Chapter 8
The young red-haired man was standing in the doorway, watching in shock. A million thoughts running through his mind. "What are they doing? How dare Harry do that to Hermione…to my Hermione! Doesn't he know that I like her?"
As they finally broke apart, their minds still lost in their own world, Harry had the weirdest feeling that he was being watched. When Hermione finally managed to tear her eyes away from Harry, she saw a flash of red hair and gasped.
"Ron!"
Harry instantly turned to face Ron, fear his primary emotion. He might not be afraid of Voldemort, but he was terrified of losing his friendship with Ron, of having him think that he betrayed his trust. And then there was the small detail of Ron's temper. Slowly, Harry gathered the strength to look into Ron's eyes…
"Hey Ron…" he said meekly, "long time, no see…"
Hermione interrupted Harry, "What are you doing here? I mean…I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow morning…"
Ron replied, his anger getting the best of him, "It is `tomorrow morning,' 8 o'clock…remember? Or have you forgotten about everything important…including me and how I might feel about…about…this! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Ron…I swear to you…this is only the second time that we've kissed."
"Oh, really? When was the first?"
"A few hours ago…"
"Oh, I see…so you two have been together all night?"
Harry's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets at what Ron was implying, but before he could say anything, Hermione cut in.
"Jeez! Not like that! Get your head out of the gutter, Ron! Why would you even think that? Harry and I are only 15 for crying out loud! I'm going to wait until I get married! In fact, it's very important to me that I do! And besides…it's none of your business!
"None of my business? Ok…I see, it's none of my business that my friends decided to go and make out with each other without so much as telling me!
"Jeez Ron," Harry shouted, "you're carrying on as though Hermione and I have been doing this behind your back for months! Nothing…happened…until…yesterday. And this is the first time we have seen you since it began. We were going to tell you…we certainly didn't want you to find out that way!"
"Oh, sure…I'm supposed to just believe that `you were going to tell me'…you know that's not true."
"Yes…Ron…you're supposed to believe it…because it's the truth…and because I'm your best friend."
"You mean ex-best friend!" he retorted back before turning and leaving the room.
He was outside the guest room in the garden pacing around with a million thoughts running through his head. "Ugh! How could they do that? They're my best friends for crying out loud!!!" Ron looked like he was seriously about to lose it…when a voice arose.
"Ahem. Mister Weasley…"
"What???" Ron snapped turning around.
"I was just going to perhaps suggest that you take a look into the living room of the guest house. You might see something of particular interest to you…"
With a sigh, Ron heeded the mysterious man's request, and looked into the window. What he saw instantly calmed him down…
Harry seemed to be on the verge of tears so Hermione quickly moved up to him and placed her hand comfortingly on his cheek before reaching both arms over and hugging him. Ron just stood looking at them in awe. He started to realize that they really were in love with each other, even if they didn't know it yet, and that it would be wrong to stay angry and try and break them up. They truly belonged to each other.
"Oh, my Gosh…they really do love each other. I may love Hermione to death…but Harry is in love with her…" Ron thought, as things were slowly becoming clearer to him. "There's a big difference between loving someone and being in love with someone." At that moment, Ron knew that he had misunderstood his feelings for Hermione. It was true…he did love her…but as a sister. That would forever be their relationship with each other and he was okay with that. Ron suddenly smiled at the fact that he managed to sort his feelings out on his own! Taking a deep breath…he entered the living room...however, he couldn't get the damn smile off of his face!
"What are you smiling about?" Harry asked with a confused look on his face.
"Nothing really…just the fact that I actually came to terms with something on my own!"
"What are you talking about?" said Hermione, equally confused.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I really didn't mean what I said."
"Huh?" Harry replied with an incredulous look on his face.
"You are my best friend…It's just…when I saw you and Hermione together…it kinda threw me a bit."
"I'm sorry. I didn't quite catch that," Harry said with a smirk on his face, "Did Ronald Weasley just admit to being wrong?"
"Shut up, Harry. I'm not that bad."
"Actually," Hermione interrupted, "you are…sometimes."
Now…that got Ron back. His face started getting red at the implication that he really was that bad. "What? No way!"
Harry laughed, "Yes way! Do I really need to remind you about last year? You didn't talk to me for months! And for what? Because I didn't notice that the leprechaun gold you gave me disappeared."
"Well…okay. So that was a bit dumb. But I did eventually come to my senses, you gotta give me that much…at least."
"Alright. So…truce then?" Harry asked, holding out his hand.
"Truce," replied Ron, the ever famous grin on his face as he reached for Harry's hand as well. "Ahh…what the heck!" he said, pulling Harry into a brotherly hug. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head, "It's great to see you, Harry! It's been weeks!"
"Yeah, it has been, hasn't it? Darn summers."
Hermione squealed, "The trio is back! And better than ever!" pulling Ron and Harry into a group hug.
"Ahh…ahh…Hermione…you're squeezing a little too tight…"
"Oh, sorry Ron!" Hermione said letting them go.
Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a voice arose. "Ahem…"
"Jeez! Bill…you scared me!"
"Hehe, cool."
Hermione shot Bill a death glare, which Harry noticed, and said, "Whoa…remind me not to get on your bad side." At which point, Hermione switched her glare from Bill to Harry. Harry ducked behind Ron, "Quick Ron, save me!!! It's the wrath of Hermione!"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at Harry's antics. Soon, the whole gang was laughing until Hermione finally remembered that Bill probably came to tell them something. Taking a deep breath she asked, "Did you want to tell us something, Bill?"
Although Bill heard her, he just kept laughing for a while longer, struggling to stop and take a breath. He was laughing so hard that tears were starting to form in his eyes. Finally, he managed to compose himself, (which is more than I can say for Ron and Harry!) "Ahh…"
But before he could continue, Ron interrupted, "You!"
Bill smiled and replied, "Yes, mister Weasley…me. What I came in to say was that you received some letters in the post today…all three of you if I'm not much mistaken. From your school, I believe."
"It's our book list!!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Oh, good lord…she's ba-ack!" Ron joked.
Hermione shot Ron another one of her, now infamous, glares as she walked over to Bill to get the letters. As she took the letters from his hand, she suddenly hugged him.
"Whoa…whoa…there…what brings this on?" Bill asked, returning her hug.
"Nothing really, I'm just so happy! I'm gonna miss you this year though."
"Haha, well, we'll see about that," Bill said, with a somewhat cryptic look on his face, "Now open those letters and get to shopping!" At that, he gave Hermione one last hug, looked at the boys, and left the room.
Hermione stared at the retreating form of her butler as he walked out of the room and said silently, "I've said it before and I'll say it again…I will never…for the life of me…understand that man."
"Um…Hermione? I'd like my letter please…?" Harry said.
"Oh," replied Hermione, "right!" She instantly turned around and handed Harry and Ron their letters. All three of them opened them and read the contents.
After reading the list, Harry said, (with a smirk on his face) "Well…guess this means we should get going to Diagon Alley!"
Hermione and Ron only smiled back.
~FIN~