Chapter 8

To the girl with the mousy hair

Sunday, 17th of July 1994

Ron had a plan. He had an outfit laid out, borrowed some cologne from a box of Charlie's stuff, and got Percy to clean his trainers with magic. He seemed suspicious of the request at first, but Ron managed to distract him into a conversation about his education, and ended up being held for over an hour listening to various study tips and tricks, most of which he already knew from Hermione anyway. Somehow, it wasn't nearly as boring when Hermione lectured him. Ron didn't know whether it made Percy particularly dull, or made Hermione especially interesting, but he was too excited for the party to think about that.

It was outside his window, and as he checked his clock, he wagered that his parents would be in bed by now, and that it was safe to creep down the stairs. He got dressed and ready quickly

He opened his door slowly, and gently closed it behind him, and began tip-toeing his way down stairs. He heard a noise and whipped his head back, and saw nothing. It was just Percy snoring. Ron sighed in relief and turned around, only to be confronted by an equally surprised Fred and George. All three of them were seemingly frozen, not daring to make a sound. Ron spoke first.

"Are you sneaking out?" he said, eyes wide.

"No, we're just going to the shed for supplies," said George, surprised by Ron's question.

"Are you sneaking out?" Fred accused, his eyes narrowing.

"Uh- I, yeah, I am" Ron replied, unable to think of an excuse.

Suddenly George was smiling, and Fred looked at him with an expression of exaggerated pride.

"We taught you so well Ronnie" he said, wiping a false tear from his eye.

"Yes, yes were very proud, but you do realize that when mum catches him, we'll be to blame!" George growled quietly.

"You're not seriously suggesting we grass on him George" Fred admonished.

Ron had just about enough of this.

"You guys know I have more than shite on you to use if you go down that road".

"Like what" George challenged, his eyebrows furrowed in suspicion.

Ron looked right into his eyes and without hesitation spoke.

"I know that the charms on the upstairs toilet didn't wear off, you booby-trapped it to shoot back whatever came in. It was just unlucky mum was the one who used the toilet first, and not Percy, eh?"

After a pause George nodded, his eyes wide in horror.

"Fine, Just don't get caught". George sighed. "I wasn't really gonna tell mum anyway" he said, his voice trailing.

"Well come on then" Fred jumped in, "let's go, I'll show you where the step that alerts mum is. She changes it every day, so we have to check every night before bedtime".

And with his brother's help, Ron was out the door and on his way to meet Olivia. As Fred watched him go, with a spring in his step, he frowned and turned to his brother.

"What's got him so excited?''

George shrugged his shoulders and made his way to the shed.

"Probably a girl".

"Yeah, that sounds about right".

Ollie lent against the wall behind her dad's shop, holding a spliff lazily in her hand, looking the part of the troubled youth she clearly was dressed to be. Her dress, a kind of punk rock-esque red and black monstrosity, was just short enough that she knew her dad would never let her out wearing it. She hadn't been waiting for Ron, but it was starting to get nippy, and she'd prefer to get a move on.

As she watched him approach down the steep street, she raised her eyebrows. Ron would certainly look a tad out of place with her friends, in his jeans, trainers and his tucked in deep-blue t-shirt, but in a good way. As she watched his skinny frame swagger down to meet him, she saw the expression on his face as he came close enough to see her properly. It was exactly what she wanted.

She had put the effort of putting on makeup (not something she usually did), including lipstick in the same shade of red as her outfit. While he definitely seemed to notice it, his eyes seemed to wonder more to the hem of her skirt, much to her chagrin. As he approached she gave him a wry smile and called out.

"See something you like, Weasley"

Ron's face went white as a sheet, an impressive feat considering how pale he already was.

"No, I uh, I mean-" he tried to sputter an excuse, but Ollie just laughed.

"Relax Casanova, I didn't wear this for the camouflaging qualities" Ollie said, her arms crossed, but her wry smile turned cheeky. "Besides, you are just a boy, can't help I've got amazing legs"

Ron, a little more comfortable given Ollie's sense of humor, finally had some color back in his face.

"Ha Ha" he said, deadpan. Then he smiled, and in a mature show of self confidence, Approached her for a friendly hug.

"You do look nice" he said, a genuine smile on his face, with his eyes shining right into hers.

"Thanks" Ollie replied, suddenly averting her eyes and feeling her cheeks blush.

When she looked back, she saw Ron had done the same thing.

"You don't look so bad yourself mister" Ollie continued, getting a little of her confidence back.

"Although" Ollie said, as she stood on her toes and lent ruffled Ron's hair a bit.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, "what are you doing?".

"Just messing it up a little, It looks far too neat for this party".

Ron grumbled a bit, but lent down a bit so Ollie could finish the Job.

