Charity

Charity
By LadyDiablo


Pairing: Ron/Harry
Warning: Slash/Yaoi. Don’t like, Don’t read.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J K Rowling.
Summary: Ron and Hermione entered Harry to run the Kissing-booth in a Fundraiser at Hogwarts. There is only one problem: he does not know how to kiss. Who will teach him?


Chapter 3


Ron woke the next morning when the sun shone on the red curtains, creating a soft red light in the bed. He smiled to himself, burying his face in the warm pillow and drew up the warm duvet higher.


Even though he was in a state of sleep where everything was right with the world and nothing could ruin the day ahead, he was aware of the pillow moving.


Though Hermione called him thickheaded sometimes, he knew that pillows were not supposed to move. However, in Hogwarts, one could never know with anything really. When he looked up with bleary eyes, he saw a vague dark blob in front of him. Well then, it was definitely not a pillow. He rubbed his eyes from the sleepiness that still clung to him and saw what his pillow was. Well, how could he have forgotten it in the first place?


Harry looked like an angel when he slept. It sure sounds cliché, but it was the truth. His dark hair spread over the pillow like a halo, dark, long eyelashes resting on his cheeks and a small content smile on his lips.


Ron smiled to himself, remembering the night before and the wonderful feelings that came with it. With difficulties, he drew his eyes from Harry’s steadily rising and falling chest in front of him to the clock on the bedside table. It showed five minutes past seven and he realized it was time to get up.


A picture frame beside the clock drew his attention before he had the chance to wake Harry. It was a picture of the three of them. Harry was in the middle with Ron on his right hand side and Hermione on his left. In the photo, Ron threw his arm over Harry’s shoulders, making him sway and bump into Hermione, who almost lost her balance. She shrieked soundlessly and immediately gave them a reproaching look. She only got a grin in return from Ron and an apologizing smile from Harry. The one taking the photo, probably Colin, apparently said something and they all looked back at the camera, smiling.


Ron remembered that. It was taken in Hogsmeade not too long ago, the weather had been nice and everyone was happy. He smiled at the picture and turned to wake Harry.


He shook a shoulder, before leaning down to place a light kiss on Harry’s cheek. Sleepy green eyes slowly blinked open, searching before slowly settling on Ron’s freckled face. A smile gradually emerged as he looked up into Ron’s blue eyes.


Ron decided to be the first to break the silence. “Good morning, beautiful.”


A small blush crept up Harry’s neck. “G’morning, Ron” was his drowsy response.


Ron waited patiently and with a little bit of glee, for Harry to realize that Ron was in his bed, under his covers, with an arm slung over his waist. He did not have to wait long.


Harry’s eyes suddenly shot fully open with surprise and realization, before he looked nervously at Ron. They were now sitting up in the bed and Harry had gathered most of the duvet around him, leaving Ron with little to cover himself with. Not that he minded, of course. Harry’s eyes flickered between Ron’s face and his own hands moving restlessly in his lap.


Ron was not as blind as people sometimes were lead to believe, he soon realized why Harry was acting as he was. He was nervous and afraid. Afraid that Ron would be mad at him and reject him or refuse to continue their friendship after what happened the night before. Ron shook his head to himself. The boy really needed some self-esteem. However, after all the years with the Dursleys putting him down any chance they got, he could not really blame him.


Ron reached down to Harry’s hands and took each of his hands into his own, as he changed his position so that sat cross-legged in front of Harry. He tried to get the boy to look at him, but when Harry refused to and continued to look at his hands; he freed his right hand and pushed Harry’s shin up so Ron could look him in the eyes.


“Please, Harry, look at me.” The urging in his tone finally made the black-haired boy look up at him. Ron was saddened by the look of fright and uncertainty mixed with a small tint of hope.


He continued as he noticed that Harry was not going to say anything. “Harry, I want you to know that I do not regret anything that happened between us. Not one thing. You will always be my best friend no matter what happens between us in the future.” He took a deep breath, trying to think of something else to say that would reassure Harry.


“As to what may happen between us in the future; let’s just see what happens and take it from there. I love you, Harry, no matter what. I want you to remember that.” He knew that he sounded rather corny, but it was what he really felt and he had to reassure his love of it.


Harry’s mouth slowly stretched into a smile before he threw his arms around Ron’s neck, hugging him tight.


He let out a long shaky breath, before answering the redheaded boy quietly. “Thank you, Ron. I love you too. I don’t regret anything between us either, I was just so scared that-“


Ron decided to interrupt him before he went into one of his tirades of insecurity. “I know, Harry. I know.” He did not have to say anything else, he felt Harry relax at his words and he breathed an invisible sigh of relief. After a while, he decided it was time to break the silence. After all, if they stayed any longer they would be late for breakfast.


“Well then, let’s get ready for breakfast.” Right after he said that, Harry paled.


Ron was immediately worried. What was wrong now? “What? What is it?”


Harry looked at him with large eyes full of dread. “The others. Do you think they know? They must have noticed us.”


Ron paled too.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


They were very lucky at breakfast. Apparently, none of their friends had noticed them last night. On the other hand, maybe they had, but were smart enough to keep quiet. Though both Ron and Harry thought Seamus and Dean were whispering, giggling and shooting glances at them a bit too much for comfort.


The classes that day were quite uneventful. Ron did not think he learned anything particularly highlighting and thus thought it was a waste of time. Therefore, he was in quite a mood at dinner when Hermione decided to enlighten them of what was to come for the rest of the day.


