AN: So this will be posted as a REWRITE. Yes, "Reunions of Parted Souls"
appeared once, but after careful rereading I noticed the many errors and
lack of true depth in this writing. So here it is. I know some faithful
readers were anxiously awaiting the next chapter (Which I had put off until
the finish of "When Friends Become More") so I decided to REWRITE the first
few chapters of this story and post them as a whole, that way no one feels
as if they have to wait any longer.
Rating: R for purposes
Summary: Ron and Hermione haven't spoken in 5 years, but are suddenly reunited at a reunion at Hermione's home. Why was Ron invited? Will unrequited love be reborn? Will the truth finally reveal itself? Who else are couples now? POST HOGWARTS
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter or any of his plots, characters, or themes. Any information gathered throughout and used for this story is gathered from J.K.R's brilliant books, surrounding the wizard Harry Potter.
Okay enough of this legal stuff---On to the story!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------
Ron Weasley shifted as the small beam of light shone in through his open window. He had always hated keeping his bed against this wall, for every morning at exactly 8 the sun would come shining in and wake him. His mother had always called it a self alarm clock, but he really didn't believe that blinding light was his way of greeting the day. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, the backs of his calloused hands feeling like sandpaper against his eyelids. A yawn escaped his lips as he padded across the clothing covered floor, his body leading him to the door as if on automatic. He slid across the hall and into the bathroom, surprisingly it was empty for a house that held 8 other people, but he locked it behind him none-the-less and slid into the lukewarm water.
He rubbed a bar of soap over his abdomen and chest, scrubbing harshly against the small curls of ginger colored hair. His milk white skin shone even in the dimly lit bathroom, making him appear more pale than usual. He ran his fingers through his copper colored hair, letting it flop down to its usual position of messiness. His body dripping wet, he ransacked the cupboards until he found his favorite navy blue plushy towel and wrapped it casually around his waist. He faced the mirror and shaved his face, humming along to the tune of the machine's batteries. Hermione had bought it for him in their 7th year of Hogwarts, insisting that he use a Muggle machine for once in his life instead of magic.
He sighed at the thought of her and looked sternly into the mirror. He hadn't changed much; his face was relatively the same size, only with some facial hair and a longer nose. His hair had darkened in color, no longer the baby carrot color of the usual Weasley's. He knew from talk that he had grown into his lengthy body, no longer as lanky as he had once been but still slightly---chubby? He never considered himself handsome compared to other men his age. His mind wandered to the thought of Hermione again. What would she look like now? Would she still be the bushy haired bookworm he had known at Hogwarts?
Another sigh emitted his lips as he dropped back from the mirror, the razor still buzzing loudly on the counter. He had thought of her everyday since he had last seen her, thought of what she looked like and the sound of her voice. He knew he had to stop. 5 years was too long of a time to think about someone who would never be coming back. He had messed up too many things to ask her to come back into his life.
"RON WEASLEY GET OUT OF THAT BATHROOM THIS INSTANT!" A shrill voice screamed from the hall. He switched off the razor and tucked it away before opening the door to his younger sister Ginny, her auburn tresses sticking at odd angles to her neck in sweaty clumps, "Do you KNOW how long you have been in there!"
"I lost track of time." He stated bluntly, shifting past his sister and towards his door.
"You shouldn't always think about her you know." Ginny whispered just barely audibly.
"Sod off Gin it isn't any of your business." He retorted heavily. The blood was running to his cheeks despite his attempts at keeping it down and he heard her chuckle heartily.
"I believe it is my business when you are 22 and still living with mum." She turned on her heel and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door as roughly as she could behind her. He glared at the splintered wood before turning into his own room, gripping the door before letting it fly in an attempt to make a louder sound then Ginny had. The door stuck on a piece of discarded clothing and jammed itself, deafly hitting closed without a sound.
He moved around his room slowly, picking up random pieces of clothes and sniffing them lightly, determined to find a pair that weren't too dirty to wear. Settling on a pair of khaki trousers and a dark gray jumper he ran his fingers through his hair and began the descent to breakfast.
~
"Tuck in dear, there's plenty." His mother spoke lively, pushing a plate of ham and sausage towards him. He smiled graciously and began ladling eggs onto the side, heaping them with catsup and cheese. The food slid down his throat with ease as he began to eat furiously. Where his appetite had come from, he wasn't sure, but it felt good to be full again.
