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Disclaimer as for chapter one. In case you haven't noticed, this contains two boys having an intimate physical relationship.
Thanks to all those who read and reviewed, more specific thanks (and reactions) at the bottom.
----
They met on the front steps that afternoon to go for a walk. It was a relief to get away from the crowds of curious students who stared and whispered and pointed.
"How's reaction been at your end?" asked Draco.
"Well, Hermione has subjected me to every Dark Arts sensing charm she can remember, and is currently in the library looking up more. That's been her only response."
"She thinks I had to put a spell on you? I'm insulted."
"Harry keeps looking at me strangely and speaking to me as if I'm about to explode, and is now helping Hermione look up sensing spells, while also reading about magical mental illnesses." Ron continued. "Seamus wants to know if you taste like french vanilla ice cream."
"What did you tell him?"
"That there is no taste on this earthly plane that I could compare you to."
Draco laughed, a surprisingly open sound, coming from him. "That's wonderful. I hope you used a suitably breathy and dying-to-do-it-again voice."
"What about the Slytherins?"
"Crabbe and Goyle cornered me in the common room and told me about their undying passion for each other and invited us on a double date. I narrowly escaped a group hug." Draco shuddered at the memory. "Pansy Parkinson tried to chat with me about my orientation, and how normal it was to go through a questioning phase, and then ruined her whole nauseatingly sympathetic approach by asking me how I could question with you."
"What did you say?"
"That I have discovered why all the Weasleys have so many kids."
Now Ron laughed. "I haven't heard from my family yet, but I bet Ginny is owling them now."
"I haven't heard from my family either, but I will soon." Draco's shoulders drooped a little at the thought of his father's reaction. Ron wrapped an arm around him.
"I told Harry that if our parents disown us we're going to come and live with the Dursleys. It actually cheered him up."
They reached a comfortable looking patch of grass and stretched out in the feeble twilight sun.
"How long do you think it will take for people to stop following us around and pointing?"
"A few days, unless we do something really outrageous to recapture our audience."
"Like what?"
"Really, Weasley, use your imagination."
"If I used my imagination I think the something outrageous would result in expulsion, not just an audience."
"Gods, how did you manage to act so prim and proper for so long?"
"Malfoy, is my mind deceiving me, or have you never before paid attention to me?"
"Do I go back to being Malfoy when you're not hot for my body?"
"What makes you think I'm not hot for your body?"
"I seem to remember you calling me Draco when you were hot for it last night. As in: 'yes, please, Draco, please'."
"I seem to remember you calling me Ron, too. As in: 'oh, god, Ron, you're fantastic, do that again'."
"You're not supposed to be able to think enough to remember what I say by the time I say things like that. You're so hard to please."
"No, I'm just hard."
"Weasley, you're a slut."
"Malfoy, you're a tease."
Whatever indignant rejoiner Draco was contemplating never made it to his lips as Ron leant over him and kissed him, pressing him back into the grass with one hand and undoing buttons with the other. Draco more than reciprocated, and they were both breathing heavily by the time they pulled apart. Draco pushed Ron onto his back and half sprawled on top of him, pushing Ron's thighs apart to accomodate him. His fingers continued their work with Ron's buttons as his mouth renewed it's acquaintance with Ron's neck.
"That's the other thing Seamus asked me." gasped Ron, bucking his hips up against him as Draco's hands moved teasingly lower. "If I was aware that the lovebite on my neck was in the shape of the Slytherin serpent."
"Is it?" Draco looked closely. "Maybe if I add a bit." His mouth descended back onto Ron's skin, and bit and sucked gently. He observed his handiwork once more before bending his head lower, to trail over Ron's collarbones. Ron managed to get Draco's robe unbuttoned, wrestled it off him and tossed it aside, before sliding his hands inside his opened shirt. Draco was unzipping Ron's pants, his teeth gently toying with Ron's right nipple, when a shriek interrupted them.
They both jumped, and looked up to see Hermione covering her face with her hands and Harry leaning against a tree in a shocked-beyond-endurance kind of way. Ron hastily zipped his pants back up and pulled his shirt and robe back into place. Draco grabbed his robe and sat up, shrugging it over his shoulders, a distinctly annoyed expression warring with a profoundly amused one. Ron stayed sprawled on the ground.
"Yes, Hermione and Harry, what do you want? Another sensing charm?"
"Er, yes, Ron, if you don't mind." squeaked Hermione, venturing to take one hand away from her face and look at her friend.
"I'm insulted that you think I'd need to ensorcel him, Granger." drawled Malfoy. "It should be obvious to everyone that the only magical instrument I need is my-"
"Draco!" interrupted Ron hastily, a blush spreading over his face. "Go ahead, Hermione, just don't take too long."
Hermione approached, wand outstretched. Draco moved to sit next to Ron, and started to take his shoes off. He was startled by Harry's sudden approach, as the boy came to stand over him.
"Malfoy, don't bother to deny it. You're doing this for some deep and devious reason. You've hated us for years, and now you expect us to believe that this- this escapade is entirely without sinister motives."
