Chapter 2: Ron's Burrow
Ron flopped down on his orange bedspread, feeling exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time. Having just returned from a week-long vacation in Romania where the Weasleys had visited Charlie, he was ready for a little peace and quiet after a year full of insanity and excitement...and sadness.
He had never spoken about Sirius' death to Harry. And it wasn't just because Ron understood that it was difficult for Harry to discuss Sirius but there was something more. Ron felt partially responsible. He should've been there; been there to help Harry save Sirius, rather than incapacitated on the floor with the giggles. If only he'd been a smarter wizard; if only he'd been quicker and protected himself against the spells from the Death Eaters. If only, if only...basically he had been stupid. Stupid...and scared. Ron rose from his bed and stared at his reflection in the mirror, feeling ashamed for being so selfish for his own safety and fearful of Voldemort. "Man, I wish I was born brave like Harry!"
"Ron! Have you unpacked? Hermione is going to be here soon, dear!", his mother shouted up the stairs of the Burrow, interrupting his sad thoughts. Ron sighed deeply and gave himself one last, long look in the mirror. "Pitiful" he said dully to his reflection, before turning to unpack the mountain of trunks and suitcases piled on the floor.
"Honestly, why do I have to unpack? She's not even sharing a bloody room with me...always gettin' ordered around...never any respect!" Ron muttered almost incomprehensibly as he flitted around his room, randomly shoving clothes into drawers and under his bed.
"I don't know...maybe it's because you don't deserve any!" said a light, female voice from his doorway.
"Hermione, always a pleasure. Here so early! Perhaps your parents were only too eager to see you go, " Ron commented sweetly, grinning at Hermione who was watching a wobbling stack of books lean increasinly left and then right on his dresser.
Hermione shook her frizzy-haired head. "Great mood as always, I see. Well, I just got here. I can't get into Ginny's room though...the door's locked, so I'll guess I'll have to hang out with you, Ron."
Ron looked up eagerly. "Wanna help me clean up a bit, then?" he asked, gesturing avidly to a questionable pile of paraphernalia on the floor.
Hermione glanced at the posters of the Quidditch players above the weird pile of who knew what and she pulled a face. The players were wearing noseplugs and had huddled in the corner farthest from the floor. "I'm not your cleaning lady! Do it yourself!"
Ron smirked evilly. "Either that or I enlist the aid of a few, unsuspecting house elves."
"Ron, how many times need I remind you? House elves are not put on this earth for our ungrateful and degrading purposes. They deserve freedom and equal rights as human beings. Remember....S.P.E.W? You are so ignorant!" Hermione announced, her cheeks splashed with pink.
"Oh, you know what, SPEW this--"
"Ron! Hermione! Supper!" Percy called.
Huffing, Hermione stomped down the stairs with Ron directly after her. He had to use all his self-restraint to keep himself from pushing her down the steep stairs.
Mrs. Weasley, looking slightly flustered, enlisted Ron's help. "Could you go outside and fetch the hamdogs and hotburgers? You're father--", she shot an annoyed, fixed glare at Mr. Weasley, "wanted to have a real Muggle supper. Almost lit the house on fire this time!"
"Right, guess so." Ron felt the late-day sunshine on his head as he walked onto the lawn. Even in his bad mood, he felt content under the comforting sunlight. All his problems lifted away; everything about Sirius and being a crap wizard was gone for a few precious moments.
A figure bathed in sunlight appeared at his side as he gathered the hotdogs and hamburgers from a bizzarre looking stove-top thing.
"It's beautiful here, Ron. I'm so glad your parents invited me to stay," said the figure wistfully, taking in the rolling hills, clear sky...and stout little gnomes running around the yard.
"Well, made sense, Leah! You are coming to Hogwarts for a semester. This, way you can meet my friends and at least know some people. Besides, we always stay with you in Romania. Let's return the favour!" Ron replied easily.
Leah O'Madrid was the youngest daughter of the Madrid family of Romania. For years, the Weasleys had been spending summer vacations in Romania at the Madrid's villa. Naturally, the two families had grown close to eachother and valued those summer vacations. Leah attended the local wizarding school but she had been accepted into the IWE, the Internation Wizard Exchange. She would be coming to Hogwarts for an entire semester and Ron was extremely excited.
Leah was great, in Ron's view. She was just the kind of girl that he...well, that he could see himself fancying at some point. Although, he'd never really thought of her that way, Leah had some awesome qualities. She was smart but not over-the-top intelligent. Leah would never give him a homework planner for Christmas and Ron loved that about her! Plus, she loved Quidditch and knew a few wicked manoevres that could knock him off his broom. Leah was also relaxing and open. He didn't want to throw her down any stairs, that's for sure! Mainly, Ron just felt at ease in her presence and wasn't his usual self-conscious and shy self. And...well, she definitely wasn't bad to look at. Leah had long, silvery blonde hair and bright, enticing blue eyes. She had an athletic figure, kept trim by regular Quidditch and football practices. Ron couldn't wait for Harry and Hermione to meet her. How could they not like Leah? She was perfect. Maybe she was just what Harry needed to get over Cho...
"Ron...earth to Ron!" Leah smiled at him, laying a warm hand on his arm. "Focus on me for a second!"
A smile grin played across his lips as he looked down at her. "That's certainly not difficult, Leah, you know that!"
She laughed gently, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Are you this nice to all your friends?"
"Only the good ones; the ones I like!" Ron replied, leaning closer and intentionally bopping his head with hers.
They laughed together before heading back into the Burrow, chatting comfortably along the way. Ron had a feeling that these next few weeks with his best friends, Harry (when he came next week), Hermione, and Leah, were going to be memorable!
Note: For all you R/Hr fans, don't freak out! You'll see!
