A retelling of - BuckNC - classic tale …Dragon Heart …as redone by Billybob
Chapter # 36 - 'In the room of Truths'
Words in this chapter; 8,246
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Hermione's POV:
After a few minutes of Ron dragging Hermione by the hand down the classroom hallways, they finally stopped outside the first year's Charms classroom.
"Ron, what are you doing?" Hermione asked as she tried to pull out her hand from Ron's tight grip.
Ron spun around to answer her question as he softly pulled her inside the classroom.
"I've learned a few things since I left." Ron declared with a more mature look about him. "I've learned life works in cycles; birth, growing, then death. This classroom is a part of our cycle."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked totally confused at Ron's behavior and then around at the empty classroom.
"No it's wing-gard-ium …lavi-osa," Ron mocked her as he pointed to the front row desk where Ron and Hermione had set during their first year.
"It is - you were getting it wrong." Hermione pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Ron briefly flashed a frown before he continued on. "And I haven't gotten anything 'right' with you since …have I? Made fun of you after a class in here at Halloween - - didn't I? - And it caused you to spend the day in the girl's bathroom where Harry and I fought the Troll."
"I remember," Hermione stated then dropped her arms as she studied Ron and wondered where he was going with this. "We all became best friends after that." She was almost wishing Ron would get to the point.
"Three months ago, right over there in that corner - I watched Malfoy drag-down your knickers." Ron declared pointing to a corner desk in the back of the classroom.
Oh no. Hermione gulped in fear as she remembered this classroom used to be one of Draco and her private snogging places. Her eyes dropped to the floor as she couldn't bear to see the disappointment and hurt on Ron's face.
Evidently, Ron must've sensed it as he grabbed a hold of her hand to gain her attention. "It's okay Hermione …people change over time, their tastes in certain things alter. I realize I'm partly to blame…you know the old saying - - Faint heart doth not win fair maiden; I recognize now that I had my chance and I muffed it. Of course, you could have made your point without wasting good food like that."
Hermione relaxed a little as she looked up to see a sad small smile on Ron's face. "I did cook it for you." She responded. Her smile grew even bigger as she remembered him the night before wearing mash potatoes, spring peas, dinner roll, and sliced vegetables all over him. Not to mention the look on his face when she poured hot steaming gravy into his pants. The more she thought about it the more she couldn't help herself - and soon she was beaming back at Ron in genuine mirth.
"Yeah, I could tell that you truly enjoyed inflicting physical pain on me last night. That Hot gravy that you poured down the inside of my pants caused second degree burns and painful blisters, and that thought alone - must have been very 'exciting' for you," Ron said calmly to a now stunned-silent Hermione. "I'd heard rumors that Malfoy was a bit of a sadist, so clearly you must have learned the joy of inflicting pain on others …from him".
"Ron …I …I" Hermione stuttered, horrified at Ron's implication.
"I'm not in a position to judge what you find sexually enjoyable," Ron said interrupting Hermione's babbling with a raised hand, "after all - in every letter I received from Harry and my sister, they went on and on about how you insisted that I was no more than a friend to you, that Harry and I were the brothers you never had".
"I don't deny seeing Harry as a little brother, nor can I deny mothering him, scolding him and even being infuriated by his unthinking recklessness", Hermione said honestly.
"And you are a tiny female bully that enjoys bossing people around – especially Harry. Do you know that about yourself?" Ron asked – but softly and not unkindly as if speaking a simple truth.
"Yes and I have other faults, made many mistakes over the years, this term more than any other. One of my biggest was in 'referring to you' as my 'brother figure' in the same way that Harry is to me. You are without doubt the most confusing, disturbing and irritating boy I have ever met. Hermione asserted as she moved closer to Ron who eyes were filled with pain as he staring at her.
"Don't forget that I also have the'maturity of a teaspoon', the table manners of a 'pig' and that you once called me the 'most insensitive wart you had ever had the misfortune to meet." Ron continued.
"Why must you always put yourself down," Hermione asked in a sternly disappointed tone.
"Put myself down, oh now there is a laugh," Ron said. "I've just 'repeated' just three of the many things you've said about me over the years to deflate what you must have considered my 'too big' ego. You and Harry always say I put myself down – when in fact you two and my family are the 'main source' of most of the put-down remarks".
Now Hermione was openly glaring at him in classic female pose of disapproval – right down to the tapping right foot.
"Oh never-mind, you are always right and I'm always wrong. But honestly - I do remember every cutting remark and every despairing comment you've made about me – combined with those from the twins, Harry and my backstabbing sister - - - and after you add them all up – it's little-wonder that my self-esteem is so mucked-up.
