What Ron Did-Part 6/6--R--(for wave two)

[flaminiag]

Title: What Ron Did
Author: Flaminia Grisandole 
Pairing: Harry/Ron
Words: 14, 325 total
Rating: R--for language, sexual references and wanking...

Written for wave two of the Third hprwfqf

POST-WAR: 12. In the last moment, it was Ron who defeated Voldemort, but the world won't believe it no matter what Harry says. Harry figures it'll be impossible for him to act on his new-found feelings in this situation.

Thanks to my two wonderful beta's for the quick and thorough job.  You both Rock! 
sabine91175 and
mr_yer_on_fire

What Ron Did--Part Six

The Christmas holidays came and went quickly and for the most part calmly.

The Aurors obviously knew how to do their job now, but part of that might have been the strange passiveness of the Death Eaters.

Shopping and visiting the Wheezes shop became a bit unbearable as crowds of people would come up to me for my autograph.  At first I reluctantly signed my name to every photo, game program or Prophet article thrust at me.  I even stood for a few photos with the younger students of Hogwarts.

However, after Ron was blatantly ignored for a whole day, I started to wear my hat low over my forehead, my scarf tight around my face and made sure never to wear any orange-colored clothes.

Ron called me the ‘Mummy,’ laughing and pushing me into stores past any curious eyes.

Soon we were back to practicing every day.  Our next road trip would not be until after the Easter holidays.  We were to play a string of games at home.

It was a frustrating couple of months.

I often feigned sickness to keep from starting in games because I still had a hard time concentrating when Ron played.

The papers wrote about their concerns that their favorite Seeker-Who-Killed-Lord-Thingy might have a terminal disease.  They still chose to ignore Ron even as he continued to shine as Keeper.

Our other teammates didn’t seem to notice.  They were just happy that practically every game was sold-out.  And their paychecks were big.

Ron was the first one to bring up getting a flat together after we finished the next road tour.

I clung to the side of the chair so I would not jump foolhardily into his arms with glee.

For Ron’s eighteenth birthday, I decided to throw him a big all out bash.  He deserved it.

I reserved the Three Broomsticks (renovated and expanded) for the evening.  I booked the Weird Sisters to come play live music.  Mrs. Weasley wouldn’t let me get a caterer and insisted on making all the food herself.  I sent out invites to all our Hogwarts friends and Order members and she sent out ones to the family.

Somehow word got out that Harry Potter was throwing a party.

Masses of people thronged through the door to get a peep.  Hagrid seemed to be able to turn most of them out.

Still, it seemed Ron was having a fun time.  Fred and George had him cornered, trying to get him to open one of their presents when Hermione came in.

“Harry!  It’s so good to see you!” she gushed, rushing over and hugging me.

I gave her a weak hug back; I guess I still held a grudge. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“Of course!  Why wouldn’t I come to your party?”

“It’s Ron’s party.  Have you said hello yet?”

“I know it’s his party,” she said, exasperated. Then her voice grew quiet.  “You heard about Azkaban, then?”

I snorted. “Yeah, rubbish.”

“Ron seemed a bit worried. I think he’s afraid Malfoy’s going to wake up and do something.”

“Like what?  Become the next Dark Lord?”

“Exactly.”

“So he’s been writing?”

“Yes,” she said indignantly.  “At least one of you does.”

“He reads your letters to me sometimes.  I didn’t know how much he wrote back,” I frowned, feeling an odd boiling feeling in my belly. “I suppose he told you about the spectacular Starfish and Stick he pulled in the last game?”

“Erm, not really.  He usually just goes on about how well you’ve been doing,” she gave me an even look.  I adverted my eyes.

“Well, that’s crap because I’ve been lousy.  He’s the star of the team.  He even comes up with strategies in practices that Morgons uses in the games. Although telling anyone else that is like talking to a Dragon’s arse.”

Hermione bit her lip. “Harry, are you still upset about…”

“Of course!  I don’t see why no one else sees it…”

“But Crabbe, Bellatrix, Nott, G…”

“So you believe a Death Eater’s word over mine?”

“Harry…”

“You better go say hello to Ron,” I started to turn away from her.

“Harry, you’re sure you aren’t just  remembering it as you would have liked it to happen?  Ron’s told me what hap…”

“Remember to wish him Happy Birthday.  It is what you’re here for, right?” I didn’t want to be near her anymore.  I could feel her eyes on the back of my head for a long moment before I heard her walk away.

