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thrihyrneFirst- I'm stunned and so incredibly flattered. Look at this!!!!
:dances:
So, here's the latest chapter!
Oh: I'm just putting this on my regular flist instead of the smut flist; it's NC-17, slash, Harry/Ron; if any or all of those attributes don't float your boat, please go right on by, no worries. If you're wondering what happened before this, feel free to read up to this point at The Quidditch Pitch or skyehawke. This is my vampire!Ron WIP. [my cut and pasted HTML has made the margins and spacing a bit funky, my apologies]
The grounds around The Burrow were a riot of jabbering family, spouses and children. Harry and Ron
had opted to fly to the house, casting secure warming charms to stave off the winter chill
combined with extended time in higher altitudes so they weren't seen.
"Ron! Harry! There you are!" Molly clucked as they landed near the broomshed. "I was beginning to
worry. Portkey's good for another twenty minutes, though. How are you?" she said all in a rush
while hugging Harry and Ron in turn.
"Quite well, Molly, thanks," Harry said, attempting to subdue his hopelessly windblown hair.
"Oh Ron," Molly said with concern, her hands still clasped on his upper arms. "Are you—"
"I'm healing," Ron said, taking off his mittens to show his still golden hands. "Between Martin
and Harry, a vampire couldn't ask for more."
Molly's expression passed from worried to relieved.
"Mum, we're okay. And Charlie's a nutter for doing all this at night to accommodate me. Harry and
I could've just come late."
"He wanted all of the family to be there for his fortieth. I'm so glad you're here," she
reiterated, hugging the two again for good measure.
"Uncle Ron! Uncle Harry!" Percy's son Xavier bounded exuberantly up to them, raising his arms so
one or the other of them would pick him up.
"Hullo, Xave!" Harry said. He took one hand and Ron took the other to swing him up in the air. The
boy squealed with delight as he was heaved upward between them. Drawn by the racket, Percy soon
appeared.
"Ron. Harry," he said, looking apprehensively at them, but trying to mask it. This only made his
discomfort all the more obvious. "Xavier, don't be a bother to your uncles."
He'd lingered a moment on the last word. Percy had only grudgingly accepted Ron and Harry's
relationship, though it wasn't because he was opposed to homosexuality, to Ron's surprise. In
fact, Percy's closest friend and best man, Oliver Wood, was a most dashing and unrepentant
shirtlifter. Percy had stumbled over the words when Ron had forced him past his reluctance to
explain his lack of enthusiasm for Ron's choice of partner. To Percy, it wasn't that they were
both blokes, it was that what they had seemed akin to incest. Ron and Harry had been so close, so
like brothers, to Percy's mind the evolution of their relationship was unnatural, and therefore
doomed to failure.
"He's not a bother," Harry insisted with a grin, tickling the auburn-haired boy until he became a
writhing, giggling pile on the ground.
"Stop!" Xavier gasped and Harry released him.
"You looking forward to seeing your uncle Charlie and all those dragons?" Ron asked as Percy tried
to put his son's clothes back in some semblance of order.
"Oh yes!" Xavier enthused. "This is my first trip to see him, or go anywhere that far away."
"Everyone gather round, if you can, I've just a few things to tell you before we go," Molly
pronounced to the group.
"Come along, Xavier," Percy said, holding out his hand. Reluctantly, Xavier did as he was bidden.
"I'll sit by you for the fireworks, okay?" he asked, looking first at Ron and then up at Percy.
"I'd quite like that," Ron said.
"I do hope so," Harry exclaimed at the same time, earning a big smile from Xavier.
"That will be fine," Percy agreed, tugging at his son. "Come along. Traveling by portkey is
disconcerting at the best of times, much less when it's with an entire convoy of our family."
"What does disconcerting mean?" Xavier's voice faded into the melee as he was towed away.
Ron turned to look at Harry. "Sure you're up for this?"
"Oh please." Harry slid his arm around Ron's waist, pulling him in close. "One of my all-time
favourite memories is our handfasting, with all of your family there. Our family," he clarified,
running his hands through Ron's hair over his ears. "Rugrats underfoot, dancing, chaos, the twins
in their indecent trousers, all of it. All of it," he murmured against Ron's temple.
"Oy, your honeymoon's long over!" George yelled, snapping Ron from the warm, contented feelings
that had been blooming in his chest.
"Get your poncey arses over here," Fred added. "Save your snogging for later."
"We are," George said, winking.
"Your history with birds is horrible!" Ron spouted off. "If you think you two are going to find
some unsuspecting lasses at the Preserve, then you're really delusional. Don't you reckon
Charlie's warned all of them about you?"
"One can only hope," Fred said with a cheeky grin.
"Don't you know it's the bad, dangerous blokes that women go for?" George went on, smirking.
"Like you, but not a sappy poof."
"And not potentially life-threatening."
"I don't know, George. When you don't bathe for days on end, your odour's pretty deadly."
"You're one to talk."
Harry and Ron walked hand in hand behind the twins, listening to their banter all the way to the
portkey. In the way only Harry knew how, he had Ron calmed down and enjoying himself by the time
they arrived in Romania.
It was truly an amazing spectacle. Booths were set up around the main grounds, housing food and
drink of wide variety. The mouth-watering aromas of food both Slavic and British in origin wafted
through the air, mingling with myriad accents of the guests in attendance. Charlie had invited
everyone from his life, it seemed; former classmates from Hogwarts, tentmates from the War, and
his extended family, both biological and those at the Preserve. There was live music, scads of
birthday cake, and, of course, Fred and George's fireworks. Percy had dutifully found Ron and
Harry, entrusting Xavier to their care during the explosive extravaganza.
