Chapter 2
He stared at Ron like he was mental. How could Ron let such a wonderful person such as Hermione get away, he thought. If it were him, he would never have let her go. The thought shocked him to the core.
"What?" Harry had to sit down. The news turned his bones into jelly. If he remained standing any longer he'd fall flat on his face.
"Yeah, I guess she didn't feel like writing that little bit of news."
All those months Harry thought they were happy. He'd been trying to complete his training early so that he'd be home in time for their wedding. He kept asking Hermione when the big day was, but she'd been vague. The answer was always, "soon."
"No. I reckon she didn't feel like sharing that bit of news with me. Why didn't you?"
"I'd been busy touring with the Cannons and I reckon it would have been the first thing she wrote to you. I don't know Harry. You're like a brother to me. I know you and Hermione are close too, sometimes I think closer than me and her even when were together." Harry was about to say something, but Ron put his hand up to stop him. He wanted to get the words out before he lost the nerve. "I guess I thought if I told you, you'd think it was my fault and you'd be angry at me. I mean, it's not that I was unfaithful or anything…." he immediately added. He saw the smoldering blaze in Harry's green eyes. "Hermione and I, well, we just didn't work. We fought practically all the time. You know that. Some people thought that because we did it was because we were compatible you know… in the more intimate settings."
He really felt uncomfortable discussing his love life with Harry. Normally, it wouldn't be so difficult, but when it was about someone they both cared about, it was a bit much for him. He was sweating bullets trying to explain it to Harry.
Harry immediately banked the anger he felt initially. Ron was right. He had thought for a second that the break up was because of Ron. He would never have thought it was because of Hermione. No, Hermione was practically perfect. She was a bit bossy and sometimes is a know-it-all, but she had redeeming qualities. Her better qualities far outweigh her more irritating ones.
"Everyone was so wrong. We just fight well with each other is all. Our relationship was doomed from the beginning. I don't know if maybe the fact that we had to face danger together had anything to do with it, but whatever it was that brought us together in the first place wasn't strong enough to keep us together. I think we were trying to do what everyone expected us to do, nothing more, and nothing less. I love Hermione, don't get me wrong. But I think we misinterpreted the type of love we felt for each other as something more than what it was. We were comfortable with each other, but it's not the kind of love that is shared between lovers. It was merely love that is shared between close friends, brother and sister more like."
Harry sat down on the couch. He felt lighter somehow, but he didn't know why the news of Hermione's and Ron's breakup would make him feel that way. He must be going crazy. Either that or he was a real sick person. What was he supposed to say?
"Sorry mate. I didn't know. She never told me."
"It's all right. Not everyone found out for a while. You know how Hermione was so afraid of failure in school? Well, I think that fear translated into every facet of her life. She didn't like to fail at anything and I believe she thought of our relationship as a failure for her."
"She does know that it takes two to make a relationship, doesn't she? I mean if the relationship went bad, it wasn't her fault alone, right?"
"You know Hermione. She doesn't like to be bad at anything. Except maybe listening to reason?"
"Don't worry about that right now. What are we supposed to be doing to get her memory back?"
"The healers thought that bringing her home to a more familiar surrounding might help jog her memory. If she doesn't remember anything by tomorrow morning, then we'll have to tell her about her memory loss, but still not try to fill in the gaps for her. We're just supposed to tell her facts, not tell her about how she acted or how she felt only how we felt or acted. We can only hope that bringing her to familiar places will trigger her memory."
"So that's the plan? We wait. So, should I even be here then? Since I've been gone for a while, I can't help her much with anything, can I?"
"See, that's the whole point. Since you've been removed from her life for so long, you'll be more objective. You won't really know anything that happened a year ago. Only what she wrote you, but now you know she didn't write you about everything." He smiled despite the seriousness. "She'd been working on some secret project for the ministry, so anything about her work will remain a mystery to all of us. Well, except maybe her assistant. You'll never guess who her assistant is."
"Mandy Brocklehurst."
"Bloody hell! She probably told you more about what was going on in her life than me, even when we were going out."
"You know, I do listen a lot better than you." Ron playfully punched Harry in the arm.
"Yeah, you may be right. But the reason you're here is to make sure she's all right. She thinks I'm still her fiancé, but I'm seeing someone else. I know I didn't tell you, but I've been so busy. And besides, I have to leave on tour soon."
Harry was getting a bit angry. How could Ron be so uncaring? He just wanted to get on with his life. Didn't he care about Hermione's life? Tomorrow, if Hermione doesn't remember anything, she will be so upset. He knew exactly how she would react. She'd blame herself, of course. Even though there was no way she would do such a thing to herself, she'd blame herself anyway. She'd feel like a failure. She'd probably be silent for a little while to reflect on what was happening to her. Then she'd start hitting the books.
"I understand Ron. You have a life to attend to. Right now, my life is really on hold. I told the ministry I wanted to take a few weeks off to be with family and friends. I was hoping to spend some time with you as well, but we could catch up some other time."
"Harry. I wouldn't leave Hermione with anyone else. I was prepared to cancel the tour until we got your letter. I couldn't leave knowing that I'd be leaving Hermione in limbo."
No matter how far apart they were, Harry seemed to be in tune with Hermione. They knew each other so well. Sometimes it was scary when they finished each other's sentences. That was years ago before he even left for auror training. He felt as if they were still close, maybe even closer than before he left if that was possible. Her letters were one of the things that kept him sane and grounded. He couldn't do much during training, but receiving letters were a luxury in the confines of the training camp.
But he knew Ron well as well. He knew that sometimes he had trouble expressing himself and didn't deal well with crisis. He barely escaped the wrath of Voldemort in one piece, mentally not physically. But he also knew that Ron would not have left Hermione alone like he said. The anger diminished a bit. Ron would always be Ron. But in a way, he also knew that Ron had grown up as well. If he was willing to put his tour on hold, a quidditch tour at that, showed a lot of growth on Ron's part.
"It's okay Ron. I'll be here. Don't feel guilty or anything. I'm sure we're supposed to try to make it as normal as possible for her. Besides, you know she wouldn't want special attention, especially when there was something wrong with her personally."
"You know, Harry. I think that if there were any two that do belong together, it's probably you and Hermione."
"You know Ron. You're mental. You know we don't feel anymore than friendship for each other." But Harry felt like a liar and was a bit defensive. Why would such a statement make him feel that way?
"Hey, are you boys ready to eat?" Hermione asked cheerfully. She stood at the entrance way between the dining room and the parlor. Harry was again taken aback at his reaction towards his friend. He knew he'd been out of loop when it came to the dating world, but he didn't think the sight of his best friend would make him react the way he was doing at that moment.
Harry smiled at her. She almost sighed aloud. Then she remembered Ron was in the room and coughed to hide the sigh. She must be mental to feel so drawn towards Harry while her fiancé was in the room. All she wanted to do was run her fingers through his hair and kiss him like crazy. Yup, no doubt about it, she was definitely mental.
Ron didn't miss the look the two gave each other. He knew what he told Harry was right. They do belong together even if they didn't know it. He'd love to see the day when Harry would eat his words.
Just like old times, she looped her arms through Ron and Harry and walked them to the room.
A/N: Thank you for all your positive reviews. Here's another chapter for you. Kind of short, but here's hoping you like it anyway.
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