Penname: Page of Cups
Email: AndromedanPrincess@hotmail.com
Title: Everything Changes
Pairing: Ron Weasley/Draco Malfoy
Rating: R
Summary: Wherein Harry is getting annoying, Snape gives them detention, and Draco has had quite enough.
Disclaimer: This story contains characters, locations, and other random things created and/or owned by J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic, Inc., etc. Since no money is being made, no infringement is intended. Section 102(b) of the U.S. Copyright Act states that copyright protection does not extend to ideas, procedures, concepts, principles or discoveries, but the actual words used to express those things.
I am not JK. If this is not apparent by now, please click back on your browser, or visit the official Harry Potter site. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you.
Chapter Thirteen: Escalated Tension
"Oh, Malfoy," called Harry in a singsong voice, and Ron cringed, looking from his friend over to where Draco was hanging outside of the Potions classroom with Goyle. Crabbe, however, was nowhere in sight. "Have you seen today's Prophet? I think you'll find it incredibly interesting."
Ever since Christmas holiday, whenever Harry and Draco were in the same room together, it was like walking on broken glass. Ron didn't know what to do, stuck in the middle between Draco and Harry, going from one extreme to the other. On one side, there was Harry, his best friend for years, who was only looking out for him and sincerely believed that he was protecting Ron by trying to chase Draco off. On the other side, there was Draco, his former best friend, his current lover, and someone who had gone through enough for Ron to understand the transformation he had gone under. Only Hermione remained somewhat neutral, and Ron now looked at her with misery in his eyes. He hadn't seen the Daily Prophet today. What could have it possibly feature that was making Harry so chipper, enough to be waving the periodical in Draco's face?
Snatching the paper out of Harry's hands, Draco glared at him and briefly flicked his eyes to Ron, a withering look in his eyes that was clearly tired of Harry Potter's existence. Goyle's gaze made Ron feel uneasy as he stared at Ron, Draco snapping the paper open to look at the day's headlines. His eyes went through a myriad of emotions, most of them dealing with either anger or humiliation by the pink that was seeping into his pale cheeks, and Draco folded the paper up again before hurling it back at Harry.
"So?" was all he said, his voice even and calculated. Some of the Slytherins who were arriving at Potions had started to gather around them, and Ron sneered when Pansy Parkinson attached herself to Draco's side.
"Looks like Daddy Dearest is in a spot of trouble," said Harry, his grin wide, and Ron reached for the paper that was abandoned on the ground.
"Thriving on the trash of others, Weasley?" said Draco, causing the smile that was on Harry's face to flicker for a moment. Straightening, Ron forced himself to cast the coldest glance possible at Draco before flipping the paper open. "Well, they do always say that one man's trash is a Weasley's treasure."
"Suck me, Malfoy," said Ron, casually, his eyes searching for the headline that had brought Harry such pleasure.
"You know, Weasley, that could be arranged," drawled Draco, and both Pansy and Crabbe, who had now arrived, sniggered unpleasantly. "Or do I have to ask Potter's permission first? I'm sure he'd be willing to whore you out for a night, wouldn't you, Potter?"
"Leave him alone, Malfoy," sneered Harry. "That's rich coming from the biggest slut Hogwarts has ever seen."
"And yet I don't even look at you. Says something, doesn't it?"
"That you know I'm too smart to fall for your wily charms," Harry replied, smirking.
Then, their words wandered out of his mind, his eyes catching the headline at the bottom of the page. Dark Contraband Found at Malfoy Manor read the headline, the article following by Carmen Harris, a reporter who seemed desperate to follow in Rita Skeeter's footsteps. Ron could hear Draco's cool drawl, Harry's irritated snap, continuing, but the words all slurred together in his ears; his focus belonged to Ms. Harris alone.
Apparently, a raid on Malfoy Manor had caught Malfoy senior off guard, and someone who wasn't Ron had tipped the ministry off to that secret chamber under the drawing room floor. Glancing at Harry, Ron didn't have to wonder who that someone was. Only he and Harry could possibly know about it and want to tell the ministry at the same time, and Ron knew it hadn't been him. Harry was far too smug to have randomly come across the article. What was he trying to do, anyway? He knew Harry didn't approve, but did he really have to sabotage this relationship? If it was going to fail, Ron wanted it to fail on its own. They didn't need any outside help.