Afterwards Ron left Harry and Xavier to go in search of the birthday boy — man — to thank him
again for having his festivities after dark so Ron could attend.
"Of course, you daft berk!" Charlie said jubilantly, his bone-crushing hug making Ron's ribs creak
more than usual due to the mickleberry liqueur shots Charlie had been imbibing through the night.
"It's all the more time to celebrate! Think I've been up nearly thirty hours straight, now!"
"You're insane!"
"Too right!" Charlie said, nodding. He stood back a ways, looking more seriously at Ron. "You
doing okay? I'm sorry I didn't write or anything."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Merlin's balls. I don't know what I would've done if you had. You never
write." He tugged his stocky brother further away from Fred and George and a trio of seemingly
captivated young women. "I'm doing better now than before, but I think I have a ways to go.
Haven't killed anybody. Yet." He shrugged.
"There're plenty of vampires 'round here, so they say. I haven't seen any. Don't want to. No
offense," Charlie hastily added, scratching at the encircling Snegbog tattoo on his bicep. The
dragon appeared to appreciate the attention, stretching its wings and preening.
"None taken. How does it feel to be forty?"
"Absolutely fucking brilliant."
"Charlie! I thought you'd said you weren't going to bring up our sex life." The sentence was
attached to a leggy blonde who had materialised behind Charlie. Her accent was unfamiliar, but Ron
liked her well enough when she winked at him and could tell she was taking the piss with Charlie,
who was enjoying it.
"Ah, love, it's not like that," Charlie insisted, his grin so wide Ron reckoned that Charlie must
have extra muscles in his face. "Kylie, this is Ron. Younger brother."
"I'd never have guessed," she drawled, rippling her fingers over the ginger chest hair that peeked
out from Charlie's leather vest. "He looks less shifty than those two," she went on, eyeing George
and Fred. "Kylie St. Christopher. Pleasure."
She reached out and shook Ron's hand before resuming her encapsulating lean around Charlie. Kylie
was easily half a foot taller than Charlie, whose smile had reached nearly blinding incandescence.
"Beg your pardon, but where are you from? I can't place your accent," Ron said, hoping he wasn't
being an idiot. Nobody had told him anything about Charlie seeing someone, but Ron'd had a few
other things to deal with in recent weeks.
"Australia."
"Kylie's not been here too long, but already I don't know how we got on without her."
Kylie affectionately nibbled on Charlie's ear. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she purred with
her oddly flattened vowels.
"Nice to meet you." Ron was ready to take his leave, sure that their mum would be over any minute
to give Charlie's foreign girlfriend a thorough going-over.
"Same." She paused, looking carefully at him. "There's something different about you," she said,
standing at full height. She placed her hands protectively on Charlie's shoulders in a gesture not
as laughable as it could have seemed.
"Ron was Changed into a vampire," Charlie said, leaning his head back to rest against Kylie's
sternum. "Not long ago. Then Obliviated, the poor bastard."
"I'll be a devil's dowager," Kylie stated, her eyes growing wide. "Isn't all this awfully tempting
for you, then?" She gestured at all of the guests thronging about.
"It's a bit complicated," Ron said obligingly. "Look, I've got to find my partner. Glad you're
helping Charlie have a good birthday."
"Someone's got to make sure this old dodger has fun!" Kylie said, ending with a yelp as Charlie
swatted her backside.
"Ronald! A moment, please?" A mild voice caught Ron's ear and he turned, seeing one of the three
women who had been with the twins.
"Do I know you?" Ron asked a bit stupidly. Of course he didn't know her. George gave Ron a
blistering look, apparently displeased that she had sought Ron out. Ron mentally gave him a
two-fingered gesture and focused his attentions on this new foreigner.
"No, but we have something in common," she said with what sounded like an Eastern European accent.
"Let us come away where there is less noise."
Ron followed her to a bench set up on the central promenade. "My name is Valerica. I am a junior
herbologist here at the Preserve," she said, introducing herself as she sat down. For a moment Ron
found himself absorbed in her bow-shaped lips, glamoured or painted a deep cranberry colour.
"Ron. Weasley, obviously," he deadpanned, gesturing at his hair.
She quirked a smile. "Obviously. I do not wish to keep you from wild Charlie and your family, and
I have no idea how long you plan to stay in our beautiful country. I just wished to tell you that
I have your kind in my family," she said conspiratorially, curling her upper lip. Valerica's
pearly teeth were straight and flat.
"Vampires?" Ron clarified, opting not to show his mostly-retreated fangs.
"Yes. My great-great-great aunt."
Ron nodded, wondering where the conversation was headed.
"Well," Valerica continued, smoothing the iridescent velvet of her robes sleeve, "you could meet
her. If you wished."
"Not to be rude, but why on earth should I want to do that?" Ron shrugged. "Thanks anyway. It's
nice to be around someone else not biased, that's pretty rare where I come from."
"As I said, I am no stranger to your kind. Marilena does not frighten me, as she does others, and
neither do you." Her expression became pensive. "It is a lonely life, that much I know, though she
has told me she once had a companion. I only thought that if you wished, you could meet another
who both drinks blood and is a vrajit. A magical person, like me."
