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Harry was fuming, he wanted to kill his best friend... No that's not right, his best friend was the girl currently crying her heart out in his lap, not the redheaded git that was the cause of it. So the next day Harry couldn't help but storm into the Chudley Cannons training facility to rip a new one for his childhood best friend.
-Harry!- said Ron as he was started by the sudden approach of his raven haired best friend.
-Congratulations.-
-Wha...-
-You really outdid yourself this time Ron- said Harry, with his green blazing with fury -You finally managed to make her hate you-
Ron's eyes opened as saucers as it finally dawened on him why Harry was there. All he could do was fall against the locker.
-So you've seen it- said Ron in a small voice.
-No- spat Harry- she came to my house last night, she was a right mess- he added sharply- Seriously Ron? Not even in 6th...- Harry said quivering with anger- Do you have any idea of the sheer size of your stupidity-
-Harry I...-
-No! You're gonna listen fist- screamed Harry, with so much anger Ron could almost see and could most definitely feel the magic pouring from his friends that had took his side. Always.
-This is something you can't undo Ron! Why can't you never think things through!-
As the raven haired man paced in the flor inadvertently shooting magic agains most of the lockers in the room, Ron started to delude himself into an state of uncalled for self-righteous anger.
-Let's review. You took as serious a rumor about you betraying the Cannons, a rumor no one cared about, nor believed, from the bloody Prophet. Written by Skeeter no less! And refuted it by sharing an affair of which no one had accused you! Hermione begged you to take a break, to go on vacations and you refused to-
During the last couple of months Ron had been misteriously disappearing from practice at odd hours and the press covering the team had noticed, so they came to the conclusion that Ron had been meeting with the manager of another team and was about to ditch the Cannons.
Ron, being the hot-headed ass he was, gave an interview admitting to missing practice, but not by what everyone thought but because he had been seeing someone. What he didn't realized was that it took the press less than a minute to connect the clues and figure out he had cheated on "The brightest witch of the age" and current head of the DMLE, the scandal published just the next day was not what Ronald Weasley had in mind when he gave the interview.
The moment he received the paper he tried to locate Hermione but she was nowhere to be found, now he new why. Grimmauld Place was and had been hidden from everyone since Harry's divorce to Ginny, so it never occurred to him Hermione was the exception. To Harry she wasn't everyone.
-You didn't wanted to loose your spot on the team? Well guess what!? You lost something way more valuable now. You lost her-
-And what's it to you Harry!?- finally rebutted Ron- It's mine and Hermione's problem, not yours! You could even make your marriage work!- and at Harry's fuming expression Ron realized he may had gone too far.
-Make it work?- dangerously said Harry- Are you really that stupid!? I was miserable! She was miserable! We were clinging to a loveless marriage 'cause I once thought the noble thing was to respect your love for her, you had realized it sooner after all. Because I was sure you would make Hermione happy, so you guys married and Ginny saw it, she knew I was halfway heartbroken but was still kind enough to try, we both were so desperate to be happy-
Ron's shocked expression was clear as he babbled- B... But, the locked... You said-
-I'm bloody aware of what I said Ron!- running his hands through his hair he added- She loved you, cried for you every night after you left. I just wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't with me-
Harry sighted- I was happy just being her friend, loving her from a safe distance, pretending she was like a sister- Harry's eyes narrowed as he hastily added- I trusted you to make her happy. But no more-
And that's when everything went straight to hell. Ron quickly approached Harry with his fists in the air.
-You trait...-
Ron was quick, but Harry was way quicker and flick of his wand he had the redhead bound in a second.
-I know Hermione better than anyone Ron, she's not just bright, but loyal to a fault- he commented with a small smile- I will make sure her loyalty is never again payed in betrayal. From this moment on I'm not holding back, there's no point. Ginny knows and you don't deserve my respect anymore- said Harry coldly.
-I'll be there for her, I will protect her and once she's fine I will tell her that I love her. She knows that, unlike you, I'd never betray her. Mark my words Ron, I'm not holding back. We will be fine and you'd have lost the best wife-
Ron struggled with the bands as he tried to reach his wand in his pocket and as he could he decide to attack verbally.
-She loves me Harry, and no matter what you say you know she loves me!-
-Maybe she did once, but this time you've gone too far. So congratulations! You ruined your own life.-
And with that the boy who lived went back to his house, where a very tired very sad Hermione Granger was just about to wake up