Gregor and Blaise walked back toward the castle much later, Gregor quite satisfied and pleased with himself. "I talk to you later, no?"

"Yeah, sure. Will I be having dinner with you and Ron?" he asked hopefully; if he could get to know the Gryffindor maybe, just maybe…

Gregor shook his head. "Oh, no; I must being speaking with Ron about you first, yes? Build him up so you and he can being friends too."

"Oh, okay…" Blaise felt disappointed, but not too badly so. He headed inside, feeling hopeful. If being around Gregor could get Ron to unbend, then Blaise he had a chance to get to know Ron on a much more personal level. Maybe he could even break through the wall he'd seen for himself that Ron put between himself and every male in the school except for Harry. And he doubted that Harry and Ron would ever take their friendship to THAT level…

-.

Days passed.

Gregor continued to meet with Ron during the day, using every method he had in his considerable arsenal to seduce the boy. Every night he would meet with Blaise, cuddle a bit and kiss and fondle but he had not gone any further. He would have been content with the young dark-skinned wizard if the redhead had not caught his eye first. He could not help but think that it would be even better if he could drag the redhead into the situation; then he could reveal his true masochistic nature to these little boys and teach them how to be good little sex slaves. Once he had them turned, they would be quite obedient and would fight any efforts to be taken from him as his last lovers had been.

-.

Gregor and Ron enjoyed dinner out on the grounds, with several students and even teachers wandering about. It was still warm, and a pleasant evening to relax out beneath the shade of the trees with the castle framed against an azure sky dotted with clouds.

Gregor was growing impatient; he'd never had to work so hard to get someone in his bed before and he was growing tired of the effort he'd put into Weasley. Why wouldn't this boy see him somewhere private? He did not require the consent of the boy to take his pleasure; when he was done he knew that he would have everything he desired and Weasley would tell no one. If he did it well, the boy would beg for it to happen again.

"…and then he did the Wronski feint and oh Merlin it was genius…!" Ron was spouting about Quidditch again, not noticing that the older boy didn't look at all interested this time.

"I have idea." Gregor spoke up after Ron had finally wound down. They had long ago finished eating and put everything back in the basket Ron had carried out. "You have not been showing me the Quidditch pitch." He said. "Let us go there." He suggested.

Ron glanced at him. "We've been out there five times already. Nothing really changes out there, you know. And you told me you saw in the Slytherin locker room already…"

"I am wishing to see Gryffindor team locker room." He said as he put on his wolfish grin, his tone deep and suggestive.

Ron looked confused, not picking up the suggestion at all. "Why? They're all the same… hell, Slytherin's probably got a bloody hot tub in their locker room, and it's probably a lot nicer than ours."

"I am wanting to see. Wanting to see. With you." He said, putting as much sexual, sensual tone into the words that he could.

"Can't mate…not today." Ron said, rising to his feet.

Gregor looked stunned. Had Ron actually not heard him? "You are going? Already…? Is early, not to leave so soon…"

"Can't help it mate; I gotta go. I have a load of homework and its due tomorrow, I really have to get started on it or old Snape is gonna hex me…" he said, dusting himself off.

The older boy sat up straighter. "Is no problem, just bring homework and I will help. I have taken such classes already…"

"That's really tempting but no… no thanks. Hermione would never talk to me again if I did that, and she's pissed off at me enough lately…" he answered

"Ron, you must show me locker room…!" Gregor reached for him, catching his hand, eyes intense and angry, still seated but starting to rise.

Ron looked more confused, as well as a little angry and frightened. He snatched his hand back out of Gregor's grip. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you Gregor? I don't have to show you the locker room. I don't bloody well have to do anything!"

"You will not be brushing me off, Ronald Weasley! You are seeing nothing; I will open eyes for you…!" He grabbed for him again and Ron dodged the older teen, taking several steps back.

Ron stared at him with an odd look, still backing off, well out of reach now and totally confused. "Look, I don't bloody well know what the hell's your problem right now but I'm not part of it. You really need to get off the caffeine or something, mate. I have to go." He said, moving away quickly.

Gregor scowled, watching him go, subsiding to a seat in the grass, his fists clenched in anger. He'd been quite intrigued by the young Gryffindor but had grown impatient waiting to get him. He'd plied the boy with wine, given him aphrodisiacs in his drinks, used every sexual trick to arouse or interest him, even tried to steer the conversation to sex.

He'd done everything except drop his pants in the young man's presence and really had gotten no reaction, no realization, nothing from him, at all. Ronald Weasley was either one of the densest young men he'd ever met when it came to sexual contact or he had one hell of a strong attachment to someone else.

His conversations with the boy had made it clear that he hadn't been with anyone, and that made him even more desirable as one that no one else had managed to touch. He could bend him to be what he wanted him to be… if he could only get hold of him… he'd moved too fast today. He sighed irritably and pulled a scrap of parchment from his robes and composed a quick note to Ron.

