Casablanca: Diagon Alley
4: Almost Blue
Author's Note: This is where I'm straying from the story, people. It's the hardest part to write, so that's why it took so long to get it to ya'll. The song is Almost Blue by No Doubt. It's kinda supposed to be more of Hermione's song than Ron's, and the feel of it is very. depressed 40's. Perfect for this story. It's my new favorite song.
Disclaimer: If I claimed to own this stuff. people would laugh. ~*~*~*
Ryan hurried up to Ron, an urgent look on his face. "Ron, can I ask a favor of you?" he asked nervously. Ron stared at him. "I don't do favors," he said. Ryan pulled out two passports. "I know, I know, but just do me this one thing? The Irish Ministry is after me and they can't find me with these papers. Just. I don't know, lock them in a drawer or something." He held out the papers for Ron to take. Ron rolled his eyes and took them. "Fine. But you owe me, Ryan." Ryan gratefully shook Ron's hand. "Thank you so much, Ron! I'll pay you back." And with that, he put his hat on and moved towards the back exit. Ron watched as 3 Irish guards nodded at each other and began to follow him. He saw this and changed directions, heading towards the basement room Ron had just left. Ron followed him. "Please, Ron." Ryan pleaded, knowing he was in trouble. Ron glared at him. "I told you, I don't do favors. I'm not going to help you escape. Just let yourself get arrested, it's not that bad." but Ryan had run off, heading for another exit. Just as he got out the door the guards got there too, and they chased him into the Alley. Everyone in the club was silent until they heard a loud bang. Ryan was dead. "Everything's under control, go back to what you were doing," Ron announced to his pub. Everything went back to normal. Then Ron hurried out to the alley to find the guards hauling Ryan's body away. O'Malley was there now, taking notes. Ron walked over to him. "Why'd you have to do that so near my club?" he asked angrily. "You upset my customers!" O'Malley sighed. "Mr. Weasley, may I talk to you? I need to ask you some questions." He said. "Why? You don't think I had anything to do with this, do you?" he snarled. O'Malley shrugged. "There's a possibility." Ron shook his head in disgust and followed O'Malley into the basement for the second time in an hour. When they sat down, he began interrogating him. "I have several witnesses claiming that Ryan gave you papers before we caught him. Is that true?" "Caught? You mean killed." Ron said darkly. O'Malley glared at him until he answered the question. "No, Ryan never gave my anything," Ron said, wondering why he was lying. It didn't really matter what happened, anyway. When O'Malley began to argue, Ron continued angrily. "Have I ever done anything for anyone else?" he snapped. "No. I suppose not," O'Malley said thoughtfully, still watching Ron with slight suspicion. "Well, watch out for those papers. We suspect that Potter's going to try and escape to France sometime soon, and those papers are his only way out. We can't let him go." O'Malley's face darkened, and Ron knew that if the Irish government had anything to do with it, Harry wouldn't get to France. O'Malley left the room, tipping his hat at Ron. Ron dropped his head into his hands.
~*~*~*
Later that night, Harry came up to him quietly, looking as if he needed to do business. "Ron. Care for a drink?" he asked solemnly. Ron debated with this. He never drank with customers, but this was Harry. "Alright." He said after a moment. Several people around them stared at him in shock. He sat down and they ordered the drinks. They were in a secluded booth near the back, away from the Irish. After a few minutes, Harry got down to business. "Ron, I heard you had those exit papers, and I was wondering how much you want for them." Ron's resolution hardened. Harry was his friend, but what Hermione had done had scarred him and he wasn't about to make her happy. "I'm sorry," he said simply. Harry watched his face carefully. "This has something to do with Hermione, doesn't it?" he asked slowly. Ron cocked his head, surprised, at him. "Yes," he said. Harry watched as his best friend's eyes turned cold. "So we can't leave because something happened between you and Hermione?" Harry asked. Ron nodded curtly. Harry stood up slowly. Smiling stiffly. "Can't say I blame you. Good luck with the pub." He shook Ron's hand, and then, after some debate, hugged him. Then he left, hat pulled over his eyes.
