Michelle

Chapter Four

A Meeting

To put it kindly, Ron felt like crap.

Of course, having the worst luck in the world, he wasn't altogether surprised. Who else in the entire world could have upset their girlfriend and best friend in a day?

No, in less than a day. In a span of about four hours.

And, also, he had broken his wand.

Again.

He was so mad, so bloody mad, that any day like this could have gone so wrong. But now, as he reflected upon the day, it wasn't too bad, now that he was alone, without another Weasley, Granger, or Potter, strolling along the people-filled streets of Diagon Alley. He had meant to Apparate to Hogsmeade, but as there were a lot of things on his mind, he instead landed up in Diagon Alley. Ron did that sometimes. Not that he was proud of it, but having landed on top of a little old lady in the Leaky Cauldron....That was embarrassing. Very embarrassing. Ron's wand had flown out of his hand and landed on the floor. And Tom, the old barman, had stepped on it, with a sickening crunch. Ron had nearly died from shame - what would he tell his mum? - when he remembered that he was in Diagon Alley. His bank vault was here - no worries! Cheeks flaming, he had exited the bar, picking up the broken pieces of his wand and throwing them away in a trash bin.

Presently, Ron was just emerging from Ollivander's; Mr. Ollivander had returned to his shop two years previously, badly shaken but alive. It appeared that he had been taken by Death Eaters and held captive for two years; he was released when You-Know-Who was killed.

Ron held his new wand up and examined it - thirteen inches, yew, with the heartstring of a dragon. Good for Charms, Mr. Ollivander had said. Well, he wasn't very good at Charms, but it didn't matter - it was his wand, his own new one. Carefully he pocketed it and took off for the Leaky Caldron.

Humming to himself, Ron didn't notice where he was going until it was too late.

He suddenly connected with something soft and stumbled, his arms laden with several packages (he had picked up a few books about Quidditch and half a pound of candy).

"What are you doing?"

Ron righted himself and found himself facing a girl. A very tall and pretty girl. She was wearing periwinkle robes (Ron felt a twitch of embarrassment; Hermione had worn that same color to the Yule Ball), a pink skirt, and a purple shirt. She was wearing white high-tops and didn't appear to have any socks on. Her hair was light brown, straight, and chest-length; she had pretty peach-colored hair; and beautiful, sparkling, clear blue eyes. Ron gasped; her beauty had taken his breath away.

"What's wrong?" she asked, speaking in a voice that tinkled like bells.

"Uh...nothing!" Ron said, grimacing inwardly.

"Then...why did you gasp?" she asked.

"Uh...no reason..." Ron felt his cheeks reddening and said, "Uh...I'm Ron Weasley. What's your...name?"

The girl smiled. "Michelle. Michelle Gilmore."

"Very pretty...name, I mean."

"Thanks."

"I'm really sorry about that!" Ron burst out. "I wasn't looking where I was going!"

"Oh...well...that's okay." Michelle turned to leave, but Ron couldn't contain himself.

"Would you like to come home and have dinner with me and my family?!"

Michelle turned, her beautiful features carved in a frown. "Why?"

"Because...I want to make it up to you and...and...I wanna be your boyfri - friend." He had almost said boyfriend. He hardly knew her!

"Oh...well, if you put it that way..." Michelle smiled. "Yes. I accept."

"Great," Ron said happily. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"I'm nineteen...did you go to Hogwarts?"

Michelle nodded vigorously. "Yeah, I just graduated. I was in Ravenclaw."

"Oh, then you must have been pretty smart."

"I...I guess I was. Yes. I was - top of the class." Ron couldn't help noticing that Michelle was restraining the pride in her voice.

"I was in Gryffindor," Ron said. "C'mon, I'll buy you a drink at the Leaky Caldron."

"Oooh, thanks, Ron!" Michelle squealed. Together, the two teens hurried to the Leaky Caldron.

"Ah, Ronald! Sorry about earlier," Tom greeted them as they sat down at a table.

"Oh...yeah...that's okay," Ron replied.

Michelle grabbed his arm and pulled him closer to her. "What happened earlier?" she whispered. Ron felt a fluttery feeling in his stomach as Michelle touched him, but he pushed it away.

"Long story...tell you later," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, pulling away.

"Alright."

"What'll it be?" Tom asked excitedly.

"Uh..." Ron said, realizing he didn't know what Michelle liked.

"Two Firewhiskeys," Michelle said quickly.

"Okey-dokey." Tom bustled away behind the bar to get the drinks.

Ron turned to Michelle, alarmed. "Firewhiskeys?!" he croaked weakly. He had never had a Firewhiskey before, and he didn't want to appear drunk in front of Hermione, Harry, and the rest of the Weasleys.