"Oh, I don't deny my sinister motives." answered Draco, waving one hand negligently. "I readily admit that I am entirely on the catch for a dirt-poor boyfriend with five older brothers who will probably react the exact way you are doing and want to beat me to a pulp. I imagine my motives are completely obvious."
"Dammit, Malfoy, it can't be because you like Ron!"
"Have I told you today how much I admire the high regard your friends hold you in, Weasley?"
"Ha, ha. Harry, shut up, and breathe deeply: your glasses are starting to fog from too much emotion. Are you finished Hermione?"
"Yes, no trace of any kind of magic."
"There's no need to sound so disappointed. Why shouldn't I be doing this of my own free will?"
"But, Ron, it's like Harry said, he's hated us for years, and now he's suddenly changed and gone all lovey-dovey over you. It's not right."
"I fail to see any trace of lovey-doveyness in Malfoy."
"Ugh, it sounds like I should be writing you love notes. The only way you're going to get one of them from me is written across my stomach in chocolate."
"You sweet talker. But, seriously, Hermione, Harry." Ron took a deep breath and continued: "This is ok. I'm not being coerced, Draco's not being coerced, and I fail to see what your problem is beyond that you don't like him. Sure, he's snide and rude and I still want to tear his throat out when he drawls at me, but other than that-"
"Oh, Ron, you've just made me the happiest man on earth!" announced Draco, in a mock rapture, jumping back on top of Ron and knocking the breath out of him. "What an unequivocal declaration!" He proceeded to smother Ron with a feverish kiss, pulling Ron's robes back open to his questing fingers and pointedly ignoring Harry's exclamation of dismay. He dimly heard them retreating, but didn't let up on his assault. Ron eagerly joined the fray, and Draco soon found both his robe and shirt wrestled off him and discarded, and Ron happily wriggling out of his own. Draco's fingers slid back to Ron's pants as Ron's mouth nibbled and licked over Draco's shoulder and his hands ran down Draco's back to press his thrusting hips against him more firmly.
Another shriek disturbed them, and they looked up to see Crabbe and Goyle, Crabbe with his head buried on Goyle's shoulder in obvious distress and Goyle looking away in an embarassed manner. This time Draco just propped himself up on one elbow and regarded the pair with exasperation. Ron grabbed Draco's robe and draped it over them modestly.
"What?" snapped Draco.
"Er, just came to look for you, about that double date. You'll have to keep Weasley quiet, and we don't want his friends coming along either."
"Yeah, it might spoil the mood."
"Have I told you today how much I admire your friend's abilities to recognise a mood spoiler?"
"Vincent, Gregory, Ron and I are in the exclusive stage of our relationship..." began Draco, in a very patient voice.
"We didn't mean we wanted to sleep with him!" protested Goyle, shocked.
"I mean that we don't really want to share each other."
"Well, we don't want to sleep with you either." added Crabbe, horrified.
"I mean, that all we want at the moment is to spend time alone. By ourselves." explained Draco, his voice getting ominously impatient.
"Oh, yeah, right." they chorused, making no moves to go. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"So, about this double date.."
"They obviously have great recognition skills when it comes to hints too."
"Go away. Now." hissed Draco.
"Oh, Draco, I just love it when you want to spend time alone with me." enthused Ron, pulling Draco down and kissing him intently, having obviously decided that explanations were not the way to get rid of Crabbe and Goyle. After a few moments of being ignored, the pair shuffled off, bewildered by Draco's reluctance to talk to them. Halfway back to Hogwarts, Goyle suddenly grasped Crabbe's arm.
"I've got it!" he announced. "They were making out, see, and were shy about doing it in front of us."
Crabbe thought hard. "I dunno why they'd be like that."
Meanwhile, Draco was licking his way down Ron's stomach, while his hands ran up and down Ron's thighs. He undid the button on Ron's jeans with his teeth, and was about to unzip them, encouraged by Ron's hands twined in his hair, Ron's hips rocking upward and Ron's pleading little moans, when they were interrupted again, this time by Pigwidgeon, fluttering and hooting excitedly, with a message.
Ron untied the message and opened it.
'Get back to school. It's nearly dark. Hermione.'
Draco rolled away, lying on the cool grass and breathing heavily. Ron crumpled the note.
"I'm going to kill them all." he announced.
"Not if I get to them first." Draco sat up and reached for his shirt, tossing Ron's to him. "We'd better go, though, we'll be late for dinner as it is."
"Well, maybe you can come through on your boasts about how fantastic you are in bed tonight then." suggested Ron.
"Your bed or mine?"
"Which will be easier to soundproof?"
"My room is more private, since I've got one to myself."
"My room doesn't have Crabbe and Goyle talking about double dates en route."
"It does have Seamus Finnigan taking way too much interest in me."
"Your room then."
"Jealous?"
"Seamus owns a camera."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"In Seamus's hands, it probably is. I think we've had enough trouble with compromising photographs."
