Title: Journeying: Chapter 11: The Escape
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never have been, never will. Please don't sue.
Summary: Ron (and Bill) rescue Draco.
Notes: Sorry this one took so long, but I already am working on the next part. No promises though since exams are coming up, and my life's going to get busy.
Feedback: Yes please. If I don't know what was bad, it ain't ever gonna get better.
~The Escape~
Draco had managed to get out of the manor, despite his broken arm. Now, he was at the arranged spot waiting for the arranged time-- nightfall. It was up the Weasleys to get him from here. How they were going to do it, he didn't know, but he trusted Ron. And if no one came, he supposed... that he could go camping. There really wasn't any reason to go back to his room.
Night fell, and Draco shivered. The only thing he'd brought with him, besides the clothes on his back, was his wand. Anything else was extra baggage and would have slowed him down even more. The tunnels were not especially wide or tall.
The arranged spot wasn't a bad one. It was a clearing, with a large fountain at the center, surrounded by trees. Draco hoped he could hide in the trees while the fountain made the spot easily identifiable. The fact that he was now at the edge of his family's property was an added bonus.
The chill was getting worse. His head was clearer now, but he still didn't trust himself enough to do a spell. What if he accidentally set himself on fire or something equally disastrous? Therefore, no heat and no mended arm. It didn't make for comfortable waiting.
Draco hoped his rescuer came soon. The image of Ron, a knight in shining armor, and him, the damsel in distress, came unbidden to his mind. Perhaps he'd get to wear one of those skimpy dresses that showed of the heroine's heaving bosom? He giggled then groaned at his own idiocy. He was not the giggling sort. What if someone caught him? Good-bye self-respect. He decided he could blame the errant giggle on his lumpy head if anyone caught him. But who would catch him out here alone? The Boogie Man? *That* thought sent him into conniptions.
At that moment, Ron and Bill arrived. Each rode in on a broomstick, Ron clutching a third tightly under his arm.
They looked at Draco, then at each other, and shrugged. Neither had any idea what was so humorous. Draco, for his part, hadn't yet noticed Ron.
Ron placed his two broomsticks on the ground. He walked over to Draco, a tad cautious, and placed his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder.
The laughter faltered. Draco tried to whirl around to face the unexpected touch, maybe flee, but instead managed to fall flat on his butt. Ron peered at him, and for the first time Draco realized what he must look like.
Though his robes were whole, they were covered with dirt and cobwebs. On one elbow was some green slime he'd crawled through accidentally while in the tunnels. He could see the cuts on his hands, dried blood mosaicking his skin, and feel the bruising on his face, probably a lovely shade of purple by now.
Ron finally said, "I, um.... We have a broomstick for you, if you can ride."
Draco stood. Sharp pebbles were imbedded now in the scrapes on his hands. He'd tried to break his fall by throwing his arms back. Bad move. His good arm was still fine, but his right one throbbed painfully again. Just when it had settled into a dull ache. Draco used his left arm to cradle the other close to his body.
Draco remembered that he hadn't answered Ron. "We who?"
Ron shifted his weight from foot to foot but didn't reach out to help. "Me and Bill. My brother."
"Oh." Draco glanced behind Ron and spied Bill, still sitting on his broom. "I don't think I'll be able to fly."
"Alright. You can ride with me." Ron turned around to talk to his brother. "Got it, Bill?"
Bill gave a thumbs-up and picked up the broom originally intended for Draco.
Now, Ron took the extra step to close the gap between Draco and him. "C'm'ere," Ron said. "I'll help you."
Ron slipped his right arm around Draco's waist and lifted Draco's uninjured arm around his neck. Together, they walked the short distance to Bill.
Ron let go of Draco for a moment to mount his broom. Once on, he grabbed Draco's hand and pulled the boy on, settling Draco in front of him. Ron reached around Draco and grabbed the broom with both hands. Takeoffs could be tricky.
Bill lifted off first. Draco felt the broom dip, then rise, as Ron got a jump start. Draco wondered, briefly, about his acquiescence but decided to blame that too on his head injury. It was nice not to have to think.
Once the trio leveled off at a cruising altitude, Ron one-handedly hugged Draco's waist again. Draco leaned back, nestling into Ron. He probably was getting Ron dirty, but he was too comfortable to lean forward and spare Ron's robes.
