Notes: I forgot my disclaimer the last time, so here's my official "I don't own anything, thank you for letting us write fanfic, JKR" thing. Lovely. I apologize for the awful spelling of finite incantateum in that first chapter. I usually rely on the Lexicon for spellings like that, but I apparently had a brain fart about a few things in that first chapter. Serves me right for starting this fic right after finals have sucked my neurons dry.
Ch. 2: Ron's a Bit Naive
Several hours later, Ron awoke with a jolt when someone dumped an armful of something over his legs. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and immediately shut them again at the irate form of Hermione frowning at him, and his dirty robes piled atop his knees.
"I saw that," she said, tossing a particularly foul sock at his face. "Do you honestly think I want to walk into the cottage and gather up your laundry?"
Ron sat up and pushed the clothing back into one sloppy pile. "I had a bad day today, Hermione. Forgive me if I didn't stick to your strict housekeeping rules."
Hermione lifted an eyebrow in response and seemed to reign in her disgruntlement. She looked intently at him for a moment; Ron felt like some sort of potion or creature that needed observation. He knew she would cotton on in seconds, so he might as well volunteer his practical results. Hermione was too perceptive for her own good.
"I didn't perform very well in today's session," he said, idly twisting his fingers into the robes in his lap.
She nodded once, understanding instantly, and her face softened into concern. "Well, you'll just try again then. No sense in giving up."
"I didn't say I was giving up," Ron spat and jumped to his feet, shoving the pile of clothes back onto the floor in the process.
"Give up what?" Harry's voice interrupted. Ron turned to see him framed in the doorway between the sitting room and the kitchen. Wonderful.
"Ron's not quitting on working towards field MLES, even though he didn't pass today's practical," Hermione supplied, much to Ron's displeasure. He tried to peek behind Harry and see if the flavor of the month had gone on his merry little way.
"Where's your friend?" he asked, trying to keep the venom out of his voice.
Harry grimaced and moved closer to Ron. "I'm sorry he acted like a complete and total prat. I tried to talk to him afterwards. I didn't know that he held those sorts of opinions."
"Yes. Well, you could have at least said something," Ron mumbled, suddenly unable to meet Harry's eyes. He dug his toes in the carpet and glanced over at Hermione through his still-damp fringe. She was looking between them, frowning.
"Harry," she said, "Steven wasn't exactly kind to me either, the last time we went out together. He said some rather horrible things about Viktor's eyebrows and nose, if you don't recall."
"Alright, Alright," Harry said, his hands up in surrender. "I plan to give him another chance, but if he can't get along with the two most important people in my life, then that'll be it." Hermione nodded sagely as if she already knew this was the decision, and she had just been waiting for Harry to catch up.
Ron finally let himself meet Harry's gaze. Harry was smiling, but his eyes betrayed his worry over upsetting his friends. It wasn't an expression Ron liked seeing on him, so he walked over and casually leaned against the doorjamb near Harry. "Don't worry about it, Harry. I'm sure I've been a bit of a prick over girls I've shagged before."
Harry finally grinned, his relief evident in every part of his face. Ron felt an odd thrill at making his best mate happy. He folded his arms over his still-bare chest and glanced over at Hermione before looking back at Harry. They both seemed to be expecting him to say something.
Oh. Of course. His practical. This was going to be rather embarrassing to ask for help, but they had taken some time out to go over drills with him during his Auror training. That didn't exactly have the best results though…
"Ron?" Harry asked, breaking into his stream of thought. Ron's attention snapped back to the present and his ears reddened when he realized Harry and Hermione were staring at him. "Er… sorry. Drifted there for a moment. I was just thinking about the time you both tried to help me with the Auror drills. Mrs. Wattle was working with me today, and she suggested I find an Auror to spend some extra training hours with." He gave them his smarmiest grin. "How convenient that I happen to live with the best Auror in the whole Ministry and the smartest Unspeakable that does Merlin-knows-what in her own job."
Harry snickered, obviously bemused by Ron's lack of candor. "I don't quite think I'm the best Auror yet, though I do still have all my body parts attached, so that's a plus." he said dryly.
"And you've already been given a few missions in which you've shown great success. That in itself says something," Hermione added proudly. She absently began folding Ron's training robes, wrinkling her nose at the smell. "Ron, if these didn't have spell resistance, I'd make you scourgify them every few hours. When was the last time you laundered them anyways?"
Ron pulled a face behind her back. He and Harry shared a glance, but kept their comments to themselves. Ever since Hermione had moved in with them, she'd become an even worse mother hen than she ever was at Hogwarts.
"But I do think that you two should schedule in some training sessions," Hermione continued, without noticing the childish behavior going on between Ron and Harry. "Not much of what I do for my job is very physical. Harry, you should be able to help him, right?" She began gathering the robes in her arms and turned towards them.
Ron raised a questioning brow at Harry. "You're going to help me, yeah? You know I'm completely rubbish at this. It'll be awful if they assign someone to me!"
Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose in a nervous gesture that Ron had identified years ago as the 'stalling-Harry' trait. "Well the thing is, Ron," he finally said, after spending an inordinate amount of time on the positioning of his frames, "I've been assigned on a rather extended mission. I'm to be somewhere in Asia for nearly two weeks. We can work at things when I return though," he added when Ron's imploring grin drooped.
"Two weeks," Ron mused aloud. Well, the practicals were offered monthly; he could get at least a good week-and-a-half's worth of training in before the next one if he waited for Harry to return. "That should be allright. I can just do extra offence drills on my own, and then work on both when you get back."
