"Cold"
Intro
It was the middle of December and snow was falling heavily atop the roof of Ron Weasley's blue VW Beetle. Ron wasn't used to being stranded on the middle of empty country roads, especially ones covered with inches of snow, but his cousin Celina insisted that he visited her and her new muggle husband the normal way: by car. Ron had hated the idea of visiting her (she was his most unfavorite cousin and he made sure to be "sick" on the day of her wedding), but now he simply loathed it as he was unable to get his car to start back up again. Ron once again turned the key in the ignition. He was barely able to hear the call stall again through the sound of snow pelting the roof. Sighing, Ron got out of the car and lifted up the hood. Dark black smoke erupted from underneath the hood ashe looked at what he assumed to be the engine, in utter confusion.
"Bloody hell, where's Hermione when you need her?," mumbled Ron as he tried several spells on the car that did not work. Ron knew he couldn't stay in the small car forever and after giving his car a hard kick, he started down the road in search of a rest stop.
It had been 30 minutes of walking and Ron had yet to come in contact with a rest area. His gloved hands and booted feet were beginning to succumb to the cold (although he had used a heating spell on them earlier) and he was steadily becoming tired. The only good thing about the situation was that the snow had stopped falling and he could see far enough to realize that he wouldn't reach a phone anytime soon.
Ron turned around in defeat, but was faced with something he was not expecting to see, an object falling from the sky towards an area a little bit ahead of his abandoned car. Ron began to hurry toward the area, wand in hand. As he came up the fallen object, he realized that it was a man, a very blond man at that, lying face first in the deep snow. Letting his instincts get the better of him, Ron turned the unconscious body over. Ron gasped and chocked as he realized who was lying on the ground in front of him. It was Draco Malfoy, a man he hadn't seen or thought about in 5 years and spent 7 years loathing.
Flashback: Hogwarts- Last day of 7th year
"I can't believe it!," said Ron while trying to escape from his graduation robes.
"Yes, I know. How could I have possibly gotten only 249?," remarked Hermione as she looked over her final grades. She herself had already changed into her regular clothes, a light pink blouse with a pink and white striped pencil skirt, and Ron had already told her that she looked quite stunning.
"Honestly, Hermione, you were top of the class. It doesn't matter anymore what grades you get," remarked Ron as he finally was able to take off his robes, revealing a red polo shirt and tan pants.
Hermione's eyes became ten times wider and her expression became dead serious, "Of course it matters. Hmph, honestly, what would you know? I'm surprised you managed to graduate, the amount of slacking you did this year was absolutely horrendous." She rolled her eyes and made a face as if the very thought sickened her and then continued, "I'm going off to find McGonagall. I know she did this to me and I have to get to the bottom of this. That old witch will not get away with this."
Ron had to laugh at his girlfriend of 4 months as he watched her bushy head pass into the crowd of excited young adults. No matter what, she would always be studious and work obsessed.....Work. That word sent shivers down his spine. He, Hermione, and Harry (who was busy flirting with a Ravenclaw with blue hair and large.....brains) were supposed to start Auror training in 3 months, but that was seemingly a million years away to Ron. All he wanted to think about was partying with Harry, taking his kid sister Ginny to all the shows she had been going on about, and staying up all night with Hermione. He was still deep in those thoughts when he heard a low growl come from someone standing next to him. The noise had come from Hermione, who had just returned and was currently glaring at something a few steps ahead. Ron followed her line of sight and saw what was annoying his love and it made his stomach turn. It was Draco Malfoy.
Draco Malfoy had been Harry, Hermione, and Ron's sworn enemy since they had all entered Hogwarts. Since then, the only thing that changed was the enlarging of everyone's egos and their pants sizes. Malfoy's wrath had always been particularly aimed at Ron, or so he thought, and therefore, Ron was always ready to pick a fight with him. This time would be no different.
"Why is he here?," hissed Hermione
"Yeah, that's right. That little rat should be pending trial for Azkaban for all he's done. I thought they were ready to put him away. They already got rid of Crabbe and Goyle. I mean, not only was he close mates with You-know-who, but he also murdered those two muggles in Surrey, not mention the fact that he tried to kill us!," remarked Ron who was growing slightly redder in the face as his temper flared.
"I'll tell you why he's here," whispered Harry, who had just joined them, "Turns out he's let off the hook. Dumbledore told me last night that Malfoy's mum was a double agent for the Order and that she used her influence to get him innocent. The charges weren't dropped until this morning, that's why it's not in the papers yet."
Ron stared at the tall, blonde with a look of pure loathing in his eyes. I hate himthought Ron as he watched Malfoy converse with another Slytherin. Malfoy was wearing a green silky button-up blouse with black pants and Ron found himself staring at Malfoy longer than Hermione and Harry. He hadn't even realized that they had dropped the subject and were trying to take him with them to talk to Hermione's parents.
"Would you come on? They want to congratulate us," said Hermione in annoyance as she tugged on Ron's arm.
Ron shrugged her off of him and started walking toward the Grangers. Before he was half way to where they were standing, something snapped in him and he turned around and ran towards Malfoy. Before Malfoy had time to react to the sudden appearance of Ron near him, Ron had punched him hard in the jaw. Shocked gasps and screams erupted from those nearest as Ron pummeled Malfoy. By the time their former teachers arrived on the scene, Malfoy was huddled on the ground and Ron was looking down on him in triumph.
"You're nothing without Crabbe and Goyle, but you were alwaysnothing. You're just a miserable feck with nothing to do with yourself. That beating was for all the muggles you killed. I hope you never forget and that I never have to see you again," said Ron as he walked away.
Malfoy opened his mouth as if to speak, but shut it again asthe laughter of his former classmates drummed in beat with the throbbing in his head.
Present
Ron took several steps back out of shock. He could barely believe his eyes. There on the ground in front of him was his enemy lying unconscious next to a broken broom stick. He watched as Draco's chest rose slowly, his face tinged blue. Ron had two choices: 1) leave Malfoy there to die or 2) try to help him. Ron stared at Malfoy, then bent down so his face was right over Malfoy's. Everything was still and Ron could smell Draco's scent which smelled like a mixture of fresh laundry and expensive cologne. Ron couldn't help but breathe deeply. Ron then spat abruptly on Malfoy's face.
"Bloody bastard," said Ron after he had carried out his original intention, "If he'd fallen on my car, I would of murdered him."
Ron stood up and began to walk away toward his car. He had finally remembered a spell that would get his car moving and he couldn't bear to stay there and come to terms with the fact that he'd willingly breathed in Malfoy's scent before spitting on him.
