Title: It is Halloween, After All
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Harry Potter- after graduation
Rating: PG
Pairings: Harry/Ron
Spoilers: none
Disclaimer: Oh come on now! Do I look like J.K.R.? Do I look like I'm getting money from this? And do I look like I'm not just a humble fan who spends what little money she gets on fanish pursuits?
Summary: In this very short PWP, Ron and Harry spend a Halloween night together
Notes: This was written for the Sneezefic Halloween-themed challenge bunny #1: write a story using the words/phrases 'trick or treat', 'but he's so pale', 'haunted', 'raining', and 'but I'm afraid of the dark'
Feedback: I'd love some

It is Halloween, After All

The scraggly tree outside the bedroom window lit up as a flash of lightning filled the sky. "One hippogriff, two hippogriffs, three hippo--" A crash of thunder filled his ears. The storm was getting closer, though the winds were mild and the rain far from freezing.

"I'm coming!" shouted Ron as he came bursting out of the bedroom in a huff, buttoning up the pants he had just changed into. The door buzzer sounded again, that shrill annoying sound he was beginning to utterly detest. If only they had thought to modify the buzzer into something more pleasant, like a chime or a song. Even a blood-curdling scream would sound preferable at this point. He pulled open the door, panting. Standing on his doorstep was a rather frightening three-some of a witch, a werewolf and a wizard. "And what exactly do you three have to say for yourselves?" asked Ron, sternly.

"Trick or treat!" the chanted in unison.

"Oh, treat, certainly! I wouldn't want to get on the bad side of you lot!" Ron smiled and grabbed a handful of candy from the ratty old cauldron that used to be his from school. He handed a few pieces to each of the kids, and took one himself.

There was a mix of enthusiastic thank yous, and Ron made to close the door as the children went off to the next house.

"Hold it!" cried Harry, reaching his hand out to grab the door just before it closed. He came in and shook off, handing the shopping immediately to Ron. "Bloody hell, it would have to be raining out there," Harry grumbled, peeling off his jacket and shaking his head like a dog to rid it of some of its wetness.

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Ron, pulling several more bags of candy from one of the parcels. "We were running low." He emptied more into the cauldron. "Sorry, Love, did you say something?"

Harry shook his head, then shivered rather violently.

Ron reached over and felt Harry's sweater, running the fabric between his fingers. "You'd better go off and change into something warm or you'll catch a chill."

"All right," said Harry, wiggling out of his sneakers by the door rather than track water across the house. "Have there been a lot of kids by then?"

"Oh yeah," Ron said as the door buzzed again. "And to think you said the kids wouldn't be by because they thought this house used to be haunted. I think they're flocking to it in droves because of that very thing!" he laughed. Though, thankfully, that particular rumor was the reason they had been able to purchase the house so cheaply. The buzzer sounded yet again. Ron shivered. "Can't we get a better doorbell sound than this?"

Harry laughed, wiping his glasses dry on his jumper. "I'll look into that," said Harry. As Ron answered the door again, demanding the same response from the children, Harry headed to the bedroom. He stripped off his sweater and shirt, draping them over a chair and pulling on a dry shirt. He stood in front of the bedroom mirror, leaning forward against the dresser.

Suddenly he clapped a hand to his face. "ehhChhuhh! ehh-Ihhchhh!" He looked desperately around the room for a tissue box, not finding one. He sniffled and rubbed his nose discretely on his sleeve cuff. There was absolutely no denying the feeling now. It wasn't fatigue or just a little chill.

Ron came in, stretching. "You should have seen the last batch of kids. ‘Let's keep this up all night!' one of them says. ‘But I'm afraid of the dark!' says the other, immediately leading the way over to the next house. It's dark already!" Ron said, laughing. "But I guess there's no seeing that when there's something as serious as free candy involved. And you say muggles do this every year?"

"Every year." Harry nodded, looking at Ron's reflection in the mirror instead of bothering to turn around.

"Hey," said Ron, coming closer. He looked critically at Harry now for the first time since Harry's return from the grocery. And when he spoke, he sounded soft yet serious. "Hey, Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry shook his head, a head which was throbbing with congestion. He wasn't quite sure why he didn't want to admit how he felt, but perhaps his illness would go unnoticed if he made no mention of it. "Nothing. I'm fine."

Ron narrowed his eyes as he came up behind Harry, looking at him in the mirror over Harry's shoulder. "He says he's fine," he muttered to himself, draping his arms over Harry's shoulders. "But he's so pale! His eyes look so tired!"