"Do it, Potter. I dare you," said Draco, and it snapped Ron back to what was going on.
Hermione was biting her lip off to the side, looking nervously at Ron, and that was when he realized that sometime while he was reading, Draco and Harry had drawn their wands.
"There is nothing more I would like right now that to hex you," said Harry, dangerously.
"Then do it," said Draco. "I don't think you have it in you, Potter. Brave, courageous, wonderful Potter can't do anything without the Mudblood bitch and his pauper leech of a best friend backing him up."
"Never - talk - about - my - friends - like - that," said Harry, his fingers twitching on his wand. "Keep on pushing me, Malfoy. It won't break my heart to see you in pain."
"So, you're really no better, then," Draco affirmed, a strangely pleasant smile on his face as he turned to face Ron. "You hear that, Weasel? Your idol, Potter, is every bit as bad as the enemy. Would be a shame to continue following him around like a puppy dog, wouldn't it? You know what, Weasley? Your call. Should I hex him? Use an Unforgivable? Why don't you decide?"
"Harry, put your wand down," commanded Hermione, wrapping her fingers around Harry's wrist, but he jerked away, and gold sparks shot out of the end of his wand. "Harry, come on. Don't do this."
"I'm waiting, Weasel," said Draco, "or can't your pauper ears afford to hear me?"
"Put your wand down, Harry," said Ron, tersely.
"Ron," said Harry, and Draco snickered.
"Nice to see where his immediate concern lies, isn't it?" said Draco, smirking. "Don't you feel special? I know I would, having Weasel telling me what to do."
"Knock it off, Malfoy," said Ron, folding the newspaper in his hands and tucking it into his school bag. "Put your wand down. It isn't going to do anything to point them at each other, spitting insults back and forth. I'm getting sick of the fighting. We aren't twelve anymore."
"Funny coming from someone who pulled his wand on me only four days ago," said Draco, turning his wand from Harry to Ron.
"Sad pointing your wand at an unarmed opponent," replied Ron, provoking a frown out of Draco, his eyebrows furrowing and causing the corners of his lips to pull down. "Just put the wand away, Malfoy. You don't want to go through this with us again. I'm sure you're just as tired of this pointless bantering as I am."
That was when Harry seized the opportunity to attack. Ron barely registered the way Harry's fingers twitched around his wand, the way he slightly pulled back, but it was impossible not to hear him spit out some unrecognizable hex that he must have learned in one of his many sessions training for when he would face Voldemort again. However, the words had already slid off Harry's tongue by the time Ron realized what just happened, and Draco jumped out of the way just in time for the stream of bright blue light to hit Pansy Parkinson. Dropping to the ground, Pansy's body began to slightly twitch, whimpers of pain coming from her mouth.
"Harry," cried Ron, looking down at Pansy in disbelief. The only thought on his mind was that it could have been Draco writhing instead.
"Moteuris," said Draco, calmly, looking down at Pansy with disinterest. "Impressive. Didn't think you had that in you, Potter. Must have taken years of practice, not with a bit of luck, though."
"Malfoy," Harry growled, his fingers rubbing his wand.
"And just what, exactly, is going on here?" interrupted the cool, silky voice of Professor Snape, and Ron had never thought he would be so happy to see him. Snape took one look at Pansy, the wands drawn by both Draco and Harry, and released a breath of air that could have either been a frustrated sigh or a growl. "Miss Bulstrode, please help Miss Parkinson to the infirmary. Mr. Potter, as I'm sure you have had some hand in this, twenty points from Gryffindor. You, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, and Mr. Malfoy will report back here tonight at seven to complete your detention."
"But, Professor," protested Hermione.
"I'm sure, Miss Granger that you do not want to lose an additional twenty points for your house. As it is, it would be in the best interest of both yourself and your house to close that unnaturally large mouth of yours. Inside the classroom. Now."
