A week or two past, and the Weasley family had become accustomed to seeing Mandy around on a daily basis. It was as if she had always been there. Ron couldn't imagine how he managed without her. Nor could anyone else in the family. She helped Mrs. Weasley with dishes. She told Mr. Weasley about a bunch of muggle artifacts and their uses, including, the rubber duck. She taught Ginny how to manage her hair and helped her fancy up a few of her old robes. In fact, Mandy had some really fancy robes and muggle clothing that she'd outgrown and Ginny was more than happy to have them. Mandy even found proper flavoring for Fred and George's experiments. "This actually tastes good!" George had exclaimed after eating a fever frostie. Mandy was absolutely perfect.
Then, one morning Mandy appeared in the Weasley living room. She waved hello to Ginny, who had only come down for a glass of water. She dashed up the stairs, straight to Ron's room.
"Ron, move over!" She hissed.
She lied down next to him. He wrapped his arm around her, and she came to rest her head on his shoulder.
"What's up?" He mumbled.
"Ron, I had the most horrid dream…"
"What about?"
"My mum."
"I thought you said she didn't matter to you." Ron said, bolting upright.
"She shouldn't- I was only a little kid." She said, sitting up as well.
"Tell me everything." Ron said, suddenly wide awake.
"I was only like three. I don't remember it well. I just know that my mum went to work one day and never came home. I was miserable forever."
"Mandy, she's your mum, of course you're going to miss her."
"Not knowing my mum, it's killing me. I feel that part of me is missing. I don't know who I am. I'm nothing."
"Oh, don't be such a drama queen! Sweetheart, you're something. You're something great and don't think otherwise."
"Ron, I've never had a real friend-"
"What am I? A figment of your imagination?"
"No, but-"
"No, buts! You've got a friend. A lot of people like you-"
"Really now? Who?"
"My mum thinks highly of you. Ginny thinks your amazing, idolizes you, I think. She's even counting days to see how long it take you to realize you're too good for me. Fred and George think you're funny- and that's saying something- they're Fred and George! Harry and Hermione think you're great too. They all have good reasons too. And then, there's me. I love you."
"What?"
"I love you, Mandy."
"I love you, too."
"Now that we have that settled-"
"Nothing's settled, Ron." Mandy said firmly. The gentle and expression that Mandy had always worn was gone. It was replaced with sad, teary eyes and thick lips that were twisted in an upside-down smile.
"Have you talked to your father or Anthony about this?" Ron said, rubbing her shoulder.
"No, it doesn't feel right to talk to my dad. He misses her so much and I don't think I could stand to see him cry. To be honest, I'm really close to my dad and I talk to him a lot but, he never looks me in the eye, and seldom does he look at my face. I asked him about it once, and he apologized like a madman but, it's because he can't stand the sight of me. I look just like my mum. There are a few pictures that I have of her but, most of them are put away. You don't know what it's like to have a part of you missing! I don't know why I thought you could help me. I should never have come to you for this! I knew you wouldn't understand."
"I, wow... Er-"
"I should have gone to Harry. Harry would understand."
"Fine then! Go visit your precious Harry! God knows only Harry can understand how you feel!" Ron roared, climbing out of bed. He stood with his bare back to Mandy and his arms crossed. He stared at the hem of his pajama pants that dragged on the floor.
"Ronnie, I didn't mean it like that." She whispered.
"How should I know what you meant! Maybe I should write to Harry and he'll translate for me!" Ron said curtly.
"Maybe I should leave." Mandy said standing.
"You walk out that bloody door and I will know what it's like to have part of me missing! Damn it, Mandy!"
"What do you want from me, Ron?"
"Damn it! I want you to talk to me!"
"Stop swearing! I can't talk to you when you're hostle like this."
"No, see that's it! You can't talk to me! It doesn't matter if I'm shouting or whispering! So, go ahead and leave! Go to Harry let's see if he can help you! Because you're right, how could you're own brother, who lost the same person as you, how could he out of all people understand?"