"There you are!" Harry's voice carried from Ron's left. He turned and saw Harry approaching,
Xavier perched on his shoulders, his small hands buried in Harry's shock of hair.
"Here I am." Out of habit, Ron lowered his thought barriers. As he looked at Harry, seeing how
happy Harry was and how much Xavier was enjoying himself, Ron was struck with a bolt of anguish
that seared his heart. I'll never have children with you.
The depth of emotion behind Ron's silent outburst was so strong Harry grimaced. He held on to
Xavier's shins and looked concernedly at Ron. We never could. Are you okay?
No, I'm not okay, I'm really fucking angry, Ron sent back, totally disregarding common courtesy of
introducing Harry and Xave to Valerica. We might could've found a way before, somehow, but now I
can't. Vampires can't. We're sterile. I need to get out of here.
"Hello. My name is Valerica. I'm a herbologist here at the reserve," Valerica said, standing up
and reaching her hand to Harry's.
"Harry Potter. Ron's husband."
Valerica gave the two of them a confused look until the understanding dawned on her face. "Oh,"
she said, pursing her lips.
"I'm Xavier." He waved from his spot on Harry's shoulders.
"Hi. Nice to meet you. You must be related to Charlie and Ron."
Xavier nodded vigorously. "They're my uncles. My father's name is Percy."
"Hey Xave, I think that your uncle Ron and I need to go have a little talk. Mind if I put you
down?" Harry didn't give the youth a chance to reply, he simply kneeled down so Xavier could slide
off to the ground.
"Valerica has a distant relative who's a vampire," Ron said, trying not to be completely rude.
"I've offered to take him to see her."
Harry gently pushed Xavier toward the crowd, seeing Ginny wave him over. He stood next to Ron,
running his hand down Ron's forearm before intertwining their fingers. "I don't know that right
now is the best time."
Ron's anger and libido seemed to be unfortunately convoluted. The rancour he felt about his
situation made him want to do something possessive and physical with Harry. Forgetting how
unguarded his mind was, he let a vision surface of Harry and him going off to the edge of the
party, hidden off in the shadows, and him sucking Harry off.
Harry turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow and squeezed Ron's hand. Works for me, if that's
really what you want to do.
"Okay," Valerica said, obviously disappointed. "I only thought that since your kind is rare, you
would want to meet another."
"Some other time," Harry said firmly.
Out of curiosity, Ron focused on his vampire telepathy, sending his presence out before
acknowledging just how dangerous that could be. His thoughts wandered out in the night, but he
didn't perceive any other preternatural beings. Martin had strongly cautioned him against that, so
he quickly pulled his vampiric flare back to himself.
"Thank you," Ron said, regret in his voice. "I'm not my best right now. Nothing against your
great-great-great aunt or anything."
"It's all right. I should go say good-bye to Charlie. Have a good night."
"You too," Harry said, watching the petite woman walk into the bedlam before turning back to Ron.
"Should we go somewhere a bit more private?"
"Please," Ron sighed. His emotions bubbled and churned within him. One second he wanted to hit
something, the next he wanted to snog Harry senseless, and the next he wanted to collapse in a
sobbing heap.
What happened? Harry asked, his unspoken voice anxious.
I don't really know. They walked to the perimeter of the celebrations, still hand in hand. It was
like these feelings came out of nowhere. You and Xavier looked so happy, and it just hit me. Like
a blinding sign had flashed— You can't have this. Ever.
"But we've talked about it, a while back," Harry said concernedly. "I thought you were okay with
us being together and, by default, not having children."
"I was," Ron groaned. "You just looked so good with Xave. We could have found a way, through a
surrogate, or maybe some highly illegal spell. You being you, you could have done it."
"Ron." Harry's voice was solemn. "The only thing I know about parenting is what not to do."
"That's not true," Ron said sulkily, steering them into a dark shelter, near a shimmering fence
that indicated the barrier to a dragon pen. "You've been around my mum and dad. We all turned out
pretty well. I mean, even Percy, and the twins, they're not absolutely unbearable."
"Ron," Harry pleaded, enfolding him in his arms. "We have each other. We always have."
"But I'll have to live for so long, and you won't be there!"
"Having a child wouldn't change that. It might only make it worse," Harry said, doing his best to
be consoling.
Ron didn't want to hear it. Sorrow had won out in Ron's emotional battle, but he still wished to
claim Harry. He moved out of Harry's embrace to get at Harry's trousers, unfastening them as he
dropped to his knees. He pulled them down along with Harry's boxers, emitting a bereft moan as he
saw Harry's drawn up, quiescent cock.
"Ron, please don't," Harry said in a strangled voice. "I don't ever want to be thinking about sex
and you being miserable at the same time."
"But I want you. I need you Harry, need you," Ron murmured against the soft flesh, holding on to
Harry's buttocks as he rubbed his face in the delicious, musky heat and curly hair. "Love you," he
said, kissing across Harry's tangy skin as he began to cry.
"Ron, stop. We'll be okay," Harry said, his thickened baritone belying that he was on the verge of
tears himself.
Countless lifetimes, it's not fucking fair! Ron raged. He continued lavishing kisses on Harry's
shaft, though Harry's comments for him to quit became more and more anguished.
Get hold of yourself, Ron, Harry warned, pushing Ron away from his groin.