"Eating enough Ronnekins?" The low voice of Fred came from the banister, his face slightly tinged pink. He descended the stairs and sat next to his brother, heaping his own plate high with foods of different sorts.
"Never can eat enough food can he?" The other twin stated from the door into the backyard, his fingers covered in dirt and soot. He had obviously eaten due to the few drops of catsup that could be recognized on his jumper, now started on the household chores before work. Fred and George rarely lived at home, but on some days they enjoyed coming for meals. It was known throughout the Weasley family that Fred and George were awful cooks, and even when they truly tried it usually resulted in the immediate injury of someone. They enjoyed testing their Weasley Wizarding Weases on unsuspecting guests. Sometimes Ron wondered how Angelina put up with Fred.
As if on cue, the older woman descended the stairs, her long braided hair twirling about her back. She had skin the color of coffee and the whitest smile Ron had ever seen. Tightly curled around her left leg was a small boy with tan skin and a healthy smattering of freckles. He had dark hair and radiant blue eyes. His mother was weakly trying to move with him, but had trouble even skirting herself to the table let alone sitting down.
"Get off your mother Sean." Fred spoke loudly; his voice sterner than Ron had ever heard it. The boy scampered to his father's side, smiling lightly, and "Go get Morgan." Sean disappeared up the stairs, his footsteps echoing through the house.
"I really should be off mum." Ron piped up, moving to the sink and placing his dirty plate in the self washing water. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked towards the door, waving slightly goodbyes to Angelina, Fred, and George, "See you all tonight."
~
Ron arrived on the doormat of The Department of Security and Crime three minutes before the beginning of his shift, his breaths short and rapid as he ran through and threw his jacket to the floor by his desk. He ran a hand through his windswept hair before collapsing into his desk chair, which creaked under his weight. It had been cheap at the store and the manager had given it to him for nearly nothing, so he had kept it for his desk work, which usually reigned plenty. His office was normally jam packed with pointless cases that needed solving by him or one of the other Auror's, all who worked for as low of pay as he did.
The door burst open again just as the clock clicked to 10 and an extremely tall man jetted in, falling into a black leather chair opposite of Ron's. He was lean and built, with ebony hair that fell in his face and a pair of glasses rimmed emerald eyes. Ron smiled at him as the man began to huff in his chair, obviously as out of breath as he had been.
"Morning Harry, have a good run from Surrey?" He laughed as Harry gave him a glare that obviously meant for his mouth to be buttoned shut, but he continued to pry, "Why is it that you turned down Remus' invitation to live with him again?"
"Because I can take care of myself thank you very much." Harry retorted, "And for your information I wasn't in Surrey last night."
"Oh really, you weren't---where were you then?" Ron asked.
"Near Diagon Alley, a nice tiny part of London actually." Harry replied, now thoroughly interested in the reflective tops of his dress shoes.
"Were you with that girl again?" Ron asked, smiling as Harry nodded just slightly. He knew that Harry had been seeing someone, the first person since Cho Chang in school, and had been keeping it completely under wraps. No matter how much he pried he couldn't seem to get his best friend to spill anything about her, only that Ron knew her from Hogwarts. At times he wondered if it could be Lavender or Parvarti, but then other times he liked to tease Harry and joke that it could be some sort of pig like Pansy Parkinson, "Well good for you mate, I just better get to meet this lucky girl soon you know."
"You will Ron, you will." He nodded enthusiastically before turning to the amount of paperwork that lay on his desk, frowning, "I never read this part in the job description."
"Neither did I." Ron complained.
"Well neither of you would now would you? After all we really aren't that intelligent to just let everyone apply for Auror jobs because you get to file paperwork now are we?" A sing-songy voice lured from the doorway, causing Harry and Ron to both jump to attention. Katie Bell was laughing slightly, her black robes tied expertly around her slim waist, which Ron's eyes lingered upon for more than a few seconds.
"Why are you here Katie?" Ron asked tentatively, his tongue feeling weak and clammy inside his throat. Harry had begun to separate his paperwork and seemed oddly disconnected from the gorgeous girl standing at the doorway.
"Actually, I bring letters for the both of you from Hogwarts." She smiled lightly.
