Defiant Blood - Blood and Bone Saga

Chapter 9

"How could you be so stupid Molly! What on earth possessed you to just… let her go off!"

Ron lay on his side in bed, his eye red and sore as tears softly trickled his face. His heart lay in pieces after reading a heartfelt letter that lay soaked and crumpled in the corner of the room. His stomach had bottomed out as he'd read, but a painful sickness told him he'd heard the words already. Somehow, they spoke from the page as he unknowingly read what she'd whispered to him that night. The letter holding not much more than her outpour while kissing him goodbye.

No one was there, with him, he'd cast everyone he'd seen out with a roar of anger as his pain crashed out. Now all he could hear was the shouting, the distant rumble of his parent's argument somewhere away from the room.

"Arthur!" she cried in shock, "I couldn't…"

"You couldn't!... were it Ginny she'd be body bind and bed tied, failing that clawed red while you drag her without a care for, 'couldn't'".

She went to him, "please understand, I can't lose him again, I can't lose any of them Arthur". Something in her snapped and a hate filled anger flooded her at the idea of one of her babies, dead. "Don't you ever think for a minute I won't do what I have to for are children". Losing her temper, she shoved him, pointing down the hall, "your son's in there torn to pieces, how can you stomach the sight of him like that without feeling terrified".

"I'm always terrified", he shouted back, "you think I haven't come home from work each day, in pieces thinking, 'what if', what if I get there and find you dead, or Bill, Charlie, Percy, damn it Fred, George, Ron, Ginny the lot of you!" he bellowed.

"Then how can you not see why!" she cried.

His fists clenched, they slowly opened as he breathed, taking her arms, "because you just traded her for us, the same girl who gave you your son back, nearly carried your grandchild". He breathed out, throat catching, eyes stinging, "I know you did it out of fear, but at the cost of letting her go to them, doing gods know what to Ron. He's already so broken".

The realisation hit Molly with the weight of a loss likened to her own children. Perhaps she knew this last night as she collapsed to the floor after watching her leave the corridor. Back when she battled the urge to run after her and stop her from leaving just as Arthur had said, kicking and screaming, tying her up and taking away the choice. "What have I done!" she ground out as her head fell to his chest.

"I need to go!" he said bitterly.

"Please no, Arthur I'm sorry", she begged.

"I know, but this is bigger than us, she's alone now and no one knows", it pained him more to go, leaving her there with that same pain he felt. Molly had lost more than the average witch and wizard in the last war, worse now was how much more she stood to lose. But he couldn't stomach consoling her right now, he understood it, pitied it, but the anger he felt won out. He needed time alone and needed to warn the right people.

Ron woke, he didn't know the day or time, if he'd woken from night or nap. It was light so, day obviously, other than that he couldn't care less. Nothing within him wanted, nor cared about anything inside or out of this tiny room. It was day's since he'd woken to the letter, or he thought it was. He recalled the thrum of his heart seeing her handwriting, knowing she'd been there, it was a tease. Then he'd read it, and his world fell apart.

Ron wasn't sure who or when, but he felt the presence of someone, the low monotonous tone of their voice speaking kindness and comfort in the face of such heart ache, he'd paid no attention. He knew there had been a suggestion that this was normal, it was life, romances being fleeting and what not. If it wasn't spoken now by his visitor, then someone earlier. His comprehension of time was lost.

When he'd been alone in the dark of painful night as he tossed and turned unable to rip her from his mind, he questioned this.

"Normal? What of this is normal", he thought allowed, a bad habit of late, the effects of the Night Realm bleeding through. "How can this be normal, I can't even fucking breathe, and all because some stupid fling, some tiny girl I got too close to. They have to be right; it has to be normal because if it isn't, then what? I'm going mad?" He just couldn't rationalise something he couldn't measure, and however he tried to simplify things, he feelings for her were just, impossible, immeasurable.

"Ron", Charlie leaned forward in his chair, "who you talking to mate", Charlie asked, but he got no reply, he just continued he strange external thoughts, it worried him deeply.

"Was Hermione not a school crush, would she have not felt amazing to have and hold and kiss and more. Because I imagine she would be, outstanding. So wouldn't I have felt just like this, like they say, school drama, young love, all those things that simplify the feelings into understandable proportions".

