“Whathanged?”Draodidnotwanttohearthis.Notwhenhewastiredandwantingtenmorehoursofsleep,notwhenhewasoveredinbruises,notwhenheouldnotevenholdhisownifthisturnedintoashoutingmath.
“Iwathedyougetburiedunderapileofrubbleandrealizedthatdespitehowmuhofagigantiarseyouwereinpast,Iwantedyoutolive.”Ronlookeddownathishands,andDraoimaginedthattheywerestilloatedinthedustfromwhentheeilingolpsedandthehandeliertoppled.Ginnyhadbeentheonlyonetothinkthathewasstrongenoughtoheartheaountofwhathadhappened,anditwasGinnywhotoldhimthateventhoughHarrywasthefirsttofalltohiskneesbesidethepileandstartrummagingforanysignoflife,itwasRonwhohadbeentheonetopullhimoutofthedust.“Andbeauseyousavedher.”
“Ididn’tdoitforyou.”Draowasn’tsurewhyhisfirstreationwasalwaystogoontheattakwithsomesnideremarkthatwasn’teventhathurtful.Hewouldmakeallthesejokesanddrawloutalltheseinsultsandnoneofthemwereevenfunny.“Ididitbeauseshe’smyfriend.”
She’smyfriend.ThewordsehointheroombetweenthemandforthefirsttimehemightbegettingwhyheandRonweresuddenlyonspeakingterms—thefatthatHermionearedaboutbothofthemandtheybotharedabouther,andRonwaswillingtoputasideanypastfeudtomakeherhappy.
“Exatly.Yousavedherlife.”Ron’svoieraksonthestwordandDraoanseehiseyesshininginthemplight.“YousavedherevenwhenIouldn’t.”
Draoknowsaboutdebt.Aboutagratitudethatyouneverwanttofeel,aboutanaountofrightsandwrongsthatyouanneverevenout.Hedidn’tthinkhewouldeverhavetofaethatsamefeelingomingfromRon.
“Youdon’towemeanythingforthat.”Itwasanawkwardsentenetoforeout.“I’ddoitagain.”
“Youdon’tuand,”Ronsaid,rakinghishandsthroughhishair,yankingsohardDraothoughtitwaslikelyhewouldripsomeout.“I’msupposedtoprotether.”
“Ron—”Hewantstohelphim,butdoesnotknowhow.Notthatitmattered.Ronjustkepttalking.
“No,listen.”Helookslikehemightstartrying,likehe’sfullyonthevergeoftopplingintoaseaofpani.“Wesavedherfromthistroll,right?MeandHarry.Butitdidn’treallyountasussavingherbeauseIwastheonewhomadeherryandhideinthebathroominthefirstpe,soIgotitintomyheadthatIwouldhavetomakesureshedidn’tgethurtagain,tomakeupforit?AndItried,Ihave,that’sallI’veeverwanted,toprotetherandmyfamilyandHarry,butyouan’tdothat,there’sneverenoughofonepersontoproteteveryonetheyareabout,soIthought—somewherealongthelineIstartedthinkingthatitdidn’tmatterifIouldn’tprotetanyoneelse,evenmyself,aslongasImanagedtoprotether.AllI’veevertriedtodomywholelifewastakeareofher,butIan’tevenmanagetodothat.”He’sbreathinghard.Draohalfthinkshedidstartrying,thekindwhereyoureyesareburningbutthereisnotenoughtearsandthereisnowaytogetanyairintoyourlungs.“Butyoudid.YousavedherwhenIouldn’t,andnothingelsematters.Sojustletmedothisforyou,alright?”
Itwasfiveness.That’swhatDraowasbeingofferedinthismoment,apromisethatevenaftereverything,allthehorriblethingshehadsaidandthethingshehaddone,Ronhadfinallygottenpastit.