But Harry… Ron refused to be swayed, his grasp on Harry's arse becoming bruising. Please, let me. Need to know you still think I'm sexy.
Not like this, you're not.
"Harry!" The word was a tortured wail.
STOP.
Harry's Occlumency flew up, shutting Ron out of Harry's thoughts entirely. A burst of defensive
magic poured out of him and Ron hurtled backward, crashing against the dragon pen barrier in a
barrage of red sparks and searing pain. He flew forward and up as his instincts rushed through
him. He hovered for a moment, violently shaking his head as though to fling off the spell's
residue before drifting back down to the ground. Harry was fully dressed again, his wand leveled
at Ron.
Harry stood as straight as a monolith, the kinetic magic energy radiating from him. How had Ron
managed to forget just how powerful a Wizard Harry was? Despair threatened to trample him, but his
own coalescing vampiric and wizarding forces forced him to remain attentive and somewhat aloof.
"I can't stay around you like this. I'll say good bye to Charlie, and your mum, and then I'm going
home. I won't change the wards, even though I'm half inclined to. What you do now is up to you."
Shoving his wand up his robes' sleeve, Harry turned around and strode back to the gathering. Ron
gaped as Harry walked away, feeling as though nettles were burrowing into his very soul. Yet he
remained there, feeling his preternatural body healing the wounds he'd suffered running into the
pen barrier. A soothing, icy clarity seeped through him. Ron could bring nothing but death into
the world now; death, or a sensual representation of it. Unbidden, the location of an isolated
hillside area became manifest in Ron's awareness. It was a seedy haven near a ruined castle where
gay Muggles of a desperate sort gathered. Lupin had spoken of it, and with regret, but Ron didn't
care. He focused his thoughts on a small Hebridean harbour and Apparated to Stornoway.
* * * * *
An hour or so before dawn, Ron sat on the beach at Sandaig, soaked to the skin, feet in the frigid
water. The merest hint of moon clung to the night sky as Ron recounted his travesties, one after
another. Five Muggles nearly drained, but sent on their way with memory and Confundus charms. One
unfortunate soul, so strung out on Muggle drugs even Ron could tell he wouldn't last the night,
now dead, his blood thumping in Ron's veins. Ron had lurked in the shadows, waiting until he saw a
man with a dim likeness to Harry. He'd called the hapless youth to him with unspoken, cajoling
entreaties. Ron had fucked him with all he had, leaving the young man gasping and bruised, his
denims trapped at his knees and bite wounds on his shoulders that would be difficult to explain.
Despite acting from within a maw of pain, Ron had cast several healing charms on his victim before
he fled.
Now Ron was miserable, hyper alert with so much blood in him, only to be called to sleep in so
many minutes. He knew full well that he had to go home, had to seal himself away from the sun. His
former life was sundered from him, and the aching melancholy of it made him feel as though his
very spirit was unraveling.
"S'pose it's time to test the wards, or die trying," he said blackly, wriggling his feet under the
water.
His pride worked to get him upright, clothes dried, and safely Apparated to his and Harry's flat.
He paused in the entryway, all of his senses primed to Harry's whereabouts. Their home couldn't
have been more vacant.
Ron trudged to the kitchen where he poured himself a firewhiskey. It didn't assuage him in the
least, but the scent was comforting, as pathetic as that was. He took the bottle and his glass to
the table and collapsed in a chair. The coming dawn tugged reletlessly on him. After his incident
at the Manor, he knew not to treat it with disrespect. He drank another shot, at which point his
gaze was drawn to the incomprehensible sight of Harry's handfasting band, resting alone on a piece
of parchment.
His eyes blurred with tears, Ron pulled the paper towards him, reading Harry's atrocious scrawl.
Ron crumpled the parchment in his hand, kissing the ring before he slipped it into his trousers'
pocket. His feet thudded on the floor as he took himself to his small sepulcher. There he lay down
on his warded bed, cast a locking spell on the door, and was gratefully claimed by sleep.
:dances:
So, here's the latest chapter!
Oh: I'm just putting this on my regular flist instead of the smut flist; it's NC-17, slash, Harry/Ron; if any or all of those attributes don't float your boat, please go right on by, no worries. If you're wondering what happened before this, feel free to read up to this point at The Quidditch Pitch or skyehawke. This is my vampire!Ron WIP. [my cut and pasted HTML has made the margins and spacing a bit funky, my apologies]
The grounds around The Burrow were a riot of jabbering family, spouses and children. Harry and Ron
had opted to fly to the house, casting secure warming charms to stave off the winter chill
combined with extended time in higher altitudes so they weren't seen.
"Ron! Harry! There you are!" Molly clucked as they landed near the broomshed. "I was beginning to
worry. Portkey's good for another twenty minutes, though. How are you?" she said all in a rush
while hugging Harry and Ron in turn.
"Quite well, Molly, thanks," Harry said, attempting to subdue his hopelessly windblown hair.
"Oh Ron," Molly said with concern, her hands still clasped on his upper arms. "Are you—"
"I'm healing," Ron said, taking off his mittens to show his still golden hands. "Between Martin
and Harry, a vampire couldn't ask for more."
Molly's expression passed from worried to relieved.
"Mum, we're okay. And Charlie's a nutter for doing all this at night to accommodate me. Harry and
I could've just come late."
"He wanted all of the family to be there for his fortieth. I'm so glad you're here," she
reiterated, hugging the two again for good measure.
