Edit July 23, 2023: I may be deleting this fic* on here. There are a multitude of reasons of varying importance that I won't get into, but if you're on Archive of our Own (Ao3), you may still be able to view this story. Just search my username: onyxjay.
*You and Me will stay up, it's just this one, the sequel, I would be deleting.
(I say may be deleting because I keep going back and forth, but if this fic disappears, hopefully it won't come as a complete surprise.)
Edit January 18, 2024: Given this fic being discontinued/on hiatus/whatever, Part 15 can be seen as the (un?)official end. After that, the story kinda peters (hehe) off. You are more than welcome to continue, of course, but don't come complaining to me because you ignored my warnings.
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Greetings, wonderful citizens and you nerds. 'Tis I, Onyxjay, with the promised sequel to You and Me.
If for some reason you jumped right in despite the description saying it's a sequel, you may want to turn around and leave until you're caught up.
I own Harry Potter. Jk, Rowling does. I'm just a fanfic writer
Summary: Ron misses Harry a lot
"Promise you'll keep in touch?"
"Yeah, of course."
Ron stared at the letter in his hand, wondering if he should add anything else. It seemed awfully vague, and even the thought that he was technically keeping his promise didn't put him to ease.
"Have you finished writing, Ron?" Hermione asked, poking her head in.
"Almost. Just trying to think of what else to say."
Hermione bit her lip. "You can't add anything that will risk us," she reminded him.
"I know that," Ron snapped. "But Harry deserves to know... something."
"But what if the wrong person gets a hold of it? Harry's in enough danger as it is, with You-Know-Who being back. The last thing we need is for—"
"I know, I get it. I'll just tell him we're doing fine."
Satisfied, Hermione withdrew, closing the door.
Ron sighed and looked back down at the words he had written so far. It didn't say anything new, just the same frustratingly vague statements that they couldn't share anything for fear the letters may go astray. He couldn't imagine how Harry was feeling right now.
"Ron." Ginny was at the door now. "Dinner's ready."
"Coming."
Ginny disappeared again, and Ron quickly finished his letter with, I hope you're doing okay. Even with all that's going on. It wasn't much, but he had been ending all his letters with something similar, hoping that it would give even the smallest amount of comfort to his boyfriend.
Boyfriend. Despite the current circumstances, Ron couldn't help but smile a little. He had realized he had feelings for his best friend during his third year. They became more pronounced during their fourth year, and when the Yule Ball was announced, Ron had been deeply shocked when Harry admitted his own feelings. Harry liked him of all people. Him! Rita Skeeter had pounced on the opportunity to stir up drama, but thankfully, she had been unable break them apart. Ron could only hope the separation now wouldn't either.
Shaking off his thoughts, Ron hurried downstairs, taking care not to make too much noise. Not for the first time he marveled at the difference the quiet made. He was used to hearing explosions in Fred and George's room, but here at Grimmauld Place— a name that was most fitting— they were especially not allowed to make a lot of noise lest they disturbed the portrait of Sirius Black's mother. He could hardly believe they were related.
"Is that a letter for Harry?" his own mother, Molly, asked, spotting the parchment.
Ron handed it over, watching with barely hidden irritation as she looked over it. It was as if she didn't trust him to follow orders. Although, he silently conceded, he had been tempted more than once to add information that she would not approve of.
Dinner was amazing as always; Molly certainly knew how to cook. But tonight, Ron couldn't fully relax, as he hadn't been able to the entire day. His stomach was churning with the premonition of danger, although where the danger would be coming from he did not know.
"You all right there, Ron?" Sirius asked.
Ron shrugged. He quite liked Sirius, who seemed to be the only other person to understand Ron's inner conflict regarding Harry, but he didn't think the older wizard would be able to help him with...whatever it was Ron was feeling.
But Sirius wasn't about to let it go, and after dinner, he pulled Ron aside.
"Is this about writing to Harry?" Sirius asked.
"No," Ron said truthfully. "It's something else. But I don't know what," he went on as Sirius opened his mouth. "It's just a feeling I have."
"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Sirius said. "Harry will be here soon, where he's safe." There was an edge to his voice that suggested he personally thought Grimmauld Place was safer than Privet Drive, but Dumbledore had his orders.
Ron wasn't reassured by his words. It was the exact kind of dismissal he had would expect from anybody who was willing to listen, not that there were many to do even that. Nevertheless, he knew there wouldn't have been much they could do anyway since Ron didn't have anything but his own convictions to back him up.
He was about to head back upstairs when he overheard a commotion at the door.
"Blimey, what's going on now?" Ginny said.
Ron didn't answer. His stomach had twisted again, but before any of them could take even one step toward the kitchen, Molly appeared. "I want you all to go straight to your rooms," she said briskly. "Now."
Even the twins didn't make a witty retort as they headed up. But they didn't go into their individual rooms; instead, they all gathered around inside Ron's.
"Sounds serious, whatever it is," George remarked.
"Oh, I hope it's not about Harry," Hermione fretted.
Ron felt a jolt run through him. "I think it is."
All eyes turned to him.
"What makes you say that?" Fred asked.
"I don't know, it's just a feeling I have."
"A feeling?" Fred repeated, unconvinced.
"It's a reasonable feeling," Hermione pointed out. "We don't know how Harry's been holding up."
"Have you bothered asking?" Ron said.
"Of course I have!" Hermione looked affronted. "But he just says he's fine."
"He saw a student get murdered, Hermione, I doubt he's fine." But there wasn't any bite behind the words. Harry had insisted he was fine to Ron, too, although it seemed he had been at least somewhat more open to Ron than he had Hermione.
The door opened. It was Sirius, looking somber.
"Harry's fine," he said as Ron opened his mouth. "But he was attacked by dementors."
Hermione gasped and Ron felt like he was going to throw up the food he had just eaten.
"Dementors?" Ginny's eyes were wide. "But why?"
"I don't know," Sirius said. "But he performed underage magic, so the Ministry is on him about that."
"As if he doesn't have enough to worry about," Ron muttered. But his stomach was settling again; Harry was alive, and that mattered the most at the end of the day.
"I expect he'll write to us," Sirius went on, speaking mostly to Ron and Hermione. "No need to respond, he'll be here by the time we'd reply."
"Does Harry know that?" Ron asked pointedly.
Sirius smiled blandly. "What do you think?"
Ron rolled his eyes.
"Anyway, off to your rooms," Sirius said to the other Weasleys and Hermione.
Fred and George Disapparated, making Ron, Hermione, and Ginny jump.
"I hate it when they do that," Ron grumbled as Ginny and Sirius left through the door.
"Better up here than on the first floor," Hermione said. "Good night."
"Night." Ron watched her go, then changed into his pajamas and slid into bed.
He should have been relieved Harry was finally coming— and he was— but he was also not looking forward to hearing Harry chew them out over the letters.
We'd deserve it, though, Ron thought bleakly.
I am so hyped for this story