"Why would anyone be sending us letters from Hogwarts? Reunions aren't until we have been graduates for ten years correct? They don't need Aurors for something do they?"
"No Ron everything is fine up at the school. My students are more disruptive than ever now that Dumbledore has every student in the school taking flying lessons instead of just the usual first years that Madame Hooch had taught, but things are well. No, these come straight from the Transfiguration classroom, addressed to the two of you. I offered to bring them myself, knowing that I would be coming here to have the Quidditch department fix a broom that had been apparently jinxed. Oh well here you are." She handed Ron the crisp white envelopes, sealed with the Hogwarts seal and scrawled in neat, tight print. Ron walked one to Harry's desk where he was busy speaking to his quill, giving it plenty of things to write on its own piece of parchment.
Ron sat back at his own desk and began to undo his paperwork, placing the Hogwarts letter deep into the bottom of his jacket pocket. He could worry about it later. Unlike Harry, who had enough money to have fancy chairs and self writing quills, Ron couldn't afford to miss a day of paperwork since he had to scrawl it letter by letter with his own hands. A day without filed paperwork was a day without pay, and Ron needed every paycheck to give his mother money for the food that was constantly on the table. Living at her home had been a gift when he had graduated with so little money, and staying within budget and not becoming broke again was something that Ron hoped to achieve for the rest of forever.
"So begins another day in the life of a 22 year old nothing." Ron murmured slightly, lunging comfortably and grabbing for his ink quill.
To Whom it May Concern
~
The 2 o'clock lunch bell chimed ominously in Ron's ears as he slammed down his last bit of paperwork. His fingers were aching from the writing and his eyes were sore from staring at the tiny letters all morning, but it was complete and he was able to go on break. He looked up at Harry, who was lounging peacefully in his chair, and beckoned him towards the door. Both walked down the hallway silently, dropping their papers in the respectable bins before reaching the crowded cafeteria doors.
Harry headed towards their usual table, the farthest one in the corner, while Ron stepped warily up to the women behind the counter. He was handed a tray mounted high with what looked like dirt colored sludge. He grimaced as a heap of golden corn was sloshed into his sludge, a cup of milk placed on the outside of his tray as well. He smiled falsely and walked towards Harry, slamming his tray down with little effort.
"Could they possibly get better food here? This crud reeks!"
"I don't think so mate. The Ministry doesn't have the extra money to provide us workers quality food." Harry murmured, digging into his own lunch bag and pulling out a generous slab of Sheppard's pie. Ron could feel his mouth begin to water as Harry took a bite, the warm filling spilling out across the paper plate. Harry smiled and pulled another piece, slightly smaller, from his bag and pushed it towards Ron, "Eat up. I can't have my best mate and co worker starving." Ron ate as gracefully as he could, savoring every morsel of the delicious pie, pushing it between his teeth and around his tongue to lap up every juice of it.
"Thanks Harry I don't know what I would do without you. I don't have you know---the money---to really get this kind of food everyday." He gulped.
"Why don't you get a second job then?" Harry questioned, gulping down his own cup of milk.
"I don't exactly have many talents Harry."
"You could always attempt to get on the Cannons. You always were a good ball player."
"Right---Harry everyone knows my Keeper days were few and far between." Ron laughed heartily as he scooped up the last portion of his pie and plopped it in his mouth.
"Then why did you make Captain 7th year?"
"You were too busy to play 7th year that's why!" He screamed slightly loud, his voice echoing throughout the lunchroom. A few heads turned to look at him and he blushed, but soon they turned and continued their conversations, his outburst forgotten, "Moving on---did you read that Hogwarts letter yet mate?"
"No. I haven't had time with the mountain of work we had to do. Supposedly we have a staff meeting later so I probably won't even look at it until we get home. Did you?" Ron shook his head.
"We have a staff meeting?"
"Yeah, I heard Kingsley talking about it upstairs. Malfoy is coming as well, so it can't possibly be good."
"Malfoy is coming? Why do teachers from Hogwarts keep making appearances here today?" Ron gulped as Harry shook his head, laughing slightly. He knew that Harry could sense his frustration in Malfoy's probable appearance. Even when the boy had helped them through the war and had played a pivotal role in Voldemort's final defeat, he still couldn't help his rage and angst for him.
