A/N: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry about not warning readers about the R/Hr scene, kind of a newbie here at Portkey. So now that I've learned, there is another R/Hr scene in this chapter but I've kind of toned it down a bit. But to clear the air, Ron and Hermione do stay friends only, after all Ron does end up marrying Luna! I stole a couple of scenes from some movies for this chapter.
Chapter Six: Why Can't We Be Friends?
Jessie is a friend,
yeah, I know he's been
a good friend of mine
But lately something's changed
it ain't hard to define
Jessie's got himself a girl
and I want to make her mine
And she's watching him with those eyes
And she's lovin' him with that body,
I just know it
Yeah 'n' he's holding her
in his arms late,
late late at night
You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl,
I wish that I had Jessie's girl
Where can I find a woman like that
(Jessie's Girl-Rick Springfield)
"I can't believe it! I'm going to kill him!"
"Ron, stop it!"
"No really, I'm going to hex him into a million pieces and then kill him!"
"I'm the one he hurt! I can take care of myself!"
"You're doing a bang up job of it, Hermione!"
Ron immediately regretted saying it the moment it left his lips. Hermione sighed, a defeated look came over her face as she sat down upon the bed.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," Ron apologized.
"I really don't need anyone to tell me that I'm an idiot. I already feel like one," she said quietly.
"You're not an idiot," Ron said as he sat down on the bed next to her.
A knock at the door interrupted them; Ginny peered in.
"Hermione, are you alright sweetie?" she asked.
"I'm doing as well as can be expected."
"There's breakfast waiting for you downstairs if you would like."
"She can't eat at a time like this!" Ron protested.
"Ron, I'm fine. I really need to take a shower and just get on with the day, right?" Hermione got up and left the room. Ginny waited in the doorway until she heard the bathroom door close before turning back to her brother.
"We could hear you downstairs. In fact, I think all of Ottery St. Catchpole could hear you."
"I fucking knew something like this would happen. I just knew it," Ron sounded frustrated.
"Knew what? That Oliver was going to fuck around behind her back?"
"This marriage was doomed from the start."
Ginny glowered and slowly, menacingly walked toward her brother.
"Don't go there, Ron. And don't you dare say that to Hermione," she threatened.
"Of course I'm not going to tell her that!" he hissed back.
Ginny backed off and didn't say anything for a minute. "Do you think he knows?" she asked, thoughtful.
"I don't know," he said softly.
"Well, he will soon. It's already in the papers."
"WHAT??!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blame it on him being overprotective or whatever, but he didn't think it was a good idea to have a big family dinner right now. However, Hermione insisted that it still go on and that she wouldn't feel overwhelmed or anything. Still, Ron was worried about her, especially since everyone (including himself) conveniently didn't mention a Mr. Potter being on the invite list. Ron was very aware of the rift that had happened between his friends years ago that had caused them to ignore each other's existence. And even though it was a beautiful clear night, the Burrow could do without fireworks. Somehow the idea of an emotionally vulnerable Hermione and a hot headed Harry being in the same place together wasn't a good one.
Crack! Crack!
"Harry! Sirius!" Molly started. "H-how good of you to come!" Harry hugged Molly, swinging her around. "Put me down Harry!"
"Harry! Harry!" cried out Fred's twin boys as they ran and attached themselves to each of Harry's legs.
"No roughhousing in the living room!" Molly cried out at the boys who were already tackling Harry. "Sirius, could I have a word with you?"
"Of course, Molly."
Ron, who had been hiding in the hallway the moment he heard the two men arrive, quietly snuck out to the backyard. He found Hermione at one end of the table set up outside chatting away with Angelina.
"Hermione," he began when he sat next to her. "There's something I need to tell you."
Crash!!
"AARRGGHH!" Harry roared as he burst through the backdoor; one twin wrapped around his leg, the other over his shoulders. His smile instantly slid off his face at the unexpected occupant at the table. In fact, the entire table paused for a moment then continued on with their conversations, in strained forced ways.
