"Pathetic! Squawk! Pathetic! Come here, you're pathetic!"
"Aw, Cheeto! You little troublemaker!" Harry chuckled, walking into his bedroom and shaking his head at his mischievous pineapple green-cheeked conure.
Having the bird since childhood had consequences. Cheeto had eagerly picked up on Harry's self-deprecating jabs at himself.
"Pathetic!"
"Oh great, of course, I end up with a parrot with an incredible talent for speech." Harry sighed with a grin as he flopped onto his bed. "Not very nice, you know?"
He should tell himself that, considering Cheeto was this way because of what he overheard.
Cheeto tilted its head, letting out a laugh that perfectly echoed Harry's best friend, Ron.
"That's just too much!" Harry groaned. "Cheeto, you've got to cut that out!"
He buried his face in his pillow, wondering how long it took to suffocate yourself, and he felt Cheeto land softly on his head, tugging at his hair.
"Come here, pretty boy, pathetic, squawk!"
"Okay, okay, you win! Say what you want," he said, moving his face out of the pillow. Harry smiled, feeling his love for the bird, even if Cheeto did say some interesting and often embarrassing things.
With a playful leap, Cheeto jumped off Harry's head and flitted back to his cage. In a charming mimicry, he echoed Ron's laughter and greeted, "Hello, Harry!" in Ron's voice.
"Come on, really?" He rolled his eyes with mock annoyance.
Sighing, Harry cast a glance at the calendar hanging on the wall. With Valentine's Day just ten days away, he couldn't help but notice that most of his friends were already paired up or gearing up for dates.
As he embraced his final year of high school and recently turned eighteen, he felt a mixture of excitement and a twinge of loneliness. Everyone else seemed to be moving forward, while he felt a little left behind.
To complicate matters further, Harry was coming to terms with his feelings – he was head over heels for Ron. From the moment they met a decade ago, when Harry first moved to town, there was a spark that felt undeniably special. It might sound like a classic tale, but it was love, or at least a crush, at first sight.
Ron, the second youngest of seven siblings, often sought refuge at Harry's house, enjoying some much-needed peace away from the vibrant chaos of his family. Harry treasured every moment they spent together, even relishing the lively atmosphere of Ron's big family. As an only child, he found comfort in the sibling dynamics, even if his heart longed for something more profound with Ron.
"Hello, Harry! Hello, Harry! Squawk! I love Ron!" Cheeto chirped.
Harry's cheeks flushed bright red. "Oh no, you didn't just say that!" he exclaimed, embarrassment washing over him. Cheeto had a knack for catching him off guard, and now he said that in Harry's voice of all things.
While he adored Cheeto and would never dream of giving up his feathered friend, how could he have Ron over without the parrot revealing his feelings?
He knew he needed an excuse if Ron heard Cheeto say, "I love Ron." He hoped Ron didn't know how often one has to say something for a parrot to learn it.
"What else are you keeping in that cheeky beak of yours?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.
Cheeto replied with a playful kissy sound, leaving Harry wondering if Cheeto was actually making fun of him.
Parrots were more intelligent than people often realized. Some even seemed to grasp the context of words. Harry was increasingly becoming convinced that that was true.
A ladder clattered against Harry's bedroom window, and Ron climbed in. Harry couldn't help but smile, remembering how they'd picked up this fun tradition from some classic TV shows Harry's parents loved.
"Hello, Harry!"
Ron erupted with laughter. "Cheeto, you always swipe my lines before I get the chance!"
Harry playfully rolled his eyes. "That's just our Cheeto being Cheeto!" He glanced over at the parrot, who was preening his feathers.
'You'd better behave, Cheeto,' Harry thought, his heart racing at the idea of Cheeto blurting out his secrets.
Shifting his focus to Ron, he flashed a warm smile.
"What do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Ron?"
Chuckling, Ron rolled his eyes. "Oh, the usual! Fred and George nearly turned the kitchen into a disaster zone, and mum is right miffed. Plus, I just wanted to see you."
Ron always uniquely ignited a spark of hope in Harry, which was simply his nature. Harry appreciated this, knowing it came from a genuine place, but wished it meant more.
"Your parents are either really nice or a bit crazy for allowing everyone to continue living there, especially since everyone except Ginny is an adult." Harry found it hard to imagine such a crowded house, but he knew that some families preferred it that way. Multi-generational households were common in many places.
