I Choose You

I Choose You

Ron ran down the corridor toward charms class. As he rounded the corner he slammed into someone. The two landed on the ground with a hard thunk. Ron sat up and looked around to see whom he had run into. Sitting on the floor, rubbing his forehead was Harry. Ron blushed to the roots of his hair and stood up. "Sorry about that mate... I was late," Ron said as he extended a hand to Harry to help him up.

"I can see that," Harry said dryly as he grabbed the hand Ron had offered.

As Harry grasped his hand, Ron felt a jolt of electricity move through his body. Touching Harry always had that effect on him. A casual brush of their hands was enough to turn Ron's knees to jelly. Ron guarded this secret well. He knew that there was no way that Harry would ever think about him like that. Ron sighed and looked into Harry's deep green eyes. He came out of his daydream when he saw that Harry was staring at him curiously. "Are you ok Ron?" he asked, concern tingeing his voice.

"Y-Yeah..." stuttered Ron.

"Charms has been canceled... Professor Flitwick said we were up to speed for the OWLS and it was the last day of classes before Christmas break anyway so he let us leave." Harry looked at Ron again... Upon closer inspection he realized that his friend had dark circles under his eyes and they were bloodshot. It looked as if he hadn't slept in days. "Ron, are you sure you're ok?"

Before Ron could answer Ginny came up behind Harry and put her hands over his eyes, "Guess who?" she squealed.

"Professor McGonagall? No, that's not it. Ummmm... Hagrid? NO! I got it! Professor Snape."

Ginny laughed uncontrollably. Harry turned around and gave his girlfriend a hug and a kiss. When the two of them turned around again, Ron was gone.

****

Ron ran down the marble staircase and out the oak door onto the grounds and all the way to the Quidditch pitch. Tears were streaming down his face and the cold wind blew his clothes around and made his teeth chatter. He didn't care... All he wanted to do was get as far away from Harry and Ginny as was humanly possible. He sat down on the frozen ground right in the middle of the field. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his head on them. Hugging himself tightly to try and ward off the cold he sat there rocking back and forth sobs raking is thin body as the snow came swirling down around him.

****

Harry and Ginny walked back to the Gryffindor commons room hand in hand. When they didn't find Ron there they got worried so they set out to search for him. Harry went to search the grounds and Hagrid's hut and Ginny was to check the castle.

As Harry approached the Quidditch Pitch he could clearly make out a black form on the ground with flaming red hair curled up in a ball. Harry ran to the middle of the field and knelt down next to Ron. The snowstorm was raging now but Harry was too worried about Ron to care. "Ron... RON!" Harry had to yell to be heard, "ARE YOU OK?"

Ron moved his head and looked up at Harry. His eyes widened in surprise and he stood up. His whole body was shaking from the cold. Harry took him by the arm and led him into the locker rooms. After they had closed and locked the door Harry used his wand to dry Ron and himself off and conjure a small fire to warm themselves up with. Ron sat down on one of the benches and looked at his feet. Harry stood and looked down at Ron. "What were you doing outside without your cloak in the middle of the worst snowstorm Hogwarts has had in a decade?" Harry said, somewhat harsher than he meant to.

"What are you my mother?" Ron asked, annoyed.

"No," Harry said calmly, "I'm just really worried about you. So is Ginny."

"Why do you have to bring my sister into this?" Ron asked despairingly.

"Why are you mad at Ginny?" Harry asked confused.

Ron looked up at Harry and sighed. The fear and loneliness were written across his face clearer than the words in any book. "I-I-I don't know where to start," Ron sputtered.

Harry knelt down on the floor and looked Ron in the eye, "What ever it is we can get through this Ron, we've gotten through so much already. It can't be that bad."

Ron shook his head hard, "Nothing like this." He wailed.

Harry was growing impatient, "I can't force you to tell me anything but I thought that as friends we could share anything." Harry stood to leave. Right before he reached the door Ron grabbed him and kissed him hard on the lips. Harry was slightly taken aback by Ron's actions but after a moment he felt something he had never felt before. Kissing Ginny never felt this way, he thought. He relaxed and kissed Ron back. When they broke away from their kiss they both leaned against the wall panting.

"That..." gasped Ron, "was..." he gasped again, "amazing!" Ron breathed.

Harry looked at the floor slightly puzzled, "Ron, that was the best kiss I have ever had," he said honestly, "but what do we do now?"

Ron shook his head, "I don't know. If it weren't my sister I'd say just break up with her and hope she understands but I don't want to see Ginny hurt."

Harry nodded, "Well... I hate to sound like a prat but she is going to Marie's house for Christmas. We don't have to tell her now. We can figure things out and then tell her when the opportunity presents itself."

Ron shrugged, "Any idea is better than no idea" They left it at that and went back into the school.

The students left for Christmas break and that left the Gryffindor tower extremely empty. Only Harry, Ron, and a few younger students whom they didn't know too well were left. Hermione had gone to her parents and the twins had graduated the year before. This meant that Harry and Ron had plenty of time to themselves. Their dormitory became a winter wonderland made for two and they spent the whole break getting to know each other as lovers. Whether it was sitting around the commons room talking until 3am, making out for hours, or just falling asleep in each other's arms, this experience was one Harry didn't want to end. He didn't spend too much time thinking about Ginny. He didn't even wonder why he didn't think about her at all. He just enjoyed his private time with Ron.

The first dose of reality hit the pair of them the day everyone came back to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron were sitting on the floor in front of the fire playing a game of exploding snap when Ginny came bursting into the commons room and flung herself at Harry. Harry patted her on the back somewhat awkwardly. She sat down next to him, "Did you miss me?" she said as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Yeah, Gin," answered Harry. He was nervous and didn't know why. He looked over at Ron and realized that if Ginny didn't leave quickly Ron would probably explode in a fit of jealous rage. Harry stood up and stretched. "Ron, can I have a word upstairs?"

