Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related.
A/N: This is sort of a filler chapter. It sort of clues you in on what happened to Ron and it sort of doesn't. I'm not going to base anything that happened in book 5 on this story. This was meant to take place in Harry's fifth year in case you forgot and I'm keeping it that way. Thanks for the awesome reviews! Hope you continue to enjoy. You'll find a lot more out as this story progresses, trust me.
Love Letters
Chapter 9
"R-Ron?" Hermione muttered breathlessly, staring at the familiar red head in disbelief.
"How are ya Herm?" Ron grinned widely.
"R-Ron," Harry stuttered, hardly comprehending what was happening, "what- what are you do-doing here?" By the puzzled expressions of the students and teachers, it seemed as though that thought was on everyone's mind.
"Start of term Harry," Ron said shortly, "would ya move over? I'm starvin'"
Harry moved slowly towards Hermione, still staring. All eyes were on their freckled friend as he began to scarf down some chicken. Ron continued to eat and drink without looking up or acknowledging anyone's presence.
"Um, Hermione," a small voice mumbled a few moments later, "do you mind moving over some?"
Hermione shook her head as though waking up from a dream and turned to see Ginny Weasley standing with the twins, looking smaller and more fragile than usual.
"Of-of course Ginny," Hermione smiled awkwardly, scooting closer to Harry. She took his hand and squeezed it, more out of fright than anything else. Harry's grip tightened for a moment, giving Hermione an understanding look, and then let go of her hand before anyone noticed.
Except, someone did notice.
-:-
The start of the new year was more awkward than Harry had expected. No one could quite believe how or why the
Weasley's were suddenly back when they had been missing the entire summer. But what Harry really could not believe
was how calm and natural Ron seemed to be while his siblings walked around with frightened expressions on their faces.
Harry hadn't even heard the twins crack a single joke. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't quite
explain it.
"Harry, Ron's told you, they've been in Egypt all summer," Hermione insisted one evening in the library. It may have been the first week of school, but the teachers had loaded the fifth years with tons of homework already, in preparation for the O.W.L exams in June.
"But Hermione," Harry replied in a harsh whisper, "don't you think it's a bit strange, the way they've been behaving?"
"So what," Hermione shrugged, "Fred and George aren't the center of attention every night in the common room anymore. Maybe they've just matured and have grown out of their little pranks."
"Hermione, do you really believe that?" Harry asked testily.
"Yes. I. Do." Hermione replied slowly and firmly, as though settling the manner. She continued to scribble out an essay for Transfiguration while Harry watched her in disgust. This wasn't his Hermione. His Hermione had more sense than this.
"Hermione," Harry whispered. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him coldly, as though daring him to say another word. Harry stared at her, not quite sure what to say. After a few moments she shook her head and muttered something under her breath, going back to her homework.
"Hermione," Harry tried again.
"What?" Hermione shouted unexpectedly, slamming her quill down on the table and knocking over her bottle of ink. Harry blinked, a bit taken aback and then shook his head, continuing.
"You're worried," Harry whispered calmly, taking her hand in his, "just say it Hermione. Something is . . . different about Ron. Just tell me you're thinking what I'm thinking. I need to know."
Hermione's bottom lip quivered as she stared crossly at Harry. Her bright brown eyes seemed to be glistening with tears and it looked as though she was using all her might to hold them back.
"Look," she said in an unusually low tone, withdrawing her trembling hand from Harry's grip, "our best friend is back. He hasn't disappeared, he isn't dead; he's here Harry." Her breath seemed to have gotten caught in her throat and a strangled sound came from inside her. Harry reached for her hand again but she moved it away. "Ron still has a temper," Hermione continued after taking a deep breath, "that will never change. And I refuse to go up to him-again-and ask him what's happened when we already know the answer-"
"But we don't know the answer Hermione," Harry protested, "he can't possibly be telling the truth. Something's wrong with-"
"No Harry!" Hermione said loudly, catching the attention of some nearby second years. She quickly collected her things and started to leave.
"Hermione, please," Harry pleaded, disregarding his belongings and following her out of the library. He grabbed hold of her arm and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she shot him the dirtiest look he had ever received. "Hermione, please," he whispered, wiping away a few of her tears. She continued to glare at him but did not move. "You're scared to lose Ron again. I know you are because I am too. I know you want everything to go back to normal but something's wrong and there's nothing normal about it. Please, let's talk to him together, get some real answers. Please 'Mione. . . please."
Hermione took a sharp breath, her expression as though she was being painfully torn apart. Harry looked at her with fear and remorse, not knowing what she was going to do.
"Please," Hermione said slowly, her eyes wet and cold, "take your hands off me."
Harry did so slowly, but before he could do anything else, Hermione had run off, leaving him alone in the dark.
