Had anyone ever wondered why Ronald Bilius Weasley could eat like there's no tomorrow? Perhaps he knew one day there wouldn't be. Or maybe because he wasn't given the same treatment as his other siblings. But nobody bothered to know why.
Not even his two best friends.
The youngest Weasley son was no whiner if he could help it. It was a side he kept to himself. Tired brown eyes trained to the drawn curtains, waiting, waiting. Any minute now, he thought gravely. Ron's timing couldn't be better.
The screams pierced into the night. The sickly hours of raids. He quickly cast a silencing ward he picked up from Hermione. The red head got up, aware of Dean and Seamus' groggy gazes following him. Ron shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to care.
They were used to it, Harry's bizarre condition. Really, who would ever think that Ron was jealous of Harry unless they were in his shoes?
He's a pureblood for merlin's sake.
With a family and a home.
Harry has...
Voldemort.
Expectations.
But he seems to forget it most of the time.
Ron sighed and threw open the scarlet curtain to find Harry thrashing and flailing wildly around his covers, His eyes were shut tight and his hair matted on his forehead. Beads of sweat dotted his pale face. His best friend was crying.
In the midst of it all, no matter how withdrawn and emotionally unstable Harry had been, Ron cared. Butto be honest he didn't want to know or share Harry's demons
He climbed into Harry's bed and wrapped the boy in a tight embrace, just like what his Dad does. The other struggled. Ron had a vague feeling it was foreign to Harry. Dean leaned on the bed poster, watching them, his face drawn. Now, who was jealous?
The Weasley looked forlorn as he stroked his friend's messy hair soothingly. Seamus had offered to sneak into the kitchen for cocoa but Ron shook his head.
He needs us.
He needs me.
It'll be fine. We're here. You're not alone Harry. Empty words. It worked. Always worked. Harry didn't know them too. The boy's shoulders sagged. He was in a stupor. Slowly, ever slowly, his body relaxed as Ron rocked him back to sleep. It was cruel to send him back to reality, to Voldemort, to the visions, to his nightmares. But what can a boy, who had everything, do?
Harry envied him.
Others think it's the other way around.
Harry won't remember it in the morning. He won't. Only the nightmares.
Ron learned that his voice is muffled and distorted to Harry whose nerves are frayed.
It would be embarrassing.
Some nights the four room mates would wonder if they would ever get a peaceful sleep in the rest of their school. And all Ron can do is eat and pretend nothing happened.
A/N: Due to lack of sleep the absence of serotonin has been associated with greater aggressive behavior. Serotonin levels have been correlated with higher levels of irritability, impulsivity, aggression, disordered eating, and sleeping problems.
-midnightgamin