I was still fuming when Seamus, Dean and Neville came up to me, clapping me heartily on the back.

“Our Big Shot Quidditch player!” Seamus exclaimed.

“So are the birds fawning all over you yet?” Dean pressed.

“Not really,”  I shrugged.  I did not want to deal with this right now.  Truth was, some girls had approached me but I blew them all off.  Or if I saw one coming, I took off in another direction.

“I’ve been keeping all the clippings about you from the papers,” Neville smiled.

“Why?” I asked incredulously.

“Because they’re about you, of course!” he grinned.

“And it’s good to know that at least one of us is going to make something of himself,” Seamus added.

I sighed. “Don’t you listen to the live broadcasts, then?”

“Whenever we can!” Dean said.

“Well, then, you should know that I’ve been utter crap lately on the field.  It’s Ron who’s the star Quidditch player,” I said to them.

They looked at each in confusion. Seamus scratched his chin.

“Erm, I’m not sure what games you’re talking about, Harry.  All the ones we’ve listened to hardly mention Ron at all, except for a save here and there.  Mostly they go on about your strategy for catching the Snitch and how you divert players from the goal post wit your great flying.”

I stared at him, opened-mouth. Dean and Neville nodded in agreement.

“So really, stop being Modest Martin, Potter.  Tell us what it’s like to be the Star of the Show…”

“ENOUGH!  ENOUGH OF THIS BLOODY SHITE ALREADY!” I bellowed at the top of my voice.  My three former dorm mates backed slightly away from me.

A hush fell over the room. But I couldn’t stop.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW COMPLETELY DAFT EVERYONE IS!

“LOOK, RON SACRIFICED HIMSELF IN THE CHESS GAME.

“RON STOOD UP TO HIS WORST FEAR TO FIND THE TRUTH TO CLEAR A FRIEND’S NAME.

“RON STOOD UP TO A POTENTIAL MURDERER-ON A BROKEN LEG NO LESS!

“RON FOUGHT BESIDE ME AT THE MINISTRY, GETTING HEXED SEVERELY IN THE PROCESS.

“RON HELPED SEARCH AND DESTROY THE HORCRUXES CONTAINING PIECES OF TOM RIDDLE’S SOUL.

“RON IS THE GREAT QUIDDITCH PLAYER NOW.

“AND RON IS THE ONE WHO KILLED VOLDEMORT!”

There were a few gasps, but I was already stomping outside, breaking into a run towards the lake that lay between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts.

I collapsed face-first onto the ground, already regretting the fact that I made a complete prat of myself.

Such an idiot.

Now I’ve gone and done the last thing I wanted.  I made a spectacle of myself and probably embarrassed Ron.  Again the attention would be taken away from Ron and drawn to me.

No wonder he got so upset during fourth year.  He had every right to be.

Apparently, I must be an attention hog but never realized it.

I wondered how difficult it would be to get out of Booth’s contract.

But could I really give up all that time with Ron?  Could I really go without seeing him while they went out on the road for the next six weeks?

I buried my head further in my arms and wallowed in the mess I seemed to be making for myself.

A hand brushed my back and lightly trailed through my hair.

“Harry…”

Oh, Merlin.  Even as upset as I was, his touch still had an affect on me.

Now I had two reasons why I couldn’t turn to face him.

“Come on, Harry, look at me,” Ron tugged on my collar.

I shook my head in my arms.  “I…I’m sorry, Ron.  I’ve ruined everything.”

“What are you on about?”

“Your party, I was a right prat and made a huge scene…”

“That was the nicest speech anyone’s ever given about me.”

“And with Quidditch…”

“I just like playing, Harry.  Especially when it’s on the same team as you.”

“And taking away that credit you deserve…I tried so hard to make them believe me,” I sighed. “I just wish you could remember how brilliant you were.”

I felt Ron’s leg knock into my side. “I do.”

“Because if you could just rem…What did you say?” I lifted my head to look at him.  He sat hugging his knees to his chest, looking out over the lake.

He took a deep breath. “I do remember, Harry.  All of it.”

“But…” I didn’t know whether I wanted to hug him or throttle him.

“Look, I figured everyone was expecting you to fulfill this Prophecy…”

“You said…” He held up his hand to stop me.