Harry looked at Hermione in confusion. “We’re building our own kissing-booth?”


“Of course we are!” the girl exclaimed, exited at the prospect. “You didn’t think the teachers would build them, did you? Honestly, I told you yesterday.”


“But it’ll be tons of work!” Harry continued, trying to reason with her, but he had no luck whatsoever.


“Then we better get started. Are you finished eating?” She looked pointedly at Ron, who was too busy shoveling mashed potatoes into his mouth, to engage himself in their conversation. “Wha’?”


Hermione looked at him with contempt and continued to ignore him as she rose from her seat and dragged Harry from the Great Hall. After a few minutes, they could hear Ron running after them, trying to catch up.


“Where are we going?” he asked, only slightly winded. Harry looked shrewdly at him, wondering how he kept in shape when eating as much as he did. Hermione continued to ignore him.


They made their way out onto Hogwart’s grounds and down to Hagrid’s hut. The half-giant had surprisingly decided to help them with the booth by collecting and measuring each wooden board that would be needed for the structure.


When they knocked on the door to his cottage, there was no answer. Harry tried the door and found it unlocked. There were no signs of either Hagrid or his giant dog Fang. There was however, a note left on the table saying that all the tools and wood they needed was behind the house and that they should feel free to start building it.


They looked at each other and then out the back window to see a large pile of wood, two hammers and a box of nails just outside. There was also three buckets of paint, one white, one red and one black.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


A few hours had gone by and they had come a long way on their kissing-booth. The size was about two square meters, with a back “door” made out of a dark red piece of cloth. It also had a front; there was a wall up to about waist-high and it was behind this Harry would stand when giving kisses. He dreaded it already.


He knew that he did not have to worry. Ron had talked to him about it and said that he would always be there and that he did not need to worry that he would be mad or something. After all, Hermione and he had entered Harry to the kissing-booth. However, he could not help but worry about what Ron would really say and think when it really happened. He did not want to lose Ron now.


Hermione’s voice brought him back to where he really was. “How are we supposed to get the fabric up on the top?” She was holding a large red piece of silk cloth in her hands, the deep red color brought out in the dim sunlight.


The fabric was supposed to be nailed to the top of the booth and then cascading down the sides, hiding the wood. It was all Hermione’s idea. The front and the places not covered by the fabric, was painted with the red paint and Hermione had written “Kissing-Booth” in neat white cursive letters. Personally, Harry thought it was too much red, but he had nothing to say about in this area. Now, if they could just get the fabric on, it would be perfect – and very girly.


Hermione turned towards Ron. “Ron, you’re the tallest, maybe you can reach it?”


He stood on tiptoes as he tried to reach, but it was no use. “I can’t reach, it’s too high.”


“What then?” Harry asked tiredly. He had done most of the hammering and his arms were killing him.

“Why don’t you sit on Ron’s shoulders?” Hermione looked between the two boys as they looked at each other nervously.


“Eh, ok…” Ron managed to stutter. He looked at Harry who looked as nervous as he felt. He could hear Harry take a deep breath as Ron got down on his knees in front of him. Ron felt his own hands shake slightly in excitement as Harry threw his right leg over his shoulder. He held on to Harry’s thighs as he rose from the kneeling position. He could feel the muscles in Harry’s legs as he put his feet behind Ron’s back, trying to hold his balance.


Harry felt Ron’s warm hands holding on to his thighs as he walked nearer the kissing-booth. The only thing between Ron’s hands and his things was the layer of jeans he was wearing. If felt so good, being this close to Ron again. He took the fabric from Hermione and threw it over the top of the booth. After a few adjustments, it draped down nicely on each side of the booth. He carefully from Ron’s shoulders and took several deep breaths to calm himself. He did not notice Ron doing the exact same thing a few meters from him.


“There! All done!” Hermione exclaimed, smiling to herself at the boys’ behavior. They were really too cute.


They left the booth outside Hagrid’s for the time and headed back to the common room. They were all tired but satisfied after their hard work and it would be great to relax in the soft couches a few hours.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


When they got back to the common room, they were surprised to see that it was already half past seven. They had spent hours building the booth. After sitting and chatting for about an hour, Hermione went up to her dorm, claiming she was tired. Harry and Ron sat for an hour, talking about Saturday’s upcoming fundraiser. Ron was sure to boost Harry’s ego, claiming what a good kisser he was, making the dark-haired boy blush furiously.


Soon they were alone in the common room, everyone else abandoning them for their warm beds. They had ended up together on the couch in front of the fire. Ron had his arm around Harry; Harry’s legs drawn up against Ron. Harry’s head was leaning on Ron’s left shoulder and his eyes were starting to droop.


Ron decided to wake his slumbering boyfriend. “Harry, maybe we should go up to the dorms.” he said quietly.


“Hm” was his only answer from the other boy. He tried again, but with no luck.


Ron sighed as he carefully extracted his arm from Harry enough to take the other boy in his arms, lifting him easily. He gently laid Harry on his own bed up in the boy’s dorm, taking of his shoes, socks and sweater. He also removed the jeans to get him as comfortable as possible, leaving him in a light blue t-shirt and black boxers. Through all this, Harry never made a noise; he slept through it like a baby, trusting Ron to look after him.


After putting Harry under the duvet, he took off his own clothes and crept into the bed behind Harry. After blowing out the candles on the bedside table, he threw his arm over the other boy and went to sleep.