Chapter Text
4.
To be a bird, or a flock of birds doing something together, one or many, starling or murmuration. To be a man on a hill, or all the men on all the hills, or half a man shivering in the flock of himself. These are some choices.
The night sky is vast and wide.
A man had two birds in his head—not in his throat, not in his chest—and the birds would sing all day never stopping. The man thought to himself, One of these birds is not my bird. The birds agreed.
**
‘These are the choices; these are the choices.” Ron repeats to himself. Because all he has are choices, all he has ever been is choices. But what will he choose? He’s a spontaneous thing: all grit and flashing teeth, with nothing so mundane as luck to fulfill what hard work will do instead. He’s always been part of a flock, but which flock it is has always been family. Always been a choice made for him. Harry was the first choice he made on his own that he has never once regretted since. Hermione was the next one, and while he sometimes regrets her, he wouldn’t trade her for anything. She and Harry and he are a choice that Ron has made and keeps making every day. Until he doesn’t and hates himself. But a choice that he continues to make still, once he gets his head unstuck from the ground where he’s hiding.
The choices are this: will he stay, or will he run? Run from this tension that has appeared between him and his new friend. Run from the possibilities: is it a possibility? It seems more like a potential- but better to assume nothing than assume something and end up burned.
But: ‘One of these things is not like the other, one of these things does not belong’: Ron’s heard Harry mumble it under his breath before, laughing at himself with an exhalation of air through his nose. It’s a muggle nursery rhyme, he thinks, or maybe a reminder? Ron’s not sure but it’s stuck with him.
Hermione has plenty of reminders and old wives tales and phrases to help her remember the important things. She has a tendency to share them where she thinks them most helpful, which they are not. They are, occasionally, but mostly Ron’s not sure if Hermione says them as a reminder to herself, or as a subtle flex on everyone else for not having their shit as together as she does.
Anyhow, personally, surrounded by his people, surrounded by all the people that chose Ron and Ron chose in return? He feels something close to feeling at home.
If only he could figure out why Krum won’t meet his eyes when they’ve been speaking, then everything would make sense. It doesn’t help his sense of self-worth at all, but. Some things you have to wait for. As much as Ron wants to be proactive, wants to rattle out of his skin with questions and demand answers, he knows he has to be patient.
Krum is a little like Harry in that he’s skittish and defensive when he feels like he’s been cornered. Except unlike Harry, who gets uncomfortable and yells, Krum just gets small and smaller- trying to hide behind himself in a way that twists Ron’s heart. Lord, this boy is his senior by a couple years but that doesn’t stop Ron from wanting to bundle him up and keep him far far away from people who mean him harm with unkind words. He’s got experience with that reflex with Harry though, so he’s learned to suppress it to a degree.
He knows, better than anyone really, how often you don’t need saving from other people, but from yourself most of all.
Ron’ll wait. He’s a patient person for the most part. Krum will tell him when he’s comfortable.
He doesn’t realise that he’ll be waiting a while.
**
Then it’s Christmas, and the day of the dance has arrived.
Ron will admit to anyone that he’s more than a bit useless in general, especially compared to the talents of his friends and family, but even he is not too useless. Especially after he realises that neither he nor Harry have dates to the Yule Ball. And consequently realises that what’s a little ballroom dancing between friends and good bros? So at least Ron and Harry have dates even if it is each other. Especially because it’s each other, they make it a game to see how often they can switch who’s leading who during a dance, without other people noticing. It’s probably the most fun Ron will admit that he’s ever had, in the case of formal, proper things at least.
Krum still isn’t talking properly to Ron though, hasn’t been for a while. And while Ron wants to get offended, get up in arms about the whole thing and maybe yell at Viktor with his face, preferably with Viktor actually looking at him again, he mostly is just sad.
Maybe, Ron thinks, he’s just tired of my company and doesn’t know how to tell me to fuck off.
The fact that Hermione is Viktor’s date. Hurts, actually. The fact that she didn’t trust them enough to tell him or Harry. The fact that Viktor didn’t think to tell Ron, the person who thought they were at least friends, that he was taking his friend as a date to the Ball. It all just makes him frustrated. It’s kind of a whole clusterfuck.
