Title: Sticky Situation
By: Amanda
Feedback: sweety167yahoo.ca
For: Angie
Ratings: PG-13
Disclaimers: Harry Potter with any and all related characters are owned by one very rich woman in Britain, and an American film company.
Spoilers: none really.
Pairing: Harry/Ron
Timing: Not sure. AU? Sure.
Summary: The love of a friend.
Completed: December 23, 2006
Notes: Dear Angie wanted some Harry slash-smut. And…I can't seem to grasp that idea too well. So… I still have Harry, and a boy, and "sticky"… but I don't think it was what you had in mind. Sorry. I'm an angster all the way. Even though this is light on angst too. hm.

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I can't stand it.

It itches, almost worse than my scar. At least then there's always an end to that. It hurts and it burns, but at least something comes from it. Nothing good, but something. But with this…nothing is going to happen. Nothing can.

"Oy, earth to Harry…your move," Ron studies the wizard chessboard. We've been playing all afternoon – blasted rain – and I can't get my head into the game – blasted Ron!

No, he's my friend. Just my friend…always my friend.

"You alright there?" he looks up at me, eyes wide with concern. And all thoughts of strategy are forgotten, "Harry?"

He worries about me. He cares about me. The way he's carefully watching me. No one cares about me like Ron does. "I'm fine -," did I just squeak?

"We can stop playing if you're bored with it. I could go see if Hermione…"

"NO!" I shout, far too loudly since a few other students turned to look. "That is, I mean…we should finish this game up at least." I give him my best reassuring smile and move a pawn forward.

It's not that I don't want him to hang out with Hermione…it really isn't. I just don't want them to be alone together. No… that's not what I mean. I don't want him to pick her over me. I'm not jealous. Even if Ron gets all flushed and bothered around her now. Nor that they always seem to spend those long moments together. No. It's just… I want my friend. That's all.

Er, no… not Want. Oh bloody hell.

Ron's back at studying the board. Humming and hawing at which piece to move next. When he thinks really hard about something, the tips of his ears turn a bright red to envy his hair. And he never pays attention to it, even though it looks like it would burn. I wonder if they get hot?

Why do I notice that? One shouldn't notice things like that about their friends. Not their male friends. But it's cute. And I like it. I like Ron.

Um…I don't like Ron. I mean of course I do…but I don't. I can't. It's not right. One doesn't go around fancying their friends. They just don't.

I'll take this moment to forget about Remus and Sirius.

We're just two people who care about each other. You have to look out for your mates, that's all. But it's obvious Ron likes me. He's always worried about me, and fretting about what's going on with the whole Voldemort thing. He cares. He really, honestly cares about me. Me, Harry, the boy. Not "the boy who lived", but just the boy. He asks me how I am, jokes with me, entertains me…he's even patient with me when I don't understand Wizard things. Well, as patient as a Weasley can be.

Those are the things that someone does when they really care about you, right? I mean, the Dursley's never have…. so Ron must be special. Ron must think I'm special too.

How do I not grab on to that with both hands and curl up in it? How can I not?

"Bugger," Ron pouts at the board, even without me paying attention he's stuck in a hard move, "We've gotten ourselves into a sticky situation here…."

I look at him with a bemused smile, and sigh, "We certainly have. Very sticky."

End.