Title : Three of Swords
Author : Joydrop
Rating : Tame for now; may eventually turn R or NC-17
Pairing : Various slash - mainly D/R/H confusion
Disclaimer : While this work of fiction does belong to me, the characters and background universe belong to the always talented J.K. Rowling. No disrespect of her books or 'indecent' portrayal of these characters is intended. This is, as always, simply a poor fan's work.
Warning : SLASH! Don't like it? Don't read it. See that back button on your browser? Go on now, squint. See it? Thought so. If you don't want to read this, than you should click that button right about... now.
Spoilers : All four books.
Archive : Ask and ye shall receive.
Extra : I wrote this fic basically as a challenge for myself - and a challenge it has been. Now I see why this pairing is rather rare. Mucho thanks to Shiawase & Xella for the beta read!


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There was little that bothered Draco Malfoy quite as much as Ron Weasley.

That defiance. That attitude. That spirit that practically screamed to be broken and defiled. The urge to leave Weasley shaking with humiliation and rage much like Lucious left -- no, he wouldn't follow that train of thought. Not right now.

It'd be easy, if he could only figure out _exactly_ how. Weasley was made out of poorly crafted, well-worn materials, like his robe. The trick was finding the right frayed thread to pull to make it all unravel in yards of thin, breakable string.

He was simply having a difficult time finding the damn thread, that's all.

Weasley wasn't his real target though. As much as he wanted to hurt and dominate the redhead, this wasn't being planned solely for _him_. Weasley was hardly important enough to be the target of a real plan.

No, Draco's target was Potter. He'd realized, some time ago and to his great disgust, that he desired the other boy. Despite the fact his mother was a Mudblood and Dumbledore adored him, there was still the undeniable aspect Potter was nice to look at. All slim muscle and unruly hair and perfect green eyes -- very nice indeed. So he started to watch him, even more than usual, looking for a plan of attack. A way to get Potter to notice him in the same light or at least a way to drug him and haul him off to a disused classroom. It came to him slowly, oh so slowly, during his watching that Potter... he _was_ special. Not just a cute face and a nice ass. Not for the reasons that his stupid fanclub thought. Not for that scar on his skin, but just because he was _Harry Potter_ and that was special all by itself.

During his quiet observations, Draco made a starting discovery. Well, he'd discovered quite a bit, like how Potter tended to bite his lower lip gently when he was thinking or nervous, how his eyes were this perfect shade of green, how he had a favourite quill -- eagle feather -- that he used for most of his classes and work, how he seemed to find a strange but deep joy in simply flying, how -

- how Potter was obviously smitten with Weasley.

That observation hurt. It stung deeply, though he knew it shouldn't. He had hadn't been exactly civil to Potter and his little friends, yes, but he was _far_ better looking, better off financially, and likely better in bed. So _why_.... Why did Potter look at Ron bloody Weasley like that and not him?

A Malfoy does not take such an insult lightly. A Malfoy seeks revenge. A Malfoy _gets_ his revenge.

So he'd take Weasley. Show Potter what a tramp his annoying best friend really is. How _worthless_. After he'd utterly break Weasley and drop him off in a gutter some place, he'd go to Potter. Apologize for how poorly he's treated him over the years. Say how he thought, so innocently of course, that he wanted Weasley -- please! -- but realized he only desired Potter. Ask if he'll ever forgive.

And because he's Harry Potter, because of who he is and because he needs _someone_ there to show him affection, to take Weasley's now vacant place, he'd be forgiven in an instant. Draco knew he could make Potter happier than Weasley could ever dream. Simply because Potter was _his_.

Weasley would pay a high price for his temporary ownership.