No Shagging at the Burrow
A/N: This is an anecdote to Echoes of the Past, Echoes of the Future. This is the story of Ron/Gabrielle, and Harry/Ginny. Can be read on its own, is not dependent on Echoes. Rated M for a little adult humor. No smut, no violence.
Ronald and George apparated to the Burrow. This weekend was Bill's birthday celebration, and he and Fleur were expecting their first child. They would be arriving tomorrow. Bill wouldn't let Fleur travel by anything except muggle means, or floo, since she was pregnant. Overprotective! But, that was Bill.
As soon as they got there, George went to find Angelina, who was already here. Ron went in search of Mom and Dad. Ginny was coming later. She was feeling a bit blue. Harry had been distant and a little chilly to her. She wanted to shed her funk before the partying started. George and Ron had left her at the shop with Padma and Parvati.
Ronald found his father playing with muggle toys. He collected them. Ron looked skeptically at his father's latest finds. He had a crossbow, some arrows, a muggle rifle, a muggle shotgun, some knives, a switchblade, a meat hook, nun chucks, and some contraption that Ron didn't recognize. And a lot of ammo for the shotgun. No shells for the rifle, though. Good. There was also several pairs of Ben Wa balls, some butt plugs, and some rock salt. Ron stared at that for a moment. Oh Merlin, tell me pops was NOT using these on his mother. Uggghhhh.
"Blimey, Pops, what is all this?" He asked, disgusted.
Arthur grinned. "Muggle weapons. Watch this." Ron almost laughed, but controlled it. His father thought sex toys were weapons? Good. Ron could live with that image.
Arthur picked up the shotgun, and explaining as he went, "you load the ammo in the hole" and he placed a cartridge in it, "and then you slide the foreskin," and he slid the pump (or fore-end), "and you sight its rump" and pulled the stock against his shoulder and pointed the barrel at an old sign that was propped up, "And then you blow your wad" and he pulled the trigger.
Ron fought to keep a straight face at that demo and lecture. The sign fell over, and now had holes in it. Maybe he did want his dad to demonstrate the butt plugs, after all.
Ron looked askance at his father. "Going to kill someone? Avada is less messy."
"Yes, but it can be traced. You try this thing." Arthur grinned, reloaded the shotgun, and handed it to Ron.
Ron took it warily. He had trained as an Auror, and part of their training was muggle weapons. He was familiar with it. But, his dad's muggle contraptions were often worse than George's jokes. He shoved it up against his shoulder, pointed it at the sign, and pulled the trigger. He must have relaxed his grip, though. It jerked his arm out of the socket, and there was a lot of dirt scattered.
"Oops, let me fix that." Arthur pulled his wand out, pointed it at Ron's shoulder, and said, "Episky."
Ron dropped the shotgun, screamed "Fuck" and grabbed his shoulder, trying to rub the hurt out.
Molly stuck her head out of a pile of cloth she had been under, and said, "Ronald Weasley, watch your language. We're having children this weekend."
Ron rolled his eyes, handed the shotgun back to his dad, and went back inside. Did wizards go senile?
What a boring weekend this was going to be. Hermione and him had broken up about a year ago, and he had gone out with Padmil Patil a couple of times. That had been ok, a couple of times. But, she wanted a ring. Actually she wanted two rings, one for her finger, and one for his nose. And she was obvious about it.
Ron had just plopped down on the sofa when he heard two people talking. He looked over and Andromeda and Teddy had just arrived. Teddy ran over and hugged him, and bumped his sore shoulder. He cringed, and then hugged Teddy back. Teddy had white-blond hair. That meant Malfoy and Mommy Malfoy were coming. Great.
"Want to go flying, Uncle Ron?" Teddy asked, with bright eyes. He loved flying, and all the Weasleys were good at it. Teddy was to get his own broom when he was 6. Uncle Draco had promised it to him, and he couldn't wait.
Ron started to say no, and then heard the pop of someone apparating in. He looked up into his sister's face, and . . NO. She did NOT bring Padma. He was going to knock her off her broom when they got to playing Quidditch, which he knew they would sometime this weekend. They had enough people for two full teams. He jumped off the couch, scooped Teddy up in his arms, and tossing him in the air and catching him, said, "Sure, you drive."
He ran out the door with Teddy before Dromeda could yell at him. Because she would. And, bloody hell, she looked just like Bellatrix Lestrange when she yelled. She was nicer than Bellatrix, and actually pretty, since her teeth weren't rotting. But, when she yelled, it was De Ja Vu Take Him Back To the War Days.
He grabbed his old broom, and mounting, put Teddy in front of him, telling him to hang on tight, kicked off. This broom had an extra, special set of foot holds for Teddy, and a grip for Teddy to hang on, and had been specially modified and spelled. Hermione had cast a special charm on it, so if Teddy fell off, a shield was projected, and the whole broom was encapsulated.
She was brilliant. And pretty. And smart. Why couldn't they have stayed in love?
He whipped around a couple of times, then whispered, "ok, hang on really tight." Teddy gripped even tighter, and Ron pulled some maneuvers. Then he slowed down, noticing his mom and Dromeda watching him. He grinned, and flew off.
He had been flying around for a while, when George and Harry suddenly flanked him on either side. They were smiling. They flew for a while, then landed. It was getting dark. Maybe Padma had gotten bored and left.
