Disclaimer: I only own the plot.
A/N: So, it's been a while. I usually have hectic weekends but this weekend was unusually hectic. And next weekend will be worse, especially on the 4th of July on Monday. So I will try to update by Friday at the very latest. This chapter is kinda short but it's a transition chapter where we go from the lovey dovey stuff to a more serious situation. Thank you all for being patient with me and an extra thanks to those that reviewed. I live for reviews~~~ so please send me many :D
Harry woke up in a tangled mass of arms and legs. He felt pleasantly content and relaxed as he lay in bed with Draco. After Draco had attempted to break up with Harry, they had talked for a little while before having dinner together and then they went to bed together. There was no sex, no fooling around. Draco just held Harry, caressing him now and again as they spoke happily of the future and didn't even think to speak about Harry's job or Draco's concern. It had been one of the nicest nights they had spent together, not that the nights where they had made love weren't nice. It was just a nice change to just be held. However, waking up brought them back to reality as well. Harry had to go to work and Draco would spend his day worried about his Auror.
Climbing out of bed after disentangling himself from Draco, who still slept soundly, Harry made use of the bathroom for his morning routine. After he was dressed in clean robes, which he had started leaving at Draco's manor, he went back to the bed. Draco was now lounging there against the pillows, staring at Harry, which made the smaller man fidget.
"What?" He asked softly, picking at an imagined piece of fuzz on his robe. Draco smirked and beckoned to Harry with just a wave of his finger. Harry went to him with a smile and bent down to him.
"Promise me you will send me an owl at your lunch hour." Draco so softly, reaching up to straighten Harry's robes.
"I promise. But I really must go. I'm late already." Harry whispered and Draco pulled him down for a kiss. After leaving, Harry made it to work, and not a moment too soon. Hermione bombarded him, her hair frizzed out incredibly, tears in her eyes. It was the tears that put Harry on alert. She grabbed his arms and shook him a bit, making his glasses go off kilter.
"He's gone, Harry! They've taken him!" She cried out to him and he put his hand on her back and patted it to comfort her. She sniffled and buried her bushy head in his chest. What was she talking about?
"Who's gone? Who's taken whom?" He asked softly, urging her into his office, where he closed the door and cast the muffliato on the door. Couldn't be too careful. Hermione took a seat at the chair in front of Harry's desk, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
"Ron! Those new Death Eaters took him when he was on patrol last night. I got this through an owl this morning." She said and took a folded piece of parchment from her robes, handing it to him. Harry took it and read it carefully. Really, these new Death Eaters had to be people Harry had gone to school with, how else would they know that Harry would willingly give himself for his best friend? Draco was not going to be a happy man when he finds out. Harry gave the letter back to Hermione, who looked up at him with wide, misty, eyes.
"Alright...I'll do it. If they want me, they can have me. But only if they give Ron, an even trade." He said in a hard voice and Hermione sniffled and stuffed the note back in her robes.
"What about Draco? You should talk to him. Maybe he can come up with a better plan." She said softly and Harry gave her a hard look. He loved Draco but he didn't need him to tell him how to do his job. This is the kind of stuff Harry was trained for. And he's had more than his fair share of experience in the whole being hostage situation. He could handle this and get out of it unscathed. He should have known they would come after him sooner or later. He was just hoping it had been later rather than sooner. It was unnerving to think that so many people, even now, wanted to hurt him and anyone close to him. Why couldn't he just live in peace for once? It was really tiring.
"Draco would...understand." He said softly and Hermione gave him a disapproving look.
"Don't take this on by yourself, Harry. You have people who would help you, you have Draco who had knowledge..."
"I don't want him involved! If he gets involved and gets hurt...I don't know what I'd do. It's hard enough for me knowing they have Ron but if they got Draco..." He shook his head and sat at his desk, his head in his hands, "Send them a return owl, Hermione, and ask them where they want to do the exchange and when." He said with an air of determination. He would get Ron out of their hands and to safety and they could take him, do what they want with him. He was certain Draco would understand in the end...maybe.
