Coming Home

Jealous Ron

Rupert

Rupert was starting to get annoyed, and seemed to be the only one that wanted to stop partying and start filming. Out of all his Harry Potter co-stars, he felt like he was the one who wasn't getting anywhere with his acting career. Sure, meeting up with everyone was great: but not when they all had to talk about their accomplishments for three bloody hours. Of course he was happy for them, but one could only take so much. Hearing about Emma's new UN movement, Matt and Bonnie's modeling jobs, and of course Dan's movie offers were bound to set him off eventually. Right now, he was half listening to a conversation he was having with all four of them about their jobs, and he had nothing to boast about.

"-and that's the story of my ex-girlfriend who had to spilled too much oil on my chest for a photo shoot." Matt laughed.

"Oh speaking of modeling, Bonnie, I just saw you in a magazine before I got here." Dan said. "Who knew you would grow up to be so pretty?"

"Are you saying I looked ugly as a child?" Bonnie asked.

"What? No! I never said that!" Dan stammered. "If you want to see ugly, read the newest script I just got sent the other day. The writing is atrocious...."

"Another job offer?" Emma asked while drinking her wine.

"As if you need any more fame." Bonnie joked.

"Well, it's not like I want it." Dan said. "I just want to keep acting, it's what I love. Don't want to be one of those child actors who just sit on the side lines and sell ice cream to kids when they're in their thirties."

"Oi, what's wrong with selling ice cream?" Rupert said, trying to make it sound like a joke. Selling ice cream is what he had been doing for a while. Not that Dan would know, he was probably off auditioning for another movie he was offered.

"Nothing!" Dan laughed. "I'm just saying, it would be terrible to be stuck doing that just because you have nothing else to do with your life."

"Yeah, funny." Rupert chuckled with a fake laugh. Everyone else seemed to buy it, as they all started laughing along. "Well, looks like I'm out of wine again. I'll be right back."

Rupert headed over to the drinks station when he saw Emma following him.

"What's up, Emma?" Rupert asked Emma, whose glass was still filled. "Thought you filled up five minutes ago."

"Oh." Emma said, looking down at her glass. "Seems I forgot. Rupert, you can quit smiling. I know what Dan said made you a bit upset. Saw your face drop a bit. And if I remember correctly, you own an ice cream truck."

Rupert was finally able to stop fake smiling and allowed his face to relax.

"Sorry, it just seems a bit boring and tedious to keep talking about job offers and things. I mean, you could google up our names to find out our job offers! Shouldn't we be talking about our more personal lives? Reconnect that way instead of talking about jobs? Or at least not talk about them for the majority of the conversation?"

"I agree." Emma said. "But I guess for some of us it's been so long that it would feel a bit strange telling each other such personal things. If you haven't seen someone for four to five years, sometimes you can feel like strangers. And that's why you talk about somewhat shallower matters, in order to re-bond again. But that's just my opinion. Did that make sense?"

"Of course it did. That theory is amazing." Rupert said in amazement. "You're still just as brilliant as you were before. You really are the brightest "witch" of your age."

Emma couldn't help but smile. "Thanks. But I mean, when you're at Brown, studying with top scholars-"

Emma stopped herself from talking. "Sorry, Rupert. I guess I slip into the job talk habit too."

"It's alright, Emma." Rupert said. "At least I know someone cares about what I feel. Boy, this must be how Ron Weasley felt around Harry."

"Oh, Rupert." Emma said, sounding sorry for him. "Everyone cares about what you feel. Sometimes people tend to forget is all. I'm going to head back to the group, do you want to come?"

Rupert shook his head. "I'll come back in a couple minutes. I think I might need a break from the infamous Daniel Radcliffe and his success stories."

Emma let out a small laugh before turning around and rejoining the group. For some reason, Rupert noticed himself feeling happier with her. Maybe it was because she could be funny, smart, and considerate at the same time without sounding fake. But whatever it was he was feeling towards her, he knew he couldn't let it go on. He would ruin a perfectly good friendship if he ever asked her out, and to avoid asking her out, he would have to avoid being attracted to her.

"Oh hey, Rup." Tom said from behind him, causing Rupert to jump. "Oh, sorry, man. Didn't mean to frighten you."

"No worries." Rupert said. "What's up?"

"I need more wine." Tom said as he asked for another drink. "All this talking is making me thirsty. Say, where's Emma?"

"Oh, uh, right over there." Rupert said as he gestured towards the group.

"Thanks, Rup." Tom said as he headed over to Emma. "Come on, join us!"

"I think I'll pass for now." Rupert said as he continued to drink his wine and watch Tom taser Emma, making her squeal and jump up. Rupert felt annoyed as he saw Tom and Emma trying to tickle each other, like little kids. Rupert knew that this was Tom's normal nature, but it made him wonder if he might develop feelings for Emma.

"They would make a cute couple." Rupert muttered under his breath.

"You might want to make it less obvious you're staring." A voice said quietly from behind him.

"ARGH!" Rupert said, nearly spilling his wine glass. This was the third bloody time his alone time was interrupted. He turned around to see who it was this time, and saw it was Bonnie, sitting on a seat, watching the group as well. How long had she been there? When did she ever leave the group?

"It's pretty obvious from here that you're looking at her. And you might want to loosen your grip on that glass. You might break it."

Rupert looked at the wine glass which he had indeed been holding a bit too tight. He loosened his grip and sighed. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well," Bonnie said, "Not to them. But I'm sure that anyone else could definitely tell you're jealous."

"Of what?" Rupert said.

"Emma." Bonnie said. "Don't play stupid with me, Rupert. I can see the way you look at her."

Rupert knew it was no use hiding it from Bonnie. She seemed to know everything. "Okay, I admit I may feel something for Emma. But I'm not acting on it! Besides, she looks much happier with Tom."

"They're friends, of course she looks happy with him." Bonnie said. "But I don't think she feels anything towards Tom."

"And how do you know?" Rupert asked sarcastically.

"Because after she came back to the group, she brought you up a bit." Bonnie said with a smile. "I'm not saying she likes you, but that should outweigh the whole Tom tickling her thing."

Bonnie was about to talk again, but then saw David Yates get up on a chair, obviously drunk, with his megaphone in hand.

"OKAY EVERYBODY!" he shouted into his megaphone. "WE'VE HAD OUR FUN, BUT TOMORROW WE GOTTA WOOOORRRRKKK. GO HOME, GET SOME RESTTTTT, AANNDDDD SEE YOUUU TOMORROWWWW!"

Rupert sighed a sigh of relief. "Finally, things are going to go back to normal."