Help me Ron

“Rapist?” Everyone with the exception of Ron looked to Dumbledore’s voice. Ron kept his eyes on Johannes, knowing firsthand what he was capable of.



“This is Pansy’s attacker Headmaster.” Ron said calmly.



“I’m sure you thought you saw that, but what you saw was just a girl who likes it rough.” He said, loud enough for Ron and the few bodies around him. Draco began to see blood, as did Harry and Neville.



“I saw a rape and nothing but a rape.” Ron said in low voice. “You are not welcome here.”



“What’s going on?” Again, eyes turned toward Snape, with the exceptions of Ron’s.



“This is the one who raped Pansy.” Harry said.



“What is this Headmaster?” Dumbledore asked another gentleman. “This student of yours raped one of ours. Why is he here?” Dumbledore’s voice was hard and he spoke with a control. He was letting his students know what happened. He would apologize to Pansy, but by letting the whole hall know what he had done, he would be ostracized by everyone.



“He was not convicted of anything in our country, and therefore entitled to all the privileges of his class, including trips abroad.” The man seemed to think that statement settled everything.



“I was there Headmaster, I saw what he did and he is not welcome here.” Ron addressed the foreign headmaster but still kept his eyes on Johannes.



“You have no call to eject anyone from the school young man……”



“He is not welcome here.” Dumbledore interrupted his foreign counterpart. “You will send him back to your ship, for the duration of your stay.”



“That’s preposterous.” The other man shouted out shocked.



“Regardless of whether or not he was found guilty in your country, he was still charged in this one and as such is not welcome here.” Dumbledore spoke firmly.



“Headmaster, I suggest we summon the Aurors if there is to be a problem.” Snape said, glaring at Headmaster Hamsteed.



“Now see here gentlemen, my student was not charged…..”



“I charge him.” Eyes drifted toward Pansy Parkinson, who was now on her feet and speaking in a soft voice. “I charge him Sir. He attacked me and he beat me because I wouldn’t go out with him, because I wouldn’t have sex with him. So he took it.” She walked around the table and up to the German Headmaster. “He didn’t make love to me, we didn’t sleep together, he raped me Sir. There was no misunderstanding at all.” His eyes shifted about as the young woman spoke up to him.



“Take your student.” Dumbledore said.



Pansy took out her wand and drew it to her temple, then drew out a memory. Instead of sealing it, she placed it Headmaster Hamsteed temple and let him absorb it.



The entire great hall remained silent as the face of the german headmaster twisted about and then turned stoic. He said nothing to Pansy, he just turned and left the hall, leaving his students to follow them. Johannes looked over at Pansy.



“I came here to talk to you.” He said. She didn’t meet his eyes.



“You have nothing to say to her of merit.” Ron said. “Unless you want a duplicate beating of the one I gave you, I suggest you follow your classmates.”



“He won’t be alone this time.’ Draco told him. Nods from the others assured the point was made.



“Mr. Weasley, please escort Mr. Lutz back to his ship.” Snape told him. Ron waited only a moment for Dumbledore to object but when he didn’t he took Johannes’s arm and walked him out of the hall.



Pansy watched as her date left, and felt Ginny’s hand on her shoulder. She let herself be led back to the table and to her seat. She knew the eyes of everyone in the hall were on her. They now knew why she was different and why she spent so much time with Ron. She would have liked to keep it to herself but it didn’t end up that way. She kept her eyes focused on her drink as Ginny and Luna sat on either side of her waiting for Ron’s return.







“I can walk you know, you can let go.’ Johannes told him.



“I’m not letting you go until you are on that ship.” Ron said moving faster.



“Are you angry at how I had her, or the fact that I had her first.” He chuckled.



Ron gripped his shirt front in to firsts and forced a face to face confrontation. “Why did you do it. She’s small and fragile. You nearly crushed her.”



“I broke her.” Johannes said with pure venom. “She cried, fell and bled because of me. She should have given me what I wanted. She wanted it too, she just didn’t know it.”



