Thanks, Mate
chapter eight; Silence
AN: hola compadres. . . well, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: wow, it's been a while since I remembered to put one of these :P anyways, whenever JK Rowling decides to put Fred up for auction on Ebay, I'll be there. Until then, they're all hers.
"Drink it, Honey, please. It'll make you feel better."
"Really, Mum, it's alright."
"Hermione. . ."
"I'm fine."
"Damnit, Hermione." Ron growled from the other side of the door, more to himself than anyone. "Just drink it."
"And what would you call this, perchance?" drawled Mr. Granger's diplomatic voice behind him. Ron groaned. "Eavesdropping, perhaps?" he grinned as he watch the annoyance and utter dread grow in Ron's face.
"No, sir. If you wouldn't mind, could you be quiet for a moment?" he said, using every muscle in his body to be polite, to which Granger's face turned red hot.
"And what if I do mind you eavesdropping?" he stressed.
"Well, that's fine. When I'm eavesdropping, let me know." he said through gritted teeth. He was making the whole "quiet observer" thing slightly difficult.
With that one cross remark, Ron felt himself being lifted from his collar and slammed against the wall, held in his spot about a foot more off the ground than any Weasley ever should be, lest they crack their head on the ceiling, so his eyes met coldly with his attacker's fury.
"Listen here, boy. If I ever, ever, catch you anywhere near my daughter from this point on, I'll hang you myself." he growled.
"Whoa, now, that's not very nice." Ron replied sarcastically, his annoyance fueling his courage, or possibly his audacity; whatever you choose to call it. "Hanging's a bit of a touchy subject with wizards. . . what with you lot getting a little power-happy in the 1400's. . . the Witch Trials, I believe; that's what you call it, right?"
"Don't be smart with me, boy!" he yelled, punching him square in the jaw before letting him slide to the floor, blood tricking from the corner of his mouth.
He moved his jaw around painfully as blood came thicker and thicker and numbness set in. "What the fuck what that for?" he yelled back, half glare in his eyes and half fear.
His question was answered with a series of painful kicks to his side; one for each syllable out of Granger's mouth. "I-said-don't-be-"
"Get off of him!" came an all too familiar voice, and once Ron had noticed the kicking had stopped, he looked up to see the most violent Fred he'd ever seen. He couldn't see his brother's face as the battle ensued, which he was quite grateful for, knowing it must have been a horror to see with the sentences flowing out of his mouth as blood started flowing. ". . . swear, if you ever touch my brother again, I'll fucking blow your brains out!"
"Fred!" George yelled, running up the stairs and immediately grabbing hold of him. "Stop it, mate! Right now! What the hell. . .?"
But Ron didn't catch the end of his sentence. A piercing scream caught his unyeilding attention, and he turned his head in what seemed like slow motion as he saw the horror spread across Mrs. Granger's face from behind the half open door. She breathed deeply, petrified in place, before running to them, pulling them apart as their fists fell in her presence. "Stop it! Stop it, all of you!" she forced, trying to hold her composure as confusion and fear set in.
"Ron?" Hermione whispered in fear, and he instantly jumped up, pushing her back into the room.
"Don't." he warned.
"What happened?"
"Just go lie down, Mione."
"Ron. . ."
"Just go." he said, and his fear for her met her eyes before she agreed, allowing him to close the door and lean against it in a daze. Lights blurred around him, voices lost comprehension, thoughts paused so abruptly that his head numbed. What just happened?
". . .in there, now." He blinked, Fred's outline becoming more defined. "Go on, get in there." he muttered again, directing Ron towards an empty room at the end of the hallway. He shot a quick glance around the hall before following orders, Fred trailing close behind him.
No sooner than Fred had shut the door did the screaming start. "Why didn't you hit him? What's wrong with you?"
Ron cringed. "Turn the light on, Fred."
"Merlin! I know you're all for love and peace, Ron, but defend yourself, man!"
"The light, mate."
