A Beautiful and Terrible Truth

Chapter 16

I thought I was done with Ron. Well, in the physical sense that is. Harry stood there laughing at me as my face just got even redder, if that was even possible. I turned to him and rolled my eyes. I didn’t need him laughing at me, so I my plan was to turn and follow Ron up to his room with two of my best mates, but Harry grabbed my arm.

“I’m sorry to laugh, Court, but I just find what’s going on between you two quite hilarious,” he smiled at me. “I promise not to laugh anymore if you take a walk outside with me.”

My mouth dropped. “He told you? That bastard. I had sworn him to secrecy!”

“Court, I’m his best mate. How could he not tell me? I mean, you told Kam, which I’m sure is completely different. You two were in the middle of a huge fight. Ron, on the other hand, needed advice before we left Hogwarts.”

I raised an eyebrow up at him. “Before we left Hogwarts?”

“You think all those jokes about you being next actually had no truth in them? You think him telling you that he didn’t think of you like that while you were completely smitten with Draco were him just being nice? You think he would’ve seriously dated Lavender if he didn’t think it wouldn’t have made you jealous?” Harry paused. “Everything he did last year was because of you. He has had a major thing for you ever since the fourth year when you were my date to the Yule Ball. He told me that you looked amazing in your dress and wished that you were his date instead of Kam.”

My mouth was hanging open. I couldn’t believe it. Everything that Ron did last year was because he was trying to see if I liked him back? I couldn’t even begin to fathom it at all. I didn’t suspect that once he had a thing for me for years. That certainly changed everything.

“And I have to admit that I never did see you actually torn up about him. You know,” he shrugged. “In a romantic sense.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t think I would be either. But,” I paused and took a deep breath, “what about Hermione? He seemed to like her at times.”

“Yes, he has a slight thing for Hermione, but his thing for you is bigger. He just has no idea how wrong for him you are, and how perfect Hermione is for him or how you belong with Draco.”

At the mention of Draco, I reflexively grabbed the ring once more. “The sad part is,” I looked into his beautiful green eyes, “he’s right. My heart’s a mess, and I can’t figure out what I truly want.”

He nodded. “I understand that, Court. You’ll have time to figure it out. I mean, we are hunting the horcruxes together, right?”

“About that,” I grimaced at Harry. “I can’t go with you.”

“Are you completely mental? We need your help!”

I shook my head. “Dumbledore said that if we go together that one of us will fail, and if you fail, we’re all doomed.”

“Is that what your letter was about?” Harry asked, leading the way down the steps as I nodded. “Well, what’s your assignment then? He only would’ve said that if you didn’t have a goal to accomplish as well.”

“I have to stop a cycle. It’s me and only me that can stop it. So if I fail, then the cycle will continue forever more without anyone to stop it.”

We both stopped walking in front of the door.

“You have to stop a cycle?” he also looked confused. “What kind of cycle?”

I shrugged. “I have no idea. All Dumbledore could tell me in the letter was that some woman named Alycia would know more about it and point me in the right direction. He also sent me a time turner.”