A/N: I own nothing. Except the crap, maybe.
Summary: Our favorite foursome is on their way to Hogwarts when Ron embarrassingly discovers Hermione. (evil grin) Unfortunately, now Malfoy knows.
~*~
Malfoy just stood there and laughed in the cruel and malicious way that he always did. 'This is just too good,' he thought.
"Malfoy." A look of disgust spread onto Harry's face. "What a surprise. I thought eavesdropping was below your usual 'high standards'."
"Not to worry, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "The day's still young," looking Ron up and down. "And by the look of things, there will be PLEANTY more opportunities to make your lives miserable. Isn't that right Ronnie? With your schoolboy crush, and all?"
"Go to hell."
"Been there. Done that. Your parents say 'hi' by the way."
Ron was so mortified that he almost didn't react in time to stop Harry. Getting in between the two seconds before Harry's fists reached Malfoy's face. "Not now, Harry," he whispered.
Malfoy wasn't even fazed. He just stood there, smirking. "Too bad, Weasley. You just stopped him from reclaiming what was left of his dignity. Such a good friend you are." And with that, Draco Malfoy calmly slid between them and made his way down the train.
"Thanks a LOT, Ron." Harry turned his back on his friend.
"He wasn't worth it, Harry!"
Turning around so quickly, Ron had to take a step back. "That asshole just insulted my parents! He insulted you too!" Harry's face was getting redder by the moment.
"I know, Harry. I know. But you can't let him get to you."
"No offense, Ron, but you can be a real pussy sometimes," said Harry sarcastically.
Ron was stunned. Whatever color was left in his cheeks quickly dissolved.
Harry continued, "at least Fred or George would'a come up with some comeback. How could you just stand there?"
Quietly and coldly, Ron muttered, "I'm not Fred or George. I'm your friend." He could feel the tears starting to swell behind his eyes. Refusing to let Harry see him cry, Ron turned and walked away.
"Ron. Ron! Shit." Harry called after his friend. Realizing what he had just done, Harry turned and kicked the wall.
~*~
Back inside the compartment, Harry plopped down next to Hermione. His face was flushed and his hands were still shaking. Concerned not to see Ron with him, Hermione spoke up.
"Harry? What the hell happened?"
"Malfoy."
Ginny groaned, "School hasn't even started up yet! What'd that brainless toad do this time?"
"Oh the usual," chuckled Harry. "Insulted the memory of my parents, made fun of Ron, sneered, laughed, left."
"What did you do?" asked Ginny.
"WELL, I was about to hit the bastard, but Ron stopped me."
"Good for him," nodded Hermione. "No need for you to stoop to his level, Harry."
"Yeah, I suppose. I was just so mad!" He looked gravely at Hermione. "I could'a killed him, Hermione. I really could've."
"Where is Ron?" questioned Ginny, looking around the hall.
Harry just sat there, looking at the ground.
"Harry. What happened? What did you say to him?" Hermione was looking concerned.
Harry shook his head and groaned. "I was an asshole, Hermione."
Ginny and Hermione just stared at him. Calming down and wising up, Harry continued. "I. I told him he was a pussy for not standing up to Malfoy." Ginny gasped. Harry continued, stammering. "I, I was just so mad. I couldn't believe that he would just stand there and take it! If not for my sake, then for his own!" Harry put his head down again. "I blew up at him. I shouldn't have. I know."
"Where is he, Harry?"
"I don't know. He walked away."
"Well, we've got to go find him!" Hermione was making her way to the hall.
"He's not far, Mione," Ginny reassured her. "Hell, it's just a train. He couldn't have gotten far."
"I know, Ginny, but we should talk to him, at least." Hermione looked at Harry. "You should be the one to talk to him."
"I know. Don't think he'll be real eager to see me, though." Harry looked up at Hermione. "I think I really hut him. Maybe you should be the one to find him."
"I'm not the one who called him a pussy, Harry."
"Yeah, but you're part of the reason that Malfoy was giving him a hard time." Only after Harry had said this, did he realize that he shouldn't have.
"ME? Why the hell would Malfoy care what Ron thought of me?"
Harry's mind was racing with worry, trying to find a way to weasel his way out of this one. "Oh, you know, the usual stuff. You're born of a muggle family, he's friends with you, yadda yadda yadda."
