Emma Potter; Going to War

106: Friend in Need

RON:

Ron gasped and spluttered. He had just escaped the snatchers, his arm was paining, not as bad as his heart and conscience, but it was hurting anyway. 

He crawled to a tree and leaned against it. He was somewhere in a muggle town. He wanted to go back. He had to go back. They'd push away, tell him to leave but he was going back anyway. The Horocrux had amplified his feelings but. . .those feelings had already existed. But they were nothing compared to the guilt he was feeling now.

 Guilt on leaving his best friend, he had promised to be there. He had volunteered to help him. But he had left. Guilt about leaving Hermione. She had pleaded with him, and he had left her. . .he had left her crying. After that, how could she not choose Harry? 

And guilt about attacking Emma. Especially, when she was the one who was most likely keeping his sister safe. Worry laced guilt here too, she had the most determined mind of anyone he knew (apart from Hermione, of course) how could she just. . .fade away?

Ron groaned into his hands. How would he get back? He had to get back, but how? They would have moved by now. He held the Dilluminator in his hands, he looked at it. What could Dumbledore possibly thought he could do with this? But. . .well, after what just happened he supposed he was only worthy to turn off lights. 

Guilt made him feel sick--so he'd be eating too much or too little. It kept him from sleeping soundly, so he would be tired and headachy and confused.

There was shimmer beside him. Ron eyed it wearily and got up, shifting his weight onto his right foot; ready to run. Emma appeared, looking angry. She looked pretty surprised when she saw him. "Ron. . .?"

"Hi, Emma," He didn't want to look her in the eye right now, but he was not going to be a coward again. "I suppose you heard, huh?"

"Heard what?" Emma asked, raising her eyebrows. "Where are Harry and Hermione? Don't tell me you're searching in a muggle town? How did you link this to Voldemort?"

"Y-you don't know?"

"Don't know what? Look, stop staring at me like you've never seen me before and tell me what happened."

This was so much worse. He had to tell her. Mutely, struggling to look her in the eye, he did. She listened quietly, averted her eyes when he mentioned the telepathy debacle, but listened grimly. 

She said nothing for the first five minutes, he couldn't stand the silence so he mumbled, "I'm sorry for what I said about you. . .and your parents."

"You didn't mean it," she said quietly. "It was the Horocrux." 

Ron shook his head slowly, he didn't want his actions justified. "I didn't mean the thing I said about your parents. . .but the rest. . .the Horocrux just gave me a push to say something I would have said eventually, anyway.

"I was just frustrated Emma, we were getting nowhere. That doesn't give me the right to leave but. . ."

"It explains your feelings,"  she finished for him. "And you were bound to feel jealous about Hermione."

Ron looked at her uneasily. Did she know? "Do you know that I. . .like her?"

Emma chuckled, "knew? Ron, even the Slytherins were frustrated. All of them. After you became friends again after that fight you guys had in third year, we kept saying it was only a matter of time before you got together. Then, when Hermione went to the Yule Ball with Krum you have no idea how many people erupted. We hexed that man so much. We hexed Lavender too. Toads in her soap? Us."

"Emma!" laughed Ron. 

"What?" she shrugged, "all is fair in love and war and this is a bit of both. Everyone's waiting for you to get together.  I cannot believe you haven't figured it out!"

Ron was taken-aback. "Even Harry?"

"He suspected, but that oblivious idiot took some more time to figure it out." 

"D'you reckon she likes me back?"

Emma stared at him as if she was trying to see something beyond him. "Likes you back? Ron, you're worse than Harry! Of course, she does! Actually no, she doesn't like you. She loves you, Ron. Probably as much as you love her."

"So," he asked eagerly, "if I go back she won't hate me?"

"Knowing Hermione?" asked Emma, "she'll try to murder you. She won't try very hard but she'll try anyway. And she'll be angry with you for days, but she won't hate you. I don't think she can. You're endgame."

"Endgame?" 

"Meaning it'll take you a year to sort it out, or three, or ten. But you'll end up together eventually."

Ron stared at the sky, trying not to grin. He had to back and it'll take a while to get their trust back, but he won't repeat his mistake. He'll try. He'll keep trying. He turned to Emma to take a good look at her, why had she not been able to maintain a connection? Her eyes had bags underneath them, she looked thinner than usual, he hair was messy and she looked exhausted. 

"Did you sleep?" He asked. She scowled. 

"Yes, I did." Emma said shortly, "my boyfriend made sure of that."

Ron frowned, "what did Malfoy do? Did he hurt you?" He felt an odd protectiveness for Emma, he didn't say anything out of respect, she wasn't his real sister but he couldn't help thinking she would be better off as a nun. She and Ginny. But at least Ginny went out with a known person, Harry. 

"No," said Emma shaking her head. "He didn't hurt me. He put a sleeping potion in my drink because, according to him, I am not getting enough sleep. But well, there's a bloody war going on, for Salazar's sake, and--"

"How long have you not slept for?"

Emma looked taken aback "er, why?"

"Just answer!"

"a week."

"A week," Ron yelped. "Emma you haven't slept for a week!"

She groaned, "oh, not you too."

"Oh, yes, me too! Emma you need your sleep!"

"But--"

"Are you Ok?"

"What?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yes! Why is everyone asking me that?"

Ron looked into her eyes. They looked like they wanted to give up, but they knew they couldn't. Ron stepped close to her and gave her a hug, hoping that she felt the love (brotherly love) and strength he was trying to give her. He knew she needed a bit of both. He leaned in as she hugged him back and whispered in her ear, "I know you're not."