----
The howler arrived from Draco's father two days later. Ron saw the owl swoop in with the distinctive red envelope, and was on his feet and over to the Slytherin table before Draco pulled it from it's envelope, watched avidly by his fellow Slytherins, who were all dying to see Draco's mortification. As Lucius's voice began to echo around the dining hall, Ron dragged Draco from his seat and into his arms, kissing him with all the reassurance he could muster. It was hard to take a wrathful Lucius Malfoy threatening his only son with indescribable punishments seriously, when said only son was bent backward over the breakfast table being soundly and theatrically kissed by his lover. As the howler burst into flames, Ron drew back, and met Draco's eyes, which were full of fearful shadows.
"I guess we'll be getting married from my house, then," he said, "since your parents don't approve. Do you think it's because I'm so poor?"
"If you thought you were getting a rich husband you're sadly mistaken." joked Draco, as best he could. Ron smiled kindly.
"You know it's not the size of your wallet that attracts me." At this, even Draco had to laugh, but Ron noticed that he was quiet throughout the day.
That afternoon they went walking again, in what had become a habit for them, and chose a secluded spot to lie down in. Draco pillowed his head on Ron's chest, sighing deeply.
"Draco," said Ron, hesitantly. "if you want to, you can come to my house for the holidays, or we can stay here. I don't want this to end because of your father."
"He would kill me if I went home, even if I did break this off."
"You're not considering it, are you?"
"I told you my mastery of the carnal arts was absolute and addictive. You can't get enough of me."
"Idiot. If I just wanted to fuck you we wouldn't have to be public about it."
"Yeah, I know."
"So, why are you really doing this?"
"Lots of reasons."
"Such as..?"
"How about, because even though you're still hot-headed and impatient and I still want to rip you to pieces when you use your sure-whatever voice, I like being round you. And I've always wanted to have someone as loyal to me as you are to your friends."
"And I'm an excellent disciple in the carnal arts."
"Hell, forget disciple, I'm willing to share professor status with you."
Draco lifted his head and kissed Ron slowly and lingeringly. The kiss led to touching, and soon both were mostly naked and shivering slightly in the thin light of sunset. They lay back on one robe and pulled the other over them, creating a private little cocoon.
Ron ran his tongue down the inside of Draco's arm and nibbled at the soft skin of his wrist. He sucked each finger into his mouth, one at a time, his hand busy unfastening Draco's boxers. Draco thrust up against him, sleepy silvery eyes burning. Ron kissed his way down Draco's body, his mouth about to follow the path his hands had taken, when a huge bark interrupted them.
Fang raced over to Ron and Draco and bounced around them, still barking excitedly. Ron hastily moved up so his head was level with Draco's and eyed Fang with reproach.
"Fang, go away." he ordered. Fang ran off immediately, much to Ron's surprise.
"Well, that was easy." commented Draco. "If only Crabbe and Goyle were so obedient." He thrust his hips up against Ron's, who immeditely took the hint and thrust back, rubbing their erections together with enthusiasm. They kissed greedily, oblivious to their surroundings, until a large stick crashed down on them. They jumped about a foot in the air, and looked up to see Fang panting happily, obviously waiting for his friend Ron to play a nice game of fetch. Draco groaned with frustration.
"Fang," called Hagrid's voice, "where've yeh gone teh?" Draco and Ron had no time to do more than exchange horrified glances before Hagrid came into the clearing. Fang bounded up to him and bounced round excitedly, then raced back to Ron and Draco, who now clutched the robe about their entwined bodies tightly.
"Ron, good teh see..." Hagrid's hearty greeting died away as he realised exactly who Ron's companion was and took in the details of their dishevelled state. "Oh, er, um..." he stammered, clearly not knowing where to look. Ron tried to smile at him reassuringly.
"Yes, Hagrid, it's lovely to see you too."
"Uh, yeah, good. Hmm. Well."
"Uh, Hagrid?"
"Yeah?"
"You think that you and Fang can give us some privacy to put our clothes back on?"
"Ah. Yeah. Sure. Come over for a cuppa when yeh're done." Hagrid blurted out before racing away, followed by a disappointed Fang.
"Did he just invite us for a cup of tea?" asked Draco, faintly.
"Yep."
"Well, that's surprising. I thought Hagrid would be certain to tear me limb from limb for ruining you."
"Nah, Hagrid's really relaxed and tolerant. He's incredibly openminded."
"So, we're going to have this cup of tea, then?"
"If you want."
"Well, it's something that no Malfoy would ever do, so I guess so."
"Just don't eat the toffee."
"I never thought that this would lead me to making friends with a groundkeeper."
"I never thought that this would lead to me having to avoid Crabbe and Goyle's attempts to get me to lip-synch to 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' with them while wearing spandex and sequined high heels either."
----
The next day started disasterously when it was revealed that the Slytherins had put an audio recording charm under Draco's bed. Breakfast was eaten to an accompaniment of smutty pillow talk from the recording, and ribald commentary from the assembled students, until the Professors figured out how to disable the charm. Ron just about sank under the table with embarassment, and even Draco looked discomfited as his recorded voice described, in some detail, what he would like to do to Ron in the next potions class. Snape glowered furiously, and favoured them both with killer death glares.
