The Storyteller

Dinner was fabulous, and pasta was one of her favorite dishes. She and Ron went over the parchments, since he had a lot of slang and even intentional misspellings she had a lot of details to go over.



Ron gave her freedom to correct basic grammar, and when he had a certain intent, he made sure she knew. For the most part the manuscript was complete as far as the story went, but Pansy always liked to clear the changes she made to content with the author. Ron seemed at ease with her notations and easily approved of most of them. They would take the rest of the weekend to make sure all were discussed.



“Ron,” she asked as they finished their wine, “how do you write these? Does your elf quill them for you?”



“No, I use a charmed quill. As I recite, it scripts the words on paper. I’m sure you noticed it tries to correct the common language and slang. It’s charmed to write my words and not much else. I didn’t want one that embellished my thoughts. News writers use those to make for good articles.”



“I did notice that.” She said picking up her glass and standing when he did. “Do you need help to the front room?” She asked.



“No, I have the layout of the house memorized. I can walk it without touching a thing.” He said, walking to his armchair and sitting down.



“But when I first got here, your wand was charmed longer and you were using it to guide you.” She said sitting down in a chair opposite him.



“I didn’t know if you had brought a large bag or anything so I made sure I didn’t step on it or trip over it.” He explained.



“Oh.” She said looking at him.



“What is it?” He asked.



“I’m sorry. It’s just unusual, to be talking to you but your looking elsewhere. I guess I’m used to looking eye to eye. I’m sorry if that’s rude.”



“No it’s not rude. You were silent for a moment so I knew you must have been thinking something.”



“How did it happen Ron?” She asked.



“When Harry and I were chasing a dark wizard to his secret location I was pushed through a open door and fell into a terrarium. One of the plants was a form of cactus that secreted a poisonous sap when it’s habitat was invaded. It shot straight at my face.”



“No?” she said. “Couldn’t Neville do anything? He’s an expert herbologist.”



“He was able to do something. Thanks to his quick thinking, I didn’t have to have my eyeballs removed.” Ron said.



“Yes, that would have been much worse.” She agreed. “You seem to have adjusted well though.”



“Yes I have, thanks to Hermione.” He smiled.



“What did she do?” Pansy asked.



“She took legal action in my name against the dark wizard after he was taken into ministry custody. Since he was sentenced to Azkaban for life she managed to get me a sizable chunk of his estate. His legal fees were covered, then everything he own sold and I got the rest of the profits and the rest of his accounts.” Ron said.



“Wow, that’s how you are able to write on your own schedule.” She said.



“Yes. I write when I want to and only submit something when I have an idea, that way I’m not forced to write when I have no inspiration.”



“Well that’s good.”



“Yes, Hermione made sure that since my life had changed that I would have the leisure to live it in comfort.”



“I have to ask? She said, she said with a chuckle.



“Ask what?”



“How did you end up with a lion?” She asked. Right on cue Zeus walked in and planted his body on Ron’s feet.



“I found him about four months before the accident. Zeus here was tied to a tree and abandoned when he was just a cub. The mane was just beginning to form. I untied him and fed him what I had, giving him my water then kept him for awhile to make sure he had healed. I tried to release him but he wouldn’t go, he just followed me when I walked away. He’s been with me ever since. On the rare occasions I venture out into public he goes with me and acts as a guide.”



“Nobody says anything?” She asked.



“Not that I can see.” He said.



“Funny Ron.” She said taking a sip of her drink.



“Well it’s true, nobody has said anything to me about him. He stays with me, makes sure I don’t get hurt and if they makes faces it’s not like I can see them.”



“True.” She said. She looked down at the animal. “I guess he’s peaceful enough. I’m off to bed now, do you think you can ask him to stay out of my room?” She said standing.



“You just did, he can understand us.” Ron said, running his foot along the animals thick back. “I’ll reinstate the point though. Goodnight.”



“Goodnight Ron.”







The next morning was spent going over more parchments, they were more then halfway through and making good time. It was almost lunch time when Ron decided they needed a break. “How about we take lunch outside?”



“That sounds great.” She said. Pansy always did love a picnic. “Do you have a spot you like to go to?” She asked.



“Yes, I do in fact.” He summoned his house elf and asked her to prepare a basket for them. In no time at all, Zeus was ready to lead them outside.



“He knows where to go?” She asked.



