One-Shot request for madefornight
Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.
A spot of red hair and I was off.
I sped out of the Great Hall, down a corridor, and into an empty classroom as quickly as I could. My heart was thudding in my ears; I could feel my face flushing red.
I was avoiding him, none too subtly.
I knew this is what it would come to. I knew how he felt all along. But I can't stand it. I couldn't bear to look at him, let alone to be in the same room with him.
Somehow, in the past few months, I'd managed to fall for Ron Weasley. And now I was attempting to avoid him for as long as I could.
I'd met in fifth year, despite having been in the same year as him since we started Hogwarts. I found him to be awkward, in a charming sort of way. He was funny when he didn't even know he was. With his red hair, abundant freckles, and the adorable way his ears turned red when he was embarrassed (which was a lot) all combined together to give me a crush.
We were friends and spoke to each other every now and then, especially when he'd get into a fight with Harry or when he got into a row with Hermione. That's what defined our relationship. It wasn't much and he only came to me when there was a problem with his Gryffindor friends. I didn't mind because I was falling as every moment with him. I was falling so hard and I couldn't stop myself. I wish I could've now that I know how much the impact hurts.
"I'm not going to make it." He worried.
"You'll be fine." I laughed lightly. "Ron." He ignored me. "Ron, stop pacing!"
"I'm going to do horribly and I won't make the team."
"You'll be fine."
"Will you watch?"
"Watch what?"
"The tryouts."
"Why?"
"I want you there."
And just because he wanted me there, I was there. I watched as he made five saves, beating out Cormac's four. I was also there for when Lavender fawned over him from afar. That girl was not subtle.
When he saw me later that day, he was so happy.
"I made it!" He yelled and scooped me into his arms, which he was able to do easily due to my short stature. He spun me around in a hug while he chanted, "I made it, I made it, I made it!"
"Ron!" I giggled. "I was there. You were amazing."
"Thank you for being there."
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world."
"Seriously, Rory. I'm glad you were there."
"What are friends for?"
"Yeah, friends." He murmured as he set me down and stepped back.
"Ron? Are you okay?"
"Look, Aurora, I don't want to be just friends."
My heart was beating so fast inside my chest. "You don't?"
"No." Ron said as his ears turned progressively redder.
"Then what are you gonna do about it?" I challenged.
With a small smile, he stepped closer to me and placed his lips upon mine.
That's how it started. We weren't dating really. We just…snogged…a lot. But not in public. Usually we met up after classes or during classes or during meals. Just whenever. I couldn't get enough of him. He was intoxicating. He was amazing. He was Ron. That was all that I really wanted. But I should've known that falling for Ron didn't mean that he would fall for me too. I knew, I always knew in the back of my mind that Ron had already fallen for Hermione. But I think I hoped that maybe I could change that. I couldn't, but I tried.
"Hey." He replied softly as he met me in the Room of Requirements.
"Hi." I replied as I pulled his face toward mine and met his lips.
Wrapping my arms around his neck and my hands went into his hair, Ron moved us over to the extremely comfortable couch.
Ron pushed me down onto the couch and towered over me. Crashing his lips down upon mine, I smiled into the kiss. Ron's hands went to grip my sides, sliding slightly up my shirt. As I opened my mouth to let his tongue enter, he pulled away.
"Sorry," he muttered as he sat up.
"What's wrong, Ron?" I asked in concern
"Hermione asked me to go with her to Slughorn's Christmas party. I uh I said yes."
"Okay." I nodded, "And?" I asked as I ran my fingers through my hair in an attempt to make it lay flat.
"You mean…you don't care?"
"We're not exclusive, Ron." I muttered as I stood up and advanced toward the door.
"Rory—"
"Really, Ron. We aren't dating. Did you expect me to be mad?"
"A little."
"Well, if you agreed despite the fact that you thought I'd be mad, I guess its good we aren't dating, right?" I tried to joke.
"Right." He muttered.
"I've gotta go. I've got that Charms essay to right. Night Ron."
I knew she would always come first. And then they got into a fight. Over what, Ron wouldn't tell me. It was probably that way. I was just happy that they were fighting. It meant that he would come to me.
And for awhile he did. It was like nothing had changed between us. We went met more often than usual because he was so angry at Hermione. I was a replacement, but I didn't mind.
And then I saw them. Ron and Lavender. Apparently, they had been dating for weeks. I was the only fool who didn't know. I was too wrapped up in Ron to realize that he had a girlfriend. I was angry and upset. I wanted nothing more than to avoid Ron Weasley for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that. I only avoided him a week before he caught up with me.
Walking to my common room one Saturday afternoon, I was suddenly pulled into a nearby closet.
"What the hell?" I muttered into the darkness of the closet.
"Aurora." I rolled my eyes as I heard the voice.
"What, Ron? What do you want? Did you really have to pull me into a closet?
"What did I do?" He asked, ignoring my questions.
"What would make you think you did something?"
"Well you've been avoiding me for the past week," the fool replied.
"I've just been busy. You haven't done anything, Won-Won." I retorted passive aggressively.
"Lavender." He said, as though it sudden dawned upon him. "Look, Aurora—"
"I don't care, Ron. Really, I don't. We had…fun. And now it's over—"
"Lavender's just—"
"Your girlfriend." I snapped. "So look what we were doing is over and we can still be frien—"
"Rory!" Ron yelled as he pressed me against the closed door of the closet. "Don't be mad at me." He pleaded as he rested his head against mine.
"Why would I be mad at you? We were just having fun, right? Nothing serious. Nothing exclusive. I have no reason to be mad."
"But you are."
"Wow Ron, if you were this perceptive when in fourth year, probably we wouldn't even need to have this conversation."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Look Ron. We both know you're hopelessly in love Hermione. And if you had just manned up and asked her to the Yule Ball you two would be dating and I wouldn't have to deal with you."
"I don't know what you're talking about—"
"Don't play stupid Ron!" I yelled, pushing him away from me. "You've loved Hermione probably since the first moment you saw her. And you've just been using us to make her jealous because you can't tell her how you feel. Lavender…she's just a ploy to piss Hermione off. And me…well I'm just a way to pass time." I said as my voice wavered. "So, let's just end this now. Before someone gets hurt." Although its too late for that. "Okay Ron?"
"Rory—"
"Merlin, Ron what else could you have to say? We're done, even though there never was a 'we.' Okay? We're done. I care. You don't. It's as simple as that."
"I care."
"But not enough for it to matter, Ron. Caring about me, it doesn't make you stop loving her."
"Aurora—"
"I'll see you around Ron."
And I did. I would see him in the corridors, during meals and classes. It hurt for a while. But eventually I got over him.
Years later, I saw Ron and Hermione Weasley at King's Cross as they dropped off their kids for the train. I was there dropping off my twins with my husband.
Ron saw me, across the crowded station and waved hello. I waved back before turning to wave goodbye to my twin girls as the train pulled out.
Time wore on from my first heartbreak. They say you always remember the first guy who breaks your heart. Really, it was my own fault for falling for someone who was already in love. And so I didn't remember Ron for heartbreak. I remembered him for laughs and good times my sixth year.
And I told my girls what happened, so they would avoid making the same mistakes. I told them to be careful with their hearts because they are so very breakable. But they are their mother's daughters. They'll make the same mistakes and tell their daughters their stories so that they can avoid the same mistakes. But they won't. But if they end up like me, at least I know they'll be happy in the end.