking to Harry about whatever topic they come up with and felt more comfortable with him than anyone she had met (except for Ron of course). Surprisingly she found that she enjoyed spending time with Bess. She still marveled at how easy it was for her to relate to the little girl, having never gotten along with children before (especially when she was one), but obviously that wasn't the case with Bess.

At first Ron was a little annoyed about the new schedule, seeing as Hermione was now spending more time with Harry than Ron was able to see her. However, it was easy to push this annoyance to the side (until it disappeared altogether) after a few weeks, because he saw how happy Hermione was with her new study place. Not to mention Harry now resembled the friend he had before the final battle, able to smile and joke at times … though the constant sadness never left his eyes.

"Myknee," Bess said shyly, she was standing by the door looking a little scared, knowing that she wasn't supposed to bother Hermione when the door was closed, and she was studying. It was just that the door was closed all the time for the last few days.

"Yes," Hermione said, trying not to take her nerves (and frustration at being interrupted) out on the girl, even if her finals started in three days and she was studying like crazy go over every piece of information she learned the last few months.

"Can you read me?" Bess asked biting her lower lip pleadingly, until this week Hermione would normally read to her before her nap time.

"I'm sorry, I can't," Hermione said, trying not to look at the pouting girl's eyes (knowing she wouldn't be able to refuse them). "I have to study …."

"You … read that," Bess said pointing at the book that was open on Hermione's desk.

"Fine," Hermione resolve slipped at the girl's clever suggestion, not to mention she had caught the pleading look in the girl's eyes. Bess cheered and made her way to sit in Hermione's lap. "But don't get excited … it's a very dull story."

"Then I sleep soon," Bess said leaning into Hermione.

"I guess you have a point," Hermione chuckled at the girl's logic and then started reading her textbook. Bess was asleep within ten minutes, but Hermione read for another fifteen making sure the girl was truly sleeping before she got up and moved the girl to the bed that was in the room. Instead of going back to the desk, Hermione decided to lay down next to the sleeping girl (smiling as Bess snuggled to her) and continued reading her textbook in bed.

"Hermione!?" Harry asked, his voice had a panicked edge to it, as he knocked on her door. "I'm sorry to bother you, but have you seen Bess?"

"Yeah, she's in here," Hermione said, and Harry opened the door and walked in the room looking relieved.

"Sorry," he then sighed. "She knows she's not supposed to bother you when your doors close."

"It's okay," Hermione smiled at him, "she cleverly said I could read her my textbook, so I wasn't really bothered at all."

"I'm glad to hear that," Harry smiled, he was pretty sure Ron had suggested that to his daughter the other night when Bess mentioned she missed being with Hermione. "I can take her now …"

"No, it's okay if she stays," Hermione said finding that she was comfortable and didn't want the girl to go.

"Okay, but make sure to call me if she bothers you," Harry said leaving the room.

"I will Harry," Hermione said as he closed the door. She continued reading the textbook until she finished the material she wanted to, so she made to get up, but Bess was clinging to her. Hermione sighed, knowing that she had to get up to get her notebook, but she didn't want to disturb the girl. However, when she turned to the nightstand next to the bed, she saw that her notebook was there. She frowned, knowing that she hadn't put the notebook there, but pushed that thought from her mind and opened it and started to read her notes. Weird things like that had always happened to her, and it seemed to be much more common while she was studying in this house. However, she didn't have time to think about that now.

"Myknee?" Bess said hours later as she woke up from her nap.

"Yes love," Hermione smiled at her, and the girl's shyness seemed to disappear because of it.

"You talk now?" Bess asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I can talk for a little while," Hermione smiled kindly, she had gotten through all the material she had schedule for today … though she could always look over more things later.

"Good," Bess said, and then she frowned and asked, "Do you like when I here?"

"Of course I do," Hermione smiled at her, but was wondering why the girl asked that. "Everyone likes when you're around."

"Yeah," Bess said her shoulder slumping and she wouldn't look at Hermione.

"Bess, what's the matter?" Hermione said, looking at the girl with trepidation.

