Disclaimer: Characters belong to Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl series, and J. K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter series. The characters are used for entertainment purposes and no profit is gained from the writing of this fic.
Pairings: Draco Malfoy/Ron Weasly, Draco Malfoy/OC, eventual Draco Malfoy/Artemis Fowl, mention of Ron Weasly/Hermione Granger
A/N: This was originally started way back in 2007. I'm hoping to continue the story but cannot promise quick updates beyond the parts already written. I also am in need of a title if one can be offered.
Chapter Two:
Draco has been at St. Bartelby's for a week, and already he has friends. They are Bryan Craup, who plays rugby and has brown hair with brown eyes that sparkle when he smiles; Lucien Fallows, who was good with gadgets, and taught Draco, and had dark blonde hair that falls into his blue-green eyes; and Kharl Masters, a genius at science with short dark brown hair and intense purple eyes that intrigued Draco. The only type of people he made sure to steer clear of were redheads; he couldn't bear it yet. He also tended to avoid his roommate, which was quite easy ever since he saw the picture.
While at the all-boys school, Draco had also noticed that sometimes boys hooked up. He hadn't told anyone he was gay, but he felt the stares of a great many of his classmates. No hook-ups were non-consensual, but sometimes they were favours or the price for homework getting done. It both intrigued and disgusted the wizard.
Draco sat beside Kharl at the table he shared with his friends. This was a new experience for him, having friends, but it was an experience he enjoyed.
"Hey, Draco, that guy over there, Mark Phillips, has been watching you all week," Bryan says pointing to the red head with blue eyes across the room. "Today he asked me to ask you if you'd help him with his homework."
Lucien laughs, knowing what Mark really wants. In fact, a number of guys at the school want it too. The only question was who'd get it first.
"I don't like red heads," was all Draco said.
"Yeah, you've told us that. Why don't you?" Lucien asks, leaning across the table to gaze into the swirling grey of his friend's eyes.
"No reason, I just don't like them."
"You're no fun," Lucien says as he leans away, exasperated.
"Why don't you like Artemis then? He's not a red head," Bryan asks, watching his friend grimace at the name.
"Because he is a bloody arrogant prick who doesn't know how to mind his own damn business." Draco clenches his fists and looks about ready to hurt someone as he speaks. Just remembering his first day at St. Bartelby's makes him so pissed.
"Relax," Kharl says, putting his hand lightly on Draco's thigh. Draco is so shocked, he chokes on the bite he'd just taken. Kharl was usually very reserved and touched almost no one.
"You know," Bryan begins to muse aloud, "I've heard Artemis has never given favors to anyone except this one guy who was his roommate about three years ago. He was a true pretty boy with hair like yours, but he didn't slick it back, and these big hazel eyes. Rumour was he left because his parents found out about it. Ever since then, he's kept to himself, except for that hulk of a bodyguard."
"I've heard Artemis is just a straight, homophobic prick who would have his bodyguard cut off any guy's dick if they touched him," Lucien counters.
"Well," Kharl breaks in, "what I've heard is that his bodyguard is his lover, and has been since Artemis was young."
"And I've heard," a cold voice says behind Draco and Kharl, "that Artemis is just very picky, but does not appreciate being gossiped about."
Draco turns and looks into the icy blue of his roommate's eyes. Artemis looks truly pissed and grabs Draco's upper arm and drags him away, no explanation. Draco tries to pull away as his friends get up angrily, but he can't break the dark haired boy's grip. Bryan, Lucien, and Kharl move to follow, but are halted when Artemis gives them a cold glare. He then proceeds to drag Draco out the door and out to the grounds. When he halts at last, he is standing beside Butler.
"What the fuck do you want?" Draco growls, rubbing at his upper arm.
"Language, Draco," is all Artemis says as he studies the boy. His blonde hair is in slight disarray from the unceremonious trip outside. His grey eyes look as if he'd love to kill Artemis, but is thinking of the best way to do so.
"Bite me, vampiric freak."
Artemis ignores the provoking statement and says, "I found out who your red headed lover is: Ronald Weasley, youngest son of Arthur and Molly Weasley with five older brothers and one younger sister. His best friend is one Harry Potter, and his girlfriend is a Hermione Granger. He, Harry, and Hermione are fifth years at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, from which you were expelled."
As Draco listens to Artemis continue spouting out empty details of Ron, he doesn't even process that this muggle seems to know more than he should. It is just making him so angry, he doesn't even have full control as he suddenly punches the dark haired fifteen-year-old square in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The next second, Butler has Draco's wrists locked behind his back and Draco is screaming every profanity under the sun.
Suddenly a soft laugh is heard behind Draco. He turns to see a small person with red hair and brown skin laughing at the from of Artemis on his butt in the dirt.
"Silly mudboy. You didn't tell Foaly for whom you were looking up information on that Ronald for. Draco Malfoy is not one it is wise to provoke, as you've now seen."
"Hello, Holly," Artemis says as he rubs his livid jaw and gingerly gets to his feet. "Did you want something, or just to watch me get punched?"
"I'm just sorry it wasn't me doing the honours." With that, holly turns to a still struggling Draco. "Let him go already, Butler; I'd have to say Artemis deserved that one."
Butler shrugs and releases his grip on Draco's wrists. Draco stumbles forward, but Holly catches him.
"Draco Malfoy, I presume. I'm Holly Short, and I am an elf of the LEPrecon. I'm sorry about Artemis; we didn't know why he wanted info on Ron."
"Shut up," Draco says as he crosses his arms and glares down at the elf. He still doesn't understand why his bloody roommate has to keep butting into his business. Draco just wants to forget so he can move on already.
