A/N: This is a SPINOFF.
A/N 2: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN SLASH (GUY-GUY RELATIONSHIPS), INCEST AND SEX. EACH CHAPTER IS PROPERLY RATED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
(Rated PG-13 for social drinking, implied guy-guy relations and excessive use of French)
'On Fire' Switchfoot
Summary: Ron Weasley is unfortunately apart of a considerable percentage of the wizarding world who foolhardily fell for one of the charismatic Potter twins. He's learned to deal with the crazed fans, the headlines, even biting his tongue when it came to his feelings towards all of it. But his stay in Romania proves to be even more rewarding outside of his promising new career path.
Little does Ron know that he's not alone in his silent obsession...For there is another who pines for a Potter so desperately, and it's the last person Ron expected.
"... he won't ever have to be alone again."
"You're such a fruit sometimes."
A ginger-haired head lowered itself down and soon smoke engulfed it.
"Hey now! Take it easy! It's not as if that stuff isn't rare!"
Ron Weasley looked up to see the handsome, scowling face of his friend, Draco Malfoy. After spending the last 12 months together in the Unspeakable Training Program, the redhead had grown quite fond of the boy. True, their personalities clashed quite a bit, but that just made it fun. Draco was haughty, prissy, arrogant and even at times, indifferent. A big difference from anyone Ron had ever known. But he was loyal, and that was the biggest shock of them all. "I'll take it in whatever form I see fit, Ferret."
Draco glowered, his porcelain features scrunching and his gray eyes flashing." I told you to stop calling me that. I in no way, shape or form resemble a rodent."
Ron smirked, already feeling rather sedated and reached over to pinch the blonde's flushed cheeks. " Ok, Ferret."
The blond growled and Ron had to chuckle. Sometimes, it was just too easy.
Draco crossed his arms, leaning back in his armchair, and proceeded in dusting off nonexistent specks of dust from his immaculate robes." I'll have you know, Instructor Ewers finds me quite the fox."
Ron glanced up briefly and shook his head, " Ok, but you're still an animal."
Draco glared at the boy, snatching back his pipe and leather satchel. " In all the good ways, Weasel."
"That's a horrendous thought, " Ron replied, licking the taste of ash from his lips.
" You're such a git, Weasel. I'm amazed you passed Speech and Etiquette."
"What can I say? Mr. Olaf loves me."
Draco scoffed and stood, "Hardly. I think he was just sick of seeing your freckly face all the time."
"And what's wrong with my freckles?" Ron asked, standing as well and following behind the blond out the door.
Ignoring the question, Draco turned round and eyed Ron's empty hand. "Forgetting something?"
Blinking in confusion, the redhead stared at the boy for a few seconds before realizing his plunder, " Bugger! The report!"
Draco sniggered as he waited idly by the doorway, watching as the tall boy ransacked his desk for the aforementioned report. Trotting back into the hallway, the pair made their way through the familiar dark passages to the Great Hall.
"So, did you find that book I lent you helpful?"
Ron scanned through the extensive roll of parchment, checking and rechecking every fact, finding and theory." Oh, I've been meaning to give that back to you. I'm amazed the Ministry still allows that volume."
Draco smiled, " They don't."
Ron rolled his eyes and tied a ribbon round the scroll, "Why am I not surprised?"
Today was a rather eventful day for the two. After a year of rigorous training and decisive sacrifices of morale, Ron and Draco were finally upon graduation. Turning in their 6-month long reports (Ron decided to research and execute the plans for manipulating Muggle surveillance technology for Wizarding use. Draco did some potion or another that did something dreadful), the pair were finally on the day of exams. Neither was all too sure exactly WHAT the exams were going to entail, but they were certain it was nothing pleasant.
"So did you get anything out of Craft?" Ron inquired, fidgeting with a small metal 'bug' that would soon come alive with the proper spell and be able to scurry about the room, undetected, and feed back what it saw into a small handheld television.
Draco took Ron's invention from him, turning it over to examine the odd innards, " No. The man was unflinchable. Even with a bottle of port in his belly, he didn't let one little thing about the final exam slip-what in the devil is this thing?"
Ron looked over and frowned, " I believe that re-routes the circuits. Wait...No, yeah. It re-routes the circuits."
Draco looked at him as if he'd just spoken Gibberish." What the bloody hell does that mean?"
The boy sighed and took the ticket to an A from the blond and carefully slid it into his pocket." It means, the wires are held together by that little piece of metal so they go where I want them to go. I had to redo the casings cause the titanium didn't cope too well with magic. That was a whole week worth of time wasted."
Draco understood none of this. So he nodded his head and settled his mind back onto deadly potions and the siege of 1818 and a brunette's wrinkled nose and definitely NOT baffling Muggle science.
Soon, the two crossed the Great Hall and met up with their fellow (and only) classmate, Jules Baskoff.
"Hullo, Jules. Have a nice weekend?" Ron asked pleasantly.
Jules regarded him stonily with her blank brown eyes. " I suppose, Weasley. If fishing round a moat is considered 'nice'."
Ron didn't know why, but he didn't much care for the girl. Maybe it was the fact that she was emotionless or that she never really seemed all that there or that she treated him as if he were some child she stumbled upon. Or maybe it was just because she looked a lot like Victor Krum. Ron had never gotten over his inane jealousy of Victor Krum. Funny figuring his best friend had done exactly what Krum had done, only worse. People just always got what Ron wanted before he did. It had grown commonplace. And rather annoying.
"Why were you in the moat? Couldn't you get ahold of a house elf?" Draco asked, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of their teachers and an end to this pointless exchange.
