There Are Some Things Books Can't Do
A Slap in the Face
Author's note: Thank you so much to everyone who read my first chapter and a special thanks to Annecia89 for my first review!!
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By the time Ron arrived at their compartment, Hermione had changed into her robes, and disappeared to the prefect’s car to do rounds. Her friends hadn’t said a word, and let her go knowing she needed the space. Yet the first words out of Ron’s mouth were “Where’s Hermione?”
To no one’s surprise, except maybe Ronald’s, Ginny stood and slapped him, her small hands making a harsh smack the reverberated through the compartment.
“Oi! What was that for?!” Ron was indignant, his satisfied smile erased from his face. “You’re mental!”
Ginny snorted in disgust as she flung herself down on the bench next to Harry, “Oh, I’m mental, am I? Pretty hypocritical if you ask me considering who you’re shagging!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ron sputtered, paling slightly, then reddening almost immediately.
Harry just looked at Ron, a steady measuring look. “Lavender? Again? I thought you couldn’t stand her. Why are you dating her again?”
“Harry, I’m not dating her!” Ron spoke defensively, side eyeing Luna who was staring out of the window, petting the napping Crookshanks, almost as if she couldn’t hear the conversation.
“Oh, so you’re just fucking her, is that it?” Ginny was still livid, and looked like she was itching to slap him again, so Harry took her hand and squeezed, hoping to calm her down.
“We saw you with her, mate. We know you’ve been seeing her.” Harry was still calm, but even he couldn’t keep the disapproval out of his voice.
Ron plopped down onto the bench next to Luna, and leaned back rubbing his temples. “Shit, I didn’t want you guys to know about that. Or see it.” Ron glanced at Ginny, reddening again.
“Do you have any idea what seeing that did to Hermione?!” Ginny’s accusing voice hit Ron like a dagger.
The car was silent as Ron’s face dawned realization that if his friends had seen it, then so had Hermione. The next words out of his mouth stunned Harry and Ginny and even caused Luna to turn away from the window to look at him.
“Fuck! Shit! I never should have let Lavender talk me into one last hookup.” He started pacing in the tiny cabin, barely missing everyone’s feet in the process.
“Last hookup? So, you aren’t together?” Harry asked, trying to give Ron as much space as possible.
“Of course not!” Ron snapped. “I don’t want to be her boyfriend again, but with Mione gone all summer, she and I got together sometimes okay? And hanging out turned to…well it turned to what you saw. But this was the last time.”
Luna finally turned from the window. “Why would it be the last time? You seemed to enjoy it immensely.”
Ron stared at her for a moment, slightly embarrassed, but also slightly annoyed. “Because I’m in love with Hermione okay?!”
“If you’re in love with her, why shag someone else?” Ginny said huffily, still glaring at Ron as if she wanted to kill him.
Ron scoffed. “You wouldn’t understand Gin, okay?” Ginny started to protest, but Ron interrupted her, “Even if you could, I don’t want to talk to my baby sister about who I have sex with!”
Begrudgingly, Ginny grunted an agreement, and the car was silent. When Hermione still didn’t return, even after the sweets trolley came by, the group decided it was best to prepare for their imminent arrival at Hogwarts.
When the train stopped, Ginny and Luna went on ahead, splitting Hermione’s belongings and beloved pet between them, but Harry grabbed Ron’s arm and held him back for a moment.
“I’m not even sure I understand what is going on mate, and I don’t want to tell you how to live your life…But Hermione deserves better than this. And If you’re going to just break her heart even more, then you need to let her go.”
Ron shook his head. “I love her. She needs to know that.”
“Then explain everything to her.”
“And if she hates my guts?”
“Well…I hear Lavender is single.”