"Uncle Ron! Uncle Harry!" Percy's son Xavier bounded exuberantly up to them, raising his arms so
one or the other of them would pick him up.
"Hullo, Xave!" Harry said. He took one hand and Ron took the other to swing him up in the air. The
boy squealed with delight as he was heaved upward between them. Drawn by the racket, Percy soon
appeared.
"Ron. Harry," he said, looking apprehensively at them, but trying to mask it. This only made his
discomfort all the more obvious. "Xavier, don't be a bother to your uncles."
He'd lingered a moment on the last word. Percy had only grudgingly accepted Ron and Harry's
relationship, though it wasn't because he was opposed to homosexuality, to Ron's surprise. In
fact, Percy's closest friend and best man, Oliver Wood, was a most dashing and unrepentant
shirtlifter. Percy had stumbled over the words when Ron had forced him past his reluctance to
explain his lack of enthusiasm for Ron's choice of partner. To Percy, it wasn't that they were
both blokes, it was that what they had seemed akin to incest. Ron and Harry had been so close, so
like brothers, to Percy's mind the evolution of their relationship was unnatural, and therefore
doomed to failure.
"He's not a bother," Harry insisted with a grin, tickling the auburn-haired boy until he became a
writhing, giggling pile on the ground.
"Stop!" Xavier gasped and Harry released him.
"You looking forward to seeing your uncle Charlie and all those dragons?" Ron asked as Percy tried
to put his son's clothes back in some semblance of order.
"Oh yes!" Xavier enthused. "This is my first trip to see him, or go anywhere that far away."
"Everyone gather round, if you can, I've just a few things to tell you before we go," Molly
pronounced to the group.
"Come along, Xavier," Percy said, holding out his hand. Reluctantly, Xavier did as he was bidden.
"I'll sit by you for the fireworks, okay?" he asked, looking first at Ron and then up at Percy.
"I'd quite like that," Ron said.
"I do hope so," Harry exclaimed at the same time, earning a big smile from Xavier.
"That will be fine," Percy agreed, tugging at his son. "Come along. Traveling by portkey is
disconcerting at the best of times, much less when it's with an entire convoy of our family."
"What does disconcerting mean?" Xavier's voice faded into the melee as he was towed away.
Ron turned to look at Harry. "Sure you're up for this?"
"Oh please." Harry slid his arm around Ron's waist, pulling him in close. "One of my all-time
favourite memories is our handfasting, with all of your family there. Our family," he clarified,
running his hands through Ron's hair over his ears. "Rugrats underfoot, dancing, chaos, the twins
in their indecent trousers, all of it. All of it," he murmured against Ron's temple.
"Oy, your honeymoon's long over!" George yelled, snapping Ron from the warm, contented feelings
that had been blooming in his chest.
"Get your poncey arses over here," Fred added. "Save your snogging for later."
"We are," George said, winking.
"Your history with birds is horrible!" Ron spouted off. "If you think you two are going to find
some unsuspecting lasses at the Preserve, then you're really delusional. Don't you reckon
Charlie's warned all of them about you?"
"One can only hope," Fred said with a cheeky grin.
"Don't you know it's the bad, dangerous blokes that women go for?" George went on, smirking.
"Like you, but not a sappy poof."
"And not potentially life-threatening."
"I don't know, George. When you don't bathe for days on end, your odour's pretty deadly."
"You're one to talk."
Harry and Ron walked hand in hand behind the twins, listening to their banter all the way to the
portkey. In the way only Harry knew how, he had Ron calmed down and enjoying himself by the time
they arrived in Romania.
It was truly an amazing spectacle. Booths were set up around the main grounds, housing food and
drink of wide variety. The mouth-watering aromas of food both Slavic and British in origin wafted
through the air, mingling with myriad accents of the guests in attendance. Charlie had invited
everyone from his life, it seemed; former classmates from Hogwarts, tentmates from the War, and
his extended family, both biological and those at the Preserve. There was live music, scads of
birthday cake, and, of course, Fred and George's fireworks. Percy had dutifully found Ron and
Harry, entrusting Xavier to their care during the explosive extravaganza.
Afterwards Ron left Harry and Xavier to go in search of the birthday boy — man — to thank him
again for having his festivities after dark so Ron could attend.
"Of course, you daft berk!" Charlie said jubilantly, his bone-crushing hug making Ron's ribs creak
more than usual due to the mickleberry liqueur shots Charlie had been imbibing through the night.
"It's all the more time to celebrate! Think I've been up nearly thirty hours straight, now!"
"You're insane!"
"Too right!" Charlie said, nodding. He stood back a ways, looking more seriously at Ron. "You
doing okay? I'm sorry I didn't write or anything."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Merlin's balls. I don't know what I would've done if you had. You never
write." He tugged his stocky brother further away from Fred and George and a trio of seemingly
captivated young women. "I'm doing better now than before, but I think I have a ways to go.
Haven't killed anybody. Yet." He shrugged.
"There're plenty of vampires 'round here, so they say. I haven't seen any. Don't want to. No
offense," Charlie hastily added, scratching at the encircling Snegbog tattoo on his bicep. The
dragon appeared to appreciate the attention, stretching its wings and preening.
"None taken. How does it feel to be forty?"
"Absolutely fucking brilliant."
"Charlie! I thought you'd said you weren't going to bring up our sex life." The sentence was
attached to a leggy blonde who had materialised behind Charlie. Her accent was unfamiliar, but Ron
liked her well enough when she winked at him and could tell she was taking the piss with Charlie,
who was enjoying it.
