The sidekick

Ron walked passed the lake as he fiddled with his tie. He hated ties; he didn't see the point to

them. Well, not unless you were Nearly Headless Nick and needed it to connect your head to

your neck. He chuckled a little as he thought of the idea seeing Nearly Headless Nick floating

around in a school uniform. He decided to take off his tie, seeing how classes were done for the

day.
Classes were awful that day and for one reason, Malfoy. He was still talking about the mistake

he made in the Quiddicth Game last Friday, when he sent the Blugder flying towards George.

Luckily it didn't hit him, but he wished it had. It had cracked his old Cleansweep instead.

George hasn't talked to him since. He was thankful for that because the next day he had gotten

three howlers from mum. Seeing as the first one wouldn't hold all her rage.

As he thought about what he could do to make it up to George, when Cho Chang walked by.

His heart flipped. Cho was wonderful she had it all beauty and brains. He wouldn't dare tell that

to Harry, seeing how he fancied her too. He wondered what she was doing there, wasn't she

supposed to be with Harry? His heart jumped again, maybe they had had another row. He had

been hoping for months now that the rows would make Harry would lose his interest in her. He

decided to head up to the castle, maybe his hopes had come true.

He ran up to the castle, jogging through the hallways. The stairways were changing, he didn't

have time for this. He played with his tie, running it along his fingers. Finally! He ran up the stairs.

He muttered the password and headed into the common room. "Ron!" Hermione came over.

"Where have you been? I was so worried when I realized you hadn't followed Harry and I back

to the castle after Care of Magical Creatures." Why were you worried, Ron thought, Am I not

brave enough to be alone for a half hour. But, of course he didn't say his real feelings. He hid

them. "I decided to take a walk. Where's Harry?" "Oh, it seems that Harry and Cho have had

another row, he's upstairs in his room. I tried to go up, but some first years walked by." She

blushed at the thought. "I hope they don't think anything about it." Of course they wouldn't have

thought about it, your Hermione. But, yet again he held it back. "I'll go up and check on him."

He took the stairs two at a time. He turned left into the boy's dormitory. Harry was the only

one in there. "Harry?" He asked. "We had another row again. I thought she would be over him

by now, but she's not. We were just sitting there talking about the last World Cup, when she

burst out in tears. I don't know what I can do, I've tired everything to take his place." He started

crying. Ron regretted coming in here now.

Ron didn't know what to do. He was partly happy, but this was Harry, his best friend, and he

wasn't supposed to be happy about his pain. He couldn't stand to see him cry. He had never

seen him cry like this before. Only when it was from pain, in the hospital wing. But this, this was

awful. As much as he wanted it to happen, he didn't want it this way.

He grabbed Harry's coat. "Here mate, don't worry about it." Harry didn't even try to catch it.

Ron couldn't take it; I mean this is what he wanted, but not this way, not if it would cause Harry

pain. "Come on Harry, you can't do anything about it now. Let's go for a fly." He grabbed

Harry's Firebolt and his new Cleansweep. He tossed it to Harry. That time he caught it. See, he

thought to himself, theirs nothing a fly can't fix. He put on his coat and followed Harry down the

stairs.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hermione, studying again. "Hermione, were going out for a

fly." She nodded her head and didn't move. They mounted their brooms. He swore he saw

Harry smile a bit, he came to a halt. He looked around, he wanted to go back up now, escape

before it was too late, but it was. There was George. He was carrying something that looked

like a broom. But the center of the handle looked way too thick. He was making his way to the

pitch.

It was too late, he already hit the ground. Ron ran over, this is all my fault! Why did I have to

try out as keeper? Why did I have to break his...he was finally there. "George, George..."he said

out of breath. "are you okay?" He was moving again trying to get up. "Yeah, I'm fine, ...don't

worry about it." He said brushing himself off. He picked up his broom. "What's that on your

broom, George?" "Oh, that just one of Dad's nutty ideas, something the muggles call...Muct

Tape." Harry chuckled. "Its called Duct Tape, George." Ron couldn't believe that Harry was

laughing at his brother when he had just taken a fall from his broom. "Yeah well, i don't know

how muggles think of these things."

They started back to the castle. At least George is talking to me now, thought Ron. As they

were heading up to the castle, Cho walked by. She stopped and waved. As they came closer

Ron's stomach dropped, why couldn't he be Harry. "Hi." she said quietly. "Hey." "I need to talk

to you." Harry and Cho walked away. Ron hated himself right now, and yet again he wished he

was Harry.

Ron was sitting in the common room, playing wizard chess with Herimonie. And for once, he

was losing. For some reason, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Cho or Harry out of

his mind. All he wanted was for Harry to walk thought the door and tell him want had happened.

