#*sigh* I wish we had a ''year in review late-option for people who can't do things on time because their brain hates the whole concept''

[nael-opale]

Hm...being a serial procrastinator sucks.

[headcanonsandmore]

Hi! I was wondering if you'd be interested in writing a headcanon where Ron gets career advice? He's a chess player, so any career that is founded on logic & mathematics would be a reasonable fit. Writer!Ron and Candy Maker!Ron is great too. After the war, Ron opens a new branch of WWW products; magical candies that help patients who suffer from depression, PTSD, anxiety, etc. I like Auror!Ron but I wish Rowling gave him a different, original aspiration. Why can't Ron have something that's his?

That sounds like agreat idea! I like Auror!Ron too but it would have been nice to see him doingsomething that showed that he understood he didn’t need to go the same path asHarry all the time.

Hope you like this! Iwent with the Confectionery Maker!Ron idea, as I feel it fits him really well.

 It had been two yearssince the war. The wizarding community in the United Kingdom was finallysettling into peace and calm. It was the new millennium, and it seemed anopportune time for reinvention. At least, those were the words that Hermionehad used.

��You really shouldconsider careers advice, Ron.’ The bushy-haired witch was stretched out ontheir bed, a large careers leaflet in her hands. Ron was sat on the edge of themattress as he polished his shoes; a habit he had fallen into after going to somany Ministry functions with Hermione. ‘It’s open to all Hogwarts alumni.’

‘Unlike you, I neveractually graduated Hogwarts, ‘Mione. Remember?’

‘So, that letter fromProfessor McGonagall last week was just confirming that, was it?’

Ron chuckled. Hisgirlfriend knew him too well.

‘Okay; fine. She wassuggesting that I consider accepting her recommendation for an honorarydiploma. Happy?’

Hermione reached outand tenderly traced a line down Ron’s back with her finger, a mischievous smileforming on her lips.

‘Very.’

Ron’s mouth stretchedinto a smile.

‘‘Mione, we have to goto that party at the Auror Office in half an hour.’

‘It starts in half an hour-’Hermione chewedher bottom lip and played with a strand of her bushy hair ‘-We can be…  Fashionablylate, if you want-’

‘MR WEASLEY!’

Ron was brought out ofthis highly enjoyable memory by thesharp, sobering voice of Minerva McGonagall.

Struggling to recomposehis face (which was probably a deep red colour), Ron entered McGonagall’soffice and sat down in the chair stood before the desk. He had been stoodoutside the office for well over ten minutes, but had been so wrapped up in histhoughts that he hadn’t noticed his former teacher repeatedly calling his name.

‘Now, Mr Weasley, asyou’ve finally decided to come whencalled,’ Professor McGonagall said, eyeing Ron with exasperation over herspectacles. ‘I suggest we begin the careers advice session.’

No matter how old Rongot, whenever McGonagall spoke to him, he always felt like he did at the age offifteen; uncomfortable, nervous and worried that he’d messed up hisTransfiguration essay. He imagined that most people felt like this with theirformer teachers, but McGonagall was especially strict compared to most.

‘Er, yeah,’ he mumbled,rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. ‘I mean, I know that I don’thave much to go on-’

‘Mr Weasley, do notsell yourself so short,’ interrupted McGonagall. ‘If I remember correctly, youreceived seven O.W.Ls during your days at Hogwarts. Or is my memory failingme?’

‘Well, yes. I did getseven.’ Ron said, feeling uncomfortable as he always did when people praised him.‘But I never really excelled in any of them. Not like Harry or Hermione-’

‘And I was under theimpression I was giving career advice to RonWeasley, not Mr Potter or Miss Granger. You have seven O.W.Ls, a perfectlygood amount of qualifications, not to mention your various extra-curricularactivities.’

‘You mean Quidditch?’

McGonagall rolled hereyes. She had the air of someone running out of patience.

‘Not just Quidditch, Weasley. Although, youcertainly proved your mettle in that respect. No; I mean all the things you’vedone.’

Ron sat puzzled.

McGonagall sighed.

‘Mr Weasley, did it escape your notice that you wereinstrumental in saving the wizarding world from Lord Voldemort?’

‘Oh,’ said Ron. ‘That.’

‘Yes, that.’ Professor McGonagall said. ‘Youhave repeatedly shown yourself to be brave, heroic, as well as having animmensely intelligent strategic mind. As such, you have many different careeroptions open to you. You are currently interning at the Auror office; is thatcorrect?’