"Ah, love, it's not like that," Charlie insisted, his grin so wide Ron reckoned that Charlie must
have extra muscles in his face. "Kylie, this is Ron. Younger brother."
"I'd never have guessed," she drawled, rippling her fingers over the ginger chest hair that peeked
out from Charlie's leather vest. "He looks less shifty than those two," she went on, eyeing George
and Fred. "Kylie St. Christopher. Pleasure."
She reached out and shook Ron's hand before resuming her encapsulating lean around Charlie. Kylie
was easily half a foot taller than Charlie, whose smile had reached nearly blinding incandescence.
"Beg your pardon, but where are you from? I can't place your accent," Ron said, hoping he wasn't
being an idiot. Nobody had told him anything about Charlie seeing someone, but Ron'd had a few
other things to deal with in recent weeks.
"Australia."
"Kylie's not been here too long, but already I don't know how we got on without her."
Kylie affectionately nibbled on Charlie's ear. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she purred with
her oddly flattened vowels.
"Nice to meet you." Ron was ready to take his leave, sure that their mum would be over any minute
to give Charlie's foreign girlfriend a thorough going-over.
"Same." She paused, looking carefully at him. "There's something different about you," she said,
standing at full height. She placed her hands protectively on Charlie's shoulders in a gesture not
as laughable as it could have seemed.
"Ron was Changed into a vampire," Charlie said, leaning his head back to rest against Kylie's
sternum. "Not long ago. Then Obliviated, the poor bastard."
"I'll be a devil's dowager," Kylie stated, her eyes growing wide. "Isn't all this awfully tempting
for you, then?" She gestured at all of the guests thronging about.
"It's a bit complicated," Ron said obligingly. "Look, I've got to find my partner. Glad you're
helping Charlie have a good birthday."
"Someone's got to make sure this old dodger has fun!" Kylie said, ending with a yelp as Charlie
swatted her backside.
"Ronald! A moment, please?" A mild voice caught Ron's ear and he turned, seeing one of the three
women who had been with the twins.
"Do I know you?" Ron asked a bit stupidly. Of course he didn't know her. George gave Ron a
blistering look, apparently displeased that she had sought Ron out. Ron mentally gave him a
two-fingered gesture and focused his attentions on this new foreigner.
"No, but we have something in common," she said with what sounded like an Eastern European accent.
"Let us come away where there is less noise."
Ron followed her to a bench set up on the central promenade. "My name is Valerica. I am a junior
herbologist here at the Preserve," she said, introducing herself as she sat down. For a moment Ron
found himself absorbed in her bow-shaped lips, glamoured or painted a deep cranberry colour.
"Ron. Weasley, obviously," he deadpanned, gesturing at his hair.
She quirked a smile. "Obviously. I do not wish to keep you from wild Charlie and your family, and
I have no idea how long you plan to stay in our beautiful country. I just wished to tell you that
I have your kind in my family," she said conspiratorially, curling her upper lip. Valerica's
pearly teeth were straight and flat.
"Vampires?" Ron clarified, opting not to show his mostly-retreated fangs.
"Yes. My great-great-great aunt."
Ron nodded, wondering where the conversation was headed.
"Well," Valerica continued, smoothing the iridescent velvet of her robes sleeve, "you could meet
her. If you wished."
"Not to be rude, but why on earth should I want to do that?" Ron shrugged. "Thanks anyway. It's
nice to be around someone else not biased, that's pretty rare where I come from."
"As I said, I am no stranger to your kind. Marilena does not frighten me, as she does others, and
neither do you." Her expression became pensive. "It is a lonely life, that much I know, though she
has told me she once had a companion. I only thought that if you wished, you could meet another
who both drinks blood and is a vrajit. A magical person, like me."
"There you are!" Harry's voice carried from Ron's left. He turned and saw Harry approaching,
Xavier perched on his shoulders, his small hands buried in Harry's shock of hair.
"Here I am." Out of habit, Ron lowered his thought barriers. As he looked at Harry, seeing how
happy Harry was and how much Xavier was enjoying himself, Ron was struck with a bolt of anguish
that seared his heart. I'll never have children with you.
The depth of emotion behind Ron's silent outburst was so strong Harry grimaced. He held on to
Xavier's shins and looked concernedly at Ron. We never could. Are you okay?
No, I'm not okay, I'm really fucking angry, Ron sent back, totally disregarding common courtesy of
introducing Harry and Xave to Valerica. We might could've found a way before, somehow, but now I
can't. Vampires can't. We're sterile. I need to get out of here.
"Hello. My name is Valerica. I'm a herbologist here at the reserve," Valerica said, standing up
and reaching her hand to Harry's.
"Harry Potter. Ron's husband."
Valerica gave the two of them a confused look until the understanding dawned on her face. "Oh,"
she said, pursing her lips.
"I'm Xavier." He waved from his spot on Harry's shoulders.
"Hi. Nice to meet you. You must be related to Charlie and Ron."
Xavier nodded vigorously. "They're my uncles. My father's name is Percy."
"Hey Xave, I think that your uncle Ron and I need to go have a little talk. Mind if I put you
down?" Harry didn't give the youth a chance to reply, he simply kneeled down so Xavier could slide
off to the ground.
"Valerica has a distant relative who's a vampire," Ron said, trying not to be completely rude.