"I tell you … but no tell Dad!" Bess said, her brown eyes looking pleading.

"Bess," Hermione hesitated, starting to get really nervous about what the girl was going to say. She couldn't promise the girl blindly that she wouldn't tell Harry, so she said, "as long as it's not dangerous, I promise I won't tell your dad."

"Or uncle Won," Bess added, and Hermione had to smile at how perceptive the little girl was.

"I promise," Hermione sighed. "Now tell me what's on your mind."

"I like you here," Bess said after she took a moment to think of what to say.

"Thanks, but that's no secret, and definitely nothing I couldn't tell your dad or Ron," Hermione pointed out.

"You like new mommy," Bess continued leaning into Hermione so she couldn't see her expression.

"Bess, you have a mommy," Hermione said softly putting her arms around the girl, showing support.

"She no like me," Bess said so quietly that Hermione could barely hear her, but she couldn't mistake how tightly the girl was clinging to her now.

"Of course, she likes you," Hermione said firmly, but her tone was gentle, "it might be hard for her to show you … but I know she must love you."

Ron had tried to explain Ginny's condition to Hermione but stated that she wouldn't know what it was really like until she met Ginny in person. Apparently, Ginny had three major phases: mostly normal, highly agitated, and catatonic. The worst part of it was Ginny could slip into the latter two stages at any time. In truth, Hermione wasn't sure how Ginny had felt about her daughter, but she couldn't imagine that Ginny wouldn't want her. She also couldn't imagine how hard it was on Bess, not being able to understand what was wrong with her mother.

"No, she don't," Bess was crying now, burying her face into Hermione's chest. "S-she give me to D-dad or Grans when I see her."

"Maybe she's afraid of hurting you," Hermione suggested softly as she held Bess closely to her, comforting the girl as much as she could.

"She no want me," Bess repeated, shaking her head and then looked at Hermione with tears in her eyes. "You be my mommy now."

"Sweetheart," Hermione said, her heartbreaking at the request, and she brought her hand up to brush away the tears on the girl's cheek. "You're beautiful and smart and everything I would want … but I can't be your mommy." At that Bess gasped, her eyes going wide with shocked and pain, but Hermione squeezed the girl comfortingly and went on quickly, "Because you have a mommy. I know your real mum loves you, and I can't replace her, even though I really care about you. Please, love, don't give up on your mommy."

"Give up," Bess hiccupped, furrowing her brows. "But she no want me?"

"Love, your mum can't really say what she wants," Hermione said stroking Bess's hair as the girl looked at her hopefully. "Please, tell her how you feel and I'm sure she will …."

"Daddy or Grans always there," Bess said shaking her head. "Never leave us alone …."

"Hmph," Hermione hummed, trying not to say anything, but she thought she could see the root of the problem. She had noticed from the moment she met him that Harry was super protective of Bess, and it was very plausible to her that he would be that way with the girl's sometimes unstable mother. And if she had two people constantly watching her whenever Bess was near her, Ginny would more than likely be cautious with the girl and give the girl away whenever there was the slightest sign that she was slipping, no matter how small those signs may be. Hermione could even imagine that with Bess's growing apprehension with her, that Ginny would only become more uncomfortable and unstable.

"Okay, you don't have to tell her all of that," Hermione said thoughtfully, "but you can tell her that you love her and, even more, you can show her. Don't let her push you away … and don't let your Daddy take you away."

"What if she still …" Bess started to say, looking gloomy again.

"If things don't get better after that Bessy, I promise I'll be here for you," Hermione smiled and they hugged.

"You really think she love me," Bess whispered as they hugged.

"I know she does … that's what mums do," Hermione smiled.

O

The next few weeks went by in a flash; after Hermione's last final, Ron and she went out to celebrate. Though she was still nervous about how she had done in all of her classes, Ron was absolutely sure that she did brilliantly and refused to hear any differently. After dinner they went back to Ron's place and spent a nice evening enjoying each other. Their physical relationship had been progressing slowly but steadily the last three months as they spent nearly every night together at one flat or another, though the last week they've done little more than a kiss while she focused on her studies.