“You didn’t break her. She stood up to you and your headmaster.” Ron enjoyed the failure in his eyes. “She’s strong, she survived what you tried to do and she isn’t going to let it kill her.” Johannes glared at Ron, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “She beat you. She won.”



Johannes gave him an evil smile. “She may have, but she won’t be free of me, and neither will you. I spoiled her for you, and you know it.” Ron let his fist fly one time and one time only, feeling a nose break under his knuckles. Ron shoved him toward the plank and watched as he boarded his boat.



Walking back to the castle, he thought about Johannes words. Would Pansy always think of his attack? Would she let it affect her relationships with men? He hated the thought of her being afraid to get close to anyone. He still considered himself a helper and he would not let Johannes have the last word. He picked up his pace.







Pansy heard music as he entered the hall. He drew attention but he only sought out Pansy. She was seated calmly between Ginny and Luna who both rose as he approached the table. “Take a walk with me?” He said. She nodded and took his arm.



Dumbledore, with Snape at his side, stopped them by the doors. “I hope you are not going to shorten your evening because of a miserable inconvenience Miss Parkinson?”



“No, Sir.” Ron answered. “We are only taking a walk for a bit. We’ll be back.” Dumbledore and Snape stood aside and as they entered they heard the Headmaster ask the band to play on.



Ron walked her along the corridors letting the fresh air from the courtyards calm her down. “I’m proud of you.” He told her as they took a seat on a stone bench.



“Why?” She asked, looking at him, still holding his arm.



“You could have run away, but you didn’t.” He told her, shifting slightly to face her. “You stood up to him and his pudgy headmaster.” Pansy smiled at the image. “You even let him see what he did to you. It takes strength to stand up like that. I knew you could do it. I always knew you could.”



“I was terrified.” She told him. “I was so scared I would break down at any moment.”



“I wouldn’t believe you if you told me otherwise, but you still did it. You didn’t let him destroy you.” He said. He took a chance and reached out, taking her shoulders in his hands. “You should him that he didn’t win. Now you have to keep going.”



“How.” She was afraid of Ron. His hold was gentle and tender and she didn’t feel panic at all, and she closed her fingers around his.



“Don’t let him stay in your mind, don’t let him affect every decision you make. Control your life without him being a shadow everywhere you go.” He said. Pansy felt her heart aching. He was asking too much too soon.



“That’s going to be difficult Ron.” She whispered.



“I’ll be there to help you.” He said.



Pansy smiled, grateful to him for caring. “Thank you so much Ron.” She let a tear fall down her cheek. Ron reached up and brushed it away with his thumb. She didn’t back up, she didn’t change her expression, she let him touch her. She kept her eyes locked onto him with the most trusting look Ron had ever seen. He wanted at that moment to take her face in his hands and kiss her, but he didn’t dare take advantage of her peaceful feeling. There was always time to show affection when she was ready. For now he would allow himself to dream.



“Would you like to dance?” He asked. She smiled brighter and nodded. She tightened her grip on his hand, refusing to let go.



Ron loved it. Her grip was a reward of sorts that told him she trusted him and still depended on him. Even after a triumphant confrontation, she still depended on him. He wouldn’t let her down. She had faced her first challenge but there would be more, and he would be there with her.



The walked into the hall and right onto the dance floor. A slow melody was playing. He took her in a loose hold thinking she would hold his arm again, but she lifted her hand to his shoulder and rested her cheek on his lapel.



Ron’s heart thundered in his chest and she knew she had to feel it. Having her in his arms was amazing. She hadn’t taken his hand, choosing instead to rest in flat on his other lapel. He laced his fingers behind her back and rested his cheek against her forehead.



He allowed himself to dream as he held her. He was holding a young woman who wanted him, who treasured him as much as he treasured her. A young woman who saw that they could have something special and wanted it. He allowed himself to imagine how she would feel naked in his arm, sure that he would treat her tenderly and with love.



It was just a dream for Ron, but he allowed it. A dream was enough for now, since he was able to hold her.