NOT PROOFREAD!
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Prologue:
Pt 1:
„Ronnn!", you slur and attempt to drop yourself onto the empty seat next to him. Thanks to your drunken state, you almost drop to the floor.
Ron catches you and pulls you into his lap instead. "You're drunk, aren't you?", he speaks into your ear.
"Nope, I'm not!", you reply, laughing.
"Mhm, sure. Let's sober up.", he says, squeezing your waist before placing you on the couch. He gets up to grab you a water.
The now empty seat next to you gets taken immediately.
"Hey, y/n. Where did Ron go?", Seamus asks with a smile just as wide as yours; he's drunk too.
"I don't know, but he'll be back soon I guess."
You lay your head back and close your eyes.
After a minute or so, Seamus opens his mouth again. "You know, I'm really impressed that you forgave Ron.", he says.
You turn your head. "What do you mean?"
Seamus shrugs his shoulders. "I dunno, I expected you too dump him after-"
"Piss off, Seamus.", you hear a angry voice. Ron is back, holding a cup in his hand.
"Oh, is that water? I'm dying of thirst!"
Without taking his eyes off of Seamus, he hands you the cup. "Here you go."
Seamus gets up to make place for Ron, but drops on the armrest of the couch.
"So what were you saying?", you ask Seamus between sips.
Ron pats your knee. "He's talking nonsense. Seamus is drunk.", he smiles at you. But something about his smile is odd.
However, in your drunken state you let it slip.
Seamus does not bring it up again and neither does Ron, so you lean against him.
"Let me take you to bed.", Ron says after a while.
He does as he said and tugs you under the covers before slipping into bed next to you.
When you kiss him, the incident with Seamus gets wiped from your brain and you fall asleep peacefully.
The next morning, you wake up on your own with a note on your pillow. "I'm grabbing you something to eat, wait for me.", it says in Ron's familiar, untidy handwriting.
You fall back into the pillow and reach out to blindly grab the bottle of water from your nightstand. Something drops to the floor. It's Ron's phone. You sigh and bend over to pick it up again, when a notification pops up on the screen.
It's Seamus: "sorry for almost giving you away last night, i was drunk. but you should tell y/n soon."
With furrowed brows, you remember the conversation you and Seamus had yesterday. He said something about being surprised you didn't dumb Ron, didn't he? Your memory is a little foggy, but that much you can remember.
You know it's wrong, but you let curiosity get the best of you and unlock the phone. A feed of messages opens and you start reading.
After a few scrolls, you read your name.
R: "I will tell y/n, I just need some bloody time."
A few messages above, the conversation starts.
S: "can't believe you really won. bye bye my money 🫡"
R: "yeah me too, but I'm not sure if I really want the money."
S: "wdym?"
R: "dunno, I feel bad. y/n doesn't deserve that."
S: "did you fall for her?"
R: "I think so. But I feel so guilty."
S: "you can hardly be with her. you started dating her over a bet."
You heart drops. A bet?
R: "she doesn't have to know."
S: "you have to tell her when you want a real chance with her."
Tears blind your eyes and your throw the phone away. Panicking, you press a hand to your mouth. Your heart is beating in your throat, but you wonder how it can even beat when it shattered over these messages. Every letter was like a stab into your heart.
Just in the second you start crying, Ron enters the room, holding out a tray of food.
"Bloody hell, what happened, y/n?", Ron asks, dropping the tray on your desk.
"Get out! Get out, Ron!", you scream, shoving his phone into his chest and pushing him out.
"Wait, what is going on?! Y/n!"
"Your fucking bet happened!"
With that, you push him one last time. He stumbles over the threshold and you slam the door in his face. His eyes land on the phone screen.
Ron starts banging on the door. "Let me explain!"
"Go away, Ron." You intended to scream, but all you can manage is a broken whisper before you break down.
Pt 2:
You have spend the weekend in your dorm, Ginny the only person keeping your company. She had helped you to pack Ron's things that were spread all over your dorm: his hoodies and shirts and pajamas, his toothbrush and shower gel in your bathroom, his chuddley canons book that he used to read while you slept on his chest, and every single thing he ever gifted to you. What was the hardest to put away was the first bouquet of flowers he gave you that you had cast a spell on to preserve them.
