Chapter 2

Do You Believe in Angels?

The next morning Ron and Harry acted like nothing happened, but they couldn't hide their content smiles every time their eyes met. They walked out of the common room together and strolled down the moving staircase, their hands brushing past each others by "accident." When they reached the Great Hall they saw Hermione sitting to the far right with Ginny, and Neville, and they looked like they were in a serious conversation. Ron stared at Harry and with a nod of confirmation they began to walk towards them. Unfortunately, in order to reach the Gryffindor table they had to pass by Slytherian. Harry sighed as they grew just inches away from that dreadful group. He saw Pansy Parkinson drowning herself with cups of butterbeer, and then he saw Crabbe and Goyle, fighting over who gets the last drumstick. Sadly, once you see the cronies you see the master, and as Harry's eyes skimmed past the table he saw a pair of cold blue eyes glaring at him. Harry gestured Ron to walk a little faster to avoid Malfoy, but it was too late.

"What's this, Potters got a boyfriend now? And look, its poor little Weasley."

Ron spoke with fury, "Shut it, Malfoy or I'll shut it for you!"

Draco leaned back in his chair and cackled,

"And how do you tend on doing that?"

Ron went to grab his wand when Harry pulled Ron's hand out of his pocket,

"Aw, you two holding hands now?"

"I told you to shut it!"

Harry hated seeing Ron upset, "Come off it, Malfoy."

Crabbe and Goyle snickered like morons as Draco spoke, "Don't worry Potter, I'm not gonna steal your little boyfriend. I'm not a faggot like you."

This was too much for Ron as he went to punch Malfoy in the face, but Harry thankfully grabbed hold of him and pushed him back.

"Ron, he's not worth it!"

Ron's face was red with anger, "I'm not gonna just stick around and hear him bad-mouth you like that!"

Pansy swallowed a chuck of chicken and then spoke, "Oo, little Weasleys getting defensive."

Ron was about to make a retort, but he was cut off-

"I really think you should stop eating your feelings Pansy, it doesn't make your chin seem any smaller."

Pansy's jaw dropped and Crabbe couldn't help but to laugh, until Malfoy shot him a look of disdain.

"Let's go," Hermione said as she grabbed Harry's and Ron's hand and pulled them to the Gryffindor table.

As they sat in their chairs Ron said, "Hermione that was brilliant!"

Hermione blushed slightly, "Well, someone had to shut her fat mouth."

Ginny spoke as she placed her butterbeer back on the table, "I swear, that girl is as round as a remembral." Neville laughed and then quickly put his hand in his pocket to see if he had forgotten his own remembral.

"What was Malfoy talking about though," Hermione questioned them as she reached forward for her pumpkin juice.

"Nothing important really," Harry said as casually as he could.

Ron's ears flushed with embarrassment, "Yeah, just like Harry said. Nothing important," he used much emphasis on his last statement and shot Harry a meaningful look.

Hermione placed her cup back on the table, "Well, I think he is just ridiculous."

Harry stared down at his plate, trying to avoid all eye contact with Ron.

"Yeah, he is pretty ridiculous," Ron's voice escalated as he spoke, "wouldn't you agree Harry?"

Harry stared up at Ron with emptiness in his eyes, "Don't know Ron. Maybe he just knows a faggot when he sees one."

Harry thought, Did I just say that?

Ron had a mixed expression of intense rage and extreme betrayal written across his face, "Thanks mate."

He stood up and pushed Hermione's hand off him as he stormed out of the Great Hall murmuring incoherently under his staggering breath.

Hermione turned her gaze to Harry who was stricken with shock, "Why the hell would you say something like that to Ron! He's your best friend, Harry. That was disgusting!"

Neville stared at his plate trying to avoid being dragged into the confrontation.

Ginny face was red with fury as she spat at him, "That was my brother you said that to you bloody idiot."

Harry couldn't believe himself his mind was swimming with confusion;

Why in the world would I say something like that to Ron? Ron was my best friend; I said that he loved him. If I really loved him why would I say something like that? If I was really his best friend why the hell would I say something like that?

Harry couldn't take it anymore; he gathered his things and stood up only to be clawed by Hermione.

"Now, where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Away."

Ginny slammed her hand on the table and stood up fiercely, "If you go near my brother I will personally shove my wand so far up your arrogant little-"

"I won't go near your bloody brother alright!?"

