With a dash of angst, drama and fluff, add some Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys, a pinch of chess, a cup of R/Hr and lots of Ron, I present a little novella.

Rated T for the occasional swearing.

His Guiding Light

Chapter 1: The Promise

Ron woke up from his potion-induced dreamless sleep to an owl pecking insistently at his left ear.

"Alright, you bloody bird, I'm up," he grumbled as he batted Pig away from his ear.

He sat up in his bed and rubbed at his abused earlobe. "Damn bird."

And then the memories came flooding forward like a lynch mob that finally got passed the barricades.

xxx

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, your boy, Charlie, he's…"

Ron heard his mom wail. He ran forward and caught her before she fainted.

"He died honourably," continued the Ministry official.

xxx

"Ron, come on, get your arse out of bed. Kingsley expects us in by eight and I promised Ginny I'd go with her to King's Cross," hollered Harry from the twins' old room.

xxx

"DAD!" screamed Ron as the ominous green light soared towards Arthur. Ron sprinted forward towards his dad. The older Weasley fell backward with a loud thump as the killing curse hit him.

xxx

"Give me a sec, will you? Besides, I'm not going to King's Cross with you lot."

xxx

"Damn it, Percy, you can't…you can't give up now," said Ron gruffly as he held his dying brother in his arms.

"Y-you…forgive me, r-right?"

"Bloody hell, you know I do!"

"I-I need to hear it, Ron."

"I forgive you, Perce, but don't you fucking die on me."

Percy shook his head. "S'long as you forgive me, I'm all…tell Pe…"

His eyes fluttered shut.

"No, damn it," yelled Ron, shaking his limp brother. "Don't you fucking dare!"

xxx

"Fine, I'll see you at the head office, then," replied Harry through the walls.

Ron bit his lip. How was he going to break it to Harry?

xxx

"The 'ealer say he will not wake up, Ron," said a teary-eyed Fleur as she sat by her husband's sickbed. "He say eet is unlikely that he will ever wake up."

Ron felt weak. He sank into an armchair in the hospital room and dropped his head into his hands as Fred, George and Ginny came barging in. This wasn't happening. It was all too much.

"I don't believe 'im," Fleur said resolutely. "My Bill is stronger than that."

xxx

Ron swung his legs over the side of his bed and rubbed his eyes. Ginny pushed passed his door.

"Some privacy would be nice," he said with a scowl.

"Listen Ron, if things get too much…I don't know, maybe I shouldn't go back…"

"Don't be stupid. Everything will be fine. Go to school, Gin. Everything's under control."

Ginny looked at him doubtfully. "All right, then," she said as she wrapped her arms around her brother tightly. "I'm going to say bye to mum.

Ron nodded mutely.

xxx

"Mum, you've got to get out this room. It isn't healthy," coaxed Ron. "I've made you a nice breakfast. At least come down and eat with us."

Molly shook her head absently and patted Ron's hand. "Not now Perce, I'm just tired. Why don't you ask Charlie to help you?"

Ron's body tensed. Tears built in the corner of his eyes. "All right, I'll bring breakfast up here."

"Oh, that's not necessary; Arthur and I are going out for breakfast."

Ron backed out of the room, his whole body shaking before sinking to floor, his back pushed against the closed door.

xxx

Ron grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom. "Come on mate, get out of there," he said as he knocked on the door. "She's seen you at your worst, don't need to doll yourself up for my sister."

Harry came out of the room, his hands buried in a towel that he was patting against his hair.

"All right, all right, take it."

"You're the one yelling at me to get out of bed."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll meet you at the ministry at ten to eight, then?"

Ron shifted uncomfortably. "About that…"

"What?"

"I don't know, Harry. I don't know if I can get into Auror training just yet."

"What hell do you mean, you're already in, you prat."

"Not what I meant. It's just, with mum, well, I don't think I could take on something that…intensive right now…mum needs me."