"Harry, you're blocking the doorway," Sirius nudged him from behind. "Hermione!" he cried out, moving past Harry and to the table. "It is so good to see you!"
"Hello Sirius, you're looking great!" Hermione answered back, grateful for the interruption.
"Care to give an old man a kiss on the cheek?" Sirius teased and Hermione obliged. "Oh, if only I were younger," he sighed, his eyes smiling.
"Tuck in everyone! Tuck in!" Molly announced.
Ron sat next to Hermione, Luna sat by Ron and Ginny sat across from Hermione. Harry, still a little shell shocked at seeing Hermione actually here in the flesh, grimaced and reluctantly took the only available seat next to Ginny. The look on his face clearly read that this was the last place he wanted to be.
Ron was grateful that dinner was going smoothly so far, even though they were only ten minutes in. He was so nervous that he was really only poking at his food. Harry was busy stuffing his face, not joining in on the conversation. Ron thought it was a good thing that Harry's mouth was presently occupied. He yanked his concentration back to the conversation at hand.
"…so I'm making the most of the time that I have with Ronald," his wife was saying. "It's been so busy at the Quibbler that I only get to see him when I come home late at night."
"Well, I bet it won't be so bad once the season starts up again," Ginny replied. "I know he's working on a big trade deal right now-" Ron began to panic but before he could stop his sister she was cut off by another voice.
"That's going to be a bit difficult now isn't it? You know, a bit awkward."
Ron's stomach plummeted. Harry had to open his mouth, just had to open his big, fat mouth.
"What are you talking about Harry?" Ginny asked in sickly sweet voice.
"Well, Oliver did admit that it was going to be awkward," Harry replied.
"You spoke to Oliver?" Hermione asked quickly.
Harry looked at Hermione as if contemplating his response. "Yes, I met him this afternoon."
"He came all the way to London to speak to you?"
"No, he came looking for you. He wants to see you, speak to you."
Hermione scoffed. "Well, if he can't work up the balls enough to ask me in person, I'm not going to do it!"
"Good for you, Hermione." Ginny stated.
Harry threw her a look of annoyance before continuing, "I think you should do it."
"It doesn't matter what you think!" Hermione shot back.
"Aren't you being a bit stubborn, a little selfish?"
"Selfish? How am I being a bit selfish? I'm not the one who cheated here!" Hermione's voice began to rise.
"Did you ever stop to think about Ron?" so was Harry's voice.
"Don't bring me into this, Harry," Ron threatened but Harry ignored him and continued on.
"Now, I'm sure Oliver is willing to put things aside to try and work things out."
"The marriage or the deal?" Hermione retorted.
"That's a fair question," Ginny looked at Harry scathingly.
"You stay out of this," Harry snapped back.
"So you're telling me," Hermione began, tears were forming in her eyes and she looked as though she was trying her best to hold them back, "that I should just sit back, shut up and allow him to feed me loads of bullshit."
"Hermione," Luna said soothingly, trying to calm her, but Hermione continued on.
"And I should just smile pleasingly and…and say thank you and…" but she choked up. She threw down her napkin, left the table and ran into the house, tears streaming down her face.
Ron stood up, threw Harry the nastiest look he could and took off after Hermione.
"You know, you're a real jerk Harry," Luna quipped and followed her husband.
"Nice going Harry. You handled that marvelously," Ginny sneered.
"Sod off Ginny," Harry shot back.
Ginny huffed then took off as well.
"Well now, look at the time!" Sirius suddenly announced. "Thank you for inviting us over but we really must get going!" Sirius grabbed Harry by the scruff of his shirt and yanked him out of his seat. "We'll see you again!" Then, with a loud crack, he apparated them both away.
"Hermione! Hermione, open the door," Ron pleaded. She had barricaded herself in the bathroom. Ginny and Luna walked up behind him.
"We'll take care of her Ronald, you go back and sit with the family," Luna said.
"This situation requires female company," Ginny added.
Ron reluctantly gave way to the two women who successfully convinced Hermione to let them in.
