Love Bites (Harry Potter: Official Dragon Tamer, Part One)

The Merits of a Slytherin Partner

Saturday Afternoon
22 August 2009
Ron's POV

"Alright, mate?" I asked, opening the door and letting Harry in.

He was over for our usual Saturday tea, but it looked as though he'd just woke up.

"'m good," he replied, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the rack. "Where's Hermione?"

"She got called into work. Early."

Hermione had received a Ministry owl summoning her to work at 7 am. On a Saturday.

I'd spent much of the morning anticipating my own summons, assuming it had to do with the Erised case, but so far, nothing.

"You sure you're ok, Harry?" I asked again.

Aside from looking a bit haggard, Harry's eyes were anxious and when he smiled, it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Harry sighed and slumped down onto our couch.

"I'm a right mess," he admitted, stretching out along the entire couch, tossing an arm over his eyes.

"Anything you want to talk about?" I asked, nipping into the kitchen to grab the tea service and setting it on the coffee table, taking a seat in one of the armchairs adjacent to Harry and the couch.

"Dunno," he muttered, arm still slung over his eyes.

He had a definite shadow growing on his face, and his hair was even more rumpled than usual, letting me know that Harry probably hadn't been home last night.

"Well, if you decide you want to, I'm all ears," I reminded him, pouring tea into two mugs, setting one on the edge of the table closest to him before rising again to grab the food.

"You know I'm rubbish at making food, even for tea," I apologised when I returned, setting a plate of Tesco tea sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, Harry's favourite strawberry jam, and some biscuits on the table. "I ran out to Tesco and grabbed the sandwiches & such. Not quite Hermione's touch, but it'll do."

Harry sat up and grabbed a sandwich, tearing into it as though he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"I don't care. It's the company, right?"

We sat in silence for a few moments, chewing.

Tesco actually made some great tea sandwiches, I mused, still watching Harry closely.

He was staring at some point on the floor, eating his third sandwich, brow furrowed as though deep in thought.

"I'm really fucking things up, Ron," he said finally, eyes snapping up to stare at me.

He finished chewing and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before grabbing another sandwich.

"How so?" I also reached for another sandwich, selecting a prawn mayonnaise, and looked at him expectantly.

Harry sat in silence, staring back at the floor, chewing thoughtfully.

"There's this bloke," he said after a moment's pause.

"Sorry," he apologised. "I know you probably didn't want to spend your Saturday talking about blokes."

I shrugged.

"Why not? We're mates. That's what I'm here for."

"I don't even know where to start," he sighed, shoulders slumping, sandwich all but forgotten in his lap. "I'm really fucking this one up."

"I mean, you know I'm about obtuse as they come with relationships, but I'm here for you if you need to unload. I'll even try to give you advice if you want."