Put out, Hermione grinded her teeth together and brushed past Professor Snape to enter the Potions classroom. Harry, sliding his wand into his pocket, grabbed his bag and followed after her, giving Malfoy a bone chilling glare that Ron could only be happy he wasn't on the receiving end of. Draco's face was unreadable when Harry passed him, and he stayed where he was standing until the rest of the Gryffindors had gone in, following Harry and Hermione's lead. Snape cast a resentful look at Ron, following in behind the Slytherins, and Crabbe snickered unpleasantly before heading in, seeming to think that because he was now a Death Eater, he had become the leader of their little gang.
"Do you always have to fight with him?" muttered Ron, just as Draco was about to go in.
"Does he always have to fight with me? I didn't start it, or weren't you paying attention to that part? Merlin forbid Potter ever be in the wrong. Who ever heard of a Malfoy being the victim?"
"Draco," said Goyle, frowning, "shut up."
"Excuse me?"
"Shut up, Draco, before you say something you're going to regret. Stop digging your own grave." Casting a glance to Ron, Goyle gave him a short nod, though his face held an unreadable expression, and he shoved Draco's bag at him before entering the Potions classroom, leaving them alone.
"Harry's going to hear it from me later," said Ron, feeling stupid. "I didn't mean -"
"I know, Weasley. Don't apologize for something that isn't your fault. If you continue to let Potter walk all over you like that, there's going to be nothing left for me to shag."
"I'm sure you could find a replacement."
"But no one has a bum as hot and sexy as yours."
Turning a bright red, Ron muttered incoherent phrases to himself, passing Draco and entering the Potions classroom. Crossing the room, Ron took the vacant seat next to Harry and dropped his bag on the work table before him.
"What took you so long?" asked Harry, not meeting his eyes.
"You know why it took so long," said Ron, trying to will himself not to snap at Harry. It wouldn't make things better if he did, anyway, and Ron wasn't ready to willingly make things worse.
"What did you say?"
"I asked him why he always had to fight with you, if you really want to have this conversation in Potions. Now that the subject's been brought up, though, why do you always have to start with him? I thought you were going to try to be civil."
"I'd be civil if he treated you right. It's hard to be civil to someone when they treat your best friend like a . . ."
"Whore?" supplemented Ron.
After a moment of hesitation, Harry nodded. "Yeah. Something like that."
"He doesn't treat me like a whore. You would know that if you spent more time with him without trying to hex him, or fighting with him. Next time, would you alert me before you decide to tell the Ministry about some secret chamber where the Malfoys hoard things."
"Funny, that, coming from someone who was so excited about that piece of information he couldn't wait to get to the owlery to write his dad. Never did tell, though, did you?"
"Thought I'd save it for a rainy day."
"As you all should know," interrupted Snape, cutting off the reply that had been sitting on the tip of Harry's tongue, "we are starting to brew Polyjuice Potion today. You will be working in groups of three, which I will assign now. You are not to switch groups, and Miss Granger is not to hiss directions in Mr. Longbottom's ear."
Both Hermione and Neville turned bright when Snape's gazes rested on them, and Neville shifted in his seat, looking helplessly at Hermione.
There had only been one group of all Gryffindors, and Ron was lucky enough to find himself in it. Harry had been put with Crabbe and Blaise Zabini, much to his pleasure, because even if he was with Crabbe, that meant he wasn't with Draco, and that meant less bloodshed and infirmary visits. Hermione had been paired with Parvati Patil, and Pansy Parkinson when she returned from the hospital wing. Ron, however, was working with Neville and Lavender Brown, and he walked over to where Lavender and Neville had already congregated, watching as Draco sat down with Goyle and Seamus.
~*~
"He wouldn't have such a problem if he would just relax and concentrate," said Ron, later, at dinner with Hermione and Harry. "Neville knows what to do, when to do it, but he second guesses himself because of Snape looming over him all the time. Even Lavender was telling him to just go with his instincts, and follow the instructions."