A few days before Christmas Hermione held a dinner with Ron, Harry and Bess, wanting to spend time with them before she would have to go to visit her parents. She had wanted the dinner to be at her flat because she thought it was odd that she practically lived at Harry's house the last month or so, but he (and Bess) had never been at her place. The dinner was a success, and everyone had a good time, but Ron and Hermione were a little sad knowing that they wouldn't see each other over the holidays. They had both made plans to spend Christmas with their parents, and though they wanted to spend it together, neither one of them wanted to break their plans.

Ron would have loved to have Hermione come over to the Burrow, even after Harry had told him it would have been impossible for Hermione not to notice magic if she went to his childhood home. Though, he had to admit that Christmas might not have been the easiest time for her to meet his family … the Weasleys could be a lot to handle at the best of time, after all. However, he was rather relieved that he wasn't going to meet her parents yet. Though he had become a lot more comfortable with Muggle things while he spent time with Hermione, he was sure it would be quite overwhelming for him while her parents were there … keeping their eyes on him.

However, when the holidays were over, and he hadn't seen Hermione for a week, he wasn't so pleased with the decision they made. He found waiting the last few hours for her to arrive to be particularly difficult, so he decided he would make dinner to pass the time. Though he didn't often cook, his mum had taught him how to prepare a few dishes, and he had found that he enjoyed making a meal.

"Hi!" Ron said breathlessly, he had rushed over to the door the moment he heard the knock and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hi," Hermione returned the kiss and smiled at him, trying not to show how nervous she was.

"So, how was your holiday?" Ron asked, turning away from her so he could get back in the kitchen since the food was still cooking.

"Not so bad, I've missed Mum and Dad a lot," Hermione answered, trying to hide her apprehension, she was already feeling bad enough with what she was about to say, did he have to cook a great meal to make her feel worse. Of course, he was really cooking because he was the perfect boyfriend that does all kinds of things like this, and she only hated this because she was anything but perfect to him right now. She knew that she had to tell him, but she didn't want to ruin his day yet, he just seemed so happy (not to mention she didn't want to ruin his meal).

"I know what you mean," Ron said from the kitchen as he put the final touches on the dishes and then brought them to the table.

"Don't you see your parents every Sunday?" Hermione asked.

"I guess … and my brothers show up every week too," Ron said smiling, though it was a little sadder than normal, his thoughts on the brothers that couldn't show up (something that was always harder to deal with during this time of year). "But it's different in the Christmas setting … I don't know how to explain it. Anyways, Gin was there too, and it's been while since I've seen her."

"Your sister came … I thought she was hospitalized," Hermione said.

"She is," Ron said. "But we can take her out anytime we want, usually we only do it a few times a year. Mainly Christmas and her birthday."

"How was she?" Hermione asked, thinking about the conversation she had with Bess a few weeks ago and was pleased to see Ron smile.

"She was really good," Ron laughed, "I don't know what it was, but she was almost like herself most of the time she was there … her and Bess were inseparable!"

"That's wonderful," Hermione beamed, glad to hear that Bess was able to bond with her mother.

"It really was, but we should eat before this gets cold," Ron said pointing at the food.

"Just say you're hungry … you don't have to be tricky about it," Hermione teased.

"Alright, I'm starving," Ron laughed before they ate their meal in peace.

"That was amazing," Hermione said after she finished eating, her nerves that she had pushed to the side as they ate returned at full force, and her guilt had only increased.

"It really was, I'm quite glad Mum taught me how to cook," Ron smirked and teased, "seeing as the girl I like doesn't know how to do it at all." Hermione, instead of glaring at him for teasing her, looked sadly at the floor. He had noticed that she had been slightly off since she got here, starting with being stiff when he kissed her, but now he knew something was really wrong. "What's the matter?"

"Ron, I've got to tell you something that I know you won't like, but please don't overreact to this," Hermione sighed, and then cringed at her plead. She knew his response wouldn't be an overreaction no matter how he reacted, but she was hoping he would give her time to explain.

"I'll try," Ron said gravely as he braced himself for the worst.