"Well, if you put it like that-"
"There is just no other way to put it. Just go. Leave and don't bother coming back. Because what good am I if I can't help my own girlfriend? Go talk to Harry then!"
But, an answer never came. Ron turned to see Mandy curled up on his bed, her face in her hands.
"Mandy!" Ron rushed to her, forgetting his anger.
"No, you've said enough. You want me gone forever. That makes perfect sense. If I were you, I wouldn't want some insecure, stupid little girl running around and messing everything up for me."
"Mandy, that's not it!" Ron raved.
"Then, what is?"
"Weren't you listening when I told you I loved you?"
"Yes." She said immediately.
"Then you should know that I meant it and I don't want you gone. You didn't mess anything up for me. For one, you're a beautiful, smart and intelegent woman. You're not the insecure one around here."
"I'm sorry." Mandy sobbed.
Ron sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around Mandy, "Please, don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"I know." She said, resting her head on Ron's bare chest.
"I'm sorry for over reacting when you mentioned Harry. I just got really jealous when I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry, okay?"
She nodded, "I'm sorry for what I- what I said to you. I didn't mean it the way it came out. I just wanted someone who knows exactly what I am feeling."
"Talk to your brother."
"He wouldn't understand at all. He's sensitivity level is at zero!"
"He's you're brother. He loves you. And besides, he's missing a mother too. I'm not saying you shouldn't talk to Harry, he probobly understands more than I can, just talk to Anthony first."
"I will, just come with me." Mandy said in tears.
"I'll come. Babe, stop crying. I know you're hurting badly but, you're mother wouldn't want you crying like this."
"I need to cry."
"You're going to be okay." Ron said as he kissed Mandy's forehead.
"I love you so much." Mandy said before she pulled up to kiss him.
"We can go see Anthony now- Merlin's beard! Mandy, it's six o'clock in the morning! Forget that!"
"You can go to sleep, you know."
"I don't want you to go." He yawned.
"Neither do I."
"Then lie back down, and close your eyes." Ron whispered.
Ron fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
It was about eleven when George came through the door. He stood in amazement for a second. [i]Ron, in bed with a girl! This ought to be fun.[/i] He walked to the bed on tiptoes, slapping Ron hard over the head.
"What was that for!?" Ron demanded the instant he opened his eyes.
"It doesn't matter. It's in the past. What matters is what Mum is going to say if she finds you in bed with Mandy."
"We didn't do anything! She was really upset this morning- all we did was talk and then we fell asleep, honest!" Ron protested.
"Well, get her out of here!" George racked his brain for ideas.
"What do you want me to do? Throw her out the window? I like her way too much to do that!"
"If mum sees her here... Wake her!"
"What?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"Wake her up, make her do her hair, and mum will think she just got here."
"She's tired; let her sleep." Ron said in a hushed voice, as he tucked Mandy's hair behind her ear.
"You're an idiot." George declared.
"Mum trusts us, she won't think we did anything bad."
"She'll prolly be up in a minute to wake you. Heads will roll." George warned as he walked out of the room.
Sure enough, Mrs. Weasley appeared in the room only minutes later. She clocked Ron upside his head.
"What's it with these people and hitting my head in the morning? Doesn't anyone know it protects a vital organ called a brain?"
"If you had half a brain you wouldn't have a girl in your bed, Ronald Weasley!"
"We didn't do anything, mum. She came over about six. She had a bad dream about her dead mother. She only wanted to talk to me. Then we fell asleep."
"Is that the truth?"
"Yes."
"Poor dear, I knew her mother, you know. Mrs. Brocklehurst was as wonderful as this young lady here. Like I told you Ron, don't you hurt her."
"I won't."
"Good. Now go back to bed or get out of here so she can sleep."
"You're wicked, mum."
"Thank you, Ron- I think." Mrs. Weasley mumbled, fluffing her hair.
Ron fell back asleep only to be woken up by a kiss on the cheek.
"What's up?" Ron asked again.
"I should be going. My dad'll be wonder where I am."
"Haven't you told him about me?"
"No."
"Do you plan on it?"
"Not really."
