21. …Draco forces a Confrontation
After a subdued dinner, the four Gryffindors returned to their common room.
"Lumos," Hermione mumbled, seeing that all of the candles had for some reason been put
out.
Ron slumped into an overstuffed chair and propped his feet on an end table. He planned
to wait here while Hermione blew up her table, hoping that he could get some rest. He
hadn't had much sleep over the weekend. Thinking of why brought a red flush to his
cheeks. It was strange, but thinking of Draco now brought a mixture of anger and
amusement but none of the physical passion that had been present the last few days. At
least he could safely assume that he wouldn't try to undress Draco the next time he saw
him.
"Glad you're all here," a voice drawled from the couch in front of the fireplace. The
owner of the voice stood up and turned around: Draco Malfoy.
Of course, Ron thought. Why wouldn't Draco be here? It makes perfect sense.
Draco strode angrily into the center of the room. Ron noted that he was wearing a rather
ostentatious cape of emerald green but thought it best not to say anything. Harry and
Hermione were ominously silent, and Ginny's eyes looked like that had grown to the size
of Quaffles. Without saying a word, Draco held up his hand and revealed the object in it
– a small silver earring.
Severus Snape shrugged out of his voluminous black robes and strode around his
chambers clad only in a skintight pair of black silk pants. His emotions were in turmoil
and he felt like he should do something to relieve his stress. Lucius Malfoy was in a snit,
the Death Eaters were frantically trying to find the source of the explosion, and he still
hadn't figured out just why Ron Weasley had been present at the party.
Snape knew all about the deception. It was obvious to him that the stolen ingredients
could only have been used for one specific potion. Then, before the party, Snape had
brewed and drunk a very powerful Clear Sight potion of his own devising that would
hopefully make clear Lucius' diabolical plans. Instead, it had revealed Ron Wealey to
him. In more ways than one, he thought disgustedly, trying his hardest not to replay the
scene that had greeted him when he found Draco and Ron in that stupid little room.
Snape knew the punishment for making the extended Polyjuice Potion, but he didn't
intend to turn the three Gryffindors in. In fact, he had been hopeful that they would figure
out the plan themselves. Clearly he had overestimated their skill at both potion making
and reasonable thought.
Gnawing on a long, hard piece of black licorice, Snape turned the problem over and over
in his mind. Obviously there was some connection between the explosion and Ron's
presence in the Malfoy's home. Now what was it?
"You bastard! I was frantically searching for that and you had it all along?!" Ron yelled
without thinking. Realizing his mistake he clenched his jaws together, hoping that this
would keep him from revealing anything else. Nonetheless, a very distinct "Shit,"
escaped from between his teeth. It was at this point that everyone in the room had
stopped and was now staring at him, all expressions equally stormy.
Ron was trying to decide who looked scarier. Ginny was out, because she was Ginny and
thus could never look the scariest. Actually, she just looked frightened. But it was a toss
up between the other three. It was at this point that Draco apparently mastered himself
enough to speak.
"What did you say!?" Draco was by now white and his teeth were obviously clenched.
"That was YOU?!" With this he lunged forward, grabbing Ron by the front of the shirt
and slamming him up against the wall. Ron's toes barely touched the floor. "What did
you do to her? Tell me right this instant or by God I'll kill you right here." Ron was
mute. At the instant of Draco's touch he felt something lurch deep in his gut. It wasn't
the attraction that he had felt as Blaise but it was much too far akin for Ron's comfort.
The shock of it, or something like it, apparently showed in his eyes because Draco
suddenly dropped him as if he were contaminated and leveled his wand. "Tell me what is
going on right now and what you have done to Blaise or your friend will not live to see
the morrow," he snarled, turning towards Harry, Hermione and Ginny, who all just
looked stunned.
Professor Snape stopped pacing as a course of action finally settled into his brain. It was
obvious that he was going to have to talk to those brats of Gryffindors. As much as he
hated Harry and loved torturing him with kappa hunting expeditions and the like they
were essentially on the same side and needed to pool their resources. "As limited as
those might be," he grumbled to himself, heading for the door.
Hermione was at a loss as to what to say. She was furious at Ron for revealing what he
had but right now they just needed to concentrate on getting themselves out of this mess.
Draco was clearly dangerous but also confused. Considering that picture in the Daily
Prophet he hadn't suspected anything at the time but now she was unsure how much
leeway any lies she might tell would have. She decided some measure of the truth would
be needed and maybe they could hope to get the upper hand if Draco became distracted at
some point. Looking at her friends she realized that Harry and Ginny weren't going to be
much help and Ron was looking completely closed off.
Hermione took a deep breath. "Don't worry. Blaise is completely unharmed." Draco
appeared to relax a notch at this, but his face was still as a mask of stone and the wand
leveled at Ron never faltered. "We kept her unconscious while Ron took a potion to look
like her and went to your house to try and gain information on what the Death Eaters
planned to do to Harry."
Draco didn't move. Hermione was starting to try to think of a way that they might
overwhelm him and administer a memory charm when he finally spoke. "So it was Ron
the entire time?" Draco's voice held a hysterical edge and his eyes had narrowed to a
terrifyingly murderous expression. His face had somehow managed to turn red and green
at the same time, almost, Hermione thought idly, like a Christmas tree.