As to the subject of my romantic failure with you, being my entire fault and mine alone …what can I say?" Ron asked in a deceivingly soft tone. "If that is what you believe – who am I to argue with the smartest witch of our age. It must be true – my inaction in not speaking-up last summer must be the sole cause for you to ending-up in bed with a Malfoy …for only a total fool like me - would think that a modern-witch living in this century has any say in 'whom' she fornicates with. You were naturally right-again as always - that exclusively the man's medieval-choice; isn't it?
"I didn't say that last night," Hermione protested strongly.
"And it will no doubt please you to learn - that after your 'tell-all' of last night. Both of my parents now agree with you about 'everything'," and Ron then raised his voice sarcastically for this next-bit; 'THAT EVERYTHING IS MY BLOODY FAULT',"
"I must have 'hexed' you with the imperious cures removing your 'free will' …hexing away all your other options in the Malfoy matter - - didn't I?" Ron then declared in a far more calm tone of voice; -"My failure over the years in not treating you in the more 'proper manner' that Slytherin Head-Boys do …I neglected to abuse you both verbally and physically – I didn't treat you as they do their breeding chattel… these obvious-shortcomings of mine - will haunt me to my dying day." Ron said with overdone sarcastic regret.
Hermione of course, heard the dripping-thick bitter cynicism in his tone and it hurt her badly. She then watched stunned speechless as he gulped for air and re-gathered his composure before telling her.
"Hermione, no other woman that I've ever met… and you are a woman – has made me as crazy, insanely jealous, desperately lovesick and a million other emotions to numerous to list - - like you have. I tried to forget how much I love you …I really did, even with all that extra time - but I couldn't - you're just unforgettable. You're brilliant, beautiful, brave, and billions of other marvelous things I should've told you before …it was too late."
Hermione's heart was racing in jubilation as she looked deeper into Ron's eyes. She wanted to hear this from him for what seemed like the last several years and now that it was happening she wanted to make sure she got more of it.
"Yes, you should have and I should have told you how 'special' a friend …you are to me.
"I'm glad that you still see me as 'any kind of friend', especially after hearing in the Great Hall the contents of what should have been private letters addressed to my biological sister – letters that must have been terribly embarrassing for you".
"Ron – about that- -", Hermione began only to be drowned out by Ron's ongoing rant.
"I cannot properly express the depth of my gratitude for you being my only true advocate here at Hogwarts. It is a Wizarding-debt I doubt I will ever be able to repay. You and Bonnet are the 'only two' I can trust to guard my back in all of the United Kingdom. I hope you'll accept my heartfelt thanks fo all you have done for me".
"You are most welcome, Ron" Hermione said with a warm smile.
"I've also come to understand that in calling me a brotherly figure - - - all boils down to a matter of bad timing and personal preference, in the same way that some blokes only fancy big-chested blondes." Ron said although each word felt to him like death by a thousand cuts.
"You shouldn't blame yourself for romantically making a mistake by becoming involved with the wrong 'rich seeker' – a bloke that misled you. This was my fault too for not making it clear that not everyone is as 'honorable' as your other brother …Harry. I…I failed in this duty, 'according to my father' and can only hope that by admitting all of this now, 'to your face'–by my accepting full-blame for the ferret tryst – my confession will give you the closure you'll need to put the pathetic romantic ambitions of Harry's comic sidekick forever - behind you.
This gave Hermione pause as she asked herself, 'what does he mean …behind me?'
"We should definitely be more honest and open with one another." Hermione stated when she found her voice again. As she leaned into Ron's chest and looked deeper into his blue eyes. "For example, this rubbish about me enjoying the infliction of pain, I mean …Honestly Ronald - I' don't have a sadistic bone in my body."
Inexplicably, she saw a flash of sadness and deeping-regret abruptly appeared in Ron's care worn eyes. It was only then that she noticed that Ron's blue eyes weren't the same as before he left. They seemed to be darker, 'older' and there were signs of deep down pain, nearly unbearable trauma based-sorrow, and most importantly 'unspoken secrets' behind them. Ron's eyes were hiding something from her 'as if' there was something that he feared to terrible to share with her.
Ron timidly stepped back and collected himself emotionally …before he replied back to her. "Like I said last night – what 'I feel' about anything doesn't matter anymore as I am clearly not your type. – With that in mind - it's no longer any of my business whether 'you are a sadist or not'. Although I'm not a Masochist myself…as a semi-sibling and- 'close-friend', I should be able to accept the 'good quirks' along with the 'bad fetishes' about a person – like Harry pranking me with the letters - without being judgmental, for that is what true friendship means …at least to me."
"Me too," Hermione replied feeling more than a little confused as to where all this was heading.
"The... the problem is that after the physical pain you inflicted on me last night –'combined' with three months of letters wherein you repeatedly insisted to Ginny that Harry and I was no more than just 'brotherly figures' to you. I have been - forced - to accept your 'definition of our relationship' as that of being just very-close …semi-siblings and - nothing more."