"No, she wasn't. I simply refuse to believe that another person could reach me like she did, across time and space, demanding I wake and return to her". The realisation hit him, and it pained him more than anything could, "then there's my answer. Nothing about us, about her, was ever normal".

"It's killing me to see you like this", Charlie's voice echoed in his head. Looking around Ron found his older brother, sat in the corner. Languidly stretched out as though tired. "Just please lad, work with them, there trying to help you. If you keep knocking them back, you'll never get out of here… what?", Charlie paused taking in his face.

"Charlie?" Ron looked around, it was day light, but he could have sworn it was night, and he was alone. His head was a mess.

"Yeah?"

"When did you get here?" Ron said with mild interest.

Charlie sat up as he eyed him in shock, his face dropping to his hands with a shake of his head in defeat. His voice was angry as he ground out through his hands, "three fucking hours Ron, I've been here talking to you for three hours". He stood and came over to Ron's bed. Sitting Ron saw his face was gaunt and eyes were watery. "You're really, really worrying me now little bro. I can't stand to see you like this".

Ron's gaze dropped as his head sank, words escaped him, what did you say when you felt this lost.

"I miss her too mate", Charlie said low, unsure if he should speak.

An anger pranged at him, unsure if it were hearing more of this, support everyone threw at him. Or if it were his families slip up, that Bill had accused Charlie of liking her more than he should. But it passed and he fell back into his defeated world. "I know, it'll pass, young love, whatever", Ron looked away to his window.

"Who the fuck's been filling your head with that rubbish!" Charlie said in anger.

"You did, right?"

"No, I bloody didn't, and you clearly don't know your arsehole from your elbow right now, but I've a feeling who I'll be having words with". Ron felt a sudden jolt as he was struck in his arm, he looked back at his brother as his eyebrow's folded into a scowl, registering it as a punch. Charlie stepped back from the bed. "So that's what this is, you really are just moping because you think you got your heart broke by some school knock out".

"Fuck off Charlie!".

"No, you fuck off", Charlie shouted back over him, "you know what, maybe Bill was half right, maybe I should have been slipping it her, because you clearly didn't deserve her".

Ron's face went to stone, something inside him snapped and he threw the sheet off him, rising from the bed slowly, starting to raise past Charlie's height as he straightened. The anger in him was palpable and Charlie just smiled up at him darkly.

He took a step towards his older brother, his panting hard now, a reddening in his vision made him feel lightheaded as his control Slipped. Ron could be five again, Charlie stood egging him on to come fight him. He'd always loved fighting with his older brother, he never went too far, never hurting him when he so easily could. Charlie just liked the play and instilling a bit of toughness for when he was older.

Charlie saw it too, only the height and the years had changed, this was still his little Ronnie, the same boy who hit him in his nether's to wiggle out of a headlock and put him in one of his own. But now he was breaking his heart, this pain he wasn't dealing with was drowning him and Charlie couldn't sit and watch it any longer. He'd do what he needed to, what he always did, provoke him until his fight was back.

The door opened, "Charlie, go get your head down mate, I'll sit with him for a bit", Bill said casually as he entered. He saw them ahead of him, "oh shit! You got him up, nice one-…". He trailed off as he saw the look of murder on Ron's face, Charlie's back was to him, but he knew that stance, what was more, he was ready to go. Not like when they messed about, Charlie was really ready to go. "Fuck", he breathed, "not again".

"You come at me Ron, and you're an adult, I ain't gonna' hold back, I'll break the rest of your face if I have to".

"Charlie!", Bill shouted, unable to imagine how they got to this. He stepped forward, unsure who he'd have to grapple, or if he even could.

"What you so upset for Ron? She was just a high school fling, right? What do you care If I go pick her up, we had some real good chemistry".

Ron's teeth ground audibly, his fist clenched, knuckles white. His eye almost bloodshot as his breathing became heavy. "Get, out!" it was all he could manage. As he said it he felt himself slip, the anger falling from under him in defeat.

"Charlie, just go", Bill said wide eyed.

But Charlie saw the defeat in Ron's eye, "that's what I thought, probably glad she's gone, can't do much as half a man, can you!"

"Charlie!", Bill's back getting up, and he closed some of the distance, hoping that he was wrong, and this was all some kind of misunderstanding, "the hell are you doing?", he hissed.

