A Dark Companion

6: Ron's Ramblings

Summary: Ron has a crisis; Sirius wants to scream

Yeah... *gestures vaguely to summary* I don't know

"Psst!"

The hiss startled Sirius, who sat up tasting the air. The wind was blowing away from him, so he couldn't pick up the scent of who had spoken.

"Hey, are you there?"

It was Ron. And he was alone, Sirius realized, pricking his ears. Why had he come alone? He stepped out and took a seat in front of him.

Ron sat down, looking apprehensive. "I know, it's a bit risky for me to come out without a map or an Invisibility Cloak. But I had to talk to — to someone!"

He looked so distressed that Sirius gave him a small lick.

"Oh, damn!" Ron suddenly said. "I forgot to bring some food. Sorry."

Sirius just shook his head in a way he hoped came across as an "I don't mind."

"Anyway, can I just ramble for a bit? Harry said that's what he does when he's with you." He fiddled with the twigs on the ground.

Sirius bobbed his head up and down, his ears pricked. Now why would Ron be so nervous?

"Okay." Ron took a deep breath. Then he paused, biting his lip. "Did he ever tell you how we met?"

That hadn't been what he was going to say, Sirius could tell, but he just shook his head, knowing Ron would share when he was ready.

"Well, okay. It was right before we got on the train for the first time. He was very lost — his Muggle relatives wouldn't have helped him figure out how to get onto the platform." An edge had crept into his voice at this.

Harry had hinted multiple times that his Muggle relatives weren't very kind to him; having met them once, Sirius wasn't surprised but it didn't stop him from letting out a small growl.

"Yeah, I don't like them, either," Ron continued. "But anyway, I told my mum there was a kid all by himself. He looked lost. So she decided to get his attention in a way that, hopefully, didn't scare him."

He paused, a soft smile on his face as he recalled the event. "She shouted about Muggles and Harry just snapped around and followed us. We got on just fine. And you know what?"

Sirius tilted his head.

"I didn't even realize it was Harry Potter! My brothers, Fred and George, found out. I was so surprised, I mean, it was Harry Potter!"

Ron's eyes, which had begun to shine, dimmed somewhat. "But he still shouldn't have been all by himself. So I sat with him. Okay, I'll admit I was a bit curious about him — he was famous — but who wouldn't be?"

He glanced at Sirius uncertainly, as if afraid he'd judge him. Sirius simply stared back earnestly. He could understand where Ron was coming from; a celebrity was bound to raise one's curiosity no matter their status.

"We hit it off right away," Ron said, smiling softly. "If only I had known..."

He looked nervous again. And there was something else, like an anticipation he was about to tell Sirius something important... like when Harry had confessed he — oh.

"... that I would get a crush on him," Ron finished, confirming Sirius' guess. He threw his arms in the air in a helpless gesture. "On my best friend! My most likely straight best friend!" He buried his face in his hands.

Oh, Ron, you have no idea, Sirius thought.

"What should I do?" Ron asked, lifting his head again. "I want to tell him, and Hermione thinks I should, but I'm not so sure. What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore?"

Sirius huffed. After all they've been through, there was no way Harry would stop being Ron's friend just because Ron liked him romantically.

"You — you think I should tell him?"

Sirius nodded.

"Even at the risk of rejection?"

Sirius wished he could grab Ron by the shoulders and scream that Harry would never reject such a wonderful, caring boy but he remained in his Animagus form and just huffed.

Something must have shown in his eyes for the fear in Ron's eyes faded away. "Okay. I'll tell him. He wouldn't cut me out completely even if he doesn't feel the same way. Harry's not like that."

He ruffled Sirius' fur. "Thanks for listening. Not that I exactly gave you a choice."

Sirius would listen to Ron rant about drying paint if he'd ask him to. Okay, maybe not; there were some limits, but you get the idea.

"I'll tell you how it goes when I get the chance," said Ron. "Or... if all goes well, we'll tell you how it goes." Mingled hope, trepidation, and determination flickered on his face as he stood and started up back to the castle.

Sirius waited until he was out of sight before letting out a small doggy whoop and leaping into the air. Harry liked Ron, and Ron liked Harry. If only one thing could go right this year, it had to be this. It had to.