Versions// Ron Weasley X Reader

Twenty One

Ginny rambled on to me about how it was about time, how he always seemed to like me, since we were young. Obvious blatant lies, by the way. This love was new. 

I followed her as she dragged me along back to the Burrow, saying she was ready to give Ron the 'don't hurt her or ill kill you' talk, when I dug my heels in the snow and pulled her back.

"Ginny! Slow down!" I let out finally. She looked at me aghast, and I made a time out sign with my hands.

"I was caught up in the moment, Gin! I'm not just gonna march in there and call him my boyfriend!" I explained, my heart beat fluttering.

"Well, why not? He'd say yes," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"I-I just can't do that. Ginny, it doesn't feel right. It's all so new. I mean, looking back, sure I've had feelings for him for a while... Maybe longer than I thought..." I remembered how determined I was to stand up to Fred and George for Ron back in third year, or the hope he'd ask me to dance at the Yule ball in fourth year, or how every time I played Fuck, Marry, Kill with girls in the dormitory, Ron was always Marry without hesitation.

"But still!" I continue to Ginny. "Even if I've liked him forever... I'm just now figuring it out. I'm not ready to just dive in! Because I know that when I do, it'll be really, really, really, deep."

I rub my forehead with my palm as Ginny crosses her arms. "Yeah, Y/N," she said, "I have no idea what that's supposed to mean, but Ron is anything but deep. Just go up and snog him and live happily ever after."

I run my fingers through my hair and groan. "It's hard to explain, Gin. So... Ron talks a lot about how he's changed a lot. How he's a different person than he used to be. He says he keeps becoming new kinds of versions of himself, like, as he grows."

Ginny gave me a judgmental look. "My brother is not the brightest bulb in the Burrow. I promise you he wasn't making any sense when he said that."

"Ginny, listen! He asks me if I've changed, if I feel like a new version of myself. Like, how different I am than say, a year ago." Ginny sighs and nods, playing along. I ignore her and continue. "I tell him, yeah, I change all the time. I feel like a new version of myself everyday." I sigh and draw circles in the snow with my shoe. 

"I told him that I thought I might be getting to the best one, you know, the best version of myself," my voice starts to break. Ginny uncrosses her arms and softens her expression. "But... now, everytime I look at him, I feel like that's not true anymore. I was lying to myself. What if I can't give him the best version?" Tears start streaming down my face. "I mean... What if Hermione really does like Draco? It's my fault she dumped him! And... and Ron, he's just so good. I look at him, and he just seems like he could solve all my problems but I-" Ginny pulls me into a hug and puts my head on her shoulder. "I'll only cause them, Gin. I keep causing these problems... There are these things wrong with me..." I try to explain but Ginny just keeps holding me, not moving. We stay like that for so long and the air is so cold I almost think we're frozen in place.

I calm down a bit, Ginny is surprisingly good at calming people down. "I'm sorry, I just... A lot of feelings are happening."

Ginny sighs and takes my hand. "Listen, Y/N. In no universe is it possible for Ron to be too good for you. If anything, you're too good for him!" I shake my head. "Y/N, you two make a lot of sense. Ron, I hate to say it, is definitely one of my favorite brothers. Because he cares, truly. I know how much he cares about you."

I look up at the sky. I didn't realize how dark it got already, but I could see the stars now. Why was Ron always looking at the stars? I realize how intricately patterned they are, and search for constellations. Perhaps Ron was doing that too, looking for the hidden shapes and messages in the sky. Or, maybe, he was just trying to avoid eye contact. Which sounded a bit more like him.

Ginny brings me back down to Earth. "If you don't feel like... like the best version of yourself you can be, then just give him what you've got now. Because, from here? From where I am? You're already a damn good one. You're the best Y/N I've ever met." I laugh through my tears, and breath in the sharp air. 

I do my best to wipe away my tears. "Please just, don't tell anyone yet. Don't talk to Ron about it. I still haven't exactly figured out how to go about this." Ginny gives me a nod and leads me into the Burrow.