Defining Secrets // Ron Weasley

Chapter Twelve: A Skillful Suprise and A Potential Soulmate

Elise's POV:

For the fifth time, I read the letter aloud.

My throat got dryer with each word I was made to repeat, hands clammy enough to smudge the ink.

Dean sent me an owl late last night but I didn't decide to open it until this morning. The message was simple and consisted of a 'Hi, hello, how are you? Want to grab a butter beer with me on Saturday?'

I said yes, not thinking much of it at the time other than a 'that's nice of him!'

Although, it wasn't really a lack of thought. It was more a case of I wasn't sure what to think. Dean hadn't exactly been explicit in his message about what this meant.

Was it a date? A hangout between sort-of friends? A chance for him and I to coordinate ball outfits? I wasn't even sure if we were a couple. Did him being my date mean we were committed? Or were we just two people moderately interested in each other who also didn't seem to mind embarrassing ourselves on the dancefloor - together?

Ginny wasn't much help. All she asked was for me to read it again, and again, and again. Sometimes I would skim over a paragraph or two, having it already committed to memory. But now I was on my sixth reread and was starting to seriously lose my mind.

I dumped the letter on my bed. "Do you have some kind of short term memory loss?"

"I just can't believe it!" Ginny grinned. "I have a feeling I helped this happen for you."

I blinked. "How?"

Ginny pressed her lips together. "Okay, but don't be mad-"

"That's the worst thing to start out with, Gin."

She waved it off with a flick of her wrist. "I promise it's not a big deal."

"Again, not something that eases my mind."

"Okay, okay, I'll just say it!" She huffed. "I kind of... invited Arabella to the party to bring her and Ron together."

I jerked back. "What? Ginny!"

"I'm sorry, El. But all this you and him, you and him has just been going on for way too long. It was the only way I could see you moving on. And, personally, I don't see the appeal."

I laughed. "That's because to you he's your brother. But to me he was..."

"Oh Merlin, please don't start telling me about how much you fancied him. Because I don't think I could take it!"

"Oh, but Ginny he's got these eyes that are just-" She shrieked and covered her ears as I laughed.

"You're such a wuss!"

"Am I? Am I really? How would you like it if I told you how well Harry kisse-"

"Okay! I see your point." I scrunched my nose and covered my ears with my hands, merlin forbid I heard another second of what she was describing.

"My point is," Ginny said. "I'm glad you've decided to move on. I think you deserve someone who can show you how he feels and I don't think Ron can do that. The prat is so oblivious when it comes to romance."

"And yet, you ship him off with Arabella."
I quipped a little smug, still wanting to tease her for earlier. Even though I knew it was well intentioned and basically harmless.

She shook her head. "I don't have anything against Arabella - I think she's sweet. But you don't need all this Ron nonsense going on in your life. And look, I'm not saying it even has to be Dean." She held up her hands. "I just think you can do better."