Charlie looked right through him, "could you blame her if she had come trying it on, could you blame me for giving her what she'd need".

"Bastard!" Bill said, he walked over, grabbing his brother round the collar, pushing Charlie out the room. His hands still gripped tighter as he pushed but Charlie wasn't for budging, then he noticed the look in his brother's face. Through Charlie's hard and focused expression's Bill stilled as he saw the tear's trickling down his cheeks.

Charlie started to push back, aiming for Ron, "that's all she was though right, an easy school lay? To hell with her now she's gone, what should you care if that little prick takes her after he took your arm. She can be his whore now!"

Ron roared as he lunged, his body pushing through both men as they all fell into the wall. Ron's arm catching Charlie's throat, gripping it tight. "Fuck you!" he bellowed, "she's no one's whore! I'll fucking kill you!"

"Why?" Charlie shouted back, his voice weak through Ron's grasp and his own emotions.

Again, Ron roared out into Charlie's face, somewhere in his vision Bill clawing to pry them apart. "I'll… I'll", Ron's voice failed him as his streaming eyes squeezed shut. The image of his dearest struggling under his own hand, the images of her face flooding his mind. "Kill me!" he ground out.

"Why!" Charlie gasped, face reddening as he struggled for breath, pushing back at Ron.

"Because I love her!" Ron's words echoed around them. It stilled all three of them as his shout hung in the air. It stabbed at Ron worse than any loss of limb.

Slowly his hand slipped away from Charlie's neck. Ron sank to his knees as his heart finally burst, his pained cries were long and haunting as he broke down. Charlie could only clutch him to his chest as his own tears flowed now, his throat strangled him as something inside was desperate to see him cry. Ron's howls continued and Charlie felt his arms pulling at him tightly.

Charlie, struggling with his own emotion's looked to Bill. Though the three had shared a moment days before, he rarely needed to admit to his older brother when he didn't feel strong enough. Bill saw it and knew. He gripped Charlie's shoulder tightly letting him know he understood what he'd been doing, apologising with a squeeze of his hand. But he too wasn't ok. Bill slowly took to his knee and Charlie followed, the three grasping at each other in comforting as Charlie's tears now became an audible cry. Something that had been threatening for days as he watched his youngest brother slowly waste away.

Ron's pained cries took time but eventually died down. Only Bill noticed when a Healer's head entered the room then retreated with a hand to her mouth, clearly struck by the scene. Charlie was the first to break the silence as he wiped at his eyes.

"That's why", he managed into his neck, "so get your arse out of this slump and get her back. I can't watch you wasting away like this. I love you too much".

The realisation hit Ron as he gradually started to calm, becoming aware of his ragged breathing and heaving chest. He felt like he'd been under water for so long and only just managed to breach. "How", he strained, his voice going on him as more tears threatened. "I can't even get dressed".

"Just stop pushing us away for a start", Bill managed as he held him in their three-way huddle.

"And don't ever let this fire burn out little brother. Keep it going with everything you've got, and we'll get her back, I promise", Charlie managed.

The three stayed there for some minutes until Bill could no longer hold it in. "Ron mate, you know your bollock naked, don't you? And that pretty nurse just saw you"

The three stood and broke apart, each looking down at Ron and back up, a hiccup of laughter between them all. "Weasley boy's", Charlie snorted with pride, "we do more than alright don't we", all three fully broke apart laughing.

Some hour's later Ron told his brothers to get lost in so many words. They managed to sit and talk about the most ridiculous of things, their penchant for daftness ringing clear as they sat around laughing about the stupidest of subject's. It worked for a good hour or so until Ron's head returned, and he finally opened up to them.

He went into his feelings and even spoke about the levels of love he felt when realised it were even possible, after Corvus' prompting in the Night Realm. He confessed to them the stages their relationship had got to and how he knew they were daft being so young, but it wasn't a regret. He didn't know they already knew, to a point. The spills from Charlie, confessions of Pansy's, that all led to the unknown pregnancy possibilities, they played it off with surprise. Ron's admissions though, that they had done so again, and there in this room of all places, allowed them to maintain a genuine feel to their shock. Ron even found this wasn't that hard a conversation when his older brothers started to talk about their younger exploits, and it became a memorable stroll through their own memories to the humour of all of them.