Hermione didn't look convinced, but Malfoy's reasons for making fun of her were the least of her concerns right now. "Well, he's born of a family of death eaters. Wouldn't expect any less, I sup'pose."
Relieved that Hermione appeared to be buying his story, Harry breathed a deep breath for the first time since Malfoy left. He had already hurt Ron once today, no need to worsen his situation. Standing up, Harry spoke; "That doesn't really matter right now. You're right Mione, let's go find Ron."
Before Harry could get out the door after Hermione, Ginny grabbed his elbow. Quietly, she whispered, "Harry, was that really why Malfoy was making fun of Ron?"
Harry sighed. "Well, it was part of the reason, Ginny, yeah." He ruffled her hair and smiled, "Let's go find him."
Ginny nodded and smiled back, her stomach all a flutter.
~*~
Ron had made his way back to the end of the train, watching the landscape fall farther and farther away. His face was red and blotchy, eyes puffy from crying. Not that he'd ever admit it, but he was quite the pathetic sight. Harry's words were echoing in his mind over and over again. 'How could you just stand there?' 'Harry, I'm so sorry.' 'He insulted my family! He insulted you too.' Ron just shook his head. ' I know, I know.' 'no offense Ron, but you can be a real pussy sometimes.' Another wave of tears made their way to his cheeks. 'What's wrong with me?' Ron's thoughts were getting louder and louder in his head. 'I should've said something. I should've.' Ron slid down the side of the train, hitting the floor with a thud. He curled up, his arms around his knees. Incoherent thoughts were swirling in his mind. 'at least Fred or George would'a come up with a come back' 'Ron, how do YOU know a muggle phrase?' 'Ron, why can't you be more like your brother, Percy?' 'Now, which Weasley brother are you?' 'Do I need to ask YOUR name? Red hair, a hand me down robe, you must be a WEASLEY.'
"I'm RON! I'm Ron." He was crying harder now. "Not that anyone notices, or cares." His voice was getting softer, "even my best friend wishes I was someone else."
A moment of clarity hit Ron like a thunderbolt. Suddenly, everything was so clear to him. 'If that's what they want,' Ron thought, 'that's what they'll get.'
"Ron Weasley no longer exists."
Summary: Our favorite foursome is on their way to Hogwarts when Ron embarrassingly discovers Hermione. (evil grin) Unfortunately, now Malfoy knows.
~*~
Malfoy just stood there and laughed in the cruel and malicious way that he always did. 'This is just too good,' he thought.
"Malfoy." A look of disgust spread onto Harry's face. "What a surprise. I thought eavesdropping was below your usual 'high standards'."
"Not to worry, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "The day's still young," looking Ron up and down. "And by the look of things, there will be PLEANTY more opportunities to make your lives miserable. Isn't that right Ronnie? With your schoolboy crush, and all?"
"Go to hell."
"Been there. Done that. Your parents say 'hi' by the way."
Ron was so mortified that he almost didn't react in time to stop Harry. Getting in between the two seconds before Harry's fists reached Malfoy's face. "Not now, Harry," he whispered.
Malfoy wasn't even fazed. He just stood there, smirking. "Too bad, Weasley. You just stopped him from reclaiming what was left of his dignity. Such a good friend you are." And with that, Draco Malfoy calmly slid between them and made his way down the train.
"Thanks a LOT, Ron." Harry turned his back on his friend.
"He wasn't worth it, Harry!"
Turning around so quickly, Ron had to take a step back. "That asshole just insulted my parents! He insulted you too!" Harry's face was getting redder by the moment.
"I know, Harry. I know. But you can't let him get to you."
"No offense, Ron, but you can be a real pussy sometimes," said Harry sarcastically.
Ron was stunned. Whatever color was left in his cheeks quickly dissolved.
Harry continued, "at least Fred or George would'a come up with some comeback. How could you just stand there?"
Quietly and coldly, Ron muttered, "I'm not Fred or George. I'm your friend." He could feel the tears starting to swell behind his eyes. Refusing to let Harry see him cry, Ron turned and walked away.
"Ron. Ron! Shit." Harry called after his friend. Realizing what he had just done, Harry turned and kicked the wall.
~*~
Back inside the compartment, Harry plopped down next to Hermione. His face was flushed and his hands were still shaking. Concerned not to see Ron with him, Hermione spoke up.
