Fated Lovers

Ronald Weasley was an unlucky fella. 

If being the sixth son of a known family was a heavyweight on Ron, being the less unique son of such family was even worse. 

He didn't want to compare himself but it was quite difficult not doing it in a school where most of his siblings were memorable students. 

It was the first week at school and every single professor who read his surname on the list mentioned one of his relatives. ‘How’s Bill doing? I've heard he's working as a curse breaker at Gringotts!’ or ‘Is your brother Charlie still working with dragons? He was always a fearless boy!’, were common phrases he would hear from any teacher or older students. Percy, Fred and George were still at Hogwarts when he began so the comparisons were always present. 

Percy wanted to become Minister of Magic one day, he was strict, he followed all the rules and, as he was a prefect at Hogwarts. "That boy is ambitious and perseverant.”, was something teachers would often say. 

Ronald believed he would be more likeable than Fred and George at school, but the truth was, those two pranksters were loved by almost every single teacher and student. The compliments went from funny to intelligent, including things like ‘They would be extremely successful if they had their own business, their creativity knows no limits.’

Even his sister, who wasn't even at school, was sometimes brought up in conversation, because his parents had made a lot of fuss once they finally got the girl they always wanted. 

Once he finally began to make a name for himself, it wasn't as good as he expected. ‘Harry Potter’s sidekick’, was how people regarded him. He wasn't the most intelligent boy, and many times he would use Hermione's notes to finish his homework, because he didn't have any. As he grew older, Ronald got used to that, and he decided he would use his lack of talent and uniqueness to his own advantage. He didn't need to be intelligent having Hermione as a friend, and he didn't need to be popular having Harry by his side.
And soon, he was just Ron. There was still someone there who didn't buy his show, who didn't care who he was friends with, because he could read right through him. Draco Malfoy knew exactly who Ron Weasley was, and as they were in the same year and rival houses, they despised each other. Malfoy was an only child, rich and powerful, popular and intelligent. He didn't need to be friends with Harry Potter to have people talking about him, and he didn't need Hermione Granger to pass an exam. For that reason, and because Malfoy himself wasn't very nice towards him either, Ron hated him. He hated him so much that if he was talented enough to win him in a duel, physical or magical, he would beat the hell out of him. 

It was during his 6th year, he found out  Hermione liked him. At first he thought it was a joke, but then, something surged inside of him. She wasn't a popular girl, but he had seen her at the Yule Ball, and she had… potential. She could be beautiful when she wanted. 

He had more experience than her, he had been in a short relationship with Lavender Brown in 4th year, and he had been with a few girls during the following year. Hermione hadn't been with anyone. Well, according to her, she hadn't. Ron was almost entirely sure she must've done something with Victor Krum, he was a Quidditch Star, there was no way they had just danced. Once he had several people telling him to try and date Hermione, he finally asked her out, and of course she said yes. Their relationship was weird. 

Hermione wasn't affectionate and passionate as Lavender was, love for her was more intellectual, if that makes sense. And in Ron's case, intellect was everything but sexy. Hermione enjoyed long sessions of studying while all he wanted were long sessions of love making. She wanted to go on dates to museums, libraries, historical places both from the magical and Muggle world, and he couldn't forget his dates with Lavender, which consisted of cute picnics that ended with making out on a blanket. 

He loved Hermione but he missed the way Lavender made things easier for him. With Lavender, Ron’s ways were always right, his plans were always perfect and there was not a single no. With Hermione, things had to be thought of beforehand, his plans always lacked common sense and there were a lot of no’s. 

Five months into their official relationship, Ron gave up to his internal struggles and decided that if he couldn't get Hermione to do the things his way, he would at least look for Lavender one last time, so he could feel great, needed, wanted again. 

It was just a one night stand, that was the original plan. He wanted to fulfil one fantasy, which involved sex in the depths of the forbidden forest, and of course, Hermione had said ‘There's no way, Ronald. If there's anything more degrading than to be caught having sex in public, that would be to tragically die while doing so.”

It was the last drop on his glass of patience, that same night he owled Lavender and they spent the night together. But, he liked the risk. He enjoyed being with Lavender while Hermione read her boring Potions books sitting at her boring favourite spot in the library. He felt good, having two girls to choose from. He felt great, loved, wanted, needed. 

