Toxic Afflictions

Chapter Six

"Ron?Are you awake yet?"Came Hermione's voice from the other side of Ron's bedroom door.Ron raised himself from bed,wiping the sleep from his eyes.He looked over and was pleased to see Harry still asleep in his bed.

"Ronald,do not make me come in there and wake you up myself!"Hermione shouted,pounding on the door.

"Okay,I'm up!"Ron shouted back,causing Harry to groan in annoyment.He hated being woken up like that.Ron stayed frozen until he heard the floors in the hallway creaking,indicating Hermione was gone.

Ron had just had the best week of his life.After him and Harry's fight,the two had gotten very close.Harry had began to have nightmares after the third day of them sneaking around behind everyone's back.He told Ron something about Voldemort coming to murder Ron.So Ron had began to let him sleep in his bed with him,that way he'd know he was safe and that these dreams were simply that.The two had yet to actually have sex.They'd talked about it,but Harry refused to do it,saying he wanted to make sure Ron was ready.

"Harry,wake up mate."Ron said,shaking Harry.Harry groaned again and opened his eyes.

"What time is it?"Harry asked,searching for his glasses.

"Eight o'clock."

"Ugh,too early."Harry replied,covering his head with a pillow.Ron chuckled.

"Says the guy who usually rises at six."Ron said,smirking.Harry uncovered his head to look at him.

"Yeah,before I started sleeping in here,"He replied with a grin."now I sleep like a baby."

"What?You wake up every few hours to be fed?"Ron asked,confused,earning himself a grin from Harry.

"You're cute,"He gave him a quick kiss on the lips."it's a muggle saying.Come on,we'd better get up before 'Mione comes in here and sees me."Ron agreed so with another quick kiss,Harry left for his room and Ron got dressed.

When Ron was finished he made his way downstairs to the kitchen where his mother,Hermione and Ginny were sitting at the table reading something.

"What's those?"Ron asked as he took a seat across from Hermione.

"School letters."Mrs.Weasley told him,handing him one as well.

"They're keeping it open?"Ron asked,excitedly.They'd heard no new news about Hogwarts since the end of last year.Everyone had thought it'd be closed.

"Yes,and I wish they would've sent the letters out before now.It's five days before the start of term."Mrs.Weasley said,sorting through their letters.

"Is Harry still not awake?"Hermione asked,just noticing he wasn't there.

"I just woke him up,he should be down in a minute."Ron informed her.Just then he heard the unmistakable sounds of the stairs creaking,meaning Harry was making his way down them.

"Morning everyone."Harry said,taking his place at the table beside Ron.Mrs.Weasley handed him his letter.He read through it with his face blank,then threw the letter on the table.

"What's wrong,mate?"Ron asked.

"I'm not going back,remember?I said I'd look for the rest of the Horcruxes and that's exactly how I plan to spend my year.I'm seventeen now as well so I have a choice."Harry stated.Hermione gasped as if Harry had just said a dirty word and Mrs.Weasley stared at him from behind Ginny's O.W.L. scores.

"Oh,you're going back to school mister."Mrs.Weasley told him.

"I'm sorry Mrs.Weasley,but no I'm not.Besides,it wouldn't be the same without Dumbledore.I think it best I consentrate on searching for those last few Horcruxes,I need to do it.No one else can defeat Voldemort except me.When he's finished I'll finish school,but,until then,I can't bother with it."

"But Harry,you can't just throw your education away.How do you exspect to defeat the most evil sorcerer in the world with the experience of a sixth year?You need to learn all the spells you can before you even think of fighting him."Hermione tried to reason with him.Harry stood up from the table angrily.

"This is my life,not anyone else's.I get to make my own decisions.I'm a legal adult now and if I don't want to go back to school,no one can force me."Harry said,stomping his foot.Ron backed his chair away.Harry had a nasty temper and he didn't want in the middle of this.

"Harry,just calm down.Think about this rationally,"Mrs.Weasley told him,patting his shoulder."you cannot possibly fight You-Know-Who without finishing your education first."Harry pushed her hand away and stepped back.

"I'm sick of everyone telling me I don't know enough or I'm not strong enough!"Harry shouted."I'm the one who's fought him countless times already!I'm the one who survived an attack from him when I was a baby when no one else has.I'm strong enough dammit.I'm not a weak little child anymore!I'm an adult."Mrs.Weasley began to get angry.

