If he ever needs more - H/R - PG
Title: If he ever needs more
Author: shocfix
Pairing: Harry/Ron
Words : 700
Rating: PG

Written for my lysrouge.


If he ever needs more
****

Hermione let herself into their flat without knocking. She had come and gone as she liked ever since the boys got a flat together. They has asked her if she wanted to share with them, but she wanted her own space – and she really didn’t want to be cleaning up after them the whole time.

She could hear Muggle music playing in the study and raised her eyebrows. She thought Harry had a late practise tonight? Harry played for the Cannons now – oh, the day he’d told Ron he’d signed for the Cannons, she’d never seen Ron so happy.

But pushing open the door, she didn’t find Harry, sitting and signing a stack of publicity photos at the desk – but Ron, scribbling notes on a report from work, his other hand buried in his hair, and Virgin Radio blaring on the Muggle radio.

“Oh,” she said, and Ron jumped in his seat.

“What you doing here?” he asked, getting to his feet and coming to hug her.

“Can’t I visit my dear, dear friends?” she asked, curling up on the sofa and pulling him down to sit with her.

“Harry’s out,” said Ron.

Hermione rolled her eyes. ”And I can’t visit you?” she asked, shaking her head. “Anyway, what’s with the Muggle music? I thought it must have been Harry in here – or are you some sort of strange hybrid Harryandron!”

But Ron didn’t laugh.

She tipped her head to one side. “Hey,” she said, touching his hand, “what’s wrong?”

He waved her away. “Nah, nothing’s wrong. It was quiet with Harry not home yet, I just put on his music so it’d seem like….” He trailed of, uncertainly and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Ron, what’s wrong?” she asked again.

Ron pulled a face. “I just feel a bit of an idiot. Can’t cope alone here.”

“Well, you lived at the Burrow, and then Hogwarts – have you ever been on your own for any length of time? You’ll get used to it.” She smiled encouragingly.

“No.”

“No?”

“I quite liked it being here on my own – or being here with Harry – but I don’t like it when I’m here alone because Harry is out with other people. And that sounds ridiculous.” He ran his hands through his hair again.

“Is Harry… dating?” Hermione frowned. Harry never dated. The Quidditch playing, added to the Boy Who Lived thing made him very wary of anyone who made a pass at him.

“No. I don’t know. I don’t think so. He’s probably still at the Cannons Stadium. But he does stay to have a drink after practise some times. And what does it say about me that I don’t like that?” He looked so glum, and Hermione moved closer and hugged him again. He rested his cheek on her hair and sighed, melodramatically.

“Well. It says, firstly, that after we’ve all been through you still get nervous if you don’t know where Harry is. I do that, too.” Ron hmmmed into her hair. “And, secondly, that you two have been best friends for ten years, and it’s natural that you feel left out.” Ron grunted. “And, thirdly, you’re in love with him.” Ron stiffened in her arms, then slowly pulled back and looked at her.

“I’m not… He’s.. I,” Ron stuttered to a stop.

Hermione looked up at him and stroked his hair back from his forehead. “Have you tried talking to him?” she asked tentatively.

“No!” said Ron, loudly, and pulled further away.

“Ron.”

“No. Hermione please. I promise I have thought about this more than you have, for once!” he smiled, wryly. “He, he means everything to me, Hermione. And I have more of him than anyone in the world. And I won’t risk that. We are so close, but we are just friends, and if that is all he can give me, then I will live with it.”

“He doesn’t see people, Ron, maybe…”

“No, Hermione. Look, it’s ok. Even before I fell in love with him, he filled every minute of my days. It’s not really any different. I couldn’t get him out of my system if I tried. And I’m not going to try. I will be here for him – as a friend, if that is what he needs – but if he ever needs more, then he only need ask.”