Flaming Hot // Ron x y/n

dog chewed it

We walked slowly to the common room chatting about whatever random thing we felt like. I felt comforted by Nevillles company, something I'd never noticed before.

"I'll speak to you later I have an essay to write." Neville smiled, heading towards the boys dorms. I looked to the fireplace, Harry, Hermione and Ron.

I approached silently, nodding at Harry as I took as seat beside him.

"Y/n, have you finished your potions essay yet?" Hermione included me in the conversation.

"Not yet but Slughorn says I'm on the right track." I replied quickly feeling suddenly very interested in how everyone else was doing with their essays.

"Ron hasn't even started his yet." She rolled her eyes, Ron stiffened in the chair. I thought for a moment.

"You can look at mine if you want, you know, inspiration." I made eye-contact with him,  he glared back. That hurt. I didn't think I would ever recieve such a cold stare from him. His eyes so sharp it felt as though they were stabbing my own.

"I don't need your help." He spat the word help, so harshly that it echoed through my head. A lump grew in my throat as I rose from my place.

"I'll see you at dinner." I said quietly, my voice breaking slightly.

I left towards the boys dorms, heading for Lee. I knocked the door a few times, I heard him moving around.

"Lee?" I called out. I heard more moving before he opened the door.

"Can I hel-" I cut him off by enveloping him into a hug, tight. His hand rested on my head as he hugged back.

"I take it you're ready to miss him now. " He held me at arms length. I looked at the ground, the room was messy but there was a shoe lying on the clutter, a girls shoe.

"Oh, you have company?" I looked towars the closed bathroom door, suddenly embarrased by my intrusion.

"No, well, yes. She can wait." Lee said loudly, there was humour in his tone. The girl snorted but remained hidden.

"I'll go." I nodded to him, unsure why I even came. It upset me that Ron was so angry, what did that have to do with Lee?

"Promise, you'll come find me tomorrow." Lee hesistated looking at the bathroom. 

"No, its fine, really." I smiled slightly, heading away slowly.

I took a large breath in, it faltered slightly. I stared at the wooden banister on the staircase. A few chunks were missing, it looked as though a dog had chewed it.

"Y/n?" Cormacs voice broke from my trance, I shook my head.

"Are you ready?" I asked him, picking some fluff off of his shoulder.

"Didn't you mother teach you to wipe the tears from your cheeks?" He said sarcastically wiping a tear from my face, one I didn't know had fallen. His hands were cold and pale but between his pointer and the middle finger there was a darker patch where he held his cigarette.

"My mother taught me to never cry, or they'll see how weak I really am." I replied, my voice trailing off as I realised how ridiculous, though true, this statement was.

"That's right you keep it all locked up in there. All the weakness you've ever felt." He tapped the side of my head. I felt my hair shift as he did so, tickling my ear.

"Because that's done you no harm." He smiled slightly, still sarcastic. When he smiled his eyebows furrowed slightly in the middle, I noticed he has a tooth in the left side of his mouth that was crooked. I frowned back.

"What?" I looked at him confused, harm? What harm?

"Who's they? "They'll" see how weak you are?" He pryed, his had on the small of my back leading me down the staircase. I stopped in my tracks and looked at him, dead in the eyes, bewildered.

"I don't know." I shook my head before continuing down the steps.

You don't have to look presentable for them, just prove you're smart, show your wit but not you anger.

Stay on your toes, they'll play mind games before they fight.

They can't see you as vulnerable, don't even so much as flinch.

They can't get you if you're always moving, so don't get too comfortable.

I played my mothers words through my head, things she had said. She hadn't said things like this in a while, not for a long while.

"I suppose "they" is he, and "he" is my father. I think. I don't know, Cormac. Why, what does it matter?" I said to him, his eyes left mine and looked behind me, a grin growing.

"There's my belt, we're leaving now. Don't be late." Hermione looked straight at me avoiding his gaze.

"Your hair looks lovely, Granger." He smiled at her, she rolled her eyes but the corner of her mouth twitched, looking quickly at him before turning awway.

"It matters because your stressed out and you seem think the only way to deal with it is to shove it down into the deepest darkest pits of your mind. I think it's driving you mad, literally." He said quietly, he looked over to Ron who was deep in conversation with Seamus. I followed his eyes confused.

"What are we looking at and why is it him?" I sighed, moving to let a third year past.

"Nothing, it's time for dinner."

A/n

Once again, there will be no cormac and Y/n as anything other than friends.  Anyway dinner in the next chapter. I know you're hungry.

mwah. x