“I know what I told you.  I meant that.  It’s just I had a feeling many people really put their faith into you being ‘the Chosen One’ and all.  Most Wizards are rather superstitious fools.  If they didn’t believe you had done it, they might fear his return more.”

I wanted to tell him that was a silly thought, but as I thought about it a moment longer, I realized how true that could be.

“And I also knew I would never be able to explain what happened-at least in a way that anyone would understand,” he added.

“Not even me?”

“Especially you,” he looked at me carefully. “Although I realized I was wrong about that.  I should have told you.  I’m sorry I lied about not remembering.”

I pulled myself up into sitting position facing him as he took another deep breath.

“After the Crucio, I was pretty out of it.  I heard the voices and I knew Riddle was talking to you, but I couldn’t understand anything being said.  All I knew was that he was near you and I needed to get him away from you.  I needed to save you.

“So I willed myself to take everything I had, everything I wanted to protect you.  Something in me shifted and I subconsciously knew that not only did I have to protect you, but I had to protect myself.  To keep you alive, I had to remain alive.

“And to do that I had to double my magic.  So, and I’m still not exactly sure how it worked, I called your magic to me.  I was amazed when it came so easily and quickly.

“It was the strangest feeling, Harry, to feel your magic and mine together within me.  Strange but sort of nice at the same time.” He smiled shyly.

“I knew the spell.  And  knew the spell needed a wand to perform correctly.  My wand was gone, but your magic told me that your wand was near.  Not near enough for me to reach, but near enough to use.

“So I said the spell and Crabbe and Goyle were thrown away from me. Our magic filled me and began to seep out through the palms of my hands. It was a powerful feeling, yet I wasn’t frightened of it.  Instead I felt confident and brave.

“A purple light grew and burst out of my palms when I repeated the spell.  The light was our magic, Harry.  Yours and mine mixed together. Remember how you told me that a red light came out of your wand when you battled Riddle in the cemetery?” I nodded. “Well, my magic color is blue.”

“Blue and red make purple,” I said softly.

He nodded. “The third time I said the spell I felt the pull of the Dark Marks on all their arms.  I know Malfoy was thrown back and Bellatrix and Nott let go of you.  But our magic was protecting both of us from harm now.

“With a large flash of bright violet light, Riddle’s soul touched my fingertips and seemed to bounce away, into your wand.  Then it was over, and the Death Eaters were all out cold.

“Harry, you are right when you say I said the spell.  But it was really both of us that made it work.”

“No wonder I felt so weak even when I didn’t really do anything.  But Ron…how did you know how to call out to my magic?”

He licked his lips nervously and looked away for a brief moment before meeting my eyes with his.

“Remember the bonding spell performed at Bill and Fleur’s wedding?  Donare omnis corium means to ‘give the whole heart.’  So that’s what I did.  I pledged my whole heart to you and your magic reached out to meet mine.

“I’m in love with you, Harry.”

I sat there, my mouth half open, my brain buzzing and my heart thumping loudly in my chest.

Ron started to shift away and I put my hand out to stop him.

And then I had him flat on his back, my lips pressed against his.

It was like taking a breath of fresh air after being underwater too long.

One of his arms slid around my waist and his other hand pushed through my hair.

I held his face in my hands as I licked and nipped at his lips.  He opened his mouth to me and my tongue eased in to languidly rub against his.

I moaned at the touch and pressed my mouth harder against his, trying to merge them together.

He moaned this time, sliding his hand down my back to cup my arse in his large hand.

We came up for air, only to renew the kiss with more vigor.   Then a third time.  And a fourth.

Finally we reluctantly pulled apart, panting and hard against each other.

“Apparently,” I said with a sly smile, “my magic knows its match to go to you so willingly.  Either that or it’s a little whore.”

Ron’s chest rumbled against mine as he laughed.

“Although, I think it may have taken some of my Quidditch skill with it.  How else could you explain all your great saves and all my horrible catches?” I said playfully.

“Why you…” He pushed up and rolled us over so I was trapped underneath him.  It was a position I could get very used to.

Very sincerely I looked up into those bright blue eyes and said,

“I love you, Ron Weasley, and I really do think you are brilliant, even if no one else can see it.”

“I don’t care what anyone else thinks about me.  Only you, Harry. It’s only ever been you.”

teh end