Harry threw himself out of Hermione's grasp and practically ran down through the Great Hall, not caring who or what he happened to bump into, which occurred quite a few times. Where would Ron be? Harry thought to himself as he was searching through the nearby corridor.

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It must have been at least thirty minutes of searching all of Hogwarts for him until the idea struck him, The Room of Requirement. Harry zoomed past Nearly-Headless Nick and almost flew right into a wall as he made a sharp turn. He dashed down the corridor and thought heavily, I need to find Ron, I need to find Ron. Harry then saw part of the wall of the corridor pull into itself and then a wooden door took it place. He ran as fast as he could to the door, practically ripped off the handle out of urgency to erase what he has does back at the Great Hall. He opened the door and threw himself through the opening to see that he had entered an incredibly small bathroom, and by the toilet he saw a most distraught Ron Weasley puking his guts out. Harry went over to him and dropped to his knees,

"Ron, I've been looking for you for ages."

He lifted his disheveled face and turned to Harry, "Sorry for the inconvenience," he said sarcastically.

"That's not what I meant."

"Well, I don't care what ever the bloody hell you meant, Harry."

Harry tried to apologize, but he was quickly silence by the unpleasant sound of Ron regurgitating into the open toilet bowl.

Harry felt horrible, "What happened?"

Ron answered him flatly, "I got sick."

Harry inched a little closer, "How did you get sick then?"

Ron swallowed a wad of vomit, "Love can do this kind of shit to you, Harry."

Love.

Harry couldn't take the aching pain anymore, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry Ron!"

Ron turned to him with the same emptiness in his eyes that Harry had once given him.

"I don't know why the hell I said what I said back there, but I didn't mean any of it! Something just came over me and I exploded, I'm so sorry! I would never mean to hurt you, Ron, never! I care too much about you!"

Ron laughed mockingly, "Yeah, calling me a bloody faggot really showed how much you care."

"Ron! I'm sorry. I really am sorry."

"Do you honestly think saying 'you're sorry'", Ron turned his head, "will make me want to see your effin face agai-" He was cut off by the overwhelming shock that entered his body. What he saw was so incomprehensible that it left him looking dumbfounded. Harry was pouring out tears, tears that he never saw before. Not the same tears that he saw last night, not the same tears that he saw when Cedric died, not the same tears when he saw Sirus die, not the same tears when he saw Dumbledore die, these were new tears and they were tears for him. For Ron.

It was clear that Harry was trying to speak, but he was so hysterical that anything he was trying to say was inaudible. All he could mutter were things like, stupid, sorry, Ron, and failure. Ron couldn't comprehend what was taking place, Harry was practically empting his heart and soul out for him. For a poor, redheaded, untalented, un-proportional, immature boy. Ron couldn't believe that Harry had this strong of an emotional connection on him, and it started to overwhelm Ron as he too began to sob.

"Harry, why are you doing this? Why? I'm not worth it, I'm really not."

Harry tried to control his breathing, but he failed to stop the hyperventilating, "Love-can-do-this-kind-of-shit-to-you-Ron."

"Harry," Ron said as he threw his arms around his lover and squeezed as tight as he possibly could.

"I love you so much, Harry. You really have no idea. Ever since that day on the Hogwarts Express I've been infatuated by you."

Ron could feel Harry's breathing starting to slow, but his heart-beat starting to increase.

Harry stammered, "R-really?"

Ron smiled and nuzzled his head into Harry's shoulders, "Mhm. And to be honest, I really hate Cho."

Harry couldn't help but laugh at his attempt to cheer him up.

"Now why are you trying to cheer me up? I should be the one trying to make you happy."

Ron put his hand on Harry's soft, moist cheeks and spoke gently, "You've made me for happy then I've ever been in my life."

Harry blushed profusely, "How do you reckon that?"

"Because you love me," Ron gingerly stroke Harry's hair with his free hand and pressed their lips together. Harry could feel Ron's passion surging through his own veins, and he pushed forward returning the emotion. Their body temperature skyrocketed as Harry placed his hand on Ron's cheek and stroked it gently as they kissed passionately. Unlike before this wasn't a kiss of sensual passion; this was a kiss of true love. At this moment Harry realized that his feelings for Ron had truly evolved. Instead of a curious heart, it was now a passionate heart, and in order to pump its blood throughout his body he needed a special touch. The tender stroke of an angel.

An angel named Ronald Weasley.