A one-shot request for TogetherWeRock. My reference for this was the 5th HP movie. Usually, I hate going off of the movies but…the movie was what I imagined when I wrote this.
The filth-covered windows blocked most of the sun's light, causing the single room to appear even dirtier and dingier than it actually was, though it was quite dirty and dingy to begin with.
She was late. It was, of course, to the one meeting that she needed to be on time to that she was late. Damn Draco for holding her up. He wouldn't stop talking to her and she couldn't manage to slip away without him being suspicious. She couldn't tell him about the meeting.
Hog's Head was not a place she'd visit voluntarily but this was where they'd chosen to meet so this was where she had to be.
She walked up to the group that was huddled in a corner, passing the bar keep that looked vaguely familiar.
She wasn't paying much attention as to where she was going in her haste, however, and so she walked loudly into a chair nearby. Thirty pairs of eyes shot over to her.
"Hi." She said, waving lightly.
"Brilliant, we didn't think—" George began.
"—you'd make it Wiley." Fred finished as they beckoned her over.
"Sorry I'm late." She muttered as she plopped down between the twins and removed her snow covered hat from her head.
"Late to what?" Ron muttered, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"The meeting?" She said uncertainly.
"What meeting? We're just...discussing the Potions homework." Ron lied feebly. Hermione shot Ron a look.
"Look," she said uneasily. "Fred and George" Ron glared at the twins, "told me that the meeting was for anyone who wanted to learn. And I do."
Hermione elbowed Ron in the side and sent him a look to shut him up.
"Harry…" Hermione began.
"She's a Slytherin." Harry replied to Hermione's unanswered question.
"And Malfoy's cousin." Ron added in with a glare in Wiley's direction.
"I'll just go—" She began and started to get up but she was pulled down by the twins.
"Ronnie's just being a baby." Fred assured her.
"Come on, Harry, let her join." George said.
Harry looked unsure but with a look at Hermione, nodded his head and began to explain what the point of the club was.
They decided that the meetings would begin once a location was found. Then everyone had to sign their names to a piece of parchment. Wiley did so with Ron glaring at her back. She signed her name: Wiley Jenna Bronson with a flourish.
The next week, Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four appeared on the wall.
Any non-sanctioned clubs were strictly forbidden.
There was some suspicion that someone in the club had betrayed them all. Immediately those suspecting eyes were turned upon her.
Wiley found herself arguing with Ron not even a few hours after the decree had been posted.
"Someone told Umbridge about the meetings! That's why she made that decree!" Ron yelled. "It was you! I knew we couldn't trust a Slytherin, especially one who's related to Malfoy!"
"First of all, aren't you related to the Malfoy family?" She pointed out. "Second of all, why would I tell Umbridge if I want to learn?"
"You betrayed us!" Ron yelled, ignoring her point.
"No I didn't, you fool! Gods, I cannot stand you Ron Weasley!" She screamed before turning on her heel and stomping away.
Seething, Ron turned to his friends who stood with their mouths agape.
"Ron…" Hermione began softly, "if Wiley had betrayed us, she would have 'SNEAK' on her forehead. I jinxed the parchment so that if anyone betrayed the DA we would know because the jinx would affect them. It did not affect Wiley. She did not do anything."
"Oh bloody hell." Ron muttered as guilt descended.
Wiley was furious. Ron Weasley had had a problem with her ever since their first year when he found out that she was Draco's cousin.
She didn't understand why Ron couldn't separate her from the boy he hated.
Ron seemed to forget that while there wasn't a witch or wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin, not every Slytherin was bad. Wiley didn't understand why Ron couldn't seem to grasp that concept.
Angrily, Wiley stomped around for a week furious at Ron Weasley.
There was something wrong with the boy and she couldn't stop thinking about him.
As she was walking out of the library, someone grabbed her wrist.
Without thinking, she swung around and kicked the offender in the stomach hard. As the boy stumbled back, she stood in a fighting stance with strands of long black hair hanging into her face.
"What the hell, Will?" the red head coughed out. "What'd you kick me?"
"Ron!" she said in surprise. "I didn't know that it was you…I think you were…uh…"
"An attacker?" he asked with his eyebrows as he rested with his hands on his hands, holding himself up.
"Well…yeah." she shrugged as she relaxed her stance.
"I'm not." he muttered flatly.
"I know that now…" she trailed off as she stood awkwardly in the empty corridor.