Jess, the young Healer that Bill said, 'had got a good look at him', came back and said he needed to choose a meal for dinner. It was a good time for them all to call it an evening before the likelihood of their parent's turning up.

Ron watched them go after they shared a last three-way hug, as Jess busied around him, he smiled at her, "Don't suppose you play Chess?"

She laughed, "please, I'd destroy you".

"Oh", he said politely, "don't suppose you fancy betting a Sickle on it".

Bill and Charlie walked up the corridor laughing as they'd heard Ron, "He's got game that boy".

"He does", Bill laughed, but he stopped his brother, "you're ok though right?"

Charlie growled, clearing his throat. Bill recognised it, it was something he was needing to do all the more frequently to keep the tears at bay.

"I never knew it would be this hard", Charlie managed weakly.

Bill frowned in order to bite the lump that hit him now also, "me too", he nodded. He grabbed his brother's shoulder, "Come on, let's go have a drink with Dad and Sirius".

"You can't keep putting it off dear", Molly said sharply, "stop this messing and get out here".

"No, this is bullshit!" Ron's distorted voice came through from inside his bathroom, "why are they here".

"Because we've paid dearly with all your shit, now we want a return", Bill shouted from where he sat in Ron's hospital room.

"I'm really losing my patience with all this swearing", Molly said in a low growl, she softened though, "maybe he's right, you know how he is, maybe you all here's a bit much". She turned to the twins, "maybe if you waited outside".

"Absolutely not", Fred looked outraged, "I've waited years for Ron to come out as a gay pirate, I'm not missing this". Charlie was gripping George and Bill tightly as he slipped off the arm of the chair, struggling to breathe as they kept their laughter as low as they could. "And, were of age, were no different to these three", he pointed his thumbs at the oldest three.

Ginny cut her mother off before she tried to oust her too, "absolutely not!" she echoed Fred, "it's been miserable dealing with Tracey, I need this".

"Is she still bad?" Molly asked as she realised how concerned she was.

"Better, thankfully, but she's desperately hurt. I think she feels like she failed her", Ginny said sadly.

"Ron! pack it in you silly bastard and come out", George avoided his mothers ire as he got dangerously brave.

"Come out", Charlie cried in a whisper pointing at Fred.

The door clicked and opened slowly, "anyone laughs and there dead", Ron threatened on barely more than a defeated moan. Dragging his feet he stepped out with his pyjama bottom on and a vest top. Across his shoulder and neck a series of straps that held a prosthetic arm against his limbless shoulder. It was entirely out of proportion to his body, sizes too small for his height and width, five or so shades too dark in comparison to his skin. On his face an eyepatch that caught everyone's attention.

Charlie stood abruptly as he saw him, turning to stand in the corner of the room facing the wall, hand clapped to his mouth as Fred's pirate joke hit him again. Bill was doing his best to keep his face even as George went over to stand with Charlie. Percy, who sat sipping coffee, had begun to choke, his usually snootily appearing nose scrunching as he tried to maintain his composure.

"Oh Ronnie", Fred managed, his voice wavering as the laughter bubbled beneath his throat, "you look, so dashing". Ginny now fell onto him crying and struggling for breath.

"Ron", Charlie cried, "give us an 'Arghhh!'" they all went now, Molly even had to turn her back as she berated herself for giggling.

"Every one of you", Ron moaned, "bastards!", his shoulder shook with his pained silent cries. As they shook, so too did the arm, its old and rusting inner pins began to make noise. 'Squeak, Squeak, Squeak' in time to his movements. "No!" he cried out miserably as he realised, his shoulders shaking harder as his cries became betraying sobs of laughter.

The sound only forced the others into a raucous chorus of laughter as each of them, Ron included, broke.

"Ron", Fred tried to breath after a minute, "please try the hook one on again, this time with the eyepatch".

Ron pulled it off and started unstrapping the arm, the hospital didn't have anything that would be a good fit in their price range that wasn't from a box like this of donations.

"No Ron, please", Molly tried.

"Mum, no", he shook his head removing it, "honestly, I'll be happier with nothing, besides I can see out of it a bit, there's no sense in covering it. It's fine", Ron said flatly, "don't make a big deal out of it. Besides", he slapped his left shoulder, "I'm happy making do with what I've got. This is me now, so fuck it".