"Sure," said Ron as he stood and followed Harry up the twisted staircase to the boy's dormitory. When they entered their room they found it deserted. Harry sat down on Ron's bed and started thinking out loud.

"This is not going to work. I love you. I never felt like this with Ginny. I don't want her to be hurt but..." he tailed off and looked pleadingly at Ron.

"I know how you feel, love. I wish I had the answer but the truth is generally preferable to lies. I promise I'll protect you from any of my older brothers who feel the need to pound you." Ron sat next to Harry on the bed and gave him a hug, "We'll work through this. And I promise that I won't look too murderous around Ginny."

****

The days passed and try as he might Harry couldn't bring himself to tell Ginny about his relationship with Ron. He tried to act normally around her but it was hard. He always thought he loved her but spending Christmas break with Ron had made him doubt everything. He tried to avoid her. This worked for classes but as they were in the same house it was hard to do after dinner. Days turned into a week and Ginny began to get suspicious.

*****

A week after Christmas she was sitting in her room crying. Marie walked in and saw Ginny lying on her bed hugging a pink stuffed Teddy Bear that Harry had gotten her last year for Valentine's Day. She went over and sat down next to Ginny. She didn't even have to say anything. Ginny just began to sob.

"It's so strange he doesn't show me more affection than he needs. Almost formal... too respectful... never takes romantic leads. There are times when I think I'm not always on his mind. He's not thinking what I'm thinking... always half a step behind... always half a step behind..."

****

Later that same day Harry was getting changed after Quidditch practice. He was supposed to meet Ginny afterward to hang out but he couldn't bring himself to leave the locker room. He sat on the bench that Ron had sat on that fateful day three weeks ago. He looked at the door. That was where they had shared their first kiss. He put his head in his hands and thought, "I'm in every kind of trouble. Can't you tell? Just look at me! Half ecstatic... half dejected... All in all I'm all at sea ... Easy terms I thought I wanted fill me now with chilling dread. You could never know the chaos of a life turned on its head... of a life turned on its head..."

****

Ron was walking to meet Hermione at the library to start studying for the OWLS that he had to take at the end of the year. He was so deep in thought he almost ran directly into Snape who mumbled something about stupid Gryffindors and swept off down the corridor, robes billowing behind him. Ron leaned against the wall near the door to the library and sank to the floor. He opened his book so he could start reading while he waited for Hermione. After staring at the same page for 5 minutes he decided to give up. He leaned his he head against the wall and pondered his dilemma.

"I am certain that I love him but a love can be misplaced. Have I compromised my family in my passion and my haste? I could be his life companion anywhere but where we are. Am I Brother? Am I traitor? Did I take a step too far? Did I take a step to far?"

****

Ginny ran down to the Quidditch pitch intent on her mission. She would get it out of him if it was the last thing she did. She threw open the door to the Gryffindor's locker room to the sight of Harry sitting. She resisted the urge to comfort him. Right now she needed answers. She didn't need to feel sorry for the guy that was causing her so much grief.

"It's so strange you don't show me more affection than you need," she began.

Harry didn't look up at her. He just began to explain, "I'm in every kind of trouble. Can't you tell? Just look at me!"

Not listening to a word he said, she continued, "Almost formal... too respectful... you never take romantic leads,"

"Half ecstatic... half dejected.... All in all I'm all at sea ..."

She was now as lost in thought as he was. They were talking but not to each other. "There are times when I think I'm not always on your mind,"

"Easy terms I thought I wanted fill me now with chilling dread,"

"You're not thinking what I'm thinking... always half a step behind... always half a step behind..." she trailed off and looked at him as if really seeing him for the first time since Christmas. He looked tired. His eyes were puffy from crying.

She knelt down next to him and he continued. "You could never know the chaos of a life turned on its head... of a life turned on its head..."

She lifted his chin up to force him to look her in the eye. "Just tell me what's going on. I promise I won't get mad."

****

Ron had been trying to study for about a half an hour but he couldn't concentrate. Hermione had noticed that something was bothering him but he refused to talk about it so she left him to his thoughts. He stood up very abruptly and muttered something about needing a break. He left her to her books and ran to the dormitory. He knew what he had to do. As much as it would hurt him he had to do it. As much as he would die inside every time he saw them together. He knew he had to break up with him.

Ron entered the commons room and immediately saw Marie sitting on the couch. She glared at him but he ignored it and went up to the dorm he shared with Harry and the other 6^th year Gryffindor boys. When he entered the room Harry was just getting out of the shower. He had just walked out of the bathroom and had a towel wrapped around his waist and was dripping wet. Ron's breath stuck in his throat. This was going to be harder then he thought. Before he could register the huge smile on Harry's face he started rambling, "I am certain that I love you but a love can be misplaced. Have I compromised my family in my passion and my haste? I could be your life companion anywhere but where we are. Am I Brother? Am I traitor? Did I take a step too far? Did I take a step to far?"

"No," Harry replied.

Ron looked up startled. "No? What does that mean?"

"No you are not a traitor and no you didn't take a step too far."

"Harry...I think we should break up. You haven't told Ginny about us yet so it's still not too late to salvage that relationship. I know that I will never..."

Harry interrupted him by pushing him up against the wall and kissing him passionately on the lips. When they broke the kiss Harry looked Ron directly in the eyes and said, "I love you, I want you, and I DID tell Ginny,"

Ron looked at Harry as if torn between love and guilt. "And?" he said raising an eyebrow.

"And," Harry said pinning him against the wall again, ready for another kiss. He leaned into Ron and whispered, "I made my choice. I choose you."