"It's my mum … she's always setting me up," Hermione said not looking at him, but waited for his reaction, however, when nothing came, she realized that he didn't know what she was saying yet. "She … er … kind of set me up with someone for this Friday …."

"I see," Ron said coldly, he had thought that was what she meant when she said 'setting me up' but he didn't want to believe that was true. He also thought he knew the answer to his next question, but he didn't want to believe that either. "And what did you tell her?"

"I …" Hermione said flinching at his coldness but knowing that she deserved it; she had let him down and she knew it. "There was nothing I could say … she already set it up …."

"So, you're going to go out with some other bloke on Friday," Ron spat. "Why did you think I would overreact to that!?"

"Ron please!" Hermione said frantically reaching for him, but he leaned away from her. "I don't want to go out with him."

"Then don't!" Ron shouted glaring at her for a moment before he got up and started pacing. He didn't want to yell at her … not with all the anger he was feeling … and he knew if he looked at her that was what he would do.

"I don't have a choice," Hermione said in a small voice, trying not to cry, because she knew that he usually would comfort her when she was crying. She didn't want to manipulate him … but even more she knew that if he didn't try to comfort her (like he had every right not to) it would only hurt all the more.

"I think you should go," Ron said, his voice on the edge of some emotion caught between furious and despair.

"No Ron, please," Hermione gasped, she had to explain things to him … she had to make him understand … if she could just tell him ….

"I thought we had something here," Ron snapped at her unable to keep the words from coming out like he desperately wanted to … and he desperately wanted to shout at her. "I thought we were in a real bloody relationship, but now you can just go on a date with another guy, and I'm supposed to be okay with that. And don't give me that bloody excuse about this not being a real effing date! You obviously don't care enough about us to even tell your parents about our relationship!"

"Ron," Hermione gasped as tears started to gather in her eyes, everything he said was true and she couldn't find any words to say to defend what she had done.

"Please Hermione … just go," Ron said turning away from her. "I need some time."

O

It was two days later when Harry had apparated into Ron's flat, worried since he hadn't seen his friend in a few days. Not to mention Ron and Hermione were supposed to come over the night before for dinner but they hadn't shown up. They hadn't even bothered to let him know they weren't coming, and that wasn't like his friend (and it most certainly wasn't like Hermione). So, Harry wasn't exactly surprised to find the flat to be messy, nor to see his friend sitting on the couch with a glass in his hand and an empty bottle of Firewhiskey on the table.

"Ron … what happened?" Harry said softly, afraid of the answer but needing to ask anyways, and Ron looked at him with unfocused eyes.

"Harry?" Ron said slowly, only now realizing his friend was there (having missed the sound of his apparition). "I don't know what to do."

"What happened?" Harry repeated, and when Ron didn't answer right away, he added, "where's Hermione?"

"She's on a bloody date!" Ron spat bitterly. "She's going out with some wanker!"

"What!?" Harry gasped, completely caught off guard by that. Obviously, he knew that there was some kind of trouble with Hermione, but he hadn't expected that it would be something like this. How could she go on a date with another guy!?

"She doesn't give a damn about me!" Ron said putting his head in his hands. "At least not how I care about her. Three effing months Harry, is that all I effing get!"

"Ron … I don't understand … this doesn't make sense," Harry said sitting down on the couch across from his friend, feeling stunned by this information. He had seen how much Hermione cared about Ron; he could see it so plainly written all over her face whenever she was around (especially when Ron was around too) … he couldn't understand her doing this to Ron. "Tell me exactly what happened."

"I told you … she's going out with some bloody wanker!" Ron shouted angerly, what more did he have to say. "And she has the nerve to say that her mum was making her … that she doesn't want to go …."

"Her mum made her … you mean her mum set-up the date," Harry asked frowning, but he was starting to feel a glimmer of hope. "Did her mum already have the date set before asking Hermione?"

"What difference does it make," Ron threw up his hands and then glared at his friend, "She didn't tell them about us!"