"I've offered to take him to see her."
Harry gently pushed Xavier toward the crowd, seeing Ginny wave him over. He stood next to Ron,
running his hand down Ron's forearm before intertwining their fingers. "I don't know that right
now is the best time."
Ron's anger and libido seemed to be unfortunately convoluted. The rancour he felt about his
situation made him want to do something possessive and physical with Harry. Forgetting how
unguarded his mind was, he let a vision surface of Harry and him going off to the edge of the
party, hidden off in the shadows, and him sucking Harry off.
Harry turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow and squeezed Ron's hand. Works for me, if that's
really what you want to do.
"Okay," Valerica said, obviously disappointed. "I only thought that since your kind is rare, you
would want to meet another."
"Some other time," Harry said firmly.
Out of curiosity, Ron focused on his vampire telepathy, sending his presence out before
acknowledging just how dangerous that could be. His thoughts wandered out in the night, but he
didn't perceive any other preternatural beings. Martin had strongly cautioned him against that, so
he quickly pulled his vampiric flare back to himself.
"Thank you," Ron said, regret in his voice. "I'm not my best right now. Nothing against your
great-great-great aunt or anything."
"It's all right. I should go say good-bye to Charlie. Have a good night."
"You too," Harry said, watching the petite woman walk into the bedlam before turning back to Ron.
"Should we go somewhere a bit more private?"
"Please," Ron sighed. His emotions bubbled and churned within him. One second he wanted to hit
something, the next he wanted to snog Harry senseless, and the next he wanted to collapse in a
sobbing heap.
What happened? Harry asked, his unspoken voice anxious.
I don't really know. They walked to the perimeter of the celebrations, still hand in hand. It was
like these feelings came out of nowhere. You and Xavier looked so happy, and it just hit me. Like
a blinding sign had flashed— You can't have this. Ever.
"But we've talked about it, a while back," Harry said concernedly. "I thought you were okay with
us being together and, by default, not having children."
"I was," Ron groaned. "You just looked so good with Xave. We could have found a way, through a
surrogate, or maybe some highly illegal spell. You being you, you could have done it."
"Ron." Harry's voice was solemn. "The only thing I know about parenting is what not to do."
"That's not true," Ron said sulkily, steering them into a dark shelter, near a shimmering fence
that indicated the barrier to a dragon pen. "You've been around my mum and dad. We all turned out
pretty well. I mean, even Percy, and the twins, they're not absolutely unbearable."
"Ron," Harry pleaded, enfolding him in his arms. "We have each other. We always have."
"But I'll have to live for so long, and you won't be there!"
"Having a child wouldn't change that. It might only make it worse," Harry said, doing his best to
be consoling.
Ron didn't want to hear it. Sorrow had won out in Ron's emotional battle, but he still wished to
claim Harry. He moved out of Harry's embrace to get at Harry's trousers, unfastening them as he
dropped to his knees. He pulled them down along with Harry's boxers, emitting a bereft moan as he
saw Harry's drawn up, quiescent cock.
"Ron, please don't," Harry said in a strangled voice. "I don't ever want to be thinking about sex
and you being miserable at the same time."
"But I want you. I need you Harry, need you," Ron murmured against the soft flesh, holding on to
Harry's buttocks as he rubbed his face in the delicious, musky heat and curly hair. "Love you," he
said, kissing across Harry's tangy skin as he began to cry.
"Ron, stop. We'll be okay," Harry said, his thickened baritone belying that he was on the verge of
tears himself.
Countless lifetimes, it's not fucking fair! Ron raged. He continued lavishing kisses on Harry's
shaft, though Harry's comments for him to quit became more and more anguished.
Get hold of yourself, Ron, Harry warned, pushing Ron away from his groin.
But Harry… Ron refused to be swayed, his grasp on Harry's arse becoming bruising. Please, let me. Need to know you still think I'm sexy.
Not like this, you're not.
"Harry!" The word was a tortured wail.
STOP.
Harry's Occlumency flew up, shutting Ron out of Harry's thoughts entirely. A burst of defensive
magic poured out of him and Ron hurtled backward, crashing against the dragon pen barrier in a
barrage of red sparks and searing pain. He flew forward and up as his instincts rushed through
him. He hovered for a moment, violently shaking his head as though to fling off the spell's
residue before drifting back down to the ground. Harry was fully dressed again, his wand leveled
at Ron.
Harry stood as straight as a monolith, the kinetic magic energy radiating from him. How had Ron
managed to forget just how powerful a Wizard Harry was? Despair threatened to trample him, but his
own coalescing vampiric and wizarding forces forced him to remain attentive and somewhat aloof.
"I can't stay around you like this. I'll say good bye to Charlie, and your mum, and then I'm going
home. I won't change the wards, even though I'm half inclined to. What you do now is up to you."
Shoving his wand up his robes' sleeve, Harry turned around and strode back to the gathering. Ron
gaped as Harry walked away, feeling as though nettles were burrowing into his very soul. Yet he
remained there, feeling his preternatural body healing the wounds he'd suffered running into the
pen barrier. A soothing, icy clarity seeped through him. Ron could bring nothing but death into
the world now; death, or a sensual representation of it. Unbidden, the location of an isolated
hillside area became manifest in Ron's awareness. It was a seedy haven near a ruined castle where
gay Muggles of a desperate sort gathered. Lupin had spoken of it, and with regret, but Ron didn't
care. He focused his thoughts on a small Hebridean harbour and Apparated to Stornoway.
