"Hey look over there, Rosie," said Rose, pointing to a huge slide. He smiled. "I know this place. It's the park Mum took me to when I was little." He walked over to a slide. Rose followed closely behind him. "I remember this," he whispered. He tried to touch to slide, but his hand passed through it. "I remember this, but it seemed so much bigger to me then." He looked at Rose who was looking the other way. "Rose? What's wrong?" Scorpius asked.
Rose shook her head. "Nothing," she replied. Scorpius looked at the direction of Rose's sight. He spotted Ron and his younger sister standing by the swing. "Come on, Scorpius. Let's go see what's happening there," she said. She took Scorpius's hand and pulled her across the park to where his father and Ginny was standing.
Scorpius looked at Ron. He was dressed up properly, unlike the other memories he had seen. Ginny was also dressed the same. He looked around. There seemed to be nobody around but the two of them. Scorpius studied Ginny's face. She looked very upset. Ron didn't have a disappointed expression, but Scorpius could tell that he was being saddened by Ginny's unhappiness as of the moment. Scorpius examined the situation, but there seemed to be nothing apart from the two.
Rose stepped forward. "Auntie Ginny's crying," she said softly. She crouched down and looked at Ginny's face. She was sobbing continuously. Rose looked up at her father. He seemed to be very casual about this, but not all too happy to see Ginny. "What happened?" she whispered as she tried to touch Ginny's hair, but it was a simple memory which she cannot reach out to.
"I know they'll be here, Ginny. If they told you they'll be," said Ron in assurance to his sister. He placed his arm around her. Ginny leaned on him and sobbed on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ginny, they'll be here. I know it." Ron's voice didn't sound very convincing. He looked at his sister and held her closer to him. "Don't worry. It's all right, Ginny. They'll be here."
"No they won't!" Ginny cried. "It was just a trick. They knew I was going to fall for it." She buried her face on Ron's shoulder. "They knew I would be excited and come here. They weren't serious about it. Who would be serious about inviting be to their birthday party? I should've listened to Mum. She knew it already and I closed my ears to her." She cried even more as she said this. "We should've stayed at home. I'm sorry, Ron."
Ron shook his head. "I'm not complaining about anything, Gin. I like it out here. It's good to get some little sunshine once in a while." Ginny did not stop crying. Ron sighed. He had no clue what to do about his younger sister. He made her laugh once in a while, but he had never seen her this upset before. She usually held her head up high at sad situations and made the best out of it. Ron looked around. "They'll be here, Ginny."
Scorpius looked sideways at Rose. "Who do you think they're waiting for?" he asked. Rose shrugged and shook her head. Scorpius looked at Ron and Ginny's clothes. "Looks like they did dress up for whoever birthday party it would have been." He looked at Ginny thoughtfully. "She must be really heartbroken right now to find out they didn't really include her in it."
Rose nodded. "I know what that feels. Remember when you asked me to come to your party and you said on the last minute that I couldn't come after all? I remember that clearly. I think we weren't more than eleven then, or I wasn't," she said as she looked at the sky above her.
Scorpius frowned. "That wasn't my fault. Dad said I couldn't. I tried to convince him though, I swear."
Rose laughed. "I know you did, Malfoy." Scorpius smiled. Rose nodded to Ginny. "With friends like you, who needs enemies?" Scorpius raised at eyebrow, his eye twitching. Rose stuck her tongue out on him playfully. "You always take me too seriously!" she exclaimed. Scorpius's face relaxed a bit. Rose neared him. "Though that's what I like about you sometimes."
"They don't know what they're missing when they didn't intentionally invite you," said Ron. He started to walk, still with an arm around Ginny. "Come on, you. Let's go home and have dinner then. I'm sure Mum would have something for you to eat. Don't worry, Ginny. Once we get to Hogwarts, I'm sure we'll find real friends that will invite us to real parties and we'll really enjoy them." Ron smiled for his sister, something he knew Bill would have done.
Not long after then had taken a few steps, someone called. "Hey Weasley." Ron and Ginny turned at the same time. A blonde-haired girl stood in the middle of the park by the slide. "I thought you'd never show up. Come over here. We're about to start the party." Ginny's face lit up. She looked at Ron who looked delighted for her. The both of them walked over to the blonde-haired girl. "Uh, I think there's a mistake here," said the girl. She glanced at Ron. "I believe that I only invited you."
Ginny blinked. "But Ron's my brother," she said.
The blonde-haired girl shook her head. "We only have enough space for one Weasley. It's either he doesn't come or both of you don't." She sounded very sure of what she had just said. "Well? What is it then? We don't have all day, Ginerva."
Ron slowly let go of Ginny. "Go on," he said. "I'll be back to pick you up in an hour. Make sure to meet me by the swings." Ginny looked at him uncertainly for a moment. Ron had been waiting too since they thought that he could come along. Ron threw his head back. "It's all right, Gin. I promise I'll pick you up later." He looked at the blonde-haired girl. "Happy birthday, Penny." He turned around and walked away from the girls.