Ron – Mate. I do not know what came over me, please accepting apology from me for actions today. I do not want to being lose you for friend; I enjoy company of you and hope to stay friends for long time. Please to meet me tomorrow on bridge…?

Gregor signed the note, and then read it over before rising. He'd send the message and Ron had better be there… he was so gullible and forgiving he doubted the redhead would even think twice about not coming. He smiled to himself, planning. He had only to find a private place… Only two days until the first trial for the TriWizard cup. His conversations with Ron had led him to understand that the reason he wasn't talking with his friends was that this Harry Potter had put in his name as the fourth contestant.

Ron would soon be much more noticeable than Harry Potter, once Gregor had finished with him. He could picture in his head; Ron with a collar about his throat, wearing whatever Gregor deemed he should be garbed in that day. Smiling widely, he moved toward the owlry. He would not be able to reach Ronald but an owl always could. And tonight he had plans anyway. He was going to start working on his other mark, the young dark-skinned wizard…

Ron read the note, seated in the common room. He'd been really weirded out by the way that Gregor had acted… he wasn't sure what the hell the Bulgarian had wanted, but he was sure of one thing; he hadn't wanted any part of it. Gregor knew he'd been an ass and was apologizing; at least he knew it was wrong. Well, maybe… He glanced up as Harry came into the room through the portrait of the fat lady. He felt his hopes rise; it was almost torture not talking at all to Harry for the past several weeks…

Harry scowled at him. "What are you looking at?" He asked crossly; he'd been harassed by several people up the halls and stairs with "Potter STINKS" badges and wasn't in the mood for anything.

Ron couldn't help it; he immediately bristled back. "Not a bloody thing that means anything to me." He shot back, intending to hurt Harry's feelings, turning away from him, hand closing on the note, crumpling it in his fist..

"Doesn't surprise me much you're being such a twit." Harry snarled back at him. "You've been hanging around with that bloke from Durmstrang so much; you may as well transfer schools…"

"Sod off, Potter!" He snapped, not looking back at him, glaring at the flames in the fire. He wasn't about to tell him or let him know how much being snubbed by him and Hermione had hurt him.

"Gladly." Harry whirled and stormed up the stairs.

Ron glared after him, angry and having no way to vent it again. And he had to sleep in the same dorm room it was about to drive him insane. Growling, he got to his feet and stormed toward the entrance.

"Ron…?" Hermione's soft voice came from the top of the stairs.

Great; just what he wanted right now. "What, Hermione?" he asked sharply.

"Please tell me you tried…?" she asked from the entrance to the girl's dorm. "Ron please…"

He whirled, glaring at her angrily. "Why the bloody hell are you always harassing me to be nice to HIM? Why don't you harass HIM to be nice to ME?" Ron growled at her. "I'm not the only one who needs to think about what they bloody well say!"

"Ronald, please…" Hermione began.

"You can bloody well bugger off too!" He snapped, moving out of the room. He didn't care if he got in trouble; he was damned sure going for a walk. He needed to cool off and wear himself out so he could sleep in the same room with that glory-hog. If nothing else he would find a place to sleep down in the common room.

-.

Blaise, seated in the great hall, saw Ron stalk in and sit before one of the great fireplaces that lined the sides of the hall. He felt an urge to go talk with the boy, but his foul attitude made it clear he wouldn't accept any friendly overtures. He'd been snapped at enough by him. Anger wasn't what he wanted, not at all. He wondered what had happened.

He watched as Ron's foul mood chased off three Gryffindors who were just trying to help him; Ron snapped at them and they drifted off, leaving him to sit alone.

Draco nudged him. "Go on. He's there without the others. Even that Gregor fellow isn't about. Go. I bet he would really like someone to talk to…"

Blaise hesitated, and then shook his head. "Its not the right time, Dray, I can't. Not today…"

"If not today, then when?" Draco asked. "You've been waiting four years, mate!" he said in a slightly exasperated tone.

"For the same reason you don't approach the one you care for." Blaise answered easily, knowing Draco's secret crush which he would never reveal. "Besides, he's not in the mood to talk."

Draco smirked at that comment. "Talking isn't what you have in mind and you know it."

"Draco, hush!" Blaise smirked. His attention was drawn over to the redhead again when he rose and stomped out of the room, and Blaise half-chuckled. "See? Wrong time…"

"Maybe this time. But you never told me how it went with that Durmstrang fellow…"

"I'm seeing him tonight. He's… well, he's interesting…"

"You don't think he's actually BEEN with Weasley, do you?" Draco asked quietly; the other students were far enough away that no one would hear his soft question.

"I… he says he has but I don't know." Blaise said softly back.

"You've been seeing him a lot lately, haven't you, that Gregor?"

"Yes… but its nothing to worry about… he won't be here forever…" Blaise reassured. "You know where my heart lies, my friend."

"Yes, I know. Although I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what attracts you to the redhead…"