The Offending Sugar

Mon.12.Jan.2004

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Pop!

"What the-?"

Shriek!

"Whoops."

Harry spun away and started whistling, his eyes screwed shut.

"Harry," Ron snarled, grabbing the back of his friend's collar and dragging him into the kitchen. Hermione scrambled for discarded clothing. Her husband shook a finger at her. "Don't move."

"I didn't see anything, I didn't," Harry insisted when Ron pushed him away and glowered at him. If looks could kill, Harry was sure he'd have found himself twitching on the floor, at least, by now.

"What do you want?"

"A cup of sugar?" It wasn't so much a statement, but more asking if this was an acceptable excuse for apparating unannounced.

Ron didn't look convinced. Harry held out the cup in his hand and set it on the counter as proof and looked warily at his friend.

"Do you want a note from Gin…?" Then, noticing the red-head's appearance, he chuckled a little bit. This only made Ron frown more and narrow his eyes.

"What?"

"What are you wearing?" Harry had begun to laugh. Ron looked down at himself and when he looked back, there was a hint of red in his cheeks.

"It's nothing. Get your sugar and go," he said quickly, stepping toward his friend and pointing at a cupboard behind Harry then crossing his arms over his chest. "It's in there."

"Where?" Harry managed between laughs.

"There." Ron pointed feebly, not moving his arms.

"Where?"

Ron started to point again, but swore under his breath, throwing his hands in the air and pushed Harry out of the way and got the sugar himself. His friend gripped the counter for support, gasping for breath, tears in his eyes.

"Did you steal that?"

"What? No."

"Er, Ron?"

Harry reached out and pulled a stocking off the back of the sweater Ron was sporting and dangled it behind his friend for a moment.

Ron spun around and snatched the stocking out of his hand, crumpling it into the pocket of his black trousers. Harry suppressed his giggling long enough to inquire again.

"What are you wearing? No. I know what you're wearing. Why are you wearing them?"

"Leave it where it is," Ron said flatly, holding out the cup of sugar.

"School robes?"

"Leave it."

"Ron?" Hermione called from the living room. "I'm going to get dress…"

"NO!" he exclaimed quickly, then more quietly, stepping to the doorway. "No, you're not. One moment. Oh, here." He pulled the crumpled stocking out of his pocket and held it out to her. Hermione gasped, seizing it and Ron walked back to Harry, doubled over now with laughter.

"Get up. Get up. Get up."

Harry held up a hand signaling for a moment in which to catch his breath and steady himself enough to stand again. Ron crossed his arms once more and tapped a foot impatiently.

"Get up."

Finally, Harry righted himself and cleared his throat. He looked at his friend again.

"What's with your hair?"

Ron rolled his eyes with a quick glance to the living room.

"Huh? What was that?" Harry persisted.

Ron jerked his head a little toward the doorway, his eyes shouting at the grinning ass standing stupidly in front of him.

"I'm sorry?" Harry squinted at him a little and cocked his head to the side, "I didn't catch that."

"Ron?" Hermione asked again.

"Two minutes!" Ron shouted.

"Surely," Harry began, taking a step toward the living room, "she's dressed by now, Ron." Ron stopped his friend and dragged him back to the opposite end of the kitchen to glare at him.

"No. She isn't. And she won't be. This is a process we go through," Ron said, in a heated whisper.

"But you're still wearing … that," Harry whispered back, beginning to giggle again.

"That's how I like it."

Harry made a disgusted face.

"What's the use in that?"

"I'm not the only one who likes it this way," Ron said with a triumphant smile.

"What?!"

"She gets undressed, runs her fingers through my hair and starts playing with my tie," Ron began, still smiling a little. His expression suddenly went cold and he hit Harry in the arm. "Why in the hell am I telling you this?! Take your sugar and leave."

"Sugar? What sugar?"

"What sugar?! The sugar you … The … sugar …"

"Ron, I think I'm going upstairs now," Hermione said, and they could hear her stand up.

"You move and I will beat you," he called over his shoulder.

Harry bit back another guffaw.

Hermione hesitated before answering, "Is that a promise?"

Ron thought for a moment and his ears reddened as he looked back at Harry who didn't know what to think anymore.

"You need to go home. And now."

"I just came for a cup of sugar."

Ron frowned and, grabbing the cup of sugar, handed it to him.

"Maybe I'll just apparate in on you and your wife sometime," he grumbled as Harry took the sugar and prepared to leave.

"Just remember … It's your sister."

Ron groaned and turned back to the living room.

Pop!



* * *



Harry apparated into his own kitchen and handed the sugar to Ginny, who smiled.

"What took you so long?" she asked, setting the sugar on the counter and looking at him.

"Oh, nothing really, just talking about … school," he replied, walking away from her to a chair in the living room.

"Harry?" Ginny said, appearing in the doorway.

He looked at her.

"I asked for flour, not sugar. You'll just have to go back."

"Alright. I'll be back in a minute."

Pop!



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"HARRY!"











©2004 – Roxanne L. Martin, Writings From Behind The Red Door