"I don't trust elves. Something that low to the ground shouldn't be allowed to live." Jules replied in a monotone voice.
Ron grimaced, remembering Dobby back at Hogwarts.
"Then Weasley here must be your very best friend, " The blond quipped with a smug lift to his mouth.
"He is rather tall, isn't he?" Jules went onto say. Really, this was the most she'd said all year.
"I beg your pardon, but I'm not THAT tall." Ron refuted, a strange heat spreading across his cheeks. " I'll have you know that all my brothers are taller than me."
Draco regarded the boy with a little curl to his lip and mumbled, "Which proves the fact that you're uncommonly tall. You're only 19, Weasley. You're bound to keep growing at that freakish rate until your head hits the clouds."
Ron scowled half-heartedly while Draco chuckled quietly. Jules always made them feel uncomfortable, as if she'd yell at them for not acting in the proper Unspeakable way. Which was absurd, really. She never showed any emotion for anything. As if she really cared if they bantered once in awhile. All the same, Ron and Draco never sent the usual zingers to each other when round her as they did in either's chambers or taking a walk round the grounds.
"Ah! I see we're all here bright and early. Excellent."
The three turned round to see the Head of Programs, Mr. Punickle, approaching them, flanked by the four teachers. They all wore insanely black-themed robes, all Dementorish and ghastly. Draco wrinkled his nose.
"Well, here we are. I'm glad to see you three still alive and well. Merlin knows that speaks volumes, " Mr. Punickle went on. Then his face lost the grimacing smile and any trace of amiability otherwise. " Now begins your final exam which we call the Last Task. It in itself will determine whether you are proper Unspeakable material. You each will be given a roll of parchment, for your eyes ONLY, on which is written your part in this task. Your goal: To concoct and administer an advanced invisibility potion on an intelligent, non-magical subject within the next 72 hours. Each part you play in this task will either reward points to your final score, or deduct them. Remember your training and all should do splendidly."
Ron winced as another strange grimace crossed Punickle's face. Honestly, was it SO hard for the man to just smile?
"I must warn you, however. At the occurrence that you do not succeed and cause this task to fail, the persons responsible will have their memories Obliviated and given a wonderfully comfortable spot behind a desk in the International Wizarding Affairs department at their respective Ministry. So, if a life pushing parchment does not sound appealing to you, I suggest you take care to complete this task successfully." And with that, the old man nodded his head and walked off with Mr. Olaf and Mr. Fleetwood. Ms. Ewers gave the three warm smiles, as she was accustomed to doing, and led them to the front of the Great Hall at which was a large table sitting on the dais, so full of herbs and body parts and dead things floating in jars, that it looked like a page right out of a dark wizard's cellar.
"This is a standard collection of ingredients used for numerous potions. If the case calls for it, you will have to summon specific ingredients yourselves. An apothecary is upstairs, but I must warn you, points are deducted for using Bran Castle's stores and not venturing on your own." The blond woman went onto say. Her black skirt whirled round her flat shoes as she walked back over to them. " There are no rules against stealing, ordering or bargaining for needed ingredients from whatever source. My advice to you is, don't get caught. A caught Unspeakable is a lost Unspeakable."
Draco stared dispassionately at her, unwilling to let her grave words affect him. Mr. Craft handed out 3 rolls of parchment, each tied with a black silk ribbon.
"The context of each scroll is for your knowledge alone. You will play out the instructions to the best of your ability. Remember, it is your duty as an Unspeakable to accomplish this task in the face of whatever peril or moral dilemma." Mr. Craft said, looking very solemn." Once we leave, this castle will be your own. Each decision, yours to make. But just because we are not here, does not mean we are not watching. So take heed, lady and gentlemen. And know this, an Unspeakable's teammates are his most trusted ally, but also his greatest threat. Good luck and goodbye."
Ron, Draco and Jules watched as the two instructors nodded their exit and left the hall with an echoing bang of the tall double doors. Being on their own was unnerving enough, but also knowing what the consequences were for failure put them all on edge.
"Well then, lets get to it, " Draco spoke briskly.
The three unrolled their scrolls and memorized their instructions, which ended up being a single word scrawled elegantly across the paper in red. Draco seemed pleased, Jules indifferent, Ron queasy. Quickly, they each tucked their scroll inside their pockets and turned to each other.
"Well, I suggest we get started straight away. This potion will take up the entire time they've given us." Draco said, already picking through the herbs and such.
"Do you know what the potion needs?" Ron inquired, the green tint to his face slowly ebbing away.
"Not precisely, but I happen to remember seeing the list in my advanced potions book back in seventh year."
"Splendid. Where does this book happen to be right at this moment?" Jules asked dragging over a large bowl to carry the ingredients Draco was picking out.
"In my room, on my bookshelf."
"Wonderful place for it," Jules said sharply.
Draco sneered and thrust a root of birch into the bowl. " I can just Floo there while you two set up the lab."
"But I thought the Floo Network isn't connected here, " Ron put in, taking the bowl from Jules.
"Then I'll go to the village and access it there." Draco answered impatiently.
"Muggle homes usually tend to not be connected. But I'm sure you already knew that, " Jules spoke up, examining her nails.
Draco considered her briefly before a smirk lifted the corner of his pale pink lips, " I do believe I'm starting to like you, Baskoff."
Jules actually looked startled, then something eerily similar to a smile crossed her face. " Likewise, Malfoy."
"Yes, we all love each other, can we get on with it then? We already lost valuable time chatting." Ron quipped, his uneasiness causing a little bite to his tone.
"Alright, Weasley, don't start lactating. You two set up in the East Tower, that way we can have access to the moonlight." Draco said as he was walking away.