She was pretty enough. But, she blathered on and on about divination, predictions, clothes, makeup , shoes, blah blah blah. Ron strolled in, and it was NOT his lucky day. She was sat there with Ginny, looking at muggle magazines. Ron rolled his eyes. Arthur had subscribed to a bunch of muggle magazines, compliments of Hermione. It was where he got a lot of his gadgets. Arthur was into mail order.
Ron started doing tricks for Teddy. Since his accident, his magic hadn't really work well, but it was getting better. He was gaining more control, and understanding how it wasn't working. He was levitating things, flying them around, and crashing them into Padma and Ginny. Then he would look at them and shrug. He couldn't help it.
He saw the cream puffs on the table, and trying to hide his grin, started juggling them, inching them ever closer to where the two witches were sitting on the couch. He lifted sticky honey balls, and started juggling them, too. Teddy was laughing, and Harry looked up and grinned. The two confections were almost in place.
He let them drop hard, right on top of their heads. Both witches jumped off the couch, and Ginny turned on him, wand drawn. "Mom, Ginny's going to hex me."
"Ginny, don't you DARE draw your wand on your brother. He can't defend himself." Molly marched into the drawing room, took one look at the scene, and scolded her again. "And clean up that mess, now."
She marched back out to the kitchen. Ron pulled Teddy into his lap, and snuggled him, hiding his laughter. Maybe this wasn't going to be that bad, after all. And, Ginny didn't know his magic was getting better. Only George did. He snuck a peek at Harry. Yep, Harry knew too.
Ron kept this up all night, carefully hiding what he was doing from his mom and dad. At one time, he gave his wand to Teddy, told him to point it at Padma, whispered, "Say 'Avis Oppugno'." Teddy did,Ron barely touched the wand, and sure enough, a flock of little birds flew in formation and slapped against the back of Padma's head. They splattered yellow in her hair.
"Teddy, give me my wand back," Ron said, loudly. "Maybe we should go upstairs and get you ready for bed." He said. He scooped him up and flipped him up on his shoulders. He went up the stairs, bouncing along the way, with Teddy laughing and squealing.
After he had gotten Teddy prepared for bed, they started to go back down. Ron grabbed a container with something sparkly in it off his dresser. As he passed Ginny's room, he flung the entire contents of it into the room. He laughed. Ginny was going to wish she hadn't brought Padma. He would have to talk to Ginny later, but, for now, he was just going to torture her all weekend. And for once, he was going to get away with it. She couldn't even retaliate.
They went back into the drawing room. Everyone was sitting there, so he supposed he would have to behave. But, Teddy grabbed his wand, and repeated the spell. Sure enough, the birds flew right at Padma, but this time right at her face. He laughed. He couldn't help it. Padma was getting beat up by a two-year-old wizard.
Teddy changed his hair to red, matching Ron's perfectly. Ron hugged him. Ron wanted kids. He wanted a wife. He just didn't know who. He had dated Padma, and Tracey Davis, and even asked Susan Bones out. But, nothing clicked.
He sat down to talk with everyone. Dromeda was telling them about her sister, Cissy, and how she was faring after the war. They didn't see her often, but she had come to the burrow a couple of times. She was working hard at Hogwarts and doing some charity work for St. Mungos. Ron tuned her out, and turned to Harry.
"So, mate, how's things going with you and all the crazy pairings at the Ministry?" He asked.
"Pretty fair. I wish you were still there, but we are learning to work together. You should come hang out with us." He looked at Ron, grinning, daring him to say something, or take him up on his offer. "Is she the motivation for the improvements?"
"Get serious! Eventually she will give up." Ron grinned back. "She's mental."
"Why'd you invite her, then?"
"Yo, mate, I didn't, Ginny just showed up with her. Again. She's been doing that for a whole year. Just showing up when she knows I will be there."
"What's happening with you and Ginny?" Ron looked over, to make sure Ginny and Padma weren't listening. They were walking up the stairs. This was going to be fun. Now he couldn't wait for lights out.
"She and I need to talk. I just haven't had time. Too busy chasing the relics of Voldemort." Harry shook his head. What was he going to do with Ginny? He loved her. Always had. But, the war had changed him. He had grown up so fast, and hadn't ever really been a boy. And, for all she had been through, Ginny was still a girl. And, she kept trying to act like her mom. Which meant she was acting like she was his mom.
"Do you love her?" Ron asked. He was torn. This was his best mate, always would be. But Ginny was his little sister. And, he didn't know how to choose.
"Yeah, I do. So much it hurts." Harry answered, leveling his gaze at Ron. Blue eyes stared at green ones for a moment. Ron nodded.
"Then talk to her. She doesn't know that."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. She thinks you fell out of love. And, she practically worships you, still."
"I know."
"Be gentle, whatever you do, mate." Ron got up, grabbed Teddy, and wandered upstairs to put him to bed. He wondered if he could use Teddy as a shield the whole weekend. He put Teddy to bed in his room, lit a charmed candle, and went off to find his own bed.
As he passed Ginny's room, he deliberately did not look in. He wanted to. He really had to fight not to. He grinned, and sunk down on his own bed. Thinking about Harry and Ginny, him and Hermione. At least maybe there was hope for Harry and Ginny. He nodded off.
"Ayyyyyyyhhhhhhhhh." Ron jumped out of bed, running to the hallway. Someone screamed. A woman. Harry came out of his room, putting his glasses on. They looked at each other.
"GEORGE, RONALD, GET IN HERE NOW."