He was in his thrid game with Herimonie and she was still winning. He had even tired to jump

with his queen once or twice before Harry came in. He didn't even acknowledge the two of

them at first. Ron wondered if this was a good sign for him or that maybe he should just go to

bed before he had heard about the great time he had had with her. But, he decided to stay

because either way he would have to hear about it sometime.

Harry came and sat down next to Hermione. Hermione gave Ron a look, he knew that he

should have said something, but he didn't, he didn't want to hear anything he had to say. So

instead Hermione said it. "Harry, are you okay?" He looked at her. "S-She fancies someone

else." Ron heart jumped, could it finally have happened? But he didn't get an answer. Harry got

up and went to the boy's dormitory.

This weekend had been awful, and the worst part was that it wasn't even over yet.

The next day had come. After a night of tossing and turning, it had finally come. He wasn't so

happy about that though. Because today, the last day of the weekend was a Quiddicth match.

He would usually be happy about this, but Fred was still trying to get his broken broom to work.

He got out of bed, and got dressed slowly. When he finally got to the Great Hall he noticed that

almost half the kids were leaving for the match. He toke a deep breath, grabbed a piece of toast

and headed out.

Hermione was waiting for him and met him halfway. "Did you talk to Harry?" Not even a hello,

he thought. "Nope, he left before me this morning." They walked around silence until they reach

the pitch. "Well good luck." she said kissing him on the cheek. Ron blushed, even though it was

just Hermione.

He walked into the boys room. Harry was there with a towel to his face. He couldn't stand the

silence. The girls were staring at him in pity and most of the boys were looking at Georges

broom, trying to figure out how to fix it before the game. "Harry...s-she isn't worth it." You git,

of course she is, she's CHO CHANG the girl you fancied ever since you first saw her fly. The

girl that you have dreamed about every night for half of your life. But he held that back, of

course Harry didn't want to hear how wonderful she was.

Harry finally put the towel down from his face. "Y-Yeah, she just wasn't meant for me." "That's

right mate, theirs other girls." "It would just be easier if we weren't playing Ravenclaw today."

Ron had forgotten. How could Harry concentrate when the girl that had broken his heart was

right there in front of him. And how could George do any good with that broken broom, lets

face it, Gyffindor was doomed.

They walked out on to the field. Ron went right up to his post by his three rings. And the

whistle blew, they were off. He could see Cho Chang from a distance, her hair flapping in the

wind. "Ron look alive!" screamed Angelina. "He looked up. The blugder was flying right

towards him. This doesn't make any sense Fred and George could always block the

Ravenclaws shots. He knocked it out, sending it towards Harry. "Harry!" He jumped out of the

way, still keeping a sharp eye on Cho. He looked around the pitch. Fred was doing fine, but

George he was speeding out of control. No wonder the Blugders were getting by. The last one

brushed by his leg. "Call a time out!" He called towards Angelina. She did without regret.

They landed down all grouped together in a huddle. This was it, there was no way getting

around it, as much as he didn't want to...he didn't have a choice. He had already called the time

out.

"George." But he was cut off. "I know I almost toke your leg off. It's just hard to grip this thing."

"No, its not that I want you to have my broom instead. You need the speed, you're the beater,

besides you need to keep up with Fred." "Ron, I-I couldn't you got that when you became a

prefect." "Yes, but Mom wouldn't have made you come back if it wasn't for me. I was

complaining about how you guys got to leave early and not me." "So, that's why Mom..." But he

was cut off. Lee's voice came in "The Gyffindor team has 30 seconds to get back to the game

before they forfeit." Ron handed him his broom and toke his. Before George could say anything,

he toke off.

"It seems that the two Weasley brother's have switched brooms." Lee's voice could hardly be

heard over the cheers as the Gyffindor team scored. Looks like things were finally turning

around. They ended the game with Gyffindor 150 and Ravenclaw 120.

Ron came out of the showers. Looked like everyone else had left for the after party. He decided

to get dress in a hurry, hoping that their was some butterbeer still left. With his hair wet, he left.

"Ron!" Someone was calling his name, he turned around, and there was Cho Chang.

Cho and Ron walked around the field. I can't believe it, Ron thought. "You were wonderful in

the game today." "Thanks, your a great seeker, I've always thought so." Cho smiled. I'd give

anything to see that smile for the rest of my life, thought Ron. "Thank you, it was awfully nice for

you to trade brooms with your brother." "Yeah, well it was for the team." "I've always thought of

you as one of Harry's sidekick." So, this was about Harry. It was always about Harry. He was

the one the girl wanted. Who wouldn't want the brave, heroic, Gyffindor. "But, now I think that

your really a guy I'd like to get to know." And with that she kissed him on the cheek. Well, I

must be brave and heroic, he thought.