Krum seems melancholy, but he usually does to people who can’t read him. He seems happy though, with Hermione, and they keep their heads bent together most of the night talking (talking, he later finds out- about theoretical charm work. Not that Ron can keep up especially well.) Not that he’s making it a point to actively listen in on their conversation. He’s over it, really! He’s not hurt or offended (okay maybe a little bit), and he’s happy for them! Really!
(What Ron doesn’t know is that Viktor had asked Hermione to the dance instead, because she is pining over Fleur, and Viktor is trying really hard to be happy for Ron and Harry getting back together. Really, he is! It’s just, taking a while is all; especially seeing them go to the dance together and laugh at each other’s jokes, tripping over their own feet while in the spotlight.
Ron, Viktor sees, is embarrassed but he looks like he’s having a great time. His ears may be as bright red as his hair, but he’s grinning and cracking jokes and seems so much more lively than he has been the past month. It is, Viktor sighs, really really nice to see. But then he looks away, nudging Hermione out of her own wistful reverie of Fleur as they continue their watz along the dance floor. He does his best to pull her back into conversation, and them both out of pining because, when has being wistful for people happier without you ever been productive?)
**
Ron’s alone at the table, sipping spiked punch (probably due courtesy of one of the Ravenclaws), feeling buzzed and warm and watching a brightly blushing Harry do a three-person shuffle with an equally blushing Cedric and a happily tipsy Cho, when he feels a presence at his side.
It is, to his ever consistent surprise, someone he knows. And someone who he actually wants to talk to (not that talking to the Patil twins isn’t fun, but he can only discuss charms with Padma for so long, and trans-dimensional arithmancy with Parvati before feeling like he’s lagging behind in the conversation and mostly just being used as a sounding board for their thoughts- he doesn’t mind, Hermione does it often and he knows the right places to interject and hum in agreement, but it gets boring after a while.)
It is, actually, Viktor Krum. Maybe, Ron thinks, he actually wants to talk to me again, instead of just humoring me. Oh shit, he thinks, what if he knows? And his next thought is, wait- knows what? Because sometimes the gut deep reactions of fear are the most honest ones we have, so Ron has to investigate that thought for a hot second: because really- what is he really scared of Viktor knowing (and when did he switch from calling him Krum, to the personal of calling him Viktor)? What is he so scared of Viktor finding out? And then he quietly panics for a while, not that Krum notices, because he’s busy panicking about what to say.
Ron’s not emotionally vulnerable (much), but realising that you might have a sort-of-maybe crush on someone, after not so subtly pining for them in public, and realising that you’re ‘warm for their form’ so to speak, is kind of embarrassing. He kind of wants to die. It’s a terrible realisation to make in public and at a Dance Too.
Viktor, on the other hand, is uncomfortable with all of the eyes on them, so he quietly sips his punch and tries to think of something not terribly awkward to say. He’s a public figure- first as a Quidditch star, and then later on as a Contestant, but he’s never gotten used to being watched- constantly, being watched. So what ends up coming out of his mouth, as he amusedly watches Ron stiffen up and then visibly try to relax the tension from his shoulders is: “Ah, I suppose I should offer you a, hmm, celebration?” Viktor says.
Ron being Ron, is, noticeably, confused. “I’d accept it mate, but uh, I’m not really sure what it’s for, is all? Haven’t done anything noteworthy recently that I can imagine.”
Viktor feels confused as well, as “Isn’t getting back with your partner a noteworthy occasion?” he blurts out.
“Haaa? What? No really, what?” Ron asks, bewildered.
Viktor can feel his forehead crumple in confusion at Ron’s reaction, as that is not the response he expected: looking to see a quiet blush or maybe an excited babble. But, confusion? Is unexpected.
“Your partner,” He says again, “Harry Potter? The other champion, fellow student? The one who you came to the dance with? THAT partner?” As if to clarify the epiphany that Ron is currently having. It could also be a stroke though. It’s kind of hard to tell.
And then Ron starts coughing , having taken a big swig of spiked punch to try and give himself a moment to think, but swallowing it wrong when the statement truly hits him. Then Viktor is busy pounding Ron’s back to try and remind him how to breathe again to really pay attention to Ron’s facial expressions, as interesting as they are.
By the time Ron can breathe properly, his ears are all red: so is the rest of his face though, whether from embarrassment or lack of oxygen, Viktor doesn’t know.
