Ruin You ; Ron Weasley

11.

When summer arrived, I knew I couldn't go home.
Thankfully, I was already a favorite of Ron's parents and they offered me their house with open arms. I was hesitant at first, giving the tricky situation he and I had ended up in, but I knew my options were limited and I was genuinely excited to spend so much time with his loving family.

A bed was made up for me in Ginny's room, and the two of us had become closer in only just a month. I learned that she was actually very funny and extremely hard-headed, giving her a pretty badass persona despite being the youngest sibling. I also learned that was she fancied Harry, and even kissed him once during the school year in the Room of Requirement. I made a mental note to force him to make the next move, considering she was a rid bit shy around him.
Fred & George were also great to be around, especially when Ron said something I didn't like. They were always quick to pull a prank on him, and every time it never failed to make me laugh so hard I cried.
Bill was also in town for his wedding and stayed at the Burrow with us, but he and I didn't speak much. The introduction had been awkward since Fred decided "The Girl Who Our Idiot Brother Screwed Over" was a fitting title for me and Bill had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. He seemed great though, and his fiancé, Fluer, was the sweetest girl ever.

As July came around, I found myself falling down a deep hole once again.
As much as I tried to deny him, I still spent almost every night in Ron's bed with the lights off, or every afternoon in the field kissing for hours on end, tangled up under a tree somewhere. I felt trapped in the sound of his laugh and the smell of his hair, never truly able to stop myself from melting into his embrace, despite the tiny voice in my head begging me to knock it off. We were having fun no doubt, but it was reckless in a way that I was only making our situation more confusing for both him and myself. He wasn't my boyfriend, but for some reason, I couldn't keep myself off of him. I knew I was sort of leading him on, because every time he'd ask me how I felt about getting back together I'd think about what he did to me and just cry, telling him I just couldn't do it right now.
Of course, it was definitely still his fault, but I knew he was sorry and it wasn't fair that I couldn't bring myself to make up my mind.

I loved him so much, but a part of me was still hurting very badly.

—

"Elle, have you finished tidying up the living room? They'll be here any second!" Mrs. Weasley called after me from the kitchen one late evening.
"Spotless, just like you requested mum," I replied, walking over to give her a hug.
"Hm, don't tell the others, but I think you're starting to become my favorite child," she told me with a grin.

"How's that possible if I'm the best-looking one here?" George asked as he also entered the kitchen.
"Even with just one ear I'm much prettier than you Ellie," he teased, knowing him and Fred were the only people allowed to call me 'Ellie'.
"Yes Georgie, you're absolutely gorgeous," I joked, reaching up to ruffle his hair.
"Alright you two, promise me there won't be any funny business at the wedding tomorrow. I know that Fred and George have corrupted you Elle, but I'm expecting everyone's best behavior," Mrs. Weasley warned, shaking her finger in my face.
"Mum, you worry too much, have I ever disappointed you before?" George asked.
Instead of answering, she laughed and kissed his cheek before heading off to clean something else.
"I take much offense to that," George exclaimed, dramatically reaching up to clutch his shirt here his heart was before sighing and strutting out of the room.

Suddenly, Ron came sprinting down the stairs with Harry, who had arrived a couple of days ago after the battle of The 8 Potters, in which we all attempted to bring him here peacefully; but to no avail.
Death eaters found us, and although we were all under polyjuice potion to look exactly like Harry, the Dark Lord still nearly got him. Sadly yet thankfully, our only casualties were our old professor and current Order Member, Alastor Moody, and Harry's owl Hedwig. Then of course there was George's ear, which he lost at the hands of my own father.
No one blamed me or even associated me with that man, and I was extremely grateful considering I had also risked my life that night.

"Elle, where's Hermione?" Harry asked.
"I think Mrs. Weasley has her working outside in the garden right now," I replied, not acknowledging Ron.
I knew the two of them were planning something, but all summer long I hadn't been able to figure it out. It for sure had everything to do with those Horcruxes Harry taught me about, but whatever the plan was I knew it was a bad one and I hated seeing the two of them sneaking around with Hermione behind my back.

"Hello, boys and Elle."
Speaking of which, the bright-eyed girl herself joined us in the kitchen with a smile.
"Better be getting some rest here soon, big day tomorrow."
"Mum wants us to wait till Fluer's family arrives so we can greet them, but after that Elle and I will probably head upstairs," Ron said.
I felt my cheeks burn red at his ever-so-casual remark to our friends.
"Right..." Harry responded awkwardly.

"The Delacours are here," Mr. Weasley interrupted, peeping his head around the corner and motioning for all of us to come welcome them.

That evening, neither Ron nor I could fall asleep, so we went on a walk around the house, which was the farthest Mrs. Weasley would let us wander on our own.
"Seems a bit strange, doesn't it?" I asked suddenly.
"What does?"
Ron laced his fingers with mine, and I didn't bother to stop him as usual.
"Having a wedding in the middle of all of this just seems a bit silly," I answered, staring up at the night sky.
"Well maybe that's the perfect reason to have one– because of all of this," he insisted.
"Don't go getting any ideas now," I laughed, playing it off as a joke, but Ron stopped walking turned to look at me.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked defensively.
"I was just pulling your leg Ron, no need to get all upset."
I rolled my eyes at him and untangled our hands to continue walking, but he didn't follow.
"So it was a lie then?" he called out from behind me.
I turned and gave him a puzzled look.
"What was?"
"When you said you'd marry me, back in the tower. That was a lie huh?"
"Ron you've got to joking," I replied sympathetically.
"That was a lifetime ago."
Instantly, he gave me a nasty look and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Recon you better sleep in Ginny's room tonight then," he said.
"Seriously? You're gonna be a dick about this? Ron, you're just barely 17 why do you care so much about marriage right now?" I argued.
"I don't care about marriage Eleanor, I care about you. I care about keeping you around forever because that's how long I want you," he explained, making me tear up a little.
But once again I remembered, and I thought back to the night we broke up, and how completely destroyed he had made me feel.

There was no way for me to ever know if he would pull something like that again, or if it was maybe even the truth unlike he claimed. There were so many unanswered questions and feelings I couldn't process, that I still wasn't ready to trust him.

"I'm sorry Ron," was the only thing I managed to choke out.
He stared at me in silence before dropping his arms back down to his sides and storming past me, sure to hit my shoulder with his.
"Goodnight then," he mumbled, making his way back towards the front door.

"Psst," a voice called out from somewhere in the night.
I began panicking and drew my wand, throwing my head around to try and make out any death eaters lurking in the dark.
"Up here you idiot," Harry called from a window directly above me.
"Merlin Harry, were you eavesdropping on us?" I asked, slightly annoyed.
"Well it's definitely a possibility," he smirked.
"You're quite immature when you want to be Potter," I noted, rolling my eyes at him.
"I don't think you're in any position to be mean to me. After all, I'm the one who has to sleep on the couch when you two wanna shag," he replied.
"On top of that, I was going to offer to be your date tomorrow at the wedding. That'll get his ears burning,"
"Hitting on your best friend's girl? Tsk tsk, Harry, I didn't expect you'd be so crude," I joked.
I pondered for a moment, then sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.
"Better not though, I'm already giving him hell as it is. But I appreciate your kind offer, for it, I'll allow you one dance,"
"Works for me," He said.
"Ron's coming up, recon he'll talk me till dawn. Have a good Elle, I'll see you in the morning."

With that, he slid the window shut as I headed back inside towards the room that Ginny and Hermione occupied.