Ron flopped down on his orange bedspread, feeling exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time. Having just returned from a week-long vacation in Romania where the Weasleys had visited Charlie, he was ready for a little peace and quiet after a year full of insanity and excitement...and sadness.
He had never spoken about Sirius' death to Harry. And it wasn't just because Ron understood that it was difficult for Harry to discuss Sirius but there was something more. Ron felt partially responsible. He should've been there; been there to help Harry save Sirius, rather than incapacitated on the floor with the giggles. If only he'd been a smarter wizard; if only he'd been quicker and protected himself against the spells from the Death Eaters. If only, if only...basically he had been stupid. Stupid...and scared. Ron rose from his bed and stared at his reflection in the mirror, feeling ashamed for being so selfish for his own safety and fearful of Voldemort. "Man, I wish I was born brave like Harry!"
"Ron! Have you unpacked? Hermione is going to be here soon, dear!", his mother shouted up the stairs of the Burrow, interrupting his sad thoughts. Ron sighed deeply and gave himself one last, long look in the mirror. "Pitiful" he said dully to his reflection, before turning to unpack the mountain of trunks and suitcases piled on the floor.
"Honestly, why do I have to unpack? She's not even sharing a bloody room with me...always gettin' ordered around...never any respect!" Ron muttered almost incomprehensibly as he flitted around his room, randomly shoving clothes into drawers and under his bed.
"I don't know...maybe it's because you don't deserve any!" said a light, female voice from his doorway.
"Hermione, always a pleasure. Here so early! Perhaps your parents were only too eager to see you go, " Ron commented sweetly, grinning at Hermione who was watching a wobbling stack of books lean increasinly left and then right on his dresser.
Hermione shook her frizzy-haired head. "Great mood as always, I see. Well, I just got here. I can't get into Ginny's room though...the door's locked, so I'll guess I'll have to hang out with you, Ron."
Ron looked up eagerly. "Wanna help me clean up a bit, then?" he asked, gesturing avidly to a questionable pile of paraphernalia on the floor.
Hermione glanced at the posters of the Quidditch players above the weird pile of who knew what and she pulled a face. The players were wearing noseplugs and had huddled in the corner farthest from the floor. "I'm not your cleaning lady! Do it yourself!"
Ron smirked evilly. "Either that or I enlist the aid of a few, unsuspecting house elves."
"Ron, how many times need I remind you? House elves are not put on this earth for our ungrateful and degrading purposes. They deserve freedom and equal rights as human beings. Remember....S.P.E.W? You are so ignorant!" Hermione announced, her cheeks splashed with pink.
"Oh, you know what, SPEW this--"
"Ron! Hermione! Supper!" Percy called.
Huffing, Hermione stomped down the stairs with Ron directly after her. He had to use all his self-restraint to keep himself from pushing her down the steep stairs.
Mrs. Weasley, looking slightly flustered, enlisted Ron's help. "Could you go outside and fetch the hamdogs and hotburgers? You're father--", she shot an annoyed, fixed glare at Mr. Weasley, "wanted to have a real Muggle supper. Almost lit the house on fire this time!"
"Right, guess so." Ron felt the late-day sunshine on his head as he walked onto the lawn. Even in his bad mood, he felt content under the comforting sunlight. All his problems lifted away; everything about Sirius and being a crap wizard was gone for a few precious moments.
A figure bathed in sunlight appeared at his side as he gathered the hotdogs and hamburgers from a bizzarre looking stove-top thing.
"It's beautiful here, Ron. I'm so glad your parents invited me to stay," said the figure wistfully, taking in the rolling hills, clear sky...and stout little gnomes running around the yard.
"Well, made sense, Leah! You are coming to Hogwarts for a semester. This, way you can meet my friends and at least know some people. Besides, we always stay with you in Romania. Let's return the favour!" Ron replied easily.
Leah O'Madrid was the youngest daughter of the Madrid family of Romania. For years, the Weasleys had been spending summer vacations in Romania at the Madrid's villa. Naturally, the two families had grown close to eachother and valued those summer vacations. Leah attended the local wizarding school but she had been accepted into the IWE, the Internation Wizard Exchange. She would be coming to Hogwarts for an entire semester and Ron was extremely excited.
Leah was great, in Ron's view. She was just the kind of girl that he...well, that he could see himself fancying at some point. Although, he'd never really thought of her that way, Leah had some awesome qualities. She was smart but not over-the-top intelligent. Leah would never give him a homework planner for Christmas and Ron loved that about her! Plus, she loved Quidditch and knew a few wicked manoevres that could knock him off his broom. Leah was also relaxing and open. He didn't want to throw her down any stairs, that's for sure! Mainly, Ron just felt at ease in her presence and wasn't his usual self-conscious and shy self. And...well, she definitely wasn't bad to look at. Leah had long, silvery blonde hair and bright, enticing blue eyes. She had an athletic figure, kept trim by regular Quidditch and football practices. Ron couldn't wait for Harry and Hermione to meet her. How could they not like Leah? She was perfect. Maybe she was just what Harry needed to get over Cho...
"Ron...earth to Ron!" Leah smiled at him, laying a warm hand on his arm. "Focus on me for a second!"
A smile grin played across his lips as he looked down at her. "That's certainly not difficult, Leah, you know that!"
She laughed gently, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Are you this nice to all your friends?"
"Only the good ones; the ones I like!" Ron replied, leaning closer and intentionally bopping his head with hers.
They laughed together before heading back into the Burrow, chatting comfortably along the way. Ron had a feeling that these next few weeks with his best friends, Harry (when he came next week), Hermione, and Leah, were going to be memorable!
Note: For all you R/Hr fans, don't freak out! You'll see!