Fred hit the wall with his wand so hard that it nearly snapped, and the room illuminated with a burst of light. He panted slightly, sitting down on the opposite bed where Ron sat. Ron stared at him blankly, following the random bursts of blood on his clothes to see what damage had been done. "You alright, mate?"
"I'm fine." He forced as he grabbed his left arm in pain, signifying they had other matters to discuss. He breathed in deeply. "So it happened."
"What happened?"
"Don't be stupid. You know what." Ron didn't say a word. Fred sighed, frustrated. "Your Girlfriend is pregnant, Ron; this isn't the time to get all proud on me."
"Look, Fred, I just. . ." he paused. "I just don't think I need to explain myself to you." He paused. "What're you doing here, anyways?" he added as a second thought.
"Well look at the balls on you." he muttered, completely ignoring Ron's last sentence. "So now you defend yourself."
"Fred, you got a problem? Cause I'd sure love to know what it is."
"Problem? Problem?" Fred blurted, exasperated. "Yeah, Ron, I got a problem; I find out about my brother and his girlfriend, who's like my sister at this point, are having a little fun. Alright, fine. Wanna be that way, go right ahead. Of course, I can't tell anyone, cause then it'll get all blown up out of proportion and my brother will come after me with a blooming sledgehammer before he considers himself avenged. And then," he paused, biting his lip as he inhaled heavily. "I find out about this. And its like the biggest fricken 'I told you so' I hoped I'd never have to say. Ever. So you wanna know what my fricken problem is, Ron? You really wanna know? I could've stopped this! I could've told mum, or talked to Hermione, or something, but I didn't. Because brothers don't do that." He paused as his voice choked, gulping hard to erase any tears that thought of appearing. "I didn't even tell George, Ron. My own twin. I've never kept anything from him in my entire life. Anything. Do you have any idea how much pressure that put on my shoulders? Have you the faintest idea? To not be able to completely blow up in front of the one person you know won't mind. And shite, did I want to blow up. Just scream it out; 'Ron and Hermi-. . .'"
The creaking of the door stopped him mid-sentence and George stepped in, acting completely oblivious, covered in blood that he didn't know was his own, or Fred's, or Hermione's father; maybe a combination of all three. He sat down quietly beside Fred, not able to meet Ron's eyes even once. Silence filled the room as they sat there, more uncomfortable with each other than they'd ever been. The only sound heard was Fred as he tried to maintain a steady breathing rate and the commotion in the hall from the recent event. George said something inaudible to Fred, who sniffed in reply.
Ron swallowed hard, his permanently wet eyes gleaming. "I uh. . ." Fred looked up. George listened from his current position. Ron bit his lip, continuing softly. "I. . . I didn't really think. . . I mean, I didn't think it'd happen. . . I didn't know it could. . ." he paused, sniffing. "It only happened once. I swear to God, Fred, it only happened once."
"Once is all it takes." Fred mustered, seeming completely stunned that he'd actually said it.
"Shut up, mate." George managed, waiting for Ron to continue, trying to seem patient.
"I never meant for it to be this way. Do you really think I would?" he asked, more to the air than anyone. "I mean, eventually, yeah, but not now. After we graduated, after we got married. . ." he paused. "She's. . .she's gonna get sick. Really sick. I know she is. And it's all my fault." His voice faded completely as the crying came, but it wasn't like the small bouts of tears he'd been experiencing daily. Oh, no. He cried; he bawled so hysterically that he couldn't have possibly had enough energy to hold himself up. He howled like a child, shaking so much that someone outside the situation would have thought him mad.
George sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, and when he was confident his composure wouldn't crack, he looked up at his little brother across from him. "Come're, tike." He said, moving so there was room for Ron between him and Fred. However, Ron, doubting anyone truly felt sympathy for him at this point, stayed in place, possibly sobbing even harder than before. Yet, despite the shun, George got up, sitting beside Ron, placing a gentile arm around his little brother, letting him eventually trust him enough again to cry into his shoulder. "It's alright, mate. Let it all out."
