Ron Weasleys' Awful, Horrible Summer
Chapter 2~Green is a Nice Color on You
A/N: Special thanks to my two wonderful and lovely betas, Nic, and Miss..Look out for their cameos!
Ron sat on the large rock and shook his head, trying to regain some sort of train of thought. Because at the moment, he was in complete shock. All he remembered was Luna and she had kissed him. Ron slowly brought his fingers to his lips and smiled, thinking of how wonderful it felt to kiss Luna. His thoughts were interrupted by Harry and Hermione's voices becoming closer.
"Ron, Ron are you out here?" yelled Hermione through the night.
Ron jumped down off the rock and walked towards the voiced he heard in the night.
"Yea, I'm here," replied Ron startling Hermione as he was right behind her.
"Oh, Ron, there you are. We've been looking all over. Harry! Harry! He's over here, I've found him," yelled Hermione to the left of her.
Harry emerged into the moonlight with his wand out and lit.
"There you are, mate. Why'd you go running off like that?"
"I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry," said Ron sitting down on a small rock on the ground.
Hermione sat on a stump next to the rock Ron was sitting on and gave Harry a meaning look. Harry too sat down on the stump Hermione was currently sitting on.
"This is about us, isn't it," said Hermione getting directly to the point. "I mean Harry and I being together."
Ron didn't say anything as he avoided both of his best friends gaze.
"Is that really it, Ron?" asked Harry.
"It's not what you're thinking," said Ron now turning to look at Harry. "I'm not in love with Hermione or anything. I mean I guess I thought I was, but I don't think that's it."
"Then what is it, Ron?" asked Hermione.
"Well, I guess and I know it sounds stupid, but once again I'm second best."
"Second best to what?" asked Harry.
"To both of you!" said Ron standing up. "I'll always be second best to you two. In school, Quidditch, dueling, and now even to either of you, I'll always be second best!"
"What do you mean to either of you?" asked Hermione standing up as well. "Ron you are our best friend, nothing is more important to us than you."
"Except each other. Look, I know I'm being a great prat, but seeing you two together just reminds me everyday that I'll never have what you two have. I'll never be as good at school, or Quidditch, or anything as you two and now I'll never, well, I'll never have what you two have between you."
"That's just silly, Ron. You'll meet someone, and you will have it," said Hermione earnestly.
Ron's mind immediately flashed back to the moonlit kiss he had just shared with Luna. He almost smiled at the thought, but instead shook his head.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something when Fred and George both came walking up to them.
"Mum set us out to look for you lot," said Fred.
"She's dead worried you all have run off or something," said George.
The twins looked at the exasperated looks on Harry and Hermione's faces to the frown on Ron's.
"Everything is ok, isn't it?" asked Fred.
"We weren't interrupted anything, were we?" asked George.
Hermione opened her mouth again to say something, but Ron cut her off.
"No. we're through, and everything is fine," said Ron as he took off walking back towards the house.
Ron walked into the house and straight up to his room. He changed into his pajamas and went straight to bed. Later he heard Harry and Neville come up to bed, but he acted as though he was asleep. Somewhere in the night he feel asleep.
The next morning, Ron woke up late and in a bad mood. Harry and Neville were already awake and gone from the room. Ron changed into his clothes and finally after avoiding it as long as he could, went down stairs.
He sat down at the scrubbed table in the kitchen and said a muffled good morning. He looked around the table to find Harry, Fred, and George all eating a bowl of porridge.
"So who's up to going to the shop with us today," said Fred.
Harry shook his head and went back to eating his food. Ron almost opened his mouth when Hermione came into the kitchen and sat down next to Harry. Harry leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek that seemed to come out of instinct. Hermione's eyes flickered at Harry and then towards Ron. Harry muttered a slight "oh" and went back to eating his porridge.
"Yea, I think I'll come," said Ron, trying not to look at Harry or Hermione.
"Excellent!" exclaimed George. "What about you three?" George went on spotting Luna, Ginny, and Neville coming into the kitchen. "What do you say about coming to the shop with us today?"
Neville, who was probably thinking of all the times he had been fooled by Fred and George's trick sweets before, shook his head immediately.
"I don't really fancy scrubbing your floors or being your test subjects today," said Ginny as she sat down at the table.
"Spoil sports," said Fred smiling at his little sister. "What about you Ms. Lovegood."
"Is it true that you are developing a sweet from the hairs of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" asked Luna as she sat between Fred and George.
"That would be a company secret, my dear. But there's no telling what you might find out if you go with us," said George placing a friendly arm around her shoulders.
Luna looked at Ron and then stated, "I suppose it could be worth a visit."
So that morning Fred, George, Ron, and Luna all flooed to Diagon Alley. Fred and George's shop was on the end of Diagon Alley, three doors away from Gringotts bank. It was a nice sized space that the twins had made ever young persons dream. The walls on the right were lined with shelves upon shelves of every joke treat you could imagine. Itchy Icicles, Pucker-up Pastries, Hair Color Changing Chewies, and Smelly Smoothies were all there. The walls on the left where full of Fred and George's famous fire works, portable swamps, and lakes, as well as there new line of "special clothing". Special in that it would result in hilarity for all except for the unfortunate soul wearing any of it.
Behind the corner where skiving snack boxes of every kind. Above them was a sign that proudly bore the words. Weasley's Skiving Snack boxes, banned from Hogwarts since 1996.
Luna walked in and proceeded to pick up a peace of candy in one of the sale barrels that where placed around the floor.