-:-
Harry walked into the empty Gryffindor common room after spending an hour or so wandering aimlessly around the castle.
By the silence he heard, Harry assumed that everyone had gone to bed. Harry trudged sullenly towards a chair in front
of the dying fire and sat down. He hadn't fought with Hermione in, well he couldn't think of a time when he
really had. The thought depressed him completely. As the fire began to drift away into nothing, so did Harry's
troubling thoughts. He hadn't been sleeping for more than a moment . . .
"What did you do?"
Harry awoke instantly to a voice shouting in his ear.
"Wh-what?" Harry asked, looking wildly around in the darkness, his glasses askew.
"She came in here crying Harry! What did you do?"
Harry's eyes came into focus on an extremely angry and violent looking Ron.
"Who?" Harry asked dumbly. But then it hit him. "Oh, you mean Hermione?"
"Who else you git?" Ron shouted, kicking the table beside him, making it topple over.
Harry stood up nervously, and began to back away slowly.
"Ron, calm down, I can explain."
Ron stood still, breathing harshly and glaring at Harry. Since when did he act like this?
"What are you waiting for?" Ron said, his voice suddenly slick and quiet.
"Hermione and I," Harry started, uncertain of what to say exactly, "well, we, uh, we got into a fight is all. Just a fight."
"If it was 'just a fight,'" Ron said coldly, "why was she crying."
"Why do you care?" Harry suddenly shouted before he could control himself. "It's my business, not yours!"
"Why do you think I care Harry?" Ron shouted back. "I come to school and find that my two best friends are an item and they don't bother to tell me! And then I find Hermione sobbing as though somebody died and you wonder why I care?"
Harry said nothing. Ron was right. He and Hermione hadn't told Ron they were together, in fear that he might get angry, like he just so happened to be at the moment.
"Look," Harry muttered, "I messed up. I wasn't honest with you and I hurt Hermione. I'm sorry."
Ron continued to glare at Harry. Something was off here. Ron got mad often, but he never acted this way.
"If I find you hurt Hermione again," Ron threatened, "you'll have to mess with me."
Harry gave Ron an identical glare. Who did he think he was? He didn't own Hermione. He couldn't hurt Harry.
Ron stalked off to the boys' dormitories, leaving Harry even more distressed than before. The ebony haired teen sat down again, rubbing his temples with a mix of exhaustion and pain.
"Harry," a small voice came a good while later.
Harry looked up and saw a trembling Hermione walking towards him, her face shinning within the dim firelight. Harry got up and without saying a word, took her hand and led her to the closest couch. He sat down and brought her small frame into his arms, cradling her as she cried.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled into his shoulder after her sobs subsided. "Something's wrong with him. Something's awfully wrong with him."
"Shhh, it's okay," Harry whispered into her hair, rubbing her back gently.
"What should we do?" Hermione asked, looking deeply into Harry's green eyes.
"I think," Harry replied, taking a thoughtful pause, "that we should talk to Dumbledore."
-:-
"Harry, Hermione, what a pleasant surprise."
Harry and Hermione had gotten up extra early the following morning, in hope to catch their Headmaster before classes began. The old man led them into his circular office and gestured to two chairs for them to take. The teenagers sat down without a word and kept their eyes cast watchfully on him.
"So," Dumbledore said, taking a seat behind his desk, "what can I help you two with?"
Hermione cast Harry an uneasy glance.
"Well Professor," Harry began slowly, "we were wondering if you knew . . . why Ron and the other Weasleys arrived at school?"
"Aw yes," Dumbledore nodded, "I figured you two would come to ask me that. But I am afraid that I cannot answer that question because I do not know the answer myself."
"So you're saying that they just . . . showed up?" Hermione asked quietly.
"As far as I can tell," Dumbledore replied, a sad glint in his usual twinkling eyes.
"Sir," Harry said, "Ron has been acting . . . a bit different. I mean, like nothing happened, like, he was never missing. He says that he and the family were in Egypt visiting Bill but I just. . . I don't believe it Sir."
"Egypt you say?" Dumbledore asked, sitting up straight and looking quite alert. Harry and Hermione nodded. "That's not possible. We searched Egypt and there wasn't a Weasley in sight. We spoke with Gringots. They said Bill was . . . missing. And we went to Romania and Charlie Weasley was nowhere to be found. Vacationing in Egypt . . . it's just not possible."
"Then Ron lied." Hermione said blankly, in more than a statement than a question.
"Wait," Harry exclaimed, a jolt of fear running through his veins, "If they weren't in Egypt or Romania or Great Britain all summer and then four of them suddenly appear for the first day of school, where were they?"
Dumbledore shook his head, looking hopelessly defeated.