A/N making up for not posting for months :)
Their trunks were packed and they were ready to go and Ron suddenly burst into tears.
"Ron, what's the matter?" Harry asked urgently holding him tightly.
"He's going to hurt my mum… and Ginny. He can't touch her." Ron sobbed, "And at school... What if people realise?"
"Ginny will be at school, he won't ever hurt your mother…" Harry soothed, "Don't worry about school; we can just act like we always have. Nothing has to change." Harry said kissing Ron's forehead. "Now come on, school will be just as good as always." Ron took a deep breath and got himself together and grabbed his trunk. They went downstairs carefully checking to see if Mr. Weasley was still knocked out, he was and Ron bent down next to him and looked into his face.
"How can you call yourself a father? You made me want to kill myself." Ron said before cutting himself off because he was going to cry again but held it in and walked out of the house quickly.
"I'm proud of you…" Harry said taking Ron's hand that didn't have the trunk. They had to drag their trunks because they were going to walk to Diagon Alley and didn't want any unwanted staring.
It seemed like hours they were walking before they found a familiar street in London; they managed to find their way there through stopping in phone boxes and using their wands to create a map. There it was, The Black Cauldron, the way through to Diagon Alley. Ron opened the big door and inside was as dark and dreary as always with some wizards sitting smoking pipes. They walked through to the back and opened the pathway and entered Diagon Alley. Finally they could relax and sit down, although there was a thought in the back of Harry's mind that if Mr. Weasley wanted to follow them he knew they'd come here. Harry smiled at Ron who finally seemed to be unafraid so he kept a happy face for him.
The boys had a meal in a pub and checked for any school supplies they thought they'd need, in their hurry to leave the house they had forgotten their lists of what they needed. And then as Harry was feeling okay about what had happened and feeling relaxed that no one was following them, he saw a glimpse of white hair. Draco Malfoy. Harry made sure not to catch his eye and carry on walking, Ron noticed him too and let go of Harry's hand. Harry tried not to let it get to him and thought that Ron had been through enough without people giving him grief about having a boyfriend. Draco smirked and then darted into a shop and Harry carried on walking trying to forget him.
"Want to go to the platform?" Harry asked looking at the time and Ron nodded. "We can get in the train early and talk in private." He said leading the way to the platform. They both ran through the brick wall with their trunks and there the Hogwarts Express appeared in front of their eyes chugging out thick smoke from its scarlet red chimney. Ron scanned the platform for Ginny and his mother but they were the first few people there, there were some new first years that had gotten their early and that now didn't want to let go of their parents. Harry beckoned Ron into the train and they both sat in a compartment. They both put their trunks away and sat down; Harry sat next to Ron and held one of his hands.
"I hope Ginny is ok…" Ron said looking out of the window again.
"Calm down, Ron." Harry said stroking his red hair out of his face. "Everything will turn out ok…"
"How do you know that, Harry?" Ron said a little agitated.
"Because I have you now…" Harry said quietly and Ron calmed down and rested his head on Harry's shoulder.
Gradually more students started to arrive and fill the train up, with each one that got on Ron shuffled from Harry another inch and Harry sighed not letting it get to him. Then the door opened and Hermione came in with her bushy hair in her hand.
"It's gotten so windy." She huffed trying to pat her hair down. She looked at the boys who both didn't look up but looked at the floor glumly. "What's happened?" She said looking worriedly at them both. Harry looked at Ron seeing if he was going to tell Hermione anything when he looked at Harry for reassurance.
"Tell her if you want." Harry said kindly. Ron cleared his throat and went to speak but nothing came out.
"Over the last holiday… my dad… changed." He cut himself off and looked at Harry to continue.
"He hits Ron." Harry whispered and Hermione clasped her hands over her mouth.
"What…?" She asked and Ron nodded uncomfortably.
"I walked in on it today, and cast expelliarmus at him… We left his unconscious body and came to London." Harry whispered and put a hand on Ron's leg for reassurance but then remembered and took it away again. Hermione's expression had stayed the same and Harry waited for a lecture.
"I'm proud of you, Ron." Hermione said once she'd let her hands down from her mouth. "I would have done the same as you, Harry." She said to both their surprises. "Nobody should have put up with anything like that…" Just as Ron was about to say something Neville and Seamus came into the compartment laughing loudly.