"Ron", said the young healer that he'd found had an overly playful smile, "up for any more today, you've got two wanting to see you".

"Not doing anything else", he shrugged in boredom, "it's not like your gonna' come back for a sixth chess beating". She gave him a look and left, leaving him to snigger, easiest money he'd made. It didn't last though as he sat up. "Tracey", he breathed. He hadn't seen her since before, his chest ached.

She didn't slow as she walked in and slammed into him, wrapping bodily around him. "I'm sorry I haven't been", she said miserably.

"Don't bother", he said flatly, "it's no one's fault. You alone?" he asked behind her, "she said two, where's Gin?"

"I left her at school", she sat down on the edge of the bed, "only a couple of days until Christmas break and I think I've brought her down enough as it is. I'm avoiding her, hopefully she'll get prissy and clingy before the holidays, and she'll forget how much of a drag I've been".

Ron pulled a face, "that sounds like a 'me' idea".

"That good then?"

"No!" he scoffed, "it's bloody idiotic, just talk to her, tell her you've been a twat".

She whacked him, "I haven't been that bad".

"No? I'd say you still deserved it, the way the twins have been talking she's never back at the Common Room… at night", he raised an eyebrow. She fidgeted uncomfortably, "just be careful round mum and dad for merlin's sake", he knew he'd been one to talk.

"She might as well be in the Common Room, were only so far away near the Ravenclaw tower", Ron questioned her with a look. She shook her head, "I nearly killed him Ron, I even had a steak knife in hand come dinner and Liza had to seriously calm me down as I thought about it. We've all been moved, Me, Harrier, Liza and Farah. They've had to move us away from the Slytherin's best they could, well its not them, just him!".

Ron's head was down again, his chest was tight, but not as constricted as his throat. "I keep thinking if I'd fought harder, If I'd got away uninjured then…".

"You can't do that", Tracey warned, "for gods sake Ron don't!"

"As If you haven't".

"Of course I have", she snapped without meaning to, "but I know I shouldn't. He's done something, said something, even Millicent's been terrified of him and those two are usually as thick as thieves. Her heads gone and I recon neither of us could have said anything to have stopped her if she thought it put us in danger". Her hand went to his, "you're not letting this eat at you, are you?"

Ron looked at her coldly, "I don't know how you expect me to say anything but yes to that, sometimes I just… how could she do this!"

"You know she had no choice", Tracey said getting angry.

"We were the fucking choice!" he shouted, "we could have kept her safe, Dumbledore especially. Everyone expects me not to beat myself up about it, not to be ok with it, but not to accept it either!"

"Ron were all taking this hard" Tracey tried as she stood.

"Well, no one feels like they've lost as much as I have right now", his anger bubbled as he touched on something that had been stewing in him for days. Standing he ripped his t shirt around the neck as he tried to yank it over his head. "Look at me, just look at the fucking state of me, and where is she, the one person I need right now, and she's left me!"

She made to leave, and he grabbed her arm quickly halting her, the tears in her eyes ate at him. "Tracey, I'm sorry".

"It's fine", she tried to hide her face, "I don't know how we all expect you to be ok. I just…". She ran out and Ron felt about as awful as he could.

He turned to pick up his tee-shirt, looking at the tear and, groaned as yet more of his dwindling wardrobe was gone. He flung it over his shoulder towards the bin, turning as he heard an intake of breath.

The newcomer to the room had a face full of his shirt, "woah, thanks mate, if this is how you treat us then no wonder your guests run out crying".

"Katie!"

"Hello gorgeous" she said with a smile, but it slid off her face instantly as the full sight of him was revealed to her. Mouth hanging open, she didn't flee from him but cautiously walked over. "Ron!" she whispered, she couldn't help the look of horror in her eyes, the hand that came to her mouth or the other that slowly reached up as she neared him. "What did they do to you".

The same exposure that he felt often was back, but he was numb to it now, he was growing numb to a lot of things. He couldn't keep her gaze though and looked away, but her hand pulled his face back to her. Staring at her he sighed shakily, "I'm sorry".

"For what?", she choked with watery eyes.

"It can't be easy to have the sight sprung on you".