Hermione's heart missed a beat as she too stepped back in pain, realizing only now the misleading messages she had sent Ron through Harry and Ginny had painted herself into a corner, and this misjudgment …like dating Draco …lanced into her heart like a dagger.
Ron noticed the distance and immediately spoke up. "I'll be honest with you, because of the one-sided love… I've feel about you, I doubt that I'll be truly comfortable with you dating other blokes …at least for the short term. However, I will work on it and over time …perhaps as soon as one year or so - after graduation, I'm sure I will become more 'tolerant' of your type of boyfriend."
"My type …of boyfriend,? She asked still a-bit stunned
"Viktor has written to you …has he not?"
"Well yes …he has …but he…."
"- - That's great to hear, as your semi-brother - I much prefer you being with Viktor rather than dating Malfoy again," Ron interjected with painful reluctance. "Viktor's a real nice bloke and he clearly adores you - -"
"…Ron", Hermione tried to interrupt … "Viktor and I are…
"… As a stereotypical-overprotective and hot-tempered Brother," Ron quickly interrupted "It's considered unwise to tell me the details about your 'Love-life', - ask Ginny, my other sister about her experiences with me on that point," Ron said holding up a hand to stop Hermione from saying more.
"Again – I'm just grateful that the uncomfortably honest feelings that I expressed in the letters as read aloud in the Great Hall - didn't embarrassed you to the point where it ruined the six years of friendship that we have already shared. Please feel free to chalk-up any awkwardness in my behavior for the remainder of this term to my 'famous' teaspoon worth of maturity".
"You want to go back to being just friends... I understand." Hermione said to him in a semi-daze as she held her chin-up and forced herself to be strong and not to cry in front of him.
"Yes… Thank-you," Ron softly replied with a look of heartbroken regret and longing in his eyes.
Hermione had to admit that there were times when she didn't understand boys at all - even more so when it came to Ron. He was conceding the fight, without firing a shot. Yielding to;'hear-say' as conveyed through Harry and Ginny - that she regarded him as a brother.
However the longing in his eyes, the raw and painfully obvious hunger as he looked at her - were sending Hermione very mixed signals. She had to know for certain.
"Ron?"
"Yes, Hermione," Ron replied with forced calm.
"What happen in the Death-Eater camp - after you fell in the well?" Hermione asked. - Instead of arguing the point that she didn't regard him as a brotherly figure or that she wasn't a sadist - as she had intended to. Instead of acting like a modern witch and just 'snogging him senseless', to prove her attraction to him - - her courage abruptly abandoned her.
She honestly didn't know where the-'Camp Question'-came from, it seemed to just pop-out of her mouth uninvited and she immediately regretted asking it - as she was looking , even deeper pain, overwhelming regret and longing for 'something lost' suddenly filled Ron's eyes - - and then a moment later Hermione beheld… all emotion drain from his face. With great effort he pulled himself together, his body suddenly going stiff - as a 'beaten into the ground' Royal Marine would after a sharp battle - bleeding from various wounds would trying to stand at attention.
"Like I tried to make clear last night, certain issues don't matter anymore - and as you don't fancy my type of bloke …there are some things that even the 'closest of friends' aren't required to share. In other-words …what happened over there – especially my experiences during 'battle' have left me with serious emotional and mental scars …that I just don't feel comfortable sharing …with a mere semi-sister".
Hermione winced again.
"Now come along - your five minutes are up and Ginny is probably going bonkers by now – after Harry without doubt betrayed my trust again …by allowed Ginny to break into my magically sealed footlocker – when I actually have my backstabbing prankster sister's gifts in my pocket." Ron said to Hermione in a sadly resigned tone as he headed to the door of the room of truths - - the first year charms classroom.
Hermione knew Ron well-enough to know that he was deliberately avoiding certain subjects and there was a great deal of things Ron wasn't telling her. She even began to wonder if Ron was being truthful with her about just wanting to go back to being friends.
"Ron, are you telling me the truth?"
"I have answered you as honestly as I know how …considering the circumstances, but before I say any more - why don't you answer the question you hit me with last night… do you love me?"
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The response from Hermione was a solid minute of total silence, the longest, most painful minute that Ron had ever endured. Her cheeks flushed red, her eyes went wide …until finally …she looked down at her feet in deep embarrassment.
"We need to go." Ron said finally breaking the silence as he nervously ran his hand through his red hair. He sighed in defeat as he looked upon his unrequited love one last time - and then turned about and briskly marched off - walking out of the classroom without looking back.
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Ron's POV:
"Where is it?" screamed Ginny's voice that Ron could hear all the way down in the Gryffindor Commons room.