"Is Ginny still dating him?" Harry asked simply.
"Yeah I think so. She's a right nutter, going for a bloke like him."
"He isn't so bad anymore Ron."
"He is too Harry, you remember all the times he joked on us."
"People grow up."
"Not him." Ron scoffed as he stepped away for just a moment to throw away his trash. When he returned Harry was staring at him peculiarly, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose and his emerald eyes glowing. His lips were pulled back in a genuine smirk and his fingers were strumming soft melodies on the tabletop, "What?"
"Is your hatred for him truly about Ginny---or is it about Hermione?" Harry asked coolly.
"It has nothing to do with Hermione."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah I'm bloody sure. For Merlin's sakes Harry I haven't seen her in 5 years and neither have you."
"Well I have conversed with her a few times. You on the other hand just left her."
"Not true mate. She left me." He winced, standing and motioning for Harry to follow.
"You didn't do anything to stop her." Harry murmured lightly as they walked back towards their office.
"She didn't want to be stopped. Why are we talking about Hermione again?" Ron turned towards Harry and stared at him oddly. She had been brought up constantly in their conversations, and even if it was just a slight mention the conversation would usually take an odd turn and they would begin to discuss why he hadn't talked to her in so many years. Ron hated when they discussed her, it only made his mind linger on her even more.
"You still love her, that's why." Harry stated before stepping into the room and towards his desk. Ron took a slight swing at him and missed, making Harry laugh loudly and take a light swing back. A rough game broke out between the two of them, and the words that had escaped Harry's lips were lost in time.
~
Ron reached the Burrow by 7, his legs weak and his body frail. They had spent the staff meeting going over different defense charms, something Ron hadn't truly worked on in over 2 years. He struggled to pull himself up the stairs and into his room, where he collapsed on his bed with very little effort, pulling himself under the bedclothes. He was still wearing his work clothes but he didn't care, he couldn't care. Sleep ebbed at the back of his eyes and begged his eyelids to close tightly around them. His fingers moved towards his jacket that was strangling his body and he pulled it off. Almost tossing it aside he stopped at the remembrance of the letter that was tucked into its pocket. He pulled out the envelope and released the jacket on the floor, his eyes skimming over the scrawled penmanship and the familiar seal.
His fingernail ran over the seal until it split and a neatly scrawled piece of parchment fell into his hands.
Dear Ronald Arthur Weasley
Rating: R for purposes
Summary: Ron and Hermione haven't spoken in 5 years, but are suddenly reunited at a reunion at Hermione's home. Why was Ron invited? Will unrequited love be reborn? Will the truth finally reveal itself? Who else are couples now? POST HOGWARTS
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter or any of his plots, characters, or themes. Any information gathered throughout and used for this story is gathered from J.K.R's brilliant books, surrounding the wizard Harry Potter.
Okay enough of this legal stuff---On to the story!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------
Ron Weasley shifted as the small beam of light shone in through his open window. He had always hated keeping his bed against this wall, for every morning at exactly 8 the sun would come shining in and wake him. His mother had always called it a self alarm clock, but he really didn't believe that blinding light was his way of greeting the day. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, the backs of his calloused hands feeling like sandpaper against his eyelids. A yawn escaped his lips as he padded across the clothing covered floor, his body leading him to the door as if on automatic. He slid across the hall and into the bathroom, surprisingly it was empty for a house that held 8 other people, but he locked it behind him none-the-less and slid into the lukewarm water.
He rubbed a bar of soap over his abdomen and chest, scrubbing harshly against the small curls of ginger colored hair. His milk white skin shone even in the dimly lit bathroom, making him appear more pale than usual. He ran his fingers through his copper colored hair, letting it flop down to its usual position of messiness. His body dripping wet, he ransacked the cupboards until he found his favorite navy blue plushy towel and wrapped it casually around his waist. He faced the mirror and shaved his face, humming along to the tune of the machine's batteries. Hermione had bought it for him in their 7th year of Hogwarts, insisting that he use a Muggle machine for once in his life instead of magic.
He sighed at the thought of her and looked sternly into the mirror. He hadn't changed much; his face was relatively the same size, only with some facial hair and a longer nose. His hair had darkened in color, no longer the baby carrot color of the usual Weasley's. He knew from talk that he had grown into his lengthy body, no longer as lanky as he had once been but still slightly---chubby? He never considered himself handsome compared to other men his age. His mind wandered to the thought of Hermione again. What would she look like now? Would she still be the bushy haired bookworm he had known at Hogwarts?