The rest of the day passed with various students quoting either or both of them from the recording, and some went so far as to act the scenes out in the corridors; Draco's filthy description of what Ron's freckles did for him being especially popular, with Ron's salacious monolgue about Draco's mouth being a slither of raw silk a close second. Ron had to force himself not to blush, or, if in Draco's company, ravish his lover on the spot, every time he saw or heard a group of students doing such an enactment.
It rained, so they retired to the library to do their homework in the afternoon, joined by Harry and Hermione, who seemed to be making a real effort to accept Draco, although both blushed whenever they looked at either Ron or Draco, which tended to put a damper on the conversation. Crabbe and Goyle, who seemed to have adopted Ron without a second thought, came over too, and Ron was fervently glad for the presence of the librarians, which prevented either of them from indulging in their usual embarassing discussions about Kylie Minogue. Seamus came over too, and divided his time evenly between his books and half awestruck, half speculative glances at Ron and Draco. After about an hour of this, Ron leant over the table toward Seamus.
"Seamus."
"Yeah, Ron?"
"Why are you looking at us like that?" Seamus blushed furiously, and Draco smirked.
"Ah, no reason." stammered Seamus.
"Good."
"Except..."
"Except what, Seamus?"
"Well..." he glanced around the library, assuring himself that the others were busy with their homework. "Would you... Would you kiss him? I mean, now, in front of me?"
"What?" exploded Ron, earning himself a quelling look from the librarian and a reproving one from Hermione. Draco's smirk widened. "You want us to kiss, in front of you?" he asked, more quietly.
"Ah. Yeah. Well. If you wouldn't mind..." Ron sat back, astounded. Draco turned to him, eyes alight and mocking smile firmly in place.
"Shall we indulge him, Weasley?"
"Hell, I have to share a dormitory with him. Can't he find some other couple to obsess over?"
"Yeah. Hey, Crabbe, Goyle." They turned to look at Draco. "Finnigan here wants to watch you-"
"Ugh. Don't finish that, Malfoy. I think I'd rather have him watch us than encourage those two to snog."
"Ok, then." Draco tilted Ron's head with one hand, and leant in to kiss him. Ron's lips parted automatically, and Draco let his tongue snake out to touch them before sliding inside. Ron kissed back, slow and leisurely, letting his own hand run through Draco's hair. Seamus squeaked excitedly, and squirmed in his chair, attracting the attention of the other students, who watched with varying degrees of fascination and horror as Draco tangled one hand in Ron's bright hair and let the other run up Ron's thigh, under his robe, continuing to kiss all the while. At last, they broke apart, and Draco turned to Seamus.
"Was that alright?" he asked, his voice still husky from the kiss.
"It better have been, because I'm not doing it again. He'll just have to take his chances on witnessing a public snog with all the other students." interjected Ron, his own voice throatier than normal.
Seamus looked at them both with eyes as wide as saucers, nodded once, and bounced out of his chair to run from the library. The other students, after a moment of incredulous silence, turned back to their books with a determined-to-ignore-sleazy-distractions air. Draco leaned into Ron.
"This morning," he whispered, "Finnigan cornered me, and asked me if your freckles went all over."
"What did you tell him?"
"That, yes, they went *all* over, and that I intended to join them up with strawberry syrup and listen to you beg me as I licked it off very, very slowly." His eyes caught a strange expression on Ron's face. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm wondering if I've got enough patience to wait till I get you to a bed before I fuck you, or if I should just drag you into a convenient niche somewhere and hope for the best."
"A bed would be better, but we're going to have trouble with that one. My room is out until we find a way to Slytherin proof it, and your dorm is out unless we can ensure that we won't wake up with Finnigan perched at the foot of the bed."
"I can hardly wait for the holidays."
"You're going to stay here with me?"
"Yeah. Try to keep me away."
"I'm glad." Their fingers met and held under the table, and both turned back to their school work with as much concentration as they could muster, as their minds whirled with the unspoken thought that the other was rapidly becoming indispensable.
----
Thanks for the wonderful feedback. I adore you all, even the ones who said 'ew, sick'. Heh, you reckon I've got this old without figuring out that I'm a weirdo? I will try to find and review stories by each reviewer, I promise. And, to the person who said my story was disgusting and gay: yes, well, that puts me in my place, doesn't it? I have been slapped on the wrist with a wet bus ticket and will immediately reform myself from the equal opportunity lech I have been all this time. At least you mentioned my writing, so I can live with disapproval of my orientation.
Just a last, desperate, plug for one of my other fics, 'Rebuilding', which is nowhere near as popular as this one, and gives me a choice between two melancholy options - either my summary is boring and no one wants to read it because they think it'll be awful, or I can't write drama, angst, or complicated emotional situations to save myself. If you liked this fic, please read my other one, and tell me what you don't like about it so I can tear it to shreds and improve it.
