Title: Somewhere In Between - Chapter Two
Author: Lena

Pairing: Ron/Harry, past implied Ron/Hermione
Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Past character death

Summary: POST-WAR: 05. The boys are living together and one of them feels too much like "the wife."
Author’s Notes: Completed for the hprwfqf 2006 Second Wave challenge. Thank you to my beta and friend Lorien_Eve.

Chapter Two

An owl batted at the pane. Harry got up and opened the window. He pulled the note off the owl’s leg, gave it a treat while it waited for an answer. It was from Neville.

“He’s going on a fact-finding mission to find a flower and you’re worried about me?”

“Oh, you know how Neville is. Do you want to go?”

“I don’t know. Living off the land. What the bloody hell does that mean?”

“Something manly, I supposed. He wants to help. Why don’t you go? It’s only one night.”

“Yeah, you’re right. And I could skip a day with Seamus, the Incredible Hulk.”

“You have been watching a lot of Muggle telly, haven’t you?”

*****

“See, Ron.” Neville pointed to a small flower on the ground. “This is similar to the one I want to find, but not quite.”

“Uh, huh,” Ron grunted. “This backpack feels like it weighs twenty stone.”

Neville laughed, “Oh, Ron. It’s doesn’t.”

“Yes, it does,” muttered Ron under his breath. Neville was ahead of him now, making notes on a small pad. “I didn’t know this weekend was going to consist of hiking,” Ron continued louder.

Neville didn’t seem to hear him. Ron muttered a ‘fuck’ under his breath and continued walking in the path Neville had made. Neville made him promise before they left not to step on any flowers.

“Maybe I’m just meant to be a…a…” Ron couldn’t quite remember what Harry had called him. “A housefly!”

Neville turned around and said, “A hausfrau.”

“Oh.” With that Ron slipped on a rock, not watching where he was going, lost his balance, fell back with the weight of the backpack into a muddy puddle. His arse hit the ground with a splash.

“Aw, fuck!”

Neville came running back to him. “Ron! You didn’t land on any flowers did you?”

“No, Neville! I landed in a fucking puddle.”

Neville sighed in relief.

“Thanks, Nev. Now can you help me up?”

“Oh, right, sure…” Neville grabbed Ron’s arm and helped him up. Ron’s backside was muddy and wet.

“Oh, this is awful.” He tried to wipe himself off, but it wasn’t working. “When are we going to get to the campground? I need a shower.”

Neville looked at him.

“What?” Ron said snappishly.

“Um, er, I told you we are living off the land. I mean, I suppose we’ll run into a stream where you can clean up a little, or you could try a cleaning spell of some sort, but, um, Ron, the point of camping is to, well, get a little dirty and get back to nature.”

Ron stared at him. “I don’t like nature.”

“Then why did you come?”

“I…I…I don’t want to be a housefly. I keep myself busy, but…I…” Ron stopped.

“What, Ron, come on, you can tell me.”

“I don’t want to yell at Harry anymore. I‘ve been yelling at him for so long now, and I don‘t know why.”

“Maybe you need to get a job.”

“I don’t know. I like doing all the things I do, it’s just…”

“Just, what?”

“I don’t know. It’s stupid. I do all these things and take care of Harry and I love that, I really do, but I’m just not very happy.

“Why?“

Ron shrugged, “I want to sit on the sofa all day, eating and watching those strange Muggle shows. And that’s what I’ve been doing for months now. I still help with my nieces and nephews because I love them and I don’t want to disappoint anyone….I’ve been taking it out on Harry.“

“Taking what out on Harry?“

Ron sighed and it caught in his throat.

“Ron.”

Ron looked down. “I know. I have it great. I have Harry and anything I want. And the war is over and…” His voice caught again, as he said, “And he’s so good to me.”

“Ron, do you miss Hermione?”

“Why do you ask that? That‘s not what‘s wrong! I have Harry!” Ron turned pink with his ears a bright red.

“That’s not what I asked. I know you love Harry. But, you’re really unhappy and I‘m wondering why.”

Ron pulled the backpack off his back and sat down on a dry rock.

Neville came over and put his hand on Ron’s shoulder. “Let Harry help you.”

“No! He does so much for me. He has had the world on his shoulders for half his life, and I’m not going to put more pressure on him.”

“But that’s not a good marriage.”

“How did we get into this conversation?”

“Well, you don’t have to listen to me, but I think that you need to have a heart-to-heart with Harry. You‘ve kept all these feelings from him, haven’t you?”

Ron got up and pulled the backpack on his back. “Let’s go.”

“Ron…”

“Neville, I hear you. I just want to think for awhile, okay?”