"Harry James Potter!"She shouted as everyone stared at her in disbelief.She'd never shouted at Harry before."You are a child under my care and I will not allow you to throw your life away like this.You are going back to school in September and you will finish your education.As long as you are living under my roof you are going to abide by my rules and I say you are to finish school.Leave You-Know-Who to the Aurors."Harry stared at Mrs.Weasley with shock written all over his face.

Once he regained his composure he began to shout again."Enough people have already died at the expense of Voldemort.No more should need to.I'll go back to school,but only because I don't want you to hate me.But I won't like it.And as soon as I'm done,I'm gonna' destroy the last few Horcruxes,then I'm gonna' kill Voldemort.Then I'll show you all,I'm not just a weak child.I'm a man."With that Harry stormed up the stairs,leaving everyone else dumbfounded.After stealing a quick glance at his mother,Ron ran up stairs after him.

Ron found Harry in his room,formely Fred and George's.He opened the door cautiously to find Harry sitting on one of the beds,his face in his hands.

"Harry?You alright?"Ron asked,stepping inside.Harry turned away from him.

"Why is it I have absolutely no control over my life?"Harry asked through sobs.Ron sat down on the bed and put his arm around his best friend.

"You have tons of control over your life,mate."Ron said,trying to find something comforting.He was never good at comforting anyone.Hermione had always made sure he remembered that.

"No I don't,"Harry argued."people from the order watch my every move.I have to be careful so Voldemort doesn't find me and kill me.The one time I though,hey,I'm gonna' actually be able to make this decision on my own,there it is snatched out from under me.

"I thought once I became an adult I'd be able to at least decide wether or not I wanna' continue school,but I'm not even allowed to make that choice.I'm tired of being forced to do things I don't wanna' do just because of some stupid prophecy."Ron gave his friend a look.Prophecy?No one heard the prophecy.It broke before anyone could hear it.

"Mate,the prophecy's gone.It broke and no one heard it.What are you talking about?"Ron asked.Harry sighed.

"I figured I'd have to tell you about it sooner or later."Harry said.

"What do you mean?"

"The prophect that smashed was just a recording.Trelawny made a prediction when Dumbledore went to interview her for the job of Divination teacher.She said that two children who's parents have three times defied Voldemort were going to be his downfall.And that only one of us could survive.Which means that it's all up to me.I'm the only one who could ever kill him.Either he dies,or I die.That's how it must end.I either have to become a murderer,or be murdered."Ron was stunned.Harry had never told him this before.

"Why didn't you ever tell me before?I though we were best friends?"Ron asked.

"We are,I just didn't wanna' worry you."Harry said,lifting his head from his hands.His face was red and tear stained and his eyes were puffy from crying.

"Don't worry,Harry.I know you'll be able to do this.You're the strongest bloke I know.I know you can do it."Harry reached over and embraced Ron tightly.

"Thanks,mate.I'll do my best to do this.I'm not as fragile as everyone thinks I am,and if you believe in me,I know I'll be able to do this."He then leaned forward and kissed Ron on the mouth,sending shivers up his spine.That's when they heard a gasp come from the doorway.

To Be Continued...

There you all go.Sorry for the long wait on the update.My Bipolar kicked in and I really couldn't handle anything to do with sex for a while,but I'm back.I'll try and update this one sooner since I know it's popular.Thnxx goes out to:

-L.S,there's your update...you'll have to stay tuned to find out what everyone's reactions will be to the two of them.

-Natasha,glad you liked the last chapter...keep checking to find out how people will react.

-Umi,yeah I rather liked the whole 'as you wish' thing too.

-Chris,I'm trying to move this one along pretty slow,just remember,Ron and Harry have been best friends for seven years now so things are still a little awkward and Ron was straight up until a little while ago so just bare with me and yes,I have a bad habit of not spacing in between sentences...I'll try my best next time.

-tina,thanks for all the compliments,hope you like this chapter.

-claire,glad you like it.

-tina,haha all in good time.

-KAren,glad you like it.

-WiccanVampire,glad you like my story so much.

-Umi,sorry for the long wait.

-WiccanVampire,thank you for that review...I saw it today and I got mad that I made you all wait so long,next time it won't take so long.

All my reviewers and readers rock.Please,more updates!

Much Love...

XXX

Xx-.k.a.y.y.-xX