"While your out, Malfoy, mind picking me up some chardonnay?" Ron called out, walking to the far door with Jules at his side.
Draco's response was lost in the noise of the room as the double doors let a sudden thunderstorm in, and a disgruntled Draco out.
O-O-
"... then the white rose petals sprinkled in every 15 minutes precisely, for the next 24 hours. " Draco marked his page with a green silk ribbon and shut the book with a thump.
"Is that it?" Ron asked from his spot on the opposite side of the room which Jules and Draco had insisted upon about an hour in. 47 hours later hadn't changed a thing.
"Course not, you dolt. " Draco quipped.
Ron sneered. "I was just asking, Ferret."
"What have I told you about calling me that!"
"There's no need to shout." Ron remarked, crossing his arms.
" I'm not shouting!"
" Apes, please." Jules interrupted, gaining dark looks from the two young men. "What's next on the list?"
Draco shifted the thick book to his hip, rather cocky about the fact that he memorized the last leg of the potion, " We wait until the potion turns dark blue, then we add in an ounce of purebred dog's coat and a whisker from a Cheshire cat."
"What sort of purebred dog?" Ron dared to ask.
Draco wrinkled his brow, referring to his book. " Well, it doesn't say exactly. I suppose we should search for other books in Malfoy Manor listing this potion and check them."
"Or base our decision on the magical properties of each purebred dog." Ron put in, a peculiar spark in his brown eyes.
Draco looked downright bemused. " Er, well, that'll do too."
"Then what canine has more invisibility properties in their heredity?" Jules questioned, stirring petals into the potion.
"Well, none naturally. The closest thing would be camouflage essence. " Draco replied, hugging his book to himself.
"Which are in what?" Jules prodded, growing impatient but not showing it.
"Basset hound and golden retriever. Oh, and Chihuahua." Ron answered, examining his nails.
Draco sent a glower in his direction, " You forgot dachshund and British terrier."
Ron rolled his eyes and stood up, " Anyways. It doesn't really matter which it is, any of them will do. And figuring we're up in the middle of the Romanian mountains, I wouldn't bargain on the smaller ones, they wouldn't survive the weather."
"Especially if its just the fur. Hair tends to be very sketchy." Jules added in.
Draco gave a sigh and rubbed his temples. " Ok, fine. Baskoff, I want you to go then and gather any one of the furs from those dogs. Need me to write them down?"
"Course not."
"All right then. While you're out, we'll need to prepare the demiguise hair, so Weasley no sleep. We have to constantly keep it in the moonlight and adding drops of liquid silver to it." Draco said, handing Jules her cloak and a tiny satchel of floo. "Be back as soon as you can."
Jules nodded and walked out of the tower room, leaving the two boys in silence. As Draco scurried about to ready the hair, Ron sat and watched.
Ron didn't bother to mention that what with the horrible storm out, the moon would probably show for about a few seconds tonight.
"What are you doing you stupid oaf? Get up and HELP!"
Ron rolled his eyes and slid off his stool, getting winded by a huge jar thrust in his stomach. If it weren't for the instructors watching over them, Ron would've walloped the scrawny brat right then and there.
It was tedious work, to say the least. Draco was a slave driver, commanding Ron about as if he were a house elf. Ron had even suggested that he transfigure a nice collar and Draco could start calling him Fido. Draco didn't see the humor in this.
About two hours later, Draco was getting restless and Ron was getting psychotic. The demiguise hair was waiting in an iron bowl set carefully by the locked window, at which Ron was placed so he could place drops of silver on it whenever his watch told him to. Funny enough, the watch was enchanted to scream at him in a voice that was eerily similar to his mother's.
"Finally! What'd you do? Decide to have a cup of tea?" Draco snapped coolly as Jules waltzed back in, a pouch in her hand and her hair full of leaves.
"So sorry, master Malfoy. Perhaps had the dogs not tried to gnaw my feet off, I would've arrived sooner." Jules quipped back, thrusting the leather satchel into the blonde's outstretched hand.
Brushing off her comment, Draco quickly looked for his scale, but seeing it in no obvious location, and with precious seconds to spare, dumped the lot of dog fur into the dark blue potion. After dropping the whisker in, the former Slytherin exhaled loudly and sunk into a chair. "Thank Merlin."
"Next time, why don't you hurry it up a bit, eh?" Ron said, watching out of the corner of his eye as the window creaked open the slightest.
Jules stifled a growl, her patience whittled down to a thin thread.
"Ok, now all we have to do is wait until the demiguise hair is ready, then we add it." Draco said unnecessarily, dropping in rose petals.
Ron sniffed, his stomach giving an odd sort of lurch. " What's that smell?"
The boys looked over at Jules, who suddenly glared at the both of them, " Don't ask."
Ron shrugged and Draco tried to be discrete as he pressed his sleeve to his nose. Exactly an hour later, the demiguise hair was dropped into the potion, quickly followed by the remainder of silver.
"That should do it. Now we just let it simmer for another 20 minutes and add the last of the rose petals." Draco said with something close to relief in his voice.
"What are we going to test it on?"
A pair of silver and brown eyes settled on a baffled freckled face.
"Malfoy, you DID decide on a test subject, yes?" Jules inquired edgily.
Draco looked panicked for a brief moment, then nodded confidently. " Yes, of course. What do you take me for? A Weasley?"
Ron scowled, " Get on with it, Ferret. What are we going to transfigure?"
Draco thumbed through a dusty tome, his brow creased, " We can't transfigure it, it has to be 100 non-magical or the potion won't work. Even a transfigured item has magical residue in it."
