Chapter 12: The Great Rift
Harry had found, to his detriment, that things he wanted and things he got were very rarely the same thing. He wanted to be normal; no chance there. He wanted Voldemort to be after someone else; not likely while Harry was still alive. He wanted to have parents that he lived with and could go to with his problems; this too was denied him, as was almost every other parental figure in his life. They were either removed or they died. And at this moment, he wanted Hermione as his girlfriend and Ron as a best friend who supported him. Alas, neither of these was true either.
Nor were they likely to be, judging by Ron's attitude. Harry would have preferred Ron to be screaming and shouting at him, venting his anger like Uncle Vernon. Maybe this way, some of his frustrations would burn out, allowing Harry time to discuss what was going on. Unfortunately, Ron adopted a different stance. Rather than be mad and viciously furious, he took on a frightening Snape-like transformation. Instead of bellowing obscenities into Harry's face, he took to make snide remarks and comments and treating every one of Harry's attempts to patch things up as a joke.
'Pass me the sugar, would you Harry?' Ron sneered over breakfast, 'If you can stop thinking about her for long enough, that is?'
'Ron, come on, you've got the wrong -'
'Blah, blah, blah. Do you hear someone talking? Or smell that awful smell? Manure isn't it? Coming from your direction, mate. Maybe your mouth. Did you brush well this morning? Oh, sorry, you must have. Want to impress the in-laws in-waiting when you meet them wont you?'
For a brief moment, Harry teetered on the edge of a knife and could have tipped either way. He could either blurt out to Ron all that had happened during the summer and how secretly he would love Mr and Mrs Granger as parents-in-law, then smack Ron for his childishness. Or, he could just smack Ron around the head anyway and let him stew in the knowledge that he didn't know half of what had gone on between he and Hermione and if he did, then he'd probably implode from the grief. The entrance of Hermione to the Great Hall jolted Harry into deciding to stay balanced precariously on the knife, and leave the fight for another time.
Hermione's obliviousness to the silent rage sizzling between Harry and Ron made the situation almost comical, such was the contrast between them. It filled Harry with sadistic glee to realise that Hermione was probably radiant with happiness after the chat they'd had last night, and this made Ron's anger even more poignant in Harry's eyes. Hermione didn't take long to cotton on to the fact that something was wrong, her eyes darting from Harry then to Ron with some frequency. Harry gave the most surreptitious of headshakes as Hermione sat down, hoping she understood not to ask what the problem was. Ron, however, showed his usual tactless qualities.
'Did you know Harry thinks about you all the time?' He spat, 'Never thinks of anything else by the looks of it. Hermione, Hermione, Hermione…morning, noon and night. Especially before bed. God knows what kinds of sick thoughts he has about you, or what he does inside those hangings…he does thrash about a lot.'
'That's enough!' Harry yelled angrily as people from surrounding tables were craning in to listen, some sniggering others whispering.
'Ohh, its enough, now! Harry Potter had spoken!' Ron snorted loudly.
Hermione's face was shining through embarrassment but otherwise she looked totally unabashed. She also seemed to have realised that her and Harry's agreement was still in place, something Harry was glad of.
'That's nice,' she said casually, smiling at Harry, 'Strange that you listen, though. That's a bit creepy and a bit weird, don't you think?'
Ron was totally wrong-footed by this. He obviously hadn't expected this response and turned from blotchy with anger to glowing with shame. He couldn't even speak.
'I've lost my appetite,' Hermione continued plainly, 'C'mon Harry. Fancy telling me about some of those fantasies of yours on the way to Transfiguration? Come on, I'm dying to know.'
Several people laughed and Harry chuckled in spite of himself as he stood up.
'Tell them to me, too, Harry,' grinned Dean Thomas.
'And me, I wanna know all the gorey details!' added Seamus Finnigan.
'And us!' chirped Lavender and Parvati together, 'Boys' minds are disgusting, but funny!'
'Hey!' Dean and Seamus protested.
'I'll post them all up on the Gryffindor notice board once Harry has given me a full account!' Hermione giggled, 'Now come along, Harry. We can even try some out if you're quick!'
That part of the table erupted with laughter and the boys cheered Harry, now shockingly flushed, as he trotted along behind Hermione and out of the hall. He expected her to go all serious and stern once out of earshot of the whooping Gryffindors but she instead retained her air of playfulness and happiness.
'I can't believe you told him,' she said lightly, 'and do you really thrash about in your bed?'