"Don't listen to anything that jerk has to say," he heard Luna advise.
"He's just a miserable git, who wants to make everyone else miserable too," Ginny added.
Ron walked back downstairs. He really didn't feel like going back outside so he did the only thing that would make him feel better. The evening sky was cool and clear, perfect flying weather. Ron did a couple of loops around the burrow, then extended his route around Ottery St. Catchpole. This wasn't the first time Harry and he had come to heads about Hermione and it probably wasn't going to be the last. His mind drifted back to the first time he and Harry had fought about this…
(Summer before seventh year)
"Oh. My. God!"
Ron and Hermione both sat straight up, fighting each other over the blanket to cover themselves. They were still in the back of the car, his head pounded from the amount of alcohol consumed that night. For a moment he thought he had had a really vivid dream about him and Hermione, but the rude awakening he just received proved otherwise. Ron was embarrassed about the situation, even more so than being caught by someone he least wanted to catch him.
"Lookie here, George. Ickle Ronnie isn't so little anymore," Fred teased. Hermione moaned in embarrassment.
George joined his twin at the open car door. "Well, hello there, Hermione."
"Look, will you guys just give us a moment," Ron said impatiently.
"Of course, little bro," Fred obliged then walked back outside the garage with his twin.
"Are you alright?" Ron asked.
"Oh that was soooo embarrassing!" Hermione moaned.
Ron took a moment to assess their situation, then closed his eyes and fumbled around for his clothes.
"Ron what are you doing?" Hermione asked.
"Getting dressed."
Hermione tutted impatiently. "How about we go to opposite sides of the garage and get dressed…with our eyes open."
"Oh, yeah. Good idea." Ron began to dress himself.
Hermione was the first to leave the garage. Ron followed shortly only to be stopped outside by his brothers.
"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing," George asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ron muttered.
"You're supposed to be his best friend," Fred accused.
"In case you two didn't notice, he has a girlfriend," Ron pointed out.
"Don't play stupid," George said.
"You're lucky we were the ones that found you two," Fred added.
"Well maybe not too lucky," George said slyly.
"A little bribery might be in order. Just so we don't let certain events slip," Fred continued. The twins were grinning like Cheshire cats. Ron groaned.
Hermione was waiting for him at the backdoor of the house.
"Is everything alright," she asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine, just peachy," he said cringing inwardly about all the potions he was going to have to steal from Professor Snape. "About last night Hermione…" he began.
"We both had a lot to drink," Hermione said hastily.
"I don't regret it."
Hermione paused before answering. "Neither do I," her voice sounded relieved. "But I don't want to ruin our friendship," she added quickly.
"Of course not! This was just a one time thing."
"That's right. One time. Never again."
"Never again."
Hermione sighed as Ron rolled off of her and lay next to her. They were both on the ground of the greenhouse at Hogwarts.
"This has got to be the last time," she said looking a little flushed.
"Hey! You're the one who pulled me into the bathroom on the train here," Ron replied, still a little out of breath.
Hermione stifled a laugh then got up and began to dress. Ron followed suit after a few minutes.
"Ten minute head start?" she asked.
"Yeah, you go ahead this time," Ron offered.
"Ron," Hermione began after she finished dressing herself. "Do you think I'm attractive?"
Ron looked up at her and grinned. "Well, I did con you into coming here so I could shag your brains out."
Hermione laughed. "You're incorrigible!" Then she left.
This really had to be the last time, Ron thought to himself as he made his way to the Gryffindor common room. He really couldn't help it though. Hermione shocked the hell out of him on the Hogwarts Express, not that he didn't enjoy that little tryst. It really was all his hormones fault. Besides, it was kind of fun, like a game, a little secret that they shared. They weren't hurting anybody.
Ron walked into the boys' dormitory to find his roommates sitting on the floor in the middle of the room.
"Just in time, come join us Ron," Harry said.
"Care to have a drink?" Seamus handed him a bottle of butterbeer.
