Defining Secrets // Ron Weasley

Chapter Ten: That Friendly Face and Something Stupid

Elise's POV:

Trust me when I say it was only meant to be a simple game. A little Quidditch practice for those of us who played, and a relaxing watch for the ones that didn't. But I should have known that if Ginny was involved, it wouldn't be that simple. She came ten minutes later than we had planned, surrounded not only by Fred and George, but by Lee, Neville, Luna and... Arabella.

Her sandy blonde curls fell in waves past her shoulders, the top pulled back in a half up half down style. Because it was the weekend, she wasn't in her usual Hufflepuff uniform. Instead, she wore a half zipped-up hoodie, simple white top and a pair of blue pinstripe jeans. She waved with a smile.

"Weren't we going to keep the game small?" Hermione asked, glancing between The Twins, Lee, Luna, a few others and Arabella.

She'd been in our DADA class one year and in which we were desk mates. And although we were both a little shyer back then, I still managed to get to know her a little. She was very sweet and was well known for the time she baked some biscuits and handed them out to all the Gryffindor Quidditch players after a lengthy match.

I had nothing against her. She was lovely and deserved all the attention she got. But it was the look that Ron gave her that made my insides twist. He smiled and waved with an embarrassed grin on her face that I'd seen from him many times before. The knot squeezed tighter when she smiled back.

"Well I was in the hall talking with Harry when Arabella came to ask for Transfiguration notes. Everybody else joined after hearing Harry talk about it."

Hermione huffed and shot Harry a poisonous glare. He backed away slowly.

"I hope you do not mind me joining," Arabella said apologetically. "Ginny mentioned it would be you guys who would be playing and I was curious."

"Y-yeah, totally," Ron stammered. He leant against his room, most likely wanting to seem totally cool with the situation, only for it to slip and nearly topple him over. "It's totally cool!"

Ginny snorted. "I bet."

Ron glared at her. She raised a brow at Ron's flushed face – one that I'd been trying my hardest to ignore.

"I don't think I've ever seen a Quidditch game," Luna said. "I thought it would be fun."

A smile grew on my face. I had been so focused on Arabella and Ron that I didn't even get a chance to greet her.

"Hey, Luna. Are we really your first game?"

"I believe so. My mother was never much for Quidditch, neither is my father. But Ginny said you would be playing and it seemed like fun from what she explained."

"Ginny said so?" I laughed, rubbing the back on my neck that was slick with anxious sweat. "Well I don't know if I'll be playing. I'm not particularly great on a broom."

"Nonsense," Ron interjected. "You're bloody great at it."

The compliment made my heart swell. But I squandered it, knowing it would not have any use accepting what was merely a compliment between friends. And if friends were what we were, and all we would ever be, then that is all I will see it as.

"You do remember what happened last year, don't you?" I asked.

Ron snorted. "Right. But-"

"What happened last year?" Lee asked. And suddenly, all eyes were on me.

I chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, you know, nothing much. Just got a little too carried away. So!" I clasped my hands together, "who's going to be playing?"

"Ah, ah ah. Don't try and change the subject," Ginny grinned, "what happened last year?"