"I know that, but Professor Snape won't ever leave him alone," said Hermione. "And, unfortunately, thanks to someone whose name shall not be mentioned, we have detention tonight. Thanks, Harry. Professor McGonagall is going to be so pleased when she hears her Head Girl has detention."
"I thought you weren't naming names," replied Harry, looking a little sheepish. "It's not my fault, Hermione. Really."
"Well, it isn't always Malfoy's fault, either," she countered.
"Can we please not talk about this?" asked Ron, dropping his fork and rubbing at his temples with his index fingers. "Not now."
Hermione and Harry quieted, staring at Ron. The thumping in his head was becoming almost unbearable, and Ron didn't even give them a word of where he was going when he stood from the Gryffindor table to leave the Great Hall. Making his way ever so slowly, Ron headed up to the hospital wing, and finding Madam Pomfrey, went about acquiring himself some headache potion. She closely watched him as he ingested every last drop of the concoction, and wasn't even prompted to object when he requested lying down for a few moments before going on his way.
~*~
Cracking the door open to the Potions classroom, Ron could feel his face flush to see Snape giving him a grim smile, Hermione, Draco, and Harry all turning around to acknowledge his entrance. Shuffling up to them, Ron took the vacant seat next to Draco without thinking, and didn't miss the way that Snape arched an eyebrow upon the decision.
"Mr. Weasley, how thoughtful of you to grace us with your presence. As exhilarated as we all are for you to finally make an appearance, could you kindly remember to be on time in the near future," bit Snape, his dark eyes malevolently glowering at him. "Typically, I would send you to clean something for Mr. Filch, but it's a full moon out tonight, and because of that, you are going to be collecting potions ingredients from the Forbidden Forest. There is no need for me to accompany you, as none of these from the list will require going more than several meters in."
He handed the parchment to Hermione, probably assuming that she would be the most responsible about it, and the most likely to acquire the correct ingredients where as Harry and Ron would probably come back with weeds. With a scathing glare, the group collectively decided they were dismissed, and Hermione was the first to stand, heading out of the classroom. Harry, Ron, and Draco stood up after her, Harry going on ahead, and Ron bit his lower lip as Draco brushed his hand over the small of Ron's back, as if guiding him out. Swallowing hard, Ron tried not to think about whether or not Snape had noticed the gesture as the door to the Potions classroom banged shut behind them.
"How long do you think this is going to take?" asked Harry, as they walked outside. It was already dark, as it so often is at seven o'clock in January, and Ron couldn't help but smile as he felt Draco's arm wrap around his waist.
"Depends on how hard we're looking," said Hermione. "If all you do is stand around and complain, it could take us all night. If you actually try to be an integral part of this detention, only an hour or so."
"Which means, Potter, that the more you whine, the more things you'll have to whine about. If you manage to keep that mouth of yours from flapping, the time we spend together will be much less."
"Draco," said Ron, softly, placing his hand over Draco's where it was resting on his hip.
"You know, Malfoy, I didn't even start anything with you this time, so you really have no place to talk about flapping mouths," said Harry.
"Harry," said Ron, frowning.
"Could you two not fight for a total of ten seconds?" snapped Hermione, spinning around to fix them each with a glower that would have put Professor McGonagall to shame. "If not for my sanity and your own, than at least for Ron's. Harry, be a best friend and try to get along with his boyfriend. Malfoy, be a boyfriend, and try to get along with his best friend. Trelawney could see that it's tearing him apart."
Huffing, she turned around once again and stomped off toward the Forbidden Forest.
"There's no need to be so petulant," muttered Draco.
"Honestly," agreed Harry. Ron rolled his eyes.
Throughout the entire detention, Ron could feel Harry watching his interaction with Draco. It had been the same way for weeks, ever since he found them in Ron's bed in Gryffindor Tower. With the way he behaved, though, one would think he had caught them doing more than just sleeping in the bed. Every little touch Draco skirted across Ron's skin registered in Harry's eyes; he was constantly on the look out for something to use to prove to Ron just how dastardly Draco's intentions were. It had never occurred to Harry for a single second that perhaps Draco wasn't in this to destroy someone's life.
