A Multifandom Collection of Short Stories

24: Hate-Ron Weasley

Disclaimer: there's death threats and a lot of violence in this one, so be cautious if you get triggered by that kind of stuff❤

"Father wants me to tell you, maybe you shouldn't come home for the Christmas holiday. Maybe you should become friends with Pottah. He'll get you in plenty of trouble, maybe even kill you. If we're lucky."

This is what I deal with everyday. My brother constantly ridicules me. My entire family hates me for being a Hufflepuff. I don't have any friends. I'm not even allowed to try out for the Quidditch team. I'm really a brilliant Keeper, it's just that the Captain doesn't want me on the team.

"Draco, please, leave me alone," I whimper.

"Why should I?" he taunts.

"Please...." He kicks my side. I scream, clutching it and rolling over.

"Stop, please."

"Fine, but next time you mess up, it'll be worse."

...

The next day my body aches, and is covered in bruises. I hide the ones on my face with some makeup, making sure to wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt along with my robes to cover the other ones. I try to make it through my classes. I never raise my hand, and never do anything noteworthy. I'm just about to head up to my common room for the night, relieved that I hadn't seen my brother all day, when he appears around a corner. Unfortunately, he's with a group of his friends, all the more to beat me up with. I walk past quickly, hoping he won't see me. I manage to pass him, until:

"Hazel, what do you think you're doing?" I decide to ignore him and keep walking. "Hazel, I know you can hear me. STOP WALKING!" I stop, tears already streaming down my face. I turn to face him. Everyone is looking towards us, drawn by Draco's shout.

"Not here, not now, please," I beg.

"Here, now," he says sternly.

"What are you doing Malfoy?" says a voice behind Draco. When he turns, I see it's Harry Potter, flanked with Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Fred Weasley, and George Weasley.

"What's it matter to you Potter? She's my sister not yours. May I remind you, you don't even have a family?"

"Shove off Malfoy," Fred says.

"Seriously," George adds.

"No." Draco walks back over to me. He slaps me across the face.

"Draco!" Hermione screams angrily. She marches up to him, but Harry holds her back. The twins go to take out my brother, while Ron comes over to me.

"Are you alright?" He asks. I shake my head, clutching my cheek. "How long has this been happening?"

"Since my first year," I say, hanging my head.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. He should be ashamed, filthy bloke." But before Ron could get me calmed down and away from the situation, Draco's Slytherin cronies has hauled the trio and the twins against the wall. It's just me and Draco in the center of the hall.

"Well, well, well." He walks towards me, wiping some blood from his lip. "I didn't know you had friends."

"I-I don't. They aren't my friends."

"Really? How does this make you feel?" He snaps his fingers and Goyle, who's holding Ron, punches him. I try not to flinch as one of the people who tried to save me is beaten. I stare straight ahead at Draco. My reaction is not what he expected and he rushes forward and grabs my head to make me watch. I bite my trembling lip as he hurls insults at Hermione and Ron and Harry are being hit repeatedly. The twins are fighting hard against two very muscular Slytherins. Ron breaks free and rushes toward me. He grabs me by the waist, flinging Draco away from me. He holds my emotionally drained body over his bruised shoulder, taking me far away. I close my eyes and try to relax over Ron's shoulder. He walks for quite a bit, then mumbles something. He switches how he's holding me to bridal style, and carries me up a flight of spiral stairs. He sets me on a soft surface, and I open my eyes. I'm laying on a bed, and based on the crimson and gold decor, it's his. I relax into the pillows that smell of teenage boy. He's standing by the window, pouring water into a silver cup. He hands it to me and I sit up to drink. He sits on the edge of the bed next to his, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. The door to the dormitory opens, and Harry and the twins walk in. Harry's nose is bleeding quite a bit, and the twins are sporting matching black eyes.

"You guys look awful! I'm so sorry you got dragged into this," I say.

"You should see the other guy," the twins say at the same time, grinning.

"And it's our own bloody fault we got involved. We weren't dragged in, we stepped in," Ron says.

"It's not your fault at all," Harry says.

"I can't thank you enough. What you did was incredible," I say. "I'm sorry again." I run a finger gently under Ron's eye, over the bruise forming there. He winces, and I remove my hand.

"It's fine. We've been through worse," Harry says. He motions to his right arm where he regrew all the bones in one day in his second year. Ron motions to his leg that he broke in his third year. Lastly, Harry points to the scar on his forehead.

"I know."

"You should lay back down. Get some rest," Ron says.

"What about my brother? He's bound to know I'm here."

"There's a password, remember?" George says.

"Don't worry. We'll take him down if we see him," Fred says, making me laugh.

"Thank you. You guys are so nice," I say.

"Lay down," Ron says. I sit on the edge of his bed as Harry and the twins leave the room. I lay back into the pillows, Ron sitting next to me. He brushes my hair from my cheek, cupping his hand under my jawline. I don't know what came over me. He was so gentle and kind and caring. I sit up and press my lips to his. I put my hand on his cheek when he doesn't pull back. I pull away, slowly opening my eyes. Ron presses his forehead to mine, smiling. I take his hand in mine and intertwine our fingers.

"Thank you Ron," I say.

"For what?"

"For saving me. Literally and figuratively."

"Anytime," he says. He kisses me again.

...

The next day, I meet Ron before going into the Great Hall for breakfast. I link my arm in his and we walk with Harry and Hermione into the Great Hall. I notice Draco look at me with confusion and warning. I make eye contact with him, then kiss Ron on the jawline. When I look back at my brother, you can nearly see smoke coming out of his ears. I laugh to myself and sit down to enjoy my breakfast with my new friends and boyfriend.