Ron nodded. He didenjoy working with the Aurors, but he never felt like it was really for him. Ofcourse, he had wanted to become an Auror whilst at school, but, after all thathad happened during the second war, he didn’t feel like the profession suitedhim. Not to mention…

‘Well, it’s what Harrywanted to do, and I could hardly not go with him.’

McGonagall raised aneyebrow.

‘Mr Weasley, are youseriously trying to tell me that you are in the Auror office just because youthought you would be abandoning MrPotter if you chose something different as a career?’

Ron squirmed in hisseat.

‘Well,’ he mumbled, notlooking the professor in the eye. ‘Not in quite the way you said it, but…yeah.’

McGonagall sighed. Sheseemed to deflate slightly in her seat.

‘I had known for a longtime that you felt overlooked compared to Potter, but I never realised it wasthat bad.’

Ron looked down at hisfeet; he wasn’t used to seeing the usually stoic McGonagall like this.

‘Ronald,’ McGonagallsaid, making Ron even more uncomfortable; he had never heard her call him byhis first name before. ‘I assure you; you won’t be abandoning Potter if youwant a different career to him.’

‘But what career wouldI be suited for?’ Ron muttered, feeling very self-conscious. ‘I’m hardly agenius like Hermione, am I?’

‘I don’t remember Miss Granger defeating my giant chessset at the age of twelve.’

Before Ron couldanswer, Professor McGonagall had summoned several different career pamphletsfrom a nearby drawer.

‘SO, YOU WANT A CAREERIN WRITING?’ screamed one pamphlet. ‘WANT TO MAKE A SPLASH IN BAKING?’ bellowedanother.

‘Professor, I don’tthink any of these will-’

‘Weasley,’ saidMcGonagall, as if she hadn’t heard him. ‘Your core strengths are strategy and perseverance.You might not always have the raw natural talent of some of your peers, but youwork harder than anyone else if you really want something. I would thereforerecommend a career based on something you love doing.’

‘But writing and baking-?’

‘You enjoy them both,do you not?’

‘How did you-?’

‘Miss Granger seems hasa higher respect for you than you have about yourself.’

Ron tried not to grin.

Merlin, he loved that bushy-haired know-it-all… 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Five years seemed tohave passed in the blink of an eye. Ron was cooking breakfast while Hermioneread The Daily Prophet, sipping hermorning coffee.

‘There’s another reviewof those new Wheezes products in here.’

‘Oh, not this again,‘Mione…’

‘People like them,Ron!’ Hermione exclaimed, climbing out of her chair and wrapping her armsaround Ron’s waist; making goose-bumps erupt up the redhead’s back. ‘I’msurprised no-one ever thought before about making confectionery to help peoplewith mental health issues…’

Ron didn’t know whyno-one hadn’t thought of it either. It had been so obvious to him when he hadstarted at WWW; a lot of people needed support and help, and why shouldn’t theyhave confectionery to help do that? From PTSD brought on by the secondwizarding war, to anxiety and depression, Wheezes now had a range of productsto help people. And, of course, Ron had made sure to keep the prices as low aspossible. He knew what it felt like to not afford things he needed, and he hadno wish to inflict that on other people in the same position.

‘What did the reviewsay, by the way?’ he asked, trying to keep his heart-rate normal as Hermione’ssoft hands tenderly squeezed his lower chest.

‘Ten out of ten, fivegold stars, etc., etc.,’ Hermione said, nuzzling into his back. ‘Which,considering who is making the sweets, doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.’

‘Very funny, love.’

‘I’m serious!’ Hermionesaid, smiling up at him. ‘Those sweets are a great idea, and they’re helping somany people! You really should be proud of your achievements more!’

‘I’m just making sweetsfor a joke shop.’

‘And making a lot ofpeople very happy. Just like you make me happy.’

‘’Mione, I can’t cookif you keep flirting with me.’

Hermione giggled,causing Ron’s ears to go red.

‘Well, I’m not stoppinganytime soon, Ron.’ The bushy-haired witch grinned, a roughish look forming onher mouth. ‘Unless you try and make me stop.’

Ron raised an eyebrow,before dropping the now-cooked scrambled eggs onto two plates nearby.

‘Hermione Granger, isthat an invitation?’

Ron felt Hermione’sarms loosen around his waist, and he turned round to look at her. She wasleaning against the breakfast table, a mischevious twinkle in her eye.

‘Yes, Mr Candy-man. Yes it is….’

I may have gotten alittle distracted by the domestic Romione flirtations, but I hope you like thisnonetheless @ronandhappiness!