Nothing

Canape 8: Nothing

Everyone is a little shocked when Ron shows up at Sunday brunch with Pansy in tow. After he and Hermione broke up, we’d all figured his next girlfriend would be a Lavender clone.

Pansy is nothing like Lavender, despite having floral names in common. She’s defensive, a little brittle but definitely brilliant. Once she settles in, she’s arguing with Bill about current exchange rates and the Goblin monopoly on wizarding loans, discussing advances in Potions with George, trading quips with Draco. Her gestures are graceful and ironic, a spark of punctuation to every word she utters, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling. She and Ron barely look at each other.

Once the meal is over, everyone splits up. Bill puts the kids down for a nap, Fleur helps Molly with the dishes, Draco and Hermione make their apologies and leave—she’s taken too much time from her caseload as it is. I decline George and Arthur’s invitation to listen to the Quidditch match—Ginny’s game isn’t being broadcast today—and wander past the old work-shed on my way to the pond.

A sudden gasp draws my attention, and I glance over to see Pansy backed up against the wall of the shed, shirt undone, bra pushed aside, Ron’s hands up her skirt and his tongue down her throat.

My fists clench, my stomach rumbles and a harsh pain tightens my chest.

I know I shouldn’t have eaten that last kipper.

It’s nothing.

All week, I sit across from my partner, my best mate, in our office at the MLE. I’m irritable and restless, dismissive and short. We’re under tremendous pressure to solve this murder case, but then, we’re always under pressure about one case or another. Ginny hasn’t been home in weeks, but then, she never is during Quidditch season.

Every once in a while, I look up to see Ron staring into space, gob hanging open, a fatuous expression on his face. I try to remember the last time I looked like that—felt like that.

I can’t.

He’s misplaced the evidence file again, and suddenly, it’s all I can do not to sucker punch him in the gut. My best friend, the gormless wonder.

It’s nothing.

A month later, Ginny’s home at last, the Harpy Seeker victorious after battle. We meet up with Ron and Pansy at the Leaky Cauldron to celebrate the end of the season and give Ginny a chance to inspect her brother’s new girlfriend.

We sit across from the happy couple, chatting about vicious Beaters and cases solved, Ministry gossip and business trends. Ron and Pansy touch each other constantly as they talk—elbows knocking, hips shifting against each other, fingers grazing over the peanut bowl.

She’s wearing deep blue robes that match her eyes and a hint of cinnamon in the scent on her skin tickles my nose.

Ginny and I barely look at each other.

It’s probably nothing.

~*~*~*~*~

Originally written for the Live Journal community pphp_ldws

Prompt: "Making something out of nothing."

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