Harry looked away. Ron knew Harry spent most of the summer blaming himself for the disintegration of the Weasley family.

xxx

"THEY'RE GONE, RON! GONE!"

"I know, Hermione, I'm sorry," whispered Ron, holding onto her hands and trying to remain strong.

"They had nothing to do with any of this…nothing…why'd they kill them?" She looked completely lost.

Ron shook his head, knowing that nothing he said would make it right.

"I've got to leave," she said as she pulled her hands away from his and turned her back to him.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I've got to get away. I need time to…I need to go, Ron." He could hear the tears in her voice.

"Where? How long?" he said, desperately.

"I don't know. Away from here."

"Away from me?"

"Away from magic."

Ron's voice choked. "H-how will I reach you?"

"You won't."

xxx

"Mum's sleeping," informed Ginny as she directed her trunk down the stairs with her wand.

Ron was in the kitchen making breakfast for his mum.

"Owl me," she said as she dropped the trunk in the middle of the living room and looked out the window for the cab.

Harry came into the kitchen and propped an elbow on the counter. "Come in for a bit Ron. See if Kingsley can make it more flexible for you."

Harry was on a vendetta. It's the only thing that kept him from falling apart completely. He was determined to get his hands on every remaining Death Eater—anything to avenge his surrogate family.

"Yeah, I'll try that," Ron replied, not sounding convinced.

"Harry, the cab's here," called Ginny from the next room.

"'k, coming. See you later mate."

Ron nodded. "Have a good trip," he hollered to Ginny.

xxx

Ron sat cross-legged on the couch in the living room with the Daily Prophet's classifieds spread out on his lap. He had to find a less time consuming job until his mother got better.

Fred and George had their hands full with the shops.

Ginny had just left for school.

Bill had been in a coma for two months now.

Hermione was nowhere to be found.

And Harry was on a vendetta.

Ron had to put his own pained feelings and ambitions aside if he was going to bring his mum back to health.

Ron was quietly immersed in the paper when the fire crackled loudly and a man's head appeared in the hearth.

"Mr. Weasley, good thing you're here," called the man.

Ron jerked his head up and stared at the man, not recognizing the young man, who looked about a couple of years older than Ron.

"Who are you?"

"With the Ministry. Some woman's been wailing for you in some muggle hospital."

"What?" said Ron, bewildered.

"I don't know. A nurse at the hospital recognized the name Weasley…she's married to a wizard. She contacted the ministry saying that a woman at the hospital was asking for a Mr. Weasley."

Ron shook his head at the absurdity. "Did you get her name?"

"Yeah," he paused and looked down at a clipboard in his hand. "Um, Clearwater."

"Penelope Clearwater?" asked Ron. Percy's old girlfriend?

"Yup, that's it." He pushed a piece of parchment through the flame. "Here's the hospital address."

Ron took the parchment and furrowed his brow. What would Penelope want with him? And why was she in a muggle hospital?

He raised his head to further question the ministry official but he'd already disappeared.

xxx

The muggle hospital buzzed with noises as people pushed passed him in the lobby.

Ron marched up to the front desk. "Um, uh, I'm looking for Penelope Clearwater."

"One moment," said the woman at the desk in a shrill voice.

"Room 346, next."

Ron looked behind him to see a stout man standing there, tapping his foot impatiently. "She said 'next'."

Ron grumbled something under his breath and headed for the elevator.

The hospital was like a maze. Ron wandered about the third floor, looking for room 346. He tapped a woman in a white coat on the shoulder. "You know where room 346 is?"

The woman broke into a relieved smile. "You must be Mr. Weasley, I'm Dr. Jekins." She put her hand out. Ron shook it awkwardly.

"How did you know my name?"

"You're here to see Penelope, right? She's the one in room 346. Thank God you're here. I was getting worried that you would never show. It's not looking good, Mr. Weasley. I'm deeply sorry. But maybe your presence will help even just the slightest."