Ron shrugged and crossed his arms, looking out the window.
Jules frowned, "So what then? An animal from the forest?"
Draco glanced out the window at the stormy sky, " It'll have to be. Make it something small, but not a rabbit, they're too flighty as it is without adding invisibility to it."
"So I'm guessing I have to go fetch it, " Jules said through gritted teeth. Really, spending time with Ron and Draco was doing miracles to the girl's dialogue.
Draco blinked. "Well, naturally. "
"It won't work."
The blond looked over, already glaring, " What won't?"
"Getting an animal. The properties of the potion will be too much for them to handle for one, the next being we need to record any abnormalities of the test subject. I doubt there're any regular animals that can talk."
Draco frowned. The prat had a point. " So what do you suggest, oh omnipotent one?"
"Get a muggle, " Ron stated simply.
The other two trainees merely blinked, their mouths hanging open.
"What was that, Weasley? I must've heard you wrong. Did you just say MUGGLE?"
"Yes."
"That's illegal," Jules pointed out.
"Not if you don't get caught." Ron replied. "Look, the fact of the matter if we need something more intelligent than a rug and with animals, there's a big chance they won't cope with the potion and die on us and there goes both our potion and our careers. I don't want to chance it."
Draco looked appraisingly at the redhead, " I'm getting teary-eyed, Weasley. There just might be hope for you yet."
Ron decided it best not to reply and watched from his safe perch on the stool next to the opened window as Jules rushed off at Draco's command to the tiny village at the bottom of the mountain. Crossing his arms, Ron hugged himself tightly, feeling a cold breeze slither up his spine. He moved away from the window.
O-O-
" WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"
It was a decent question by all accounts. If it weren't for the fact that he knew very well what he'd done, but didn't want to divulge it, he probably would have told them. So, he just shrugged and walked out of the room.
It was pure chaos in the East Tower of Bran castle. A blond and a brunette could be found rushing about the room, trying their best not to panic as they tried to locate their subject, who had disappeared. But not in the way they were anticipating.
"Mr. Lovic? Mr. Lovic, where are you?" Draco called out, ducking under the wooden table.
Jules was kicking beneath everything that had enough space for a 40 year old Romanian man to hide under, the picture of absolute hysteria. " Lovic! Gus Lovic? Kommen Sie hier jetzt gleich oder ich werde Sie kastrieren (1)!"
Draco turned to look at her, glaring, " That's German you twit, not Romanian!"
Jules was not in the mood for specifics.
Draco whirled round when he tripped over something large and invisible, landing bum first on the rather unforgiving stone floor. " Ow!"
Jules grasped at air, scrambling around on all fours to snatch something of the man's. A foot, an arm, hell even a sock would do her fine. "Blast! He's gone! If I get my hands on that freckled faced Weasel, I'll neuter him!"
Draco looked about, feeling frantic and helpless. What happened? Where had he gone wrong? And what the FECK was Weasley thinking!
"Some friends you keep, Malfoy. " Jules spat, her placid brown eyes anything BUT placid. " You do realize that if we can't find that stupid muggle, we don't have a shot at graduating."
"What are you talking about? We don't even have a shot at freedom if we don't find him!" Draco shrieked in a very un-Malfoy sort of way.
"You can thank Weasley for that."
Draco gripped the tabletop, trying his best to remember his lessons in meditation. Breathe in, breathe out, think of the leaf, loving kindness..." Bugger! I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF WEASLEY!"
In all fairness, it was a very mean thing to do. But rules are rules and he wanted to pass just as badly as the rest of them. Hopefully his brief insanity would muddle his Gryffindor instincts. Hopefully.
"What do we do now?" Jules barked, her hands and knees dusty from crawling around everywhere.
Draco shoved his hands into his perfect hair, a thing he only did when things got utterly horrible. And things didn't get much more horrible than having your supposed good friend devastate a very touchy batch of invisibility potion then let the illegal test subject escape through the door they opened. Draco was almost sure the Gryffindor alumni would strip Weasley of his association with them, Potter being at the front of the line wondering where he went wrong in the Weasel's training. What a coward! What a traitor! What a good for nothing little-
"MALFOY!"
Draco blinked as Jules proceeded to shake him very unpleasantly, " I'm not a bloody snowglobe, Baskoff! So stop touching me!"
The girl backed off, her eyes wild. " We're ruined, Malfoy! RUINED! We could go to Azkaban for this! We could!"
In a feat of great heroism and selflessness, Draco slapped the Bulgarian right across the face. Once her expression turned to that of shock, he cleared his throat and collected himself. "We are NOT going to jail, Baskoff, for I have a plan."
She looked almost hopeful, willing to forget about him slapping her. "What is it?"
"I will execute Mandate 6626, subtext M."
Jules looked at him blankly at first. Draco thought she did a remarkable impression of Weaselbee.
"I'll burn all of our recordings, everything from the potion, all trace that this ever happened while you go down to the village and obliviate Gus Lovic from his family's memory. A forgotten muggle is no muggle at all."
Jules brightened slowly at first, then she was beaming. Quite a scary thing if you've ever seen it. "Brilliant, Malfoy."
"Yes, naturally, "Draco responded, quite pleased with himself. "Now, make haste. We might still be able to salvage the situation."
"Indeed."
Draco and Jules turned with looks of ill-concealed terror on their faces. Mr. Punickle stood framed in the doorway, the rest of the staff behind him.
"That was quite spectacular, Mr. Malfoy. Destroy the evidence and modify the casualties. Very bright, " The man said as he walked into the room.
