Title: A (not) Peaceful Morning
Summary: Ron just wants to wallow this morning
Pairing/Characters: Ron and Colin (platonic)
Rating: K
Warnings: N/A
Notes: Written for Hogwarts Assignment Astronomy task #2: Write about a character finding an alternative way to solve a problem.

The frown on his face was prominent as he tore up the napkin in his hand. It wasn't something Ron could be proud of, but it was actually nice to take the time to wallow in his own misery. Maybe he did it a little too often, and maybe wallowing just because it was morning was a little pathetic, but it was something that he enjoyed (as much as you can when you wallow).

Wallowing in the morning with the awful sunlight and chirpy morning people around him was the best time to wallow because Ron wasn't a morning person. Yes, Ron wallowed almost every morning and thanks to another midnight adventure with his best friend, he was wallowing even more than normal this morning.

When Colin Creevey sat down next to him all joyous and bouncy, Ron internally groaned, clenching the napkin. He was not even remotely interested in entertaining the biggest morning person in the whole of Hogwarts. Colin's energy was not something he wanted to deal with.

"What's shaking, Ron?" Colin asked, practically vibrating in his seat.

Ron officially hated this morning. If it wasn't bad enough that he had to be up at this awful time of the morning while his best friend was allowed to sleep in because he managed to find himself in the hospital wing again and they didn't even have any bacon this morning, he now had to actually interact with the chirpy little second year.

No. Ron wasn't going to do it. He didn't want to deal with the chirpy little second year on this awful morning. He definitely did not.

"If you sit here, I have two rules." Ron didn't even look up at Colin; he couldn't be bothered. "One. Don't talk. Two. Don't talk to me."

"Rule two is the same as rule one with more detail," Colin said with laughter in his voice.

Ron made the effort to snap his head up and glare at Colin. "You are breaking rule one and two."

Colin laughed again and put his little annoying second year hands on his shoulder in a playful shove. Well, it would have been playful if Ron was not wallowing, but because he was wallowing (or trying to at least) the shove was definitely not playful.

"Rule three. Don't touch me."

Colin laughed again, but thankfully he turned his attention back to his breakfast. Ron managed one sigh—only one sigh—of relief before Colin was turning his attention back to annoying the hell out of Ron.

"You know, rules are meant to be broken," Colin said, poking Ron on the shoulder three times. Three times. Not once or twice but three pokes on his shoulder like they were friends or buddies or something. Ron was officially ready to kill him.

Ron growled low in his throat. "You just broke rule one, two and three." Ron's voice was beyond showing his annoyance. Wallowing was far from his mind. He just wanted Colin to go away and listen to his rules. Not ignore them like he currently was.

Colin poked Ron's shoulder another three times, laughing. "Come on, your rules are stupid anyway. You're just stressed about Harry being in the hospital wing again."

That may be a little true, but that was not why he was stressed at his very moment. He wasn't even stressed! "I'm not stressed," he repeated out loud when he realised that the annoying little second year couldn't read his mind.

"You know, when you're stressed, you should eat ice cream, cake, chocolates and sweets."

Ron was about to snap at the bratty second year that wouldn't shut up when he realised what the child actually said.

"Why?" Ron couldn't help but ask.

Colin wrapped a (not) friendly arm around Ron's shoulder. "Because stressed spelt backwards is desserts."

Ron gapped at the second year that decided that this morning he wanted to sit next to Ron and poke him and talk to him and give him confusing sentences to think about on a morning that he didn't want to think about anything let alone that.

Still staring at the second year, Ron placed the napkin on his knee, pulled out his wand and waved it at the napkin. He grabbed the transfigured napkin before it could fall to the floor and burst.

"What are you doing?

Ron looked up at the second year and smirked. It wasn't a smile—he wasn't quite ready yet to smile this morning—but a smirk was almost a smile so it counted.

"Well, you're not listening to my rules, so I have to find some other way to make you shut up."

"What—"

Before Colin had a chance to finish another inane question about what he was doing or why or any other 'w' questions, Ron brought the transfigured napkin up from under the table, revealing a bright orange balloon filled with water.

"Catch," Ron said as he chucked the water balloon right at Colin's face and watching with a muted morning glee as it burst right on target, soaking Colin completely.

Ron ate his breakfast in peace after that. Wallowing in peace.

(w.c 858)

WolfWinks-xx-