Another sigh emitted his lips as he dropped back from the mirror, the razor still buzzing loudly on the counter. He had thought of her everyday since he had last seen her, thought of what she looked like and the sound of her voice. He knew he had to stop. 5 years was too long of a time to think about someone who would never be coming back. He had messed up too many things to ask her to come back into his life.
"RON WEASLEY GET OUT OF THAT BATHROOM THIS INSTANT!" A shrill voice screamed from the hall. He switched off the razor and tucked it away before opening the door to his younger sister Ginny, her auburn tresses sticking at odd angles to her neck in sweaty clumps, "Do you KNOW how long you have been in there!"
"I lost track of time." He stated bluntly, shifting past his sister and towards his door.
"You shouldn't always think about her you know." Ginny whispered just barely audibly.
"Sod off Gin it isn't any of your business." He retorted heavily. The blood was running to his cheeks despite his attempts at keeping it down and he heard her chuckle heartily.
"I believe it is my business when you are 22 and still living with mum." She turned on her heel and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door as roughly as she could behind her. He glared at the splintered wood before turning into his own room, gripping the door before letting it fly in an attempt to make a louder sound then Ginny had. The door stuck on a piece of discarded clothing and jammed itself, deafly hitting closed without a sound.
He moved around his room slowly, picking up random pieces of clothes and sniffing them lightly, determined to find a pair that weren't too dirty to wear. Settling on a pair of khaki trousers and a dark gray jumper he ran his fingers through his hair and began the descent to breakfast.
~
"Tuck in dear, there's plenty." His mother spoke lively, pushing a plate of ham and sausage towards him. He smiled graciously and began ladling eggs onto the side, heaping them with catsup and cheese. The food slid down his throat with ease as he began to eat furiously. Where his appetite had come from, he wasn't sure, but it felt good to be full again.
"Eating enough Ronnekins?" The low voice of Fred came from the banister, his face slightly tinged pink. He descended the stairs and sat next to his brother, heaping his own plate high with foods of different sorts.
"Never can eat enough food can he?" The other twin stated from the door into the backyard, his fingers covered in dirt and soot. He had obviously eaten due to the few drops of catsup that could be recognized on his jumper, now started on the household chores before work. Fred and George rarely lived at home, but on some days they enjoyed coming for meals. It was known throughout the Weasley family that Fred and George were awful cooks, and even when they truly tried it usually resulted in the immediate injury of someone. They enjoyed testing their Weasley Wizarding Weases on unsuspecting guests. Sometimes Ron wondered how Angelina put up with Fred.
As if on cue, the older woman descended the stairs, her long braided hair twirling about her back. She had skin the color of coffee and the whitest smile Ron had ever seen. Tightly curled around her left leg was a small boy with tan skin and a healthy smattering of freckles. He had dark hair and radiant blue eyes. His mother was weakly trying to move with him, but had trouble even skirting herself to the table let alone sitting down.
"Get off your mother Sean." Fred spoke loudly; his voice sterner than Ron had ever heard it. The boy scampered to his father's side, smiling lightly, and "Go get Morgan." Sean disappeared up the stairs, his footsteps echoing through the house.
"I really should be off mum." Ron piped up, moving to the sink and placing his dirty plate in the self washing water. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and walked towards the door, waving slightly goodbyes to Angelina, Fred, and George, "See you all tonight."
~
Ron arrived on the doormat of The Department of Security and Crime three minutes before the beginning of his shift, his breaths short and rapid as he ran through and threw his jacket to the floor by his desk. He ran a hand through his windswept hair before collapsing into his desk chair, which creaked under his weight. It had been cheap at the store and the manager had given it to him for nearly nothing, so he had kept it for his desk work, which usually reigned plenty. His office was normally jam packed with pointless cases that needed solving by him or one of the other Auror's, all who worked for as low of pay as he did.
The door burst open again just as the clock clicked to 10 and an extremely tall man jetted in, falling into a black leather chair opposite of Ron's. He was lean and built, with ebony hair that fell in his face and a pair of glasses rimmed emerald eyes. Ron smiled at him as the man began to huff in his chair, obviously as out of breath as he had been.