Unrestrained tears did stream down your cheeks as you watched Ginny leave with the box that held what was remaining of your relationship.
Now it's Monday, school starts again and you have no other choice but to face Ron.
Sitting in the great hall at the very end of Gryffindor table with Ginny to your right, you shove your food around on your plate. You knew you won't be able to swallow anything or at least keep it inside. Your stomach is nervously clenching and twisting.
"Stay calm but he just entered.", Ginny whispers, squeezing your clenched forearm for comfort.
Involuntary, you lift your head and turn it around only to see Ron's gaze already lingering on you. His eyes automatically light up, but when he sees Ginny protectively covering you with her body, his eyes squint.
Seeing him brings back all the emotions you thought you had locked up in the furthest, darkest corner of your brain. Obviously you didn't close the door or they unlocked the door themself. With how string those feelings are it wouldn't be a surprise if they developed a life if it's own.
The ache you felt three days a ago didn't decline the slightest bit, it all comes crushing down on you as he walks your way.
"Ginny, I can't talk to him.", you mumble panicking.
"I got you.", she says and gets to her feet to cut Ron's path off.
They talk for some time and you can see the way Ron's expression darkens and the way he furrows his brows, obviously unpleased with the things Ginny says. His usually bright blue eyes turned to a dark blue color you didn't like.
Then he nods, jaw clenched and Ginny comes back. He's looking over his shoulder and the pain in his eyes makes your heart ache on a whole different level. It seems impossible but somehow seeing Ron in pain, who you - despite the bad he did - still love dearly, is worse then everything you ever felt.
Swallowing, he turn on his heels to take a seat next to Harry, kneading his fingers.
Ginny took her seat next to you again and sighed. "He said he will be giving you some time if you really want that, but only under one condition."
You snort. "He isn't really in the place to have conditions."
Ginny nods her head, her gaze moving to Ron for a second. "Yeah, I know but he just wants me to tell you something."
You lean forward a little to see Ron in the same exact position, invisibly waiting for Ginny to repeat his words. A hopeful look is in his eyes.
You sigh and look down at your plate again. Anxiously, you wait for Ginny to start talking.
"He just said: 'Tell y/n I'm not giving up on her ever, even if I have to wait years for forgiveness.'"
The mixture between sweet longing and bitter pain that rise inside of you is absurdly disturbing and makes you question how you ever will be able to deal with the feelings that Ron's bare existence caused you.
Pt 3:
As a matter of fact, Ron kept his promise. He did give you time - for exactly three weeks. When the three weeks mark passed, he suddenly got into action, determined to prove his trustworthiness to you, as if all his patience was used up.
However, he clearly underestimated his sister. Ginny remained at your side, as solid as an sturdy a rock. She stood between you and Ron whenever you needed it. You just had to say a word, and she would get between you and him, not even giving him the chance to address a word to you.
You had to take her up on that offer quiet often since Ron was really persistent.
One time, you asked her why and if it did not exhaust her to be torn between you and her brother. She said it does not make a difference that Ron is her brother. What he did was a "dickmove" and you get to decide how things are going now. Just like that, things were made clear.
And besides that, during the two weeks you went back and forth, debating with yourself wether to take your aunt up on her offer to transfer to Beauxbatons, she convinced you not to. She claimed it would Ron give way too much power over your life if you moved to another country because of him. Also, you knew for yourself that it would not really be a solution: You would only end up carrying your problems with you.
No, better to sit it out.
Only that that was easier said than done.
From time to time, you felt it getting harder to stay away from Ron.
Drowning in your thoughts, you zone out in you place next to Ginny in the Great Hall.
You get drawn out of your mind by a sweet chirping voice.
It is Lavender Brown, talking to Ron, who was apparently in ear sight. You feel your blood run cold and hot at the same time as she puts her hand on his forearm.
Jealousy, you realize.
His eyes bounce back from her face to her hand touching him. Then he slowly pulls his arm back, making her pout.