"Well, I have to get back to the castle Ron. Can, you meet me by the lake Tomorrow?" He was

still smiling. "Sure." "Same time then and don't tell Harry, I don't think he'd like to hear about

this." "Right. Tomorrow...then." Great the best thing in the world had happened to him, but he

couldn't tell anyone. Not without risking Harry finding out.

Ron made his way back up to the castle. He had a bounce in his step. Today hadn't been that

bad after all. He wasn't in such a hurry to get up to the castle, he still had to make up a story to

tell to Harry and Hermione.

He muttered the password and made his way to the Common Room. Fred and George had

done it again, bringing in butterbeer and banners. Fans surrounded him as he made his way to

his favorite chairs. "Great game Ron!" "Awesome save!" He loved the fame. Harry usually got it,

being the seeker.

After making his way out of the crowd he found Harry and Hermione sitting in the favorite spot

in front of the fireplace. "What toke you so long?" said Harry. "I thought that I was going and go

drag you out of the locker room." Ron laughed. "I was taking a shower." The other gryffindors

had left the common room and the banners were losing there magic. But Harry and Ron were

still up, working on three Homework.

"Do you ever think well get enough sense to listen to Hermione?" said Harry as he yawned.

"Probably not, seeing that we haven't listened her the past six years." He laughed. "Maybe we

should have done like Hermione and left Treawlys class so we wouldn't have to stay up, making

these charts." said Harry. "Yeah, but hey, were not Hermione."

Ron woke up, he's paper hanging from his forehead. Looks like I stayed up to late. He looked

over at Harry. "Mate, mate wake up. Class starts in five minutes!" Harry awoke. He looked at

his watch. "You have got to be kidding! Why didn't Hermione wake us?" "No idea mate. Come

on, we better get going to charms." With there wrinkle robes and untidy hair, they headed down

the stairs.

Class had been awful that day. Not because of Draco, but because he had left all his

homework on the common room table. And now he had to go meet Cho. He would have felt

better about it if he didn't look like such a mess. He was waiting there leaning on an old maple.

"Hey" he turned around, "Hi.." but it wasn't Cho it was Draco. Ron pulled out his wand ready

for the fight. "Clam down Weasel, I just wanted to talk. When had Draco ever wanted to talk,

was this another trick? "About what." "Well i was just wondering what the Weasel was doing

out here without his little friends." "i don't see how that's any of your business."

"Ron!" He turned around. It was Cho this time. "Oh, hey...." Draco's voice came in. "So,

Pothead's girlfriend is cheating on him with his sidekick. This could be interesting." Draco left

without giving a chance for Ron to explain.

Ron and Cho walked along the lake. But he couldn't seem to get Draco out of his mind. What

if he told Harry? Does he know the password to the Gyffindor House? Has Harry had dinner

yet? "You seem spaced out today, what happened?" Ron looked up from his feet. "Oh, it was

just that Draco kid, he just gets on my nerves sometimes." "Yes, he does seem pretty annoying

sometimes, I remember Harry telling me a lot about him." Why did Harry's name have to come

up every time they started talking or did she still have feelings for him? "Yeah, he is a git." Ron

looked at his watch; it was almost time for him to leave. "I'm sorry Cho, I know we just met, but

it's almost time for us to go in." "Well, i guess we better say goodbye." And with that she leaned

in and kissed him.

On the was back to the castle, Ron had a little bounce in his step. It didn't even bother him that

Draco knew; well not until he saw Harry's face. He knows, how couldn't he, he looks so down.

Ron tired his best to hide his smile. "What's wrong mate?" "Nothing...well, Pansy just told me

that Cho's seeing someone else." Ron's heart sunk his secret was out, but at least Harry was

taking it well. "D-Did she say who?" "No, she was walked away." Okay so there was still hope,

I can still hide this from Harry. Just then a black owl flew in, and landed on Rons shoulder.

"Who's it from?" Harry siad, finally looking up. "Don't know." Ron toke the parchment off from

the owls leg. "Thanks...I guess." He looked at the envelope; it has a DM crest on it. "Well, open

it!" "You know, Im pretty tired, I think I'll turn in." He stretched his arms and yawned. God, can

this look any faker, he thought. He ran up the stairs. He locked the bathroom door.

Dear Weasel,
Hears a list of my demands, if they are not followed, I will make sure that Potty finds

out your little secret.
1) Do anything i say, when I say it.
2) In the next class I have with you, confess your love for that little mudblood girl.
3) When Potthead goes to sleep, steal his owl and send a letter to me, saying that you have met all my demands.

You will get my letter as soon as yours arrives.


Ron toke the letter and ripped it up. He quickly flushed it down the toilet. How did Draco

come up with these things? For his and Harry's friendships sake, he would have to do it.