"Yes, I drink them all the time," Michelle said. Catching sight of Ron's face, she added, "They're not really made out of whiskey. Just a very small amount of alcohol is added, and you have to drink, like, thirty even to get tipsy."

Ron was relieved.

Three Firewhiskeys and one Butterbeer later...

"We'd better get going," Ron said, checking his watch nervously; it was almost four o' clock, and he had to explain everything to his mother.

"Okay," Michelle said, finishing her third Firewhiskey. "We'll be Apparating, then?"

"Yeah." He put a golden Galleon on the table for Tom and he and Michelle exited the pub.

Outside in the crowded Muggle street, Ron found it hard to Apparate inconspicuously.

"Uh...Ron?" Michelle said. "It'll be hard to Apparate with all these Muggles."

"That's what I was thinking..." he muttered. He walked around the Muggle street, finally finding a deserted alley. "Down here!" he hissed to Michelle. They hurried down the alleyway, far away from prying Muggle eyes.

"'K," she said. "Wait! I don't know where your house is...so how will I Apparate?"

"Uh...side-along Apparation," Ron said quickly. "Just...just hold on to my arm..."

Michelle did so, and Ron felt his arm tingle where she touched it. No! You don't love her, Ronald Bilius Weasley! You don't love her! You barely know her! he thought furiously.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," Michelle said nervously. "Are you good at Apparation?"

"Er...not too bad," Ron said honestly. "Hermione's the one..."

"Who's Hermione?" Michelle asked interestedly.

"My former girlfriend." Ron looked at Michelle, eager to change the subject, and asked, "Ready to go?"

She tightened her grip on his arm and Ron closed his eyes, focusing as hard as he could on the woods behind the Burrow. He turned on the spot and felt as though he were being pushed through a pipe...he couldn't breathe...he could hear nothing...invisible pillows were being stuffed against his mouth and nose...

And then, just when he thought he might faint, he could breathe again. His feet felt oddly cold and wet, though. Beside him Michelle gave a terrified squeal and grasped his arm uncomfortably. He slowly opened his eyes and silently swore. Ron had Apparated in the stream.

I am such an idiot, he thought. This is what I get for trying to impress Michelle.

"Er..." Michelle moaned beside him. "You...kinda Apparated in the...er...stream..."

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Michelle," Ron muttered quietly; Michelle didn't appear to have heard him, and she hastily let go of his arm and climbed out of the stream, using her wand to dry off her wet shoes and robes.

"Yeah...sorry about that," Ron said apologetically. He too climbed out of the stream and grinned sheepishly. "I've got a lot of things on my mind right now..."

"Like what?" Michelle's voice was curious, but her eyes were kind. She looked at Ron's old, faded robes, dripping with water, whipped out her wand, and dried them.

"Thanks." Ron gratefully examined his robes and shoes, which were now pleasantly warm and dry. "Well...I broke up with my girlfriend, and my sister broke up with my best friend..."

"Isn't your sister Ginny?" Michelle said, apparently interested.

Ron nodded.

"Who was she going out with?"

"Harry. Harry Potter."

"Oh...really?" Michelle's eyes were suddenly bright, and she smiled. "Wow. I'd love to be going out with Harry Potter, but...I don't know him that well..."

"Yeah, well, he and Hermione are going out now," Ron added.

"Hermione? Hermione Granger? Wasn't she just going out with you? I remember her from Hogwarts! She was soooo smart!" Michelle exclaimed, her eyes shining more brightly. "And you're friends with both of them? Wow..."

"Yeah...well..." Ron shuffled his feet, embarrassed, and looked at the ground. "I don't really know about Harry...we kinda had a big fight and stuff..."

"Don't worry about that, Ron," Michelle said gently. "You'll make up. Luna and I used to fight all the time, but we're still like that." She crossed her middle and pointer fingers and held them up.

"Loony Lovegood?" Ron couldn't help bursting out.

Michelle nodded, a grin playing on her lips.

Ron snorted and turned away quickly. "Sorry."

"It's okay, we all tease her, but I don't think she takes us seriously. After all"--Michelle suddenly dropped her voice to a whisper, as though she thought Luna could hear her right now--"we don't take her seriously." She let out a giggle and grinned.

"Yeah...well...I don't think anyone does..." Ron said, struggling not to burst into laughter.

"You're a funny guy, Ron," Michelle said. "I'm glad I met you."

"Well...uh...yeah, me too, I guess," Ron said, his cheeks suddenly burning.

Even though he wouldn't admit it, even though he knew it was true....

Ron Weasley was falling in love.