Draco wasn't accustomed to gaping or stuttering, as it was not befitting a Malfoy. But today, he made an exception. " I...er...Sir?"
The old man laughed, smoothing his tie down and motioned for someone behind him to come forward. Draco's stuttering only worsened as Ron's tentative smile met his silver eyes. "...What?"
Punickle walked round, examining what was left of their potion, " What would you say, Bruce, was the failing element in this potion?"
Mr. Craft stepped forward, taking a cautionary sniff of the cooled cauldron. " There was no moonlight added to the demiguise hair. Without proper exposure, the potion loses its pleasant sensation and turns into something akin acid."
Draco shot a dirty look at Ron.
"Oh, do not blame him, Mr. Malfoy. It is your own fault for not keeping an eye on your partners." Punickle said with an odd sort of smile.
Draco was at a loss. Why was everyone so happy? What was Weasley still doing breathing? What was going on!
"I can see from your confused face, things are a bit hazy for you, Mr. Malfoy. Allow me to clear things up, " Punickle took a seat on an armchair, the rest of the teachers busy examining the cauldron, the ingredients, and Draco's various illegal potion books. " This was all a test, you see. Not the kind you took in Hogwarts. This was a test of not only mental competency, but also that of interaction. You remember the scrolls handed to each of you?"
Draco nodded, pulling out the parchment still tucked away in his pocket.
"Let us see what each of your tasks were."
Draco flipped his around for the room to see.
" Do you not see the reason for why things happened the way they did?" Punickle inquired, an annoying smile that was obnoxiously reminiscent of Dumbledore on his face.
Draco furrowed his smooth forehead, glancing over at the others. His scroll had only said ' Lead' in blood red letters. Looking over, he saw that Jules' said ' Follow.' But the greatest shock was to come when he got an eyeful of Ron's. 'Betray'. It was as if his breath stopped somewhere in his throat and his eyes were popping from their sockets. "Weasley...?"
Ron nodded, tucking away his parchment as if ashamed.
"You all had a role to play. The leader, the follower and the catalyst. I chose Mr. Weasley here to make a point; you NEVER know who may betray you next. " Punickle grinned. " You all executed the task beautifully."
"But what about the muggle, sir?" Jules finally spoke up.
"Safe and sound in his bed, memory modified, " Punickle replied.
The three regarded each other with newfound pride and respect. Draco even rewarded Weasley with a pleased smile.
"Now, lady and gentlemen. May I have the results?" The man asked as he stood up and joined the other four teachers.
The group nodded and handed forward their slips of parchment, on which obviously was written their grades.
Punickle took great care in reading off each one. " For team effort, control and effective knowledge of Magical Law in their roles: Draco Malfoy, 9 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 9 of 10; Ron Weasley, 10 of 10."
Ron grinned rather jauntily.
"For quick thinking, use of learned knowledge and creative license within their roles: Draco Malfoy, 9 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 7 of 10; Ron Weasley, 10 of 10."
Ron grinned wider. Draco began to grow sick.
"For useage of past knowledge and liberal assets in their roles: Draco Malfoy, 10 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 5 of 10; Ron Weasley, 7 of 10."
Draco grinned as Ron dimmed the slightest.
"And lastly. For clever resolutions, reliability and trust: Draco Malfoy, 10 of 10; Jules Baskoff, 8 of 10; Ron Weasley, 10 of 10."
The three exchanged a look, unsure what all this meant.
"In short," Punickle started. " I look forward to seeing all of you at the graduation ceremony this weekend. At which, ALL of you will be given your official admission into the Ministry as a trained Unspeakable."
The whoops of delight were heard all throughout the castle that night.
O-O-
"You're a dirty rotten lying cheating bastard, is what you are."
Ron grinned and hugged Draco's shoulders, " I appreciate you too, Ferret."
Draco scowled, making Jules giggle. "What have I told you about calling me that?"
"Get used to is, Ferret. I'm calling you that till the end of your days." Ron said with a chuckle.
Draco's sour face only added to their amusement. The three were sitting in at the table in the center of the lavishly decorated hall, friends, family and co-workers mingling happily around them. The ceremony had actually been very small, to both boys' surprise. Their guests had been notified prior and they watched as the three were simultaneously presented with Ids, certificates and a spell binding them to the department. As a gift, Punickle handed them all matching silver bracelets, on which was inscribed " Till the End. We are the Ones."
The party so far had been mild, very low key. Most of the people present Ron didn't know. Draco had a few relations there, smiling down on the blond approvingly, whispering about how wonderful he turned out "inspite of that Gryffindor's influence."
Of course Ron didn't expect his family there. He never told them about his plans to begin with. But it didn't change the fact that his heart was cold without their warm faces and congratulations cheering him up.
"So, we get about a week to ourselves before we have to oath into the Ministry. What are you two going to do?" Jules inquired, sipping her tea.
Draco curled his fingers round his goblet, pondering, " I suppose I'll work on the Manor. Get it up to par, then study."
"Study? What ever for?"
Draco regarded the girl as if this were the most stupidest question ever, " For my career, of course. You can never study too much."
"Hermione used to say that, " Ron blurted out.
Draco looked over at him solemnly, while Jules looked interested.
"Oh? Was Hermione your girlfriend?"
Draco snorted in the most regal way possible while Ron blushed. "Er...No."
Jules seemed most baffled as to why Malfoy was giggling into his wine and Ron was looking like a tomatoe. "Was it the wrong question?"
"Let's just say, Granger wasn't really Weasel's TYPE." Draco replied, throwing Ron a coy smirk.
"Then what is his type?" Jules couldn't help but ask. The slasher in her hoped against hopes.
"Brunettes, definitely."