After hearing this, Ron was finally able to relax and smile for the first time since leaving Hermione behind in the charms classroom. He was purposefully made his way up to the 7th year male dormitory room slowly in an attempt to recover from 'yet another' of Hermione's' brutal rejections.
'Remember why you came back – and only after its done and over with - can you give a thought to the future, - - - besides, the longer you let Ginny stew- the better,' Ron thought to himself as he lazily climbed the spiral staircase.
Ron looked into his old seventh year male dormitory room which now seemed to him to have greatly shrunk in size - - only to see it full to overflowing of laughing and giggling bystanders. Neville, sitting alone - Luna sitting next to Dean, Colin, Dennis, Parvati, Lavender, Seamus, along with Mr. Hypocrisy, standing in the center of a disaster area calmly looking-on.
His frenzied and greedy sister, Ginevra was on her knees throwing his school books, scorched work clothing, posters, old patched clothing and s odd assortment of empty ink bottles, blank parchments and other things of little value that Ron had pre-planted in his old school trunk - with this very event in mind. Now he found himself looking-on with resigned amusement as his sister emptied-out of his spell blasted-open old school-trunk frantically looking for her green Dragon-hide jacket Christmas gift.
Ron then stepped-up to a chuckling Harry as he came inside the room while watching Ginny tearing through the last items in his trunk - - "Enjoying your-self Harry?" Ron said bitterly. "Why am I - not surprised - to find that the sealed-locker that I 'entrusted' to the safekeeping of my 'so-called' best mate, within moments of it going 'out of my sight',has been magically ripped open – - without permission, mind you- - and the private-property it contained spilled …for the amusement of other Hogwarts students. Hold on, you're six days early Gin-Gin, this isn't the great Hall …nor is it Friday."
All of the humor on Harry's face drained as he turned and looked at his friend with growing horror.
"Ron!" Ginny roared to him after hearing his voice in the room, but not really listening to what he had just said to a now gob-smacked Harry. "Where is my jacket?"
'Oh you miserable little shite', Ron thought before saying; "Oh you mean the jacket you'd get for not telling anyone what I was doing in Romania, the reward for not letting anyone but you and Harry 'know the intimate contents' of my private letters. The expensive compensation for making bloody sure that our dear Mum never found out what I've been doing." Ron stated calmly before scowling a murderous look at his little sister.
Ginny immediately froze in fear and started to babble her defense. "I... I, no… I - -"
Ron lifted his arms and hands out to make a neck-chocking grip with his shaking hands as he moved toward Ginny's neck. As Ron predicted in advance - Harry immediately jumped to launch another punch at Ron's jaw in an attempt to save his girlfriend. - - But 'this time' Ron didn't allow the punch to land and in a blur of motion– involving a martial art as yet unknown in the Wizarding world, Harry suddenly found himself flying in the air - back onto his own empty-bed in the dorm-room.
"Ron, stop - - I made her do it!" Harry wailed to him, stunned that he'd been thrown- seven feet into the air and onto the only empty mattress in the room.
The only problem was Ron 'knew his sister' and no one …not even the twins could make 'Ginevra Molly Weasley' do something that she didn't want to do in the first place and he said as much: "Made her do it my arse! No one in my family has ever forced Ginerva to do anything she didn't want to do except for our Mum. Now this is a family matter; so stay out of it, Potter!" Ron roared back as a very scared Ginny rapidly crawled on her knees to the other side of Harry's bed.
Realizing that fighting Ron physically was now a losing proposition Harry tried to reason with him. "No, you can't hit her. You love your sister, Ron."
"Don't be thick Potter I don't hit, women …ever. We were taught as nippers that all women are untouchable, although I have to admit there is now a big exception to that general rule - for any female DE with a weapon trying to kill me – is fair-game … An example of this is being Bella Lestrange".
Harry couldn't disagree with that point
"As for your girlfriend – my sister - - I 'used' to love her without question - - until our Mum almost yelled my head off just last night when Hermione came to the Burrow to tell her, what every bloody student at Hogwarts already knows, - - the entire content of my private letters written for the eyes of my sister and no one else!"
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Everyone in the room froze in place hearing this - for they too had heard Ron's repeated requests for privacy.
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"I knew that my Mum would find out some of what I did over there", Ron admitted sternly. "Sooner or later my Mum always finds out about the messes I get my-self into – I'm just lucky that way. Little naïve Ronniekins just wanted the right to water-down the worse-bits – to tell her my-self 'in tiny-stages' over an extended period of time - about my miss-adventures in the land of Dragons - in a way that was hopefully 'less threating' to my 'continued existence'. I foolishly believed that it was my story to tell - - worse yet I gullibly believed I could trust Ginny …my beloved sister – a girl who guarded my back as a child against the Twins pranks- with my inner feelings".
