The Girl Who Had No Choice | 18+

"His smile makes me melt inside"

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Eventually, the laughter from outside faded into the background as they became engrossed in each other's company. Indigo found herself leaning closer to Ron, captivated by his stories of mischief and adventure with his brothers. She couldn't help but admire the way his eyes sparkled when he spoke about the things he loved.

"Do you remember that time we all went to Hogsmeade, and Fred tried to impress that girl by pretending to be a famous wizard?" Ron recalled, chuckling at the memory. "He ended up falling into the fountain instead."

Indigo laughed, picturing the scene vividly. "I do! I thought it was a brilliant plan until he made a complete fool of himself. But you have to admit, he did get her attention—even if it was for the wrong reasons."

Ron grinned, his laughter infectious. "Yeah, and George wouldn't stop teasing him about it for weeks. But you know, that's just Fred. He's always thinking of ways to make things more interesting."

As they continued to share stories, Indigo felt the walls she had built around her heart begin to crumble. She could see a different side of Ron—one filled with dreams and aspirations, and it made her heart swell with warmth.

After a while, the chatter outside grew quiet, and they could hear the sounds of the night—a gentle breeze rustling the leaves outside, the distant sounds of laughter from other tents, and the occasional hoot of an owl. The atmosphere in the tent felt cozy, safe, and intimate.

"Indigo?" Ron's voice broke through her thoughts, and she turned to face him, her heart racing at the sincerity in his tone. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she replied, her pulse quickening.

"Do you ever think about what you want, like really want?" He paused, searching her eyes. "I mean, beyond just school and family expectations. What's your dream?"

Indigo hesitated, taken aback by the depth of his question. She had spent so much time trying to live up to the expectations of her family and keeping up with the image they wanted her to portray. "Honestly? I don't know. I've always been told what I should be. But I want to find my own path, something that feels right for me."

Ron nodded, his expression understanding. "That makes sense. It's tough, especially with our families and their legacies. I want to be more than just another Weasley, you know? I want to make a difference, maybe play Quidditch professionally or... I don't know, just do something that matters."

Indigo smiled softly at his passion. "You will, Ron. You're incredibly talented, and you have a good heart. You'll find your way."

He looked at her, a soft blush creeping onto his cheeks. "And what about you? What if you could do anything, no limits?"

Taking a deep breath, Indigo dared to share a part of herself she had kept hidden. "I've always wanted to travel, see the world beyond the wizarding community. There's so much out there, and I want to experience it for myself. But I'm also scared."

"Scared of what?" he asked gently.

"Of not being enough, of failing. I've seen what my family has done, and I don't want to disappoint anyone," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

Ron reached out, taking her hand in his. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine. "You won't disappoint anyone if you stay true to yourself. You're not your family, and you don't have to be. You're Indigo, and that's more than enough."

Their eyes locked, and in that moment, the air between them thickened with unspoken feelings. Indigo felt a flutter in her chest, a mix of hope and fear. Could this be the moment she had been waiting for?

"Ron..." she began, but before she could finish, he moved closer, his gaze intent.

"Indigo, I—"

Suddenly, the tent flap burst open, and the twins, along with Harry and Ginny, stumbled in, laughter spilling from their lips. "Oi! What are you two doing in here?" Fred exclaimed, a mischievous grin on his face.

Indigo and Ron quickly pulled their hands away, both of them blushing furiously as they tried to regain their composure. "Just... chatting!" Ron said, his voice slightly higher than usual.

"Right, chatting," George echoed, winking at Indigo. "We were just wondering where you two had wandered off to. We thought you were getting cozy!"

Indigo shot Ron a glance, her heart racing. They had almost crossed a line, and now the moment felt lost.

"Come on, let's have some fun!" Ginny said, pulling Indigo up from the sofa. "We're celebrating Krum's win, and you two need to join us!"

Reluctantly, Indigo followed her friends, casting one last glance at Ron. His expression mirrored her own—a mixture of disappointment and unfulfilled longing. But as the laughter and excitement of the gathering enveloped them, she knew that this was not the end of their conversation. It was just the beginning.

As they stepped out into the warmth of the night, Indigo felt a renewed sense of hope. Maybe tomorrow would bring another chance. Maybe tomorrow, she could be brave enough to take the leap.

•••

Once the commotion settled, Indigo found herself unable to sleep. She lay awake, toying with her mother's necklace, her mind racing with thoughts of whether her mother was alive or not. The only tangible connection she had was a single photograph of her mother holding her as a newborn. Watching that image brought warmth to her heart, as it seemed to animate with memories of her mother's smile.

Suddenly, she heard the sounds of shuffling and groaning, prompting her to get out of her bunk. Dressed only in a jumper and pajama shorts, she stepped into the tent's seating area and spotted Ron on the couch, rubbing his stomach. "You okay, Ron?" she asked as she approached and sat beside him.

He jumped slightly at her presence. "I ate too much chocolate... I thought you were asleep," he admitted. Indigo shook her head, noting the slight dilation of his pupils but dismissing it as insignificant. "I was just thinking about my mother," she replied. Ron leaned closer, resting his hand on her bare thigh.

A flutter of butterflies took flight in her stomach at his touch. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, his voice a raspy whisper as if he were just waking. She felt herself melting at his words. 'What is he doing to me?' Indigo mused, a small grin forming on her lips. "It's okay, Ron, I don't want to get all sappy," she chuckled, trying to deflect the intensity of the moment. "You have chocolate on the corner of your lip," she pointed out, hoping to lighten the mood.

