Ron was absentmindedly cleaning the front window display at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He reckoned it looked a tad dusty after the weekend, his business associates, however disagreed. But ignoring them had become an art form, so here he was, distractedly flicking his wand while gazing out of the window into a drizzly Diagon Alley. The street looked miserable and empty on this Monday morning.
It had been two weeks since the Hogwart's Express returned young witches and wizards to school and since September the 1st the street was desperately quiet. A far cry from the frantic hustle and bustle over the Summer with every student getting stocked up for the school year. The joke shop had been practically ransacked by students scrambling to buy enough WWW merchandise to cover them for the year. He really must do something to get the owl mail service running more efficiently. What use was being flat out 2 months of the year and dead the rest? Yeah…he'd think about that later.
From his current vantage point Ron could see all the way down the dampened cobbled street to the Leaky Cauldron at the far end. Madam Malkin's, the Magical Menagerie, Quality Quidditch Supplies amongst the shops lining the way and nestled half way down, the place where his eyes kept inexplicably roaming, Flourish and Blotts.
Somewhere in the back of his preoccupied mind he heard the bell of the shop's door tinkling.
"Ah there he is. The chosen one! Right on time, Harry!" George welcomed the visitor and Ron's head snapped around in shock.
"Harry? What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised. He checked his golden wrist watch, even though he knew the time, he'd probably checked it 100 times already that morning. One thing he knew for sure, Harry Potter should most definitely be at work right now.
"Alright mate? No idea. Had a late night owl from these two telling me to be here by 10.25am." Harry raised his hand and gestured between the twins. "Oddly specific time guys?"
"Right you are Harry. Well we didn't want you to miss the show. The main event is only moments away. We've summoned you here to witness first hand this, completely pathetic display of stalking our dear little brother has taken to." Fred stated.
"Daily, might I add! Daily stalking!" George added.
"Stalking?! I don't know what you're on about!" Ron protested but was immediately distracted, returning to the window.
"Oh look! Right on time, Georgie. Let's all watch our ickle Ronniekins, watch this poor witch go on her morning break."
"What the heck is going on." Harry protested, clearly confused but grinning in amusement.
"Shhh. Since you're here. Come 'ere." Ron beckoned Harry to join him at the window, ignoring the twins.
Harry looked questioningly at them, George shrugged, Fred shooed him to join Ron. Sighing he nudged beside his best friend and peered out the window. "What am I looking at here mate?"
"Not what. Who! Who is that witch? Do we know her? I'm sure we know her." Harry followed Ron's gaze and found himself staring at a woman, about their age. She pulled the door to the bookstore behind her and waked up the alley towards them before disappearing down a side street. She had a spring in her step despite the miserable morning, a thick navy robe keeping her warm and dry. Her hair was mostly pulled back into a ponytail, a few locks escaping to frame her face while the rest of her brown curls cascaded down her back and bounced along behind her.
Ron had noticed her over the summer, a new recruit at the bookstore and she walked by the joke shop window every day at 10.30am. At first it was pure fascination, how could there be a new witch their age that he didn't know. But as she passed daily Ron found a familiarity he couldn't place and it was driving him nuts.
"Never seen her before, Ron. What the heck is going on here?" He turned back to the twins.
"That prat is stalking that poor girl who's taken a job at Flourish and Blotts over the summer." Fred offered.
"Like clockwork, every day at half past 10 this muppet is 'working' at the front of the shop to watch her go for a coffee at Bewitched Brews. Every working day for the last two months at half past 10, Harry." George added.
"It's getting ridiculous and we're staging an intervention!" Fred announced.
"Huh? I've not heard anything about this!? Ron…chasing girls? Usually it's the other way about!" Harry looked between them looking incredulous.
"Well there appears to be something about this particular girl, Harry." Fred confirmed.
"The window display and front of shop has never been so clean, stocked and tended." George gestured wildly as if to prove his point.
"The back half of the store is practically empty! Falling apart!" Fred exclaimed.
"Shut it, you gits! You know you work here too! And I'm not stalking her, I just, I just reckon I know her from somewhere. It's driving me crazy, I just can't place her." Ron sighed.
"Can't say I've seen her before. Pretty though, eh Ron?" Harry nudged Ron with his elbow playfully.
