the gentle moon / george weasley

get a grip

"Can I just have a year where you are not an arse?" Ron mumbled into his potatoes, noticing August staring at him at breakfast. It was probably the first morning he had actually gone down to breakfast before the rest of the house and most of the school. He was usually the last one, most likely being dragged in by Harry or Hermione. "Can I just eat my breakfast in peace... I'm not doing anything wrong."

"What you can do, is get a grip." August laughed, filling his empty cup with juice. Mid bite, Ron looked up at her, as she prepared him a new plate, "You need protein, by the time you get on your broom for the match, you'll be exhausted by all those potatoes and sugary cereal you are eating."

"Why are you being nice to me?" Ron asked, taking the plate from her.

"This might be a surprise to you, Ronald... But I do very much like you. And I am also very proud of you."

"Yo-you're proud of me?" Ron looked around the empty dining hall, "Is this a joke, are the twins putting you up to this? Did you do something to my eggs?"

"You know I always envied you." She admitted, "Being surrounded by so much family."

Ron looked at her, with furrowed brows.

"But it must get crowded... I just want you to know, I've noticed you."

Ron took slower bites, not noticing his heartbeat had calmed since she had sat with him that morning.

"I just want you to know that." She looked at him, with a perfectly coated piece of toast in her hand. Taking a quick bite, and then smiling she said, "I've been your number one fan since I saw you get on that train."

"Like at the start of term?" Ron asked.

"Like in 1991." August smiled, taking another bite.

Ron's shoulders fell, and he let out a big sigh, putting his fork down.

"I must've been mental to do this," he admitted in a croaky whisper. "Mental."

"Don't be thick," said August firmly, filling his cup some more. "You're going to be fine. It's normal to be nervous."

"I'm rubbish," croaked Ron. "I'm lousy. I can't play to save my life. What was I thinking?"

"As I said, get a grip," said August sternly. "I heard about that save you made with your foot the other day, even Fred and George said it was brilliant —"

Ron turned up a tortured face to August.

"That was an accident," he whispered miserably. "I didn't mean to do it — I slipped off my broom when none of you were looking and I was trying to get back on and kicked the Quaffle by accident."

"Well," said August, recovering quickly from this unpleasant surprise, "a few more accidents like that and the game's in the bag, ain't it?"

"You don't know anything about quidditch, Moon... How would you know?"

August just shrugged. Hermione and Ginny sat down opposite them wearing red and gold scarves, gloves, and rosettes. And Harry came in looking astonished that Ron was already down for breakfast.

"Was worried you snuck off of the grounds when I found your bed empty." Harry laughed, slapping Ron's back.

"How're you feeling?" Ginny asked Ron, who was now staring into the dregs of milk at the bottom of his empty cereal bowl as though seriously considering attempting to drown himself in them.

"He's just nervous," said August.

"Well, that's a good sign, I never feel you perform as well in exams if you're not a bit nervous," said Hermione heartily.