CHAPTER TWENTY - FROLICKING THROUGH A FIELD OF WHEAT

Upon waking the next morning, Ron noted that he felt much colder than he usually did. As if the covers had fallen off him overnight. Yet when he reached slightly to the left hand side he noted that indeed the covers appeared to have remained over him. Yet there was a distinctive breeze. A breeze that when he felt to the right hand side would reveal that not only were the covers drawn on that side but the bed was suspiciously empty.  Knowing he went to sleep with someone beside him Ron was confused at first as to why the bed was empty. There was no clear sign of sun dancing through the partially drawn windows. There was no indication there was nay need for them to be up and doing anything. 

This caused the man to sit himself up in the bed, his eyes searching around the room for anything which would inform him of the time. Pondering if he had slept in rather late. Yet as he listened in to the sound of the shower running he remained a little bit confused. He supposed he would just have to sit and wait and see what was going on. To his knowledge there was nowhere he was supposed to be at that time. The family had no plans that they were all supposed to go upon, actually he wasn't sure there was much of an itinerary. Other than of the day of this mother's birthday Ron didn't think there was anything in specific they were supposed to do for the rest of their trip. The door of the ensuite creaked open slightly and Ron looked over to see Claudia enter the main room again, completely oblivious to the fact that he was awake. Until she looked over and saw him sat up. 

"Oh good morning Ronald. Sleep well?" She questioned and Ron gave her a curt nod in response at first. 

"Morning, do you have the time?" He wanted answers to the question he could not find on his own. Claudia moved over to where her jewellery had been left the night prior, moving to the wristwatch he had seen her wear most of the time. 

"It's about 20 past 8." Claudia replied after taking a second or so to read the watch choosing to strap it back on rather than place it down. Ron chose not to reply to her and move from the bed making his way over to the dresser of which they had unpacked their belongings in just prior to heading to bed the night before. He questioned for a moment what to say to her now, wanting to continue on the conversation but also knowing there was not an exact need to fill all the silences when it came to just the two of them. Not like there had been a need prior. 

"Are we supposed to be doing something today?" Ron chose to move onto the actual plan, see if there was nothing they particularly had to do that if there was something she wanted to do. 

"There was talk last night about heading into the surrounding area for a little look."

"Oh they are so going to embarrass us." Ron groaned at her words knowing how easy it would be for his family to make a mistake and completely ruin the public's opinion of them. Even if they had gotten better at blending in with the muggle society over the years since he was a young teenager. But he knew that with all of them present it was very likely things would go wrong. 

"We can sneak away." Claudia offered and Ron smiled back at her, knowing that the thought had also passed through his own mind but wasn't sure Claudia would be for it, seems that he would be proven wrong. 

"Sounds like a great idea beautiful. We'll get ready and head down see what the plan is and then sort out the escape." Ron agreed before slinking his way into the bathroom for a shower as the slight smell of smoke from the fire pit the night before seemed to cling to his body. 

He would exit the bathroom to find Claudia nearly ready waiting for him sat casually in one of the armchairs in the small rest area of the room. Her eyes trained on a book in her lap she was completely zoned out. He dressed himself quickly ensuring to collect a jacket before coming to join her in the chair. He would not need to say anything before she had turned to see him beside her gently holding out a silver bracelet towards him. 

"Mind helping me get this one on? I really can't get the clasp myself." Claudia gave Ron what he considered a sheepish grin. He took the bracelet into his hand before firmly closing the clasp around her wrist. Taking in the weight of the bracelet and the few small gems of which were bedded onto the main body. 

"It's very pretty." He added hoping she would tell him a little more about the piece. 

"Thank you, my mum says it's been in the family for generations. Passed from mother to daughter and so forth." Claudia had this look in her eyes as she spoke and Ron knew that 

"Will you pass it onto your daughter one day?" 

"I'd like to. Maybe I'd pass it onto our daughter one day." Claudia's brash words caused both of them to blush.

"Yeah, I'd like that." He agreed as both shared a small smile. 

It would turn out Ron was correct when he had the thought that the extended Weasley family would embarrass themselves whilst out in the local French town. He wasn't sure what was worse, the sound of the screaming children bouncing around the restaurant they took most of the space up in. Or the attempts his parents made at trying to speak French, to only insult the owners of that restaurant. Therefore, when they had the chance to slip away Ron was quick to take Claudia's hand and pull her in a entirely different direction to everyone else. The promise to return to one spot before they haded back to the rented villa together that night passing. But not meaning anything deep. 

Rather the pair would talk their way up a small hill where a vacant bench could be found and a view established over the surrounding area. Ron took a seat first, waiting as Claudia took a moment looking over the view standing before joining him. She would rest her head upon his shoulder before taking the hand she had dropped, prior to sitting down, back into her own. The silence which enveloped them, was serene a harsh contrast to the atmosphere they had been in before they had made the escape. Ron brushed his thumb over the back of Claudia's hand as he allowed the time to pass. 

"It's much nicer up here." Claudia commented.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about them. I don't know what they said to those poor owners but it was probably best we hid from the whole village for a little while." Ron laughed at his words to break just how awkward he felt stating them. The embarrassment for what had occurred stinging strongly. 

"Probably best you didn't know. They had every right to kick us out."

"Shit, it was that bad."

"Yeah, best not to dwell upon it." Claudia shrugged knowing it was best to not let Ron know exactly what his family had bundled out, nor how badly his mother had insulted the female restaurant owner of which she could not tell if it was intentional or not .

"Claude?" He questioned once again turning his body so they were facing each other rather than being simply sat next to one another.

"Yes?" Claudia responded her tone matching his own. Tilting her head as she look at him. 

"Just thanks for coming with me." Ron hoped it words came out heartfelt rather than desperate, but he didn't find himself caring too much either way. 

"Ronald, you don't have to thank me." Claudia shook her head as she spoke hoping that he didn't feel indebted to her for this one trip. If anything she was still in debt to him, what he did for her was half of what she did for him, coming on a family trip so he didn't feel lonely was nothing. 

"I know this was part of the deal originally, but I really am happy you came for me."

"There isn't somewhere else I'd rather be than here with you." Claudia gave his hand a little squeeze.

"Are you always this good with words? Claudia you're driving me crazy." Ron's cheeks remained flushed as she continued to charm him, win him over completely with her words. 

"Call it the pureblood sleaze charm." Claudia rolled her eyes at her own words before giving a little chuckle of laughter and continuing. "But for you Ron I'd frolic through a field of wheat."

They both laughed at her words and as Ron studied just how pretty she was, just how lucky he was that she was sat there with him and nobody else he moved his free hand to her cheek. Memories flooding back of alcohol fuelled actions. And the urge to repeat, at least some of them, now his mind was much more clear. He went to ask for permission, though she beat him to it as he felt her not only lean closer but close the gap pressing her lips to his own. He let go of her hand moving the previously conjoined hand to her waist so he could pull her in. Diminishing the space that was between them to almost nothing. 

And as everything slotted into place, he knew that Harry had been right the night prior. Nothing was pretend anymore. He was head over handlebars for Claudia Parkinson.