Draco went to sleep, curled against Ron.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never have been, never will. Please don't sue.
Summary: Ron (and Bill) rescue Draco.
Notes: Sorry this one took so long, but I already am working on the next part. No promises though since exams are coming up, and my life's going to get busy.
Feedback: Yes please. If I don't know what was bad, it ain't ever gonna get better.
~The Escape~
Draco had managed to get out of the manor, despite his broken arm. Now, he was at the arranged spot waiting for the arranged time-- nightfall. It was up the Weasleys to get him from here. How they were going to do it, he didn't know, but he trusted Ron. And if no one came, he supposed... that he could go camping. There really wasn't any reason to go back to his room.
Night fell, and Draco shivered. The only thing he'd brought with him, besides the clothes on his back, was his wand. Anything else was extra baggage and would have slowed him down even more. The tunnels were not especially wide or tall.
The arranged spot wasn't a bad one. It was a clearing, with a large fountain at the center, surrounded by trees. Draco hoped he could hide in the trees while the fountain made the spot easily identifiable. The fact that he was now at the edge of his family's property was an added bonus.
The chill was getting worse. His head was clearer now, but he still didn't trust himself enough to do a spell. What if he accidentally set himself on fire or something equally disastrous? Therefore, no heat and no mended arm. It didn't make for comfortable waiting.
Draco hoped his rescuer came soon. The image of Ron, a knight in shining armor, and him, the damsel in distress, came unbidden to his mind. Perhaps he'd get to wear one of those skimpy dresses that showed of the heroine's heaving bosom? He giggled then groaned at his own idiocy. He was not the giggling sort. What if someone caught him? Good-bye self-respect. He decided he could blame the errant giggle on his lumpy head if anyone caught him. But who would catch him out here alone? The Boogie Man? *That* thought sent him into conniptions.
At that moment, Ron and Bill arrived. Each rode in on a broomstick, Ron clutching a third tightly under his arm.
They looked at Draco, then at each other, and shrugged. Neither had any idea what was so humorous. Draco, for his part, hadn't yet noticed Ron.
Ron placed his two broomsticks on the ground. He walked over to Draco, a tad cautious, and placed his hand on his boyfriend's shoulder.
The laughter faltered. Draco tried to whirl around to face the unexpected touch, maybe flee, but instead managed to fall flat on his butt. Ron peered at him, and for the first time Draco realized what he must look like.
Though his robes were whole, they were covered with dirt and cobwebs. On one elbow was some green slime he'd crawled through accidentally while in the tunnels. He could see the cuts on his hands, dried blood mosaicking his skin, and feel the bruising on his face, probably a lovely shade of purple by now.
Ron finally said, "I, um.... We have a broomstick for you, if you can ride."
Draco stood. Sharp pebbles were imbedded now in the scrapes on his hands. He'd tried to break his fall by throwing his arms back. Bad move. His good arm was still fine, but his right one throbbed painfully again. Just when it had settled into a dull ache. Draco used his left arm to cradle the other close to his body.
Draco remembered that he hadn't answered Ron. "We who?"
Ron shifted his weight from foot to foot but didn't reach out to help. "Me and Bill. My brother."
"Oh." Draco glanced behind Ron and spied Bill, still sitting on his broom. "I don't think I'll be able to fly."
"Alright. You can ride with me." Ron turned around to talk to his brother. "Got it, Bill?"
Bill gave a thumbs-up and picked up the broom originally intended for Draco.
Now, Ron took the extra step to close the gap between Draco and him. "C'm'ere," Ron said. "I'll help you."
Ron slipped his right arm around Draco's waist and lifted Draco's uninjured arm around his neck. Together, they walked the short distance to Bill.
Ron let go of Draco for a moment to mount his broom. Once on, he grabbed Draco's hand and pulled the boy on, settling Draco in front of him. Ron reached around Draco and grabbed the broom with both hands. Takeoffs could be tricky.
Bill lifted off first. Draco felt the broom dip, then rise, as Ron got a jump start. Draco wondered, briefly, about his acquiescence but decided to blame that too on his head injury. It was nice not to have to think.
Once the trio leveled off at a cruising altitude, Ron one-handedly hugged Draco's waist again. Draco leaned back, nestling into Ron. He probably was getting Ron dirty, but he was too comfortable to lean forward and spare Ron's robes.
Draco went to sleep, curled against Ron.