Here it is... my entry for A Very Potter Quote Challenge at HPFC forum. It was so fun to write and I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimers: I'm a poor teenager living halfway roound the world from Britain... not JKR.
Molly was humming away to herself as she put the last of the dishes away in the cupboard.
"Mum?" Ron was standing in the doorway, looking sheepish.
"Yes honey? Come on in." Molly turned quickly and pulled out a chair at the table before she gestured for him to sit in it. Her kids had learnt that if they wanted a good heart-to-heart they could find her in the kitchen in the evening. So Molly knew this was important. Ron flopped into the chair and ran a hand through his hair, nervous. As Molly passed behind him to her own chair, she smoothed his now fluffed up mop flat.
"I- I need to talk to you." He stammered as soon as she was in her seat.
"Go on dear, you know I'm listening. Would you like some tea while we talk?" She beamed at him, waving her wand over her shoulder to start the water boiling at Ron's nod.
"I think- I think I have a problem." He whispered, staring detirminedly at the table while a flush crept steadily up his neck. Molly quickly realised this was one of two problems. Either Girls, which always made him blush, or Quidditch, which he loved but made him hugely embarassed by his abilities. Molly decied to try and ease his tension.
"Is it something at school dear?" she knew with Ron the trick was to get him slowly talking and build it up.
"In a sense." His ears were red as well now. Any moment it'd creep onto his face until it clashed with his Weasley hair. The same endearing way that Arthur blushed. "It's at school... but it's not school,"
He broke off and stared out the window. Molly focused on pouring some tea as she asked the next question. "So what sort of problem Ronnie? No one's been mean to you? The twins haven't been pranking?"
The usual motherly concerns, which she was concerned about, but right now they were just a tool to get conversation flowing and set Ron at ease. She used her wand to put in Ron's favoured amount of 3 teaspoons of sugar to his tea and pushed it across the table towards him. Ron brought it to his lips and was about to take a huge swig. Molly quickly pulled his hand down. "Still hot dear. It's not the twins is it?"
"No, they're no worse then usual. Even at Quidditch practice they don't say too much."
"Well, they'd have no reason to tease you. You're just great at Quidditch! You aren't still feeling bad about that?" As Ron blanched Molly concluded that was whaat he wanted to talk about.
"Oh Ron- I've seen you play, and you are just fine! You have the genes for it too, I mean look at Charlie- look at the twins! You're a fine Keeper Ron! Oh, I hope those Slytherins aren't giving you grief." Her face darkened "That Malfoy boy, isn't it? Oh, as if he has any talent. And your brothers told about that horrid song he wrote- he hs no right to-"
"Mum no, it's not that, it's Hermione. It's just every time I look at her I get these pains in my chest and I just know it's all her fault-"
Molly burst out into laughter, interrupting Ron as she did so. He was just the sweetest. Molly resisted the sudden urge to squeeze him and coo over him. Ron already looked highly embarassed by the laugh alone.
"Well, it is her fault" he mumbled "She- I never- it-it's not funny Mum!"
Molly sobered up immediately and Ron kept going. "I know I'm an idiot. I just- It's not like I wanted to- she sort of-"
Molly squeezed his hand, tenderness swelling up in her heart at the sight of his bewildered face. "You're not an idiot Ron. And she's a lovely girl I understand completely why you like her. She's your best friend."
"And I'd never get a girl like that. Honestly, that's why it's her fault! She made me like her Mum! The harder I tired to not like her the more..."He stopped again, face flaming even brighter, if that was even possible. "She- she's sort of beautiful."
Molly couldn't help but hug him. "Oh Ron, of course you like her. She's a wonderful girl. And I'm sure she didn't try to make you like her. But I don't think she'd object to find out you do." Her eyes were shining with love. It was Ron's turn to laugh.
"You have to say that. You're my Mum."
"No- she really does pay attention to you. She loves you too Ron."
"As a friend. She think I'm an idiot, immature and stuff." Ron sighed.
"Well I disagree, and I think I know more about how a girl's mind works then you do Ronnie." She said softly, wanting to lift his spirits. She was so glad to see the pair of theem opening up to their feelings. She'd suspected there was something there for a while. But she preferred to wait for her kids to come out with their crushes on their own rather theen intruding. And they always did. It made her feel wonderful, to be trusted so. "You could tell her how you feel. You could ask her out."