"Ronnie, do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me later?", she asks nevertheless.
Biting your lip to seal your mouth shut, you wait for a response.
Ron only looks over to you, his eyes locking with yours instantly. You are not able to pull back.
"No.", he croaks. Clearing his voice, he starts again. "No, I my interest belongs to one person only, and it will always belong to her, even if she hates me."
You feel relief wash over you that you honestly don't understand. After all, you avoided Ron for weeks, convincing yourself that you don't care. So why are you relieved that he turned someone else down?
"Do you want to go?", Ginny whispers next to you, after looking back and forth between you and Ron.
Hesitantly, you shake your head. "I think it's time- I can't avoid him forever and...honestly? Ginny, I don't want to avoid him anymore."
She looks at you, trying to figure out if you are serious. Whatever she sees in your face makes her get to her feet and leave, murmuring a few words to Ron that sound like "One wrong word and I will Mom make you send another howler."
Ron, not able to believe his luck, quickly jolts up and takes a seat across from you.
"Hey.", he whispers.
"Hey.", your reply.
"So- not that I'm complaining, but why did you change your mind?", he asks, fidgeting nervously with his fingers.
You shroud your shoulders. "I don't know. Lavender, I guess."
He smiles. "Well, at least that awkward encounter had a use then. I'm not interested in her, as I already said."
His smile fading, he leans closer. "It's you. I hope you know that it will always be you."
You clear your throat. "I don't know how to feel, Ron. You did such terrible things-"
"I know, and-"
"Ron, don't interrupt me, please. You did things that I should hate you for and believe me, I tried so hard to do that, but...I can't."
He leans back in his seat. "I am glad you don't hate me. I know I would more than deserve it and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you hated me. But even then, I would not give up. Never."
Looking into the blue depths of his eyes, you know he's speaking nothing but the truth.
But you start to get overwhelmed, and from the corner of your eye, you see the teachers get up, an unmistakable sign that classes are about to start.
"Do you think we could continue talking after classes?", he asks after he came to the same conclusion as you.
Rising to your feet, you nod. "Black Lake, 4 p.m", you say before leaving.
Pt 4:
You always found the majority of your classes in Hogwarts boring, even though you were at an age where you could decide and actively form your timetable after your own interests and passions.
Today, classes were not only boring, but brutally soporific. The words the teachers said, the terms they wrote on the chalkboard, the spells they taught - it all left your mind right away.
And of course, time seemed to stretch into eternity.
Of course, Ginny caught you after your first class and made you tell her every single detail of your short conversation with Ron, offering a muffled "hmm" and "oh" here and there.
To your very surprise, she admitted that she thinks talking things through with Ron is the right decision. She witnessed first hand how devastated he was when the Weasleys went home for Easter break a few weeks into the break up. Not even his twin brothers tricked or teases him because he was so miserable.
Finally, the bill rings, signing the end of the last lesson of the day. While you pack your things, you think about how his face lit up this morning when you silently invited him to sit with you, as if the darkness got flushed out of his mind. And you think about how good it felt to speak with him and to see him smile.
Oh, how you missed his smile. Not only the smile on his lips, but the way his whole face brightens up.
Quickly, you make your way to the black lake and sit down on your jacket. You are ten minutes earlier, but you don't mind and let the sun warm your face as you wait for Ron to arrive.
After a while, you pull your phone out of your bag, only to find it flooded with missed calls. Ginny, Ron, Harry.
Somehow you know something bad happened and your stomach twists
Just as you are about to dial Ron's number, another call from his sister comes in that you immediately answer.
"What is going on?", you demand to know.
Ginny's reply has you jumping to your feet. "Ron is in the infirmary.", she says, her voice trembling.
"What?! Why?"
You shoulder your bag and head down to the castle before she starts speaking again. "He got into a fight with Draco earlier, and 30 minutes ago Draco and his two brutes caught Ron alone when he was heading to you and they beat him up so badly. I-"
A sob interrupts her words. You hear Harry's in the background, trying to calm Ginny down.
