Chapter Thirty Two
There was a family celebration at The Burrow for Ginny's seventeenth, Cho was not able to make it for the dinner because she was in Scotland but she had sent an Owl and a gift and would be coming the following morning. All of the Weasley's had gathered, including Charlie, for the coming of age of their youngest, Ron was in attendance but he was silent and scowling, standing apart.
Fleur was beginning to show with the new life she was carrying and Ginny had no trouble sharing the glory. Harry and Hermione had of course been invited and both wanted to come for Ginny's sake but were nervous on Ron's account. In the end, it was decided that they would drop in for an hour after the meal and Ginny was more than happy with the compromise.
There were drinks in the evening, an early dinner, where the Weasley's were almost as raucous as they had been in years past. George sat next to an empty seat, a mark of respect for Fred and a toast was raised in his memory, a toast to Bill and Fleur and a toast for the birthday girl. Ginny stayed quite close to her mother and father, she was aware of the conflict they experienced, joy to be with their family, grief that Fred was no longer present.
Everyone revelled in being together, especially Charlie who they saw so little of, he had a small announcement that he had met a young lady that he had very strong feelings for. He intended to bring her home to meet the family at Christmas and intended to ask her to marry him. Another cause for celebration! With a family so large there would be very few occasions when there was nothing to celebrate, there were going to be birthdays, engagements, weddings and births for years to come.
Bill noticed Ron was unusually quiet, unwilling to laugh and take part in the celebration of so many things to be thankful for, happy about. He asked Ron what the matter was and received a snarl for his trouble, Ron stood up, grabbed another drink and left the room. Percy noticed him leave, waited a few moments and then followed him out to see what the problem was, Ron started to feel cranky, why was everybody in his face?
Mrs Weasley saw Ron standing out in the garden, in the dark on his own, she went out to ask if he was okay. His first instinct was to present with anger, but he saw her worry and thought of her crying over Fred and couldn't do it, instead, out of nowhere, he burst into tears. He allowed his other to hold him to her, she rubbed his back as emotions came flooding out of him, "Oh Ron, what's the matter?"
"I don't know mum, I don't know what's wrong with me. George has suggested that I might not be suitable to work in the store - "
"What? I will speak to him,"
"No, mum, he is right, I have been bad tempered and loathe to follow his direction,"
"But why Ron? Why wouldn't you do as he asks?"
"I don't know. I am just so unhappy, inside," The fingers of Ron's hand spread over his heart, "I heard that Harry and Hermione are seeing each other…"
"Do you love her, Ron?"
"No, that's just the thing, why do I feel like this. Everyone has their thing but I have nothing. George has the store, Bill has a wife and baby, Charlie has dragons, Percy always knew what he wanted to do, even Ginny knows what she wants. Harry Potter always had destiny, Hermione had brains, I have nothing. I am just here. I don't know who I am, where I am going. I've never known."
"Oh Ron, do you think it might be effort, son?"
"What do you mean?"
"Harry was not more clever than you but he did apply himself more. The same with Fred and George, they were not academic, but they applied themselves in the area that mattered. Bill, Charlie and Percy are all very industrious."
"Are you saying I am lazy?"
"Oh Ron, come on, now?"
"Do you think I could come home for a while?"
"Of course, Ron, but is that the solution to the problem?"
"No."
"What would that be?"
"Well I like Chess and I like Quidditch, strategy and sport. I could write a column for The Daily Prophet, where I rewrite the games as they should have been played rather than a blow by blow."
"Oh that's a clever idea. Ron, if you come home, I am not going to be your slave, also, do the right thing by George, I want your word."
"Yes mum,"
"I believe in you Ron, being a late starter at eighteen is one thing, being a late starter at twenty eight is quite another, okay?"
"Yes mum."
"Come and say Happy Birthday to your sister and have some cake."
"Yes mum."
"There's a good boy."
When they returned indoors Harry and Hermione were there, Ron didn't know what to do, he sort of panicked inwardly. He really wanted to have a tantrum, shout a bit and throw a punch so he did the total opposite, Ron squared his shoulders and went to meet them like an adult, he was totally acting, of course.
