A Hogwarts Romance: Ron Weasley (IN PROGRESS AND UNDER EDITING)

A Potion Plan

*Bella's Point Of View*

"Ron, you didn't need to slap Pansy like that," I say as I follow Ron into the Library. "I could handle her just fine by myself."

"She has no right to speak to you the way she did!" Ron says, still fuming.

"I know, but you could have been in serious trouble if anyone saw you slap her," I say. "You're lucky no one else saw!" I sit down at the nearest table and open a book. Ron immediately sits down next to me.

"Do you think she'll go crying to Draco?" Ron asks with a sheepish half-smile.

"Probably," I say with a shrug.

"Do you think Draco will believe her? Do you think he'll rat me out?" Ron inquires.

"Who knows? But it doesn't matter. No one will believe Pansy if she doesn't have any proof," I say.

"Okay," Ron says, chuckling a little to himself. He leans over me to peer at the book I'm reading. "What have you got there?" His warm breath tickles my neck. "Let me see."

"Oi! Quit being nosy," I giggle. He tries to playfully snatch the book from me, and I swat his hands away. He's determined, though, and immediately reaches back for it. I put my hands on top of his and try to pry his fingers off the book, lifting them one by one. Ron smiles at me, letting out a low chuckle, and I roll my eyes playfully at him.

"Just let me see what it is," Ron persists, tugging at the book again. He grins, and I can tell he's enjoying this.

"No," I say defiantly, tugging back. Even so, I can feel my resolve crumbling at the hands of Ron. It seems he always gets his way when we do anything together. I giggle. It's funny how he always takes control over me like this, but not in a bad way. I feel like Ron is definitely the dominant one in the relationship. 

"Hey," Ron says in his low voice, yanking again. "Give it to me." I finally give up and let go, and Ron grins triumphantly. Raising the book over his head in victory, he smirks at me and cheers, "At last! Now, let's see what it says." He sets the book down in front of him and skims through the pages. After reading a bit, he looks up at me and says, "Why are you looking at how to make a Hate Potion?"

"I want to make one and give it to Draco," I admit, my face flushing hot. "I was hoping... I was hoping it could make him hate me."

"But he's leaving you alone for now, so what's the point?" Ron asks, looking curious.

"I don't know. It just... it upsets me to know I've hurt him. I want him to hate me, because maybe that will take away some of the pain of me rejecting him," I say slowly. "It might make him wonder why he liked me in the first place, and then it wouldn't hurt him as much."

"That's a good idea!" Ron says. "You're brilliant. Really brilliant, Bella, you know that?"

"Thanks," I say shyly. "But I'm nothing special."

"That's not true at all," Ron says seriously, looking me right in the eyes. "You're the most beautiful, most talented girl I've ever known. As much as I hate Draco, I don't blame him for taking notice in what an amazing girl you are." 

"Thanks, Ron," I say, smiling. "And you're the most amazing guy I've ever known, you know that?"

"I'm so happy you think that," Ron says with a smile. "Because you mean the world to me, Bella. I don't know what I would do without you."

There's a long, happy silence as me and Ron smile at each other. The silence isn't awkward at all, but I'm dying to know every single one of Ron's thoughts right now.

"So... are you sure this is what you want to do?" Ron asks, finally breaking the silence. "This potion, I mean. Are we going to make it?"

"Hmm," I say. "Let me think on it a bit more, and then I'll get back to you on that."

"Gotcha," Ron says. "Sounds good to me." Then, without warning, he reaches over and snaps my book closed.

"Hey," I protest, fake-pouting at him. "What's that for?"

"So I can do this," Ron replies, grabbing my hands and pulling me up from the seat so that we're standing pressed together as he holds my arms above me. He leans down closer, and I freeze. What is he doing? His eyes flick towards my lips, and I wonder why he's teasing me like this. He must be joking around, right? I clear my throat nervously, and he swallows hard. Before I know what he's doing, his arms wrap around my waist and he hoists me over his shoulder. I shriek with laughter as he starts to walk to the other end of the Library while carrying me.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we?" Ron asks over my screaming. "I think I'll carry you around while I check out some more books just for fun."

"Put me down!" I yell as I gently punch his back. "You're making me dizzy! Stop!" I'm laughing so hard now that I'm starting to wheeze.

"Never," Ron replies. "Scream all you want, darling. You can't stop me."

"But I can stop you," Madam Pince, the librarian, interrupts as she approaches us. "Hush! This is a library! Ron, put Bella down, please."

"Aww," Ron whines, lowering me back to the floor as Madam Pince walks away while muttering under her breath. "At least I got the book I wanted." He whips it out and shows it to me. The title reads, Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches. Noticing my look of confusion, he comments, "Well, I thought I was going to make a funny joke with this, but now I realize it's not even that funny."

"You can say it anyway. I don't mind," I chuckle.

"I've never read this book before, but Harry claims this book doesn't work, so do you think maybe it's the book Draco has been reading for tips to attempt to win you over?" Ron asks. "You know, because Draco's failed at it and the book doesn't work? Get it?" He waits a moment for the penny to drop, but looks disappointed when I don't react at all.

"I can't lie. That's not even funny at all," I remark. "And to think you're supposed to be the funny one?" The sheer stupidity of Ron's "joke" and the cheek of my response makes us both start laughing, though it was never that funny to begin with. I suppose everyone has that one friend they can always find something to laugh about with. I want to keep laughing with Ron for the rest of my life.

How did I ever get so lucky to have Ron as my best friend?