"Morning Harry, have a good run from Surrey?" He laughed as Harry gave him a glare that obviously meant for his mouth to be buttoned shut, but he continued to pry, "Why is it that you turned down Remus' invitation to live with him again?"
"Because I can take care of myself thank you very much." Harry retorted, "And for your information I wasn't in Surrey last night."
"Oh really, you weren't---where were you then?" Ron asked.
"Near Diagon Alley, a nice tiny part of London actually." Harry replied, now thoroughly interested in the reflective tops of his dress shoes.
"Were you with that girl again?" Ron asked, smiling as Harry nodded just slightly. He knew that Harry had been seeing someone, the first person since Cho Chang in school, and had been keeping it completely under wraps. No matter how much he pried he couldn't seem to get his best friend to spill anything about her, only that Ron knew her from Hogwarts. At times he wondered if it could be Lavender or Parvarti, but then other times he liked to tease Harry and joke that it could be some sort of pig like Pansy Parkinson, "Well good for you mate, I just better get to meet this lucky girl soon you know."
"You will Ron, you will." He nodded enthusiastically before turning to the amount of paperwork that lay on his desk, frowning, "I never read this part in the job description."
"Neither did I." Ron complained.
"Well neither of you would now would you? After all we really aren't that intelligent to just let everyone apply for Auror jobs because you get to file paperwork now are we?" A sing-songy voice lured from the doorway, causing Harry and Ron to both jump to attention. Katie Bell was laughing slightly, her black robes tied expertly around her slim waist, which Ron's eyes lingered upon for more than a few seconds.
"Why are you here Katie?" Ron asked tentatively, his tongue feeling weak and clammy inside his throat. Harry had begun to separate his paperwork and seemed oddly disconnected from the gorgeous girl standing at the doorway.
"Actually, I bring letters for the both of you from Hogwarts." She smiled lightly.
"Why would anyone be sending us letters from Hogwarts? Reunions aren't until we have been graduates for ten years correct? They don't need Aurors for something do they?"
"No Ron everything is fine up at the school. My students are more disruptive than ever now that Dumbledore has every student in the school taking flying lessons instead of just the usual first years that Madame Hooch had taught, but things are well. No, these come straight from the Transfiguration classroom, addressed to the two of you. I offered to bring them myself, knowing that I would be coming here to have the Quidditch department fix a broom that had been apparently jinxed. Oh well here you are." She handed Ron the crisp white envelopes, sealed with the Hogwarts seal and scrawled in neat, tight print. Ron walked one to Harry's desk where he was busy speaking to his quill, giving it plenty of things to write on its own piece of parchment.
Ron sat back at his own desk and began to undo his paperwork, placing the Hogwarts letter deep into the bottom of his jacket pocket. He could worry about it later. Unlike Harry, who had enough money to have fancy chairs and self writing quills, Ron couldn't afford to miss a day of paperwork since he had to scrawl it letter by letter with his own hands. A day without filed paperwork was a day without pay, and Ron needed every paycheck to give his mother money for the food that was constantly on the table. Living at her home had been a gift when he had graduated with so little money, and staying within budget and not becoming broke again was something that Ron hoped to achieve for the rest of forever.
"So begins another day in the life of a 22 year old nothing." Ron murmured slightly, lunging comfortably and grabbing for his ink quill.
To Whom it May Concern
~
The 2 o'clock lunch bell chimed ominously in Ron's ears as he slammed down his last bit of paperwork. His fingers were aching from the writing and his eyes were sore from staring at the tiny letters all morning, but it was complete and he was able to go on break. He looked up at Harry, who was lounging peacefully in his chair, and beckoned him towards the door. Both walked down the hallway silently, dropping their papers in the respectable bins before reaching the crowded cafeteria doors.
Harry headed towards their usual table, the farthest one in the corner, while Ron stepped warily up to the women behind the counter. He was handed a tray mounted high with what looked like dirt colored sludge. He grimaced as a heap of golden corn was sloshed into his sludge, a cup of milk placed on the outside of his tray as well. He smiled falsely and walked towards Harry, slamming his tray down with little effort.
"Could they possibly get better food here? This crud reeks!"
