Ch011

Hermione drew in a deep breath and continued, "But even with everything he had to think about, everything he had to do, Harry still found time… No, he made time to help me. He saw to it that I rested even if I couldn't sleep, he made sure I ate at least a little…" her eyes took on a look as if she were looking off into the distance and her lips quirked into a sad half-smile. "Heh… Harry once stood next to me for two hours holding a plate of food, without saying a word the entire time mind you, until I took it from him. 'Shamed me into cleaning my plate as well.

"He would talk to me about anything and everything: quidditch, spells, politics. He would talk about silly things also like the color of the grass outside our tent. Anything that popped into his mind he would say until he finally got me to respond. Four days of silence and my first words were to promise him I would start talking again if he would stop."

Ron's face had completely drained of color while Hermione spoke. "You're in love with him, aren't you?" His voice was hollow and as devoid of emotion as his face. That void of emotion didn't last long. "So… I was right after all. You two…" anger crept into Ron's voice.

"NO!" The deep anger that lashed out in her voice stopped Ron mid-accusation more effectively than her speaking over him had. "You were wrong! You were my whole world and you tore my heart out and disappeared for months." Hermione's voice never rose but Ron felt as if she were screaming at him. "Harry picked me up, held me together until I could continue on my own. The moment, the second I was able to stand on my own, he stepped back and let me."

"Picked you up, did he?" Ron's face was red now and rage could be heard in his low voice, "Yes, I'll bet Potter hopped right to it, the back stabbing little git!" Deep inside Ron knew that none of this was true of Harry. They'd been through too much together for too long for him not to know that Harry was a proper friend. But he couldn't stop himself as the image of what the horcrux had showed him looped through his brain over and over. He was ashamed, he was hurt, and he couldn't stop. "He…!"