Katies' hand trailed down his face and along the top of his shoulder to where he was once whole. Without thought she touched the smooth mound, feeling muscle and bone beneath. "Ron…" she breathed. Quite to his surprised she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself into his chest.

An awkwardness hit him, but it quickly dissipated as the feeling overwhelmed him and his loneliness won out. His arm pulled her tighter into him. It felt good, great actually, but it wasn't right. Nothing made him break the hold, he didn't think he could with how he felt, he just knew it wasn't the right person.

Sometime later and a number of tissues and she had calmed somewhat. He pulled the chair over for her to sit in, but she'd taken to sitting on the edge of the bed next to him. Something about it put him on edge. Like a perpetual cycle of disappointment, he thought of Pansy's reaction if she walked in on him now, that thought though brought with it the pain of thinking on her. It began to show on his face.

"We know by the way", Katie said with an amount of hesitation, "the school I mean, that Parkinson's run away. It made the rounds about her parents and then…". She took his hand, "I'm sorry, I can't attempt to imagine what you must be going through".

"There doesn't seem to be any way round lying and just saying I'm fine. I know I'm not, so does every other git that comes to see me… sorry", he added.

"It's ok", her hand slid up to his shoulder, "I know your not, I'm not, seeing you like this, and I'm just some mate".

"You're a good friend", he tried to reassure her, but she was putting him on edge, "you're not just some mate".

"I wish I was neither", she said looking into his eye, "I wish you weren't so broken".

Ron was barely aware that his heart was pounding so hard that he felt nauseous as she looked at him like this. Then she did it, leaned into him without thought or assurance from him. Her lips took his, then a hand on his cheek, seconds later she moved closer as she took his whole face in her palms.

Ron was blinded by this, his breath caught in his throat the moment she plunged him into the warmth of her mouth. He couldn't think, and that was no help to him in this state. Not knowing what to do, his mouth began to react to hers, kissing her back. The desperation in him fought for more and his arm started to pull her in closer. But the desperation only took him so far. Like an aid to knowing this was ok, his anger returned, the anger that told him this was fine, acceptable in the circumstances. "She left you remember; she abandoned you for him!"

"That's not right though, that's not true", another voice argued back. Katie turned, kneeling now as she became more desperate, deepening the kiss as though she knew it might be fleeting.

"Shut up and just kiss her, you need this". She sidled over, sitting in the crook of his crossed legs, her hands roamed the back of his head, fingers entwining in his hair. There was a familiarness to this he didn't like.

"Yeah, kiss her while she's off having Merlin know's what done to her. And toy with Katie's emotion's while you're at it, because she's not the raven-haired doll you want to be kissing. I'm sure she's fine being your rebound".

Ron broke from her; eyes closed with a hand up to stop her. Katie's head rested against his as she didn't fight him on it. "I knew I shouldn't have", she said softly.

"I'm sorry".

"Why, you're a better guy than most, you could have kept going. But you wouldn't, would you". She leaned back and looked longingly at him, "you love her too much, I can't help that I'm jealous of her". She kissed his cheek, "I'm sorry I put you through that, I hope it doesn't stop you letting me see you again", she kissed his cheek one last time. "Good night, Ron".

She stood up, leaving his frozen and pained face. With a glance over her shoulder, she turned back, dropping her head, "fuck!", she breathed. The reaction made him look past her where he saw it too. He leaned back to his pillow where he covered his head in desperation.

Katie left, walking past the twins, unsure when exactly they'd walked in.

"Please no…" Fred cried, "Katie too! How's he doing this?"

"God's Fred, he's lost an arm and still bringing them in, shoot me!"

"Kill me while you're at it too", they heard from under his pillow.

A musty sort of smell struck at Ron's nostrils as he woke, unfamiliar and yet, he'd smelt it before. Ron blinked into daylight as his blinds were drawn.

"Thanks' love", said a gruff voice.

"Just promise me you're not going easy on him; shit beat me three more times on that chess board yesterday, I'm well out of pocket. Give me a few minutes and I'll get you a coffee", Ron recognised Jess' voice.

Ron turned, "argh!" he yelled, the old, battered face sat way too close for his liking, "Mad Eye what the fuck man!"

"Watch your mouth", the old man grumbled, raising his cane he rapped it across Ron's forehead.

