Chocolate Frog Earrings

Chocolate Frog Earrings

Ron Weasley always felt slightly uncomfortable at fancy parties and Malfoy's fancy parties were the worst.

Although his dress robes were brand new he always felt like he was still wearing those old, used robes he had had to wear in his 4^th year at the Yule Ball.

If it were up to him, he would rather die than show up at Malfoy's party. Unfortunately, it was not up to him because - as his team captain had reminded him thousand times this week -Quidditch players, especially the famous ones, were expected to attend all major society events. They owed it to their fans, and their sponsors of course.

"Damn publicity!" Ron thought as he surveyed the room looking for familiar faces.

He spotted Luna Lovegood almost instantly and quickly looked away, afraid she might notice him. "I hope I'll succeed in avoiding her most of the evening." He was not deluded enough to think he would be able to avoid her the WHOLE evening. That girl would find him even if he hid in the toilet for the rest of the evening. He smiled a bit imagining a completely unfazed Luna entering a crowded men's toilet.

He finally spotted Harry lurking in one of the dark corners and rushed to join him, carefully avoiding the place where Luna was standing.

"Hi, Harry," Ron said when he finally reached him after a few careful manoeuvres across the room.

"Ron," Harry acknowledged his best friend's presence.

"Have you seen anyone else?" Ron asked.

"Well, Luna is right over there," Harry nodded in the direction where Luna was standing.

"Yeah, I spotted her the moment I walked in the room," Ron sighed.

"Well, she is kind of hard not to notice," Harry said looking at Luna's bright blue robes and a pair of Chocolate Frogs she wore instead of earrings.

"Don't look at her," Ron warned him, "she'll come over here if she sees you."

"Too late," Harry said.

A look of terror crossed Ron's face and he started searching for the fastest escape route.

"Only joking," Harry grinned.

"Don't ever joke about that kind of stuff," Ron was visibly relieved, "you almost gave me a heart attack, Harry."

Hermione and Ginny joined them half an hour later, but were more than happy when Seamus and Dean came to ask for a dance because - strangely - they didn't find conversation about Chudley Cannons newest game tactics as interesting as Harry and Ron did.

After couple of hours of detailed discussion about Quidditch, Harry and Ron noticed that their mouths had gone dry. They headed for the bar with Ron leading the way, carefully avoiding Luna.

When they finally reached the bar, Ron ordered two bottles of Butterbeer and handed one to Harry. He took a large gulp and nearly choked on it when he noticed Luna approaching them. He needed to run away but he was trapped: if he wanted to get to the nearest door he would have to pass Luna.

There was only one option left and as much as he hated dancing, it seemed better than talking to Luna. He turned to his left and asked the person standing next to him "Want to dance?"

Fortunately, the person next to him was female but unfortunately, that female was Pansy Parkinson. He hesitated only for a moment. She was his only hope, not waiting for her answer, Ron pushed his bottle in Harry's hands and dragged Pansy straight to the dance floor.

"What do you think you're doing, Weasley?" Pansy asked looking slightly displeased.

"Dancing," suggested Ron.

"I see," Pansy said as she noticed Luna approaching Harry.

"So... how is your love life, Weasley?" Pansy asked.

"I am unattached for the moment. Are you interested, Parkinson?" Ron flashed Pansy his most dashing smile.

"Don't even try to go there, Weasley," Pansy threatened with a smile.

*************

Down by the refreshments table Harry was greeting Luna.

"Hello Luna," he smiled.

"Hello Harry, how are you?" Luna smiled back.

"Good. Quite good actually," Harry lied, aware that Luna would see right through him, but would not push the matter further.

"And how is Ronald?" she asked trying to smile but not quite succeeding.

"Dense as usual when it comes to women," Harry gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I have waited for him to get over Hermione," Luna watched Ron dancing with Pansy.

"I realised that," Harry followed Luna's gaze.

"I am still waiting," Luna continued.

"I know you are Luna," Harry didn't know what to say.

"Do you think he will ever realise?" Luna looked Harry straight in the eyes.

"I certainly hope so," Harry squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"Do you want to dance with me?" Harry held out his right arm.

"I would love to," Luna took his offered hand, her dreamy smile back in place.

*************

As soon as Ron noticed Harry dancing with Luna, he did his best to put as much distance as he could between himself and Luna. Harry frowned but let him get away with it. However, he kept his eyes on Ron at the same time chatting with Luna about work.

As the song was nearing its end Harry carefully led Luna closer to the place where Ron and Pansy were dancing. When Ron finally noticed what his so-called best friend was up to, it was already too late. The song finished and before he could make a hasty retreat Harry cornered him.

