Erase and Rewrite (Dramione)

Reunite and Overreact

Before she knows what she is doing her wand is out and pointed to the intruder.

Draco taught her to always keep her wand in her sleeve.
'It's fastest to draw from there', he'd said
and showed her how to flick her hand to get it out.

"Dipsy, stay where you are!"

The rush of adrenaline flows through her veins.
Whoever it is, she is ready!

But the person at the door has already lifted his hands up as a sign of surrender. 
And the world freezes.

"Hermione,"

It feels like her past staring at her in the eye.
The past that she has long ago left behind.
Like it's been years since she last saw him.
Like she knew him once but has no idea what kind of a man he is now.

It's Ron.

Tall and skinny Ron,
with red hair and freckles on his nose.
Ron, who she remembers has been her friend.
Ron, who left them in the middle of the darkest winter.
Ron, who came back weeks later as if everything would just go back to normal.
Ron, who she remembers angry and accusing and bitter,
but her best friend nevertheless. 

But she does remember how torn she felt for him then.
And maybe it is wrong of her
but with the memories she has of him now,
she wants to yell at him.

Wants to blame him of things.
Wants to tell him to leave her alone so she can do what she was supposed to do!
Wants to leave him,
like he left her.

But her feet won't move.
Her mouth won't speak the words needed.

Probably Harry is here too.
And they are her best friends...

How can she leave now?
Her plan included them.
She can't just disappear!

But Draco is waiting for her.
She promised him.
She wants to go to him!

Think!
Figure out the words needed so that she can leave!

Nothing clever comes to mind.
No way she can just go and leave Ron to stand there. 

"Dipsy, I need you to go, tell..." She can't say Draco in front of Ron! "...Him, that something came up! I'll explain later!" She whispers hoping the boy at the door is too occupied in watching her that he won't hear.

She knows it's not good enough,
and probably unfair of her,
but that's the best she can do at the moment!
Draco has to settle for that!

Dipsy leaves immediately
and Ron's eyes flick from the place where the elf disappeared to her and back again.

"What...?"

"Ron," She says slowly, and his name sounds weird on her tongue.

"Merlin Hermione! Where have you been? We were worried sick!" He takes a few steps closer.

No you weren't, she thinks.
If you were you would have looked for me.

She has no idea where this bitterness comes from!
She should hug him already or this will get weird!

"RON, Did you find her?"

Next thing she knows is Harry rushing past Ron and pulling her for a tight hug.

You left me too,
a voice in her head accuses as she hugs him back.

It was the only choice they had,
she tries to argue,
you wouldn't have done it any other way!
You can't blame them!

Harry finally lets her go,
and now Ron is hugging her.

The way he wraps his arms around her and buries his face to the crook of her neck.
feels like almost too intimate.