'Not that I'm aware of,' Harry answered trying to ignore the stirrings under his ribs, 'But I didn't say anything. He went in my Pensieve; I woke up last night and there he was, looking into my thoughts. Who knows what he's seen.'
'I do hope you only have nice thoughts about me, Harry?' she said coyly.
'Do you?' he replied with a swooning voice that most certainly wasn't his own.
'Well…maybe not all nice, you are helpless after all. But you're a boy, it isn't your fault. Just try and keep them in your head. Then again, having Dumbledore seeing them wouldn't be great either would it?'
'No, probably not. Besides, are all your thoughts nice?'
'Of course…' she said, but her cheeky smile betrayed her so much that she and Harry burst out into simultaneous giggles that lasted all the way to Professor McGonagall's classroom.
'I still think we should keep our agreement up, though,' Harry said as he leant against the wall, 'at least for a bit.'
'I agree,' Hermione said, 'wouldn't be fair to rub Ron's nose in it -'
'-though I wouldn't mind it-'
'Come on, Harry, be nice. Ron's your best friend. He doesn't want to think he's losing you that's all.'
'Is it?' Harry shot incredulously, 'Is that what you really think? You're so naïve, its cute but annoying.'
'Then what is it?'
'I told you before, I'm not telling you. It's amazing someone as smart as you hasn't worked it out. I bet its obvious to everyone else.'
Hermione made to reply but Professor McGonagall opened the door to let them in and Harry raised his hand to silence her when she tried to bring it up again in the classroom.
'How'd it go, Harry?' Dean Thomas said with a wink as he sat in front of him.
'Great,' Harry grinned, 'second times a charm, you know?'
Dean laughed and nodded his head in agreement before turning around. Ron slumped down huffily across the room and Harry found that he was glad they were as far apart as they could be.
Harry managed to avoid Ron for the rest of the day. He was glad to not have to be in the same room as him during Potions and sat many seats away from him at lunch. Despite Hermione's prompting, he refused to speak to him during Care of Magical Creatures and was happy when he could go wherever he liked once lessons were done.
He was bright enough to realise, though, that Ron's smarting would wear off eventually and his reaction then would decide the fate of their relationship. If he accepted it and supported Harry and Hermione as a pair then they could finally get together properly and everyone would know they were a couple. If, however, he decided to be churlish and immature then life could become tough. Life in the dormitory would be strained, Harry would likely lose the friendship with the Weasleys and, importantly, Harry would no longer have a best fried. Harry hoped, though he didn't bet too much on it, that Ron with pick the first option.
By the middle of the next week, Harry had discovered which way Ron had decided to go. They hadn't spoken for a whole week and Harry was starting to miss it slightly. He was glad that Hermione was spending considerably more time with him but didn't argue too much when she went off to try and get Ron to reconcile with Harry. He, himself, refused to admit that he was any way in the wrong and deemed apologising out of the question. Ron's stance was pretty much the same, judging by the frustrated and exhausted appearance Hermione took on every time she returned from chatting with him.
'Just leave it, there isn't any point.' Harry said after one such attempt.
'I don't know what's the matter with you two,' she said exasperatedly as she sat down, 'why can't you just work it out?'
'It's just not that simple,' Harry said, 'but anyway, its him that has to get over it and accept it. What have I done that's so wrong? It's his problem and if he can't deal with it then tough. Boo Hoo!'
'Harry, he's your best friend, you can't let it end like this. Do it for me, I don't want to be the cause of breaking you up.'
'There isn't anything I can do,' Harry pleaded, 'If there was a way then I'd try it. But he doesn't want to know. You know how he gets. That chip on his shoulder always gets in the way. If he wants to be friends then its up to him.'
It was evident, though, that Ron had no intention to try and make up. Instead, he seemed as keen as Harry was to put distance between them and minimise their contact. The way he went about this, however, left Harry with a very sour taste in his mouth.
'What do you mean?' Harry yelled, disgusted that Ron would even joke about this.
'Which bit didn't you get?' was Ron's scathing reply.
It was Tuesday evening, on the Quidditch pitch. Harry had seen the note on the Gryffindor common room notice board telling the Quidditch team about training on Tuesday night. Harry hadn't expected Ron to tell him, just that he would be huffy and moody when he turned up for practice. He hadn't been expecting this.
'When you say, "off the team",' Ginny said slowly to Ron, 'you're not serious are you?'
'Deadly,' Ron replied coldly.
His voice had certainly dropped a few degrees recently but got up a little in pitch, making it slightly shrill. It scratched at Harry's eardrums just listening to it.