"Good to see you, Harry," Ron said, putting out his hand, "Do you have a drink, oh good. How did you enjoy your travels?" Ron could barely hear the reply, he was so uncomfortable, he moved away as soon as he could and went directly to Hermione,
"Good to see you Hermione, do you have a drink? You do, good. Ginny said you are probably going to make dux of Hogwarts, congratulations, I always knew you would do well, excuse me, I just need to find Ginny,"
Ron practically ran away from her and went to find his sister,
"Ginny, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday. You have come of age and I am really proud of you, well done! Look, I didn't get you anything because actually I am a selfish git, but I will make it up to you okay?" He hugged her before she had a chance to reply and then moved away looking for George.
"George? Do you have a minute, I wouldn't mind a quick word?" They stepped away from the others for a moment, "George, I have been a real pratt. You have been really good to me, giving me a job and letting me sleep in Fred's room. I've been selfish and bad tempered and difficult to work with and you are right about the feel of the store, it's about magic and wonder and I am being a super scowly monster with those kids. I am really sorry and you have my word, I am going to make it up to you."
Ron left George before George had a chance to respond, he dashed up stairs and went into his old bedroom. Nothing of his remained in that room, it was all changed now. His posters had been taken down, the walls had been repainted, the bed had a new crotched cover on it. Ron was still feeling emotional but he felt better than her had been feeling, perhaps this doing the opposite was actually a genuine solution? Looking around the room, Ron realised that he couldn't go backwards, if he was unhappy he needed to work out a solution not return home to live with his parents, that wasn't a solution, that was running away. Ron didn't think he had resolved all of his problems in one night, but he did think he had made a start.
The next morning at breakfast, rather than expecting his mother to wait on him he asked her if she would like help in the kitchen, she kissed him and he realised he didn't hate it, she asked him to set the table and make the tea. It was a saturday morning and his father didn't need to go into the office, so he asked if he would like to play chess. Mr Weasley's face lit up and Ron realised that he hadn't played his father in years, guilt at his own long standing selfishness nipped at him and he was determined to make it up to his father.
Ginny was a bundle of nerves waiting for Cho to arrive, they were staying overnight at The Burrow and then travelling to London the following day to spend a couple of days at Cho's house. Once again Ginny was giving her bedroom the deep clean treatment, she was nowhere near as messy as Ron and not at all dirty, but she did want to make a good impression and it helped to have something to do.
"Oh no!" Mr Weasley called out for the second time in the hour, Ron had clearly beaten his father at chess again, "I taught you well, Ron, 'it is the greatest achievement of a teacher to enable his students to surpass him',"
"Like you had a choice. What time is Cho coming? I'd like to say hello, before heading back home."
"That's very nice of you, Ronald. You're going to London already? I didn't think you were needed in the store today?" said Mrs Weasely, as she fussed around, also in Pre Cho Chang visit cleaning mode. Not that it was at all necessary, Mrs Weasley kept a good home and the girls were out of the house more than they were in it.
"I'm not needed today, but I've been thinking about what you said, Mum, and I am going to make it up to George. The store room needs a thorough clean and stock take and I am going to surprise him by doing it without being asked."
"Oh that's very good of you Ron, but ah, how did you know it needs cleaning?"
"I heard Verity mention it, she says that it is so dusty out there it makes her sneeze,"
"Well, Ron, perhaps you will find that it matters less what you do and more how you do it?"
"Yeah maybe, oh thats Cho now,"
Ron jumped and went to the door, he opened it and said,
"Hello Cho, come on in, how are you?"
Cho was a little taken aback, "Hi Ron, Thanks, I'm well thanks, you?"
"Let me take your bag, I'm doing alright, thanks,"
Cho could hardly believe it, she had not known Ron to do more than grunt since he had hit puberty. He took her nag over to the bottom of the staircase and called up it,
"Ginny, Cho has arrived," and turned back to face the room.
His parents were also looking at him a little wide eyed but his mother, not wanting to draw any further attention to his new demeanor, turned to Cho,
"Cho, it's good to see you, dear," holding her arms out for her, by now, traditional greeting, "It's a shame you couldn't be here last night for the party, Charlie was here!"