Ron, now able to breath, stood up to face her. "Where'd you learn how to do that?" he asked.
"I've dabbled in marital arts a little…" she said quietly with a little embarrassment.
"Well that was….now I know not to mess with you." he joked.
Wiley found herself smiling at him.
"Did you uh…want something?"
"Yeah," Ron turned red, all the way up to his ears. "I wanted to uh…apologize for how I acted. You didn't…tell anyone about the club."
"I know I didn't." she replied.
"I know…now. And I'm sorry." he looked at her with hopeful eyes.
She sighed. "I probably would've thought the same, if I were you." she said quietly.
Ron smiled at her and reached out to move a strand of hair out of her face; his fingers trailed down the side of her face. At the feel of his fingers, she shivered slightly.
Her heart was pounding and she didn't understand the feeling that had suddenly overtaken her.
Sounds coming down the corridor caused them to spring apart. Attempting to look nonchalant, they waited for what turned out to be a ghost to go floating by.
"Goodnight Ron." she said quietly as she turned to leave.
"Wait, Will." She turned to face him expectantly.
"There's going to be a meeting in the Room of Requirements, this weekend."
"I don't know where that is."
"I'll show you. Meet me here, after hours on Saturday?"
At that first meeting in the Room of Requirements, they all decided on a name and how they would meet. Hermione handed out golden coins for communication.
Harry began teaching them all and it was fun.
Wiley was learning things she hadn't known before. And, as an added bonus, it seemed that Ron was warming up to her.
One meeting, she couldn't manage to get the wrist movement right. Ron had held her wrist gently in his hand and guided the movement to help her.
The next time she tried the spell, she'd gotten it right.
Every time she saw Ron, her heart raced inexplicably.
And then the Inquistorial Squad found out about the meetings.
She should have known something was wrong when Draco kept talking to her in the common room. She had to get to the meeting. She was already late. But he wouldn't let her leave. And then, he managed to get someone else from their year to occupy her. She couldn't leave without suspicion.
It wasn't until she heard about the raid did she understand.
She waited anxiously outside the room where the rest of the members were held.
When they slowing began filing out, she searched for the familiar red head. When she saw him with Ron, Hermione, and Harry, she walked as quickly as she could to him without appearing suspiciously.
"Ron." she said with a sympathetic smile. "What happened?" she reached for his hand—a familiar gesture that had become ritual between them—but he pulled away from her with a glare.
"Why aren't you celebrating with your friends?" he hissed.
"Ron? What?" she could feel the rip in her chest growing with his latest accusation.
"I said," he spoke louder and with a rougher tone to his voice. "Why aren't you celebrating with your friends? You had us all tricked."
"Ron, I didn't—"
"If you didn't, then why weren't you at the meeting?"
"Draco was talking to me. I couldn't leave—"
"A likely story—"
"Ron!"
"I knew from the beginning that you were a Slytherin through and through."
"Fine." she snapped, tired of his accusations and his distrust. "I. don't. care. If you want to think so low of me, you can. See if I care!" With that she stomped away.
"You're a fool, Ronald!" Hermione moaned as she slapped Ron's arm.
"What?" he asked in surprise as he removed his eyes from Will's retreating figure.
"She didn't tell on us."
"How do you know?" Ron retorted.
"Because Cho did." Harry interrupted.
"But—…But…Cho…I…but I uh and …you and I but—!"
"You're a fool." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.
"What am I going to do? She'll never forgive me."
"Of course she won't…if you stay here complaining, that is."
"What?"
"Hell, Ron! Go talk to her!" Harry said, surprised with Ron's stupidity.
"She won't—"
"Go!"
Wiley sat at the edge of the lake with her legs dangling in the water.
"Hey."
She didn't need to look. She knew the voice.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice was frigid; at least she hoped it was.
"You didn't tell on us."
"I know."
"I'm sorry, Wiley."
"Doubt it." she said, keeping her back firmly to him.
"Wiley…" he sighed and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry."
"Well, what's going to happen next time? You're going to blame me again and again and—"
He cut her off with a kiss and she lost her words for a moment.
As he pulled away, she whispered that simply kissing her would not solve their problems.
"You can't keep accusing me, Ron. I never betrayed you once."
"I know." he muttered as he took her hand, "what can I say?" he sighed. "I'm a fool. But I'll be your fool, if you'll have me."