To Find What is Lost

Chapter 16: Ron

I honestly cannot believe I just looked up Romione fanart. What has this fanfiction done to me!!! 😭😭😭 (for all those who don't know I am a dawn-to-dusk Dramione shipper) Anyway, please enjoy this chapter from Hermione's POV and let me know in the comments whether you'd like more chapters from other people's POV or if you just like the original Nico -Emmi 

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Hermione POV:

Hermione was starting to get impatient, she knew the rumors that were circling, and she didn't believe a word.

She had already affirmed the fact that Harry was behind the gossip, and she had been hunting di Angelo down all day to try and apologize to him about all of it, and assure him that she knew better, but the stupid git kept avoiding her.

As if she thought he was going to curse him or something! Toward the end of the day she was squarely jumping out at him from behind pillars, but he seemed terrified of her, literally turning and running away every time.

Finally she had had just about enough, and she leapt out at him on the way past the astronomy tower, grabbing the boy's arm before he could run away again. For a moment she thought she saw... shadows grouping around him? But then it was gone.

"Shit." he cursed, when he realised he was caught.

"Okay," said Hermione angrily, still holding on to his forearm just in case. "What on earth have you been doing! All day I've been trying to talk to you and you just turn tail and run! It's ridiculous, what do you think I'm going to do to you!"

Nico scowled, tugging his arm out of her grasp and folding his arms over his chest sulkily. "I only ran, like, half of the time." he grumbled under his breath.

"Oh, way to be mature!" Hermione crossed her arms too. "I thought since yesterday we were friends, but obviously we're not." she sounded startlingly angry.

"I don't know what you mean." Nico said, eyebrows furrowing as he tried desperately to remember Will's advice.

Be nice. Let it pass. Act natural. Laugh about it. Let her see you're a good friend.

"Well that ship's sunk." thought Nico gloomily.

"What are you even-? After all that you just say you don't know what I mean?

That's it," she scowled, turning and stalking away, as she walked she spoke to the air in front of her. "I obviously made a mistake trying to come after you and apologize for the gossip Harry's spread, I'll leave you alone now."

She hoped the boy would call after her, but there was no voice echoing down the hall, and when she turned around she saw no one standing outside the astronomy tower staircase.

"Oh, god." she whispered, tears dripping down her nose as little involuntary sobs escaped her, she wiped them away furiously, but soon she was crying again, and she sat down in a window seat to let the tears flow.

"Hermione?" a voice came.

Her head shot up, and she viciously shook her tears away, flushing with embarrassment to be caught at such a moment. "Ron, I- I'm sorry, I'm fine, it's just-"

"No, Hermione, you're not fine!" Ron was alarmed, but gentle as he sat next to her, sitting her softly back down on the window seat. "What's going on?"

"Oh Ron." and she broke into sobs, crying into her boyfriend's shoulder as he gently rubbed her back and gave her little comforting words. They sat like that for what seemed like hours, before the girl finally pulled herself together, wiping the tears away. "Thanks, Ron." she whispered through watery eyes, then chuckled stupidly; "I'm a mess."

The ginger laughed slightly and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"But just as beautiful." he said, then smiled awkwardly.

She laughed and let her head fall on his shoulder.

The boy hesitated, then sighed. "Hermione," he said tentatively, "There's- I just- I wanted to apologize."

Hermione frowned, "apologize for what?"

"For being so distant lately. I was just coming to talk to you about it, actually." he sighed again and adjusted his position on the window seat. "I've been talking to George, and I realized that even though he's devastated about- you know- Fred and Percy. He's still getting on with life, he's running the joke shop, because someone has to do it, and if he doesn't then no one will, and um... well he was saying that that's what you have to do if you have responsibilities and I was saying that I didn't have any, but he said that I did... And he was saying I have a responsibility to school and mum and dad and- you. 'Cause I'm your boyfriend, and I'm not acting like one lately, and George told me I had to get my head out of my butt and get on with life, cause it's what Fred and Percy would have wanted- and-"

He would have continued to ramble for ages probably, but Hermione laughed and put a finger to his lips to stop him.

"Shh, let me enjoy this moment."

Ron smiled, and they sat in silence for a long while, enjoying each other's company for the first time in months without the underlying coldness of grief.