Liquor and a Letter

We're Both Acting Insane

"Alright, buddy, let's go home," Ron tiredly called to Harry who was in a drunken haze. He slung the man's arms over his shoulders and lifted him off of his seat. Harry made to grab his still half finished glass of whiskey and Ron called, "Mate, mate, no," to no avail as he downed it in one gulp. Well, one more half glass wouldn't hurt.

By the time they made it out of the pub, Harry was well and truly asleep. Ron gripped him right around the waist and held him securely before the world disappeared in a swirl of colors only to then reappear, showing The Burrow. He walked his best mate through the front door and tried to begin the usual routine of putting him to bed only for his breath to catch in his throat at the sight of Hermione and his wife enjoying tea together.

"The bloody hell is she doing here?" Ron furiously asked in a hush so as to not wake Harry and Amelia. His anger was plain as day on his face, though, with his face becoming red.

"What happened to him?" Hermione worriedly asked and hurried over to Harry just for Ron to bat her away and shield his best mate from her like she meant him harm. She pulled back as if he hit her across the face. "Ron..."

"Haven't you done enough? He saves your arse again and you repay him by telling him to get out of your life?" He chastised her as quietly as he could, wishing more than anything he could bellow through the house and have it shake with the force of his anger.

She began to cry but he didn't bat an eye at her. He didn't care for her anymore, not after the pain and resignation she left Harry with. "I've watched him beat himself up and live in total bloody misery for four years and I didn't think it would get any worse until you came back," she tried to interrupt but he kept talking, "I know about the bloody letter. Out of everyone who wouldn't have forgiven him for screwing up, you were the last person I expected to do so."

She snapped her mouth shut and looked down to her feet in shame. Ron grew tired of lugging Harry around and placed him onto the couch before gently tossing a blanket over him. He pulled the man's signature glasses off his face and laid them on the coffee table, Hermione watching him the entire time.

"Ronald, maybe we should let Hermione explain her side of the story," Luna calmly told him while she rubbed the side of his arm comfortingly. He gave in immediately to her ministrations but regarded Hermione firmly.

"Speak."

Hermione took Ron's command and pulled up a chair to sit in front of them and Harry. They were blocking her view of him and she knew they were trying to protect him from her. She couldn't tell what hurt the most, the fact that they thought she would hurt him, or the coldness they were treating her with.

"I came to apologize to him for what I said. I...was wrong. He hurt me deeply when he sent that letter but I know he didn't mean any of the things he said in it, I know he was angry and hurt and most likely drunk. That didn't give him the right to say those things, though."

"It didn't," Ron agreed with her. "He was drunk and heartbroken but that didn't give him the right to do what he did. You're right," he elaborated to her.

"Exactly, and, had it been anyone else, I could have forgiven them with enough time. But this was Harry, Harry who I loved more than anything, saying some of the vilest things to me and calling me the worst words in the dictionary," Hermione added through her tears. She truly didn't believe Harry was capable of hurting her so and it struck her like a bolt from the blue. He'd broken her heart that day while he nursed his own.

"He always had a temper and it was only made worse by the alcohol. I admit that I had words with him about it but he already regretted it so I just let him off. The last year or so has been particularly hard on him and now I know why," Ron intoned with the barest sense of seriousness. He smiled weakly at her but it was short lived. "He made a mistake, Hermione, like we all did. You forgave me within weeks when I returned after I left you during the hunt. You liked me then so what's the difference now with Harry? What is it about this mistake that can't be forgiven?"