31. Uncomfortable Confrontations

Crack. Harry was home

Harry came racing through the door, his forehead sweating and his chest heaving. "Gin! I came as fast as I could. What's- Oh Hermione!" Harry had seen Hermione in her state, and she burst back in to uncontrollable sobs. He strode over to the dining table and took another seat next to her, engulfing her in a warm, strong hug. He held her while she sobbed against his chest, absolutely devastated to see her like this.

Looking over the top of Hermione's head at Ginny he whispered, "What happened?" He could tell she was reeling with anger. Barely looking at him she spat, "Ron."

At the sound of Ginny saying his name Hermione laughed hysterically and unwound herself from Harry's hug. She was smiling like a maniac as she stared blankly at the opposite wall.

"Mione? Tell me what's happened?" Harry asked carefully, glancing worriedly at Ginny.

Hermione chuckled, laughing at her own stupidity. "Ron planned it all. The change of times, the location, everything. Just so Draco would walk in while we were sitting together."

Harry's mouth fell open in disbelief as Ginny gripped the edge of the table angrily. Hermione continued, "Draco saw Ron and I together and he left," She threw her hands up in the air "broke up with me in the middle of the street." But Harry was confused. He had spent all last week planning with Draco the most romantic way to give Hermione the ring. The ring that he travelled across the world to create. He knew how much Draco loved her, it didn't make sense that he would throw that all away seeing her and Ron together.

"Mione," Harry spoke softly, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I don't understand. Draco loves you. Why would he-"

"Because Ron saw him walk in, so he grabbed my face and kissed me."

Both Ginny and Harry jumped out of their chair in anger while Hermione sat there staring at the wall. "WHAT?!" Harry yelled, while Ginny paced the floor twirling her wand aggressively with her fingers "HE DID WHAT?"

"He saw Draco walk in. So he grabbed my face. And. Kissed. Me." Hermione explained it again slower, smiling like she couldn't even believe the words coming out of her mouth.

Harry took a deep breath and remembered the whole reason Draco had wanted to plan the date in the first place. "Mione, did Draco give you the-"

"Yeah," she laughed softly, tears now rolling again down her puffy cheeks. She pulled the familiar black box out of her pocket and, without looking at it, handed it to Harry. "Take it, please Harry, I can't bear to look at it."

He silently took the box off her and placed it in his pocket. Ginny looked at him as he did that, her eyes widening slightly before starting to yell about how her brother always seems to ruin everything. Harry was just a livid. He stood there, bolted to the floor, his fists shaking as he tried to hold himself together; Hermione didn't need two people yelling about Ron around her.

"Ginny," Harry forced through his teeth after a considerable moment of silence, "will you please go and get your brother. Ginny grinned evilly at Harry, murder now in her eyes. She nodded her head and with a distinct crack she was gone.

Harry and Hermione sat in considerable silence while the waited for Ginny to bring Ron. The only sound was Hermione's occasional wretched sobs as Harry rubbed her back affectionately.

A short time later, their silence was broken by another crack and the distant sound of Ginny and Ron fighting. Harry jumped up and raced to meet them out in the garden while Hermione slowly peeled herself off the chair to stand in the door frame.

Harry raced over to Ginny, who had Ron grasp firmly by the ear. He was red-faced, anxious and shouting profanities at Ginny, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Ginny was tight-lipped as she threw Ron forward and crossed her arms tightly against her chest.

Ron stumbled forward towards Harry. Straightening up and rubbing his ear he chuckled nervously, "You could have just invited me over Harry. You didn't have to send that." He threw a glance at Ginny and laughed.

Harry didn't laugh, instead he stepped forward and raised his wand defensively at his best friend who raised his arms in vulnerability in return. "Tell me, Ron, why Hermione is claiming you're the reason her and Draco aren't together anymore?"

Ron glanced over Harry's shoulder at Hermione standing in the door. He expected her to be upset about them breaking up, he had just planned for her to run into his arms instead. He looked back at Harry, who was seething in anger and swallowed the lump in his throat, "Look, mate. You have to understand-"

"We don't have to understand anything you useless git!" Ginny interrupted, storming over to Harry's side and jabbing her finger forcefully into Ron's chest, "Look at what you've done to the girl you're supposed to love Ron! Look at her!" Ginny was now yelling and getting dangerously close to punching her brother in the face.

Harry intervened, and stepped between her and Ron. "Gin, go comfort Hermione." He whispered to her, throwing his eyes over to Hermione who was now crouched in the doorway weeping. She nodded her head once and turned to leave, throwing Ron one final look of disgust.

Harry turned his attention back to Ron, who was now biting down hard on his lip and looking over Harry's shoulder to watch Hermione being comforted by Ginny. "How could you Ron?" He asked simply.

Ron pulled his eyes away from Hermione to meet Harry's gaze. "I just wish you could understand Harry." He muttered.

Harry ran his hand through his hair in frustration, trying desperately to control his anger he said, through gritted teeth, "What don't I understand Ron?"

Ron frowned angrily, now starting to lose his temper. Steeping forward, closer to Harry, he pointed his finger angrily in his face, "You don't understand how to fight for someone you love!" Ron spat, "You're Harry Potter! Every girl you've ever loved has fallen right into your arms!"

Harry's jaw dropped in disbelief at his words. He stepped forward to close the gap between them, their chests now almost touching. He glared at Ron as he tried to organise the angry thoughts buzzing around his head. But before he could retaliate, Hermione stood up and gasped, "Guys, look!" Harry turned his head to what Hermione was pointing at and immediately widened his eyes. Ron took this as an opportunity and disapparated away with a violent crack.

But Harry didn't care. Instead, he strode quickly towards the shimmering silver figure leaping gracefully over their garden fence, knowing that whoever had sent the Patronus to them wasn't bringing good news.

The shimmering blueish rabbit stopped suddenly in the middle of Harry's garden and jutted it's head up towards him. Opening its mouth slightly, it spoke with a voice none of them had heard before.

"Draco Malfoy is at St. Mungo's. Come quickly. He's asking for Hermione."