Flowers and Oranges - Ron Weasley

SIXTEEN

His cautious steps crunched beneath the snow as he followed the direction she went. He had no idea why he thought it would be a good idea to follow her. He didn't even know what he would do or say once he did reach her. But he figured he could think of that once he actually found her.

His head turned to the side when he heard a soft sniffle coming from an abandoned alleyway between two houses. Pushing some auburn hair out of his eyes, he took a hesitant breath before he approached her.

This was going to bite him in the arse. Mark his bloody words.

Ron winced when her head snapped up towards him, noting how she harshly wiped her eyes before that defensive look entered her face. She did that often. Leilani took a step back once he was at an arm's length distance, trying to put some space between them. She sneered "Why is it always you? Why can't you leave me alone!"

He honestly had no answer to that, because he had no clue himself. Ron sighed, tilting his head as he frowned at the unshed tears lining the corner of her eyes. "I don't know actually. I guess i just can't stay away"

She rolled her eyes, sniffling "Well, I don't care if you can't stay away. Leave me alone"

He knew that he should. Ron was painfully aware of it. But something in the back of his head told him to stay. That it would do more damage if he left than if he stayed. So making a decision, he unwrapped the scarf around his neck.

Leilanis eyes widened as he reached around her neck and wrapped the red and gold material around her neck. She watched completely dumbfounded as he stepped back, scratching the back of his head as a flush made its way onto his face. "It's cold" was the only explanation Ron gave her.

Her eyes glanced down at the thing, then she looked up at him again. She raised a brow, throwing out a scoff that sounded way too forced to be genuine "Trying to corrupt me with your Gryffinbullshit?"

Ron shrugged, letting a small grin out when the water in her eyes began to dry down "Is it working?"

She rolled her eyes "You wished it was"

He briefly noticed the way she was avoiding eye contact. Ron hesitated "So...what was that all about?"

"None-"

"None of my business" he finished with a huff, smiling slightly when she nodded stubbornly "Yeah, yeah i know"

"Yet you never learn" she quipped, wrapping his scarf tighter around her when a sudden chill of wind blew through them. He noted the way she was watching him with a frown, then glancing back down at the scarf around her. Almost unsure. "Weasley-?"

"Don't even think about it" Ron interrupted her train of thoughts, chuckling slightly when her eyes snapped towards him with a scowl. Reaching into his pocket he drew out his wand and cast a heating charm over them both, sending her a grin "You taught me that, remember?"

"Pretty sure that was Flitwick" She retorted with a hint of sass that made his insides all warm and fuzzy. Malfoys watched him for a moment, before she rolled her eyes and turned her body away "Well, seeing as you have no reason to leave me be, I'll leave myself"

Ron huffed, already falling into footsteps behind her as she made her way to the path that led them back to Hogwarts. When she noticed that he was still behind her, she released a quiet groan but didn't say anything. He chuckled "You really should know by now that i'm not that easy to get rid of, Little Malfoy"

"And you should know by now that I despise that stupid nickname" She hissed as they rounded a corner, the castle getting into view farther away.