The party was full of events, yet completely uneventful. Ollie introduced him to two of her friends; Taylor, a girl with a dirty blonde ponytail, wearing an oversized English football jersey: and Henry, a boy whose bleach-blond hair scraggly reached down to his cheekbones, and in combination with the pink-lensed john Lennon glasses, contrasted nicely with his tailored beige pants and classy green jumper.

It wasn't the first sip of alcohol Ron had ever tasted, but it was the first time he ever really 'drank'. On the dance floor, he and Ollie stuck together, thrashing their heads around and jumping aimlessly to the music, laughing at each other's moves as the rest of the party seemed to melt away. After more than a few swigs of a large glass bottle, He and ollie were swaying together to music that was far too upbeat for swaying.

"HEY!"

Ron ruined from his stupor, as Henry was screaming over the music. Henry caught eyes with Ollie, and she gestured to the door. He nodded, and Ollie was suddenly leading Ron to the exit. Outside they met Taylor again, who seemed more drunk than the others.

Sitting on the stone wall outside the house, the four shared a couple of Ollie's spliffs, giggling with each other about everything and nothing. It was at this point that Ron realized Ollie's hand was still interlocked with his own. As he looked at her, he also realized she was shivering. He gently removed his hand from hers, and started taking off his jacket.

She frowned as she felt her hand become absent from his, and looked up at him just as he began placing his jacket over her shoulders. She Blushed furiously, looking down at the floor.

"Thanks", she whispered shyly, causing Ron to respond in equal shyness.

"No problem"

In the corner of his eye, Ron saw Henry and Taylor share a look, as Ollie seemed to sink into the jacket.

"Well, wasn't that romantic" Taylor said,

Without hesitation, Ollie punched her shoulder.

"Shut up Taylor!"

Before anyone could say anything more, Henry was giggling his head off, and before he knew it, Ron was as well. They all were laughing in the end, but it was probably the liquor and spliff to blame, mostly.

Eventually they say their goodbyes, and Ollie offers Ron a sofa to crash on. They walked back to her house, hand in hand, Ollie still wearing his jacket.

When Ron woke up, he did so groggily, his head protesting at the light from the window entering his eyes, causing them to flicker. As he stretched his body, he heard Eddie scraping butter onto her toast he heard tapping on the window by the kitchen.

"Morning Ron, how was the night of debauchery?" Eddie said, A sly smile that certainly didn't quite fit her disposition.

Ron groaned as a response, and Eddie laughed. Ron got up however, and helped himself to a glass of water.

"How's the head" Eddie enquired, now more sympathetically.

"Not too bad really" he replied, as he gestured towards the bread on the counter next to her.

Eddie nodded, and Ron began making his own toast, spreading butter and marmalade and stuffing his face. Behind him, he heard soft taps on the window. Ron shrugged, before remembering that he was on the second floor.

Eddie turned first, and jumped a bit as Ron turned his head to investigate. They were both rather shocked to see a large long-eared owl perched on the outside windowsill, with a letter strapped to its side. Eddie perhaps more shocked than Ron, however.

Ron didn't recognise the owl, and as he looked closer he saw the Hogwarts crest on the envelope. He wondered why his school would need to get in touch with him so badly that they found him here? His questions were answered (and his assumptions dismissed), as he picked up the envelope and read the address line.

Ms. E. Sallow, The Kitchen, 26. Mill Street, Ottery St Catchpole, E. DEVON.

Ron was amazed. Suddenly, so much about Eddie made sense, her isolation at school, her feeling different to other people, the strange circumstances she had hinted at, they all pointed to what seemed obvious now.

Ron thanked the owl, and scratched its beak before it flew away, Earning an incredulous look from the eleven year old next to him. Ron Looked down at Eddie, knowing how big this moment in her life was, and feeling proud to be part of it.

"It's for you. Open it." Ron said rather dramatically, with a small proud smile on his face.

Eddie however was incredibly confused. She scrunched up her face, looked up at Ron, and snatched the letter from his hand, and tore it open. As she opened the letter, Ron angled himself so he could read with her.

Dear Miss Sallow,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the 1st of September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

Ron was now beaming, but as Eddie slowly lifted her head and met his eyes, proud as they were, soft tears came out of her own and her bottom lip trembled.

Note.

So, It's now been almost 2 years since my last update. Sorry about that.

I am still just blown away that anyone would enjoy my little story, and I hope I have more time to dedicate to it.

Some of you commented that the previous chapter could easily have been an ending, an albeit rushed one, but it was never my intention to conclude anything with that chapter at all.

I think if I had released this chapter in a reasonable timeframe the twist might have been more of a surprise, but now I imagine many of you already figured it out. A couple of commenters called it quite early, those comments were very fun to read.

I made a few edits and changes to earlier chapters, mainly grammar and spelling, but some lines and scenes I thought were clunky as well.

Thank you for reading, and I want each of you to know that somebody loves you.