"But only if they breech 5 foot 10, and have facial hair."
Ron and Draco whirled round, stunned to see none other than Charlie Weasley and Jimmy Potter grinning down at them.
"Charlie! Jimmy!" Ron leaped to his feet, throwing his arms round the two. For the moment, he forgot things between him and the Potter were awkward and he hadn't spoken to any of his family members since he left abruptly in June. "What are you doing here!"
Charlie laughed and patted his little brother on the back, " Watching you graduate, of course. What? Did you think we'd miss it?"
Ron pulled away to study their faces. Then it seemed to really hit him. "JIMMY! Bugger me hard! You're here!"
Jimmy laughed outright, stilled wrapped up in half of Ron's embrace, "No, I'm really a figment of your lustful imagination."
Ron blushed then decided that it'd been long enough that he was stupid and crushed the boy to him. " Merlin, I've missed you. I'm so sorry I never wrote for your birthday and how I left like that. Can you ever forgive me?"
Jimmy stood stock still in his arms, rigid as a lamppost. At first, Ron was fearful, but he knew what he was doing. Jimmy couldn't escape or smooth talk his way out of this if Ron was holding him still. But to his relief, not a moment later, Jimmy relaxed and hooked his arms round the redhead's shoulders.
"Of course I do you asshole."
Ron grinned from ear to ear and squeezed the boy tightly before pulling away. "So, friends?"
"We never stopped," was Jimmy's crafty reply. Ron was more than relieved.
"AHEM!"
Ron turned round to see a very intrigued Jules and a rather flushed Draco.
"Sooooo...brunettes, eh?" Jules said with a knowing grin.
"Yeah, but not this one. " Jimmy replied and stepped out of Ron's arms. Draco seemed to relax visibly.
"So, whats the story? Inquiring minds want to know."
"I think I liked you better when you never talked, " Ron said, to which everyone shared a good laugh.
"Mum and Dad want to kill you, you know, " Charlie spoke up.
Ron grimaced, "I could imagine."
Then Charlie grinned wider, " But they're proud as all get out. We all are. Our baby brother, an Unspeakable."
"Yeah, who knew?" Ron laughed then noticed something was off... Draco and Jimmy were missing.
"So...Did I really hear right? My kid brother swings the other way?"
Ron cringed and felt bile raise his throat. Warily, he chanced a glance at his brother. To his surprise, Charlie was all smiles.
"I've known for awhile now. It was pretty hard to ignore all the furtive looks in Harry's direction. You're not exactly stealthy."
Ron couldn't help but feel green. " Does anyone else know?"
"About your preference or the object of your preference?"
"Er, both."
"Bill."
"Bill?"
"And Ginny."
Ron felt dizzy. " And Ginny?"
"Oh, and I think Fred and George too. They've been acting real strange round Harry and Jimmy."
Ron sat down heavily, gripping his head at the onslaught of information. "That's everybody!"
"Percy doesn't know."
"That's everybody!"
Charlie plopped down next to his poor, bewildered younger brother. " It's ok, Ronny. We won't tell Mum and Dad until you're ready. We all support you. "
Ron relaxed the slightest as Charlie slid his arm round his shoulders. The musky scent of dragon pens and travel calmed his nerves and returned him to his Hogwart's days when Charlie would visit home and they'd talk for hours over cocoa.
"Oh, Ginny thanks you for leaving her Pig."
Ron sighed, " Yeah, well, that ruddy bird liked her more than me anyways, plus she needs an owl more than me. I guess with my first paycheck I'll buy myself a new pet."
"Please not another rat. Who knows what mental criminal it'll be this time. "
Ron scowled as Charlie ruffled his hair. "I'm not amused."
O-O-
"Je cherche un auditoire avec vous. MAINTENAN T("I seek an audience with you. NOW.")!" Draco hissed into Jimmy's ear then walked away from the food table and into a darkly light corner.
Jimmy blinked, a hors'deuvre half way to his mouth. With a scowl, he followed in suit, "Quel est l'urgence ? Ce doit être important si nous parlons en français.( "What's the urgency? It must be important if we're speaking in French.")"
Draco ignored this for the time being until they were both safely tucked into the corner, out of prying eyes. "Il y a des autres ici qui me crucifieraient si leurs oreilles ont entendu que je suis sur le point de dire. Je garderais plutôt ceci entre juste nous. " As a small group of Heads from the Bulgarian Ministry passed by, nodding their hellos to the two boys, Draco whispered in addition, "Parler formellement comme ça personne soupçonnera." ("There are others here who would crucify me if their ears heard what I am about to say. I would rather keep this between just us."- "Speak formally that way no one will suspect.")
Jimmy frowned, glancing between the officials and his blond counterpart." Que va-t-il sur le Draco?" (" What's going on Draco?")
So many answers to that question, but one at a time, Draco thought to himself. A conversation between Ron and himself played through his mind.
'You can't always live for others, you know, Malfoy. Eventually you're going to have to live for yourself.'
'Just like you, Weasley?'
'Maybe, maybe not. But at least I'm doing something about my problems.'
'Because running away is always the Gryffindor way.'
'I'm not running away. I'll face Harry when I'm ready. Not a moment sooner.'
' But will you EVER be really ready to face the love of your life whom dumped you?'
'I...I'm not sure. All I know is I love Harry and if being in his life means I'll never get to love him like I want to, then so be it. I would have told him how I felt, gotten everything off my chest. That alone would make it worth it. Just so he knows someone loves him and he won't ever have to be alone again.'
Jimmy peered at the Slytherin oddly, waving a hand in front of his face. "Hello?"