"Aren't you dating my sister?" Ron chastised, knowing his ears were reddening. But, yeah, he did have to admit she was kind of pretty. In a straight laced, prim and proper kind of way. Nothing like the usual witches who threw themselves at him on nights out. Being best mates with Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world, really helped with the witches. He knew they were after Harry but as he was taken, Ron was the next best thing. He enjoyed their tight tops and short skirts but none of them were special, just like he wasn't anything special to them.
"Why don't you just go and say hello?" Harry asked grinning, clearly perplexed that some stranger could have Ron this captivated.
"Oh he has. He's visited the book store…a lot! We've every Quidditch book they sell in the back there."
"He's been collecting them all bloody Summer."
"I like reading Quidditch books!" Ron protested with a huff.
"You didn't know about this at all then Potter?"
"No I didn't!" He looked at Ron confused, the twins were right he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't witnessed it for himself. "What's going on, mate? You into her?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not into her. I don't even know her name. I just reckon I know her from somewhere and it's really annoying me."
"You could have mentioned it?" Harry continued.
"There is nothing to mention." Ron threw his hands up in exasperation. "There's a witch working down the street I think I might recognise. There you go! And Harry, I love you and all but we tend to steer clear of talking about women…until you're done dating my little sister that is."
"Oh come on Ron aren't we over that by now?" Harry laughed.
"No we bloody well are not over it!" Ron huffed.
"We think they make a lovely couple, Ron." George interjected.
"Yeah well you don't live with one half of said couple!" Ron snapped.
Harry opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by the twins.
"Enough! We do not want to accidentally hear too much information!" Fred held up both hands to kibosh the conversation.
"Yeah, we like you Harry, don't make us pummel you." George offered. Harry held up his hands in defence making them all chuckle.
"So, let's get back on track, as we said this is an intervention. Ron's brooding is starting to affect business. If you don't get on with asking her out on a date, George will." Fred announced while George started to make exaggerated stretches like he was warming up for a sprint.
"What?!" Ron shouted.
"Yeah, she's got that whole nerdy, girl next door vibe. But you saw her first so I'm giving you a fair first shot." George bowed graciously. "You've one week."
"Bloody hell. I don't even know her. I might not want to ask her on a date." Ron pouted.
"In that case, I'll be off now then." George made an effort to march through the crowd to the door.
"Wow wow wow." Ron put his arm across the door to stop George's exit. "I said might not. I need to think about it."
"Good. It's about time you put in a bit more effort into your love life than picking up star struck bimbos at the Broomsticks."
Ron groaned. "Interfering gits."
"Come on, mate, think of it as an opportunity." Harry offered. "You'll speak to her?
"Uh, yeah, maybe. Maybe tomorrow. Now why don't you fuck off back to work, mate. Surely they're missing you?" Ron said, keen to get Harry and his brother's off his back.
"Right you are. Thanks for the message lads, very interesting indeed, wouldn't have missed this! I'm getting dinner with Ginny tonight so I'll just meet you at Quidditch tonight Ron?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, yeah later." But Ron was distracted again as the young women reappeared on Diagon Alley with a takeout coffee cup in her hand. It was bright pink with a purple lid, indicating it was from 'Bewitched Brews' off the side street. He was too distracted to notice Harry and the twins having a silent conversation behind his back, full of shaking heads, shrugs and one very rude gesture from George.
His mind roamed back to the mystery witch all afternoon. He wasn't sure he did want to ask her out but the thought of George pursuing her made him feel uneasy in a way he couldn't describe. Unable to concentrate on the book keeping, he groaned and pushed his hands through his hair. What's the worst that can happen? He thought miserably. Surely he'd met every gold digging, fame hungry witch in existence. He'd been starting to properly consider dating muggles, sure he'd need a whole lot of prep and coaching so he didn't break apart the Statute of Secrecy, but at least he'd have some anonymity. Frigging Harry had it sooooo easy, he didn't have to deal with the wackos out there. Ron chuckled as he vividly recalled a few times when admirers had overstepped with Harry and had to deal with his ferocious little sister. Yeah Harry had it easy, as far as he could tell his best mate and Ginny were the real deal. He couldn't ever imagine himself in that sort of solid relationship. Ron sighed, he would speak to this newbie enigma. At the very least, he promised himself, he'd find out her name. What does he have to lose?