"Change of partners," Harry suggested smiling mischievously.

"No!" shouted Ron and Pansy with identical expressions of horror.

"I'm afraid that this time I'm not taking no for an answer," Harry snatched Pansy's hand leaving Ron alone with Luna.

"He will pay for this," thought Ron reluctantly taking Luna's hand in his.

He glared at Harry over Luna's shoulder but Harry pretended not to notice him.

"How are you, Ronald?" asked Luna.

He stopped glaring at Harry to look at Luna.

"I'm fine," he snapped at her and regretted his behaviour instantly.

"And how are you?" Ron tried to mend the situation

"I'm fine. Nice of you to ask, Ronald," she replied.

Ron didn't know what else he could say and Luna seemed unwilling to continue her efforts to make conversation so they danced in silence.

Even Ron couldn't help noticing Luna's unusual behaviour. She didn't even torture him into conversation about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and for a brief moment it looked like his rude demeanour hurt her.

He somehow always managed to be extremely rude to her. It wasn't like he intended to be rude, but she knew how to hit his nerve every bloody time. Calling him Ronald was more then enough to make his blood boil. The only worst thing she could do was to call him Ronald Billius.

However, his behaviour never seemed to bother her before.

He looked at her confused, trying to figure her out. She looked at him and he noticed that her eyes were blue, like... well, a really blue shade of blue. Luna sighed and put her head on his shoulder, her action making Ron suddenly strangely aware of the things around him.

Her hand was small and warm. It trembled slightly in his, like a frightened bird. He squeezed it gently to stop its trembling. Her small breasts were brushing his chest. Her hair tickled his nose. She smelled like chocolate and Ron Weasley realised how hungry he was.

He hadn't had time for dinner before he got to the party. He only ate three slices of Shepherd's Pie before coming.

And he was so busy avoiding her for the most of the evening, that he didn't even remember to help himself to any of the delicious food laid out on the tables. Malfoy was a bastard but - as he liked to brag - he was a creature with impeccable taste in everything, including food.

Ron was so hungry he could eat a hippogriff, right now. Or a Chocolate Frog.

Luna's chin was digging into Ron's shoulder. He backed away and she lifted her head looking at him. All Ron could see was a big shiny Chocolate Frog dangling from her left ear. He couldn't look away; he was drawn to it as if he was under the Imperius curse.

He leaned closer, and bit Frog's right leg off. Chocolate melted in his mouth, overwhelming his senses. He couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to; instead he bit the other leg off. Luna giggled softly while he continued to nibble on the chocolate.

Soon enough there was only Frog's head left. Being so close to Luna Ron could see how the Frogs were attached to her ears, it looked like the Frog was biting Luna's earlobe.

"Must be some spell," Ron thought bending down to finish the Frog, "she was always very inventive."

He took his time with the Frog's head, nibbling it slowly. Suddenly he nipped into something entirely different. Luna froze in place, but Ron hardly noticed, his only goal to eat all the chocolate. He couldn't nibble it anymore because he might accidentally bite Luna. So he licked the melting chocolate from her ear and when all the chocolate was gone Ron didn't stop. He continued to lick and nibble Luna's ear because, in some strange way, she tasted even better than chocolate.

"If you were a Bertie Bott's, you would be my favourite flavour," he whispered in Luna's ear.

His lips trailed down her slender neck nibbling and kissing because like chocolate, she was addictive. His fingers travelled up her arm raising fine hairs where they passed. His lips traced the soft line of her jaw. His hand cupped the back of her neck. He rained kisses on her cheeks, her temples and eyelids.

Suddenly he backed away and looked at her. He saw her slightly red earlobe, red traces where his stubble had scratched her neck and her trembling lips. Then he looked into her eyes and for the first time in the nine years he had known her, he understood why she had always called him Ronald.

And then he kissed her, pressing her body close to his; trying to tell her with his kiss that he finally understood why she was always getting on his nerves.

He poured everything into that kiss, wanting to tell her that he finally understood and he was sorry because he always acted like a fool around her, not caring that all the eyes in the room are on two of them and that the musicians have stopped playing some time ago.

Her mouth opened inviting him inside, her tongue caressing his, telling him that she understood everything he was telling her.

The End

Author's Notes: Thanks to my lovely (and brilliant) beta Tenar. All the credits for Ron eating Luna's Chocolate Frog Earrings idea go to cyropi, who used very similar idea in her fic "That Which Could Never Be". I would like to thank her one more time for inspiring me and letting me use her idea.

Here is some background for this story. The year is 2000 and something, Harry defeated Voldemort (but still has some issues I will not get into), Ron is a famous Keeper for Chudley Cannons, and Pansy was not a Death Eater.