Ginny winced upon hearing this.
"Moreover, if you think about it it's just one less Christmas gift". Ron said in a softer and yet equally toxic tones. "Ginerva's got a big family who spoil her rotten - all the time. I found out only last night during Hermione's visit - that I put my trust in the 'wrong' sister - - that the girl that 'fell for' a Malfoy – his BDSM plaything this term – a sadistic bunk-mate who taught her how to inflict pain on blokes - - was ten-time 'more interested' in protecting my back – than anyone connected to me by blood".
Ginny cringed again
"I'm deeply grateful for what she tried to do for me," Ron snarled in regret like an angry cheetah, "and I want you all to understand that will defend with my last breath my one and only …true-blue defender here at Hogwarts. I regret more than ever my lack of courage for not reading any of her 'post-Draco' letters that might have clued-me-in to what was really going on back-here - - behind my back".
"Oh no, stupid old-me had to learn only last night that my little Gin-gin had taken a chapter from the 'book of betrayal' as taught to her by her Slytherin like -'boy-who-deceived boyfriend' and together they shouted from the roof tops - - the very feelings that I could never openly admit 'out loud' to the girl of my dreams, literally putting my soul on public display for the whole school to laugh at!"
"Ron – I - - I mean, I didn't," Ginny began from behind Harry's bed.
"So don't worry, Mr. Hypocrite, I will not physically abuse anyone - especially someone I care about – for this Weasley is not a sadist. Nor will I ever strike-down my sister from behind when she isn't looking, for I'm not the TYPE of bloke that enjoys harming members of my own family", Ron shouted loudly before changing his angry tone to one of indescribable disappointment.
"I fully expected my school-trunk to be broken open, it was a just a little-test I admit - to see how far I could trust either of you again – after my return. The resulting entertainment for the amusement of all those gathered here – gave me the answer I was looking for – yes destroying my truck has been highly informative".
Harry and Ginny were now looking at each other in stunned silence - and at the same time looked deeply embarrassed.
"If nothing else - - My trunk test just proved beyond doubt - why I should have stayed in Romania", Ron admitted sadly. "Tactical situations on the ground constantly change during battle and I've been carefully taught to accept the any situation as-is, and not to waste time wishing for something better. So for me these last twenty-four hours has been a major teaching moment". Ron looked around at all of his childhood friends standing gob-smacked in the dorm-room and part of him mourned the demise of the simplistic class clown, the gullible boy that ran-away from his teenage heartbreak.
"Look folks – I'm sorry to have spoiled your fun here'," Ron said softly. "But I really didn't come back to be the butt of 'Benny Hill' style of physical humor. And before Dean gets a chance to ask, I was exposed to Muggle comedy in Romania – director Vargas is a huge fan of Benny Hill and the Three Stooges. In fact I learned loads about the Muggle world while I was 'busy' in the streets and alleyways of Budapest, with loads more still to learn".
"But before I go-off into another 'off subject tangent' that both of my mentors hate – I'll come back to the point. Harry and Ginny you have utterly failed my first after coming back - 'test of trust' and you both have to understand what that means to the three of us. Right from the off - as of now - you two are both on probation – if you prank me just one more time- -"
"- - You'll do what, you don't do pranks and you won't hit me," Ginny interupted thinking she was calling Ron's bluff.
"I'll do nothing," Ron replied.
"I don't understand?" Harry said in a worried tone.
"Do you know what shunning means – or the old English word scanian?"
"In the Wizarding world the 'Scanian Curse' is equitant to the modern Muggle avoidance charms only designed to be directed at one specific person."
"If I used this spell on you and Harry neither of you would be able to see, hear or speak to me ever again. I would be invisible to you …forever.
"Ron you wouldn't?" Hermione asked horrified at the thought.
"Of course not - that would be the epitome of childish behavior. I don't need a spell to stay away from betrayers and people I can't trust. So I'll do nothing the next time either of you stab me in the back again. I'm just giving you both fair warning – in front of these witness that I have drawn a line in the sand, cross that line one more time and we are done. I won't just brush-off without comment your humiliation of me in publicly – there will be dire consequences to anyone who abuses me verbally or physically," Ron growled as he continued to look daggers at a cowling Ginny.
"I'm freshly back and none of you understand all I went through – there was loads of stuff I deliberately left out of my year in Romania. Stuff that- -"
"- -Three months Ron", Harry interrupted with a big smile at Ron's alleged mistake. Everyone laughed at Ron's slip-up except for Hermione who stood in the doorway wide-eyed in realization of what that 'slip of the tongue' really meant.