"Harry? What the hell happened?"
"Malfoy."
Ginny groaned, "School hasn't even started up yet! What'd that brainless toad do this time?"
"Oh the usual," chuckled Harry. "Insulted the memory of my parents, made fun of Ron, sneered, laughed, left."
"What did you do?" asked Ginny.
"WELL, I was about to hit the bastard, but Ron stopped me."
"Good for him," nodded Hermione. "No need for you to stoop to his level, Harry."
"Yeah, I suppose. I was just so mad!" He looked gravely at Hermione. "I could'a killed him, Hermione. I really could've."
"Where is Ron?" questioned Ginny, looking around the hall.
Harry just sat there, looking at the ground.
"Harry. What happened? What did you say to him?" Hermione was looking concerned.
Harry shook his head and groaned. "I was an asshole, Hermione."
Ginny and Hermione just stared at him. Calming down and wising up, Harry continued. "I. I told him he was a pussy for not standing up to Malfoy." Ginny gasped. Harry continued, stammering. "I, I was just so mad. I couldn't believe that he would just stand there and take it! If not for my sake, then for his own!" Harry put his head down again. "I blew up at him. I shouldn't have. I know."
"Where is he, Harry?"
"I don't know. He walked away."
"Well, we've got to go find him!" Hermione was making her way to the hall.
"He's not far, Mione," Ginny reassured her. "Hell, it's just a train. He couldn't have gotten far."
"I know, Ginny, but we should talk to him, at least." Hermione looked at Harry. "You should be the one to talk to him."
"I know. Don't think he'll be real eager to see me, though." Harry looked up at Hermione. "I think I really hut him. Maybe you should be the one to find him."
"I'm not the one who called him a pussy, Harry."
"Yeah, but you're part of the reason that Malfoy was giving him a hard time." Only after Harry had said this, did he realize that he shouldn't have.
"ME? Why the hell would Malfoy care what Ron thought of me?"
Harry's mind was racing with worry, trying to find a way to weasel his way out of this one. "Oh, you know, the usual stuff. You're born of a muggle family, he's friends with you, yadda yadda yadda."
Hermione didn't look convinced, but Malfoy's reasons for making fun of her were the least of her concerns right now. "Well, he's born of a family of death eaters. Wouldn't expect any less, I sup'pose."
Relieved that Hermione appeared to be buying his story, Harry breathed a deep breath for the first time since Malfoy left. He had already hurt Ron once today, no need to worsen his situation. Standing up, Harry spoke; "That doesn't really matter right now. You're right Mione, let's go find Ron."
Before Harry could get out the door after Hermione, Ginny grabbed his elbow. Quietly, she whispered, "Harry, was that really why Malfoy was making fun of Ron?"
Harry sighed. "Well, it was part of the reason, Ginny, yeah." He ruffled her hair and smiled, "Let's go find him."
Ginny nodded and smiled back, her stomach all a flutter.
~*~
Ron had made his way back to the end of the train, watching the landscape fall farther and farther away. His face was red and blotchy, eyes puffy from crying. Not that he'd ever admit it, but he was quite the pathetic sight. Harry's words were echoing in his mind over and over again. 'How could you just stand there?' 'Harry, I'm so sorry.' 'He insulted my family! He insulted you too.' Ron just shook his head. ' I know, I know.' 'no offense Ron, but you can be a real pussy sometimes.' Another wave of tears made their way to his cheeks. 'What's wrong with me?' Ron's thoughts were getting louder and louder in his head. 'I should've said something. I should've.' Ron slid down the side of the train, hitting the floor with a thud. He curled up, his arms around his knees. Incoherent thoughts were swirling in his mind. 'at least Fred or George would'a come up with a come back' 'Ron, how do YOU know a muggle phrase?' 'Ron, why can't you be more like your brother, Percy?' 'Now, which Weasley brother are you?' 'Do I need to ask YOUR name? Red hair, a hand me down robe, you must be a WEASLEY.'
"I'm RON! I'm Ron." He was crying harder now. "Not that anyone notices, or cares." His voice was getting softer, "even my best friend wishes I was someone else."
A moment of clarity hit Ron like a thunderbolt. Suddenly, everything was so clear to him. 'If that's what they want,' Ron thought, 'that's what they'll get.'
"Ron Weasley no longer exists."