"I feel they'll move out once they start their own families!" Ron said as he hopped onto Harry's bed. "Bill's probably on his way to marrying Fleur."
"Pretty boy!"
"Why thank you, Cheeto!" Ron chuckled. He glanced at Harry, gently touching his forehead, before brushing his hair from Harry's eyes. "Didn't you just get a haircut?"
Harry blushed, shrugging. "Yeah, it just grows fast, I guess."
"Why not consider growing it out? You'd looked really good with longer hair."
"Pretty boy!"
"That's right, Cheeto," Ron grinned. "Pretty boy."
Harry playfully nudged Ron. "Alright, you two, give me a break."
"I love-" Suddenly, Harry leaped off the bed, surprising Cheeto, who squeaked and flitted to a perch on the other side of the room.
"Whoa, Harry! What's wrong?"
"Oops! I thought I spotted a spider."
It might have sounded lame, but what else could he say?
"I really hope not!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes widening. He scanned the room but stopped when Harry approached him, placing his hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, it's probably just my imagination," Harry replied, deep breathing to steady his racing heart at Cheeto nearly outing him. Imagine a parrot forcing you out of the closet.
"Guess what I just heard?"
"What?" Harry asked, leaning in. He couldn't help being so close to Ron. Ron never complained.
"Ginny asked Luna to go to the Valentine's Day dance!" Ron said, grinning widely.
"Wow, seriously?"
"Yep! She's had a huge crush on Luna for ages. Isn't that sweet?"
Harry's heart raced, and he felt a bit nervous. The topic made him think about his feelings for Ron. He stepped back slightly from Ron and tilted his head in thought.
"It really is sweet. I'm happy for them," he said, a smile spreading across his face.
"Me too!" Ron replied, his enthusiasm infectious, though Harry couldn't help the tiny bit of pain it gave him.
"Are you going with Hermione?" Harry asked quietly.
"Huh?" Ron exclaimed, looking surprised. "Why would I do that?"
Harry glanced at Ron, shrugging lightly. "Well, you two are quite close."
Ron chuckled, "That's true, but we're both really close to you as well, so I could ask you the same thing. Are you going to ask Hermione?"
With an amused snort, Harry shook his head. "No. So, who do you have in mind then?"
"I dunno, maybe go stag, because…" Ron trailed off. "I'm lame."
"Pathetic!"
"That's rude, don't you think, Cheeto?" Ron chuckled but then grew serious. "Harry, he only says those things because you do."
"True, but…" Harry was uncertain how to respond.
"Listen, you're definitely not pathetic or anything like that!"
"In that case, going stag is fine and not lame, either," Harry said, and they laughed.
Suddenly, Cheeto swooped down and perched himself on Ron's shoulder.
"Ron, will you go to the dance with me?" Cheeto chirped, perfectly mimicking Harry's voice.
Harry's face turned pale with shock and then became freckled in pink. While Cheeto could imitate a few short phrases, nailing a complete sentence like that was a new level.
It was true that Harry had rehearsed those very words in front of the mirror, but he never expected Cheeto to replicate them so flawlessly. Those were words he knew he would never have the courage to say.
He didn't dare look at Ron as he sprinted out of his bedroom, down the hall, and out the front door. Harry had no idea where he was headed but knew he had to escape.
"Okay, Cheeto, time to head back to your cage," Ron said, smiling warmly as he carefully settled the parrot inside. He wiped a hand across his forehead, looking at the door where Harry had just exited.
"Are you messing with me, Cheeto?"
"I love Ron!"
"It would seem not," he chuckled, feeling a warm flush spread across his cheeks.
"Dance! Dance!"
"Yeah, I get it, Cheeto."
He ran to the window, preparing to leave, but paused, looking back at the parrot. "You have a big mouth, you know?"
Cheeto replied with kissy sounds.
"I knew I would find you here," Ron said as he approached the creek behind Harry's house. Harry was sitting at the entrance to the huge storm drain tunnel. The adults had warned them not to play in it because it could be dangerous, but nobody listened.
Ron crawled into the tunnel and sat next to Harry. He frowned when he noticed Harry avoiding his gaze.
"Harry, parrots only say things they hear a lot," Ron said.
"Yeah," Harry mumbled, his voice sounding watery as if he had been crying. This alarmed Ron since Harry didn't often cry.