Things were wonderful at Christmas. Ron and Draco had spent a good portion of the holiday in the privacy of the Head Boy room, making love or laying tangled in each other, reliving their friendship as children or discussing what would await Draco when Lucius contacted him for his Death Eater initiation.
Ron knew that Draco was planning to avoid going all together, to let Lucius figure out on his own by Draco's absence that he wasn't taking the Mark. He knew that Crabbe was a Death Eater, that Goyle wasn't becoming one, either, and shortly after the students returned to Hogwarts, Ron had officially been introduced to Goyle, as a friend to Draco, and someone who actually supported their relationship. In fact, Ron had quickly come to discover that Goyle had more faith in the relationship working than even Draco did. It was a nice change of pace after Harry.
Harry, the same boy who was watching every move Draco made, cringed at every touch, as if any second Draco would whip out his wand and put the killing curse on Ron. He had been beside himself, turning a bright red, when Draco had gently kissed Ron on the back of the neck, an only response to Ron, once again, professing his love. He really had to stop using that 'L'-word when Harry was around if he didn't want his best friend to become a catatonic.
"Weasel, were you listening, or can't you even afford to pay attention?" said Draco, dropping whatever ingredient he had just gathered in the jar Professor Snape had given them for it. Wrapping his arms around Ron's waist from behind, he placed his palms over Ron's pelvis on either side, and pulled him as close to his body as was physically possible.
"Not everyone can be as rich and spoilt as you," said Ron.
"No, but at least my family can afford individual combs," said Draco, playfully ruffling at Ron's hair.
"You would think with all that money, you could afford a better attitude."
"Better to be rich and pompous than a Muggle-lover."
"Not if you're being rich and pompous while you lick the underside of Voldemort's feet. What were you saying before you so rudely interrupted my thoughts about what it would be like to throw you off the Astronomy Tower?"
"Just commenting on the state of your robes. I would think your family goes hungry to clothe you, but I've seen your mother."
"Such a romantic. You know, Malfoy, I would think your family bathes, but with that look on your mother's face, I must have been mistaken."
"I am a romantic, if you can call forcing you to your knees in pleasure and pain romanticism. Where do you think we can fit the Cruciatus spell into our next session?"
"Sometime between the cocksucking and the fucking," replied Ron, smirking, and he noticed the way Harry and Hermione had stopped working as well, staring at them, gaping. "Draco?"
"Hm?" he replied, gently biting on Ron's earlobe and tugging.
"Er - well . . . " Ron's voice trailed off, his lower lip curling under his teeth, and Ron tried not to look too terribly pathetic.
"Knut for your thoughts," said Draco, grinning. "Then not only will I know what you're thinking, but your family can feel like the richest lot in all the world."
"Why do you let him say things like that to you?" Harry suddenly snapped, and Hermione turned away from him to either go back to gathering ingredients or moving the already collected ingredient so that Harry didn't upset them.
"What are you talking about, Harry?" said Ron, trying to sound innocent.
"You know what I'm talking about. Why do you let him say things like that to you if he's your boyfriend and he's supposed to be just so wonderful?"
Draco had leaned his head against Ron's, his arms still wrapped around Ron's waist, and he fixed Harry with a look of utmost contempt and disgust.
"What we say to each other is really none of your business, Potter."
"He was joking, Harry," said Ron. "He doesn't mean what he says, and I don't mean what I say."
"You don't mean what you say, but he does," said Harry, indicating to Draco. "He's got it in for you! Why don't you see that?"
"Because he doesn't have it in for me!" cried Ron, unable to remain calm. Draco placed a hand on his chest, restraining Ron from suddenly pulling away.
"Ron, I've heard you tell him that you love him, quite foolishly may I add, several times now. Not once has he returned the sentiment -"
"I'd rather have him not say it than say it and not mean it," snapped Ron. "We've had this conversation, and you would know that if you bothered to care."
"I do care. That's why I don't think you shouldn't be letting him walk all over you."