"I don't think so mate. The Ministry doesn't have the extra money to provide us workers quality food." Harry murmured, digging into his own lunch bag and pulling out a generous slab of Sheppard's pie. Ron could feel his mouth begin to water as Harry took a bite, the warm filling spilling out across the paper plate. Harry smiled and pulled another piece, slightly smaller, from his bag and pushed it towards Ron, "Eat up. I can't have my best mate and co worker starving." Ron ate as gracefully as he could, savoring every morsel of the delicious pie, pushing it between his teeth and around his tongue to lap up every juice of it.
"Thanks Harry I don't know what I would do without you. I don't have you know---the money---to really get this kind of food everyday." He gulped.
"Why don't you get a second job then?" Harry questioned, gulping down his own cup of milk.
"I don't exactly have many talents Harry."
"You could always attempt to get on the Cannons. You always were a good ball player."
"Right---Harry everyone knows my Keeper days were few and far between." Ron laughed heartily as he scooped up the last portion of his pie and plopped it in his mouth.
"Then why did you make Captain 7th year?"
"You were too busy to play 7th year that's why!" He screamed slightly loud, his voice echoing throughout the lunchroom. A few heads turned to look at him and he blushed, but soon they turned and continued their conversations, his outburst forgotten, "Moving on---did you read that Hogwarts letter yet mate?"
"No. I haven't had time with the mountain of work we had to do. Supposedly we have a staff meeting later so I probably won't even look at it until we get home. Did you?" Ron shook his head.
"We have a staff meeting?"
"Yeah, I heard Kingsley talking about it upstairs. Malfoy is coming as well, so it can't possibly be good."
"Malfoy is coming? Why do teachers from Hogwarts keep making appearances here today?" Ron gulped as Harry shook his head, laughing slightly. He knew that Harry could sense his frustration in Malfoy's probable appearance. Even when the boy had helped them through the war and had played a pivotal role in Voldemort's final defeat, he still couldn't help his rage and angst for him.
"Is Ginny still dating him?" Harry asked simply.
"Yeah I think so. She's a right nutter, going for a bloke like him."
"He isn't so bad anymore Ron."
"He is too Harry, you remember all the times he joked on us."
"People grow up."
"Not him." Ron scoffed as he stepped away for just a moment to throw away his trash. When he returned Harry was staring at him peculiarly, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose and his emerald eyes glowing. His lips were pulled back in a genuine smirk and his fingers were strumming soft melodies on the tabletop, "What?"
"Is your hatred for him truly about Ginny---or is it about Hermione?" Harry asked coolly.
"It has nothing to do with Hermione."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah I'm bloody sure. For Merlin's sakes Harry I haven't seen her in 5 years and neither have you."
"Well I have conversed with her a few times. You on the other hand just left her."
"Not true mate. She left me." He winced, standing and motioning for Harry to follow.
"You didn't do anything to stop her." Harry murmured lightly as they walked back towards their office.
"She didn't want to be stopped. Why are we talking about Hermione again?" Ron turned towards Harry and stared at him oddly. She had been brought up constantly in their conversations, and even if it was just a slight mention the conversation would usually take an odd turn and they would begin to discuss why he hadn't talked to her in so many years. Ron hated when they discussed her, it only made his mind linger on her even more.
"You still love her, that's why." Harry stated before stepping into the room and towards his desk. Ron took a slight swing at him and missed, making Harry laugh loudly and take a light swing back. A rough game broke out between the two of them, and the words that had escaped Harry's lips were lost in time.
~
Ron reached the Burrow by 7, his legs weak and his body frail. They had spent the staff meeting going over different defense charms, something Ron hadn't truly worked on in over 2 years. He struggled to pull himself up the stairs and into his room, where he collapsed on his bed with very little effort, pulling himself under the bedclothes. He was still wearing his work clothes but he didn't care, he couldn't care. Sleep ebbed at the back of his eyes and begged his eyelids to close tightly around them. His fingers moved towards his jacket that was strangling his body and he pulled it off. Almost tossing it aside he stopped at the remembrance of the letter that was tucked into its pocket. He pulled out the envelope and released the jacket on the floor, his eyes skimming over the scrawled penmanship and the familiar seal.
His fingernail ran over the seal until it split and a neatly scrawled piece of parchment fell into his hands.
Dear Ronald Arthur Weasley