As he attempted to wipe it away but missed, Indigo took his hand to help him, their eyes locking for a moment before he suddenly pressed his lips against hers. The surprise left her momentarily stunned, but she quickly surrendered to the softness of his kiss.

Ron took charge, pulling her onto his lap and guiding her hands around his neck, her fingers intertwining in his hair. 'Is this really happening with the boy I've loved for three years?' she thought, feeling a rush of exhilaration. He drew her closer, and she let out a soft moan as he smiled against her lips, his hands drifting to her waist and pulling her legs around him.

Indigo pulled him down onto the couch, positioning him over her. He paused, gazing at her as he caressed her silk pajama bottoms and thighs, biting his lip. When his hand slipped under her shirt, a shiver coursed through her at the sensation of his cold yet gentle touch. As he traced her lips with his thumb, she playfully pushed his hand away and pulled him back down, eager for more.

Indigo guided his hand beneath her jumper, her lack of a bra eliciting a moan as his bare skin met hers. He deepened the kiss, biting her bottom lip and coaxing her mouth open, their tongues intertwining. As she reached for the hem of his jumper, he stopped her, shaking his head with a groan. "Someone's in a rush, huh?" He tucked a strand of her curly hair behind her ear before leaning in again, but they were interrupted by footsteps.

They quickly separated, sitting on opposite ends of the couch as Ginny entered, a mischievous grin on her face. "Wow—Ron, please cover yourself," she teased, covering her eyes. Ron shot up, hurrying to his bunk without a word. 'Was it a mistake?' Indigo wondered, feeling the tension shift.

Ginny, sensing the awkwardness, followed her as she made her way to her bunk. "So... were you two snogging?" she asked, bouncing with excitement. Indigo punched her arm playfully. "What? No, Ginny, that's disgusting!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing.

Ginny feigned disgust but continued to tease. "I heard you two, and I thought I heard a cat purring—turns out it was just your cat," she laughed quietly, retreating to her bunk. "Shh, Ginny, you'll wake Hermione," Indigo said as she climbed back into her own bunk. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up with all your moans," Ginny mocked, imitating her. In retaliation, Indigo threw her pillow at her before settling down to sleep.

That night, Indigo struggled to find rest as thoughts of Ron's lips on hers and their intimate moments replayed in her mind. 'What made him so touchy all of a sudden? Did he enjoy it? Was this a mistake? Does he regret it? Was I too carried away? Ugh, it felt so wrong... but so right at the same time.'

The following morning, Indigo awoke groggy from her restless night, her mind still racing. She noticed the sound of laughter coming from the seating area. After changing, she pulled her bushy hair back into an elastic and stepped outside, only to find Ron absent, which made her think he might be avoiding her.

She joined George, Fred, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione at the table, all of them trying to contain their laughter. "Morning... what's so funny?" she asked, irritation creeping into her voice. "Oh, nothing, just the fact that you drugged Ron," Fred blurted out, eliciting laughter from the group. Indigo was taken aback. "I did no such thing!" she retorted.

"Did you read the box—" George started, and Fred continued, "We tricked you into giving Ron amortentia." She nearly choked on her orange juice at the revelation.

Just then, Ron walked in, acting as if nothing had happened the night before. Indigo's thoughts spiraled, wondering if it had all been a mistake because he might have been under the influence of a love potion. "We were just talking about you, Ron," Harry said with a grin. "All good things, I hope. What's with all the laughter in here?" Ron sat across from Indigo, avoiding eye contact.

"Well, we were just saying how Indigo here—" George began, but before he could finish, Indigo kicked him under the table, eliciting a pained expression. "Ow, that hurt!" he complained. "Good, it was supposed to, you arse," she shot back, sticking her tongue out at him. Ginny chuckled, adding, "Bit childish, isn't it?" Indigo flipped her off in response, still feeling the weight of Ron's gaze.

They exchanged a moment of eye contact, and she noticed his cheeks flush, highlighting his freckles. In an effort to shift the topic, he asked, "Where's Dad? Shouldn't we be going?" Just then, Arthur entered the tent. "Okay, kids, time to pack your bags. We're heading home, and you all go back to school tomorrow."

As everyone began to gather their belongings, Indigo turned to head back to her bunk when Ron caught her hand. "Can we talk about... last night?" he asked, interlacing their fingers, sending her heart racing. "Not now—too many ears," she replied, glancing at George and Fred watching them from their bunk. He nodded in understanding, releasing her hand as his brothers retreated. "Oh, and when we get back, my door is always open for you," Ron grinned, leaving her heart fluttering.

Once back in her bunk, Ginny and Hermione bombarded her with questions. "What did he say?" Hermione asked. "Did he like it?" Ginny added. Indigo shushed them both. "I'll tell you later; he wants to talk about last night." Their excited squeals echoed in the air.

As they said their goodbyes to Amos and Cedric, the latter approached her. "Goodbye, Miss Indie," Cedric said, kissing her hand gently, making her blush. When she glanced at Ron, she noticed a look of jealousy on his face, his fists clenched.

Pulling her hand away politely, she smiled at Cedric. "Bye, Cedric." The group then moved toward the portkey, safely returning to the Burrow.

. . .