If You Love Her (Ron Weasley)

Nine.

I would never forget what Ron did for me that night, with Umbridge. And he kept his promise, of waking me up and sending me to bed when he got back from his patrol. I felt much better after resting for a while, and I never intended on telling anyone about what had happened with Umbridge.

Harry had approached me the following day, and whilst he didn't say a great deal, he did hand me a small vial of liquid and advised me to drop it onto my hand, and when I did as I was told, the words 'I must not cry' faded into almost complete invisibility. It meant a lot, to know that whilst my brother wasn't on my team, other people were. 

Things between Seamus and I had not improved, and we hadn't spoken since the incident. It was genetic, for us to be stubborn and unapologetic. When we fought as kids it often lasted months, as neither wanted to be the first to apologise when we didn't feel we had done anything wrong. 

There was a sort of ache in my chest when I woke up on the morning of the first Hogsmeade visit of the year, knowing that for the first time in the two years we had been venturing into the village, I wouldn't be going with Seamus. Still, he had brought it upon himself. 

I had been anticipating a quiet day with Neville, having breakfast in the castle, taking a slow stroll into the village and pondering the shops, before slipping into The Three Broomsticks for a couple of butterbeers, and heading back to the castle to complete my Potions essay for Snape, which was due that coming week. 

This was the first time of many that my plans would be completely altered at the last moment, and it was something I had to learn to deal with quite quickly. 

"Aoife, can we have a word?" I had just been about to tuck into my bacon sandwich, when two boys interrupted me. Two boys that I had never had any interaction with prior to this school year, but who couldn't seem to give me a moments peace since we had returned for our fifth year.

"Sure, what's up?" I barely glanced at them, my eyes still firmly set on my breakfast, my mouth almost salivating the longer we were kept from one another.

"Not here, outside," Harry Potter insisted, and I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes, knowing we most definitely were not close enough for me to develop an attitude towards him. 

"Isn't it raining?" I asked, hoping this would be enough to convince them to just say whatever they needed to say indoors, where my breakfast would also be situated. 

"Please, we really can't talk here," Ron was practically begging, which led me to believe that it must be important. I reluctantly got up from the table and followed the two boys out of the Great Hall, through the Entrance Hall, and outside the main doors to the castle, into the freezing cold Autumnal morning. All the while, trying to ignore the many eyes that turned in our direction as we went, wondering how Harry possibly coped living like this. 

"It had better be important," I tried to joke, but neither boy laughed. 

"We needed to tell you, we're going to be setting up an organisation," Harry began, pausing for a moment as though waiting for me to say something, but carrying on when I simply gazed up at him, confused, "It's going to be a way for us to learn defensive spells, since Umbridge won't teach us anything,"

"I see, and who's idea was this?" I enquired, and Harry turned to look at Ron, who went red. 

"It wasn't really my idea, it was Hermione's, really," Ron insisted, not looking me in the eye. I wondered if he, too, was thinking about how he had helped me up to the Common Room, tucked me into bed and kissed me on the head. Because that was certainly what I was thinking about. 

"I think it's a great idea, how do I sign up?" I asked, and Harry grinned suddenly, as though my compliance had resolved him of all anxiety.

"We're all going to be meeting in the Hog's Head, the older pub in Hogsmeade. There's not loads of us, but a decent amount. You'll really join?" Harry explained, and I nodded.