"Dad's really nice to Auntie Ginny," said Rose as he watched his young father walk back to the swings. He looked a bit cheerful for a moment, then not too long after, downcast. Rose frowned. "But I think he did want to go to the party as well. Who wouldn't feel left out?" She turned around. "Auntie Ginny should have said no and be with Dad."
Scorpius shook his head. "There are times that you should pry away from your family too. You wouldn't want to hang around Hugo all day, would you?" Rose shook her head. "Maybe that's what Ginny felt and Ron knows it. I think they're pretty close for siblings," he observed.
Rose shrugged. "I don't know. Auntie Ginny told me that she never tells Dad everything. When Dad became Uncle Harry's best friend, they grew even further away from each other. Dad said it might have been because she didn't want Uncle Harry to know that she liked him, but Dad said that when the years go by and you don't hang around with your sibling long enough anymore, it just drifts away," she explained.
Ron sat on the swing. "Happy birthday, Penny. Happy Birthday, Penny. Happy Birthday dear Penny. Happy Birthday, Penny," he muttered as he swung himself. He looked at the sky and closed his eyes. The wind blew past his flaming red hair, causing them to move away from his face. His eyes shone brightly as the sun rays touched his face. He looked his best at that one particular moment as he tried to hide all that he felt.
After a while of swinging, Ron jumped off the swing. He felt the cool breeze pass him. With hands inside his pockets he walked towards his house, thinking he would just pick his sister up in a while after she had her party. Ron tried to hold his head up high as he neared the Burrow. His eyes, obviously filled with hurt, sought for his home.
"Why so early, Dear?" asked Molly as she came out from the kitchen and saw Ron come through the front door. Molly stopped and looked at him. "Are you all right? Did something happen? Where' Ginny? I thought she was with you when you went out," she said. Ron looked at her and was about to reply when Molly interrupted him. "Do you want a Chocolate Frog? I've got one last in the kitchen. Found it in the twins' room. I know you collect the cards."
Ron smiled weakly and shook his head. "No thanks. I'm not up for eating chocolates right now." He turned to the couch. He ran his hand through the cushion to make sure there weren't any pins and needles before he sat on it. He leaned back and closed his eyes. "Mum, can you wake me up after an hour? I need to pick Ginny up from the party," he said.
Molly looked at him benevolently. "Do you want me to pick her up instead? I know you can manage on your own for a couple of minutes here by yourself. You don't need to go all the way to the park to pick her up if you're not up to it." She didn't know what went on in the park, but she had a feeling that whatever it was, it did upset Ron. Knowing him, he'd keep all his thoughts to himself and won't notice the sadness on his face even if he tried to smile.
Ron shook his head. "Don't worry, Mum, I can't manage," he replied.
Molly eased her face. She smiled a bit. "I am going to miss you here," she said. "In a year, you'd be off to Hogwarts with the other boys. I'm sure Ginny would miss you too if you were gone." She walked over to her son. Ron opened his eyes and sat up. Molly sat down beside him. She softly stroked his hair. "Smile for me, Ron. You look the handsomest when you do," she said.
Ron managed a little smile. "Like this?" he asked. Molly laughed and nodded. "Mum," whispered Ron, "thanks." Molly hugged her son and Ron hugged her back. As they let go of each other, Ron smiled wider this time. "I promise to write everyday when I go to Hogwarts. It would be like as if I've never gone," he said brightly. He had turned back to his usual self now.
Molly stood up from the couch. "Oh I do hope so." She gave him one last look. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," she said and walked off. "Oh and Ron, what would you like for dinner. Your father sent me an owl saying he'd come home late. That leaves you and me and probably Ginny when she gets home hungry."
"Anything Mum," replied Ron. He leaned back on the couch again and slowly closed his eyes. "I'm just in for a nap, Mum. Wake me up if you need anything." Ron shifted his body comfortably on the couch and put his feet up on the shabby coffee table in front of him.
"Likes to act like the little boss, doesn't he?" said Scorpius. The scene around his started to darken. "I think we're off to another memory. He's about to doze off and for the past few times we find another memory of his." He smiled at Rose who was no once again looking disappointed. "I told you to ask him about it," he said.
Rose shook her head. "No way am I going to do that." The scene started to lighten again, much to the two teenagers' surprise. "It's coming back. Scorpius, what's happening here?" she asked as the darkening turned into another colorful scene which looked like it was back where it had been left off. "We're here again."
"He didn't take the memory out," replied Scorpius.
"She won't. She's at a party," said Ron curtly.
Molly poked her head out of the kitchen. "She can't be," she said. Ron quickly looked up. Molly glanced back at the Weasley clock. "It says here that Ginny's travelling." She looked anxious now. "Ron, would you mind finding her?" She looked back at the clock. "Yes, she is still travelling. Tell her to come home now. I want to have a word with her, that Ginny."