Mr Weasley stood and clapped her on the back, "Welcome back, Cho, yes last night was just a little family gathering and you would have been most welcome. You were in Scotland, I think Ginny mentioned?"
Cho's answer was broken off by Ginny madly clambering down the stairs sounding like a herd of frightened elephants, Ginny called out "Chang!" from the bottom of the stairs and flew across the room and leapt into Cho's arms. Cho didn't know what to say in front of Mr and Mrs Weasley, so she hid her face in Ginny's shoulder.
"Right well, I'll just put the kettle on," said Mrs Weasley.
"I'll just pack up this chess board, mum, and I will help you,"
"Oh thank you Ron." Mrs Weasley had noticed the change in Ron's behaviour last night but had not expected it to last into the following morning, but his thinking about the comfort of others and the putting himself out to accommodate them was akin to a small miracle.
He stayed long enough to have tea with the family and contribute to the conversation in a way that made him feel like a stage actor, like he was preparing to undertake method acting. He pretended he was interested in others and cared how they felt and then acted accordingly, it was interesting and surprisingly rewarding. The process served to highlight just how selfish, self centred and sullen he had been for the last eight years of his life.
George headed back to London and the store room, Ginny helped Cho upstairs with her bag, they grabbed their broomsticks and headed out into the sunshine, leaving Mr Weasley to tinker in his shed and Mrs Weasley to add Cho and the new Weasley baby to her Christmas knitting list.
Ginny and Cho sat out in the Orchard and ate some apples off the tree and caught up. Ginny told Cho all about the party last night, showed her her new watch marking her coming of age, and disclosed that she was a little nervous about staying at Cho's place for the first time, and that she didn't know what to call Cho's Po po. Cho laughed and said she would ask.
In her turn Cho talked in detail about her individual training, team training, how much fun it was to travel with the whole group. Cho had played only two games so far, due to the team Seeker's bout of Spattergroit and had caught the Snitch both times, so she was enjoying some success in her new career. "Hey, I could show you some new things I've learned regarding personal training, you might find them helpful to incorporate with your routine?"
"Sure, that would be great. Did I mention Hermione and Harry came last night?"
"I know they were unsure about coming, so they came?"
"Yeah, mum said Ron had a cry last night in the back garden, she had a talk to him and when he came in he was a totally different person, - I mean he was a person!"
"I did notice he was quite different his morning."
"Yeah, right? He shook Harry's hand and talked to him normally and then went to Hermione and said he knew she would always do well! She thought he was drunk. Anyway once they felt secure he wasn't going to have a tantrum they stayed until quite late. I did mention I was going to be in London with you and Hermione suggested we all have lunch together?"
"Sounds great,"
"Oh good."
"Also I have your birthday gift, upstairs,"
"What is it?"
"Ha, you will see, training first, come on,"
The pair raced around on their broomsticks, enjoyed a lovely kissing session before heading back to the house for a late lunch. After refusing Mrs Weasley's offers to make them something more substantial, the girls insisted that they would be fine with a sandwich, fruit and biscuits until dinner time. They took Mr Weasley a cup of tea, who was still in his shed, delighted to be able to show Cho a few of his favourite pieces; an electric egg beater and a desk lamp with a removable light globe!
Eventually Ginny led Cho back upstairs where Cho handed Ginny a small box wrapped in red with a gold ribbon, Ginny's heart began to pound as she received it. She gingerly unwrapped it to find a small box, inside was a golden charm bracelet with three charms attached, the letters G and C and a little Snitch!
"Oh Cho, it's beautiful."
"So are you, Ginny. You go back to school shortly and I just wanted you to be in no doubt as to how I feel about you. I love you."
Ginny threw her arms around Cho's neck, "I love you too, Cho, I have for ages,"
"I know,"
"You know? How do you know?"
"Your mother's clock," Cho grinned.
Ginny rolled her eyes and fought her flushing pink, she held out her arm and Cho fastened the bracelet on her left wrist, Ginny looked at it again.
"Thank you, it's perfect."
"Every year I can get you a new charm to add to the collection."
"That's a bold promise, Chang, I accept!" said Ginny, teasing her girlfriend, they tempted fate by kissing right there in the bedroom with the door open!