"Well then," Holly sighs, "I guess I better go. And, Artemis," she says, turning to him, "leave Draco's secrets to himself. Next time he might do more than just punch you. Have fun, boys." With that, the elf disappears in a haze and is gone.
"She told you exactly who she was," Artemis muses. "And didn't do a mind wipe. Most curious… Why might that be, Draco?"
"You know what, Arty," Draco says, suddenly cordial as he wraps an arm around the shorter teen's waist, "you might want to listen to that Holly Short chick; she seems to know what she's talking about. And next time it might not be a punch I direct your way. But, just to ease a touch of your curiosity, I'll tell you one thing." Draco leans down until his lips are right besides Artemis' ear and whispers, "Ron was my boyfriend and it his, along with Granger's, fault I got expelled from Hogwarts." Draco then straightens and goes back inside to his friends.
Artemis watches the blonde leave, a dazed look in his blue eyes, as the spot Draco had touched gradually cools. 'So the mysterious Draco Malfoy is gay. And Ron might be the reason behind his distaste towards red heads. But I still don't understand!' Artemis groans and rubs at his temples as a headache sets in.
"Artemis," Butler interrupts his thoughts.
"Yes?"
"Why do you care so much about Malfoy? This is more than your usual curiosity. Does he remind you of Brandan?"
"It has nothing to do with Brandan. Brandan… Draco may look like him a bit, but their personalities are different. And besides, Butler, Brandan will never again see me, nor I him, since that conversion camp his parents sent him to."
"Then why do you keep delving into Draco's past and present?"
"Draco is intriguing and makes no sense. He is a puzzle that I wish to solve. But mainly I want to know why, if he doesn't fear me, he hates me so. In that sense he reminds me a lot of Holly; I wonder if perhaps that is why she revealed herself to him…" Artemis continues musings as he waves at Butler and wanders back inside and up to his dorm.
When Artemis opens the door, he finds Draco seated on his bed with his friends, Lucien and Kharl. Lucien has a laptop between himself and Draco, and seems to be explaining stuff. Kharl is watching them, but is the first to notice Artemis in the doorway. He taps the blonde lightly on the shoulder.
"What the fuck do you want now?" Draco asks with a harsh glare, clenching his fists. "You going to show more of your stalker skills off?"
"No; this is my room too, if you've forgotten." Artemis then goes to his own bed and lays down, pulling a set of headphones over his ears.
"So," Lucien says with his eyes on Artemis, "how is our dear Arty a stalker? Does he have a wee crush on you?"
"No," Draco sighs as he slumps backwards. "He just can't leave things alone."
"Ah, well now I'm curious. But," Lucien glances at his watch, "I have to help our dear rugby playing friend with his homework. And no, no favours are being exchanged." Lucien winks as he says the last bit, making his friends doubt him, before he races out the door and to Bryan's room.
Kharl leans back beside Draco and watches him. Eventually he softly asks, "What did Artemis do?"
Draco shakes his head quickly before turning slightly. He stares into Kharl's violet eyes and notices there is blue in them. Not fully aware of his actions, he brushing his fingers gently across his cheek.
"You've got cold hands," the brunette says as he takes the cold hand into his own warm one.
"Sorry," Draco says, feeling in a daze.
"No reason to be," Kharl answers, turning onto his side. He nuzzles Draco's neck and jaw with his nose, putting his hand right over his belly button. "I can warm you up, if you want."
Draco doesn't remember what it was like to be warm, but Kharl's hands are reminding him. The offer is tempting, and he does like Kharl, but he isn't really; not yet. He says this and Kharl nods, not in the least insulted. He understands Draco is still getting over someone, but the offer is there fore when he is ready. Kharl pulls the smaller boy to his chest and hugs him tightly.
"Thank you," Draco sighs, snuggling into the warmth presented by another's body and relaxing.
"Anytime."
Artemis watches the entire exchange, his music nevder having been turned on. Lucien pisses him off immensely, but there is a calming element to Kharl. Watching Draco snuggle against him, though, causes strange feelings of jealously to fill his chest. He wants to tear them apart, to be the one holding Draco.
Artemis had lied a bit to Butler; Draco did remind him of Brandan. Both were broken inside and both did something that made Artemis' chest hurt when he watched. Brandan had a habit of biting his lower lip, sometimes until it bled, when he was nervous or thinking. Draco, whenever he was angry, checked his right pocket and muttered words, mainly Latin, that sounded a bit like spells or something he'd like to cast. Usually on Artemis himself.
Watching Draco drift off to sleep in the arms of another hurt terribly, so Artemis turns away and sifts through the information Foaly had gotten for him. Ronald Weasly, one of seven, was best friends with Harry Potter, known as the Boy Who Lived, Foaly said. The school they all go to is exclusively for British witches and wizards, which must mean Draco is a wizard. If that is so, a curse must be the thing worse than a punch he'd been warned about. What he still didn't understand is why Draco got expelled or why Ron is now dating whoever Hermione Granger might be.
While Artemis is deep in his thoughts, Kharl leaves. Draco lays curled on his bed for a bit before sitting up and looking at Artemis. Draco shivers suddenly, cold without Kharl. Not wanting to stay cold, he gets to his feet and crosses the room. Artemis' eyes are closed as he concentrates on his thoughts, but when Draco lays beside him, his eyes jolt open in shock.
"What are you doing?" Artemis asks, not really disliking the contact.
"I'm cold," is all the response he gets before Draco drifts to sleep. Artemis watches him and relishes in the feel of their bodies touching before he eventually falls asleep himself.