"Shite!" Harry groaned, that was harsh, and clearly it was true, or Hermione's mum wouldn't have made the date in the first place. Still, he had to make his friend see some kind of reason. "I don't know what to say about that part but listen to me mate. If her mum set the date before even asking Hermione … well … I can't see Hermione being able to refuse that."

"What's so bloody hard about telling her mum no!" Ron demanded; his friend was supposed to be on his side, not arguing with him.

"Sometime, for her, it's very hard to say no," Harry said looking Ron straight in the eyes letting his friend see how serious he was. Harry had noticed the first few days that she stayed at his house (when Ron wasn't there) that Hermione had tried hard to be accommodating, seeming to want everything to go perfectly. Plus, whenever she brought up her parents there was a slight edge to her voice. "You must have notice that, Ron."

"She's not a push over," Ron snapped, sitting up straighter and Harry realized that his friend wasn't as drunk as he originally thought. "We argue all the time and she never backs down from her point!"

"That's not the same thing, mate," Harry shook his head. "She's comfortable with you."

"Why the hell are you defending her so bloody much?" Ron growled, hating the pleasure he felt at Harry's words, he wanted to be angry!

"Because if you would pull your head out of your arse you'll see that she effing cares about you!" Harry snapped back defensively. "And she can be pretty damn accommodating at times! Are you telling me you never noticed that she gives into request without a fight, even if she doesn't really want to do what you want to."

Ron just glared at his friend, but he knew Harry was right, he had noticed this issue more than a month ago, that's why he had stopped offering his opinion first (most of the time) so he could make sure that she got her way too. Finally he relented his glare and sighed. "She's still going out with some other bloke … how can I just let that go?"

"I don't know mate, but you can't let this ruin everything that you've worked so hard for," Harry sighed too. "She means too much to you to let it end like this."

"Yeah," Ron nodded his head, "I'll go see her … talk to her."

"I don't know if now's such a good time mate," Harry worried as he watched Ron get up, he didn't look too wobbly but … "you're a little drunk."

"I'm not that bad," Ron replied after a moment to make sure.

"You drank a whole bottle of Firewhiskey, even you can't handle that," Harry said.

"It was mostly gone … I've had this bottle for a year," Ron rolled his eyes, he wouldn't be conscious, let alone standing and talking, if he drank a bottle. He didn't want to wait to see Hermione, Harry had given him some hope that things weren't as bad as he thought they were, and he didn't want to let his doubts erode that hope.

O

Hermione was feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet as she got ready for the stupid date her mum had set up for her. She had been crying over her last conversation with Ron nonstop since she had left his flat, going over every way she had messed up. She should have told him differently. She should have explained about her relationship with her parents first. Honestly, she should have told him about her relationship with her parents months ago, but just thinking about that had made her nervous. Had she let her nerves keep her silent? She never felt truly nervous when she was with Ron, but she wasn't sure what the real answer to that was.

All she really wanted to do was go to Ron's and beg him to listen to her. However, she knew that wasn't fair to Ron. She knew she hurt him deeply by accepting the date, and he had a right to want time apart without her forcing herself on him. At first, she thought if he had time to think about it, he would realize how important he was to her and know she hadn't wanted this, but after a few days, she didn't have much hope. With the way things were right now, she was fearful that they would never get back together.

Right now, she really loathed herself, as she got ready for the date that she never wanted to go on, with a guy she had no desire to meet. How could she actually go through this, knowing she was betraying Ron … how could she not when she agreed to this to her mum. She felt like she was about to be in a car crash, and there was nothing she could do to stop the damage that was about to happen. When she was done, she walked down the stairs to meet her stupid date (that she really wish she never had to meet), feeling worse than she ever felt before.

"Hi, I'm Brian," the guy smiled, he had light brown hair and blue eyes that she didn't want to look at.

"Hermione," she tried to smile, but it was fake, everything was fake … just like she used to be before Ron. This was worse though; she had a real reason not to be on a date like this and here she was anyways. It was a long night, she listened to him talk about all kinds of things, but she couldn't seem to play her part right, she couldn't smile or interact at all, and she didn't even want to try. All she wanted to do was get out of here so she could talk to Ron again.