~*~*~*
Ron felt almost terrible about what he had done to his best friend, but at the same time he liked that he wasn't letting Hermione get an easy way out. He wanted her to suffer as much as he had. He decided to leave Ron's early and head home. A few hours after he got home, there was a knock on the door. It was Hermione. "What do you want?" he asked sharply, although that was kinder then what he had wanted to do, which was slam the door in her face. She looked anxious. "Ron, I needed to ask you-" "What? You want another favor?" Ron asked angrily. "Yes, Ron. I do." "And you expect me to do something for you, you of all people?" "Let me just explain-" "Explain? Explain what? How you promised to come with me and never showed up, only to show up years later at my pub with your husband, who also turns out to be my best friend?" Ron was holding himself back so he wouldn't yell at her. "Fine. Maybe you're different from what I remember. But just let me explain everything, not for me, for you." Hermione had tears in her eyes. Ron glared and slammed the door behind her. He crossed his arms and waited for her to explain. She swallowed. "You remember I told you my first love had died, well, it was Harry. I was lonely and there you were, smiling and loving and I needed that. When you invited me to Ireland, I was ready to go until Neville told us about Harry. He was alive, and hurt and he needed me. I had sworn to stand by him in sickness and health, and suddenly, there he was. Injured but alive. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't go with you, my husband needed me." She looked at her hands and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Did you love him?" Ron asked softly, forgetting his shell for the first time in years. Hermione looked up at him. "Of course," she whispered. "But I was in love with you, Ron. I didn't want to leave you any more than you wanted me to leave." Hermione broke into a sob and hunched over in pain. Ron's heart went out to her and he wrapped his arms around her. "And now that I've seen you again, I know I don't have the courage to leave you again. But please, Ron, give Harry the papers. He's your best friend, and getting him out of here might save his life." Ron nodded. "Of course I'll give him the papers. But I doubt he'll leave willingly, knowing you aren't coming with him." He kissed her hair. "He won't know until just before we leave." Hermione answered, and then she kissed Ron. He kissed her back, then lightly kissed her forehead. "Here's looking at you, kid."
~*~*~*
almost blue almost doing things we used to do there's a boy here and he's almost you almost
all the things that your eyes once promised I see in him too now your eyes are red from crying almost blue
flirting with this disaster became me it made me as a fool who only had to be almost blue
there is part of me that's always true always all the things never come to an end almost me, almost you almost blue
4: Almost Blue
Author's Note: This is where I'm straying from the story, people. It's the hardest part to write, so that's why it took so long to get it to ya'll. The song is Almost Blue by No Doubt. It's kinda supposed to be more of Hermione's song than Ron's, and the feel of it is very. depressed 40's. Perfect for this story. It's my new favorite song.
Disclaimer: If I claimed to own this stuff. people would laugh. ~*~*~*
Ryan hurried up to Ron, an urgent look on his face. "Ron, can I ask a favor of you?" he asked nervously. Ron stared at him. "I don't do favors," he said. Ryan pulled out two passports. "I know, I know, but just do me this one thing? The Irish Ministry is after me and they can't find me with these papers. Just. I don't know, lock them in a drawer or something." He held out the papers for Ron to take. Ron rolled his eyes and took them. "Fine. But you owe me, Ryan." Ryan gratefully shook Ron's hand. "Thank you so much, Ron! I'll pay you back." And with that, he put his hat on and moved towards the back exit. Ron watched as 3 Irish guards nodded at each other and began to follow him. He saw this and changed directions, heading towards the basement room Ron had just left. Ron followed him. "Please, Ron." Ryan pleaded, knowing he was in trouble. Ron glared at him. "I told you, I don't do favors. I'm not going to help you escape. Just let yourself get arrested, it's not that bad." but Ryan had run off, heading for another exit. Just as he got out the door the guards got there too, and they chased him into the Alley. Everyone in the club was silent until they heard a loud bang. Ryan was dead. "Everything's under control, go back to what you were doing," Ron announced to his pub. Everything went back to normal. Then Ron hurried out to the alley to find the guards hauling Ryan's body away. O'Malley was there now, taking notes. Ron walked over to him. "Why'd you have to do that so near my club?" he asked angrily. "You upset my customers!" O'Malley sighed. "Mr. Weasley, may I talk to you? I need to ask you some questions." He said. "Why? You don't think I had anything to do with this, do you?" he snarled. O'Malley shrugged. "There's a possibility." Ron shook his head in disgust and followed O'Malley into the basement for the second time in an hour. When they sat down, he began interrogating him. "I have several witnesses claiming that Ryan gave you papers before we caught him. Is that true?" "Caught? You mean killed." Ron said darkly. O'Malley glared at him until he answered the question. "No, Ryan never gave my anything," Ron said, wondering why he was lying. It didn't really matter what happened, anyway. When O'Malley began to argue, Ron continued angrily. "Have I ever done anything for anyone else?" he snapped. "No. I suppose not," O'Malley said thoughtfully, still watching Ron with slight suspicion. "Well, watch out for those papers. We suspect that Potter's going to try and escape to France sometime soon, and those papers are his only way out. We can't let him go." O'Malley's face darkened, and Ron knew that if the Irish government had anything to do with it, Harry wouldn't get to France. O'Malley left the room, tipping his hat at Ron. Ron dropped his head into his hands.