". . . I'm sorry." he whispered finally.
"For what?"
"Everything."
George looked at Fred accusingly as Ron continued to sob, and he buried his face in his hands, completely unwilling to hear it. However, George, not knowing the full magnitude of the situation (and not altogether caring), kicked his twin in the shin, silently ordering him to set things straight.
Fred spent a moment in silent contemplation before getting up and occupying Ron's other side. "Take that back." he whispered shakily.
". . .What?"
"Your apology." he said. "Take it back." Ron looked up into his brother's red, wet eyes through his own blur of tears, waiting for an explanation. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for."
"But. . ."
"But nothing." he persisted. "Ron, if there's anyone who should be sorry, . . . it's me. I just put extra stress on you that you don't deserve. You're not doing anything wrong, and I'm still punishing you." He teared, his eyes releasing silent streams down his cheeks. "I just. . . I care about you guys, that's all. I mean, I'm worried. . . I'm worried that. . . you'll go to Azkaban, and Hermione will be left all alone. . . and something'll happen to her while you're in there. . . or something'll happen to you while you're in there. . . I just. . . I don't want it to happen." Ron sniffed, nodding softly.
Fred smiled weakly. "It's why. . . I've made a decision." George and Ron both seemed taken aback for a moment; not that it was strange or anything, but Fred had never made a decision outside of his little unit with George. "It's alright if George doesn't agree with me; it's time I take some responsibility on my own. And I want this."
"What's that, mate?" George asked.
". . .I, uh. . . I'm gonna talk to Dumbledore; ask him if. . . if they have room for me to stay at Hogwarts. That way, until they. . ." Fred swallowed hard. "Until they. . . release you, I can help Hermione out a little."
Ron stared at him blankly. "Fred. . ."
"She means a lot to me, Ron; to all of us. She's like my sister. I couldn't just leave her alone like that. And I know. . . no matter how much I might love her, or George might love her. . ." He shook his head, looking at Ron painfully. "It's not even. . . half of what you feel for her." He paused. "It's not fair that they'd take you away from her, especially now. . . but at least she won't be completely alone."
Complete. . . utter. . . silence.
"You would really do that. . . for me?" Ron croaked.
Fred smiled slightly. "You're my brother, Ron. Brothers look out for each other, yeah?"
Before Fred even knew what hit him, Ron had him in the single most tight hug he'd ever had in his life (including his yearly hugs from Aunt Tessie), determined not to let him go, no matter how uncomfortable it made him. "Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. . ." he repeated, until his voice was so completely consumed by his emotions all at once.
Fred loosened his arm enough to pat him on the back. "Don't mention it. I wouldn't have left her alone; you know that."
"Hey, what's with all this 'I' all of a sudden?" George accused brightly. "You know I'm coming with you, yeah?"
Fred blinked. "Are you, now?"
"Well, let's face it; we're not all that good on our own, are we?" he joked, however pathetically true it was. "Besides; two Weasleys are better than one." Fred high-fived his twin to signify his agreement, and Ron managed something he hadn't been able to do in so long that he'd nearly forgotten how; a smile.
"Ron, dear? Could I have a word?" Mrs. Granger asked, tapping him on the shoulder just before he walked through the front doorway. He stopped, taken aback for a moment at her nickname. "Oh. Um, sure." He said, exchanging a funny look with Hermione, Harry and Ginny before walking off to the side with her.
"He started it, didn't he?"
Ron blinked at the abrupt start of conversation. "Who. . .?"
"Michael. He hit you first."
"I didn't hit him, Ma'am, I promise I didn't." he hastened. "I wouldn't ever. . ."
"It's alright, Ron. You can tell me." she said softly.
He swallowed. "Really?" she nodded patiently. He shifted his feet uncomfortably and scratched the back of his neck. "He, um. . . actually. . ." he paused. "Yeah, he kinda started it. . ."
