Where are you guys? ok new chapter, they're getting longer i'm happy to say. lots of good stuff coming up, and i'm working my hardest to keep it interesting. i know Ron can be aggravating sometimes, but that's just how Ron is. stubborn. he'll get it right, promise. hope you enjoy, and review so i know you guys are still reading! schools started so i don't know if it will affect my writing. probably not, just saying though just in case. k i'm done. :)
That night, Ron dreamt of Hermione.
His mind flashed back to Harry and Ginny's get-together. That afternoon that went from cheery and wonderful, to dreadful and embarrassing.
"i'm sick of the puppy dog looks you give me at work. I'm tired of you showing up randomly where I am!"
Hermione's voice echoed in his mind, her words piercing like a knife.
"I hate that you think we still have a chance! You need maturity in a relationship, Ron; do you even understand what that is?"
Ron could feel himself wincing in his sleep. Another knife wound.
"It's been a year, move on! I'm over it, and I just want to be friends."
another Knive.
"a friend, Ron! Nothing more. No romanticism, not like a lover. As a friend, even…even as a brother!"
That had hit him hard, like someone had taken those knives and twisted them slowly. After everything they had been through. He'd known her since she was eleven. Then the war. After everything they went through together, how blindly he had simply let himself love her. And she only saw him as a brother. Ron's eyes shot open. He cursed himself for allowing tears to form in them.
Groggily, he pushed himself up on his elbows. His limbs felt sore and his head throbbed. He had tossed and turned all night.
But it was nothing compared to the burning in his heart. He punched his chest angrily.
'Damnit.'
He thought, pushing the sheets off him and heading to the bathroom.
'Fuck. Everything with her is so fucked.'
Ron entered the bathroom and turned the shower on, scolding hot. When he got in, the burning water messaged his aching muscles and numbed his throbbing head. He sighed.
Trying to occupy his mind with something that wouldn't surely kill him, Ron thought back to last night, with Rosie.
Her excellent cooking, muggle type tendencies , and, Ron smiled to himself, the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. She was so full of life, savored every moment of it. Ron wished he could be the same, but as always, things with Hermione were holding him back. Ron sighed at himself. He was truly pathetic. But he knew he'd always love Hermione, he he'd never be the same if she didn't love him back.
Ron turned off the faucet and dried himself with a towel.
Having Rosie as an example was doing him good, Getting him back to his old self. He could finally start enjoying life again. Ron could sense that, with Rosie's help, He could actually start functioning like a human being again. Soon Ron would be back to normal, not dwelling all the time . And once that happened, once things were better, Once the case was over and things were back to normal, he would try with all this might to win back Hermione. To prove he was different.
He would be smart this time, not push her. If they were really meant to be, then Hermione would come back. Wouldn't she? Seemed simple enough, seeing as he didn't exactly have competition.
Unless, he snorted to himself, he were to count .
Ron threw his robes on, his hair still slightly damp, and stepped into the fireplace.
As he walked to his office, Ron's mind found it's way back to Rosie. Last night had been great. Fun and cozy, a nice evening in with a friend. Then Ron saw them.
Malfoy and Hermione had just arrived to work.
Together.
Again.
Ron knew that Malfoy's job was to protect her, but Blimey, Hermione could floo to work herself without getting attacked.
They seemed to be talking. Malfoy must of said something amusing because Hermione let out a soft laugh before they parted ways. Ron cringed.
The rumors floating around the ministry reentered his mind, much to his disliking.
Them together. Nonsense. Malfoy must of said something inevitably ignorant, and Hermione was just mocking him. But her laugh didn't sound mocking. He knew that laugh too well.
"Guess who?" a soft voice breathed into Ron's ear, while too delicately small hands covered his eyes. He chuckled.
"Hey Rose." he said, removing her hands from his face and turning to face her. Today Rosie's hair was pin straight and very obediently fell over one shoulder. It was different then her usual blondish brown waves bouncing about the place.
