Deception Hurts More Than Death

Ron sat in the office for several minutes staring at the picture of Harry and Hermione. He still couldn’t believe what Harry had done, and despite the sting he felt for the reluctancy Hermione had of going to Ron, he was grateful. He was grateful for the fact that they had shown him respect and friendship and that it meant more to them than their own happiness. And in the end Hermione had loved him, she had married him and they lived a happy life, or so he thought.

Ron felt a sudden swell of enthusiasm, because this time he knew if he ventured into the pensieve that he would find a memory that involved him and Hermione. Not soon after the last is when they had finally had their first kiss. And after the war was over things between them had blossomed. Ron smiled for the first time in a week and pulled his wand out once again. He swirled the shiny liquid that filled the pensieve and was rushed head first into Hermione’s past.

Ron found himself in Grimmauld Place, the night of the Celebration party for the end of the war and the final downfall of Voldemort. He watched as his mom bustled about making sure everyone was good. He saw himself in the corner playing with Teddy. Ginny and Neville talking over a rare plant in the house. He saw Hermione in the doorway looking for something and then turning to the crowd of people, putting on her best smile. He saw himself too preoccupied with Teddy to notice as she slipped from the room.

Ron followed her through the dark hallway and up the tall, slender staircase to the second floor. She walked slowly from bedroom to bedroom looking in each door and not finding that which she yearned for. Ron was surprised this of all memories was the next one he found himself in. It seemed a rather dark memory. He wondered why she didn’t have anything exciting like their kiss, or the memory of Neville beheading Nagini. She made her way to the farthest room, the one that Harry had always gone too when he wanted to be alone. Ron’s heart fell, it was another memory of them. But who knew what would happen, he stuck close to Hermione, needing to see what would come next.

Hermione entered the room, trying to be as quiet as she could and closed the door softly. Harry was standing by the far right wall looking out of the window. He didn’t turn to see who had entered, and let out a low sigh, fogging a small spot on the cold window. Hermione made her way to the middle of the room and stopped.

“Why did you leave the party?” Hermione questioned in a low voice.

“I just wanted to be alone. Why do you care?”

“I always care about you. Why are you so upset, Harry? This celebration is in your honor. You stopped Riddle and everyone is celebrating and you’re up here, alone.” Hermione walked a few steps closer to Harry. All she could see was what the faint glow of the street lamp outside cast into the room.

“You know why I’m up here. You’re the brightest witch of your age, don’t play stupid.”

“Seriously, Harry, I don’t know what you could be upset for.” Hermione played on that she had no idea what was going on, knowing full well it was her fault.

“You make me feel guilty for hurting you, for doing the noble thing, and all Ron has to do is talk about House Elves and you throw yourself on him. Did you forget so easily what happened with us. You said you wouldn’t wait forever, but one month isn’t that long.” Harry finally turned to her, despite the lack of light she could see he was hurt.

“You’re the one who ended things to be noble. I don’t really know what came over me in that hallway. I didn’t know if we were going to live or die, and ‘what if’ kept running through my head. I got this swell of emotions and lost control, it was the sweetest thing he’s ever said. I’m sorry you had to witness one kiss. How many times have I had to watch Ginny throw herself on you, and if I remember right you threw yourself on her first!” Hermione raised her voice a little at the end, not wanting to yell, but wanting to get the point across she was furious.

“I can’t control what she does, Hermione. And that was long before you and I, that I kissed her like that. If I remember right you were hung up on Ron at that time, always upset about Lavender. But now, Ron is all over you. Always has his arm around you, acting like you’re his property. Are you guys together now, is that it?” Harry made a few steps towards Hermione, emotion getting the better of him.

“We haven’t really talked about it. There’s been so much going on. Are you having seconds thoughts about us? Because all you have to do is tell me and I’m there, you know that? I still love you, more than anything, Harry.” Hermione grabbed Harry’s arm, looking him meaningfully in the eyes.

Ron backed himself into the corner, slid down the wall and come to rest on the floor. He pulled his knees into his chest and stared ahead. She still loved Harry and Ron couldn’t understand it. Just when he thought things were good, she comes back with this. Ron sat, waiting to see Harry turn her down again. He had to, they ended up together, Harry had to turn her down again.

“I don’t know. I want to be with you more than anything in the world, but I don’t want to hurt anyone. You realize everyone downstairs would hate us if we walked down there right now and said we loved each other. Are you willing to hurt a room full of people just to be with me? Do you love me that much?” Harry brushed his knuckles across Hermione’s cheek, looking into her eyes somberly.

“Of course I do, all I need is you.” Hermione answered, the sparkle of love filling her eyes. Harry looked to the ground, and shook his head slowly.

“I can’t. I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t love you enough, because I do, it’s just, their my family. I’ve never had that. I can’t throw that away.”

“I can’t fucking take this anymore. If you loved me than you would shout it to the world, not hide it away. I’m not wasting my time with this anymore.” Hermione pulled herself away from Harry violently and stormed towards the door. Ron stood from the ground quickly, surprised by Hermione’s behavior. He had never seen her this upset before.

Harry lunged forward and grabbed her arm. He spun her around and crashed his lips on hers. Hermione tried to push him away and break the kiss, but she was not successful.

“That’s it Hermione, push him away. Tell him to fuck off. I’m waiting downstairs for you. Push him away!” Ron yelled onto deaf ears.

Hermione pushed one more time and Harry pulled his head back, but did not let her go. Harry looked at her with tears in his eyes. She moved a finger up to brush them away and then pulled him to her. She kissed him back, knowing how hard it was for him to turn her away. If had any other choice he would choose her, but family was important to Harry and she understood that. Their kissing intensified and soon Harry had Hermione pinned to the wall beside the door. His hands roaming her body. She left out a soft moan as Harry moved to kiss her neck.