"What if we get married? Won't you tell him?"
"If it goes that far, I just might."
"Love you."
"Love you, too."
Mandy went to the door.
"Mandy!" He called to her.
"Yes?"
"When did you want me to come with you to talk to Anthony?"
"I think I can talk to him by myself. Well, I think I need to. But, I want you to meet him before the start of term."
Then, one morning Mandy appeared in the Weasley living room. She waved hello to Ginny, who had only come down for a glass of water. She dashed up the stairs, straight to Ron's room.
"Ron, move over!" She hissed.
She lied down next to him. He wrapped his arm around her, and she came to rest her head on his shoulder.
"What's up?" He mumbled.
"Ron, I had the most horrid dream…"
"What about?"
"My mum."
"I thought you said she didn't matter to you." Ron said, bolting upright.
"She shouldn't- I was only a little kid." She said, sitting up as well.
"Tell me everything." Ron said, suddenly wide awake.
"I was only like three. I don't remember it well. I just know that my mum went to work one day and never came home. I was miserable forever."
"Mandy, she's your mum, of course you're going to miss her."
"Not knowing my mum, it's killing me. I feel that part of me is missing. I don't know who I am. I'm nothing."
"Oh, don't be such a drama queen! Sweetheart, you're something. You're something great and don't think otherwise."
"Ron, I've never had a real friend-"
"What am I? A figment of your imagination?"
"No, but-"
"No, buts! You've got a friend. A lot of people like you-"
"Really now? Who?"
"My mum thinks highly of you. Ginny thinks your amazing, idolizes you, I think. She's even counting days to see how long it take you to realize you're too good for me. Fred and George think you're funny- and that's saying something- they're Fred and George! Harry and Hermione think you're great too. They all have good reasons too. And then, there's me. I love you."
"What?"
"I love you, Mandy."
"I love you, too."
"Now that we have that settled-"
"Nothing's settled, Ron." Mandy said firmly. The gentle and expression that Mandy had always worn was gone. It was replaced with sad, teary eyes and thick lips that were twisted in an upside-down smile.
"Have you talked to your father or Anthony about this?" Ron said, rubbing her shoulder.
"No, it doesn't feel right to talk to my dad. He misses her so much and I don't think I could stand to see him cry. To be honest, I'm really close to my dad and I talk to him a lot but, he never looks me in the eye, and seldom does he look at my face. I asked him about it once, and he apologized like a madman but, it's because he can't stand the sight of me. I look just like my mum. There are a few pictures that I have of her but, most of them are put away. You don't know what it's like to have a part of you missing! I don't know why I thought you could help me. I should never have come to you for this! I knew you wouldn't understand."
"I, wow... Er-"
"I should have gone to Harry. Harry would understand."
"Fine then! Go visit your precious Harry! God knows only Harry can understand how you feel!" Ron roared, climbing out of bed. He stood with his bare back to Mandy and his arms crossed. He stared at the hem of his pajama pants that dragged on the floor.
"Ronnie, I didn't mean it like that." She whispered.
"How should I know what you meant! Maybe I should write to Harry and he'll translate for me!" Ron said curtly.
"Maybe I should leave." Mandy said standing.
"You walk out that bloody door and I will know what it's like to have part of me missing! Damn it, Mandy!"
"What do you want from me, Ron?"
"Damn it! I want you to talk to me!"
"Stop swearing! I can't talk to you when you're hostle like this."
"No, see that's it! You can't talk to me! It doesn't matter if I'm shouting or whispering! So, go ahead and leave! Go to Harry let's see if he can help you! Because you're right, how could you're own brother, who lost the same person as you, how could he out of all people understand?"
"Well, if you put it like that-"
"There is just no other way to put it. Just go. Leave and don't bother coming back. Because what good am I if I can't help my own girlfriend? Go talk to Harry then!"
But, an answer never came. Ron turned to see Mandy curled up on his bed, her face in her hands.
"Mandy!" Ron rushed to her, forgetting his anger.