"You know, Potter," interrupted Draco, his words slow and drawling, "I find it rich that you're accusing me of talking wrongly to Weasley when you're just as bad as I was."
"I don't know what you could possibly be thinking, Ron!" said Harry, ignoring the fact that Draco had spoken to him. "You've never liked Malfoy. A few months ago, you were going on and on about how you hated him, how disgusting he was, and how you couldn't understand why Malfoy was still getting laid when everyone knew how he treated people. Yet, here you are, Malfoy's bitch. Is it because you feel like you don't get enough attention from us? I don't know, Ron. Malfoy? You just tried to beat the piss out of him in November. Two months later and you're shagging other bodily fluids out of him."
"Face it, Potter," snarled Draco. "You're just jealous that he's chosen me over you."
"Malfoy, I don't fancy Ron. He's my best friend and I don't want to see him get hurt."
"I didn't mean it that way, though funny how you're mind went right to it. You're jealous because he's defending me, siding with me, and he isn't following you around like your number one fan anymore. Perhaps we should let that Creevy kid know. He's been trying to get into Weasel's position for years. As for him getting hurt, maybe someone should monitor you."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy. I don't see it. Why would he degrade himself so much just to be with you? I highly doubt you're such a great shag that the humiliation is necessary."
"Who's humiliated?" said Draco, frowning. "Weasley doesn't seem to have a problem being with me. The only one who has a problem here is you."
"I'm looking out for him. You treat him the way you've always treated him, and it used to piss him off. Rightly so, if you ask my opinion."
"But we haven't. No one has asked your opinion. You've been kind enough to supply it to us, though. And just how do I treat him, Potter? Tell me. The only one I see treating him like shit is you."
"Could you please stop talking about me as if I'm not right here?" snapped Ron, pulling out of Draco's grip. "This is how things are, okay? I'm in love with Draco. Yes, it hurts that he doesn't love me back, but it would hurt more if he pretended to love me and I found out he didn't. Harry, I know you're my best friend, and I understand that you think you're doing the right thing. I can even tolerate your annoying habit of sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. It's all a part of your hero syndrome. What I can't tolerate is this fighting between you.
"Harry, Draco isn't using me, and if he is, than that's something I have to come to terms with on my own. You aren't going to rescue me. Draco, Harry is only doing what he thinks is best for me. He doesn't understand you -"
"He doesn't try to understand me."
"But you don't try, either. You're both trying to prove that you're better than the other, and I can't take it. I just can't take this. I want you as my friend, Harry, and I want you as my boyfriend, Draco, but I can't keep going like this."
Burying his fingers into his hair, Ron wrapped the wan ginger strands around the digits. Glancing up at the moon floating through the branches, some faint part of his mind told him that Lupin would have transformed tonight.
"What I need right now is for you to be civil when you speak, or just not talk to each other at all. If you can't do that - I don't know. I would have to seriously think things over about both of you."
"Ron -" started Harry.
"I mean it. I don't know if I can have such an overbearing friend, or such an arrogant boyfriend. Please try. I know it's hard . . . let me make my mistakes on my own, Harry. Please."
"I'm sorry, Ron," muttered Harry, refusing to meet Draco's eyes, which wasn't a problem because Draco was looking anywhere but right at Harry.
"Sorry," echoed Draco. "If Potter will stop attacking me, I'll be civil."
Even in the dim light of the Forbidden Forest, Ron could tell that Harry's face was going bright red. Well, he should be embarrassed, thought Ron, after all the commotion he caused. Mumbling the slightest of apologies in Draco's direction, Harry roughly turned around to help Hermione with the task at hand, leaving Draco and Ron staring at each other.
"I love you, Malfoy," said Ron, reaching out to grab Draco's wrist and gently pull him forward.
"All I can offer is an 'I don't want to lose you,'" said Draco.
"That'll do."
The next chapter will come when it comes. I won't make any promises. Chapter 14 is full of surprises, though (if I remember correctly, and I may not) so stay tuned.
The new story is finished and being formatted and beta-ed as I type. Will let you know when it's finished.