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Disclaimer as for chapter one. In case you haven't noticed, this contains two boys having an intimate physical relationship.
Thanks to all those who read and reviewed, more specific thanks (and reactions) at the bottom.
----
They met on the front steps that afternoon to go for a walk. It was a relief to get away from the crowds of curious students who stared and whispered and pointed.
"How's reaction been at your end?" asked Draco.
"Well, Hermione has subjected me to every Dark Arts sensing charm she can remember, and is currently in the library looking up more. That's been her only response."
"She thinks I had to put a spell on you? I'm insulted."
"Harry keeps looking at me strangely and speaking to me as if I'm about to explode, and is now helping Hermione look up sensing spells, while also reading about magical mental illnesses." Ron continued. "Seamus wants to know if you taste like french vanilla ice cream."
"What did you tell him?"
"That there is no taste on this earthly plane that I could compare you to."
Draco laughed, a surprisingly open sound, coming from him. "That's wonderful. I hope you used a suitably breathy and dying-to-do-it-again voice."
"What about the Slytherins?"
"Crabbe and Goyle cornered me in the common room and told me about their undying passion for each other and invited us on a double date. I narrowly escaped a group hug." Draco shuddered at the memory. "Pansy Parkinson tried to chat with me about my orientation, and how normal it was to go through a questioning phase, and then ruined her whole nauseatingly sympathetic approach by asking me how I could question with you."
"What did you say?"
"That I have discovered why all the Weasleys have so many kids."
Now Ron laughed. "I haven't heard from my family yet, but I bet Ginny is owling them now."
"I haven't heard from my family either, but I will soon." Draco's shoulders drooped a little at the thought of his father's reaction. Ron wrapped an arm around him.
"I told Harry that if our parents disown us we're going to come and live with the Dursleys. It actually cheered him up."
They reached a comfortable looking patch of grass and stretched out in the feeble twilight sun.
"How long do you think it will take for people to stop following us around and pointing?"
"A few days, unless we do something really outrageous to recapture our audience."
"Like what?"
"Really, Weasley, use your imagination."
"If I used my imagination I think the something outrageous would result in expulsion, not just an audience."
"Gods, how did you manage to act so prim and proper for so long?"
"Malfoy, is my mind deceiving me, or have you never before paid attention to me?"
"Do I go back to being Malfoy when you're not hot for my body?"
"What makes you think I'm not hot for your body?"
"I seem to remember you calling me Draco when you were hot for it last night. As in: 'yes, please, Draco, please'."
"I seem to remember you calling me Ron, too. As in: 'oh, god, Ron, you're fantastic, do that again'."
"You're not supposed to be able to think enough to remember what I say by the time I say things like that. You're so hard to please."
"No, I'm just hard."
"Weasley, you're a slut."
"Malfoy, you're a tease."
Whatever indignant rejoiner Draco was contemplating never made it to his lips as Ron leant over him and kissed him, pressing him back into the grass with one hand and undoing buttons with the other. Draco more than reciprocated, and they were both breathing heavily by the time they pulled apart. Draco pushed Ron onto his back and half sprawled on top of him, pushing Ron's thighs apart to accomodate him. His fingers continued their work with Ron's buttons as his mouth renewed it's acquaintance with Ron's neck.
"That's the other thing Seamus asked me." gasped Ron, bucking his hips up against him as Draco's hands moved teasingly lower. "If I was aware that the lovebite on my neck was in the shape of the Slytherin serpent."
"Is it?" Draco looked closely. "Maybe if I add a bit." His mouth descended back onto Ron's skin, and bit and sucked gently. He observed his handiwork once more before bending his head lower, to trail over Ron's collarbones. Ron managed to get Draco's robe unbuttoned, wrestled it off him and tossed it aside, before sliding his hands inside his opened shirt. Draco was unzipping Ron's pants, his teeth gently toying with Ron's right nipple, when a shriek interrupted them.
They both jumped, and looked up to see Hermione covering her face with her hands and Harry leaning against a tree in a shocked-beyond-endurance kind of way. Ron hastily zipped his pants back up and pulled his shirt and robe back into place. Draco grabbed his robe and sat up, shrugging it over his shoulders, a distinctly annoyed expression warring with a profoundly amused one. Ron stayed sprawled on the ground.
"Yes, Hermione and Harry, what do you want? Another sensing charm?"
"Er, yes, Ron, if you don't mind." squeaked Hermione, venturing to take one hand away from her face and look at her friend.
"I'm insulted that you think I'd need to ensorcel him, Granger." drawled Malfoy. "It should be obvious to everyone that the only magical instrument I need is my-"
"Draco!" interrupted Ron hastily, a blush spreading over his face. "Go ahead, Hermione, just don't take too long."
Hermione approached, wand outstretched. Draco moved to sit next to Ron, and started to take his shoes off. He was startled by Harry's sudden approach, as the boy came to stand over him.
"Malfoy, don't bother to deny it. You're doing this for some deep and devious reason. You've hated us for years, and now you expect us to believe that this- this escapade is entirely without sinister motives."