Ron sat down next to Harry and took the bottle from Seamus. He eyed it suspiciously.
"Oh, come on, we didn't poison it!" Seamus exclaimed. "We have the Head Boy present!"
Ron took a drink of the butterbeer, sure enough it tasted normal.
"Although as Head Boy, it is my duty to know exactly why you have this," Harry pulled a small vial of clear liquid from his robes.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
"It's for Fred and George," Ron spilled out before he could stop himself. Harry had a small smile on his face.
"Oh, I forgot to mention we might have put a little bit of that in your drink," Seamus informed Ron a little too late.
Ron looked at Harry.
"I put it in everyone's drink. Figured we could have a little fun," Harry said casually then looked directly at Ron. "Besides, it's not like you're hiding anything from me anyway."
He knows.
"Alright mates, you know the rules, one question at a time, a different person each time," Harry announced to the group.
Ron was being set up, set up by his own best friend, and he was powerless to stop it. If he walked out of the room, he would look like a guilty man. But if he stayed, well…
"Neville, are you a virgin?" Seamus asked evilly.
Neville turned bright red before answering, "Yes." Everyone laughed. "Well, what about you Ron," Neville asked in the defensive. "Are you a virgin?"
"No," Ron replied. Harry's eyebrows raised slightly. Alright Harry, two can play at this game. If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me. "Harry, are you cheating on Lavender?"
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Yes." The boys whooped and hollered in response. "Oh yeah? Dean have you cheated on Ginny?"
Dean stopped laughing immediately. "Yes."
WHAT?? I'll have to deal with him later but for now I have bigger fish to fry.
"Well, I guess I'm the only faithful one here," Seamus exclaimed proudly.
"Oh yeah?" Dean asked. "Besides Parvati, who else would you like to sleep with?"
"Hermione," Seamus answered immediately, then clapped a hand over his mouth looking apologetic at Ron and Harry. Ron saw Harry's jaw clench slightly briefly before everyone broke out into a laughter.
"Oh, come on! Who wouldn't like to…you, know…with her," Neville said shyly. The conversation was getting a little uncomfortable for Ron.
"Yeah well, we all might be a little out of luck for now. I have it from a very reliable source that Hermione might be off the unicorn handling market," Dean announced.
FUUUUUUUUUUCK!
"WHAT?!" Harry yelped.
"Yeah, on the train to Hogwarts, Ginny happened to walk by the restrooms and heard Hermione moaning. She thought she had a stomachache or something and was about to knock on the door when she heard another voice in there…a male voice."
Ron's palms began to get sweaty. Harry looked absolutely gobsmacked.
"I thought there was something different about her," Neville pondered aloud.
"Wow. You know, I always thought she would hook up with one of you two," Seamus nodded to Harry and Ron. Ron gave a nervous laugh, Harry still looked too shocked to speak.
"Too true," Dean added. "Have either of you slept with Hermione?"
"No!"
"Yes."
Stupid Veritaserum!!
Harry and Ron spoke up at the same time. Dead silence followed that. Neville, Seamus and Dean just sat there with their mouths open. Harry slowly turned to look at Ron. Ron panicked and said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Harry fooled around with Ginny over the summer!"
Neville made a sound of disbelief. Harry seemed not to have acknowledge that, he continued to look at Ron. Oddly enough, Dean had a quiet demeanor about him, too quiet. He was taking the news rather well.
"Um…well, since we're airing our dirty laundry here, I've been sleeping with Lavender," Dean said quietly.
Harry ignored this comment as well. Slowly he stood up and walked toward the door.
"Harry," Ron called out, standing up to go after him.
Harry stopped at the door, hesitating a moment before he suddenly turned around and charged at Ron, tackling him to the ground. They guys shouted at them to stop it but fists went flying everywhere. Dean jumped into the fray, punching Harry, then being punched by Ron for punching Harry.
"Go and get help!" Seamus ordered Neville who ran for the door, but it opened on him.
"What on earth is going on here?"
The voice of Hermione Granger immediately stopped the fight.
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