“Yes, we go there all the time.” Ron lengthened his wand and opened the door. Pansy held the basket and watched as Ron gripped Zeus’s mane and moved with trust as the big cat walked. “Hey Ron, if Zeus is guiding you why do you need the wand?”



Ron smiled. Her curiosity and innocent questions were so adorable to him. “The wand lets me know how uneven the ground is or if there is a hole or a hill dug by an animal.”



“I never would have thought of that.” She said. “You really had to learn to relive your life haven’t you?”



“In a way. Everything in my house has to be just so, and I value Leeloo more then anything. Even without her I know how to take care of myself though, but it’s nice having her.”



“I can see that more and more.” Zeus stopped under a tree and planted his body in what looked like a very familiar spot. Pansy spread out the blanket and watched as Ron felt the ground and sat down. He tapped his wand to the basket and it shifted form, turning into a small table where fish and chips for two appeared along with two ever filling goblets.



“Ron, this is just wonderful,” she said between bites, “my compliments to Leeloo.”



Ron laughed. “Oh yes, I try to pay her but she won’t take it, and every time I mention clothes she starts crying. I think the one way to keep her happy is to keep needing her.”



“I think your right. House elves like to be valued and needed by their families. But I have to admit, even if I didn’t need a house elf, I would be reluctant to give cooking like this up.” She said. Ron readily agreed. “So Ron, why do you come here? I mean it’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong but if you can’t see it, what’s the appeal?”



Ron smiled again. He loved the way she asked questions. She was curious and there was no trace of sarcasm, just genuine intrigue. “Close your eyes.” He told her.



“What?” She asked. “What will that do?”



“Trust me. Close your eyes.” She complied. “What do you hear?”



“I hear….birds. I hear the brook. The rustle of trees.” She said.



“Now what do you smell?” He asked.



“Smell?” She said confused.



“Go on, breathe in slowly and smell.” He said.



She breathed in deeply and thought. “The water mixed with soil, plants, and bark. Zeus! I can smell Zeus, he’s behind me.”



Ron chuckled. “Yes he is. Now that you know what you smell, try to describe the smells. Start with the brook.”



She focused on the trickling water. “It smells clean, but not too clean. It has dirt from the ground and rocks from the bed, but it smells inviting. I can tell that’s it’s cool. It smells…..do I hear fish?”



“Yes, you do. Keep your eyes closed.”



“I can smell them? It’s a clean fish smell!”



“Yes, because they’re not kept in tanks where the water has to be changed and cleaned, it’s free flowing.”



“Ron, I can’t believe this.” She said laughing.



“Keep going. Try something else. What do you smell?”



“The plants in the air, there’s one that has berries in it, isn’t there?”



“Yes, a few feet behind Zeus, but their not edible to humans, the birds eat them though.”



“I can smell tree bark and leaves, several types. The grass, healthy and thick grass. The air is filled with it.”



“Now open your eyes.” He said.



She took a moment to look around her. She was transfixed at what she saw. “Everything seems so much more vibrant.”



“I can imagine it in my head, because something other then sight comes alive. When one sense is removed, the others are strengthened. Mine are finely tuned now because I can’t see it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t see it.”



“I think I understand what you mean now. It is beautiful here but now I can see why.”



Ron raised his face upward and breathed in deeply. “I still miss broom flying though.”



“How about we go for a ride?” She said rising up on her knees.



He looked over at her and grinned. “What are you talking about?”



“Do you still have your broom?” She asked.



“Yes. I do. Why?”



“Leeloo?” She called over her shoulder. The elf popped in between them. “Can you fetch your master’s broom for him please?” The elf vanished.



“I can fly Ron. You took me on a picnic, I’ll take you on a broom ride.” He reached out and took his hand, bringing him to his feet.



“You can fly with a passenger?” He said, laughing as he stood.



“Yes I can, believe it or not. Millicent always had issues with flying so when we went out, big groups of us, she always flew with me. Don’t you want to?”



“Yes. I want to.” The elf popped back with his broom in hand. Pansy had it ready and was mounted in no time. Ron slipped his wand in his pocket and reached out to her. She held out a hand and let him feel his way down her shoulder and back, finding the layout of the broom before he mounted behind her and held her waist.



“Ready?” She called over her shoulder.



“Yes.” He told her. She lifted off the ground and eased into a slow flight. She felt Ron behind her getting adjusted to being off the ground. “Everything alright?” She asked when his movements had eased.