"Don't you think it's silly to have your parrot play matchmaker?" Ron tried to tease. "You should just ask me yourself."
"What?" Harry rubbed his eyes and finally looked at Ron. His eyes were puffy, and his cheeks were red.
"Well, I can't exactly go to the dance with Cheeto, can I?" Ron replied.
"It's a fantasy-themed dance… you could go as pirate Ron and his parrot," Harry suggested, sharing a small, unsure smile.
"Tempting…" Ron said, putting a finger on his lips as if he were considering it. He leaned closer to Harry. "But I'd rather you asked me."
"Ron, Cheeto might want to go as just friends, but I don't," Harry admitted, beginning to shiver as the wind blew into the tunnel.
"Perfect! Now ask me, Harry."
"Uh…" Harry pressed his forehead against the tunnel wall. "Will I get a good answer?" His heart was doing somersaults. Was this really happening? Was this one of his dreams? Did his parrot actually act as his wingman?
Ron placed a hand on Harry's, intertwining their fingers. "Yes," he said softly, barely breathing.
"W-will you…" Harry looked up at Ron, holding his breath because of how close they were. "W-will you go to the dance with me, Ron?"
Breaking into a huge grin, Ron placed an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Yes! But we'll need to get Cheeto's approval since he asked me first."
"Of course," Harry said, laughing as he buried his face against Ron's chest. "I like you a lot, Ron."
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Ron asked.
"Because I was scared."
Ron pulled back and asked, "How long do you think we would have been oblivious if Cheeto hadn't said anything?"
"A long time! Wait… so you like me, too?" Harry replied, surprised.
"Shouldn't that be obvious?" Ron playfully nudged Harry, making him laugh. "I like you, Harry. I've liked you for a long time."
"So, what should we dress up as for the theme?" Harry asked.
"Oh! Maybe we can ask Ginny and Luna to do matching costumes with us. What's a really cool foursome?" Ron asked.
Harry grimaced. "Ron, don't say it like that!"
Ron flushed. "Right. Erasing that image from my mind. But the question still stands."
"How about Peter Pan, Hook, Tinkerbell, and Wendy?" Harry proposed.
"Awesome! That still fits the pirate theme! Do you think we can get permission to bring Cheeto?"
"He's leash-trained, so maybe," Harry responded.
Harry then threw his arms around Ron and, after hesitating for a moment, kissed him on the cheek.
"Let's go call Ginny and Luna!" Ron exclaimed.
They emerged from the tunnel, landing in the water, and getting soaking wet but hardly caring. Then they rushed to Harry's house to call Luna and Ginny and to share the good news with Cheeto.
Ron's mum was thrilled to create four costumes for them. She was excited to welcome two possible future daughter-in-law and son-in-laws into the family. Of course, she was jumping the gun, but mothers often did that.
"How do I look?" Harry asked, moving his eye patch to his forehead and grinning. Cheeto was perched proudly on his shoulder, attached by a leash.
"Better than I do in these tights!" Ron grumbled. He was dressed in green, wearing a typical Peter Pan costume. He looked cute, but Harry could tell he was embarrassed.
"You look really good," Harry assured him.
"Thanks," Ron replied, looking down shyly.
"There's Ginny and Luna! Oh, look at them!" Harry exclaimed.
Ron looked up and laughed when he saw his sister dressed as Wendy and Luna in the most adorable Tinkerbell costume. She really embodied Tinkerbell, even waving a wand and spreading glitter to everyone she passed.
"Glitter for you, glitter for me, glitter for everyone!" Luna shouted, giggling.
"Fairy dust," Ginny reminded her.
"Fairy dust for all!" Luna cheerfully corrected herself.
Everyone laughed.
"Come on, Hook," Ron said, grabbing Harry's hand. Cheeto squawked. "And Cheeto, of course."
"Pretty boy! Dance! Dance!" Cheeto chirped.
"Yes!" Ron and Harry said in unison. "That's the plan."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Harry," Ron said, glancing around. Then he leaned in and pressed his lips against Harry's, causing Harry to suck in his breath. It was their first kiss.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Ron," Harry replied, smiling.
"Pretty boy! Dance! Dance!" Cheeto repeated excitedly.
"All right!" Harry laughed, pulling Ron onto the dance floor.
FIN!