After a subdued dinner, the four Gryffindors returned to their common room.
"Lumos," Hermione mumbled, seeing that all of the candles had for some reason been put
out.
Ron slumped into an overstuffed chair and propped his feet on an end table. He planned
to wait here while Hermione blew up her table, hoping that he could get some rest. He
hadn't had much sleep over the weekend. Thinking of why brought a red flush to his
cheeks. It was strange, but thinking of Draco now brought a mixture of anger and
amusement but none of the physical passion that had been present the last few days. At
least he could safely assume that he wouldn't try to undress Draco the next time he saw
him.
"Glad you're all here," a voice drawled from the couch in front of the fireplace. The
owner of the voice stood up and turned around: Draco Malfoy.
Of course, Ron thought. Why wouldn't Draco be here? It makes perfect sense.
Draco strode angrily into the center of the room. Ron noted that he was wearing a rather
ostentatious cape of emerald green but thought it best not to say anything. Harry and
Hermione were ominously silent, and Ginny's eyes looked like that had grown to the size
of Quaffles. Without saying a word, Draco held up his hand and revealed the object in it
– a small silver earring.
Severus Snape shrugged out of his voluminous black robes and strode around his
chambers clad only in a skintight pair of black silk pants. His emotions were in turmoil
and he felt like he should do something to relieve his stress. Lucius Malfoy was in a snit,
the Death Eaters were frantically trying to find the source of the explosion, and he still
hadn't figured out just why Ron Weasley had been present at the party.
Snape knew all about the deception. It was obvious to him that the stolen ingredients
could only have been used for one specific potion. Then, before the party, Snape had
brewed and drunk a very powerful Clear Sight potion of his own devising that would
hopefully make clear Lucius' diabolical plans. Instead, it had revealed Ron Wealey to
him. In more ways than one, he thought disgustedly, trying his hardest not to replay the
scene that had greeted him when he found Draco and Ron in that stupid little room.
Snape knew the punishment for making the extended Polyjuice Potion, but he didn't
intend to turn the three Gryffindors in. In fact, he had been hopeful that they would figure
out the plan themselves. Clearly he had overestimated their skill at both potion making
and reasonable thought.
Gnawing on a long, hard piece of black licorice, Snape turned the problem over and over
in his mind. Obviously there was some connection between the explosion and Ron's
presence in the Malfoy's home. Now what was it?
"You bastard! I was frantically searching for that and you had it all along?!" Ron yelled
without thinking. Realizing his mistake he clenched his jaws together, hoping that this
would keep him from revealing anything else. Nonetheless, a very distinct "Shit,"
escaped from between his teeth. It was at this point that everyone in the room had
stopped and was now staring at him, all expressions equally stormy.
Ron was trying to decide who looked scarier. Ginny was out, because she was Ginny and
thus could never look the scariest. Actually, she just looked frightened. But it was a toss
up between the other three. It was at this point that Draco apparently mastered himself
enough to speak.
"What did you say!?" Draco was by now white and his teeth were obviously clenched.
"That was YOU?!" With this he lunged forward, grabbing Ron by the front of the shirt
and slamming him up against the wall. Ron's toes barely touched the floor. "What did
you do to her? Tell me right this instant or by God I'll kill you right here." Ron was
mute. At the instant of Draco's touch he felt something lurch deep in his gut. It wasn't
the attraction that he had felt as Blaise but it was much too far akin for Ron's comfort.
The shock of it, or something like it, apparently showed in his eyes because Draco
suddenly dropped him as if he were contaminated and leveled his wand. "Tell me what is
going on right now and what you have done to Blaise or your friend will not live to see
the morrow," he snarled, turning towards Harry, Hermione and Ginny, who all just
looked stunned.
Professor Snape stopped pacing as a course of action finally settled into his brain. It was
obvious that he was going to have to talk to those brats of Gryffindors. As much as he
hated Harry and loved torturing him with kappa hunting expeditions and the like they
were essentially on the same side and needed to pool their resources. "As limited as
those might be," he grumbled to himself, heading for the door.
Hermione was at a loss as to what to say. She was furious at Ron for revealing what he
had but right now they just needed to concentrate on getting themselves out of this mess.
Draco was clearly dangerous but also confused. Considering that picture in the Daily
Prophet he hadn't suspected anything at the time but now she was unsure how much
leeway any lies she might tell would have. She decided some measure of the truth would
be needed and maybe they could hope to get the upper hand if Draco became distracted at
some point. Looking at her friends she realized that Harry and Ginny weren't going to be
much help and Ron was looking completely closed off.
Hermione took a deep breath. "Don't worry. Blaise is completely unharmed." Draco
appeared to relax a notch at this, but his face was still as a mask of stone and the wand
leveled at Ron never faltered. "We kept her unconscious while Ron took a potion to look
like her and went to your house to try and gain information on what the Death Eaters
planned to do to Harry."
Draco didn't move. Hermione was starting to try to think of a way that they might
overwhelm him and administer a memory charm when he finally spoke. "So it was Ron
the entire time?" Draco's voice held a hysterical edge and his eyes had narrowed to a
terrifyingly murderous expression. His face had somehow managed to turn red and green
at the same time, almost, Hermione thought idly, like a Christmas tree.