Beyond Reasoning

A/N: Thank you to my ever lovely Thevina for the beta and to my fellow BeST members for the discussion of swear words and for the helpful comments!

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Beyond Reasoning

"Ron ..." Her hand gently squeezed his shoulder.

Ron shrugged it off. "Fuck off! Leave me alone, the lot of you!"

"But - Ron!" Of course she'd have the audacity to sound offended at his swearing.

Ron whirled around. "No, Hermione, it doesn't work like that! I came here for an evening amongst friends, and all said friends can think of is asking me stupid questions about my relationship with Remus!" His voice had risen to dangerous levels, and his face was so red, his head looked ready to explode!

Silence descended. After a while, Hermione whispered in a very small voice, "Ron, I'm sorry." Ron felt a strange satisfaction at her cringing, fearful expression. He glared at her.

"Really, I'm sorry. I didn't think -"

"Didn't think?! Oh, come on, Hermione! Just answer me this, and be honest. Would you have asked the same questions if it had been another girl, or maybe even a guy my age? Would you?"

Hermione looked down at her feet. Ron thought he'd never get an answer and made to leave the room, just go home, when he heard her quietly replying, "No, I don't think I would have. Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry; that was so incredibly insensitive of us. Please -"

"We're just like everyone else, Hermione; no more, no less," Ron replied coldly. "Pass that on to the others as well, would you? Because I'm going home now."

One final glare, and he stalked out of the room, swiftly making his way over to the fireplace. He threw a handful of Floo powder into the flames and shouted, "Lupin cottage!", ignoring Harry and Ginny who hovered uncertainly nearby.

He burst out at his destination, kicked the pile of logs next to the fireplace for good measure and rushed out into the garden. He stopped, shaking with anger, and stared up at the stars. He took what he hoped would be calming deep breaths.

Ron could feel Remus behind him. Questioning fingers touched his arm. He shrugged his arm out of Remus's reach and took a few steps away from him. He really needed room to breathe right now. He could feel his anger still bubbling very close to the surface. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to have a go at Remus, just because he was there, because he wouldn't be so pissed off if it wasn't for him.

"Ron?" Remus questioned quietly.

He knew it wasn't Remus's fault, knew that he wasn't being fair, but Ron just didn't care. He was boiling with anger.

"Don't, Remus! Just don't!" Ron growled.

He sensed Remus stepping closer. Why wouldn't he just leave him alone? He could be so infuriating! Ron whirled around and glared. Remus met his angry grimace with a smile. A smile! The prick, it was all his fault anyway! Ron shoved Remus back, hard enough to make him stumble. The smile was replaced with disbelief and - what he would later realise- hurt. Ron didn't care. He turned and stomped out of the garden.

~*~

Ron crept quietly into the bedroom, feeling ashamed, and silently cursing his Weasley temper. He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at Remus's shoulder.

"Remus, why don't they understand that we're just like everyone else?"

"Are we?" The reply came almost immediately. Remus had been waiting for him to return. After what he'd done, he had still waited for him. Ron cringed. "What happened, Ron?"

"I'm sick of them questioning us, sick of it! It's not that hard to understand ... or is it? They know us, why do they have to question our motives? And what gives them the right to ask questions they never dared asked when it was me and Hermione? I fucking hate it!"

Remus sat up. "I see." He didn't quite meet Ron's eyes.

"Look, Remus, I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have yelled at you, let alone shoved you. I just lost it. I'm sorry." Why couldn't he have just told Remus to leave him alone instead? Too late now, of course, but that didn't make it any better. What a load of shit he'd got himself into! Friends being arseholes and now he'd managed to upset Remus, too. Well done, Ron! Just brilliant ...

Ron found himself enveloped in a hug.

"It's okay, love. Don't let them get to you. I am sure they meant well." Ron's answer was a derisive snort.

Warm hands rubbed circles on Ron's lower back. Remus didn't elaborate, knowing that words weren't much use, and Ron was grateful for it.

He loved Remus, end of story! And that should be reason enough for his friends, too.

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End Notes: This was written for rarepair_shorts on LJ.

You can find the prompt table with links to the other stories it inspired here:

http://nathaniel-hp.livejournal.com/17880.html

All stories that fulfil the FA minimum fic length requirement will also be posted here.