Author's Note: I LIVE! Did you miss me? Dedicated to Als and Mya. I love them so. For those of you that read Ron's Obsession (gag), this is a rewrite. So much of a rewrite that it doesn't even really sound like the same person writing them. So yeah. That storyhas beentaken down because I hate how it's written. Hope you enjoy the new version!
And if you decide to review, tell me if you liked the new movie. I haven't seen it yet.
Also, for the most part, this is written in the first person, because I need the practice. So forgive me if it isn't that great.
Warnings: AU-ish, since I'm too lazy to figure out a way to fit this into the original plot. Also, I don't feel this is quite Ron-flavored. I guess it just sounds too smart, so some OOC on that count. Guest appearance, just for the hell of it. Obscure use of copyrights. Only the ones stated as mine belong to me, and I'm not making any money anyway, so don't sue. Ron's POV, mostly in past tense (unless I forget, in which case it may occasionally slip into third person). Lastly Ron-abuse.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Full Metal Alchemist. They belong to lots of people who aren't me. I DO, however, own Ronan, Melody, and Kristin.
Deception
Present
I suppose all of this started with her, damnit. I can't believe I could be so stupid!
...Well, I guess I can. But who really wants to accept that they've been played the fool? Not me, that's for sure.
She must have been planning this from the start. And I played right into her hands! No doubt that I did everything exactly the way she expected.
I'm such an idiot!
Three months earlier
"Sorry," I mumbled, flushing and helping her pick up the broken china. I heard Fred laughing, and I felt my ears burn even hotter as we bumped heads again. Because I wasn't watching, no doubt.
"Sorry," I apologized again, scooting back a little and running a hand through my still-sooty hair (1), glancing at the girl, gauging her probable anger. Strangely enough, she looked sheepish, too. Her blue eyes seemed to hide behind the veil of her chocolate-colored hair, avoiding my gaze for all she was worth.
I decided that I should just concentrate on picking up the pieces of china and not colliding with her a third time. It seemed safest.
Eventually, after about five minutes of crawling around on our hands and knees, Mum arrived and took pity on us.
"Oh, look out," she snapped, sounding exactly like Hermione does when she's about to tell me off for doing something stupid. With that, she waved her wand and the pieces flew back together to rest innocently on the tray. I could feel myself blushing again. What hadn't I thought of that?
"Thank you," the girl murmured quietly, carefully picking up the tray and making sure that none of the pieces were going to fall again. Her face red, she tugged self-consciously at her waitress uniform for a moment, then hurried off toward the kitchen without another word.
"Ronald," Mum sighed as I got to my feet. "What are we going to do with you? You're as bad as your father! I hope you at least apologized to the poor girl."
I opened my mouth to explain that yes, I had apologized, but she cut me off.
"Well, come on. Annie's expecting us, we don't want to keep her waiting."
"Yes, mum." Andromeda Tonks was still my favorite aunt, though we're not actually related anymore (2). She's an important part of the Order, which is why we were taking this 'vacation' in the first place.
"Are you Molly?" a short kid with a blonde braid asked stiffly from behind Mum, startling us both.
"Yes, that's me. Who're you, dear?" she answered cheerfully, taking in his bright red coat and determined gold eyes.
"Your escort. I'll be taking you to her." With that, he turned on his heel and strode off, obviously expecting to be followed. He seemed to be fuming about something. The only words I caught were "bastard Colonel," "not helping," and "philosopher's stone."
I decided that the kid didn't need to know that the stone had been destroyed back in my first year. So long as we got to Aunt Annie's, we were fine, and it didn't matter how it happened.
Later that night, I laid awake, listening to Fred's snores. Fortunately for me, George was minding the shop, meaning that I was crammed into the small room with Fred instead of being forced to sleep on the lumpy couch with the cats.
Did I mention that I hate cats?
Mostly, my mind wouldn't leave me alone; it had chosen this point to torment me with replays of that girl. I kept seeing her looking at me out of the darkness, and there was something about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on. It wasn't that she was pretty, exactly; it was more that she was different. Distant, a little cold, and maybe a tad unearthly.
I made up my mind that I had to see her again.
I walked into the pub again the next day in a somewhat preoccupied state. Luckily for me, it had not occurred to me that the same girl might not be working today, in which case I would have a very difficult time of it.
A cheerful-looking witch greeted me at the door. "Can I help you, dear?" she asked, reminding me of my own mother.
"I was just looking for someone." I muttered distantly, looking around the room for her. In the far left corner of the room, I caught sight of her, and without another word to the witch still speaking to me, I began to make my way over to her.
Weaving carefully around benches and only tripping twice, I reached the brown-haired girl a couple of minutes later. Ignoring the group of rowdy-looking warlocks that she serving drinks to, I began nervously introducing myself.
"Hello. I met you yesterday." I stated stupidly, much to the displeasure of the closest warlock, who had a wild, sandy-colored beard to go with his equally-wild sandy-colored hair.
"Shove off, sonny!" he snarled. His fearsome appearance was rather ruined by the way his voice cracked embarrassingly.
"Do you have a minute?" I plowed on, taking no heed of the angry man.
"Not right now!" she half-snapped at me, her voice low and rather hoarse.
"When can I talk to you?" I persisted, following her from the warlocks' table.
"I'm off in a couple of hours." she answered grudgingly. "If you're still here, we can talk then." she conceded, sighing with exasperation.
"So, what didja want?" she asked several hours later, running her fingers through her somewhat tousled mane.
This was the first time I'd really thought about what I was going to say. "I-uh-um..." I stuttered, my ears turning scarlet. "I'm Ron Weasley," I finished lamely, flushing.
"So?" She fidgeted haughtily with the woven silver ring on her left thumb. "What've you got to do with me?"
"I...uh...wanted to apologize for running into you yesterday." I added uncomfortably, feeling more like an idiot every passing moment. "So...I'm sorry."
Instead of responding, she watched me coldly, as a cat watches a panicking mouse.
"So...um..." I muttered, trying to fill the silence, knowing that I was successfully making a complete fool of myself. "What's your name?"
"Melody." She was still playing with me; seeing just how long it would take me to get frustrated and leave.
"That's pretty..." I searched wildly for another topic, one that would force more than a one-word answer. "So...you...um...work here." Inwardly, I groaned.
(1) Soot from Floo powder. Ron doesn't have his Apparating license yet, though he's legally old enough to use magic. He failed the first time--splinched an eyebrow out of nerves, remember? The next testing period isn't until sometime this year. (This actually IS canon. I think the rest of these notes have to do with things completely fabricated by me)
(2) According to me, before Andromeda married Tonks' father, Ted, she was married to Molly's brother, Ronan, for a period of about six months. However, he was rather too much like Andromeda's sisters for her taste, and she divorced him almost immediately. However, Andromeda and Molly remained good friends, and so remained 'Aunt Annie' to the Weasley children. It's highly improbable, but hey. I wanted to put her in here. Cos she's cool. XD