"And I can help you on the theory," Hermione said, pausing in the doorway with the load of clothing. "I might actually be able to work on some things with you when I finish the rough portion of the project Padma and I are working on."
Harry was watching him thoughtfully, then nodded, as if convincing himself about an idea. Ron let Hermione pass by and leaned back against the doorjamb, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his trousers while he waited for his friend to speak. He could sense by instinct that Harry was struggling with some sort of decision. When Harry eventually focused again and pinned him with those green eyes, Ron had to fight to suppress a shudder at the intensity. There was something hidden in Harry's gaze when it was directed full blast at him lately, and Ron wasn't sure whether to be apprehensive or excited. It was all rather confusing.
"Harry?" Ron asked, quite pleased that he hadn't choked on the name. Would he quit staring like that?
"What if I had someone meet you at the sparring room in the Ministry building? An Auror that I've come to trust, and has proven to be an excellent instructor?" Harry cocked his head waited for his answer. Ron had the oddest notion that Harry was trying to read his mind.
"I don't know, Harry. I'm not exactly proud of the fact that I need to ask you and Hermione for help. I'm not sure if I want even more people knowing how awful I am in a fight situation." Ron imagined Aurors and MLES officers lined up on either sides of the corridors at the inistry, singing some updated version of Weasley is Our King. He buried the thought quickly.
Harry touched his fingertips together and an encouraging smile turned up the corner of his lips. "Ron, I think it might be your best chance. You'd get an earlier start on the drills, and the person I have in mind would be brutally honest about your performance, where Hermione and I always tend to sugar-coat it. It might just be what you need."
Ron considered Harry's words. As much as he trusted his friends, it did seem like they were much easier on him than Mrs. Wattle or any of the other examiners. Perhaps a third party might be helpful. He'd just have to swallow his pride for a bit and take a chance. That's what a good Gryffindor would do, right?
"I guess that's the best option, then," Ron said with a sigh. "I hope you're right about this though. And I fully expect you to pitch in when you're back from your mission."
Harry's face lit up, and Ron noticed that his shoulders relaxed just the slightest. A little voice in the back of his mind, the one that sounded disturbingly like his sister, questioned what Harry could have been so nervous about. Ron shuffled that voice away as quickly as it had piped up.
"What's this then? You're both grinning at each other like naughty first years!" Hermione said with a slight chuckle as she returned to the sitting room.
Ron quickly broke his gaze from Harry and looked over at Hermione, trying desperately to stop the flush that spread across his cheeks. How long had they been standing here, staring at each other? How long had Hermione watched them with that odd, knowing expression on her face?
Harry had retreated to the settee, looking slightly flustered. Ron was too busy controlling his own untimely blushing to consider what that meant. "Yes. Er… Harry had a suggestion for me about training with another Auror. He says he knows the perfect person run through the drills with me. One of the instructors, I think."
Hermione immediately looked suspicious and gnawed at her lower lip. She directed her wary gaze over at Harry, who seemed to retreat further into the cushions. "Honest, Hermione," Harry nearly squeaked before clearing his throat. "He shouldn't have to wait an entire fortnight for me to be free. I think it might work out well." His eyes darted over toward Ron for a moment before meeting Hermione's again. "The person I have in mind seems to be able to straighten out even the most pathetic recruits." His eyes widened almost comically at that, and he shot a horrified look at Ron. "Not that you're pathetic or anything like that! That's not what I meant!"
Ron brushed off the accidental insult, though it did sting a little. There was no point in arguing against the truth, though. He crossed the room and took the empty spot next to
Harry to reassure him.
"I know Harry. I'd be the first to protest if it weren't true through." Ron raked his hand though his hair a few times before looking over at Harry and over to where Hermione had taken the other open cushion. "I don't even know why I keep putting myself though this. I should just be happy to be behind the desk like my Dad."
"Oh please," Hermione snapped, "you aren't pathetic, Ron. You just need more work. Perhaps a different perspective is what you need. Harry, do I know who you're speaking of? What Auror do you have in mind?"
Harry fidgeted in his seat, shifting away from Hermione just enough so that Ron could feel the press of Harry's upper thigh against his own. "Actually, you've met. It's the Auror that backed me up on the Walter's raid a few months ago."
Ron leaned forward on the settee at Hermione's expression. He swore he glimpsed surprise there before she rapidly blanketed her expression in nonchalance. Ron wondered if perhaps he'd imagined it.
"That's very… interesting," Hermione said carefully. She paused in thought for a moment, considering. "I think you might be on to something here, Harry."
Some of Ron's trepidation drained. If Hermione approves, that has to mean something, he guessed.
"You'll be in good hands, Ron," she soothed, "At the very least, you'll certainly get a few good dueling sessions."
Harry jumped to his feet rather swiftly and headed towards the bedrooms. "I'll just go send Hedwig out now, and if you change you're mind, you can always cancel." He slowed and glanced at Ron over his shoulder. "I really think you should give it a go though," he said before disappearing into the hall.
Ron smiled uncertainly. "Well, I guess it won't hurt, right?"
"Exactly," Hermione said, standing up and glaring at him pointedly. "Now that that's been cleared up, you might want to go take care of those robes before I start hurling hexes at you."
Ron rolled his eyes, but wisely stretched and headed for the laundry room. Some battles he hadn't a chance at fighting.
A/N: Thanks much to anyone reading this so far. Here's hoping that it's sadly obvious to everyone but Ron about whom Harry has in mind. Poor little freckled woobie/snicker./ I hope to update this once a week or more, though if I'm not done by July, I'll probably be in HBP mode for a while.