"So I talked to Harry and he told me that Ginny was meeting him here for lunch today. I asked if we could tag along, and he agreed."
Rosie beamed, lightly poking Ron on the arm when she said "we". Ron looked somewhat puzzled.
"What for?"
Rose gave him a look. "Baby shower. Remember?"
Oh right the baby shower. Rosie insisted on planning one, and even more persistently, insisted Ron spend more time with the expecting couple. Which really didn't sound so bad, chatting up with Harry about something other then the slow moving case.
"Oh have forgotten."
Rosie giggled. "Of course you did. See you at lunch." and with that, Rosie turned and walked back to her work station.
A flash of one of their conversations came into Ron's mind. The idea that people would start to gossip about the two of them.
Quite silly really, Him and Rosie. Not to mention the fact that she was completely out of his league.
Ron watched Rosie saunter away, her hips swaying with every step. The perfect way her curves moved in her formfitting skirt.
Ron, now heading to his office, thought of Rosie's face. Her beautiful eyes shined when she smiled. And her perfectly full, pouty lips looked as soft as air. Her nose was rather large, but it fit her frame. Ron had seen her without makeup, and really she was just as breathtaking either way.
No, there was no denying the beauty of Rosie that sent her skyrocketing out of his reach. Ron had always known it. But he had never really paid attention to it. They had been friends since childhood, and as a kid he never saw her as more then such. By the time he was old enough to even have the slightest clue what to do with a girl like that, he was already head over heels for Hermione. No one else matched her. But that was a long time ago. Ron was seeing Rosie, full on, for the first time. And boy was she a sight to see.
Ginny had already arrived when Ron and Rosie came into Harry's office at noon. Ron smiled at his sister, noticing her stomach had somewhat expanded since he'd last seen her. "Ron!" Ginny rushed over to her older brother and wrapped him in a hug, then turned to Rosie with a sly grin.
"Rosie. You couldn't have possible gotten more beautiful then when I saw you last."
Ginny and Rosie hugged, laughing. "Well look at you. Goodness your glowing !"
They smiled at each other and sat down. Ron gave Harry a handshake. There wasn't need for a big show of affection because they saw each other daily.
"How are things Harry?" Ron asked, taking a seat opposite of Him.
When they were working on the case, there was little room for small talk. So now was a good time to catch up. Harry looked a Ginny then answered.
"Things are great. We've started furnishing the baby room. Best to get the heavy lifting out of the way." Ginny smiled at her husband.
Watching his little sister, so grown up, becoming a mother. It was strange to say the least. Even if she was only a year younger then Ron, she was still the baby sister. That's how he would always see her.
The girls chatted on about the baby shower. Who to invite, what food to make, decorations and such. Meanwhile Ron and Harry talked of work, sports, and how things were at home, occasionally smirking at Rosie and Ginny's excited squeals.
"So you've been getting out more." Harry observed. Ron shrugged.
"Mostly just hanging out with Rosie. She's gotten me out of the house yeah. You should join us sometime for some drinks at the pub." Harry nodded. "Yeah sounds good."
"Count me out."
Ginny piped up, rubbing her stomach and laughing. Rosie, Ron, and Harry chuckled along with her.
"You can come along too of course." Ron laughed.
"Oh that sounds fun." Rosie smiled.
Ron smiled at her, admiring the shine in her eyes.
"Good. Harry needs to do more then work and sleep anyway." Ginny said, leaning over and pecking Harry on the cheek. Harry took her hand and kissed it affectionately.
Ron was really happy things were going well with Ginny and Harry. There were times, were seeing them so happy only reminded him of Hermione, but now he could only feel happy for them. It was probably because he was so much Happier too.
After lunch, Ron and Rosie hugged Ginny goodbye and watched as Harry escorted her home via floo. "That was lovely. Its quite nice getting to get together like this, isn't it?" Rosie turned to Ron. He nodded. " Yeah. It was good fun."
and he meant it.