"I knew it." she whispered lowly.
"But it wasn't his fault! I provoked him, listening in on you and all. . ." he explained, though he didn't believe it true in the least.
"That doesn't make it right, does it?" She swallowed hard. "Michael. . . he um. . ." she paused, as if considering whether or not he could be trusted. "Lately he's been. . . short-tempered. . . he picks fights all the time, and he lashes out when he gets upset. . . and. . ." Ron looked at her strangely, wondering why exactly she was telling him this. "Dumbledore mentioned that. . . Hermione might be happier at home rather than the hospital wing at Hogwarts, and I couldn't say no, not in front of Michael. . ." Ron nodded. "It's so horrible I have to tell you this. . . he's a good person, Ron, he is. . . and he's a good father. I love him." She paused. "I want Hermione home, I really do. Especially now, because of this, and you won't be there. . . but I. . . I can't trust him around her. I don't want anything to happen to her."
"I understand." he said, trying not to let his shock show in his face. How could Michael ever want to. . .? Why would he do that to Hermione?
"This is really hard for me. . . " she whispered solemnly. "But I have to protect her. . . So, that said. . . I was wondering if maybe you could have a word with Dumbledore; convince him she'd be better off at Hogwarts."
Ron thought a moment. "I, uh. . ." he started. "Don't get me wrong, I would in a heartbeat. . . but I really don't think Dumbledore would take my opinion over yours, now that you already agreed. . ." she nodded softly, looking down at her hands, and he forced a bitter chuckle. "Besides. . . I'm guessing I don't have the best reputation at the moment."
She smiled for what seemed a split second. "That's not funny." she said strangely.
He nodded slowly in agreement. "Yeah. I didn't think so either."
Silence.
"I want her safe. I want it more than anything; believe me, I do. I'll try, I promise. But if he doesn't listen. . . will you talk to Dumbledore yourself?"
She nodded softly. "Yes. Of course."
"I hate to disturb you both," Dumbledore chimed as he appeared out of nowhere, and Ron's eyes bulged out momentarily. Mrs. Granger didn't budge. "But that won't be necessary." he said reassuringly.
Mrs. Granger sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God." she whispered shakily.
"Your opinions of me surprise me a bit." he jokedto their great surprise. "You should know by now, Mr. Weasley, that I respect my students very deeply. No amount of mistakes can ever change that. We're all more or less human, after all."
Ron smiled weakly, completely startled. "Oh, um. . . of course, sir. Thank you." Dumbledore managed a wink in his direction, and Ron dropped his head in deep thought.
"As for you, Mrs. Granger," he said, turning slightly and dropping his voice's volume considerably. "Your daughter is always welcome at Hogwarts, despite all circumstances. I shall see to her comfort."
She trembled softly, withholding her tears. "Thank you. Thank you so, so much. . ."
"And, Mr. Weasley, I'm sure your brothers have informed you of their plan?" He nodded. "Fred and George Weasley." he explained to Mrs. Granger. "Quite spirited boys. I believe you met them earlier?" Mrs. Granger nodded, and Ron attempted to stifle a laugh. Not that their meeting had been amusing, but it was certainly awkward, if nothing else."They've volunteered to come back to Hogwarts for a period of time to see that Miss Granger is kept well and happy. They're sure to do so; they have quite a knack for making people laugh. You should have seen this one stunt they pulled not too long ago, right before they left the school. . . I didn't experience it personally, however, the other teacher's accounts are quite . . ."
"Let's not relive that, Professor." Ron joked shyly.
Dumbledore laughed to himself. "I suppose we shouldn't. You, of course, wouldn't mind that, would you, Mrs. Granger?"
She smiled sweetly, to Ron's great surprise, and her eyes watered gratefully. "Wow. . . um. . ." She paused, sniffing as she squeezed Ron's hand. "I see Hermione's well taken care of, isn't she?" She giggled.