Ron could hear the hope in her voice, but his brain was full with the awful image of her mocking him, laughing at him like she surely would. There was no way he'd ask her out. Trying to rid himself of the image he quickly drank the last few gulps.
"Well, I'm finished Mum. I might go to bed. Thanks- for talking about it with me. I'll try to be nice to her." He grinned halfheartedly and handed his mug over.
"I love you Ronnie." Molly said fiercly, hugging him tight. Ron relaxed into her embrace for a second.
"Love you too Mum."
Ron shut to door carefully behind him and turned around. He was greeted with two grinning red heads and a heart attack.
"Merlin! How long have you two been out here." His blush, only just gone, sprang back up his neck in a second.
Fred casually leaned over against the wall, blocking Ron's way "You know..."
"A while," Finished George, throwing an arm around Ron's shoulders.
"You didn't-?" But there was no point in asking, her saw the fleshy end of an extendable ear hanging out of Fred pocket.
"Oh we did..." They wore their identical grins, looking like Christmas had come early.
"You know, we suspected this Ronniekins" Fred said cheerfully. "I mean, how could you resisit her. That bushy hair, those glares she sends you. And her charming personality of course!"
"Don't you insult her- don't be horrible Fred." Ron growled.
"Ah, you're sweet. We're teasing Ickle Prefect. Wouldn't say a word against our Hermione!" George pulled him along down the corridor and the twins began to lead him up the stairs, sandwiched between them.
"But you see, we had to say something."
"Be a crime if we didn't."
"In we go then," Fred opened the door to the twins room and bowed low like a butler as George pushed Ron in.
"Well you've said it- let me go." Ron hissed, struggling. George threw him on the bed as Fred shut the door tightly. Ron was up in a second, but he was only shoved back down.
"It's two against one, and you know just one of us could beat you. So co-operate."
"This is about your oh-so-very important looove life." Fred flopped own beside him as he spoke, and neatly dodged the fist Ron swung his way. "Now Ron- listen close. We don't do this often."
"But we've decicded that it's in our interests to see you get together with the love of your life and soul mate- Our dear Hermione. And not just because I can't wait to see her fully wearing the pants of your relationship and watch you put in your place." George said seriously. Ron looked between them, trying to tell if they were joking. He smiled weakly and then stopped, they weren't smiling back. Where they actually giving him advice?
"So we've decided to help you. And if you tell a soul we care about our little bubsy brother you're dead. And I'm sure you don't want the whole school and Malfoy knowing you're scared of spiders." Fred said, happy as always, no hint of a threat in his voice. That's what made it scary. And Ron wouldn't put it past him to follow through with the threats.
"Because Mum's advice seemed to be lacking something." George said thoughtfully.
"Mainly the fact that it was for girls. And we don't want Hermione thinking you're a girl because she'd really not into that." Fred still showed no hint of a smile. He was taking it completely seriously.
"So we'll tell you how to win her like a man."
"And first up... you need to know the rules,"
"Yeah. Most improtant part. Let's start at the start shall we? Rule number one boys, never tell a girl you like her- it makes you look like an IDIOT," Fred was nodding along as if this was the most obvious of rules.
"And the other biggy is don't ask her out or act on the hormones (I know it's hard Ron, I know it's hard) until you know she likes you too- just embarassing if she doesn't."
"But how do I know if she-"
"Trust us, you'll know," The twins said in unison.
Ron gaped at them, utterly confused. "But I-"
"But you nothing. Go on out. We need our beauty sleep,"
"And don't forget that this never happened." and Fred shoved him out the door and slammed it in his face. Ron stood there in utter confusion for a few seconds. He heard to twins snort with laughter.
"Poor Ronniekins! We'll have to remember to tease him about Hermione." Ron heard Fred say behind the closed door. "Pity we've decided not to do it in front of people."
"But we don't want it to get back to Hermione."
"True that." Fred agreed.
Ron left them and went slowly up to his own bedroom, Hermione filling his every thought.
Knock knock
Who's there?
Awesome reader
Awesome reader who?
Awesom reader who's going to go and reveiw right now...
Aren't you?