"Oh, I don't deny my sinister motives." answered Draco, waving one hand negligently. "I readily admit that I am entirely on the catch for a dirt-poor boyfriend with five older brothers who will probably react the exact way you are doing and want to beat me to a pulp. I imagine my motives are completely obvious."
"Dammit, Malfoy, it can't be because you like Ron!"
"Have I told you today how much I admire the high regard your friends hold you in, Weasley?"
"Ha, ha. Harry, shut up, and breathe deeply: your glasses are starting to fog from too much emotion. Are you finished Hermione?"
"Yes, no trace of any kind of magic."
"There's no need to sound so disappointed. Why shouldn't I be doing this of my own free will?"
"But, Ron, it's like Harry said, he's hated us for years, and now he's suddenly changed and gone all lovey-dovey over you. It's not right."
"I fail to see any trace of lovey-doveyness in Malfoy."
"Ugh, it sounds like I should be writing you love notes. The only way you're going to get one of them from me is written across my stomach in chocolate."
"You sweet talker. But, seriously, Hermione, Harry." Ron took a deep breath and continued: "This is ok. I'm not being coerced, Draco's not being coerced, and I fail to see what your problem is beyond that you don't like him. Sure, he's snide and rude and I still want to tear his throat out when he drawls at me, but other than that-"
"Oh, Ron, you've just made me the happiest man on earth!" announced Draco, in a mock rapture, jumping back on top of Ron and knocking the breath out of him. "What an unequivocal declaration!" He proceeded to smother Ron with a feverish kiss, pulling Ron's robes back open to his questing fingers and pointedly ignoring Harry's exclamation of dismay. He dimly heard them retreating, but didn't let up on his assault. Ron eagerly joined the fray, and Draco soon found both his robe and shirt wrestled off him and discarded, and Ron happily wriggling out of his own. Draco's fingers slid back to Ron's pants as Ron's mouth nibbled and licked over Draco's shoulder and his hands ran down Draco's back to press his thrusting hips against him more firmly.
Another shriek disturbed them, and they looked up to see Crabbe and Goyle, Crabbe with his head buried on Goyle's shoulder in obvious distress and Goyle looking away in an embarassed manner. This time Draco just propped himself up on one elbow and regarded the pair with exasperation. Ron grabbed Draco's robe and draped it over them modestly.
"What?" snapped Draco.
"Er, just came to look for you, about that double date. You'll have to keep Weasley quiet, and we don't want his friends coming along either."
"Yeah, it might spoil the mood."
"Have I told you today how much I admire your friend's abilities to recognise a mood spoiler?"
"Vincent, Gregory, Ron and I are in the exclusive stage of our relationship..." began Draco, in a very patient voice.
"We didn't mean we wanted to sleep with him!" protested Goyle, shocked.
"I mean that we don't really want to share each other."
"Well, we don't want to sleep with you either." added Crabbe, horrified.
"I mean, that all we want at the moment is to spend time alone. By ourselves." explained Draco, his voice getting ominously impatient.
"Oh, yeah, right." they chorused, making no moves to go. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"So, about this double date.."
"They obviously have great recognition skills when it comes to hints too."
"Go away. Now." hissed Draco.
"Oh, Draco, I just love it when you want to spend time alone with me." enthused Ron, pulling Draco down and kissing him intently, having obviously decided that explanations were not the way to get rid of Crabbe and Goyle. After a few moments of being ignored, the pair shuffled off, bewildered by Draco's reluctance to talk to them. Halfway back to Hogwarts, Goyle suddenly grasped Crabbe's arm.
"I've got it!" he announced. "They were making out, see, and were shy about doing it in front of us."
Crabbe thought hard. "I dunno why they'd be like that."
Meanwhile, Draco was licking his way down Ron's stomach, while his hands ran up and down Ron's thighs. He undid the button on Ron's jeans with his teeth, and was about to unzip them, encouraged by Ron's hands twined in his hair, Ron's hips rocking upward and Ron's pleading little moans, when they were interrupted again, this time by Pigwidgeon, fluttering and hooting excitedly, with a message.
Ron untied the message and opened it.
'Get back to school. It's nearly dark. Hermione.'
Draco rolled away, lying on the cool grass and breathing heavily. Ron crumpled the note.
"I'm going to kill them all." he announced.
"Not if I get to them first." Draco sat up and reached for his shirt, tossing Ron's to him. "We'd better go, though, we'll be late for dinner as it is."
"Well, maybe you can come through on your boasts about how fantastic you are in bed tonight then." suggested Ron.
"Your bed or mine?"
"Which will be easier to soundproof?"
"My room is more private, since I've got one to myself."
"My room doesn't have Crabbe and Goyle talking about double dates en route."
"It does have Seamus Finnigan taking way too much interest in me."
"Your room then."
"Jealous?"
"Seamus owns a camera."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"In Seamus's hands, it probably is. I think we've had enough trouble with compromising photographs."