“NO!!” Ron blurts out, as if remembering. “No” he says quieter, “God, I? Me and Harry? Together? I--” He cuts himself off. “Maybe,” He says, at a much lower volume, mindful of the eyes now watching them, “we have some things to discuss and clear up, I guess. Um. Can we” here he gestures hopelessly, and here is where Viktor picks up.
“Maybe” Viktor hums softly, “it might be best if we continued this conversation elsewhere?”
“Yeah.” Ron agrees, then he adds, “follow me, I know a place.” Then he makes a face, twisted and amused, and enough to put a slight grin on Viktor’s face as well, “Well, one away from everyone else trying to sneak away, that is.”
And so they slip away, and any eyes that try and follow them are quickly distracted, or glared into submission and shame. Nobody wants to follow them in the midst of all these festivities anyway.
**
Ron, without the help of the Marauder’s Map, still has a pretty good knowledge of all of the hidden nooks and crannies and sub passageways of Hogwarts. He’s pretty impressed too, with how well Viktor keeps up with him. Finally, FINALLY, he arrives at the tapestry that depicts the mage and paladin pair, the two Widogasts, after their first meeting (or last, depending on how you view it). It’s in a private and empty hallway on the fourth floor, and also, the Widogasts are known for being, not the least gossipy portrait couple, but at least able and willing to keep a secret if you let them in on it. Also their tapestry hides a pretty sizable room that only opens when one of the two gives a word. It’s also got a pretty neat passageway to the Kitchens, which Ron fully plans on using later.
“Why?’ Viktor asks, not even out of breath, the bastard, “So private? Would the gardens not be of use?”
Ron falters here, because, honestly? He didn’t think of that, he just wanted to get away, to where no one would hear them, and the Widogasts were the first place he could think of. Nonetheless, he brushes the question aside and heads straight ahead, once they’re in the passageway.
“Why’d ya think me and Harry were together?” He asks instead of answering, and turns around to watch Viktor flounder. Oh how the turns table so sweetly. At least he thinks that’s how Hermione and Harry say that phrase? He’s honestly not sure.
“Cedric Diggory.” Krum says, and Ron can feel his eyebrows raise.
“The other Hogwarts champion?” he asks, “You mean the one who Harry has a crush on (as well as his girlfriend, Cho) that’s the size of the full moon? And the one that keeps plotting, loudly might I add, with his girlfriend on the common green, about how they want to get Harry to notice them non-platonically? But for some reason they’re too chicken-shit scared to make a move?” Ron asks. “Huh.”
Viktor’s eyebrows have raised at this news too, “The reason,” He interjects, “is because they thought you and he broke up and they didn’t want to make him sad.” He can read a room too, though not as well, it appears, as Ron can. “And now,” Viktor adds, “they think you just got back together again and don’t want to be bad friends.”
“Oh.” Ron’s mouth is a perfect circle, and for once, Viktor doesn’t make himself tear his eyes away, for once he lets himself look fondly at this boy who is so bombastic and ridiculous and amazing and so much else, and he allows himself to keep looking.
“Well,” Ron says, after a moment of silence to process that, “Harry and I are not dating and I am very much single. But you and Hermione…” here he trails off, looking hopefully at Krum to fill in the blanks. Which, he does, thank gods.
“Hermione has a terrible crush on Fleur that she doesn’t believe is, ah, returned. As did I, but on a different person.” Here Viktor looks at Ron steadily, “We became friends to complain together about how ridiculous romance is, but it appears as it is not too odd, as, if I am to believe, the person I like is, if I am to put it right, ‘very much single’?”
And here, here Ron can’t help but laugh, giddy and delighted as it all finally clicks together. “OH! Oh!!! Yes! Um, Yes I am single, if you are talking about me, which I hope you are?”
And he keeps on laughing as he leans over and closer to Viktor and grabs him by the lapels of his dress robes, only after Viktor nods in confirmation. “And if it is ok? I want to kiss you right now.”
And when Viktor nods, much more enthusiastically, he does.
**
Later the next day at breakfast, when Ginny and Harry and Hermione all ask Ron where he went last night, all sly digs and bawdy jokes, Ron just pleasantly ignores them, and waves at Viktor from across the dining hall, and says smugly, to shut them up, “Sorry I can’t hear you over how awesome my boyfriend is.” And laughs when Ginny drops her forkful of eggs and Harry spits his pumpkin juice out. Hermione, bless her, just gapes and then grins at him.
Who’d have thought?