A/N : My first fanfic in which Ron is there. This one's to all the people who love this guy. Enjoy!
Ron
Sitting idle with no way whatsoever to amuse himself Ron stared at the ceiling of his room. Silently cursing his body for having caught the flu that was going around, he heaved a great sigh. After all he should have listened to Hermione but being himself, stubborn, he did not listen and here he his now. In his bed, with his back, legs, arms, neck and head paining and bored out of his mind.
After all there is not much you can do when you cannot move without pain wracking your body and making your head burn. Deep in his thoughts, he did not notice the door of his room opening and closing and the silent tread of footsteps towards his bed. Though he did notice the slight change in his bed springs and before he even knew what was happening, he had his wand out and pointed towards the place where he felt the change. 'Maybe Auror training isn't completely useless like you said or rather complained it was.' a snide voice in his head said. 'Oh, shut up! I am shouting at myself, maybe the illness is causing hallucinations.' The sincere voice said. 'Really now what do you...' Started the snide voice but was interrupted.
"Dad?"Asked the timid voice of Hugo. Relaxing his posture slightly Ron started, "You scared me there for a second, Hugo. Just a second though, mind you."
"I am not able to sleep, Dad. Will you tell me a story?." After seeing his Dad's reluctant expression Hugo made his kicked-puppy expression which he knew his father couldn't resist. After seeing his defences crumbling away one by one Hugo knew his plan was working.
"Well, okay. So once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away.." Ron was stopped in the middle of his sentence by Hugo. "I know the story of Star Wars, dad! You and mom love it, I know, but I've heard it's story one-times-too-many. So, no. Tell me another one." Said Hugo in an exasperated voice that is reserved only for kids.
"Well then what do you want to hear about because I am fresh out of ideas." Said Ron to Hugo. "Tell me something about you and mom in school. What about this idea, huh?" Said Hugo after thinking for a minute.
Thinking of the many memories he and Hermione had shared together during their time in Hogwarts, he found it difficult to choose one. Then suddenly as if a spark had been lit inside his head he said, 'Did I ever tell you about the time I threw up slugs for mom?" Asked Ron. Seeing his son's bewildered expression, he found the answer but just to confirm he raised an eyebrow at Hugo. "No, you haven't and neither has mom. Tell me about it."
Seeing his son's eagerness Ron, without any delay, started with the story. He began,"So, it was in the 2nd year of our schooling and as you know Uncle Harry was the youngest seeker in a century, so he was part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team since the 1st year. Just as it happens Draco Malfoy bought his way into the Slytherin Quidditch team in our 2nd year. Wha-" Ron was stopped in the middle of the sentence by Hugo. "Bought his way? How can you buy your way in the team?" Asked Hugo.
"I was coming to that part, if only you would listen to me." Said Ron in an exasperated tone, all the while cursing the 'Hermione genes' in him silently. When Hugo nodded, Ron continued. "Where was I again? Yeah, I remember. Now, the Gryffindor Quidditch team had booked the pitch for practice but the Slytherin team out of nowhere came to the pitch and said they had permission to use the pitch, even though the Gryffindor's booked it, because they had to practice with their new seeker. Can you guess who the new seeker was? But before Hugo could answer, Ron said,"Oh, of course you can, you are Hermione's son."
Continuing with the story he said,"After that all the Gryffindor team gaped at them and some arguing started which me and Hermione couldn't hear because we were sitting a bit far away from the team. But, seeing their faces gave us enough clues and we knew that they were fighting. We went there and came just in time to listen to Wood asking about the new brooms they all had and Flint ans-" And Ron was once again interrupted by Hugo who this time asked, "Who was Flint?"
To this Ron answered,"Marcus Flint was a bully and the Slytherin team captain at that time." Ron then raised an eyebrow at Hugo as if silently asking permission to continue and when Hugo nodded, Ron continued. "To the question Wood asked Flint replied with a smug smile and said that the brooms were a generous gift from Lucius Malfoy-" Ron stopped for a second and before Hugo could say anything Ron said,"Before you ask anything, yes, Lucius Malfoy was the father of Draco Malfoy." At seeing Hugo nod he once again continued.
"Continuing from where we left off, Flint replied about how they had been given to them by Draco's father as a gift. And you know your mother, she never could stay quiet, so she replied cheekily about how none of the players in the Gryffindor team had to buy their way into the team."
Ron took a satisfied breath after saying that and continued,"Seeing no other way to end this fight in his favour Draco shouted a really bad word at Hermione in front of everyone there. Then-" And Ron was once again interrupted by his too-curious son.
"What was the bad word?" Hugo asked curiously.
Scared of what Hermione will say to him if he told Hugo the word 'Mudblood', Ron tried to find an alternative,"Oh, it was not actually a big deal. But as we were in 2nd year it was a big thing for us." Ron stammered out. After listening to this explanation Hugo raised one eyebrow and gave a look to Ron that said, I-know-you're-lying-but-I'm-too-curious-to-listen-what-happened-next. Thanking his stars, Ron once again continued.
"Then I, being the brave soul, came in front of Draco, raised my wand and said an incantation which was supposed to make Draco throw up slugs. But, my want was still malfunctioning from the time when Uncle Harry and I had crashed into the Whomping Willow while I was driving the flying car to reach school." Ron stopped at seeing the expression he had started to regard as the I-have-a-question-to-ask expression and said warily,"Go on, ask what you want to." Before he could even take a breath Hugo asked,"You and Uncle Harry came to Hogwarts in a flying car and crashed? How?" At this Ron replied,"Maybe I will tell you this story next time and if you insist I will leave this story right here. You don't want that do you?" Hugo shakes his head very fast and the story continued again.
"So, as my wand was malfunctioning the spell backfired. And the spell which was supposed to hit Draco hit me instead." Hugo gasped at that. "So I fell on the ground and started coughing and guess what came out of my mouth? A big, stinking slug. At that the Gryffindors came to me while all the Slytherins laughed." Said Ron and added as an afterthought,"The gits."
"Then we all went to Hagrid's Hut and he helped me with my backfired curse and calmed Hermione down." Said Ron. "And this finishes the story about how I threw up slugs for Mom."
"Woah Dad! Never thought you had it in you to something like this." To this statement by Hugo, Ron replied indignantly,"Hey, you do remember that I am Auror, don't you?"
"I know that Dad but still.." Hugo said. Taking a huge yawn he cuddled next to Ron and his eyes closed and he went asleep in just a second like a Nox charm.
Looking at him sleep Ron realised that how far he had come. He knew that the nightmares of his past won't ever leave him but if he woke up the next day with his kid sleeping near him the nightmares won't matter at all.