Ron got on the train at the last second. He was almost late. He sighed when he managed to throw himself and his luggage through the train door. He then started looking for Hermione and maybe Harry too.
He knew that Hermione would be back but he didn’t know for sure if Harry would want to be back. After ten minutes he finally find the compartment that Hermione and Harry –yes, Harry was back– in. Hermione was buried in her favorite book Hogwarts: a History and Harry was sleeping at his seat, across from her.
Ron was hesitant about getting in. Him and Hermione had broken up almost a month after the war, when they had realized they didn’t actually love each other. It wasn’t a messy break up –no one dumped anyone– but for Ron, it was still a bit weird to be near Hermione. After all it only had been a couple of months since they broke up and they didn’t really talk to each other ever since.
Ron knew that Hermione wasn’t mad at him or anything but it still felt a bit weird for an unknown reason. So he decided that looking for another compartment would be better. And if he can’t find an available compartment he could always come back.
After another 25 minutes, he was exhausted and the train was coming to an end. Ron seriously considered going back to sit with Harry and Hermione, but since there were only three compartments left he decided that he would at least finish checking them.
First compartment, a bunch of goofy boys that looked like they could be second or third years.
Second compartment, 2 fifth year looking girls and 1 third year looking boy.
Last compartment, just one boy who was looking outside from the window. He looked around 17. ‘Maybe he is a seventh year’ Ron thought to himself. The boy had dark skin and hair. His hair was short and it looked so soft. He was wearing a dark green sweater and a pair of black trousers.
Ron stood there and thought for a minute, considering if he should go back to Harry and Hermione’s compartment. Then he decided against it and opened the door of the compartment.
“Hey can I sit here? Everywhere else is-”
The boy looked at him and Ron immediately realized who he was. Blaise Zabini. A Slytherin. Draco Malfoy’s best friend. A purebl-
No.
Ron wasn’t going to do this. Not again. For all his childhood he lived in his prejudices and that led him to nowhere. Zabi- Blaise being a Slytherin or a pureblood said nothing about his personality. One can guess what kind of a person he is but there is no other way than talking to him to find out for sure. Him being friends with Malfoy might’ve said somethings about him and his personality but judging him by one of his friends and treating him as they are the same person wouldn’t have been fair.
So, when Ron managed to recover from his shock and realized that he has been staring at Blaise –open mouthed– for the past minute, he quickly shut his mouth, cleared his throat, took a deep breath and reopened his mouth to finish his goddamned question.
“Everywhere else is full.”
Blaise looked surprised, maybe a little bit of wary too but mostly surprised. It took him a couple of seconds to recover from his shock too. Ron smiled at Blaise when he nodded his head.
He sat across from him after putting his luggage to the overhead cabinet. He then opened his backpack and took out a pocket of Berty Bott’s Beans and started eating them. All the while the darker skinned boy watching him closely. After sitting in an uncomfortable silence for 5 to 10 minutes, Blaise finally found his voice and started talking.
“What are you doing?”
“Eating snacks...? Want some?”
Blaise furrowed his brows. He looked genuinely confused. He clearly didn’t expect that.
“No I mean, what are you doing in this compartment?”
“I already told you, everywhere else is full.”
“Still, why are you here? You can sit with anyone you want. And your sister and girlfriend are at the train too. I saw them. Why are you not sitting with one of them?”
“First of all, we broke up. So it’s ‘my sister and my friend’. Secondly, I really don’t want to sit with ‘anyone’. I wanted to sit by myself and this compartment is the closest thing to it. And lastly I’m sitting here because I want to. Do you have a problem with that? Because if so, though. You already allowed me to sit here, remember?”
There was something between an amused grin and a warm smile on Ron’s face. He was amused because Blaise looked so shocked and he smiled because he was proud of himself for doing what he just did. Also he wanted to make sure that Blaise knew he came in peace. When Blaise didn’t say anything and kept staring at him for the next 5 minutes, Ron decided it was his turn to break the silence.
“So um… You didn’t answer my question.”
“What question?” Blaise asked after thinking for a couple of seconds. Ron nodded towards the Berty Bott’s Beans packet he was holding.
“You want some?”
Blaise looked confused and surprised, again. Then –finally– he reached out and took a bean he put it in his mouth and spit it out almost immediately. There was a displeased expression on his face. Ron couldn’t help but chuckle at his reaction.
“What was it?”
