Wow. Lookie lookie. Chapter 2 already. I usually take longer but I was inspired!!
Well, this chapter is all from Ron's point of view. I'm trying to draw out the characters so that the later chapters make more sense. This will be primarily Harry/Draco with a lot of obsession intermingled. I hope you enjoy. Please review
I do not own Harry Potter, otherwise this wouldn't be a fanfic and I wouldn't need to write one! The only things to do with me are this absurd plot, a broken computer and a chocolate obsessed cousin!!
DARKNESS OR LIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?
Chapter 2 The Hogwarts express
Ronald Weasley hummed to himself as he pushed his trunk into an empty compartment on the Hogwarts express. Summer had been excellent this year! Visiting his brother Charlie in Romania had been great fun, but he only wished Harry and Hermione had been allowed to go along with him. Hermione had flat out refused, stating she had too much studying to do and besides, her family couldn't afford to send her on the trip. Harry was a different matter. He had jumped at the chance, considering he had never been on a holiday, not even seen the sea! Harry's high spirits had faded when he received a letter from Dumbledore and Sirius, stating that it wasn't safe and he couldn't go. He had been disappointed of course, but still told his best friend to have fun and to bring him back a souvenir. Ron had been angry at both of these so called 'adults,' for their refusal. Harry was still suffering from the stress of last year. He still hadn't forgiven himself for Cedric's death and he hardly ever smiled anymore. He more than anyone had needed a break away from everything.
Ron had decided on two things over the holidays. 1), to be a more attentive and understanding friend to Harry. After last years fiasco of their stupid argument, Ron had realised just how much Harry was going through. After a week of silence, Harry had finally broken down and told himself and Hermione everything about what had happened in the graveyard with Voldemort. Harry didn't cry usually, but he had shed a few tears while Hermione had held him tightly, rocking him slightly in her arms. Ron had rubbed his shoulders gently, keeping silent in this moment of intimacy between them.
2), to get Hermione to notice him as boyfriend material. Harry had given him a stern talking to before he had gone away. Telling him to stop the jealous act and do something about it. If he liked her, tell her! This, coming from the boy who couldn't do the same thing last year with Cho Chang!
He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard giggling in the corridor behind him and the carriage door open. He dropped his case and swung around, just in time to see Pansy Parkinson walk into the carriage, waving to someone and not watching where she was going. He had time to give a startled 'eep' of shock, before the girl walked into him, knocking him over his case and onto the floor beyond, Pansy falling onto him. The door slid shut on its own.
"Oww." Ron muttered as his head collided with the floor. His feet were still on the case and he couldn't move, as Pansy was still laying on him.
"Ditto that!" Pansy's voice was muffled as her face was still buried in the folds of his cloak. "What did I hit?"
Pansy lifted her face and stared at the red faced Ron below her. Ron was speechless. Pansy had changed somewhat. Gone was that slightly ugly pugged nose and in its place was an almost dainty replacement. She had high cheekbones and full red lips and her eyes were raised questioningly. Her straight blond hair was tied back with a few strands framing her face. Ron had never really looked at her before, them being in separate houses and Pansy being in the company of one Draco Malfoy, his most hated nemesis, but she was actually rather pretty!
"Oh, Weasley." She said lightly. No scorn or evil tone in her voice. "Sorry about that!" She made to get up, pulling her head upward, then she bend back down again and hissed in pain.
"Are....Are you okay?" Ron asked, his face getting slightly red. Pansy had buried her face into his neck.
"No. My necklace is caught on your robe." Ron looked around Pansy's blonde hair which was pooled on his chest to see a heavy gold chain caught around one of the fastenings of his cloak. "I don't want to break it."
Ron lifted his hand and touched Pansy's chin with a trembling finger.
"Raise your head Parkinson and I'll see if I can undo it."
Pansy lifted her head and stared into his eyes. Blue met blue and his heart stilled.
"Okay." She said quietly. Her eyes left his and she raised her head until she was looking at the ceiling. Ron's hands went to the fastenings on his cloak and undid them, then began to untangle the gold chain.
"Parkinson. Could you take off the necklace? I might be able to undo it then."
Pansy nodded her head and reached behind her to undo the chain. It was then that the carriage door opened again. Both Pansy and Ron stiffened.
"Well well! What have we here?" A familiar drawling voice said from beyond the case. Parkinson. I thought you had more taste than to associate with a Weasel!"
Pansy's face which, although had not contained a smile, was still gentle, had now changed into a scowling frown. Ron realised that this was why he had never seen Pansy Parkinson before. The frown twisted her features, making her look ugly. She never smiled while in the company of Draco Malfoy, and she was always in the company of the Ferret!
"For your information Draco, my necklace is caught." She sneered. "Maybe if you stopped sniggering for once and helped me, I wouldn't be in this predicament!"
"Whatever Parkinson." Malfoy stepped over to them and looked down. The frown on his face turned into a twisted grin. "Actually, I think I'll leave you like this. Punishment for the attitude you understand!" Malfoy ignored Pansy and turned to Ron. "Weasel, where's Potter?"
