Fate Always Finds a Way

Chapter 16

"You want me to spend Christmas Eve alone?" Ron asked, sounding heartbroken. "Don't you want to spend the weekend away with me?"

"You won't be alone," she said back. "Harry and Ginny will be going with you." 

"Bloody third wheel. Might as well be alone," he huffed.

She looked at her boyfriend who she had been lying to for weeks about everything. The thought made her sick to her stomach. "I really don't want to spend the entire weekend at a Quidditch convention. Besides, I already told Tonks and Remus that I'd baby-sit Teddy this weekend."

"Fine," he said still pouting slightly. "I guess we'll have to find something else that we can all do together."

The comment surprised her. The fact that Ron was willing to do something else so that she felt included was not what she had expected to hear him say.

"It's all right," she said with a smile. "Please go. I don't want to stop you from doing something you love."

"I love you," he said sweetly, pulling her into his arms.

"I—I love the fact that you want to spend Christmas Eve with me; it's sweet." She crinkled her nose. The fact that she still avoided telling him that she loved him was starting to feel odd, almost as if she was avoiding their relationship altogether. She untangled herself from his grasp. "Well, you'd better go pack; you will miss your train if you don't leave soon."

"Will you at least see us off?" She nodded silently.

He reached out to her, gently bringing them closer together again. His voice was much quieter than it had been before. "You still haven't given me an answer, you know." The red-headed wizard looked down at her, searching her face for an answer.

"It's not one of those decisions you can rush, Ronald. I told you that I would give you an answer when I was ready."

He nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets, as he felt the sting of her words. "Soon?" He asked, hope evident in his throat.

You deserve so much more than I could ever offer you. The words he had said to her circled around in her mind as she thought about what marrying Ron would actually mean.

If she waited for Remus, she would probably end up alone. Being someone's second choice wasn't good enough—he was right—she did deserve better. Maybe if she had been older or maybe met him earlier, maybe they would have been together. He might have been willing to leave his wife for her. But he would never leave his son and she knew him well enough to know that he would stay with Tonks—even if just for Teddy. While the thought was devastating, it also warmed her heart. One of the things she loved most about him was that he was a wonderful father.

Ron loved her, she was certain of that. She loved his family. Maybe she would one day learn to appreciate all that he was, too.

She breathed out a sigh, submitting. "Okay," she nodded back, "I'll marry you."