"I can discuss matters with you further at a later date, Arianna." Dumbledore said, smiling with a wink before leaving.
"I've heard so much. . . from Hermione. . .about you, Ron. . . how you take care of her. . ." She smiled. "But. . . I never imagined she was this exact. . . I thought she was exaggerating a bit, to be honest." Ron snickered, and his eyes widened when he'd realized he'd done it. She laughed. "No, it's alright. I deserved that." She bent down to his height (which wasn't much, given Ron's inevitable Weasley genes) "If you ever need anything. . . Anything at all. . . don't hesitate to let me know. Ever."
Ron nodded. "Thanks, Ma'am."
"Oh, come now. We're family now." she joked. "Arianna." she said, and Ron nodded, smiling slightly.
"Thanks, Arianna." he repeated, and she hugged him close. He paused a moment before hugging her back, trying not to notice her slight body movements that signified her wanting to cry.
"Hey, Ron!" Harry called from the doorway, startling them both. "We're leaving without you!"
They let go of each other with a laugh. "I should get going, too." she said, smiling as she left to retrieve her purse and her husband.
"In case you're too daft to catch that. . ." Ginny started angrily, and Molly Weasley seemed to appear out of nowhere to scold her.
"Ginerva Weasley, you apologize to your brother right now!"
"Ginerva!" Harry repeated, jumping back from her with wide, shocked eyes.
"Drop it!" she forced through gritted teeth, jabbing her elbow into his rib.
"Ronald, let's go! Don't keep them waiting!" Ron sighed as he made his way to the door. Same as ever he thought to himself. . . and God, was he happy for that. He hugged his mother briefly before walking out the front door and following the succession that lead as follows; Dumbledore and McGonagall, looking as nobly cheerful as ever; Harry and Ginny, discussing the different blackmails and consequences thereof that could happen with the use of Ginny's full name; Hermione and Ron, trailing behind in a manner that could only be described as completely sober.
"What was that?" Hermione whispered.
Ron looked at her skeptically. "What?"
"My mother. What did she want?"
"Oh, nothing. . ." he said, brushing it off cheerfully. "Just, um. . ." He shrugged. "Ya know. . . welcoming me into the family. . ."
Hermione paused. "She did what?" she asked, completely astonished.
He smiled. "She um. . . I think she. . .approves of me."
Her whole face lit up, and she shoved him. "She does not!" she said, practically hopping.
Ron up-righted himself, coughing for a moment. "Merlin. . . watch where you're swinging those hormones, I'm not that strong to begin with."
She snorted. "Shut up, you." He laughed. She looked at him suspiciously. "What's got you so happy, all of a sudden?"
"I'm just. . . in such a great mood." he said, his signature smile stretching ear to ear as he hooked his arm around her. "I'm on Fred's good side again, I'm still on Dumbledore's good side, I've got one of two Grangers rooting for me. . ."
"Two of three, mind you." she joked.
"You know what I mean!" he said, practically laughing. He paused. "Besides. . . in a year or two. . . well, you might be a Weasley by then. . ."
She paused, grinning mischievously. "Maybe."
He blushed madly at her response, meeting her eyes and they completely stopped walking. "I love you." he whispered, as if he'd never believed it more true.
She smiled. "I love you." And their lips touched softly before they resumed walking, practically giggling to themselves like giddy little children.
"By the way. . . Guess who's moving in at Hogwarts while I'm gone?"
"Oh, please; not the twins. . ."
"None other!"
Sigh. "God, I hope Pomfrey keeps me on good tranquilizers."
Distant laughter.
The slight sound of Apparations.
Complete. . . utter. . . silence.
Hey guys! Wow, I can't believe its really been four months since I've updated. . . well, keep the reviews coming, and maybe it won't take me as long :P although, I'm getting better; this chapter only took 2 days to write. All the rest of that four months was procrastination :P well anyways, please review!
Love always,
Suki
formatting updated July 26, 2006