----
The howler arrived from Draco's father two days later. Ron saw the owl swoop in with the distinctive red envelope, and was on his feet and over to the Slytherin table before Draco pulled it from it's envelope, watched avidly by his fellow Slytherins, who were all dying to see Draco's mortification. As Lucius's voice began to echo around the dining hall, Ron dragged Draco from his seat and into his arms, kissing him with all the reassurance he could muster. It was hard to take a wrathful Lucius Malfoy threatening his only son with indescribable punishments seriously, when said only son was bent backward over the breakfast table being soundly and theatrically kissed by his lover. As the howler burst into flames, Ron drew back, and met Draco's eyes, which were full of fearful shadows.
"I guess we'll be getting married from my house, then," he said, "since your parents don't approve. Do you think it's because I'm so poor?"
"If you thought you were getting a rich husband you're sadly mistaken." joked Draco, as best he could. Ron smiled kindly.
"You know it's not the size of your wallet that attracts me." At this, even Draco had to laugh, but Ron noticed that he was quiet throughout the day.
That afternoon they went walking again, in what had become a habit for them, and chose a secluded spot to lie down in. Draco pillowed his head on Ron's chest, sighing deeply.
"Draco," said Ron, hesitantly. "if you want to, you can come to my house for the holidays, or we can stay here. I don't want this to end because of your father."
"He would kill me if I went home, even if I did break this off."
"You're not considering it, are you?"
"I told you my mastery of the carnal arts was absolute and addictive. You can't get enough of me."
"Idiot. If I just wanted to fuck you we wouldn't have to be public about it."
"Yeah, I know."
"So, why are you really doing this?"
"Lots of reasons."
"Such as..?"
"How about, because even though you're still hot-headed and impatient and I still want to rip you to pieces when you use your sure-whatever voice, I like being round you. And I've always wanted to have someone as loyal to me as you are to your friends."
"And I'm an excellent disciple in the carnal arts."
"Hell, forget disciple, I'm willing to share professor status with you."
Draco lifted his head and kissed Ron slowly and lingeringly. The kiss led to touching, and soon both were mostly naked and shivering slightly in the thin light of sunset. They lay back on one robe and pulled the other over them, creating a private little cocoon.
Ron ran his tongue down the inside of Draco's arm and nibbled at the soft skin of his wrist. He sucked each finger into his mouth, one at a time, his hand busy unfastening Draco's boxers. Draco thrust up against him, sleepy silvery eyes burning. Ron kissed his way down Draco's body, his mouth about to follow the path his hands had taken, when a huge bark interrupted them.
Fang raced over to Ron and Draco and bounced around them, still barking excitedly. Ron hastily moved up so his head was level with Draco's and eyed Fang with reproach.
"Fang, go away." he ordered. Fang ran off immediately, much to Ron's surprise.
"Well, that was easy." commented Draco. "If only Crabbe and Goyle were so obedient." He thrust his hips up against Ron's, who immeditely took the hint and thrust back, rubbing their erections together with enthusiasm. They kissed greedily, oblivious to their surroundings, until a large stick crashed down on them. They jumped about a foot in the air, and looked up to see Fang panting happily, obviously waiting for his friend Ron to play a nice game of fetch. Draco groaned with frustration.
"Fang," called Hagrid's voice, "where've yeh gone teh?" Draco and Ron had no time to do more than exchange horrified glances before Hagrid came into the clearing. Fang bounded up to him and bounced round excitedly, then raced back to Ron and Draco, who now clutched the robe about their entwined bodies tightly.
"Ron, good teh see..." Hagrid's hearty greeting died away as he realised exactly who Ron's companion was and took in the details of their dishevelled state. "Oh, er, um..." he stammered, clearly not knowing where to look. Ron tried to smile at him reassuringly.
"Yes, Hagrid, it's lovely to see you too."
"Uh, yeah, good. Hmm. Well."
"Uh, Hagrid?"
"Yeah?"
"You think that you and Fang can give us some privacy to put our clothes back on?"
"Ah. Yeah. Sure. Come over for a cuppa when yeh're done." Hagrid blurted out before racing away, followed by a disappointed Fang.
"Did he just invite us for a cup of tea?" asked Draco, faintly.
"Yep."
"Well, that's surprising. I thought Hagrid would be certain to tear me limb from limb for ruining you."
"Nah, Hagrid's really relaxed and tolerant. He's incredibly openminded."
"So, we're going to have this cup of tea, then?"
"If you want."
"Well, it's something that no Malfoy would ever do, so I guess so."
"Just don't eat the toffee."
"I never thought that this would lead me to making friends with a groundkeeper."
"I never thought that this would lead to me having to avoid Crabbe and Goyle's attempts to get me to lip-synch to 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' with them while wearing spandex and sequined high heels either."
----
The next day started disasterously when it was revealed that the Slytherins had put an audio recording charm under Draco's bed. Breakfast was eaten to an accompaniment of smutty pillow talk from the recording, and ribald commentary from the assembled students, until the Professors figured out how to disable the charm. Ron just about sank under the table with embarassment, and even Draco looked discomfited as his recorded voice described, in some detail, what he would like to do to Ron in the next potions class. Snape glowered furiously, and favoured them both with killer death glares.