That was the same moment when Ron looked over at the door to notice that a gob-smacked Hermione had slowly and quietly come up the steps and had entered the room to join the others. He could see the shocked surprised on her face and he noticed that she was now staring at him hard – looking him over from head to foot - - very carefully as if looking for some 'outward sign of change' - scanning his face and short hair as if half expecting twin horns to suddenly become visible on top of his head.
At least the resigned unhappiness and pain she had displayed in the charm classroom had been replaced with her more traditional confident and in-charge posture of a young woman thinking really hard. Ron naturally assumed that her new upbeat attitude was a result of putting an embarrassing part of her year - his read aloud love letters – to an end. He personally ached for another welcome-home warm embrace, but as he wasn't her type, she would most likely object strongly at such an inappropriate display of intimacy - - he didn't want her to think of him as some utter-nutter or a celebrity- stalker' -and to do what he'd come back to do …he had to stay on friendly terms with her.
Under the circumstances he had to be close to her as a best-friend could be. There was no longer the risk of something more; her silence to the love question settled that once and for all. Ron just had to avoid making any foolish moves on the Head Girl until after his task was done - if he mucked-up his freshly renewed fragile friendship in a way that might cause Hermione to feel so uncomfortable around him to the point where she'd totally stay away from him - such a distance could prove deadly.
The whole school knows that I love her, and she's just turned me down …flat. I can't risk being a bigger fool than I am already - by pursuing her further, especially as I now know the answer will always remain no'. Ron thought, as he moved over to his empty hanging closet beside an unsettled Harry rubbing Ginny's back for comfort.
Ron pulled out his new wand an with a whispered-spell …hexed his scattered belonging back into his wrecked foot-locker with un-characteristic neatness. Burnt work clothes were magically refolded before dropping back into the trunk almost absentmindedly - as Ron refocused his thoughts back toward getting revenge against his sister. To that end, he pulled out of his jacket - an old birthday card that he had been saving for almost ten years. He then turned around and handed it off to a now subdue Harry watching him and then Hermione.
"Give this to your girlfriend. She likes to read letters aloud in front of a crowd, so she can read this one too."
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Harry's POV:
Harry took the old card from a sneering Ron, as Ginny stood nervously beside him peering over his shoulder to see what Ron handed over to him. Harry wasn't sure what Ron was up too, but with the Weasley family you never ever could underestimate their ability to get payback on one another. Harry looked down at the old card and slowly read the familiar handwriting.
Ha-ha. I love this family. He smiled in a big grin after reading it and he handed it off to a quizzical Ginny. Ginny after a few seconds recognized her own handwriting and the old birthday card.
"No way, I'm not reading this!" Ginny defiantly bellowed as she tossed Harry the card and crossed her arms over her chest to pout.
For some reason, Harry had a feeling that Ron was expecting this and he had a Chess master's plan to counter. "Oh really?" Ron inquired as he was watching his sister shake her head no, before turning his body and giving a still thinking hard Hermione a wink. She ignored the gesture of course - for Hermione clearly had a 'intellectual puzzle' in her teeth and Ron knew better than most - - not to interrupt her until it was solved. Everyone else in the room was by now just as interested in what the card said and Ron reason for having Ginny to read it.
On cue, Ron started his attack. "I probably should tell everyone that I made a detour to Diagon Alley this morning. Manage to get a nice shiny new wand for myself." Ron announced to the room by holding-up his new wand and whirling it around in his hand. "Then I got seven brand-new and expensive jumpers in sky and dark blue to replace the 'maroon' ones I've always hated – new dress-robes that actually fit-me …a few new dress shirts in white that I'm going to wear with my brand new school robes. And four pair of American made blue-jeans – nothing second-hand in the entire lot" Ron said proudly.
Hermione ever a stickler for rules chimed in. "You can't wear the blue-jeans, we have a 'content' regulation as enacted by the Board of Governors in 1929 – so clothing not made in the UK are illegal under the current Hogwarts dress code."
The room broke out in a soft groan from several people in the room including Harry.
Ron, to his credit, played dumb about all of it.- "Dress code? - We have a dress code against non-UK products? Eh… whatever… I was just trying to show off my new improved taste of fashion, but if the Head-Girl says no, who am I to argue. I'll just save the new trousers for post-graduation bird-flirting back in the pubs of Budapest. Now where was I?" Ron stated looking confused at a stern at a unbending looking Hermione and then back to the other people in the room shaking their heads and rolling their eyes at her.
"Oh yeah… I also acquired other non-hand me down …after class - casual clothing. I got... half-dozen American made denim dress-shirts that I picked up in Muggle London. Worn with my new blue-jeans and my dragon-hide jacket… for the first time in my life - - I don't look like a walking advert for a second-hand shop. It's great to walk into a Pub and not be treated like someone fresh from a homeless shelter. Those Muggle's are amazing they can really make some neat looking clothes."