Ron jumped from the couch. "On it," he muttered. Without another word from his mother, he walked out of the house. "Ginny, where are you?" He walked down the dust road and back towards the park where he had promised to pick her up. He walked faster as he looked at the sky above him. The sun was being clouded now and it looked as if it was about to rain soon. He reached the park and walked over to the swing set. "Ginny?" He walked around the park twice desperately looking for her. "Ginny?"
"Are you looking for a little girl about this tall?" a man suddenly asked as he held his hand up to his chest. Ron nodded. The man thought for a moment. "I saw her walked around by herself all day. She seemed upset about something then she walked off to that direction," he explained as he pointed north of the park.
Ron smiled. "Thanks," he said and took the man's lead. "Ginny! Ginny, where are you?" He walked faster. He looked at the sky. A raindrop fell. Ron picked up his pace once more as he called his sister. "Ginny, it's Ron! Where are you?" His heart thumped and he could feel it as if it was beating out of his chest. "Ginny!"
The rain began to fall hard. Ron shielded his eyes from it as he called on for Ginny, but there was no answer at his every call. He thought about going back to tell his mother that he couldn't find her, but he thought about Ginny as well, who might be very scared at the moment. He knew what it felt to be afraid after meeting the boggart in the attic, his first real fear. Thunder roared. Ron jumped in surprise when it did, but he still went on in search for Ginny.
"Scorpius, Dad's going to get sick," said Rose as she gripped Scorpius's shirt tightly. They had been following Ron closely. Rose looked fretfully at Ron's direction as he continued calling for his sister. "Scorpius, we have got to help him," she said definitely.
Scorpius smirked. "I'd love to," he replied. "If only this wasn't a memory."
The rain fell harder. A chill ran down Ron's spine. He clicked his tongue. "Ginny, where could you be?" he muttered. He walked around the place where the man had directed him, but Ginny couldn't be found anywhere. "Oh Merlin, please let me find Ginny. Mum would kill me if I don't." He walked another round, but still had no success in finding her.
"Ron!" Ron's heart leapt when he heard that sweet voice call his name. He turned and saw his younger sister drenched by the rain. Ginny ran to him and threw her arms around him. "I was so scared, Ron. I thought you weren't coming back for me any longer. I waited for you by the swings!" she said, her voice seemed broken as she spoke.
Ron looked at her face. He couldn't tell whether they were tears or just raindrops. He took off the coat he had been wearing and placed it above her head. She looked at him for a moment. Their eyes met and there was silence.
"I tried to go back to you after a while that they told me that you couldn't come," Ginny explained, "but you weren't by the swings. They weren't nice people. They keep teasing me about my clothes." She looked at her clothing. Ron could now tell that she was crying. "I tried to wear the best ones I could find and this is it. They said I shouldn't come to the party if I can't dress nicely enough and I'm dressed already," she said.
Ron nodded. "I know. You look all right to me."
"But not to them," protested Ginny.
"What is that to you?" asked Ron. He stopped walking. Ginny turned back to him. "Are you telling me now that you're ashamed to be a Weasley?" Ginny didn't answer. She looked very much unsure. "Well, you shouldn't be. We may not have the best everything, but we're always all right. You never cared about wearing old things until you started being friends with Penny. You cared less if you were being included in their parties or not." Ron cocked his head. "We've gone through more than enough to know that it's not what the clothes we wear that counts."
Ginny sniffed. "You don't understand…"
"What don't I?" asked Ron. "We come from the same place and I'm proud to belong there. I know I don't get the best clothes or the best shoes and I don't get invited to parties and people tease me, but what do I care? Let them be!" He looked into Ginny's eyes. "If there's anyone who understands you more right now, it's a Weasley." Ron smiled for Ginny. "Come on, let's go home. Mum's really worried about you," he said. "I hear there's a Chocolate Frog back at home. Want it? I get the card though."
Under the rain, they walked off. There were no more tears in Ginny's eyes now. Apparently, they're just raindrops.
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When the light disappears
And when this world's insincere
You'll be safe here
When nobody hears you scream
I'll scream with you
You'll be safe here
Save your eyes
From your tears
When everything's unclear
You'll be safe here
From the sheer weight
Of your doubts and fears
Wounded heart
-Rivermaya-
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"Ron's right. Only a Weasley would be able to understand her." Scorpius watched as the two walked away and the scene darkened. "Though I daresay that it's very unfair that they have to put up with all these things. They're nice people and you don't have to look at their clothes to find that out, do you?" He looked at Rose who was beaming at him. "Speechless?" he asked. Rose plainly nodded.
A/N: Thank you for reading and for keeping up on the story! I really appreciate that. I hope you review this one too!
NEXT CHAPTER: It's My Life