Childhood Friends
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters and themes are the property of JK Rowling and Warner Brothers. I am making no money from this story. All I am getting is a cramped hand from writing and typing.
Summary: Harry Potter didn't remember him, but Ron Weasley certainly remembered Harry Potter.
A/N: This is another of my one-shots, which I have been posting in the lead up to the closing of my poll (see my profile for information). The idea popped into my head while I was planning out another story.
Hope you enjoy.
NB: italics taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, pg 74-75
Fred and George slid the compartment door behind them, as Ron stared at the boy sitting across from him. The bright green eyes that looked back at him brought a painful ache to his heart.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" He blurted out, turning red. The other boy – Harry – nodded.
Ron couldn't believe it. It was Harry Potter. The Harry Potter he had heard about all his life. The Harry Potter he was compared to when he was misbehaving (Ronald Weasley! I am ashamed of your behaviour! Think of Harry Potter! I'm sure he is far better behaved!).
The Harry Potter he had played with as a baby.
He honestly didn't expect the boy to remember him – after all, he had been living with Muggles all his life. Ron himself only remembered because of all the stories his mother had told him.
Stories of how they had been friends as children (at least, as much friends as one year olds could be), stories of how for weeks after that Halloween, he asked where Harry was.
Ron never told the people who told tales of little Harry's bravery what he wanted to. No one ever knew that whenever he heard the tale of the defeat of You-Know-Who, a tale which made Harry into a hero, Ron's own heart would stop as he wept in for the loss of a friend and in regret as he thought how much the young boy would be missing his family.
All his life, Harry Potter had been lingering over his head, a sad symbol of the losses of the war. Because Harry would never remember that they had gone flying together on his first birthday. Harry would never know that Mrs Weasley had babysat more times than the old woman could remember.
Because Harry had no reason to remember.
No one ever told him about Ron Weasley as a child. Harry had no photo albums filled with pictures of a little redheaded toddler and a little black haired boy racing around a crowded house.
"So that's where You-Know-Who-?"
"Yes," Said Harry, "but I Can't remember it."
"Nothing?" Ron asked eagerly. Was it too much to hope for?
The conversation continued briefly, until Ron turned and looked out the window. Whatever had happened, Harry remembered nothing of his old childhood friend.
'I promise,' Ron thought to himself, 'that I will be Harry Potter's friend again. A friend he'll remember. Just like when we were babies.'
Well, what do you think? It's not my best, I'm really not happy with how it came out at all. But I wrote it in less than 30 minutes, so it'll do.
If anyone wants to re-write this, and make it better, go ahead. In fact, I encourage it. Just let me know if you do, and I'll check it out!
Please vote on my Poll, before it closes on Wednesday morning!