A/N: Again, a really short chapter....I may update again tonight. Please enjoy. I hope none of you ever have fights with your good friends. I just did and I know exactly how Ron feels.... except I feel worse.
Chapter 14: The Fight
The next morning, Harry and Ron woke up, dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast. On the way to their regular seats, they picked up their schedules off the end of the table and headed towards the other end.
"Herbology with the Ravenclaws first thing today," Harry said, sitting down and pouring himself some cereal. As Harry began to eat, he noticed Ron hadn't touched his food.
"Ron, what's wrong?" he asked. Ron was always eating!
"Nothing... well, actually something. Do you like--" He was interrupted by Hermione who was five feet away.
"Good morning!" Hermione said cheerfully as she slid into the seat next to Harry and reached for a biscuit.
"Hey," they both said in unison. Harry smiled at her and she smiled back as she slathered butter and jam over the biscuit. She looked up at Ron and grinned. His smile seemed forced a bit. When he took a sip of his orange juice, Harry noticed that his knuckles were white. Hermione obviously noticed too and gave him a strange look. The three of them finished their breakfasts in silence, until the post came. Hermione received her Daily Prophet subscription and Hedwig also delivered a letter to Harry as well. Hermione skimmed the headlines, decided to read it later and tucked it into her bag. Harry however had begun to read his letter with increasing interest.
"Who's it from?" Ron asked.
"Snuffles," Harry replied in a low tone. Hermione and Ron waited impatiently while Harry read it. When he was done, he looked up nonchalantly and motioned for Hermione to read it as well. It said:
Harry,
Burn this as soon as you and Hermione read this. This is for your eyes only. I haven't been too detailed in everything. You will understand soon. Please meet me in front of the fire in the room behind the portrait of Dreg the Dragon Driver on September 7. It's right next to your common room entrance. Password is 'walloping whip'. You will receive your introduction into the Order then. Until that time, please don't do anything stupid and protect each other. Buckbeak and I are living outside of London. Don't worry though, I got a Secret Keeper. He can be trusted; of this I am sure. It would be wise not to let Ron read this. Burn this now!
Snuffles
"Incendio!" Hermione muttered and flames shot out of her wand immediately, and headed towards the paper. For fear of being burned, Harry dropped the paper, but the flames caught it midair and by the time it hit the table, it was ashes.
"What'd you do that for?" Ron said indignantly.
"Er... it was private,"Harry stammered.
"Well then why did SHE read it?"he asked.
"Er..."
"Fine! Never mind! I don't care!" Ron stormed out of the Great Hall, heads turning as he stalked down the aisles. His two best friends gaped at his retreating back.
"What was that all about?" Hermione asked.
"I have no-- wait. I think I might actually know. See you in Herbology," he called as he ran after Ron.
***
A few minutes later when he reached Ron, he staggered along beside him, clutching his chest. Ron kept walking briskly.
"Ron-- stop-- I can't-- breathe," he gasped.
"What?" Ron stopped so abruptly, Harry was a few steps ahead of Ron before he realized Ron had stopped. He went back.
"Ron, what's wrong?" Harry asked after he had caught his breath.
"What do you think is wrong?" Ron yelled, and then he brought his voice down to a whisper, "You know I like Hermione! First, you spend practically the whole summer with her and when I come back, you're all buddy-buddy with her. You all completely left me out. Then today I get down there to eat my breakfast and I thought that since you guys hadn't seen me in awhile, you might try talking to me. And then, you two sit there exchanging little knowing glances, with me left in the dark! Then when you get a letter from SIRIUS which you don't let me read, but let her! And then when she does read it, you all are so close together that she's almost sitting on your lap!"
"Ron, you don't understand, it's just--"
"I think I understand fine, Harry.You've always gotten everything, so you expect everything." With that he turned on his heel, and stormed away just as the rest of the school flooded out of the doors and headed to class. Hermione hurried up to Harry and gave him a worried look. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
"Don't ask," he said flatly. And then they walked out to the greenhouses.
***