'So, you're kicking me off the team?' Harry stormed, clutching his Firebolt tightly and feeling his hand clamming up against the finely polished handle.
'That's right.'
'And who's replacing me exactly?'
'Well,' Ron said, his voice betraying the slightest trace of dismay, 'it's between those two.'
Harry looked towards where Ron was pointing and couldn't help but scoff.
'Neville or Colin Creevey! Are you having a laugh?'
Harry was so incensed that he didn't even care about offending Neville or Colin. Besides which, they were too far away to hear Harry casting aspersions against them anyway.
'It doesn't matter,' Ron said loftily, 'we want people who can work as part of a team, not people who stab you in the back. We've all voted and think you're not much of a team player. Can't have a team if you don't trust each other. Bye, Harry.'
Harry swore at Ron and almost made to hit him. Ron stood there, daring Harry to try. It was obvious he would love noting more than the chance of a punch up with him. Ron stormed away after a minute or so of glaring at Harry, and Ginny came up.
'Sorry, Harry,' she said miserably, 'it was all Ron's idea. We did vote, but the condition was either vote you off or forfeit our place on the team. We're going to be dreadful without you. I mean, Dean and Seamus have joined us as Beaters but Neville as a Seeker? Glad Malfoy isn't here to see this.'
Harry said nothing to Ginny, choosing instead to thunder off to the Gryffindor common room. He found Hermione flicking her wand casually at a pair of knitting needles that were making a strawberry red scarf and glove set. She looked surprised, but pleasantly so, to see him.
'Hi,' she said, 'why aren't you at-'
'That git…that total idiot!' Harry stormed.
'What? What's happened.'
And he told her. She listened in silence but when she spoke her voice was calm.
'It doesn't surprise me, really,' she said sadly.
'What? Why not? Or have you already worked out he's a complete tool?'
'Well, I expected as much to be honest. That's why I've been trying to make you two patch things up. Before it gets out of hand and one of you does something that really hurts the other one. But, it's done now. I though he might have made you get detention or something, being a prefect and everything. I didn't think he'd do this, it's harsher than I thought. Are you still not going to tell me why this has upset him so much?'
'Have you asked him?'
'No.'
'Then do that. I told you, you wont here it from me. He may be doing my head in but its his dirty linen and there's no way I'm airing it in public for him.'
The rest of September passed off without much more interest, apart from Hermione's sixteenth birthday on the 19th. Harry had dipped into his Gringotts vault and ordered a pure sapphire eternity ring and an amulet with a shining silver otter attached to it. Harry had like the two diamonds in place of the otter's eyes.
'Oh, Harry!' Hermione said as she opened the boxes, 'they're gorgeous!'
'Now don't cry,' Harry said as Hermione started to well up, 'the ring is you birthstone I think...I hope. And I got the otter on there to match your Patronus. Just in case you need protecting when you're on your own.'
She threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek.
'Thank you, Harry,' she said, drying her eyes, 'this is too much. You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble.'
They were in the Room of Requirement. Harry had wanted a nice, romantic room with a lovely view, lit by candlelight and with soft music playing. He had enlisted the help of Dobby and the house-elves to prepare a meal to fit the occasion. It seemed to have worked the trick.
The night was a great success and for the first time in a while Harry had no problems. When they parted at the foot of the dormitory stairs at around one in the morning, Harry thought Hermione was actually going to do it. It was her choice not to after all, but when she stepped in close Harry shook with nerves. She leaned in, but only pecked him on the cheek before setting off up the stairs leaving him shaking and slightly disappointed.
In the dormitory, Harry heard Ron's voice. He was talking in his sleep, his voice taking on new levels of high and cold.
'The time is coming…things are coming together…by tomorrow, we will be ready to apply our plan. Are you ready?'
Ron answered himself, but his voice was normal and shaky.
'Yes…but, I don't think I should do this. I don't want to hurt anyone or get in trouble. '
'Think about what's being done to you, how they're conspiring against you. Surely you want revenge?' Ron said, his voice shrill and icy once more.
'No…not really,' Ron's normal voice said uncertainly, 'I'm not that bothered. I'm looking elsewhere now. I could drop it if I wanted to…'
Ron's voice tailed off and he spoke no more. Harry got into bed wishing Ron had a Pensieve so that he read his thoughts. Then he changed his mind, seeing that the box he'd placed his own one in had been forced open and broken. Still, if Ron was hiding something, he'd dearly love to know what it was...especially if he was planning to hurt someone.
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