[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

vii . regret's bitter tastes

 
chapter seven
REGRET'S BITTER TASTE

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   BENJAMIN PERKS entered his empty small house, being greeted by some old pictures of Ruby and him on the shelves of the small entrance hall. His heart was still racing, but he tried to stay calm. Arthur Weasley was stepping through the door right behind him, and Benjamin didn't want to show the tiniest sign of remorse or regret in front of his old friend.

   "You know she's right, do you?", Arthur asked, and Benjamin closed his eyes for a second before he turned around. "You should have told her about your marriage before. Not to mention the baby."

   "She's just a stubborn kid", Benjamin coldly replied. "She can't expect me to stay alone for the rest of my life! I have the right to love! I've been doing everything for Ruby ... I had two freaking jobs before Amber walked into my life and sorted things out, Arthur! Two jobs to give her a acceptable home and —"

   "Ben", Arthur calmly said, while Benjamin was getting more and more furious with every single word he spoke. "It's not about that. I'm your friend. And as your friend, let me tell you that this woman changed you. Ruby had always spent much time at the Burrow, but since Amber is in your life, you see your daughter just how often? Once or twice a year? It wouldn't have harmed neither you, nor Amber, if you'd stayed for dinner tonight."

   "She's pregnant, Arthur", Benjamin hissed. "We're having a baby in less than four months. You can't expect me to leave my pregnant wife at home alone to enjoy myself."

   The older man's eyes narrowed. "Enjoy yourself? Are you serious?" His eyebrows furrowed, plastering an uncommon grave look upon his whole face. "It's about spending time with your daughter! Your daughter that has been through so much lately. She lost her best friend, and she's pursued! She was locked up in this house for two months! You haven't seen her in a whole year, Ben!"

   "Well, I think she's getting over it with a little help of your son", Benjamin muttered, trying to hold down the guilt that became more and more present. Yes, Ruby was stubborn sometimes. An attribute her father had passed down to her, and he was well aware of that.

   "Fred won't do anything that would harm or hurt Ruby", Arthur replied. "You should trust your daughter. That's the least you can do, if you are refusing to grant her anything else."

   He turned his back on Benjamin, reaching out for the door handle. As he pulled the door open and was halfway through it, Benjamin threw a last look at on of those old photographs showing a laughing little Ruby grinning into the camera.

   "Arthur", he then said, and his friend stopped without looking back once more. "Tell Molly, I'm sorry, yeah?"

•✧•

   "THANK YOU?" Leilani cocked an eyebrow, walking down the dark dungeon corridor leading to the Hufflepuff common room.

   "That's what he said", Ruby muttered.

   Their first week back at Hogwarts had passed in a rush, even though it wasn't uneventful. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, a chubby tiny witch with a face like a toad, Professor Umbridge, had used every single occasion to point out that there was a new wind blowing through the castle's corridors, and it carried a disgusting smell with it.

   "But why would he say such a ridiculous thing as thank you?", Leilani scoffed, rolling her eyes bihind the quadratic thick framed glasses. "He'd already told you he loves you."

   "I guess that wasn't meant like that", Ruby replied, entering the tunnel leading to the common room. "It was more like out if affect or something. As if someone would smack Umbridge's ugly face and you'd say I could kiss you, but you don't actually want to do it."

   "That's crap." Leilani shook her head, heading over to the cozy armchairs in front of the fireplace, but just two steps before she reached it, she stopped. Ruby bumped against her back.

   "Why do we stop?", she asked her best friend, but as she followed her gaze which was fixed on the three seats, she realised, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. "Uhm. We could go to the library and do our homework there."

   "Yes", Leilani whispered. "Yes, that sounds fine."

   But it wasn't fine. Cedric's absence was everywhere. Ruby felt it walking through the hallways, or while sitting in the Great Hall; it was with them during classes, sitting on the empty seat next to Leilani. And of course it was haunting the library.

   "This is wrong." Leilani's voice was less than a breath, as they walked through the aisles of high bookshelves, as if she was merely talking to herself. And Ruby didn't reply, she just followed her friend in silent agreement.

•✧•

   "YOU DIDN'T!", George laughed, throwing his head back. "How on earth can you respond to that with thank you? Not even Lee would be that stupid."

   "Thats rude", Lee dryly recommended, "but true. How could you?"

   "I don't know", Fred groaned into his hands covering his face. "She was vulnerable, okay? She was frustrated about her father, and she is still grieving over Cedric, and she's confused because of the —" He looked at George. "You know", he then added, ignoring Lee's suspicious gaze. "She might have just said it because she is too overwhelmed and doesn't know what to feel."

   "So you thought it would be a good idea to fuck her mind even more up by responding to her I love you in the stupidest way possible?" George snorted with joyless laughter. "You already told her, that you love her!"

   "And back then she didn't reply at all", Fred replied.

   "That's the saddest excuse ever", Lee said, snorting, as he rolled his eyes. "No wonder she's avoiding you since we're back. Right now even I have the feeling I should never talk to you again."

   Fred removed his hands from his face, staring into his brother's and his best friend's faces. Both stared, at him, almost glaring, and he felt even more guilty than he already did.

   "I should talk to her, huh?"

   George rolled his eyes. "Best idea you ever had since placing the dungbomb under auntie Murriel's chair on that remarkable Christmas Eve."

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