Neville smiled, then walked ahead.

*****

“How was it?” Harry asked as Ron Apparated and plopped the backpack on the floor with a grunt.

“It was good.”

“Yeah?” Harry looked at Ron questioningly.

Neville Apparated as well, and Harry asked him how it went.

“It was good.”

Harry said, “That’s what Ron said. Is everything alright?”

Neville smiled. “Yes, Harry. Ron’s not much into nature, but we had a nice time.”

“Right. Bugs, dirt, dark…you know how I feel about all that.” Ron smiled at Neville.

“I bought pizza, if you want to stay?” offered Harry.

Neville said, “No, I’m going to go. You two enjoy. Talk to you later, Ron.”

Harry turned to Ron. “Is everything okay? You two didn’t have a falling out or anything, did you?”

“No, we had a good time. Neville’s a good friend.”

Harry didn’t say anything.

“Where’s the pizza?” asked Ron, turning to go into the kitchen.

Harry followed. “Ron…”

Ron turned back to Harry and reached for him. He hugged him tightly and whispered, “I love you.”

“Well, I love you, too. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing. I just love you, is all.”

“Okay…” Harry patted Ron on the back, and steered him towards the kitchen table with the food on it.

*****

“Talk to me,” Harry said later as they were sitting on the sofa watching television. He reached for Ron’s hand and held it gingerly. He knew Ron had been out of sorts since he got home from his trip with Neville.

Ron sighed. “I’ve just been unhappy. I think there’s lots of reasons. I’ve been yelling a lot lately, haven’t I?” He looked down at his and Harry’s hands.

“I haven’t really noticed.”

“Yeah, you have, Harry. You just realized it that day you came home late.”

“Well, I guess, but it’s all right. Why haven’t you been happy? Are you sure it’s not us or…me?”

“NO! No, it’s me…”

This bothered Harry, not knowing what was happening to their relationship. He shifted closer to Ron and touched his chin, so Ron would look at him. Ron lifted his head.

“Ron, whatever you need from me, I’ll help you. I don’t want you to be unhappy. Don’t think that by asking me, you are putting pressure on me-”

“Harry!”

“Ron. I know you don’t ask me things because you don’t think I want any more pressure in my life, but you don’t do that to me. You never have. You are one of the few people in my whole life that I could count on.”

Harry reached up and kissed Ron on the lips. “You’ve been there for me, let me be there for you.”

Ron wrapped his arms around Harry and kissed him back.

“Hey, Dean owled today.“ Harry whispered in Ron’s ear between kisses. “He has an extra ticket for a West Ham game for next Saturday. Why don’t you go?”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll take care of myself for a change.” Harry pulled back and smiled at him. “Go, Ron. You’ll have fun. You haven’t been to any kind of match for ages.”

“Okay,” Ron said, and hugged Harry tighter.

Harry chuckled and reached up to stroke Ron’s hair.

Ron leaned back a little and looked at Harry.

“What, Ron?”

Ron smirked and slid his hands down Harry’s chest. He got down on his knees in front of the sofa and pulled at Harry’s jeans.

“Ron, what are you doing?”

Ron laughed, “Shut it and enjoy it.”

Harry leaned back and adjusted himself on the sofa. Ron unbuttoned Harry’s jeans and reached in. He grabbed Harry’s cock and began stroking.

Harry groaned and lifted his arse, pulling his jeans down to expose his cock to Ron.

Ron reached down and took Harry’s cock in his mouth. He hummed with delight. Harry moaned and laid his head against the back of the sofa. Ron moved his lips up and down, as he gripped it steadily.

Ron expertly moved his tongue up and down the shaft. He looked up at Harry, enjoying his expression. Harry’s eyes were closed, while his mouth was open. He sucked in his breath as Ron continued his movements. As Ron took Harry’s cock into his mouth again, Harry’s eyes popped open.

“Ron!”

Ron chuckled, which cause Harry to suck in his breath at the vibrations.

He sucked faster as Harry grabbed his hair in his fist, pumping Ron’s head into his groin. Harry couldn’t focus, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Ron shoved Harry’s cock deep into his mouth, then pulled it out with a loud pop.

Harry spurted across Ron’s face as he yelled out. Ron laughed and reached up, swiping most of it away. He pulled himself up on the sofa next to Harry and kissed him.

Harry touched Ron’s face, wiping more remnants away. Then he leaned in to kiss him. Harry wrapped his arms around Ron, and sighed.

“Are you happy?”

“Yes, you’re so good to me. Well, you’re just so good!” laughed Harry.

Ron smiled, and laid his head in the crook of Harry’s neck.