"Bloody hell!" Ron shouted rubbing the spot, it was a light tap but the thing was heavy and vicious. "Have you gone mad".

"Bit of a daft question that isn't it, you dolt", Mad Eye said as he sat back in his chair. "Nine O'clock, Nine! And you're still snoring away, you don't know your born these days".

"You notice were in a hospital", he said in annoyance, "patient", he pointed at himself.

"Oh, my heart bleeds for you really, how long ago was it, a month? Longer maybe, and your still here, lazy little sack of shite".

"Yeah well, speaking of hey, nature calls", Ron said in irritation. He grabbed some clothes quickly and ran off to the bathroom. "Thanks for coming anyway", he shouted, "don't let the door knock your old arse to the floor", he whispered as he closed the door.

"I heard that you little piss ant!"

Shocked and aggravated within seconds of waking Ron headed for his morning shower. He hoped the old fart was gone when he came back, so he took longer than usual in the hope he'd just stopped by with Dad.

Coming out his face dropped, "what the hell are you doing you mad coot, that's my bloody breakfast!"

Moody was sat, lounging back, a full English, or half of, sat on his lap. Sausage in hand he took another bite. "Was boy, was, your breakfast, but she likes me more so your shit out of luck", he jabbed a thumb over at Jess as she stood plumping his pillows, having changed his sheets.

"I'll have another sent up" she smirked, "stop your complaining you big girl".

"Ha!" Moody barked, "she's a good en' she's got your number lad. Should ask her on a date instead of crying in your undies over that one that's left you".

"You what!" Ron shouted, squaring off.

"Sit down idiot", Moody spun his cane effortlessly and smacked it into Ron's shins.

"You're a bloody nutcase!" Ron shouted as he fell onto the bed rubbing his legs. "What the hell is your problem".

"Stupefy!" Moody snarled, his wand in his hand in an instant. Ron flew back onto the floor in a crash, he just saw Jess running out with a hand on her mouth, but the unmistakable sound of laughter trailing after her.

Ron jumped back up, "are you mad!" he yelled, "someone help!"

"Help… bloody help?" Moody stood in anger, "Stupefy!" he bellowed back. Again, Ron crashed to the floor, but he wasn't knocked out. "That's some resilience that lad, but Help! You pathetic excuse for a fighter".

Ron dived to the bedside table where he grabbed his own wand. "Stupefy!"

Moody didn't move, the spell streaked past two feet or so wide. He looked round at where it exploded part of the wall. "You've found your wand finally", he turned back to him, "only took the time it took me to get you twice… Stupefy!... make that thrice".

Ron growled as he pulled himself up, abandoning his wand he leaped the bed, his hand aiming straight at Moody's head, he missed. Following through he fell forward, smacking off the wall with his head.

"That's it", Moody cheered, "there's the Lion of Gryffindor I saw fight off nine, balance has gone along with your arm though". Ron sprinted forward and swung; he didn't fall following through, but Moody only had to turn to easily avoid it. Missing his head by only inches Ron's hand connected with the door, going straight through.

"Good grief!" Moody said examining it, he flicked his wand again as Ron swung for the back of his head, he flew some eight feet back, slamming to a halt. He turned back as Ron was yet again flat on his back looking up, "that's some bloody power lad, but everything else", he shook his head, "tut, tut, tut, piss poor". Ron got back to his feet and Moody slammed his cain on the floor, a reverberating echo rang out stunning him. "Enough now boy, sit!"

Ron stood panting, glaring at him, almost all of him marked or bruised already. Recognising, somehow, there was no true threat he went back to his bed, sitting down with hateful eyes.

Jess' face looked through the hole in the door, "you done Alister?"

"Yeah, love come in", he waved his wand, a punch of incantations later and the room was restored to how it should be, door and all.

"Alister? How do you know him" Ron glared.

Jess only smirked again, "you look like crap", she giggled, in another life he knew she'd be a danger, not half bad at all, he'd already noted. She sat Ron's breakfast next to his bed then made her way to moody. She kissed his cheek on her way out, "Later Uncle A'".

"Yeah, bye love", he smiled, "don't you even think about it by the way, I've heard everything about your little reputation, if she doesn't kick your arse then I will".

"Uncle!" Ron grumbled.