The rest of the day passed with various students quoting either or both of them from the recording, and some went so far as to act the scenes out in the corridors; Draco's filthy description of what Ron's freckles did for him being especially popular, with Ron's salacious monolgue about Draco's mouth being a slither of raw silk a close second. Ron had to force himself not to blush, or, if in Draco's company, ravish his lover on the spot, every time he saw or heard a group of students doing such an enactment.
It rained, so they retired to the library to do their homework in the afternoon, joined by Harry and Hermione, who seemed to be making a real effort to accept Draco, although both blushed whenever they looked at either Ron or Draco, which tended to put a damper on the conversation. Crabbe and Goyle, who seemed to have adopted Ron without a second thought, came over too, and Ron was fervently glad for the presence of the librarians, which prevented either of them from indulging in their usual embarassing discussions about Kylie Minogue. Seamus came over too, and divided his time evenly between his books and half awestruck, half speculative glances at Ron and Draco. After about an hour of this, Ron leant over the table toward Seamus.
"Seamus."
"Yeah, Ron?"
"Why are you looking at us like that?" Seamus blushed furiously, and Draco smirked.
"Ah, no reason." stammered Seamus.
"Good."
"Except..."
"Except what, Seamus?"
"Well..." he glanced around the library, assuring himself that the others were busy with their homework. "Would you... Would you kiss him? I mean, now, in front of me?"
"What?" exploded Ron, earning himself a quelling look from the librarian and a reproving one from Hermione. Draco's smirk widened. "You want us to kiss, in front of you?" he asked, more quietly.
"Ah. Yeah. Well. If you wouldn't mind..." Ron sat back, astounded. Draco turned to him, eyes alight and mocking smile firmly in place.
"Shall we indulge him, Weasley?"
"Hell, I have to share a dormitory with him. Can't he find some other couple to obsess over?"
"Yeah. Hey, Crabbe, Goyle." They turned to look at Draco. "Finnigan here wants to watch you-"
"Ugh. Don't finish that, Malfoy. I think I'd rather have him watch us than encourage those two to snog."
"Ok, then." Draco tilted Ron's head with one hand, and leant in to kiss him. Ron's lips parted automatically, and Draco let his tongue snake out to touch them before sliding inside. Ron kissed back, slow and leisurely, letting his own hand run through Draco's hair. Seamus squeaked excitedly, and squirmed in his chair, attracting the attention of the other students, who watched with varying degrees of fascination and horror as Draco tangled one hand in Ron's bright hair and let the other run up Ron's thigh, under his robe, continuing to kiss all the while. At last, they broke apart, and Draco turned to Seamus.
"Was that alright?" he asked, his voice still husky from the kiss.
"It better have been, because I'm not doing it again. He'll just have to take his chances on witnessing a public snog with all the other students." interjected Ron, his own voice throatier than normal.
Seamus looked at them both with eyes as wide as saucers, nodded once, and bounced out of his chair to run from the library. The other students, after a moment of incredulous silence, turned back to their books with a determined-to-ignore-sleazy-distractions air. Draco leaned into Ron.
"This morning," he whispered, "Finnigan cornered me, and asked me if your freckles went all over."
"What did you tell him?"
"That, yes, they went *all* over, and that I intended to join them up with strawberry syrup and listen to you beg me as I licked it off very, very slowly." His eyes caught a strange expression on Ron's face. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm wondering if I've got enough patience to wait till I get you to a bed before I fuck you, or if I should just drag you into a convenient niche somewhere and hope for the best."
"A bed would be better, but we're going to have trouble with that one. My room is out until we find a way to Slytherin proof it, and your dorm is out unless we can ensure that we won't wake up with Finnigan perched at the foot of the bed."
"I can hardly wait for the holidays."
"You're going to stay here with me?"
"Yeah. Try to keep me away."
"I'm glad." Their fingers met and held under the table, and both turned back to their school work with as much concentration as they could muster, as their minds whirled with the unspoken thought that the other was rapidly becoming indispensable.
----
Thanks for the wonderful feedback. I adore you all, even the ones who said 'ew, sick'. Heh, you reckon I've got this old without figuring out that I'm a weirdo? I will try to find and review stories by each reviewer, I promise. And, to the person who said my story was disgusting and gay: yes, well, that puts me in my place, doesn't it? I have been slapped on the wrist with a wet bus ticket and will immediately reform myself from the equal opportunity lech I have been all this time. At least you mentioned my writing, so I can live with disapproval of my orientation.
Just a last, desperate, plug for one of my other fics, 'Rebuilding', which is nowhere near as popular as this one, and gives me a choice between two melancholy options - either my summary is boring and no one wants to read it because they think it'll be awful, or I can't write drama, angst, or complicated emotional situations to save myself. If you liked this fic, please read my other one, and tell me what you don't like about it so I can tear it to shreds and improve it.
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