"This has been a wonderful night," Brian said smiling at her. "I was quite please when I saw you."

"Yeah, it was nice," Hermione said resisting rolling her eyes; couldn't this guy tell how distracted and in pain she was?

"I'd like to see you again," he smiled moving in closer to her.

"Brian," Hermione said, she was feeling numb and it was hard for her to notice what he was doing. "I …" he didn't let her say anymore, he leaned in to kiss her and her eyes widen, looking scared, but she had just enough sense to lean away from him. "I can't."

"Hermione," Brian had started to say, obviously trying to make her change her mind but she didn't hear him. She thought that she had seen a flash of red moving in the alleyway, and she ran in that direction as fast as she could.

"Ron!" Hermione shouted and moments later she got to the alley, but no one was there. "Damnit Ron," she said, bending over and trying not to cry, she knew that he couldn't have made it out of the alley by the time she got there, but at the same time she knew that he was there, that he had seen this, and it just made everything worse.

"Hermione," Brian said a few moments later, he was looking at her nervously.

Hermione didn't say anything as she stood up, not really looking at this guy that had cost her so much, who had nothing to do with what was troubling her. "I'm sorry Brian, but I'm not really available," she said looking at him briefly.

"I knew it was too good to be true," he sighed an then walked her back to the front of the building she lived in. "I still had a nice evening … and if you ever change your mind …"

"I won't," she said firmly and left him standing there looking sad.

O

Ron was in a rage after he got home from seeing Hermione on her 'I was forced into date' and from what he could see she didn't seem that force … not when she let that complete wanker kiss her. What the hell was that about? Not to mention she had looked good, wearing a nice dress (no it wasn't her favorite, nor was it his but it was still nice). If she didn't want to go on a date, did she have to look so good?

"Effing Harry Potter," Ron growled, angry at his friend for talking him into going over to Hermiones … for giving him effing hope …. He rubbed his eyebrow and growled again, he had splinched himself when he had apparated home, he had never splinched himself before, and he couldn't believe that he done so now. But he had been distracted when he heard her call his name (and being slightly drunk didn't help either). He had run away as soon as he saw her … he hadn't expected her to see him … hadn't expected her to run after him … but when he heard the steps he started moving faster, and then her voice had been so pained that he couldn't fully concentrate.

But what bloody right did she have to be in pain!? She was the bloody one that kissed another guy! She was the one that had started all this shite! She was the one that he still hadn't talked to, but how could he now?

The next five days passed like he was sleepwalking through his job, luckily it was a slow week, but he felt like hell. He couldn't seem to get those images out of his head. Her kissing some unknown bloke … Her crying his name as he turned in his apparition … then there were the images that he hadn't seen but continued to play in his head … images of her doing things with that other guy. He would force those images out of his mind, telling himself they weren't real and tried to remind himself of the three months they had spent together and the way she had sounded as he apparated away.

"You should go and talk to her," Harry said to his distraught friend on Friday a week after the incident.

"Try some new advice! I'm not going to talk to her!" Ron snapped; he wasn't sure how he had ended up at Harry's place, but he knew he didn't want to go home. "You want me to follow her around like some lovesick fool … she kissed another bloke, and you want me to go crawling back to her!"

'That's not what I said," Harry groaned. He still had trouble wrapping his mind around Ron telling him that Hermione was kissing another man when Ron had shown up at her flat. However, it was clear that Ron didn't talk to her after that. "I just think you should talk to her … clear the air … you can't leave things like this."

"And why the bloody hell should I do that, she doesn't seem to give a damn about me!" Ron spat. "She hasn't tried to talk to me once!"

"She hasn't!" Harry was surprised by that; he would have thought Hermione would try to see Ron by now. He understood giving Ron's space in the beginning, but it had been over a week.

"NO! Not even on this bloody thing you gave me!" Ron held up the mobile phone that Harry had given him after his first date with Hermione. Harry had explained that it was a way for Muggles to reach each other long distance. Harry had also explained to Ron that if he didn't have a phone number of some kind, Hermione would find that suspicious.