"Weasley's Wicked Wafers," Luna read out loud.
Luna brought it up to her nose and sniffed it gingerly. She then brought it to her lips ready to try a bite when Ron's hand caught her risk.
"Word of advice, Luna, you want to take everything in this store with extreme caution," said Ron taking the wafer from her hand and pocketing it.
"Now, now Ron," said George. "Nothing in this store is life threatening..."
Ron snorted and raised his eyebrows at Luna.
"Now we open in less than an hour. What we need you two to do is just keep an eye on the front here. If anyone has any questions just answer them the best you can," said Fred putting on an apron and walking to the back.
"And you'll be in charge of the money here. Don't worry the register is charmed to ring up the right price and give out change. Fred and I have some important work to do in the back."
Luna looked curiously around the counter, obviously looking for any signs of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
"You think you two can handle this?" asked George as he stopped at the door leading to the back.
"Yes," said Ron. "Wait, what if someone you know tries something and they get angry about what happens to them?"
"Just point to the sigh over the door," answered George as he disappeared through he door to the back.
"What sign?" asked Ron looking at Luna but she was already gazing over the door trying to read a minuscule sign that was hung there.
Luna spotted an empty barrel by the counter and she went and picked it up and took it to the door. There she turned it over and climbed on it to better look at the sign.
"Careful there," said Ron worriedly but Luna paid him no attention.
"All who walk through these doors forfeit any right to sue, press charges, or even scream at the proprietors of this store. Any result of mishap or injury from any product is regrettable, but will be at the risk of each person who willingly takes any product." said Luna reading the sign.
"As I told you," said Ron walking over to help Luna down, "Be careful with everything in here."
Most of the day passed quickly and almost pleasantly for Ron. The store was busy and it kept his mind off all that had been bothering him lately. But something happened in the afternoon that fit right in with the rest of Ron's horrible summer.
A couple of pretty six year girls came into the store and immediately recognized Ron.
"Its Ron Weasley," said a pretty brown haired girl to her equally pretty friend.
"Didn't he get onto Puddlemere," asked one of the girls to the other.
"No, Nic that was Oliver Wood."
"Oh right, Miss, Ron was the Cannons, right?"
"I believe so."
"Can I help you?" asked Ron smiling at the two pretty girls.
"Oh, yes actually," said the one called Miss, blushing slightly. "We were just wondering about something, weren't we, Nic?"
"Something? Oh yes. Umm…. these actually," said Nic, picking up a random sweet from one of the shelves.
"Oh, that is a Weasley Tongue Sticking Sucker," said Ron taking the sweet from Nic's hand.
"How does that work," asked Miss stepping closer to Ron.
"Well," said Ron opening up the package. "You see how it feels sticker than a normal sucker?"
Both the girls nodded as they touched the surface.
"That is made of a magic material specially handcrafted by the Fred and George themselves. You see here in the middle," said Ron as he touched the very center of the sucker. But instead of going on with his informative speech, Ron got a blast of nasty, smelly green liquid all over his face and chest.
Both girls' eyes watered from the smell.
"I can't take this!" said Nic waving a hand in front of her face.
"Yuck, me neither, lets leave before this smell attaches itself to us!" said Miss grabbing Nic by the hand and running from the store.
Luna made her way over with her nose slightly crinkled. She looked at Ron and then at the door.
"Its time to close. Shall I go get Fred and George?" asked Luna ignoring the fact that Ron was standing covered in green, smelly liquid.
But Fred and George made there way up to the front themselves.
"Who actually was dumb enough to touch the Stinky Suckers?" asked Fred.
"Ron," said George simply upon seeing his youngest brother.
"I thought it was the Sticky Suckers," said Ron trying to wipe the liquid out of his eyes.
"Awful mistake really," said Fred.
"Made it once or twice ourselves," said George.
"But we must be off," said Fred.
"Yes, got a couple of dates tonight. Just make sure you clean up a little for you go. That smell isn't good for business."
"The locking spell is behind the counter," said Fred as both twins apparated away.
"They could have least have helped me clean up a little," said Ron angrily. "I can't believe I forgot my wand this morning."
Ron turned to try to see Luna but she was gone.
"Must have gone home, figures," said Ron still trying to wipe the liquid out of his eyes so he could see properly.
"Here," said Luna from behind him. Ron turned around to see a blurred Luna with towels and a bowl of water.
Carefully she wiped off the liquid from Ron's face and then handed him the towel.
"Er, thanks," said Ron awkwardly as he wiped up his shirt the best he could.
"I can't believe I did that in front of those girls. I must look a real mess."
"Actually I think green's a nice color on you," said Luna as she started to clean the floor.
The two worked in silence for a while and finally the store was clean and they were ready to go.
"I guess its time to go," said Ron grumpily.
"What are you upset at now?" asked Luna.
"Just going back there to see them."
"Oh, them. Well, you don't have to worry about that any more," said Luna examining the locking spell.
"What do you mean," asked Ron studying her.
"Harry and Hermione have decided not to be "together" around you. I heard them talking last night."
"They really said that?" asked Ron incredulously
"Yes they did. It must be nice." said Luna walking towards the door, taking out her wand.
"What must be nice?"
"That two people would risk their happiness just to make you feel better. Here you use my wand to lock the door," said Luna handing Ron her wand and opening the door.
Ron followed her out and locked the door after he shut it as he thought to himself. "Are they really risking their happiness for me?"