Author's Notes: 100 Gen, Bill is 15, Ron is 5, it's winter break.
Disclaimer: Not mine.

Midnight Snack

Odd noises in the Weasley household were not all that unusual. From the ghoul in the attic, to the chickens outside, and everything in between, it was a noisy house. And that was just at night. When everyone was awake, the noise was only grew exponentially, especially after the twins were born. But one grew used to the sounds through out the years living at The Burrow. If you didn't, you'd surely die of sleep deprivation, they used to joke, well away from the house and their parents.

Now that Bill was in Hogwarts, he was doubly grateful of his immunity to most things that went bump in the night. It could be hard to concentrate in class with people whispering around you. Or hard to go to sleep at night while there were other boys shifting around in their beds or the noise the castle made when it settled in for the night.

With all of this in mind, Bill found it rather strange that he had been awoken at quarter to three in the morning. Bill stepped out of his room, heart pounding, listening for the noise he had hear to sound again. There wasn't anything coming from the direction of the twin's room, the normal cause of such terror, despite their young age. No, it seemed that the noise had come from the direction of the kitchen. He thought about waking his parents, but they were up two floors and he didn't want to look foolish when it turned out to be nothing.

With a deep breath, he slowly went down the hall towards the stairs. As he come to the ground floor, he could see a light on in the kitchen. Now, he knew his mother, and knew that she was very particular about her kitchen. "If I can't manage order anywhere else in this house, I will in this kitchen," she'd cry, brandishing her wand to chase them out. That meant that everything was put away in its proper place, closed, and turned off. Those who did not obey her kitchen commandments were doomed to feel her wrath.

He peeked around the corner, and saw the source of the light. Someone had left the fridge open. He took another glance and realized that that someone was still there. Slowly, ever so slowly, he eased around the corner, grabbed a large wooden spoon from the counter, and yelled, "Who's there?!"

Well, he tried to yell. It came out more like a horrified squeak, but it was enough for the other person in the room to cry out and drop whatever he was holding. Bill charged in with his spoon raised for maximum damage, only to stop short staring into his youngest brother's baby blues. For a moment, the two just stared at each other at an impasse. Eventually, Ron looked down to the floor where the shattered remains of the milk jug lay before looking up at him tears in his eyes.

Bill sighed. "Ron, what are you doing up?"

Ron took a shuttering breath before replying. "I was hungry."

"Didn't you get enough at supper?"

Ron shook his head minutely, staring down at the floor, fists clenched. Bill sighed again, spying a box of cereal on the counter.

"You wanted cereal?" A nod. "Right. Let's get this cleaned up, and I'll pour you a bowl, ok?" Bill picked him up and sat him down in his chair, before turning back to the mess.

"Watch this!" Bill grinned at Ron. "Reparo!" And just like that, the glass milk jug was restored, albeit without the milk inside. Ron let out a laugh.

"Shh! Don't want to wake up anyone else, right?" Another flick of the wand the milk was sopped up by a tea towel. "If mum asks, I'll tell her I was thirsty, yeah?" He put the jug on the counter and grabbed a new one from the fridge. "Good thing we go through a lot of this stuff." He quickly made a bowl and gave it to Ron. After a moment, he made up one for himself as well.

"Thank you." Quiet, oh so quiet, and Bill cast a worried look towards his youngest brother who was wolfing down his food. Rubbing an affectionate hand through his brother's hair, Bill grinned. "We'll keep this our secret." Ron nodded, eyes going back to his cereal. "And if you want a midnight snack, wake me up ok? That way I won't brain you next time." Another nod.

Bill smiled softly, grabbing the bowls and giving them a quick rinse before putting them aside to dry. He turned to find Ron in the doorway staring up at the dark stairs. "Ready to get some more sleep?" Ron shook his head frantically, backing into the room again.

"There's something in the attic." He whispered. Bill hid a grin.

"It's just the ghoul, he won't harm you. Been there ever since I can remember."

"But I don't have my bear anymore to keep me safe!" Bill blinked and abruptly remembered the story mum had told him about one of the twins turning Ron's stuffed bear into a spider. He was really beginning to wish he had left well enough alone. It wasn't like they had much to steal, anyway. He sighed.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Ron just glared at the floor and though he didn't cry, his face turned bright red. Bill sighed again, before grabbing him up, eliciting a yelp. "You'll sleep with me tonight, yeah? I'll protect you from the ghoul in the attic." Ron froze, and for a moment, Bill thought he might say no. Then he relaxed, wound his arms around his neck and placed his head on his shoulder mumbling, "Promise?"

"Yeah, kid. I promise."

The End.