~*~*~*
Later that night, Harry came up to him quietly, looking as if he needed to do business. "Ron. Care for a drink?" he asked solemnly. Ron debated with this. He never drank with customers, but this was Harry. "Alright." He said after a moment. Several people around them stared at him in shock. He sat down and they ordered the drinks. They were in a secluded booth near the back, away from the Irish. After a few minutes, Harry got down to business. "Ron, I heard you had those exit papers, and I was wondering how much you want for them." Ron's resolution hardened. Harry was his friend, but what Hermione had done had scarred him and he wasn't about to make her happy. "I'm sorry," he said simply. Harry watched his face carefully. "This has something to do with Hermione, doesn't it?" he asked slowly. Ron cocked his head, surprised, at him. "Yes," he said. Harry watched as his best friend's eyes turned cold. "So we can't leave because something happened between you and Hermione?" Harry asked. Ron nodded curtly. Harry stood up slowly. Smiling stiffly. "Can't say I blame you. Good luck with the pub." He shook Ron's hand, and then, after some debate, hugged him. Then he left, hat pulled over his eyes.
~*~*~*
Ron felt almost terrible about what he had done to his best friend, but at the same time he liked that he wasn't letting Hermione get an easy way out. He wanted her to suffer as much as he had. He decided to leave Ron's early and head home. A few hours after he got home, there was a knock on the door. It was Hermione. "What do you want?" he asked sharply, although that was kinder then what he had wanted to do, which was slam the door in her face. She looked anxious. "Ron, I needed to ask you-" "What? You want another favor?" Ron asked angrily. "Yes, Ron. I do." "And you expect me to do something for you, you of all people?" "Let me just explain-" "Explain? Explain what? How you promised to come with me and never showed up, only to show up years later at my pub with your husband, who also turns out to be my best friend?" Ron was holding himself back so he wouldn't yell at her. "Fine. Maybe you're different from what I remember. But just let me explain everything, not for me, for you." Hermione had tears in her eyes. Ron glared and slammed the door behind her. He crossed his arms and waited for her to explain. She swallowed. "You remember I told you my first love had died, well, it was Harry. I was lonely and there you were, smiling and loving and I needed that. When you invited me to Ireland, I was ready to go until Neville told us about Harry. He was alive, and hurt and he needed me. I had sworn to stand by him in sickness and health, and suddenly, there he was. Injured but alive. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't go with you, my husband needed me." She looked at her hands and a tear rolled down her cheek. "Did you love him?" Ron asked softly, forgetting his shell for the first time in years. Hermione looked up at him. "Of course," she whispered. "But I was in love with you, Ron. I didn't want to leave you any more than you wanted me to leave." Hermione broke into a sob and hunched over in pain. Ron's heart went out to her and he wrapped his arms around her. "And now that I've seen you again, I know I don't have the courage to leave you again. But please, Ron, give Harry the papers. He's your best friend, and getting him out of here might save his life." Ron nodded. "Of course I'll give him the papers. But I doubt he'll leave willingly, knowing you aren't coming with him." He kissed her hair. "He won't know until just before we leave." Hermione answered, and then she kissed Ron. He kissed her back, then lightly kissed her forehead. "Here's looking at you, kid."
~*~*~*
almost blue almost doing things we used to do there's a boy here and he's almost you almost
all the things that your eyes once promised I see in him too now your eyes are red from crying almost blue
flirting with this disaster became me it made me as a fool who only had to be almost blue
there is part of me that's always true always all the things never come to an end almost me, almost you almost blue