"No, you've said enough. You want me gone forever. That makes perfect sense. If I were you, I wouldn't want some insecure, stupid little girl running around and messing everything up for me."
"Mandy, that's not it!" Ron raved.
"Then, what is?"
"Weren't you listening when I told you I loved you?"
"Yes." She said immediately.
"Then you should know that I meant it and I don't want you gone. You didn't mess anything up for me. For one, you're a beautiful, smart and intelegent woman. You're not the insecure one around here."
"I'm sorry." Mandy sobbed.
Ron sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around Mandy, "Please, don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"I know." She said, resting her head on Ron's bare chest.
"I'm sorry for over reacting when you mentioned Harry. I just got really jealous when I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry, okay?"
She nodded, "I'm sorry for what I- what I said to you. I didn't mean it the way it came out. I just wanted someone who knows exactly what I am feeling."
"Talk to your brother."
"He wouldn't understand at all. He's sensitivity level is at zero!"
"He's you're brother. He loves you. And besides, he's missing a mother too. I'm not saying you shouldn't talk to Harry, he probobly understands more than I can, just talk to Anthony first."
"I will, just come with me." Mandy said in tears.
"I'll come. Babe, stop crying. I know you're hurting badly but, you're mother wouldn't want you crying like this."
"I need to cry."
"You're going to be okay." Ron said as he kissed Mandy's forehead.
"I love you so much." Mandy said before she pulled up to kiss him.
"We can go see Anthony now- Merlin's beard! Mandy, it's six o'clock in the morning! Forget that!"
"You can go to sleep, you know."
"I don't want you to go." He yawned.
"Neither do I."
"Then lie back down, and close your eyes." Ron whispered.
Ron fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
It was about eleven when George came through the door. He stood in amazement for a second. [i]Ron, in bed with a girl! This ought to be fun.[/i] He walked to the bed on tiptoes, slapping Ron hard over the head.
"What was that for!?" Ron demanded the instant he opened his eyes.
"It doesn't matter. It's in the past. What matters is what Mum is going to say if she finds you in bed with Mandy."
"We didn't do anything! She was really upset this morning- all we did was talk and then we fell asleep, honest!" Ron protested.
"Well, get her out of here!" George racked his brain for ideas.
"What do you want me to do? Throw her out the window? I like her way too much to do that!"
"If mum sees her here... Wake her!"
"What?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"Wake her up, make her do her hair, and mum will think she just got here."
"She's tired; let her sleep." Ron said in a hushed voice, as he tucked Mandy's hair behind her ear.
"You're an idiot." George declared.
"Mum trusts us, she won't think we did anything bad."
"She'll prolly be up in a minute to wake you. Heads will roll." George warned as he walked out of the room.
Sure enough, Mrs. Weasley appeared in the room only minutes later. She clocked Ron upside his head.
"What's it with these people and hitting my head in the morning? Doesn't anyone know it protects a vital organ called a brain?"
"If you had half a brain you wouldn't have a girl in your bed, Ronald Weasley!"
"We didn't do anything, mum. She came over about six. She had a bad dream about her dead mother. She only wanted to talk to me. Then we fell asleep."
"Is that the truth?"
"Yes."
"Poor dear, I knew her mother, you know. Mrs. Brocklehurst was as wonderful as this young lady here. Like I told you Ron, don't you hurt her."
"I won't."
"Good. Now go back to bed or get out of here so she can sleep."
"You're wicked, mum."
"Thank you, Ron- I think." Mrs. Weasley mumbled, fluffing her hair.
Ron fell back asleep only to be woken up by a kiss on the cheek.
"What's up?" Ron asked again.
"I should be going. My dad'll be wonder where I am."
"Haven't you told him about me?"
"No."
"Do you plan on it?"
"Not really."
"What if we get married? Won't you tell him?"
"If it goes that far, I just might."
"Love you."
"Love you, too."
Mandy went to the door.
"Mandy!" He called to her.
"Yes?"
"When did you want me to come with you to talk to Anthony?"
"I think I can talk to him by myself. Well, I think I need to. But, I want you to meet him before the start of term."