“Yes, go faster.” He said from behind her.



She picked up speed and was soon whizzing through the air over the trees and along the ground, rising and falling, flying with a flock of birds. Ron’s joy was evident in the noise and shouts she heard from behind her. It made her smile that she had made him feel so much elation.



She flew over the widest part of the river quickly then spun around and reversed, flying through the wake that the broom had picked up. Ron’s laughter behind her lifted her soul. She found Zeus lounging in the same spot they left him in.



She touched down on the ground and Ron let his body fall on the grass as he laughed loudly. Pansy just smiled down at him. He was holding his stomach and had let his legs haphazardly fall open. After a moment he eased up and reached out a hand trying to find her.



She grabbed his hand and found herself pulled into a hug. “That was just great Pansy, thank you.” He said squeezing her.



“You’re welcome Ron.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged back. Before he released her, he planted a kiss on her cheek.



“Let’s get back inside, we can get through more of the manuscript before dinner.” He lengthened his wand while Pansy vanished the table and blanket. They would reappear on his kitchen table and Leeloo would take care of them.



Ron held out a hand at waist level and Zeus immediately rose and moved to his side, letting Ron’s fingers weave into his mane. Together master and familiar moved as a team back to the house.







They spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening going though more parchments of the book. They were making excellent time, and well ahead of where she thought they would be by now.



As they sat down to dinner they were in high spirits. The broom ride had done so much to keep the smile on his face.



“Hey Ron, what ever happened to Lavender? Weren’t you and her dating?” She asked.



“Were being the key word.” Ron said with a grin.



“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to bring it up if…..” She started but Ron stopped her.



“Don’t worry about it. Me and Lavender were dating when this happened,” he said gesturing to his eyes, “but when I lost my sight I quickly found out she wasn’t happy.”



“Why would she be unhappy, nothing happened to her?” Pansy asked.



“Well I fast figured out that she was more self conscience then I realized. Since I couldn’t see her I couldn’t compliment her looks or clothes or how sexy or pretty she looked. She found it difficult to talk with someone who could see what she was pointing out or who wouldn’t look her in the eye.”



“Shows what kind if mind she had.” Pansy commented.



“It became apparent that we had very little to talk about. She thought since I couldn’t see, I could do anything with her.” He laughed.



“What did she want to do?” She asked.



“She loved the ballet and opera.” He answered. “I do too and enjoyed going because I like music.”



“So what was the problem.” Pansy asked.



“When she asked what I thought of those lovely costume and the set designs and affects being brought to life, I got upset and asked her if all she thought about what clothes and decorations. I really shouldn’t have lost my temper though.”



“Wow? What did she have to say to that?” Pansy asked.



“Nothing. She was silent the whole night. I think she felt bad because it made her seem like frivolous. But the real argument came that night when we tried to have sex.”



“What happened?” Pansy said itching to know.



“She got pissed off and stopped just as we got started, saying I wasn’t looking at her. I told her even though I couldn’t see her, but I was right there with her. I told her to pretend the lights were off, and she got more pissed off.”



Pansy started laughing. “Oh man.”



Ron chuckled as well. “I thought about how things were before and never realized how big she was on eye contact. It was something she needed. So I knew that we weren’t going to work out with these new circumstances. I wasn’t able to give her what she needed any longer.”



His quiet voice made Pansy think. “I guess your right. She must have self esteem issues if she needs eye contact that much.”



Ron nodded. “She wanted to know that she was the center of a mans attention during intimacy and she didn’t feel that way any longer. I didn’t give her any trouble when she wanted to leave.”



“Well that was big of you.” Pansy said.



“Well what could I have done. She had needs, and I couldn’t meet them, so she moved on.”



“You could have met them, just in a different way.” Pansy said.



“Yes, but it was the way of showing it that she needed.” Ron explained. “She said she needed to know that she was the one thing on my mind and when I wasn’t looking at her it made her feel as if I was thinking of someone else and just using her. What could I say to that? I couldn’t give her what she needed and I could make her feel bad just because I was different. That’s not fair to her either.”



“I suppose.” Pansy said. She kept her thoughts to herself. Ron didn’t seem to think he had suffered from her leaving. He spoke as if it was just something that happened in life. She smiled in his direction. He had been through a lot and didn’t feel sorry for himself. Lavender left a good one.