"Hey. Um- can you just come to the infirmary?", Harry asks you through the phone.
"Almost there.", you pant, taking the last steps that lead you to Ron.
When you barge through the doors, your eyes immediately find him but you are barely able to tell it's him, the only indication his red hair. His face is swollen and bruised, the majority of it a dark violet color.
"Oh my god.", you gasp as rush to his side.
"Madame Pomfrey already dealt with the majority of his bruises, but she can't to anything about the swelling.", Harry explains, silently appearing at the other side of the bed. "He had some inner bruised, three broken ribs and a ruptured spleen, but he will be fine."
You carefully stroke the only area of him that seems to be unscathed - his neck. "Why did he fight with Draco in the first place?", you quietly ask Harry, not taking your eyes off of Ron.
"Uhm...I think it was- well, it was about you. Draco saw you two speaking this morning and has been saying things the whole day.", Harry answers.
You don't need to ask what things Harry means. You know about Ron's and Draco's shared history and can imagine it.
"I am going to murder Draco.", Harry says after a while.
You scoff, still running your fingers over Ron's neck, silently wishing for a reaction from him. "Get in line.", you murmur. "I will torture him for hurting Ron like that. But first, I need Ron to wake up."
Part 5 (last part)
It was not entirely true when Harry said Madame Pomfrey couldn't do anything about the swelling of Ron's face. She wasn't able to make it disappear, yes. But she was able to make it go away faster then it normally would; faster then it would without magic and brews and plants you couldn't name.
All you know was, as you sit alone at the head of the bed in an uncomfortable chair, that Ron's face is going back to normal. His features become recognizable again and when his face is its usual self again - besides the bruises that color the right side of his face in every shade of purple and blue - you are able to breath properly in the first time for hours.
At the same time your tenderness for him only grows, your worries decline, leaving you calm and collected at the time Ron starts to wake up. It takes him a minute or two until he manages to go from stirring and groaning to eyes fluttering open.
"Hey Ron.", you murmur quietly to not to startle him.
His head snaps in your direction when he recognizes your voice to his right. "Y/n.", he groans, surprise and gladness filling his voice.
As his hand reaches out for you - a simple slide of skin over sheets - you lay yours into his palm, understanding his determination to make sure this is real.
"I- what are you doing here?", he asks, intertwining your fingers.
"I'm making sure you're okay, Ron. Oh, and by the way-"
You punch his leg, certain that this area is not bruised beforehand.
"Ouch!", Ron groans, rubbing the area with his other hand. "That hurts!"
"Does it Ron? What do you think how it hurts me to see you like this, hmm? Your face a bloody mess, left purple even after Madame Pomfrey healed you as best as she could!", you complain.
Ron's face turns red - from embarrassment, from anger, from remorse, who knows.
"I didn't think it would end like that.", he murmurs.
You sigh. "If you do such a thing again, Ronald Weasley, I will lick you up for the rest of your life. You can't let someone destroy your face; I happen to like it just the way it is.", you say, your voice soft again.
His brows furrow. "If you don't stop going back and forth between affection and anger I'm afraid I'm going to faint.", he chuckles at you. "So, what was that - you like my face?", he teases.
You roll your eyes but can't keep the wide smile from your face. This feels easy and familiar; you missed it.
"I do. What about it?"
Ron only smiles wider. "How about you come kiss my pretty face then?"
You roll your eyes at him. "How about you come here and kiss me?"
The teasing forms into something more intense. "What is happening here?", Ron finally asks, searching your eyes for the answer.
The words fall from your mouth without deliberation. "I miss you. I'm sick and tired of turning you down. Whatever I try, I can't stop thinking about you, missing you. I want you back.", you blurt out.
Ron exhales deeply, only to draw in a breath just as deep again. "You have no clue how badly I want you back. But are you sure you want this?", he asks. He's clearly holding himself back.
"Yes.", you answer, for once certain. "I had plenty of time to think these past hours. I want this. I want us."
Ron's smile is breathtaking and makes you shudder, but not as much as the kiss does in which he captures your lips after pulling you against him.
"I love you.", he whispers int your ear after pulling away.