Draco looked at the boy, a shiver running up his spine and nausea setting into his stomach. He really shouldn't have had that second helping of goose liver. "Il y a quelque chose dans mon coeur que je crains me dépasserai."("There is something in my heart that I fear will overtake me.")
Jimmy seemed alarmed, but he managed to calm himself down enough to mumble, "Alors me dire qu'et a laissé votre souffle de coeur facile." ("Then tell me and let your heart breath easy .")
Draco hesitated, his Slytherin tendencies rearing their ugly heads. "Ce n'est pas un genre facile de chose à dire. Je crains pour notre amitié. Je le crains pour que je ne peux pas dormir la nuit."("It is not an easy sort of thing to say. I fear for our friendship. I fear it so that I can not sleep at night.")
The brunette frowned, his countenance softening, "Ne pas craindre. Je suis votre ami et je ne passerai pas le jugement. Dire me, ce que vous afflige si."("Do not fear. I am your friend and I will not pass judgment. Tell me, what ails you so.")
Just get it out, Draco. Just say it. "J'habite avec le péché. Pas contre Dieu, mais contre mon coeur même. Ce péché me détruit de l'intérieur hors." ("I live with sin. Not against God, but against my very heart. This sin is destroying me from the inside out.")
Again, the Potter's stature took on a rigid edge. "Alors ne pas pécher. "("Then do not sin.")
Draco looked despondent and studied his well-polished shoes. "Si seulement cet étaient cela simple."("If only it were that simple.")
Jimmy was growing impatient, "Vous faites des choses plus dures alors ils ont besoin d'être. Si c'est le pardon que vous cherchez, alors le pardon que vous recevrez. Je vous pardonne de votre péché, votre Draco." ("You make things harder then they need to be. If it is forgiveness you seek, then forgiveness you shall receive. I forgive you of your sin, Draco.")
The blond would've cried, if such a thing were capable of a Malfoy. He wished on anything that he could leave things here. But sadly, the boy's point was just not getting across to the Potter. "Mais ne vous savez pas de mon péché! Si vous étiez de savoir, je suis sûr que votre pardon ne serait pas si facilement gagné." ("But you know not of my sin! If you were to know, I am sure your forgiveness would not be so easily won.")
Jimmy quickly quieted him with a hand to the mouth as the Minister of Romania and the Headmistress of a nearby wizardry school passed by them, both wearing curious looks. "Me dire maintenant. " Jimmy hissed, his usual cool demeanor rapidly thawing in face of an already fragile relationship." Vous m'avez cherché hors, maintenant me dire. Je je promets ne vous souffrira pas pour lui." ("Tell me now." "You sought me out, now tell me. I promise I will not suffer you for it.")
Draco gazed into the pair of emeralds that had never been this close, save one encounter in a Hogwarts bathroom that, unfortunately, truly was innocent. He closed his eyes, feeling warm puffs of breath ghost over his flushed cheeks. In his mind, the words he spoke were true and pure. My heart aches. For someone I must not have. It yearns to hold this person close and kiss them till we are both breathless. I am in love, my dearest friend. I am in love.
What fell from his lips was, "Je suis un millier de fois désolé pour coucher à vous quand dure nous avons rencontré. Nous n'avons rien fait sexuel cette nuit de remise des diplômes."(" I am a thousand times sorry for lying to you when last we met. We did not do anything sexual that night of graduation.")
Jimmy started, taken aback by something that had been on his mind for months now. It seemed he was so startled, he completely forgot to be covert, " W-what did you say?"
Draco winced inside, knowing he'd chickened out in the lamest way. But oh well. Malfoys don't make mushy heartfelt professions. "I'm sorry...We never did ANYTHING at the party. Truth was, you DID come onto me, but I deterred you and you passed out before anything else happened."
Jimmy's tight muscles seemed to slowly slacken, his eyes moistened, "But...then why did you lie?"
Draco took a step back into the forgiving shadows; his gaze hung low, " I was embarrassed, if you must know. It's not every day a chap has his best mate flagrantly hitting on him in front of practically everyone."
Jimmy flushed, rubbing his arm, "Oh."
Draco nodded a bit, totally angry with himself and ready to go drown his sorrows in a lot of wine.
"Thank you, Dragon."
Draco looked up quickly at Jimmy's endearment for him. "What?"
Jimmy smiled, making Draco feel as if the floor were whipped from beneath him. Reaching up, the Potter ruffled Draco's immaculate hair and 'booped' his nose. " There just might be redeemable qualities about you after all, Dragon."
Draco watched as the young man quickly explained away a quick departure (something to do with the Minister and fried ham) and exited with Charlie Weasley. Draco never did get around to that wine.
O-O-
Home. It was such a weird word to say to one's self after a year away at some haunted and violent castle in Romania. But here he was, home at last. Well, Black Manor at last. Ron sighed and collapsed back on his old bed, smiling at the familiar scent of wooden walls and fresh sheets. There was even a vase of beautiful flowers waiting for him on his nightstand. They were from his family, a picture of the bunch at Christmas adorning the roses and posies. His heart ached and he wished he could see them right that second. Even Percy would be fine. But alas, it was sometime after midnight and he was hungry, not to mention tired. So, deciding on which primal need would be addressed first, Ron changed into his jeans, threw on as familiar a t-shirt he could find and headed downstairs. Picking through all the creaks he vaguely remembered, so he didn't have to deal with late-night visiting from Lupin or tiring lectures on proper peace and quiet from Snape, Ron crossed the hallway into the kitchen.
A loud yip and Ron found his shins being attacked by something with teeth as small and sharp as a doxy's. "Yeouch!"
