Falling For a Friend || Ron Weasley

11 - protective

Y/N's POV

"YOU were out late last night." Ron says as we sit in the Great Hall for breakfast before the Quidditch match. 

"Not that late." I say. "I was with Theo and I got back to my dorm right before curfew."

Ron huffs and shrugs before going back to shoveling forkful after forkful of food into his mouth. 

*****

GRYFFINDOR wins the match against Slytherin which means that there will be a party in Gryffindor Tower tonight. With Fred and George being the ones arranging it, it's sure to be a blast. But in the meantime, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and I are headed down to Hagrid's Hut.

So far this year, all of Hagrid's classes have been taught by Professor Grubblyplank, since Hagrid was taking a 'leave of absence'. I'm not quite sure what that entailed but I'm sure he'll fill us in now that he's back and we're paying him a visit. 

"Hagrid! Your face!" Hermione gasps once we meet him outside his hut. The entirety of one side of Hagrid's face is covered in a giant bruise, while certain spots are accented with dried blood. 

"What happened to you?" I ask worriedly. 

"Oh it's nothing." He shrugs, waving off our worries. "Dumbledore sent me on a mission over the summer. He wanted me to try and recruit the last of the giants in the fight against You-Know-Who, but well, they had already made their alliance clear. Now, follow me." He says, and starts to make his way into the Forbidden Forest. 

"They did that to you?" Harry asks, following closely behind Hagrid, as does Hermione. 

"C'mon Ron." I say, grabbing his hand to tug him along into the forest with us. 

"There are spiders in there. You know I don't like spiders." Ron whines, trying to pull away from my grip, but he doesn't succeed.

I roll my eyes. "I highly doubt we're going that deep into the forest. Now be the Gryffindor that you are and come on before we lose them."

"Fine." Ron mutters, following me into the forest. 

We catch up with the three of them just in time to come across a large clearing where what looks like a giant is tied to a tree. I let out a gasp.

"Hagrid, I thought you said that the giants didn't want to side with you." I say.

"They didn't. But I couldn't leave Grawpy there. He's my brother, you see." Hagrid says.

"But he's a giant Hagrid. Shouldn't he be with other giants?" Hermione asks.

Hagrid shrugs. "They weren't nice to him. They all bullied him for being small."

"He's small?" Ron asks. "I'd hate to see the size of the other ones." He mutters.

Hagrid ignores Ron's comment. "I heard Umbridge is starting to take over the school, and it's probably only a matter of time before I'm given the sack. If I have to leave, I want you guys to know about Grawp so you can come and spend time with him."

Before we have the time to answer Hagrid's request, he's yelling up at the giant to get his attention. 

"Grawp! I brought you some new friends!" He shouts.

Grawp immediately snaps to attention and bends down so his face is level with our bodies. Then his hand sweeps out grabbing me.

*****

Ron's POV

HER scream rips right through me, hitting the part deep inside me that I've done my best to bury but have never been successful. Y/N's being lifted into the air in Grawp's clenched fist and my heart starts to hammer inside my chest in panic.

"Grawpy, that is not polite!" Hagrid scolds.

"Hagrid, do something!" I yell, my voice cracking slightly. 

"We talked about this! You do not grab, do you? That is your new friend, y/n!" Hagrid shouts up at Grawp, but clearly his approach isn't working since Grawp doesn't make any move to put her down.

I look around frantically, trying to think of something to do, and spot a tree branch laying on the forest floor. I pick it up and without thinking any further, charge towards Grawp, swinging the tree branch at his foot. He doesn't seem to have any effect. Instead, Grawp just looks down at me with a puzzled look on his face, shifts his foot and knocks me back so I stumble backwards.

"Grawp! Put me down!" Y/N commands, to which he just stares at her blankly. "Now!"

Her second demand works. The giant places y/n down gently on the ground next to me before turning away shamefully. Serves him right. 

"Are you alright?" I ask, turning to y/n.

She nods. "Fine. He just needs a firm hand, that's all." 

"You just stay away from her alright?!" I yell up at him. 

He looks ashamed but then reaches down and hands y/n a handlebar of a bike as if it's a bouquet of flowers. She takes it blushing.

"I think you've got an admirer." Harry muses as y/n and Grawp go back and forth ringing the bell on their respective handlebars.

I cross my arms and roll my eyes. Great, now I have to compete for her attention with Theo and Grawp, I think to myself. This Christmas will be one year since I came to the realization that I'm in love with y/n. One year and I still haven't pushed those feelings away. I still haven't gotten over it. But I don't know if I ever will. And that tears me apart because I know she could never possibly feel the same way. She's dating Theo. 

Perfect Théodore Laurent, who probably has no idea how lucky he is to call her his. To be able to kiss her whenever he wants, to have her smile at him all the time. I wish I was in his place and it bloody drives me crazy. These feelings won't go away, no matter how much I will them to. Or maybe I'm not trying hard enough. Maybe I don't want these feelings to go away, as painful as it is to see her with someone else, because deep down inside me, there's this small light of hope that maybe she secretly feels the same way about me. Or could feel the same way someday.