Ron, Part 3

                                        

                                              
Ron, Part 3
                              
Ron had broken down after his confession, and Hermione had shooed Harry out the door. He sat down on the bed, pure panic taking over. He couldn't breathe. Hermione hugged him and whispered words in his ear.
                              
"It's going to be alright, Ron. We still love you. It's all going to be okay," she said.
                              
He melted a bit in her arms. Merlin, he loved when she took care of him. The tears stopped, eventually, and she let go. He wiped his tears away.
                              
"Are you okay, now?" she asked.
                              
"I guess. Can you try?" he whispered, showing his neck.
                              
"Of course, Ron," she said and pulled out her wand.
                              
She used spell after spell, just like Harry. Many more than him, but the collar didn't even twinge. It was stuck on. With each spell, the dread was hitting him harder and harder. The certainty that it was going to be stuck on forever was becoming stronger. He tried to cling to the belief that Hermione could fix anything, but it was getting harder to. When she lowered her wand, he knew it was staying on.
                              
"You can't get it, can you?" he sobbed.
                              
She shook her head.
                              
"It's permanent? Isn't it! It's going to be on the rest of my life!"
                              
She put her hands up. "It's not permanent."
                              
He looked at her, hope forming. "It's not?"
                              
"Ron... do you remember what we practiced in Charms last week?"
                              
"Not really," he said, confused by the redirection.
                              
She sighed. "It was about locking and sealing charms?"
                              
Right. They had to enchant cabinets to lock with special, unique, anti-theft locking charms. His eyes widened, and he stared at her. "It's that?"
                              
"It's locked on with the standard anti-Transfiguration, anti-destruction spells. Even if I could try to break any of them, it could... feedback... on you."
                              
"It would kill me?" Ron stated.
                              
"It could and I don't think it wise to try it... it's on your neck."
                              
Ron whimpered. "We need to get the spell removal password from them, don't we?"
                              
"I'm afraid so, Ron," she said, taking his hand.
                              
He started crying, again. "How... why would they do this to me? It's bad enough that everyone knows I'm... gay. But a collar?"
                              
"I suppose they put it on to make you come back to them. You're a bit stubborn," she said.
                              
"That's not..." he spluttered, indignantly.
                              
"Hey, I didn't say it was right! It's just... the explanation for it."
                              
"It's horrible, Hermione. They're claiming ownership of me. What if they won't take it off?"
                              
"We have the means to force them to, Ron. Calm down," she insisted.
                              
"We do?"
                              
"Yes, but I think just asking them to remove it is the first step. They went downstairs when I came up here. They should have their memories back."
                              
Ron nodded and bit his lip. He didn't want to be anywhere near them. "Hermione? Will you... will you go ask them for the password?"
                              
She frowned and nodded. "You can't hide from them forever, Ron."
                              
"I don't want to beg them... this is bad enough. Fuck... they are pricks. This is worse than that fucking song the Slytherins made. They're bullies, Hermione. How could I... let them do it? I mean... I must've let them do anything!" he said and broke down crying, again.
                              
She wrapped her arms around him until he calmed down, and she let go to put her hands on his face, comforting him.
                              
"Ron... it's going to be okay. We still love you and will be there for you, no matter what. We will deal with this. So, just calm down. I'll go get the password, and we'll get it off, okay?"
                              
"Thanks, Hermione," he mumbled, and she left. All he could do was pray to Merlin that they would give it up.