"Cousin's daughter, always called me uncle, great lass", he smiled in pride. "So, that was a complete and utter failure that Weasley, you disappoint me".

"I'm sorry, did I miss the part where I was auditioning for something!", Ron wasn't for dropping how pissed off he was. "If my dad-…".

"Your dad nothing boy, your old man warned me not to go easy on you, smart man your dad, knows a good thing when he sees it".

"Which is?"

"Me!" He sat himself more comfortably and picked up his coffee, "shut up and eat".

Ron sent him daggers but sat himself back and began eating, he hadn't bothered with breakfast in days. "Wanna' tell me why you're after killing me".

Moody snorted, "you'd be dead in a heartbeat lad, where's your bloody wand hey", his magical eye spun around threateningly. Ron sat up looking for it, a moment later he held it up. Moody raised his wand, "boom, your dead, three times as many before you found it".

He took a deep breath an stood, "you know what hurts the most about last year", Ron was stunned to hear a softer side to his growling voice, he shook his head. "That bastard, he went into my memories, got all the best bits I had to offer. When I spoke to Harry and your Fred and George, the fucker did a bloody good job. Did everything I would have done, got me down to a tee. Harry said he felt he learnt loads from me, a bloody Death Eater got the better of me at playing myself, can you imagine".

"I never thought too much on what it must have been like for you", Ron admitted.

"You know though, better than most, your caged now by what you don't have". He watched Ron's head fall a little, "but that's just it, you know more than most boy, just like Harry, you've faced down death, done more than that from what I heard. But that bastard wasn't wrong, it's all out there, ready and waiting to just", he snapped his fingers and nodded as Ron's hands went to his shoulder.

"That's why you always know where your wand is. Tell me, why did you stop using your wand and start scrapping, the night they did that?"

"I dunno', there was just so many of them".

"Nine, and I reckon I could get nine spells fired off before you've dropped three with your fists", he pointed over his shoulder at the door, "freakish strength and all".

"Well, I couldn't alright, I went to what I'm good at and I failed", the weight of what that night cost him now pressing on his shoulders.

"I saw some good magic up there in that memory, I saw real bravery and fight. You can't teach that lad, you can bottle it, build on it, but you can't teach that!" Ron remained silent, now off his food he moved it from the bed. "What would you have done if she had been there? That girl of yours, if she'd have been screaming, begging them to stop".

"What kind of a question's that", Ron spat.

"An honest one".

Again, Ron scowled at him, "I'd have died trying to get to her if I had to".

"Think she's alright now? Where she is I mean, doesn't need you fighting for her".

"What… just what is your problem", Ron choked as thoughts of her screaming for him to help her burned at his mind, "why would you put that in my head".

Moody limped round the bed and sat himself back down. "I'm just trying to work out why the lad that was willing to take on nine Death Eaters with just his fists, all because he thought his girlfriend was in danger, would just lay there and die now she really needs him".

"Look at me!" Ron jumped up, "look at the state of me, I couldn't even land a punch on you, my aim and balance shot to shit, I can barely walk straight like this, can't see shit. But yeah, I'll do her right by waltzing in and getting her killed".

Moody's face twitched with an angry tick. His hand slipped to the back of his head where he grimaced, unbuckling the strap of his eye he chucked it on to the bed. There was a loud bang, as he raised his leg and let it drop down onto the bed where metal met metal. "Keep going, please… tell me all about your missing arm and cocked up eye", Moody's tone was low and dangerous. "I only managed another ten years active duty after I lost that", he pointed down at his leg, "unlike you I have nothing but a small crater here", he pointed at his eye.

Ron's mouth was hanging open as he stilled, sitting back down he picked up his cup of tea and settled. He still didn't feel he owed any apologies but hopefully this was a sign he wasn't for carrying on shouting at each other. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

Moody snorted, putting his other leg up, collecting his coffee he reclined, "quite the tale actually, the legs more of a thrilling story than the eye, but both are bloody good lad. And that's what matters boy, our stories", his eyes lit up as he began to recant.

A/N

Ron's got a lot on here, nothing like what Pansy's going through but equally difficult. Oddly, her chapter almost broke me, the scene with Ron, Charlie and Bill finished me here, it struck too close to home for me with how much they care for their brother.