Passion

Chapter 3: an explosion and a split

"So, how serious are you and Lavender?"

The morning in Hogsmeade had been a very enjoyable few hours, followed by a peaceful dine in the Three Broomsticks. Harry felt Hermione stiffen next to him but he thought that the topic should ease its way into the conversation so they could see how far this relationship was and how close they were to telling on about him and Hermione.

"It's really great," he replied after taking a sip of his butterbeer. "She's really fun an easy to talk to."

"Hey Ron!" All three looked over to the door and saw Lavender running towards their table. "I haven't seen you today, where have you been?"

"Just hanging with Harry and Hermione. Thought we'd have a special day, just the three of us, you know, since we've been spending so much time together lately."

"Oh," she sighed. "Don't you want to spend time with me anymore?" She looked as if she was about to burst out in tears.

"No, I jus-"

"HE'S NOT BREAKING UP WITH YOU, HE JUST WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH OTHER PEOPLE!! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD HE CARES ABOUT!! THERE ARE MORE OF US!!" Hermione hadn't been able to hold in any longer and it had just come pouring out of her. She stood up threateningly and marched from the room, throwing the door out of her way.

"What's her problem?!" Lavender yelled. "I didn't do anythi-"

"On the contrary," Harry interrupted her, standing up fiercely. "You may not have noticed, but until today, Ron had not sat or spent a minute with Hermione and me since you met. So I would stop being so selfish and realise what Hermione was screaming about. Ron's life isn't devoted to one person, and never has been."

Harry walked out of the Three Broomsticks, leaving a silent room. He looked around the snowy village for a sign of Hermione. He spotted her on a bench across from Zonko's and made his way over to her. Harry sat down next to her and noticed that she was crying.

"I didn't mean to blow up like that. It's just that she was being so selfish and thinking about herself and -"

Harry put his finger to her lips and then kissed her. Hermione acted as if the kiss was soothing her stress. They just sat there for a moment, then Harry pulled away and looked her in the eye.

"It's alright. We'll make sure she doesn't get in between us and Ron."

Hermione nodded as Harry dried her tears.

"While we're on the subject of Ron, when are we going to tell him about us two?"

"When we were before this happened. When he's at a high in the relationship. My reaction doesn't change anything."

Harry nodded. They stood up and headed back to the castle to just spend the rest of the afternoon in quiet, away from everyone.

*

At about 8pm Ron walked in alone and sat next Harry on the couch. He looked like he had been close to tears. Hermione came and kneeled in front of him.

"What's wrong?" she murmured.

"Lavender dumped me." He answered in barely a whisper. Hermione clamped her hands over her mouth.

"Ron! I'm so sorry! This is my entire fault."

"Well I helped it along." He replied.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Well after you two had gone she asked me if my selfish friends or my girlfriend were more important to me. I said that you two weren't selfish and that she had to admit that you both had a point and then she went off at me just as you had at her and in amongst all the screaming I caught that I was dumped. Not that I needed to hear those words. Just the gibberish shouting was enough a sign for that."

Harry patted his friend on the shoulder. He felt very downhearted both for Ron and himself. He was sad that Ron had broken up with a girlfriend he really like but this also meant that him and Hermione would have to find another instance to tell him about them being a couple.

"It's alright, things will turn out fine," but Harry wasn't entirely sure if it would. How would things get better? The only way to sort this out would be to tell Ron anyway.

"I'm going to bed," Ron sighed and he wandered across the room and disappeared up the spiral staircase.

"When are we gonna tell him now?" Hermione asked, an anxious expression on her face.

"We'll just have to tell him anyway, just straight out. We can't hide it forever."

"I guess your right. But do you know what this could do to him if he doesn't take it the right way?"

"We'll have to take that chance. He should understand that we couldn't help it," Hermione nodded and left to go to her dormitory.

Straight after she'd left, the portrait hole opened and Seamus, Dean, Parvati and Lavender walked in. Seamus and Dean greeted Harry but the two girls snubbed him on the way up to their dormitory.

What's Hermione gonna do when she sees Lavender? Harry thought. Oh well, it's nothing I can help, he thought again.

*

"Hi, Ron," Hermione greeted them when Harry and Ron came downstairs the next morning.

"How'd it go with Lavender in your dorm last night?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh, we just ignored each other," she replied. She looked at Harry, her expression asking if today was the day they were going to tell Ron. Harry nodded back. Hermione sighed and the three of them left the common room to go down for breakfast.