Ron pulled a small brown leather-box from the inside pocket of his jacket which he enlarged into the proper size for a modern-bit of large leather luggage. Which he put face up on his unmade-mattress He then unzipped the top to reveal his neatly packed new clothes his shirts and jeans on the left side – on the right side as he described; "But the coolest stuff I acquired lately, where two brand new ladies-cut Dragon-hide jackets. Regretfully - I no longer have anyone to give them too."
Ron then held-up for all to see a deep green and then a Chinese red Dragon-hide jacket.
"Please, please, please!" Ginny instantly broke down at the sight of her long promised jacket. She was off Harry's bed and was jumping up and down pleading with her older brother.
Ron turned this way and that - holding out the beautiful jackets for everyone to see, but far enough to be out of Ginny's reach before he cruelly hung them up in his empty dorm closet - as he continued to ignore his sister's begging and pleading.
"Of course, no bloke can wear a lady's jacket to the end of term Leavers-ball dance without a formal ball dress. So Charlie and I put in together and bought a fifty Galleon gift certificate at Madam Makin's dress shop in Diagon Alley."
"Oh please, please, please!" Ginny wailed to a non-caring Ron and then when she realized her pleads were going nowhere - she tried to get Harry to make Ron give them to her. "Harry, please make him give them to me." Ginny almost cried as Harry shook his head no and handed her Ron's old birthday card.
"Now I know you-lot will want to laugh at me for wearing an expensive Ball gown, under a dragon-hide jacket - - but with these shoes – I'm going to look hot!" Ron joked.
Everybody started to chuckle at the mental image of Ron wearing a dress as he enlarged a clear crystal glass shoebox with a pair of shiny 'sparkling black' lady heels inside them. Harry remembered they were the same shoes that Ron and he saw Ginny drooling at through the display window on Diagon Alley during the summer.
"Those... their …Brunomagli," Lavender shrieked, running over to look at the expensive designer shoes. "They are sooo gorgeous!"
A weak voice was heard in the room from Ginny as she was reading the birthday card.
"To my favorite loving broth..."
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you, I'm sure you spoke louder than this when you humiliated me every Friday in the Great Hall " Ron calmly stated as he stuck his jaw out and tilted his ear in the direction of a tight-lipped Ginny.
"TO MY FAVORITE GIT BROTHER!"
"I'm sorry to stop you again, but was that in the card?" Ron smugly interrupted looking at a red face pouting Ginny.
"To my favorite loving brother! - - I want to tell you on your birthday what you mean to me. You are sweet, loving, and funny, but most of all you are always there for me when I need you. I can't imagine not having you in my life as none of my other brothers or friends understand me as you do-"
"Make me feel it," interrupted a proudly victorious Ron, smirking hard at his red faced little sister as she read out-loud his old birthday card.
I want to wish you a happy birthday and hope that you have many more because you truly deserve happiness and love
Your loving sister,
Ginevra "Ginny" Weasley
"Anything else?"
"XXXOOO!" bawled an embarrass Ginny.
A round of applause and laughter broke out as Ron slowly walked across the room to Ginny with the green Dragon-hide jacket, the gift certificate, and the shoes.
"In spite of what you've done to me over the years, I still love you a little-bit." Ron added to Ginny who was no longer able to hold her temper of being embarrassed as a smile broke across her face.
"Thank you, Ron. I'm really sorry that I read aloud …all your letters."
"No you're not, you have a cruel-streak a mile wide - and I just thought I could trust my little-sister …me-bad. I was naive …yet again. But it's all water under the bridge, right Ginerva? Just don't do it again, or I will shun – you. One more hurtful prank – and you and I are done – one more and you will be dead to me. Got it?"
"Yes-yes I understand", Ginny pleaded but Ron shook his head knowinf she wasn't really listening.
"Only a huge fool trusts a Weasley, I've just been too thick to catch-on before now," Ron spat bitterly. He then reached out and reluctantly hugged his worried-looking frowning sister …before finally handing Ginny her presents while mumbling softly. "There is no greater fool in the world like a trusting fool,"
Her frown abruptly vanished and she squealed aloud and giggled madly as she put on the Dragon-hide jacket.
"Ginny, I already told Harry this. This is my last gift to you – and frankly … if open-war wasn't about to break-out here – after what you did to me - it would be a cold day in hell before either of - 'my betrayers' -would have gotten these jackets. It's not just a pretty coat – it can save your life so always wear this jacket! No exception, if you are off Hogwarts grounds for any reason you better be wearing this jacket." Ron said with a deadly serious face.
Ginny barely listened to a word he said as she was feeling the Dragon-hide on her jacket. Ron shook his head and moved back over to his closet.