Ron growled. "I have no idea Ferret! Probably keeping his distance from your stench!" He almost missed the slight smile which appeared on Pansy's face at Ron's 'Ferret' endearment, but the scowl was back on her face in seconds.
"Piss off Weasel!" Malfoy sneered. "You're no fun at all without Potter. Why should I waste my time! Parkinson, when you're finished, we'll be in the last carriage." With that, he turned around and left, the door slamming shut behind him. The carriage was silent for a moment, with Ron staring at the ceiling.
"Weasley." Came Pansy's voice from above him. "The necklace." Her voice was back to the light tenor it was, before they were interrupted. Staring back at her, Ron noticed that the scowl was gone again and he stared into her eyes.
"Ron?"
The voice of his best friend awoke him from his stupor. He had no idea of how long he had laid there, staring at Pansy, but she hadn't complained, or moved. Harry's voice urged him to fumble once again for the gold chain and try to untangle it from his clasp, his hands shaking."
"Parkinson! What are you doing? Get off him now!"
Ron winced. Hermione! No one else had that piercing tone of voice that suggested trouble. Pansy's expression mirrored his exactly.
"In for it?"
"You betcha!"
They gave a small grin to each other before Harry's face loomed close to his and smiled gently.
"Ah. I see. Here, let me help." Using his nimble fingers, Harry untangled the chain, releasing Pansy from her entrapment. "There you are."
Pansy leapt to her feet, blushing. Ron got up slower, brushing down his robes, now feeling the pain in his back.
"Thank you Potter!" Pansy muttered, blushing. She gave a quick glance to Harry, then to Ron, then ran out of the compartment.
"Okay, so what was that all about?" Hermione turned to face Ron, arms folded and a stern look on her face.
"Nothing, I swear. She fell over me and her necklace got caught up in my robes. That's all!" Ron realised that his face was still red when he saw himself reflected in Harry's glasses. Wanting to change the subject, Ron turned to his best friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey mate. How have you been?" He noticed that Harry hadn't actually changed much. Ron himself had grown a few more inches over the summer and was rapidly catching up with the twins in height. Harry was still small and slight, but seemed to be healthier in appearance. It seemed to be due to the week he had spent at Hermione's house, although there was bags under his eyes.
"Fine Ron." Harry replied with a small smile. "Mione's parents were wonderful and we went out every day. Cinema, shopping, walks. It was fun."
"Sin emma?" Ron asked, confused, then shook his head. "Never mind. No studying?" Ron smirked suddenly. "I was sure Hermione would drag you into the 'Warm Up For Work' regime that we discussed last term." He ducked as he saw Hermione's fist move towards him.
"OWL's Ron. We have OWL's this year." She huffed, folding her arms again and moving so she was standing next to Harry. "You don't want to fail do you?"
"Yeah, well. I live my summer to be filled with fun. I leave the school work for school." Ron sat down and opened his case. "By the way, I have your pressies in here!"
"From Romania?" Harry's eyes lightened at this. "How is Charlie anyway?"
"He's great. He has a blast out there." Ron pulled out two small boxes and handed one each to his friends. "Here. Charlie had these made for us. It's not much." He watched as his two friends opened their boxes and gasp simultaneously.
"What are these?" Hermione gasped in awe, pulling out two silver chains. On the end of each chain was a snake, curved in a half circle. One was red with a silver eye and one was green with a gold eye. "They're beautiful."
"An Ouroborus." Ron explained. "Its like a loophole..."
"A continuous circle." Harry continued. "A snake eating its own tail means infinity. Forever!" Ron looked over at Harry and nodded.
"Yes. I got these as a special present. If you look," Ron took the necklaces out of Hermione's hands and clicked the snakes together, "when completed they make a complete circle. One necklace is for yourself, the other is for the one you love." Here, Ron blushed. "They are kind of like a love identifier. They wont click together properly unless both people wearing the chains are actually right for each other. All other times they just slip out." He moved his hands apart and the snakes unclicked again. "See."
"What happens if the two people are right for each other?" Hermione asked. Ron nearly missed her quick look at Harry before turning back to himself. Strangely enough, he didn't feel even slightly jealous in that affectionate display to Harry from Hermione. Harry, bless his soul, didn't notice, just kept staring at the box in his hands.
"Which one do we wear Ron?" He asked, fingering the necklaces
"The green one. I'm not sure why." Ron pulled a similar necklace from under his robes. "Charlie just said that the green snake was the hunter and the red was the prey. The green one calls the red." Harry slipped the green snake necklace over his head and then so did Hermione.
"Thanks Ron. Its lovely." Hermione leaned over and kissed Ron on the cheek. Harry nodded his head, still running his fingers over the snake. Ron smiled
"You're welcome!"
I know its slightly short, but I had to write this before the computer crashed. (Stress,stress!) I hope this meets everyone's approval. Thank you for the reviews I did get. Its nice to know someone is reading.
Chapter 3 won't be too long (I hope!) Still need a Beta big time.
See ya later
Rie
XX