Your Song

Harry woke up and saw the moonlight streaming through the curtains. He glanced over at the clock and made out a blurry 12:30. He looked over at Ron's bed and realized he wasn't in it again.

It seemed to have become a nightly ritual for Ron to disappear until late and then return just as stealthily. Harry woke up just about every night and glanced over to find an empty bed, and then he'd wake up some nights much later to find Ron sleeping soundly. He had asked Ron where he went every night, but Ron made up a myriad of excuses. Everything ranging from "I was in the common room studying" to "I was in the bathroom." Harry knew he was lying each time, he just wasn't sure why.

So when Harry saw Ron's bed was empty again, he decided it was time to find out what Ron was up to.

Harry swung his legs out of bed, groped blindly around his bedside table for his glasses, and threw his cloak around him. He went to the foot of his bed and rummaged through his chest for his wand and invisibility cloak. He looked around at the beds of his friends to make sure he hadn't wakened them, threw the invisibility cloak around him, and disappeared down the stairs.

He walked out of the portrait hole and stopped to think. He had absolutely no clue where Ron was, or where even to start looking for him. He could be anywhere in the castle. Harry decided to start by walking down the main corridors and through the entrance and great halls.

After roaming around the more main passageways without any sign of Ron, he decided to make his way outside.

Harry quietly opened the door to the entrance hall and just as quietly closed it. He looked out onto the grounds and saw them illuminated in a sliver glow from the light of the near full moon.

Not sure of where to begin, Harry walked down the stairs towards the lake. Closely looking over the lake he saw no visible signs of Ron. Sighing, he turned around and headed back towards the castle. Looking around as he walked, he started slowly walking in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

He walked quickly towards the edge of the Forest, knowing deep in his mind that Ron would never venture into the Forest during the day, much less at night, when he heard a faint melody.

Harry abruptly stopped and turned around, looking into the silver night for any signs of life or music. He scanned the grounds and found them peaceful and vacant, but kept hearing the melody streaming through the night air.

Getting a little freaked out, he decided to give up his search for Ron and return to bed. Ron would no doubt be returning soon and the fact that random music was being played didn't settle too well with Harry. He began walking the distance to the castle, the soft melody enveloping the night.

As he approached the castle, he spied a faint light way up in the Astronomy Tower. He stopped and strained his eyes to see what was up there.

A silhouette could be seen at the window, a small lamp shedding light on the person. They seemed to be playing an instrument - what looked to be a violin. /Which explains the music/ Harry thought. /Could it be Ron?/ He decided it was worth checking out.

He made his way up to the castle, and quickly and quietly walked to the Astronomy Tower. As he neared the top of the tower, he could distinctly hear the melodic chords of a violin. Stopping in front of the door leading to the tower, he listened with rapt attention for a few minutes before entering.

Opening the door very quietly as not to disturb the musician, he entered the room. Silhouetted against the moonlight was Ron, fingers skillfully gliding the bow over the strings.

Harry was speechless. He didn't know Ron possessed such a gift. He was sitting cross-legged in the moonlight, back towards Harry, his entire body part of the melody he played. Back and forth Ron's arm went, directing the bow with precision and grace, not missing a note as he played for no one but the moon and stars. And he was absolutely beautiful.

Harry couldn't move. The song Ron was playing was simply gorgeous. It was so simple yet so elaborate at the same time. It told a thousand stories with just one note. And Harry couldn't understand why Ron had never told anyone of this talent. It almost felt as though Harry was interrupting something sacred by standing there and watching him unknowingly.

He inched forward slowly, not wanting to disturb his reverie. He moved over to the side of Ron, so he could watch his face as he played on.

Ron's eyes were closed, intent on the song he was playing. He was oblivious to the world, completely concentrated on his music. Ron was more than playing the song - he was part of the song.

Ron slowly played the last note of the song, slowly brought the violin into his lap, and opened his eyes. Harry felt something terrible had happened, the end of Ron's song ending all the beauty of the world.

"Play it again, Ron."

Ron screamed and frantically looked around. Harry remembered he had on the invisibility cloak and took it off. Ron looked up at him, half frightened and half shocked.

"Harry, how did you? How long have you? What are you doing here?" Ron stammered as Harry sat down beside him.