Harry shrugged, his nostrils giving a quick twitch to indicate an oncoming sneeze, something he did not need as it would clearly support Ron's point and not his own. But the tickle could not be denied, and certainly not stopped if he was reluctant to rub his nose or even sniff. So he closed his eyes to hide from the worried-looking Ron, slid his hand into his sleeve, and lifted his cuff to his face again. "ehhhChshhhh! ehhKishhhh!" He sniffled, moving his head back and forth against his shirt rather than moving it.

"And he's sneezing in doubles, again!" Ron finished, reaching up and holding the back of his hand to Harry's forehead.

"And let me guess," said Harry, suddenly surprised at the light congestion that was already noticeable in his voice. "He's running a temperature, too?"

"Quite right," agreed Ron, nodding to Harry in the mirror. "Which means, without a doubt, that he's coming down sick. And he's going straight to bed with tea and a handkerchief before he can get any worse."

Harry pouted, being able to make the face look even more dramatic than usual by seeing his own reflection. "But I wanted to help you hand out the candy."

Ron seemed adamant, again hugging Harry from behind, and nuzzling him affectionately. "Nope. Straight to bed. I'll tuck you in."

Sticking his lower lip out as much as possible, and blinking green puppy-dog eyes at Ron, "Can't I just cuddle up on the couch with a blanket and wait up with you until the trick or treaters are done?" He sniffled pitifully. "It is Halloween, after all."

Though it looked as though it pained him to compromise, Ron nodded. "All right. At least that way I can keep an eye on you." He reached into his pocket for a handkerchief, finding none there. "Oh, blast it all, I forgot a handkerchief when I put on new pants. Hold on, I'll go get one. And you," he said, pulling his arms back but kissing Harry warmly on the cheek, "you go get a pillow and a blanket and put some water on for tea."

Harry obeyed, knowing he'd got Ron to bend as much as he would for the night. He was too much like his mother when it came to Harry's welfare. And Harry didn't mind being confined to the couch and pampered a bit if it meant being there with Ron. Perhaps there would be a scary monster movie on television they could watch, or some spooky seasonal music on the Wizarding Wireless Network. He pulled himself onto one side of the couch, leaning back on the pillow, covering himself with the blanket.

His nose tickled again, and this time he didn't try and hold them back. But instead of sneezing freely, Harry ducked his head partially beneath the blanket. "hehKushhhhhh! ehhhIhhhchuhhh!" he sneezed, the blanket up over his nose. He sniffled wetly and looked up at Ron over the blanket. Ron smiled at him and tossed a handkerchief his way. Harry pulled the rest of his head out from beneath the blanket and wiped his nose.

Ron swooped down only moments later with a hot cup of cinnamon apple tea for each. "Warm enough?" asked Ron, perching on the arm of the sofa as he drank, looking casual and relaxed on the surface, though concern still swam in his eyes.

"Mmm," said Harry, drinking, nodding. Ron grinned, setting his tea on the coffee table. He crawled over on the couch, pinning Harry back, and giving him a soft, tender kiss. A soft moan of pleasure escaped Harry's lips along with a deep exhale. A gentle shiver raced through him, but not from his illness and not from the rain. "Definitely warm enough now," he whispered.

The buzzer sounded again, and Ron pulled back, cringing at the sound. Harry laughed. "We'll charm it after this, if you like!" he called, as Ron answered the door.

Harry heard him laugh and saw Ron's face poking out from behind the door. "Oy, Harry, you've got to see these costumes!"

Bringing the blanket with him, Harry crawled across the couch. At the door stood a boy in a reindeer costume, a boy in a dog costume, and werewolf whose real identity couldn't be discerned because of the mask. Not entirely perfect as the reindeer was not a stag but more of the Rudolf variety, the dog was white with spots not black, and the werewolf was grey not brown, but certainly close enough. "Give them extra," he said, flopping back on the other side of the couch with a laugh.

Ron returned minutes later, crawling under the blanket with Harry. Harry welcomed him, and his warmth. But as he turned his head to kiss the handsome redhead, his nose tickled again. He raised the handkerchief and turned his head in the other direction. "ehhhKuchhh! hahhhChishhhh!" He rubbed his nose and relaxed back against the pillow and Ron, who wrapped a comforting arm around him. They sat in silence for a while, waiting for the next visitors.

"I think it's stopped raining," Ron said finally, listening hard for the sound of rain against the roof.

"Sounds about right, now that I don't have to go out anymore," Harry said, drinking more of the tea. "But since when do you have to resort to talking about the weather around me?"

Ron shrugged. "Since our life became so blessedly peaceful, normal and uncomplicated as to be able to."

"Mmm," said Harry again, swallowing, nodding. "Cheers to that." He raised his glass. Ron reached for his own, knocking his mug against Harry's in agreement.