Ron stood there, not able to take his eyes off of them. His eyes widen as he watched Hermione reached down with her one hand and began rubbing Harry’s bulging erection through his trousers. Harry groaned into her neck and pulled back to look at her. He reached up and ripped her shirt open, the button of her blouse flew to the floor. Hermione gasped at the action but became highly turned on by it. She bit her lip as she watched Harry’s eyes scan her chest.

She was wearing a pink lace bra, and that soon was ripped from her body as well. Harry dipped his head between her breasts and licked a path to her neck. Hermione reached down and made quick work of pulling his shirt over his head. His skin was hot against hers. Harry reached down and ran his hand along her thigh and up the side of her skirt. When he reached where the line of her knickers should have been, and found nothing, he looked at her shocked.

“A girl can hope for these things to happen, can’t she?” Hermione smirked.

“Oh I love that mind of yours.” Harry said before kissing her again.

Hermione squeeled into Harry’s mouth as he dipped two fingers into her waiting wetness. His thumb rubbed across her clit as his tongue did wonderful things to her mouth. Her felt her inner walls clenching his fingers and pulled them out, much to her disappointment. She knew why he had done, but she still missed the feeling they brought to her.

She quickly unbuckled his belt and pushed his pants down. The sound of his belt buckle hitting the hard floor, echoed through the room. She grabbed his erection and rubbed it vigorously, just the way she knew he liked it. Harry placed his head on her shoulder and moaned loudly as the feeling of her hand was too much for him. Harry grabbed the back of her thighs and pinned her to the wall.

Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist and waited. Harry grabbed his erection and quickly slid it in her. Both moaned loudly as the feeling of being together again overcame them. Harry pumped into her quickly, and without any abandon. Hermione screamed his name and bit her lip to keep herself from doing it again.

Ron was about to leave, go back to reality, when he was stopped by a familiar voice. He heard himself. He was calling Hermione’s name. He remembered now, he had gone to look for them. Finally noticing she was gone and knowing Harry had been gone for some time, he gone looking for them, but never found them. He couldn’t remember if he had even looked in this room.

Harry and Hermione stopped and looked to the shut door. Harry put his hand over Hermione’s mouth and searched for his wand. Failing to find it, he could not lock the door. Suddenly Ron was blinded by the light from the hallway as the door was opened. When his eyes adjusted he saw himself, peering into the dark room. He couldn’t see Harry and Hermione anymore and moved around the door.

The way he had opened the door, he had covered them with it. He would not have been able to see them unless he looked behind the door.

“Look behind the door, you idiot! Why didn’t you look behind the door. You could have caught them!” Ron screamed at himself. But his old self just turned away and closed the door. Ron looked back to Harry and Hermione, and was shocked to see Hermione rip Harry’s hand away and pull him into a kiss. Harry picked up his pace again and a few minutes later Ron watched as they finished what they started.

He sat quietly in the corner as they dressed to go back downstairs. He watched as Hermione mended her torn shirt and bra with her wand, and how she chuckled at Harry’s intensity.
When would this end, he thought. He thought he had found the end, how Hermione had ended up with him, and yet still he found himself in another situation with them.

“Should we go down together, or separate?” Hermione asked.

“I don’t know, it might too obvious if we go down separate, like we’re trying too hard not to be seen together. I don’t know how this affair stuff works, Hermione.”

“Is that what we are having, an affair?” Hermione asked, slightly amused.

“I don’t know? I don’t want to stop this, but I don’t think we can be together yet. Let’s just see each other when we can, and see what happens with Ginny and Ron. Maybe we’ll fall in love with them, or things may not work out and then we can be together without hurting anyone.” Harry looked to Hermione, knowing she would not be happy.

“Okay, I’ll give it a shot with Ron, I really will, see if I can love him. But if you agree that things can’t work, then you swear we can be together, no matter what?”

“I promise, if things can’t work then we can do this.” Harry answered her, hugging her to him, not knowing the next time he would be alone with her.

Ron followed Harry and Hermione out of the room. Harry was fixing his wild, sex strewn hair as Hermione straightened her skirt. Any fool who saw them would know what they had just done and that is just what happened. As they came fully into the hallway, Neville came around the corner of the hall and looked to them.

Their faces dropped and they looked everywhere but at each other. Harry even did the most obvious thing, and cleared his throat and pointed to a painting on the nearest wall. Eventually they both looked to Neville, awaiting his reaction.

“Everyone’s been looking for you guys. Ron was just up here, couldn’t find you guys. Maybe it’s a good thing he didn’t.” Neville said with a disappointed look on his face.

“Neville, it’s not what it looks like. Really. Please don’t say anything.” Hermione pleaded.

“It’s okay, guys, your secret is safe with me. I know it’s hard. Just be careful, next time it might not be me.” Neville smiled a weak smile and turned back around the corner.

Ron was devastated. Neville had caught them red handed and never said anything. He called himself Ron’s friend and he never said anything. But then he and Hermione were not technically together yet, so what difference would it have made. Neville was probably hoping for that anyway, because everyone knew he was in love with Ginny.

Ron watched Harry and Hermione walk down the hallway and remained standing by the door. He thought back to that night. Harry and Hermione had come downstairs with some excuse about being in the room and sitting on the floor by the bed talking about the people they had lost, and that Ron must have not seen them. He could even remember the smirk on Neville’s face as they told him and Ginny. How had he been so blind, he thought. Ron closed his eyes and returned to the office.