Ron was so confused now. She hadn't come to Percy's funeral. Ron assumed that Percy and Penelope had broken it off at school. What would she want with Ron now? And he still didn't know what she was doing at the hospital.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Well, there seemed to be some unforeseen complications. I don't know who her regular doctor is. She hasn't been very cooperative. Maybe you know?"

Ron fell into stride with the woman who was now making her way down the white hallway.

"Complications to what?" he asked, exasperated.

The doctor looked at Ron quizzically. "The pregnancy, of course."

Ron came to an abrupt halt. "P-pregnancy?"

"Oh dear me, don't tell me you didn't know."

Ron's mind was working fast. Penelope was pregnant and insisting to see a Mr. Weasley. Ron's eyes grew wide and his heart started to pound loudly.

"What a pickle you two are in. This is what happens when young people get pregnant."

"S-she was asking for a P-Percy Weasley?"

"Well, yes, that's why you're here, Mr. Weasley. Now come along."

Ron's vision was blurring. He wiped his eyes roughly. Penelope was having a baby. She was having Percy's baby. He tried hard to concentrate on walking. Why was it taking so bloody long to get to her room?

"What do you mean by complications?" he asked, worriedly.

"It's hard to tell. She's extremely weak. Oh here we are."

Ron stepped into the room and quickly averted his eyes. Penelope was lying on her back with her legs held up in stirrups. A nurse stood between her legs.

Ron let his eyes fall on Penelope's face. She had her eyes shut tightly as the nurse examined her. "8 cm," declared the nurse.

She nodded towards Ron. "So you finally showed up, Mr. Weasley?"

Penelope's eyes flew open and she stared at Ron.

"We'll give you a moment alone. But make it quick. I'm not comfortable leaving this young lady alone for long."

The women ushered themselves out of the room and Ron sat awkwardly in a chair by her bedside.

"W-where's Perce?" She was panting heavily.

Ron looked away. How could she not know?

Suddenly she gasped and grabbed Ron's hand. She screamed before gritting her teeth as tears spilled down her cheeks. Ron was certain she had broken a few bones in his hand but he didn't care.

"Percy, where…where is he?" she pleaded through the contractions.

She glared at Ron as he tried to say something.

"Oh dear God," she said hoarsely before letting out an almighty scream.

The nurse and doctor came rushing in and bellowing at each other as Penelope fixed her eyes on Ron.

"Remember to breathe," said the nurse. "You're almost there."

"No," she moaned as she looked at Ron's devastated expression.

"Ok dear, you've got to push now, push!"

Penelope tightened her grip on Ron's hand and pushed with all her strength.

"But…he promised…he'd come for me…" she said through pushes.

"Again, push!"

Ron stayed with her throughout the whole delivery. Penelope pushed and screamed and cried and told Ron of the promise Percy had made.

And the whole time, Ron wanted to make her pain stop. He wanted to take her to St. Mungo's where they wouldn't have to worry about complications. And he wanted to bring Percy to her. He wanted it so badly it hurt more than his aching hand.

Finally, the room filled with a baby's cries.

Penelope fell into the pillows and loosened her grip on Ron's hand.

"It's a boy," declared the doctor.

Ron tried to look at the baby but he was whisked away before either mother or uncle could catch a glimpse.

"We'll clean him right up and bring him back," said the nurse.

The doctor came up to Penelope, looking very worried.

"Is s-something wrong w-with my b-baby?"

"No dear, nothing at all, he's perfectly healthy. It's you I'm worried about."

Ron felt his heart constrict.

"Give me a moment alone," she asked the doctor. The doctor sighed and nodded leaving Ron and Penelope alone in the birth suite.

"I'm taking you to St. Mungo's," said Ron as soon as the woman left.

"No, I'm too tired."

"No, Penelope, don't give up!" Ron seemed to be saying that a lot lately.

"I'm not giving up, Ron. It's my time."

"Bullshit! You're 23 bloody years old! I don't care what you say, we're going. I'm getting your baby and we're going, now."