"You leave almost every night and I wanted to know where you were going. I looked everywhere and couldn't find you. Then I heard music while I was outside, and saw the light flickering up here. I thought I would come and see if it was you." Harry felt a twinge of guilt for interrupting something so private.

"How long were you standing there?" Ron asked, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Not long, but long enough to realize how talented you are." Ron turned an even brighter shade of pink at this statement. "Why didn't you ever tell anyone you could play the violin so well?"

"I didn't want anyone to make fun of me," he muttered almost inaudibly. He was staring intently at the strings of the violin.

"Make fun of you? Why on earth would anyone make fun of you? Especially when you play so well."

"I have played for a long time, since I was old enough to hold a violin and bow properly. While growing up, Fred and George always made fun of me, calling me stupid names and telling me I was a girl because I played the violin. I know it's stupid and it doesn't make me a girl or anything, but I was afraid you guys would give me grief about it, so I just practice in private. Have been ever since I came to school." Ron finally looked up at Harry. His entire face was a bright pink. Harry just smiled at him.

"You really are a stupid git, you know that?" he chuckled softly. "You should know me and Hermione would never laugh at you for such a gift."

Ron smiled in return, but said nothing. Harry looked around the tower and noticed many sheets of music spread around Ron.

"What were you playing?"

"Something I wrote. I sometimes write songs. It's just a kind of hobby I guess."

"Mmm-Hmm." Harry nodded and picked up a few of the sheets of music lying around. Ron squeaked and made a dive for them.

"Harry-"

"Man, Ron. I just want to look." But Ron still made a grab for the sheets, but not quick enough.

"Ron?" Ron grabbed the sheets and quickly hid them on the other side of him. Harry stared at him.

"Ron, please. Let me see," Harry pleaded. Ron wasn't looking at him, so he reached across to the other side of him and carefully took the top sheet. Ron made a small whimpering noise.

Harry brought it across to him and looked down. He hadn't been seeing things. The title of the piece of music was "Harry's Song". He slowly looked up at Ron, who was staring out the window, avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Was this what you were playing before you knew I was here?" Ron nodded. "Oh my god, Ron. That was absolutely gorgeous."

Ron turned quickly and stared at him in disbelief.

"You're not - offended or anything?"

"No, Ron I'm flattered. You should see yourself. Sitting in the moonlight, eyes closed, lips slightly parted, putting your entire soul into the song. You're the most beautiful thing in the world." Harry reached a hand to Ron's cheek.

"But, Harry, you know the reason I wrote it," Ron said, blushing profusely.

"I know, Ron. I'm not stupid. You don't have to tell me. Everything you needed to say was said in that song." He smiled. Ron finally smiled broadly.

"And I don't think you could have told me any better way." He leaned forward slowly and gently brought his lips to Ron's. They kissed slowly, exploring each other's lips for the first time but hesitant to take the kiss any further. Harry reluctantly broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against Ron's. He opened his eyes slowly and saw he was staring into Ron's.

"Play it for me, Ron," Harry whispered. Ron drew back slowly and bit his lip. He sighed, but nodded.

"This is your song, Harry," he said quietly as he picked up his violin and began to play. This time Harry sat right next to Ron, taking in his every movement, his every slide of the bow across the strings. He watched the way his eyes were glued shut in concentration, the way his lips parted slightly, the way his breathing quickened with each note he played.

The song was simply magic. Each note told Harry the way Ron felt without having to be stated aloud with words. It was better than words - words can be hollow and meaningless, but this was passion. This reverberated from the deepest depths of Ron's soul. It was understood just from the simple way Ron became the song, put his being into playing the notes of the song he wrote.

The song ended, and Ron opened his eyes. Harry wasted no time in leaning over and claiming Ron's lips as his own. This time there was no hesitation as they kissed. They explored the other's mouth, tongues sliding over the warmth of tongues and kiss-swollen lips. They wrapped their arms around each other, embracing for the first time as lovers and not as friends. The embrace was a little awkward with Ron's violin between them, but it didn't stop them. It was almost appropriate that it should be between the two of them at this moment.

When they broke the kiss, Ron laid the violin over beside him and gathered Harry into his arms. And they sat there, content in each other's embrace while the moonlight glowed upon them, until the sun chased away the last rays of moonlight into the dawn.