Me and You // Ronarry {Discontinued}

Part 19

A bit of a time skip. And there's an important note at the end.

Summary: Tension is running high for Ron.

Content warning: Ron-bashing type of remarks, including one about eating habits

Malfoy this, Malfoy that. Ron couldn't help but wonder if Harry was going off the deep end. Ever since the first Hogsmeade trip, which ended up with Katie Bell nearly being killed by a cursed necklace, he had been more adamant than ever that Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater. Sirius said it was possible, but his eyes were shadowed in doubt, so Ron thought it was safe to say Malfoy wasn't behind it.

Harry didn't agree. "He could've had an accomplice."

"Like who? Crabbe or Goyle?" Ron countered.

"Sirius' brother was made a Death Eater when he was sixteen. Why not Malfoy?" Harry persisted.

It drove Ron mad, but he tried not to take it out on him. Besides, there were other things on his mind.

They were situated in the greenhouse for Herbology when Hermione spoke up. "Slughorn's going to have a Christmas party, Harry, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come."

Harry let out a groan.

Ron's fists clenched around the pod he was trying to squeeze open. And there was one of the other things on his mind, the Slug Club. Slughorn rarely paid him any mind, instead choosing to focus on the Muggle-born that was, as Harry had put it, best in their year. Was it too much to ask to get a little bit of good recognition himself? In Transfiguration, when they had been attempting to nonverbally change a teacup into a gerbil, when Ron had succeeded in giving his a tail and fur, McGonagall had praised him. But that was one of the few times she acknowledged him. Not that Ron expected to hear someone like Snape say something positive.

"Ron? Ron!"

Ron jumped, his pod flying out of his hands. "What?"

Harry went to retrieve the pod. When he came back, he asked, "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing important," Ron lied. "So what did you say?"

Harry eyed him in concern for a few seconds. "I asked if you wanted to come with me. Not that it makes much of a difference. You went with Hermione the first couple of times."

"Oh. Um, yeah. I do want to go with you."

"Great." Harry focused his attention on breaking open the pod and ended up shattering the bowl. "Reparo," he muttered, not looking at either his friends.

The rest of the lesson went by in silence. But Ron didn't mind. Maybe this was what they needed, a break from their worries.

Over the next few days, however, a new worry came forward. Those like their dormmates and Parvati and Lavender expressed their support at them finally attending the Slug Club together, but others came to their own conclusions as to why this would be the first time Harry would be taking his boyfriend.

Pity, most of them would say, was the reason. Harry was the Chosen One; he could choose — no pun intended — anyone to go with and he settled on Ronald Weasley?

"Better than Loony Lovegood," one boy whispered.

"Yeah, Potter wouldn't be loony enough to take her," another said, snickering.

Unfortunately for them, Ginny overheard and promptly put a stop to it.

And unfortunately for Ron, it wasn't just those discussing the Slug Club that were making snide remarks behind his back.