"Er … Ron?" Harry said picking up the mobile and trying not to grimace. "Have you charged this thing mate?"

"Charged?" Ron questioned. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"It has to be charged if it's going to work," Harry said getting his wand out and tapping the device, immediately making the power turned on. Harry had told his friend about charging it when he had given him the mobile, but he probably should have checked in with Ron to make sure he was using it right. Harry looked at the missing call log and noticed there were ten messages, all from Hermione (obviously since Harry and her were the only ones with the number). Two of them dated a few months back, but the rest were all from this week. The first one being last Friday about two hours after Harry had left Ron's flat (so probably about an hour after the incident). "It looks like she called you a few times mate … here listen," Harry said starting the first message and then tried to leave the room, but Ron grabbed his arm and made him stay. The messages were all sad, filled with pleads for Ron to call her back and desperate apologies. The last message, however, she was shouting, telling Ron to stop screening her bloody calls and talk to her already!

"Bloody hell Harry, what am I supposed to do now?" Ron questioned rubbing the back of his head. He had spent this past week feeling miserable, and a good portion of that pain was due to the fact that she hadn't even tried to talk to him. Now he found out that she had called him a mere hour after he left her! Then there was listening to her messages, even when all she had said was 'please, call me' he could hear her pain and wanted to make it go away. But that didn't change the fact that he was still angry.

"Call her, you git," Harry rolled his eyes. "Resolve this whole bloody mess."

"I don't … I don't know," Ron said warily.

"Fine then, I'll call her," Harry said taking the phone and calling the only number that was stored on it.

"No …" Ron said trying to get the phone away from his friend, but Harry was too quick for him.

"Sorry Ron," Harry chuckled as he listened to the phone ring.

"Ron!" Hermione's voice could be heard seconds later, sounding excited, although it was a little thick too.

"No, sorry," Harry said not sure what to do now. "Er …."

"Harry?" Hermione said. "Why are you calling me? On Ron's phone no less?"

"Er … someone needed to call you, didn't they?" Harry said.

"Shut up you wanker!" Ron hissed as he lunged at him, but Harry dodged away.

"And I see you have Ron's approval," Hermione sighed, amused and hurt by this.

"Obviously," Harry chuckled. "Look Mione, Ron didn't know that you called him."

"Right, and I'm supposed to believe that!" Hermione huffed her disbelief.

"It's true, you know he's not good about remembering his mobile, he hardly ever uses it," Harry said. "He didn't realize that he forgot to charge it."

"For a week," Hermione snorted, but then again, she never saw him look at his mobile or answer it … in fact she's never seen the mobile since she had put her number in it. "Okay, I guess. Can I talk to him now?"

"She wants to talk to you," Harry said, his hand over the mobile as he tried to hand it to Ron.

"I'm not ready to do that," Ron glared murderously at his friend, why the hell was Harry pushing him like this?

"Er …" Harry said looking at his friend sadly. "You need to talk to her mate."

"Harry," Hermione said loudly, though she couldn't hear the conversation the two boys were having, she could tell that Ron didn't want to talk to her … and that hurt more than she thought it would.

"Yeah," Harry sighed, hearing her pain.

"Tell him to come over," Hermione said gravely. "When he's ready, he needs to come over. We need to talk … I will wait for him to be ready."

"What did she say?" Ron frowned as he watched Harry hang up the mobile.

"She said that she wants you to come and see her," Harry sighed.

"Ordering me to see her," Ron snapped bitterly shaking his head. "I'm not going …."

"Mate, she said she would wait until you're ready," Harry said. "However long it takes, she'll wait for you."

"Right," Ron frowned deflated. He had tried to be angry at her ordering him because he was so mixed up at the moment and anger was much easier to deal with. He knew he was going to have to see her again and even more he was dying to see her again, it was so effing hard to be away from her, but he wasn't sure he was ready. "I guess I don't have a choice."

"Ron," Harry said. "Try not to be too angry … she sounded pretty bad."

"I'll try," Ron sighed walking to the door, and though he was afraid of what was going to happen next, he still felt better knowing that he was going to see her again.