* * * * *
An hour or so before dawn, Ron sat on the beach at Sandaig, soaked to the skin, feet in the frigid
water. The merest hint of moon clung to the night sky as Ron recounted his travesties, one after
another. Five Muggles nearly drained, but sent on their way with memory and Confundus charms. One
unfortunate soul, so strung out on Muggle drugs even Ron could tell he wouldn't last the night,
now dead, his blood thumping in Ron's veins. Ron had lurked in the shadows, waiting until he saw a
man with a dim likeness to Harry. He'd called the hapless youth to him with unspoken, cajoling
entreaties. Ron had fucked him with all he had, leaving the young man gasping and bruised, his
denims trapped at his knees and bite wounds on his shoulders that would be difficult to explain.
Despite acting from within a maw of pain, Ron had cast several healing charms on his victim before
he fled.
Now Ron was miserable, hyper alert with so much blood in him, only to be called to sleep in so
many minutes. He knew full well that he had to go home, had to seal himself away from the sun. His
former life was sundered from him, and the aching melancholy of it made him feel as though his
very spirit was unraveling.
"S'pose it's time to test the wards, or die trying," he said blackly, wriggling his feet under the
water.
His pride worked to get him upright, clothes dried, and safely Apparated to his and Harry's flat.
He paused in the entryway, all of his senses primed to Harry's whereabouts. Their home couldn't
have been more vacant.
Ron trudged to the kitchen where he poured himself a firewhiskey. It didn't assuage him in the
least, but the scent was comforting, as pathetic as that was. He took the bottle and his glass to
the table and collapsed in a chair. The coming dawn tugged reletlessly on him. After his incident
at the Manor, he knew not to treat it with disrespect. He drank another shot, at which point his
gaze was drawn to the incomprehensible sight of Harry's handfasting band, resting alone on a piece
of parchment.
His eyes blurred with tears, Ron pulled the paper towards him, reading Harry's atrocious scrawl.
- We bound ourselves to each other, to whatever end.
If I am to see you again, it can only be because you have decided and set your heart on Changing
me, as well. I can't live with you like this. I need to know what you feel, and live immortally as
you do now.
Ron crumpled the parchment in his hand, kissing the ring before he slipped it into his trousers'
pocket. His feet thudded on the floor as he took himself to his small sepulcher. There he lay down
on his warded bed, cast a locking spell on the door, and was gratefully claimed by sleep.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 04:25 pm (UTC)Probably won't get to read this until Lou is in Spain. I had to scroll down fast so I wouldn't be tempted.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 07:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 05:33 pm (UTC)*snortles*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 07:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 05:40 pm (UTC)Had to giggle at Xavier though - it's amusing to see him in two such very different futures, you know?
{{hugs}} about the RL stuff, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 07:56 pm (UTC)I'm chronic about inserting the same secondary characters in, but in different contexts. I'm glad you find that amusing, and not irritating or confusing. Beautiful icon, too.
(((hugs))) back. The RL stuff, the ugly stuff, is just frustrating. Maybe it will pass, maybe not. There's always fanfic...
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 05:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 07:57 pm (UTC)Guess I need to get serious about writing the next chapter!! :D
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 09:56 pm (UTC)I second that...lol.
Love that line. Love that Xave is here. Okay, don't kill me but is it wrong of me to smile when Ron came home and Harry was gone and left his ring. I know I'm a bitch. Cause I started thinking about how easy it would be for Ron to kill Seamus and take Draco...oh Lord, the H/D fans reading this and then seeing my comments are going to throttle me aren't they?
I'll stop now. Love, love, love. I feel bad that Ron is facing all his demons all at once. Too much to take it for our poor Ronniekins. Of course you write it so well, that I can feel the angst pouring out onto my computer desk...*wipes up angst* damn angst...lol.
Brilliant as usual, can't wait for more. Maybe you should Ron bit Draco at least once, like with Seamus...okay, alright, I can't help it...damn R/D always messing with my brain...I can like other ships too you prats...they never leave me alone...lol.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-04 01:52 pm (UTC)I second that...lol.
Thanks! I didn't want to go for the obvious, that Percy would be homophobic; in this universe, anyway, I thought he would be far more uncomfortable because they are so brotherly. Glad you thought it was effective!
Cause I started thinking about how easy it would be for Ron to kill Seamus and take Draco
Not in this universe, lol! Ron only tolerates Draco out of deference to Seamus, and that won't be changing. He could always feed on Draco, but somehow I don't think Draco will be suggesting that anytime soon. C'mon, I just wrote new R/D!
I feel bad that Ron is facing all his demons all at once. Too much to take it for our poor Ronniekins.
Yeah, and the author, too. I hated doing that, and now I've got to get my act together and figure out the next few scenes. I do think I know how it'll end, thank goodness. I'm no Anne Rice; this isn't going to go on for 700+ pages!!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-04 11:58 pm (UTC)Love this though. So, can't wait for more...seven hundred pages...I think that would make my brain explode, so I don't want that, keep it short...lol.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-03 09:59 pm (UTC)Congrats again.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-04 01:54 pm (UTC)Thank you! I'm absolutely floored. I mean, it's a WIP, it's H/R (not the most popular ship out there), and it's vampire!Ron. Practically unheard-of. Guess I should get back to it! ;)