Broken {Ron Weasley}

13. Illicit

We headed back inside to the party, the both of us grinning uncontrollably. The loud music met us as a shock and the commotion and noise was a big change from what we has gotten used to outside.

Ron's face was bright red, but it was hard to tell in the dark. We were both silently grateful for that.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked, stumbling over to the both of us with a huge grin on his face. "You're the birthday boy!" he teased, slapping Ron on the back a lot harder than he meant to.

"We just got some air," Ron explained, sneaking looks at me while, thankfully, Harry was oblivious.

"Come on, we're gonna sing to you lot!" Harry demanded, grabbing Ron's arm and pulling him away swiftly. Ron looked back at me one more time before he disappeared into the crowd.

"Y/n," Lavender said, spinning around to face me. "I have to talk to you."

My stomach churned at the sound of her voice and I became very aware that what Ron and I were just doing had to be kept a secret.

"About what?" I asked innocently, praying that she didn't see anything when she came outside.

"I can't stay over," she whined. "I just can't really bear to be around Ron any longer." She was slurring her words and her face was also a drunken bright red.

"Okay," I laughed at her state, realizing that it'd just be me and Ron tonight. "Whatever you need to do," I advised her with ulterior motive.

"Thanks for understanding," she smiled, her eyelids covering half of her eyes already. "Oh! Look. We're singing to you!"

I turned around to see everyone gathered around the kitchen table, hovering over where Ron sat with a party hat sitting crookedly on the top of his head.

"Come on," Harry encouraged, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the seat opposite of Ron. "It's your birthday as well."

I grinned and took the seat, Ron staring back at me with the same grin. "Where's your hat?" he asked, nodding his head slightly.

"Here," Harry announced, coming up behind me and tossing an identical paper hat at me and Ron.

"I got it," Ron said, picking the hat up and stretching the string underneath it to delicately place it on my head. He stuck his tongue out of his mouth slightly as he leaned in. His eyes met mine as he pulled his hands away slowly. "There you go."

No one was really paying attention to how flustered either of us were in the moment while they chatted amongst themselves.

Harry then yelled out over everyone to get the song going. "One, two, three..."

The guests launched into a botched version of 'Happy Birthday' as Ron and I grinned at one another across the table, unsure of what else to do while the song wrapped up.

"Okay, make a wish!" Harry exclaimed, gesturing to the cake between me and Ron.

I had no idea what to wish for. In this moment it feels as though I have everything I could possibly want. My thoughts were consumed by Ron and Ron only.

Ron's eyes met mine and we smiled softly at each other. I wonder what Ron's wish was.

"Y/n!" Lavender exclaimed, grabbing my arm and dragging me from the chair as soon as the smoke from the candles had cleared. "I had to save you."

"Save me from what?" I laughed, quickly glancing over my shoulder at Ron.

"From Ron!" she cried like it should've been obvious. "You're welcome."