“Vomit.”
Ron kept chuckling while Blaise glared at him. When he finally stopped Blaise asked him if he was done and he started laughing again. After a while Blaise started laughing too. The two boys kept laughing their asses off for the next couple of minutes. When they finally managed to stop themselves Ron offered Blaise another bean.
“I’m not sure. If I take another one with a shitty flavor, I might throw up.” Said Blaise, only half-jokingly.
“Well, then let me give you one. Trust me I’m an expert at this.”
Blaise looked unsure but accepted Ron’s offer anyway. After digging the packet for a while, Ron finally find one that had a good flavor. He gave Blaise the orangeish beige candy and waited for his reaction. Blaise took the bean warily and observed it in his hand. It looked familiar. He then smelled it and put it in his mouth. His eyes widened when he tasted the flavor.
It has been really long time since he last ate a cinnamon flavored bean. His father used to pick these ones and give them to him. Cinnamon flavor wasn’t really rare but you didn’t find it in every pocket too.
When his father died Blaise stopped eating Berty Bott’s Beans. And he didn’t eat them for a long time. Until his mother married again. To feel closer to his father, he supposed. Cinnamon was both of their favorite flavor. But he couldn’t find any other cinnamon flavored bean since his father’s death. Blaise guessed that they were rarer than he thought and that his father put more effort in finding cinnamon flavored beans than Blaise thought he had.
And this was the first time in years he had eaten cinnamon flavored bean. While sitting in a compartment with a Weasley, going to Hogwarts for his eight year after the second wizarding war and sharing candies with the said Weasley. Blaise couldn’t believe his luck. A couple of years ago he would’ve never think something like this would happen and he would’ve been disgusted if something like this was to happen. But now, it didn’t seem so bad. It didn’t seem bad at all.
Wait-
Was he, a Slytherin, Blaise Zabini, was actually enjoying the company of, a Gryffindor, Ronnald Weasley?
Yes, yes he was.
“Is there any other cinnamon flavored ones?” Asked Blaise excitedly. ‘Just a little too excited for a candy’ thought Ron but looked for it anyway.
“Umm… I’m not sure, let me check.”
After a while he managed to find two other beans.
“Here they are.”
“Thanks.”
Blaise really couldn’t believe his luck. He then gave Ron a lopsided smile and took the beans. Ron could feel his ears’ tips getting red. It only had been a month and a half since he realized he liked guys. He wasn’t sure if he was gay or bisexual or something but he knew for sure that he liked guys too. And Blaise Zabini was surely an attractive guy.
Ron quickly looked outside the window and hoped that Blaise hadn’t seen him blush. But Blaise had seed it he smirked to himself when he saw Ron was blushing. Blaise knew he was pansexual for some time know. Almost two years to be more specific. And making Ronnald Weasley blush made him somewhat happy, for an unknown reason.
“Umm… Is there any other good flavors?” Blaise asked just to talk to the redhead, before he could stop himself.
“Let me check.”
For the rest of the train ride, Ron picked out nice flavors and ate them with Blaise while telling him how to recognize them. Then they talked about school and stuff. About who might be the DADA and transfiguration professors and if they would be any good. Blaise could swear he hadn’t laughed that much in years and he wouldn’t be lying.
So when the train ride came to an end he was a bit sad. He wasn’t sure if Ron would be like that towards him in the school too. He looked down, thinking about the possibility of him and Ron going back to being enemies. But when Ron saw his state he put his hand on Blaise’s upper arm, successfully making him look at himself. Blaise lifted his gaze to be looking at a pair of blue eyes.
“Hey, if you are worried about school then don’t worry. You made a friend even before you got into the school. I’m sure people will like you and if someone gives you a hard time, let me know. Got it?”
Ron had figured Blaise might be nervous about school so he tried to comfort him. But he managed to do more than that. He managed to prove Blaise that he wasn’t going to turn his back on him once they got to the school.
Blaise smiled a sad smile and nodded twice, then they got out of the compartment. But before they got off the train Ron turned to Blaise and said “Just so you know, we are at first name basis from now on.” while smiling. Blaise returned the smile gladly.
“Alright, see you later then. Ron.”
Ron’s smile grew bigger.
“See you later. Blaise.”
Then they got off the train and lost each other in the crowd. Both replaying the moment the other said their name. and both developing a small crush to the other. A small crush that would grew bigger and bigger by every second they will spend with each other.