Charlie wrapped his arms around the stuttering pale faced red head. Wide blown green eyes remained glued on the wooden door.
"That dog... Really needs some exercise," he finally said clearly. Charlie looked at Ron with pure bewilderment.
"Well, Fluffy could do with a good run," Hagrid admitted. Charlie shifted his eyes to note the seriousness Hagrid sported in his stance. He looked back down at the young Gryffindor(Weasley) in his arms.
"Are you alright Ronnie?" Charlie asked calmly. He had placed one hand in his brilliant red hair, slowly stroking it, trying to comfort him like his mum used to when he was a little boy.
"I have all my limbs," Ron said vaguely. His breathing was slowing to a normal pace as was his furiously drumming heart. Hagrid shuffled towards the two gingers watching as they calmed each other unknowingly.
"Well, you best be getting yer brother back to his room. Be needen some rest afta' tha."
Ron pulled away from Charlie. Charlie reluctantly released him.
"He's not my brother."
"Codswallop. Yah two look more alike than Percy does to th' twins."
"We're not related," Ron stated firmly. He stood up quickly looking back at the groundskeeper and assistant professor. Hagrid's face was filled with certainty. Charlie's looked too much like his own for comfort. He began to walk away.
"Ron!" Charlie called out. Ron turned to look at the elder ginger. He seemed to struggle forming his words.
"Five points from Gryffindor... For entering a forbidden room."
Ron's face ghosted with hurt. Insult to injury. But he said nothing. What would be the point in getting his own house in trouble to save his own skin. It would just hurt him in the long run. He darted down the hall to escape more awkwardness And possible points deduction.
"Bit hard on him weren't yah?"
"Hagrid... What else am I supposed to say? He was where he shouldn't have been. I'm a professor, for now, and I need to set boundaries. I... Have to treat him like any other student."
Ron darted past many students on his way to "The Lion's Den". His ears were burning slightly from the adrenaline. Or perhaps embarrassment of losing points. Either way, he wanted nothing more than to go back to his room and eat a lion's worth of chocolate frogs. He had a decent sized grouping of cards from how many he had eaten. He didn't know how the frogs were made but they were wonderful. Not quite like Mars Bars but well worth eating.
He was thankful the halls were mostly barren. A few paintings said hello, in which he duly ignored. He didn't want to see anybody with the after effects of a three headed dog effecting his mind. The last thing he needed was a fear of dogs to match his fear of spiders.
In no time it seemed, he made it to the Fat Lady. Muttering the password, he entered the common room dressed in red and gold. Hermione and Harry were no longer working on their homework, most likely finished during Ron's little kidnapping, and were now talking about classes. Most likely Hermione's choice of subject.
After all, Harry didn't seem to mind anyone controlling the subject of conversation unless someone was getting hurt. A hero complex similar to what he read in dusty comics that were donated to one of the orphanages he stayed in. However, Ron didn't want to talk about class. He didn't want to be alone though either, lest those twins make another appearance. He walked up to them and bluntly stated what was on his mind.
"Professor Weasley hugged me."
Granted, that was not what he wanted to say. He blamed his bluntness and the fact that it was the last thing that had happened before he was able to make his way back to the common room. Nonetheless, it still captured the attention of his two friends. Both looked at him in surprise and disbelief. Hermione recovered first.
"You sound shocked. I've seen Professor Weasley hug many students."
"He has hugged many from Gryffindor," Harry added thinking back to the newly added professor.
"Not many students get petted on the head while they're being hugged," Ron grumbled.
"Petted? Ron what are you talking about?" Hermione questioned.
"Well, I was a bit scared after running into Fluffy-"
"Fluffy?" Harry questioned the name.
"Hagrid's three headed dog. In the third floor corridor."
"A Cerberus?!" Hermione gasped, "I read about those. They can grow as large as a three story house and are fiercely protective. And Hagrid has one here on the grounds?"
"He named it Fluffy?" Harry asked again now rather miffed. He kind of liked where Harry's priorities were. Who named a behemoth of a three headed dog Fluffy? That was like naming a puppy Fang. It was a better conversation than thinking of how he should be dead with all of Hermione's babble about how strong or swift or smart they were.
"Yeah. I really wish I had found a better hiding place from those twins. But they just wouldn't leave me alone."
"Why did they want you?" Harry asked not realizing how rude that could sound.
"Harry!" Hermione rempremended. Ron smiled.
"Don't be. It was another prank is all. Just getting tired of it."
"What did they do?" Harry asked. Hermione may have been the book worm, but no one could say Harry was not a curious person. Though he seemed more likely to ask students rather than adults. Perhaps upbringing. Hermione was the normal one after all with two loving parents while he and Harry were orphans.
"They wanted me to sign something. It wasn't important. Just a stupid old peice of paper," he grumbled somewhat wistfully. Harry and Hermione dropped it as he pulled out his homework under the watchful eye of Gryffindor's brightest young witch and the savior of the wizarding world.
At least none of his answers were wrong.
Uh huh. Fluffy is a big dog.
Bit of filler please review.