Unexpected Gifts

Chapter XXIX

Harry had heard about what happened in the Gryffindor Common Room from Katie Bell. He was surprised that Ron had issued a threat on his life and knew he needed to talk to him about what was going on.

That's why he and Daphne found themselves sitting in the Gryffindor Tower. They were cuddled up on a couch with Daphne absent-mindedly holding her stomach.

Hearing someone come from the dorms, Harry glanced up to see Neville was leading Ron down. Ron didn't notice the couple until he was at the bottom of the staircase.

Upon seeing them, he stormed over. "What are you doing here and why the hell is there a snake here?" He spat vehemently.

He had drawn his wand as he stormed over, something that wasn't missed by Harry. His lion voiced his warning with a snarl.

"Whoa!" Neville shouted, stepping between them. "Ron, put your wand away. You don't know what you're doing."

"Bloody hell I don't!" He yelled out. "Potter let a snake into the Tower and I'm going to get of them!"

Daphne took hold of Harry's hand before he did anything. She pressed his palm to her stomach gently. "Calm down, dear. He's just upset," She tried to soothe him.

Neville had pushed Ron into a chair and used a sticking charm on him to keep him in place. "You're going to sit there and talk this out with Harry before you do anything to kill yourself again," He said strongly.

"What are you on about?" He asked him in confusion. "She's just a bloody snake."

"A pregnant snake," Daphne sighed heavily.

Ron's mind took several moments to process what she said. His face was contorted in shock and bewilderment as he realized that he threatened a woman who was with a child.

Harry was staring at him, his eyes predatory. His gaze made Ron shiver.

"Now," Harry bit out with a small growl. "You issued a threat to my life. I'm here to sit down and talk about what's going on like mature young adults."

Ron shook his head, "What's going on is you've changed, Harry. You and everyone else have changed. Two years ago you would've never hung around with snakes."

"Ron, is this because we're not friends anymore?" Harry asked bluntly.

"Well, yeah," The ginger nodded. "I mean, you've got to be under some kind of curse or something right? I mean, something had to happen to you after the Tournament."

Neville shook his head as Daphne moved Harry's hand against her stomach to keep him grounded.

"You're right, something did happen," Harry affirmed. "I realized that I needed friends. It was only you, Hermione, Nev, and Sue. I nearly died that night, you know. I was held under Voldemort's Crusiatus for hours. He tortured me to the brink of death before giving my wand back. He wanted to show his followers that I was nothing to him. He was right, I was nothing."

"But as I was about to die, I remembered something. I remembered seeing the faces of my parents, and my grandparents. I saw Rosie's dad. I saw faces I'd only ever seen in pictures. I heard as they told me to live, that my time wasn't over. I was more than the bastards who wanted to see me dead."

"You might be upset and jealous because I outgrew our friendship, but that's alright. It's alright to rant and rave about it. However, that summer, I was given a chance to become greater than I was. I told you all during the Feast at the beginning of last year, we were trapped in our marriage. That contract that caged us, allowed us to grow."

"Yes, you're angry. You're upset. I was your best friend, but you were never really mine, Ron. Hermione has always been like a big sister to me, even when you faltered and wavered. You're jealous because my parents were murdered and I survived. You're jealous because all of your brothers have gone on to make something out of themselves even though you were all raised dirt poor. I understand that I do."