A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is a holiday gift fic for Elizabeth(MoonytheMarauder1 )

I hope you enjoy this disabilityAU! Ronmione fic.

Word Count: 1758

Ron watched as everyone around him hoisted their trunks onto the train. His brothers had taken his for him, they did everything for him. He really hated how no one seemed to think he could do anything for himself.

"Don't worry, Ronnikins, we'll make sure no one picks on you," George stated, appearing behind Ron.

"Don't call me that!" Ron snapped. "And I don't need anyone taking care of me!" he added before storming off. He hated how everyone in his family thought he needed to be taken care of. He wasn't completely unable to do things! Yes, he only had one whole leg. The other stopped just above where the knee would have been. He'd been born that way, nothing anyone could have done. He'd been fitted with a magical prosthetic that looked almost real.

"It doesn't matter, they'll never see me as me," he muttered, finding an empty compartment and flopping down on the seat. He pulled out the corn beef sandwich his mum had packed for him. Sure it was dry, sure it was his least favorite type of sandwich, but eating would give him something to think about other than the fact he was sure his brothers had told everyone to be careful around him. He wished that for once, one person could just see him for who he was and not what he was missing.

A tap on the door pulled him from his attention from his pity party. He looked up to see a girl standing there. She was tapping the door frame with a white cane.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" she called.

"Yes, I'm in here," he answered. The girl stood there for a moment. "But you can come on in, there's plenty of room if you'd like," Ron offered, not moving from his seat. He knew what it meant if she was using a cane like that. He knew she was visually impaired and the although he did want to rush to help her, he remembered how much he hated everyone trying to help him. If she wanted help, she would ask.

"Thank you, I'm Hermione by the way."

"Ron. Are you a first year too?" he asked.

"Yes! I'm kind of nervous about starting school too. I managed to figure out how to enchant the books so everything's in braille, but I'm terrified I'm going to mess up something," Hermione said, sliding into the seat across from Ron. He pulled his legs back as she sat down, making sure she didn't accidentally kick him.

"Don't worry, I've heard the professors will help with things like that. I have half a sandwich, if you'd like some. It's corned beef, a bit dry," he offered.

"Um, thank you, Ron, but I've brought some granola. It's vanilla almond if you'd like some?" she counter offered. Ron smiled.

"I've never tried it before, so sure," he answered. Hermione pulled a bag from her backpack and opened it.

"Alright, put your hand out and I'll pour some in," she said. Ron put his hand out and watched as Hermione slowly reached out, found it, and gave him a decent sized handful.

"Thank you," he said, popping a few pieces in his mouth. "This is good," he added. Hermione smiled.

"I'm glad you like it, I helped my mum make it. You haven't asked me about my eyes," she commented.

"If you wanted to tell me, you'd tell me," Ron answered. He realized Hermione couldn't see his legs, couldn't see that he didn't quite walk evenly.

"I've never met anyone who doesn't ask that question first off, and then hold up fingers and ask me is I can see them. It gets old really fast."

"I bet," Ron replied, thinking about people who asked him question after question about his missing leg.

"I lost my sight because of a fever when I was a baby. I don't remember being sick. I don't remember having sight. I can sometimes see almost shadows, little flashes of what might be light. I am able to do most things myself, reading, writing, getting dressed. If I have everything organized right, I'm fine. What about you? I know your name is Ron and you don't like corned beef."

"How?"

"I could hear the disgust in your voice. I also know you moved your legs out of my way so I could sit down. You also moved something else, something hard?" Hermione asked. Ron blinked.

"That's really impressive, Hermione. And no, I just moved my legs," he answered. He wasn't ready to tell Hermione about his leg, not yet, not until he was sure she wouldn't treat him like everyone else.

"Oh, okay," she replied, putting her fingertips to the window. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Quidditch, I hope to play it, and eating, and just the usual stuff I guess. You mentioned reading, do you like to read?"

"I love it! I've read Hogwarts: A History about ten times already to get prepared for attending. I'm really nervous though, I mean, what if I can't do it? Reading about things is one thing, but actually doing them... what if everyone is mean? Or they treat me different because of my vision?"

"Then ignore them," Ron answered. He'd been doing that most his life, trying to ignore his overly 'helpful' family.

