Break it Up (Ron Weasley)

17. Star Gazing

"Ronald!" I heard Hermione say, and I turned around to see Ron standing in the doorway.

"Hi Hermione," he said, walking over to our table. "Hi y/n. Harry said you would be here." Ron looked past Hermione and at me. "What are you guys up to?" he asked while folding his arms across his chest.

"Hermione and I have been hanging out," I explained.

Ron made a face. "Okay. Ready to hang out with me?" he asked, holding his hands out.

I laughed at Ron's odd behavior, but then remembered this had to be apart of the plan. I looked back at Hermione who was holding her hand up to Ron's face.

"Just a second," she said to him, leaning in close to me. "Remember what I said!" she exclaimed in a whisper. "I promise, you'll feel so much better if you just explain to him how you're feeling."

"Right," I said, glancing over at Ron who was trying his best to look busy while we talked.

"As much as I hate for you to leave, you should do this. It'll be good for the both of you."

I sighed and stood up from the bench. "She's all yours," Hermione said.

Ron grinned and walked over to the exit. I turned to hug Hermione. "I had so much fun today," I said.

She smiled. "Me too! Let's do it more often."

I agreed and followed Ron out the door. "Okay, so what's next?" I asked once we were outside, assuming he had some deliberate plan worked out for us to do next.

"What do you mean what's next?" he asked.

"You know, for the plan!" I exclaimed. "That's why you came to see me, right?"

"Oh, yes. The plan," Ron said flatly. "That's definitely what that was for."

He was acting weird. "Okay... so what now?" I asked.

"I mean, it's not really part of the plan. I was just kind of bored without you," he admitted.

"Aw. Did you miss me?" I joked, and he playfully pushed me away.

"Shut up," he blushed. "We also need to be together more often. You know, can't let people get suspicious like last night."

My mind flashed back to the party and our kiss. Butterflies instantly flooded my stomach at the mere thought of it.

"Right, don't want that happening again," I said awkwardly. Ron didn't respond.

The two of us arrived at the grassy area around the back of the school.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

"I thought maybe we should do something 'couple-y.' I don't know," he answered.

In front of us was a blanket and woven basket on top of it. I looked back to see Ron grinning from ear to ear.

"Come on," he said, running ahead of me over to the blanket.

"Ron..." I said while following him. "This is... wow."

He looked proud of what he had prepared. Both of us sat down on either side of the blanket with the picnic basket between us.

"And I brought snacks," he exclaimed while reaching his hand in and pulling out a chocolate frog.

"Oh thank goodness. I don't know what we would've done without snacks," I said sarcastically.

Ron popped the chocolate frog into his mouth and put his hands behind his head as he laid back to look up at the sky. "Isn't it crazy?" he asked.

I laid back next to him and gazed up at the sunset myself. "Is what crazy?"

"We never talked before any of this. Before the plan, I mean. Like ever."

I turned on my side to look at Ron who was still gazing up at the sky with a dream-like look on his face.

"I know," I said. "You didn't even want to sit next to me on the first day of school," I recalled.

He turned to face me now. "Hey. That's just because Harry and Hermione left me out," he said defensively.

"Sure, sure," I replied, and we both laughed.

"Now... we're like best friends," he said. I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling too big at his remark.

"It's weird what time can do," I said simply. I tried to remember school before this year, but it was harder than I thought to recall what it was like without Ron. He had become so prominent in my life recently.

A cool breeze blew over the two of us and I shivered. If I knew we were going to be outside, I wouldn't have worn a T-shirt.

"You cold?" Ron asked, immediately unzipping his own sweatshirt. "Here," he said handing it to me.

"Won't you be cold?" I worried.

"Nah, I'm good. Take it."

I took the sweatshirt from his hands and put it on. It was warm and smelled just like him. I never wanted to take it off. "Thanks."

He smiled and stared at me as I zipped it up. "You know, I'm gonna need my clothes back at some point," he said, referring to the clothes I slept in last night and now the new item he had lended me. "Even if you do look better in them than I do."

His last remark threw me for a loop. He kept his eyes locked on mine as the all too familiar butterflies returned to my stomach. I smiled and looked back at the sky, unsure of how to respond.

I yawned as he looked back up as well. "Still tired, eh?" he asked.

"Yeah, well, we were up for a while last night," I defended.

"Here, you can rest," he said while lifting his arm to put it around me and behind my head.

Too tired to be confused, I laid my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his other arm around me and pulled me in tight.

Normally, I would be worried he could feel my heart beating a million miles an hour being so close to him, but I could barely stay awake to stress. I was so comfortable and warm there in his arms, I couldn't help but fall asleep.