Penelope grabbed his arm and stopped him from leaving. "You've got to promise…"

"I don't have to promise you anything because you're going to be fine!" He couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

She held onto his arm tightly.

"You've got to promise to take care of him, Ron. You've got to take care of my Davy."

"Davy?"

"Yes, David Percival Weasley."

"You haven't even seen him yet. Don't you want to fight? Don't you want to see him grow up?" he asked desperately.

"St. Mungo's can't do anything for me, Ron."

"Yes, they can," he snapped, stubbornly.

"How can I contact your parents? They'll knock some sense into you."

"They were killed in the war, Ron."

Ron fell into the chair, as he heaved for air. "Let me take you to the hospital."

"I'm done, Ron. I'm ready to see my parents. I'm ready to see my Percy."

Ron looked at her disbelievingly. "You're ready to leave your son?"

"When Percy discovered that the Minister was working for You Know Who and he decided to play double agent for the Order, he sent me into hiding. I had no contact with the magical world. He said he'd come for me after it was over. I didn't want to go but he insisted."

"That's why you didn't know he was…"

"I was still waiting."

"Did he know about the pregnancy?"

She shook her head. "I didn't find out until after we were separated. I was waiting for him to tell him."

She brushed her tears away weakly.

"I'm done waiting, Ron. I'm ready to see him now."

"But Davy…"

"I wouldn't make a good mother. I'm too broken, Ron."

"No," he said, shaking his head in denial.

"I know you'll do right by my boy, Ron."

Ron was now clinging to Penelope, as if holding onto her would keep her alive.

"I don't know anything about babies."

"You were always his favourite," she said softly.

Ron let out a sob, tears blinding his vision.

"He talked so fondly of you. He made mistakes Ron but he loved you so."

Ron nodded. Percy had always been the brother to protect him from the twins as a child. He'd grown to resent it as he grew older because the twins would mock him for being a sissy who needed snotty Percy to save him.

"I know he'd want you to take care of his son. You'll do right by him."

Ron shook his head blindly, still trying to gather the energy to keep fighting her acceptance of death.

"You take good care of him and you tell him, you tell him that his father was a good man; that he made mistakes but he was a good man. Promise."

Ron squeezed her hand gently. "Promise," he murmured.

"And you put me to rest by my Percy, all right, put me to rest with my Percy and take good care of my Davy. Promise?"

Ron gulped and snapped out of his haze. "No, you're not going anywhere," he said, with renewed effort.

"Promise?" she repeated.

Ron let out a frustrated sigh, not wanting to give into her defeat.

She looked at him imploringly.

"I promise."

Penelope smiled sadly. "Thank you Ron," she whispered before closing her eyes.

"No, no, no," he murmured, pushing at her shoulder. "Merlin, no!"

The nurse walked in holding a precious bundle in her arms. She looked at Penelope's still body and her face fell.

"Oh dear God," she whispered.

Ron stood up, brushed away his tears and steadied himself before approaching the nurse. The nurse looked at Ron sympathetically before transferring the bundle into Ron's arms.

Ron pulled down the blue blanket a bit, revealing a shock of red hair. The tiny human being opened his eyes and gazed up at Ron with bright blue eyes that matched perfectly with Penelope's eyes.

A tear spilled onto the baby's curled fist but Ron couldn't brush them away anymore. His hands were full.

"Hi there, Davy," he said tentatively. "I'm your uncle Ron."

T.B.C.

Disclaimer: I'm a poor university student. No profit is being made. Please don't sue me.

My exams are over and I'm just happy, can't you tell by the super happy beginning…I utterly hopelessly addicted to angst. I need to try fluff sometime. Anyway, let me know what you think.

I'm going on holiday so the next installment will not be up until after the new year. Time might move forward in this story, i.e. the next chapter might be set a year or two later, etc. But I hope you'll like it.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and a Happy New Year!

'See' you in 2007. Weasleygirl-ca.