New World
Flying! Flying felt to Ron what magic feels like in his veins. It was the feeling of pure abandon, of freedom and of elation. There were better words that would describe what he feels but, well, Ron thought, he was never very good with words. He never knew what to say to cheer someone up, to calm or console someone. More than often, he ended up saying the wrong thing. He shakes his head. He wasn’t going to think about that right now. Right now he was in the air, flying over a forest surrounded on all sides by mountains. He was on a broomstick and he was racing a Romanian Longhorn.
This Longhorn was named Felix and was rather smaller and leaner than his fellow specie-mates, a regular runt of the litter. No surprise, Ron felt some kind of a connection with little, itty-bitty, unlucky Felix. As Ron flew under and over Felix he saw that the wound near Felix’s right temple, where his horn was supposed be, was bleeding again. The wound had opened again and Ron groaned to himself. He flew up near Felix’s face. Felix looked at Ron without turning his head, giving him a side eye.
“Felix! I thought we told you not to scratch your wound!” Ron shouted over the sound of wind in his ears.
Felix looked away as if he understood what Ron was saying and flapped his wing faster, moving away from Ron, ignoring the words.
“Dammit Felix!” Ron shouted as Felix’s wing almost knocked him off the broomstick. Ron went after the dragon.
The dragon started flying downwards towards a clearing Ron knew was right below the trees up ahead. Ron went after the dragon, swearing profusely under his breath. Felix had almost reached the treetops when the sunlight hit his remaining golden horn and reflected right to Ron’s face. He is blinded and moves his hands to shield his face. He doesn’t see the trees that he is approaching at breakneck speed and mutters a silent, “Fuck” before hitting the branches and falling off his broom.
He tumbles through the thicket, hitting his various body parts on the many branches he passes through. He sees the ground coming closer, very rapidly. He heart thumps in panic as he free falls, anticipating a hard landing. He looks at the clearing where a few people are making space for Felix, as the dragon lands. His eyes finds a mane of bushy, brown hair in a blur that never comes but feels a sharp pain at the back of his head just before he passes out.
“Good thing, Felix has taken a liking to your boyfriend or Ronnie would have ended up with a lot more damage than just a concussion,” Ron heard Charlie talking. Ron came to and felt a horrible throbbing in his head. He kept his eyes shut but tried to sit up.
“Last I remembered, I was your brother too, right? Or is the concussion messing with my head?” Ron muttered. His head didn’t hurt but felt really heavy. Ron opened his eyes slowly and saw he was in the infirmary. His was the only occupied bed, which was unusual. Charlie was next to him and Vivian was sitting on the bed near his feet. But Ron looked around to spot the bushy hair. He couldn’t find it.
“How do you feel?” Viviane asked Ron. Ron noticed, she didn’t look at him.
“Umm… I feel fine? I think. What happened? How many bones did I break?”
“Not one. Felix caught you just as you reached the ground, but you ended up hitting your head hard. You can thank Felix later,” Charlie said as he yawned.
“About Felix, his wound has opened up again. I think he is scratching it still. It was bleeding. We need to do something about it,” Ron said urgently. Charlie sat up straighter. He looked concerned.
“I’ll let Stefan know, you should rest,” Charlie said as he got up and stretched. He started leaving.
“Charlie. Umm.. is anyone from home here?” Ron asked urgently. He barely stopped himself from saying her name. Charlie smiled knowingly. Ron looked at Viv and realised she is looking resolutely at the window.
“Home? No? Why? Who?” Charlie asked innocently.
“Ok.. I thought I saw Her… Harry before I fell,” Ron said in a small voice but now that he thought about it, why would she be here? She stepped on his heart pretty brutally making it clear she didn’t want to be with him. Why would she be here then? He felt Viv stiffen and get up. Ron thought she is going to leave but she took the chair Charlie had just vacated.
“Harry or Er-my-neeee?” Charlie was laughing. Ron was horrified. He looked at Viv who finally looked at him.
“You were taking her name while you were out,” Viv said as she looked at him questioningly.
Ron felt his ear burn. Heat was crawling up his neck to his face. Apparently this is something that he does whenever he is passed out. Charlie chuckled and left muttering a “good luck” at Ron.
“Oh. Did I? I don’t know why I would… actually Viv I thought I saw her when I fell. I think that’s why she was on my mind,” Ron ended lamely. Viv nodded.
“I think you saw Elena’s sister. She was visiting today. I’ll let you rest,” Viv said as she got up.
“I am sorry Viv,” Ron said in a small voice.
Viv stopped and heaved a long sigh. She laid down next to Ron. Ron was taken aback but made space for her on the small bed. She put her head on his chest and Ron wrapped his hand around her shoulder, holding her close. He felt relieved that she was not sulking or shutting him out. But that was what he liked about Viv. She never held anything back. What she felt is how she was with you. If she was angry, she would be angry with you. She wouldn’t keep things bottled up and then give you the cold shoulder and then explode at you after a few months. By which time, Ron would have completely forgot the reason for the anger itself. Ron had never met anyone like Viv. He hugged her even closer.
“I know I’m an ass but I really am sorry Viv. I wasn’t doing it on purpose,” Ron pleaded.
“I know. I know, it’s ok” Viv responded. Her words were giving Ron hope but her tone was resigned. His heart sank. “I’m not stupid, I know you are still in love wit..”
“I am not! I mean I love her but I am not in love with her. I am not hung up on her. I don’t think. Look its just I thought it was her in the paddock today and I said what I said. She has moved on. I have too. I am with you and I really like you.”
“I think I love you Ron.”
Ron was stumped. Viv wasn’t looking at him. This was probably the first time he has seen Viv blushing and she was giving the Weasleys a run for their (little) money. Ron heard her clearly but still thought he should pretend otherwise. But he knew how tough it is to say it out loud to someone and didn’t want to get Viv more uncomfortable than she already was.
“Why did you say that? ” Ron asked finally.
“What?” Viv finally looked at Ron.
“Nothing,” Ron mumbled.
She suddenly jumped off the bed to her feet. She looked mad.
“Why? Why did I say I love you? Gosh I wonder why? It couldn’t be because I actually love you, can it? It has to be some joke, right? Cause Viv couldn’t love someone can she? I know I come across like a brash, bratty troublemaker but I can still love.” Ron was taken aback. She had taken it completely wrong. He was even more alarmed by the fact that her eyes were brimming with tears. He got up and tentatively approached her.
“That’s not what I meant Viv,” Ron hugged her and she let him. She buried her head in his chest. “I just don’t think you… you… love me.”
“I do and it’s not up to you to decide,” Viv said fiercely. She was looking up right in his eyes. Ron felt like he should say it back to her. He opened his mouth a few times but the words just wouldn’t come. His heart was blocked and the face that he could see when he thought of love was not hers. What the bloody hell was wrong with him? Viv’s face fell. She shrugged his arms off and stepped back.
“You don’t have to say it back, I don’t expect that just because I have said it you would magically start feeling the same way about me. It’s not fair...”
“I really really do like yo…” Ron’s words are cut off as Viv flings herself forward and kisses him. He kisses her back wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer.
“I told you, you don’t have to say it back. I just needed to let you know.” She says against his lips. He kisses her with passion now. She was honestly the coolest girl he knew. He just couldn’t fathom how she could be into him.
He really did like her a lot. But there was a place in his heart that belonged to someone else. No one could get there, not even Viv. But she doesn’t need to know that now. She needs him right now. And he will be there. With her, for her, however she needs him. Maybe he needs to get over that bushy mane of brown hair. Maybe he needs Viv more than she needs him.