A/N: Again, I am sorry for the time it took me to complete this. College gets harder and harder. But I have not forgotten about you, my dear fans, who keep me going. I hope you could enjoy Book 6, although it was a little disappointing on the romanti area. Anyway, this fic will be completed with only two chapters to go, and I thank you for your patience. I am sorry that I could not respond to all of your reviews for lack of time, but I appreciate every single one of them. Enjoy!
Chapter 19:Brutal Honesty
Do you know what's wrong wiz her?" Fleur asked to her boyfriend, who had her on top of his chest and wrapped in his arms.
He opened his eyes to the sound of her question and tightened his grip on her.
"Wrong with who?" he yawned.
" `Ermione. She seemed kind of strange in ze `allway," Fleur whispered in a concerned tone.
"No wonder. I'd be surprised if she didn't act this way."
"Why?" she asked, but Oliver's look made her eyes open wide. "Did she finally tell `Arry `ze truz? `Ow did `e react?" Fleur moved to her side of the bed.
"She did, after she slept with him. That's not all. Snape told him the truth first."
"What! No way!"
"When you saw her she had just fought with Ron because of well… you know."
"Ron? What did `e do?"
"What didn't he do is more like it. So then Hermione decided to play on her own terms and kissed Harry after pulling the Accio summon on him."
"And to `zink I missed `zat! Damn! She told `im `zat she loved `im?"
"I think she does. I've never seen her like this."
"I warned `er as much."
"You knew about this in the first place?" Oliver's eyes displayed an incredulous look. Fleur just grinned maliciously.
"Who do you `zink you're talking to Oliver? She doesn't call me best female friend
for nozing, you know." While saying this, Fleur couldn't help but notice that her boyfriend hadn't taken his eyes off her. "What?"
"Did I tell you how gorgeous you are?"
"Not today," she replied a silky seductive tone.
"Come here," he commanded and took her in his arms, kissing her passionately.
"What about `Arry?" she asked once more, suddenly on top of his chest again.
"Oh, he loves her," Oliver answered without really paying much attention and moved his mouth to her neck, rolling on top of her.
****
Harry did not know how long he had been asleep. But judging by the state of the light outside his window, he probably had already missed dinner.
He sighed. After this afternoon's heated argument had taken place, he just did not feel like talking, or going anywhere for that matter. He was sure that he had already lost at least one of his best friends, and where he stood with the other was still unknown at this point.
He groaned as he finally got out of bed. He was not looking forward to confronting the particularly messy, albeit delicate situation that he had gotten himself into. But things had gotten out of hand this afternoon. He had even punched Ron, his best mate for years, not that he hadn't deserved it at that point. Regardless, he knew that the three of them had said things they did not mean.
He sighed once again, his hand at the doorknob. He would clear out things with Ron first.
His exact feelings for his bushy-haired best friend would have to be sorted out another time. Right now, he wanted to salvage whatever was left of his friendship with Ron.
****
He had not gotten far down the stairs when he heard the unmistakable sound of Hermione's voice all the way down in the common room.
"You've got some nerve!" she shouted.
It didn't take long for Harry to figure out who her argument companion was.
"Oh, I've got nerve? What about you pulling that bloody stunt? Shagging Potter behind my back!" Ron bellowed.
"Yes, I screwed up! Still, that is between Harry and me. You got no say in the matter," Hermione whispered coolly. However, it did not go unheard by Harry, who had now stopped moving completely.
"I don't? You knew I fancied you! And I thought you felt the same way!"
" You thought? Did you even ask me that?"
"Instead you go running to Potter, like all the other bloody girls in this school! I thought you were different! And what do you mean you screwed up?
"I mean I didn't plan for this to happen. We both didn't. Still, if you want to blame someone, blame me. Keep Harry out of this," Hermione said earnestly. All this, every detail, had been completely her fault. Harry couldn't be blamed for anything but his loyalty.
"Sure, and I'm supposed to believe that," Ron scoffed.
"It's true. We did not plan it.
Hermione gasped as she saw Harry coming down the stairs. His expression was grim, something she had never seen displayed on Harry's eyes before. However, Ron's anger flared up even more.
"But don't blame her entirely. In fact, I think I should take the blame," Harry stated.
"No," Hermione concluded.
"But Hermione, you were trying to tell me something that night. I didn't pay attention," Harry affirmed.
"Only because I made you believe something that wasn't true!" Hermione replied.
"I still took you to bed."
"With my consent!"
"Not at first-"
"Am I supposed to guess what you guys are quarreling about?" Ron intervened, quite annoyed at this point.
"Ron, we already told you what happened, when in fact, we don't need your approval," Hermione observed.
"You don't? Harry knew I fancied you!" Ron accused.
"But you never told me. And even if you had, I'm still free to make my decision and bed whomever I want!" Hermione spat.
"Like hell you are-"
"Why don't you ask me what this is really about Ron?" Hermione asked, " Your question: Why Harry and not me? Am I close?"
"Hermione-" Harry tried to intervene, noticing that Hermione had hit a nerve. Ron could not possibly look redder.
"Stay out of this Harry." Hermione raised her hand in a gesture to quiet him. "I'll tell you why. Because of your attitude. You can behave quite like a little boy when you don't get what you want, and come up with a tantrum like you only know how. If this would have happened the other way around, and I had been with you, you can be sure Harry would not be as you are right now. But it wasn't the way around. Either way, in the end I got what I really wanted and you are no one to take that away from me," Hermione whispered. "I do care about you Ron, a great deal, and I hope we can continue to be friends after this. But I do not care about you in the way that you want me to. And I hope you can get over it, because I am not changing my mind."
Hermione sighed and lowered her head as she walked away to the girls' dormitories.
Harry looked at Ron, who now had a disappointed look on his face.
"I'm sorry mate," he blurted out.
"I'm sorry too. I guess she is different, but not as I pictured her to be."
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