Lavender was in love with him, but not only that, she fucking worshipped him. With her, he didn't feel like the least interesting of the Weasley. He thought about leaving Hermione, one day, but he soon vanished the idea, knowing she was the best for his ego. Having the most intelligent girl in the whole school on his side was like a Quidditch trophy. She was never interested in boys, so people thought ‘Ron must be good somehow if she likes him.’. 

He kept going until one day, he was caught. He felt stupid but deep inside, he didn't regret it. Even more, he felt like Hermione was being over dramatic the moment she broke up with him. He never thought she would be capable of doing that, he thought she loved him enough to forgive him and forget about it.  God, she didn't even want to fulfil his fantasies, why would she get mad then? 

And now, having seen her team up with fucking Draco Malfoy was even worse. He knew she was playing, Malfoy had always been his enemy and Harry's rival, therefore hers as well. 

The thing that angered Ron the most, wasn't the fact she paired up with Malfoy for potions, nor the stupid cocky look on Malfoy's face, or even the fact they won the bloody competition. What filled him up with rage was the sole thought that Malfoy was a better match for her than he ever was. It made him crazy. 

One evening he was sitting in the dining hall with Neville and Harry. They overheard some people talking about ‘Granger’, and it piqued Ron's curiosity when he heard the mention of Malfoy.

He asked Potter about it, who was completely unaware of everything, and Neville coughed a few times before finally talking.

“I don't think they are dating”, he said. “Luna and I saw them talking at the library, and it's true they were completely focussed on the topic they were discussing… Yet, I didn't see any loving signs.” 

“The topic?”, Ron asked. “I need more information, Neville.” 

“I don't know, Ron!”, he exclaimed. “Luna and I were sitting there and we just thought it was curious to see them talking. I think it was about ointments.” 

Ron's basic mind travelled to all the worst places, while Harry figured out what it could be about, “Maybe they were discussing a Muggle book.”

Ron snapped, “Why Malfoy, out of everyone out there, would discuss a Muggle book with Mione?”

“Maybe he's actually interested in her.” Luna's soft voice interrupted their conversation. She sat down next to Neville and hugged his waist. She noticed Ron was about to say something, to complain probably about that idea. “Let me remind you, Ronald. You fucked up pretty bad.”

“I already know that, Lovegood!”, he tensed. “But there's no single way Malfoy would be interested in her, he's been calling her a filthy mudblood since first year. He must be thinking how to use her.” 

Luna sighed. “People change Ronald. I'm not Malfoy's advocate here, but we saw them talking and if you ask me, I saw the chemistry. On both sides.”, Ron's face was as red as his hair, his arms and shoulders tensing up at the thought, his fist pressed against the table. Luna continued, “Still, if you ask whether I think they are dating or not, my answer is no.” 

Luna's point of view didn't leave Ron satisfied. After they finished eating he began interrogating students from all houses, trying to gather more information on their actual relationship. He even forgot about Lavender, who was waiting for him at the astronomy tower. He couldn't leave things be, if Hermione was going to be with someone else, that wouldn't be Malfoy. He had always surpassed him in every single aspect of his life, this wouldn't be one more. He would do anything in his power to prevent that. 

He gathered some data. Malfoy and Granger usually hung out three times a week at the library. They used the same spot, and they sat one next to the other while reading in silence. According to some students, Malfoy would sometimes look at her, brush her hair behind her ear or remind her to sit straight. Hermione would sometimes rest her hand on his thigh or tell him one or two ‘interesting’ and probably boring facts about the book she was reading, as Malfoy listened (or pretended to listen) carefully.

One thing that caught Ron's attention was the amount of Muggle topics they'd talk about regularly. Students said she could be sometimes found explaining Muggle subjects to a very, extremely interested Malfoy. This was the thing that Ron hated the most. The Malfoy he knew hated muggles, there was no way he would enjoy a ‘filthy mudblood’ lecturing him about Muggle stuff.

He was the Muggle-friendly wizard. Not Malfoy. His whole family was hated for their acceptance toward Muggles and Half-bloods, and a lot of that hatred came from families like Malfoy and Black. There was no other explanation for Malfoy's attitude than him trying to use Granger for his own benefit. Maybe he and his family wanted to know about Muggles in order to destroy him. Maybe he was trying to lure her into trusting him so he could torture the hell out of her. Or maybe, he hated Ron so much that he wanted to steal his girlfriend. 

There was one thing Ronald Weasley was way too sure about, he wouldn't let Malfoy get away with whatever he was planning to do.