Author's note: This is my first Astoria Greengrass/Ronald Weasley story.
Written for The Teacher's Lounge The Weekly Insanity aka Challenge Accepted thread by Sara Winters.
Italics are Ron's thoughts.
Takes place in between the 19 years later, before Ron married Hermione.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
Another late night at his brother's shop caused him to be away from Hermione which caused Ron to fidget at the counter. He yawned, stared into his cold cup of coffee and sighed. 'Damn Ginny for getting me addicted to this drink.' He picked up the cup, heard the door to the shop open and close, and spilled his drink all over himself and the Quibbler.
He tried covering up the article he was presently trying to read, but couldn't as the woman from the picture next to the article he had just read about appeared right in front of the counter.
Pale, blonde and way out of his league she stood before him, looking slightly nervous for she knew a woman of her status wouldn't dare go in a shop like this unless she really needed something. Which is why she had arranged the meeting to be at night. So no one would see her. He straightened up the mess, and stepped slightly away from the counter.
"Oh for Merlin's sake. Do they have to always record whatever I buy? Who cares! I'm so damn tired of paparazzi following me just because I'm engaged to a Malfoy." She snatched the Quibbler from Ron. "By the way, you missed a spot. Coffee will stain against white you know." She pointed to a spot on his shirt that was in the middle of his stomach.
"I'll be right back." Ron bolted from behind the counter and made his way to the office before she could criticize him again.
He entered the office, and slammed the door behind him. What a fool he was! Of course white and coffee weren't a perfect match. Didn't Hermione always get on him for that when she did his laundry? He walked to the closet, reached in and grabbed a spare black shirt just for emergencies like these.
Ron turned around and tripped over a random box that was next to the desk in the office and fell over the box causing his shirt to fall out of his hands.
"Bloody hell." he muttered as he sat up.
'Adult items for adult needs. A special line for after hour customers. Adults only.' The label, written in George's handwriting read.
He cursed George under his breath.
"Damn you. This is the very reason why the shop is open after midnight." He yelled at the box. Seeing his shirt next to the box, he grabbed it and stood up.
"Is everything alright? I heard swearing after a noise. Oh you're naked!" Astoria walked through the door just as Ron took off his shirt showing her his bare chest. She blushed, but Ron noted she didn't turn away from him. Her eyes stared at his chest and wouldn't move.
"Half naked, actually." The redhead half-smiled as he quickly put on the extra shirt. When he finished he stared at her with his arms crossed against his chest.
"Is that my order?" She pointed near him.
"Actually, no I'm already taken." Ron laughed not paying attention to where she was pointing.
"Um, I mean the box. I'm sort of taken as well. Not that you care or anything." She flashed him the shiny engagement ring on her left finger. An uncomfortable silence lingered for a moment until he broke it.
"Who said I didn't care?" Ron said feeling annoyed. He didn't want her to think he didn't care. Ron bent down next to the box, picked up the note that George wrote, and stared at the name in disbelief. Of course this box was hers.
"These are yours." He said as he picked up the box. She took it from him.
"You won't tell anyone?" She stared at him with her blue eyes.
"Tell them what? As a shop keeper, it's confidential." Ron replied firmly crossing his arms once more against his chest. He noticed her eyes followed his arms when he moved them against his chest.
"Then do you want to test one of these products with me?" She cleared her throat before continuing. " Draco's dreadfully busy these days. I have urges you know." She winked. "I am a woman after all."
Ron stared Astoria up and down. He couldn't help but give her a quick look over after that last statement. Astoria was serious. Ron fought with himself from opening his mouth and dropping it in the shape of an 'O' from shock.
When George told Ron he wanted to start an adult line for important customers to bring in more money, Ron didn't realize the temptations that came with it.
"You're joking." He finally said.
"I'm serious."
"If you swear not to tell Hermione." Ron walked past her feeling her eyes follow his every move, and shut the door to his office. He was secretly glad she was the last customer he was waiting on and turned around.
He emerged from the office hot and sweaty an hour later. Ron was very glad he didn't have to wait on anyone else for he didn't want anyone else to see him and Astoria coming out of the same closed room. He turned around when she exited his office with her empty box.
"Seriously, this line of Adult products, any chance I could get a new order on my box?" Astoria grinned at him.
"That box, shall we say, got lost in the mail?" Ron grinned the same grin back at her.
"Two to six weeks?" she asked.
"The order will go out again tomorrow. Same items?"
"Same time in six weeks?" Eagerness filled her voice. He could tell she never did anything like this before, and to be honest, neither had he.
"Only if you want to," he replied.
She nodded, and left the empty box on the counter. As she walked towards the door, he found himself staring at her arse.
"Another six weeks, and you will be mine again." Ron said to himself guiltlessly after she left. He didn't feel bad for starting an affair. He knew his relationship with Hermione was a rocky one. They were, after all what Hermione called being on a break. Astoria and Draco on the other hand, were the engaged couple. Ron grinned and then frowned, knowing if Malfoy knew what Ron just did to his fiancé, Ron would be dead by tomorrow.
If only he could tell someone he had banged Astoria Greengrass. And then he realized she was just an order. Just a name on parchment. Until another six weeks.
please review.
Special Thanks to AllShadesOfGrey for beta'ing my story!