Pairing: Ron/Oliver.

Rating: PG-13.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Characters owned by J.K. Rowling.

Summary: Ron isn't gay. No, really.

Ron isn't on the Quidditch team. He's too young really, or that's how he justifies it. Harry is an anomaly; Ron is just too young. Next year, he's going to try for a spot as a Chaser. In the meantime, he contents himself with going to every match, collecting as much Quidditch paraphernalia as his measly allowance will stretch to, and ogling Wood. This last point is crucial to his enjoyment of the game. When Hermione asks why he watches Wood so intently, he informs her scornfully that Wood is only the best keeper out of all four house teams, and only likely to be scouted by the Chudley Cannons, and is only bloody brilliant. Hermione sighs and tosses her hair as she turns back to the game, while Ron sighs and shakes his head as he turns back to his contemplation of Wood. He's sure he covered the sharp jolt of excitement that flashed through him when Hermione said Wood's name well, with that babble about Wood's Quidditch prowess. Hermione wouldn't know if Oliver were rubbish anyway; she doesn't care about sport because you can't get high marks in it.

Ron isn't gay. He's never really thought about boys in...you know, that way. So when he goes down to the broom sheds after the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match, it's just to congratulate Wood on a game well played and nothing more. He finds Wood putting his broom away, looking exhausted. It was a good game and Gryffindor won (of course) but only just. Wood was working hard to keep the Ravenclaw goals out, and Ron was on the edge of his seat the whole time. He still remembers that first game where Wood was struck by a Bludger and tumbled to the ground. Ron willed every Bludger that flew within 20 metres of Wood to fly in the opposite direction with his teeth clenched and his eyes pleading. So now he's standing behind Wood with his prepared speech bouncing behind his teeth and just waiting to be babbled out (hi-I-know-you-don't-know-me-but-I'm-Harry's-friend-and-Fred&George's-brother-and-I-just-wanted-to-say-you-were-great-and-) when Wood turns around and smiles down on him with a "Hi Ron. Enjoy the game?" and that's it for Ron's coherent thoughts. Ron blushes bright red and mutters "yeah". Wood looks confused but puts his broom into the corner before wiping the sweat off of his forehead and turning towards the changing rooms. Ron wants to say something, do something, get Wood to talk to him some more, and before he even has a chance to think, he says "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Ron isn't too sure that he has a brain. He's not seen any evidence of it in the past five minutes. And now he's standing in the broom shed, opposite Wood and cursing himself for being so bloody stupid. Wood still has that same confused look on his face but it's gradually being replaced with a smile. Ron's about to run away - back to his room, to the common room, to the Forbidden Forest, anywhere that isn't here - when Wood says "No. No, I don't." Ron looks at Wood's face, at his feet, at the ground, and back up to Wood's face. Ron has just started his growth spurt but he's still shorter than Wood. Nevertheless, the difference in height makes it that much easier for Ron to step over to Wood (there's no-one else here is there?) and lean forward (he's not moving away it's a good sign) and just softly plant a kiss on his lips. Ron's never kissed anyone before and isn't about to start all that stuff with tongues that Bill told him about. He just wants to show Wood - Oliver - what he means to him. He's in the process of wondering how he can end this kiss and keep his dignity when Oliver pulls away slightly and whispers in his ear "Meet me back down here after dinner?" Ron's too shocked to do anything but nod, and Oliver disappears into the changing rooms with a smile.

Ron isn't hungry tonight. He normally eats everything in sight - causing Malfoy to sneer "Don't they feed you at home, Weasel? Oops, of course not. They can't afford food." - but tonight all he can think about is the broom shed and Oliver and that kiss. Oliver is eating, talking to Fred and George about a particular play and not even looking at Ron in between bites. Harry nudges Ron and asks what's up, but Ron barely hears him. He pushes his chair back and states "I'm going to the library." As he walks away from the table he can hear Hermione practically faint into her apple crumble, but it doesn't matter because every step out of the hall is one step closer to the broom sheds. He'll wait for Oliver outside in the darkness. Marching quickly down the steps, he bumps into Percy who demands to know where he's going why isn't he eating doesn't he know that it's rude to walk out of the hall before the teachers say you can go where is he going anyway? Ron rolls his eyes in patented younger brother fashion and Percy frowns but lets him go.

Ron isn't a very good flyer. He wants to be; he practices every day, but somehow the broom never quite goes in the directions he wants to take. The wind whistling through his hair doesn't feel exhilarating so much as cold, and he's always a bit worried that he'll lose his grip and plummet to the ground in front of everyone. So he flies when there's no-one else around, and stays close to the ground in Madame Hooch's lessons. And right now, he stands next to Oliver's broom and wonders whether flying on it will make him better than using a school broom. So this is how Oliver finds Ron - circling the Quidditch pitch on a borrowed broom, looping lazy figure of eights around the goal posts and swooping low then high in pursuit of an imaginary Snitch. Oliver reaches for his broom, but finding it gone, grabs a school broom and takes off towards Ron, flying towards him with a look of determination on his face. Ron isn't sure how to react. On the one hand, this is Oliver, the boy he kissed earlier. On the other hand, this is Oliver, the boy he kissed earlier, and he stole his broom. However, Oliver is here now and doesn't seem particularly annoyed. In fact, he's wrapping his arms around Ron, and while it's very nice, Ron feels precarious enough now that he's just hovering in the air, without Oliver being wrapped around him to add to the insecurity of the situation. Before he can protest, Oliver silences him with another kiss and oh, there's the tongue thing Bill mentioned. The two boys slowly descend, still entwined around the two broomsticks and each other, each unwilling to relinquish the other. Ron can't believe that this afternoon he could barely pluck up the courage to talk to Oliver and now he's as close to him as he could have ever wished to be.

Ron is happy. And this is as good as it's going to get for him. And this as good as it ever needs to be.