"You're really smart, you know that?"

"No, I'm not, I'm just... well, I kind of have some experience with being different," Ron muttered, looking out the window.

"You're different too, aren't you, Ron? That's why you didn't ask the usual questions?" Hermione asked. Ron nodded, but knew she couldn't see him doing it.

"I just wanted one person to think, well, that I'm... not..."

"Ron, look at me!" Hermione stated, gesturing to herself. "You can tell me, you know I won't judge you," Hermione exclaimed. Ron blushed slightly looking at Hermione. She was really kind of cute with her buck teeth and frizzy hair. Her eyes didn't look any different from anyone else's. If she didn't have the cane, Ron never would have guessed she couldn't see.

"It's not that, it's just, I've only got half a leg, my left one. It only grew to just above the knee for some reason, so the sound you heard was my fake. I shouldn't have lied."

"Ron, I understand why you lied. Bet everyone's always just thought of you as the boy with one leg?"

"My brothers are the worst! If they're not teasing me-"

"They're trying to do everything for you, my parents are the same way! I swear! It feels like the sun is starting to set, maybe we should change into our robes?" Hermione suggested.

"Yeah, it is getting kind of dark out. Do you want me to cover my eyes while you change?"

"Just turning your back is fine," Hermione answered as they changed.

"This year is going to be fine, Hermione. I know you're nervous, but I'll be there too, so we can hang out together and help each other with our homework?"

"I'd like that, Ron. I've never had a real friend before," Hermione stated. Ron smiled. He'd done it, he'd made a friend who didn't care about his stupid leg, who was both beautiful and smart. He couldn't wait to see which house they were sorted into, the idea of them being separated so far from his mind it didn't even exist.

The train slowed to a stop. Ron and Hermione both exited their compartment.

"Ron, would it be alright if I put my hand around your arm? I know there are stairs off the train and I'm not sure what the terrain's going to be like."

"Sure, I limp a bit though just so you know," Ron answered, allowing Hermione to take his arm.

"That's fine. Ohh, I smell water?"

"There's a lake, we're getting to boats and going across it to the castle. It's huge and there's a million little lights," Ron described. Soon the pair was ushered into one of the boats.

"Tell me more about the castle?" Hermione asked.

"There's huge towers. They're round like a rolling pin with triangularish tops. We're almost there now," he said as the boat stopped. Ron climbed out first, planting his foot and fake foot firmly on the ground. Hermione waited until she was certain she could step out safely.

"The ground is solid enough," Ron commented. Soon the pair joined the rest of their year in waiting to be sorted.

"What if I don't belong in any of the houses?"

"If you didn't belong, you wouldn't have gotten a letter," Ron promised. He was worried since they were lining up alphabetically. Hermione would be sorted before him. He knew she could do it, that she could walk up and get put where she belonged. He just hoped no one did or said anything to her. He tried to fight this urge to protect her. She didn't need it. She was independent and brilliant and did not need his help.

Finally, he heard her name called.

"Good luck," he shouted from his place in line.

"You too," she called back. Ron smiled and listened carefully to hear where she was placed. The hat seemed to be taking a long time with her. He was starting to worry when it finally shouted out "Gryffindor". Sighing with relief, he waited until his name was called. He crossed the Great Hall, giving the Gryffindor table a quick glance. He could see Hermione sitting between his brothers. They would tease her, but at least he knew she was in decent company.

Ron placed the hat on his head, hoping he, like the rest of his family, would be in Gryffindor.

"Hmm, let's see, another Weasley. But you're different from the rest of them. You're kind, you've worked hard to do many things," the hat mused. Ron held his breath.

Please, put me in Gryffindor. I want to be with Hermione, he silently pleaded. The hat seemed to hear him.

"Very well then," it commented before announcing to the Great Hall. "Gryffindor!" Ron smiled, standing up and scampered as quickly as he could to the table. He looked at his brothers. George nodded, moving down a seat so Ron could sit next to Hermione.

"Ron?"

"Yes, looks like we're in the same house. I told you that you belonged here at Hogwarts," he stated, laughing. Hermione joined his laughter as they listened to the rest of the sorting, glad they'd found each other on the train.