"Ginny, you can have one of my Irish-wool jumpers or denim-shirts if you give me your sworn unbreakable vow as a witch - not to pinch any of my other clothes for the rest of the school year."
Ginny darted over to Ron luggage , grab a denim shirt that because of their 'difference in siz'e would most likely end-up for her as a night-shirt and was about to leave, but stopped then turned around and kissed Ron on the cheek affectionate before dashing out of the room, with Harry shaking his head in amusement not far behind. After a brief pause and smile, Ron continued.
"Now for the rest of you loafers I got a few Quidditch posters, a few apology bottles of perfume for the Patil twins as part of my act of contrition for the horrible Yule Ball. For Luna I found a neat little book on the search for Crumple-Horned Snorkack, as for you Dean, a great book on Quidditch Keepers techniques. Sorry Dean, I couldn't help myself, I just had to read it. It's really a great book with a lot of cool moves to use.
Neville old chum I got you a few books on eastern European plants and herbs, and for Seamus, the 'kinky sicko' that you are - - the English translation, of a out of print book entitled; The Sexual Perversions of the Russian Succubus "
"Thanks Ron, way-cool" Seamus eager replied jumping up to claim his present.
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Hermione's POV:
Hermione quickly realized that she was the only person in the room who hadn't gotten a gift. Until she looked over Ron's shoulder to noticed the Chinese red Dragon-hide jacket hanging in his closet. She also noticed that it was in her size.
"Ah Hermione, I forgot to give you something during the five minutes of private truth you so forcefully requested." Ron said hesitantly as he moved over to her. "I also meant what I said, - I have your back Miss Hermione Jean Granger, - your problems are my problems, anyone who pranks you – pranks me."
Hermione half-smiled in irritation as she realized her 'unneeded protector' was back - before she abruptly figured-out that his comment was intended for her - instead it was meant for everyone else in the room to repeat to gossip system. Harry and Ginny must have wrote him about all the minor-pranks she had been suffering and his last little speech was intended to cause those inconsequential pranks to end.
Next she expected him to hand her the red-jacket. To her utter surprise, Ron reached into his own jacket and pulled out an envelope. After a second or two of hesitation, he reluctantly handed it over to her. She could tell he had an internal battle with himself over giving her the letter at all. She found out why when she looked down and gasped for this letter, was from none other than Victor Krum, her former-boyfriend and pen pal.
"It's from Krum... Victor... Krum; He sent it to me - just before I left to come home and asked me in an attached note to 'personally' give to you. As you can see for yourself; the seal is unbroken and it's not been open, so I didn't read it".
"…He's an alright bloke, Hermione - and he likes you a lot." Ron declared in a reluctant tone …clearly uncomfortable with the whole idea of promoting Viktor to Hermione as a potential boyfriend.
"Thanks, Ron!" Neville shouted across the room breaking Ron's attention away from a speechless Hermione.
"No sweat... just glad I got some money from the Quidditch match and the Co-op to buy my-self some never used before stuff and everyone I care about here some nice gifts for a change. Now if you will all excuse me, I have a meeting with the Headmaster and representatives from the Ministry."
Ron left the room still wearing his dragon hid jacket and then a few minutes later everyone else filed out of the dorm-room except for Hermione who slowly sank down on the corner of Ron's still unmade mattress – next to his neatly-packed new leather suitcase staring into his open closet at the red jacket. Red was her favorite color and she knew the jacket had been originally intended for her
I... I can't believe it! - An astonished Hermione thought over the entire events of the last twenty-four hours. - - I had him alone, he didn't deny his love for me, but when he asked the same question I did last night, I froze, all I had to say was three words, and he would have been mine.
What stopped me from telling him how I feel, and why does everyone believe this rubbish that rich seekers are my type of bloke …or that I shagged Draco. - - -
Damnit …I'm not a sadist …I didn't mean to …burn his …groin area. I was carried away in the heat of the moment. Why does he now, after years of arguing over anything and nothing. Does he proactively decide to agree with me …without the usual fight, that he is just a brother to me and all we can't ever be more …than just friends? Sweet Merlin am-I ever going to get 'my' dragon hide jacket?"
Hermione rested her forehead on one of Ron's bedpost and started to softly cry.
Don't do something rash - Granger be patience plan your next move... right from the off - change tactics; I've clearly sent the wrong message through Ginny and Harry, and now- because of the letters - Ron has come to no-longer trusts them as fully as he did before. So no more surrogates - it's time to make my own moves – and go proactive and change his erroneous perception of how I feel towards him.
But first, right from the off; I need to sort out how much he means to me, before one of these husbands hungry seventh year girls sink their claws into him. Hermione reflected as she remembered her mother's advice to her over Christmas.
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End Tran for now.