"Oh!"
Falling backwards from trying to escape whatever menace he was facing, Ron landed in a painful pile of limbs while something wet and warm lapped his face. A few candles were lit and Ron found a furry little ball of fluff sitting on his chest. A closer examination showed the attacker to be nothing more than a cute ginger and black puppy.
"Ahem..."
Ron looked up, stumped to see Harry standing at the other end of the kitchen, looking guilty and downright gorgeous with his sheepish smile.
"Sorry about that. Little guy jumped out of my arms soon as I came in."
Ron nodded and scooped the puppy up, standing up and rubbing his stinging bum. "Whose dog is it?"
Harry blushed furiously and Ron wished there were a hole he could jump into. It was WAY too soon to deal with a blushing Harry Potter. "I, er...Well...Seeing as you just graduated and came home, um..."
Ron looked from the happy pup to Harry. "It's for me?"
Harry shrugged, but his embarrassed smile spoke volumes.
Ron was floored. Harry...Harry got him a present?
"Max went missing a few weeks ago. I went looking for him and found him not too far into the woods, snuggled up with a girlfriend and about 4 of these guys."
Ron looked at the puppy who immediately went into hysterics trying to lick his face. "This is Max's?"
"Yeah. I heard that Ginny got Pigwideon, so I figured, you know, you might need a new friend. You don't have to keep him. I could always get you an owl instead-"
"No! " Ron shouted, and then blushed in spite of himself. "I mean, no, no need. I like it just fine."
"It's a boy."
Ron smiled and looked the puppy over. The reddish fur was uncannily similar to his own mop. And the black...Someone should avada him for his scandalous thoughts. It just wasn't humane. " Ronald Polonius Weasley the Third."
Harry snorted and walked toward them, " Ronald Polonius Weasley...the THIRD?"
Ron scowled, a red hue singeing his ears. " His predecessors never made it past the horror that is Fred and George."
Harry sniggered and crossed his arms in that casual 'oh, I'm so hot I burn a hole through the floor I stand upon, but I don't really care' fashion, and Ron wanted to slug him.
"Hopefully this guy'll make it to at least one year." Harry smiled at nothing in particular, his verdant eyes staring without remorse at Ron and his new puppy. " RPW the Third. "
Unable to keep up the stare they shared, Ron focused on his dog and noticed specks of green among the oceans of amber. Figures.
"Ron, the real reason I'm here was in the hopes of, well...of apologizing."
Well, that made him look up. "Apologize? For what?"
Harry sighed, if either for Ron's ignorance or the hopelessness of their situation. " For everything. In particular, the last time we saw eachother. I'm not dumb, Ron. I know that day was a huge factor in you leaving."
Ron cursed under his breath. Harry might be oblivious, heroic and beautiful, but his sharp perception was never lacking. He was as clever as he was gorgeous and Ron wanted to hate him for it. "I left because I was tired of living this no-end life I have."
Harry frowned, " Your life never was 'no-end'. It was fine."
" 'Fine'? Since when does anyone want their life to be described as 'fine'?"
"Well...me for one."
"You're the exception to every rule, Harry."
"I wish I wasn't."
"Well, you are. You don't understand how it is for us mortals here on Earth. We have to figure out how to deal with ourselves since we can't drown ourselves in saving the world."
Perhaps it was one of the many wrong things to say. Ron seemed to have a knack for saying the wrong thing.
"Ronald Weasley! I came here to apologize to you! I've been wracked with guilt for almost a year now and all you can do is preach the same sermon I heard over 12 months ago!" Harry shouted, his body no longer casual. " I'm SORRY! Do whatever the hell you want with that you resentful prick."
Before Ron knew what was happening, Harry was storming out of the kitchen and his angry footsteps resounded throughout the sleeping house. He couldn't let things end this way or he'd NEVER be able to sleep for the rest of his life. So, using the long legs God gave him, Ron sprinted down the hallway and slammed himself between the door and Harry. This was going to suck, but he had to do only wished he'd had more time to prepare his defense properly. "Don't go, Harry!"
Harry glared, "And why the hell not? It's obvious you don't want to be friends any longer. I'm not as thick as people seem to think I am."
"I never said you were thick."
"But you implied it with the way you avoided me, ignored my birthday, left the country and proceeded in biting my head off when I tried apologizing for being a git."
Ok, he had a point. Damn. "i...er..."
"There's no need to explain, Ron. I get it. I won't bother you again."
"That's just it, Harry. I WANT you to bother me. I want you to bother me whenever you want!"
Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why?"
Ron looked desperate. His confession was on the tip of his tongue, aching to be told. The air was thick with it. Even Harry could sense it was coming, for he took a miniscule step towards Ron. It was enough to bring their arms into tingling contact.
"Why do you want to bother with me, Ron?" Harry prompted.
Do it, Weasley! Do it! " I...I...I..."
It would've been a fairy tale ending to say Ron kissed Harry right then, for lack of anything better. But alas, this is no fairy tale and Ron Weasley is an idiot.
"I'm sorry."
Harry looked nothing if not stumped.
"I'm...I'm sorry, too." Ron began, figuring if he was going this route, he might as well do it right. "I had no right to yell at you the way I did. I had no reason to destroy our friendship. You're my best friend, Harry. I love you, mate."
Well, close enough.
It didn't take long for one of Harry's all out dazzling smiles to break across his face. The smaller boy wrapped the taller one in a hug and Ron could've died. It wasn't exactly what he wanted to say, but it was a start. He got Harry's friendship back, which was more than enough for now.
Translations:
1) "Lovic? Gus Lovic? Come out now before I castrate you!"