2008

Ron stared dully at the picture in the paper, Harry had a vaguely shocked look on his face, the picture was still, the photographer wanting to catch a moment. The rest of the England team were smacking his old friend on the back, punching the air in victory.

Ron threw the paper down on the coffee table, snorting slightly, although what he realy wanted to do was cry. He picked up the rather beaten up looking letter a nondescript grey owl had brought him earlier, it was in his mothers familiar scrawl, something about a get together, the twins birthday, he scribbled a reply on a piece of printer paper and whistled pig, he wouldn't mid seeing his brothers and sister again, he never did these days. He tied the letter to pigs leg and opened the window. Ron looked at his watch, he was late for a class, he popped out of the room, returning seconds later to retrieve a jacket and rearrange his hair slightly in front of a mirror.

Hours later ron was strolling down an average road in an average neighbourhood, taking in his surroundings, he knocked on the door, it was answered by a tall dark haired man a few years older than ron wearing a shirt and loosened tie with the trousers of a navy suit, mentally, ron scoffed, IT manager….

"can I help you?"

ron was tall too, the man was at eye level

"yes, is"…

he hadn't meant to sound this viscious

"erm, sorry" he cleared his throught

"is her…hannah, is Hannah there?"

the man looked at him in a suspicious, slightly puzzled way and headed down the light blue hall, the floor was that click together fake floor board stuff ron hated, he wished he had sharper shoes so he could scratch the bastards varnish, he was so keying his car later.

"Hannah"

the man, ben, ron admitted to himself, stuck his head in to what was most likely the living room

"Hannah, theres a man here to see you"

ron imagined ben and Hermione were making

'who?' 'I don't know, some wierdo'

faces at each other in the moment that followed and then she was at the door, she looked horribly shocked to see him.

"how did you?"….

ron cocked his eyebrows at her, pointing out that this was a stupid question to ask, especially in the presence of the IT manager

Hermione faulted

"i…hi, ron"

ben smiled

"you do know him then?"

Hermione nodded, placed a hand on her fiancés chest, much to rons disgust, and smiled

"of course I do"

he stroked her wrist

god, why did he have to be so nice why couldn't he be an easily hateable bastard?

There was a shuffling noise to the right of them and they all looked around towards the stairs, they could see a small face through the banisters

"want mummy"

Hermione smiled

"in a moment sweety"

ben walked towards the stairs

"I'll see to simon"

Ron looked at Hermione, shocked, but she didn't have time to give him a look back as si's voice was trilling from the stairs

"no, want mummy to tell me about the squid an the wigards"

ron looked from Hermione to his son

"do you mean the giant squid in the lake?"

Sirius nodded his shaggy red head

"and the witches and wizards at school"

the child was grinning

"you tell me 'bout dem" he put a hand to the side of his mouth and leaned in conspiratorily, whispering loudly, obviously completely unaware ben could hear him "daddy don't know bout the squid"

at the word daddy ron turned a little pale, his eyes shining angrily, hating the man who didn't even know his sons name