46. …we don't know what Lucius is capable of
Ginny and Harry paused outside the stair leading up to Dumbledore's office. "I don't see
what good this will do anyone." Harry's natural reluctance to ask adults for help was
once again coming to the fore.
"Harry," Ginny was losing her patience, "they've been gone way too long. We don't
know what Lucius Malfoy is capable of. We've got to tell someone."
Just then they heard voices coming down the stairs. Years of being Harry Potter took
over and Harry grabbed Ginny's arm and pulled her around a corner, where they stopped
to listen. "Mr. Malfoy, I am not trying to be vague when I say that your son, Draco, is
not at Hogwarts right now. But I assure, as soon as he shows up I will inform you
immediately by owl. I don't like the thought of students going missing any more than
you like the thought of not knowing where your son is. Let us just hope that it is a
foolish prank and that he will be back to continue school." Lucius' reply was brief and
low, so they couldn't catch it but soon they heard a lone set of footsteps echoing down
the hall.
Ginny started around the corner but Harry pulled her back. "We have to go tell
Dumbledore that they might be in danger."
"No, didn't you hear? Lucius doesn't know where they are. They'll probably be back
soon."
"No, Harry. He said he didn't know where Draco was. What if he's got Ron or
Hermione? We can't risk it."
"If he's got Ron or Hermione why would he associate himself with missing students by
saying that Draco's missing." Harry looked righteous while Ginny continued to look
dubious. "Come on," Harry began pulling Ginny off down the hall. "They'll be back
soon, you'll see." Then, in the distance, they heard a loud shriek that Ginny vaguely
identified as Blaise Zabini.
"So we thought that you could probably hide out in Draco's closet until we found a better
place." Hermione had just finished describing some of the events leading up to
Reginald's rescue. She had glossed over a lot, saying only that she didn't know what had
gone on while Ron was at Malfoy Manor. Ron or Draco could go into that if it ever came
up.
At the mention of the closet idea a strange look clouded over Reginald's now quite
handsome features and Hermione felt like an insensitive bitch. The man had been locked
in a dungeon cell for 25 years and they were proposing to keep him in a closet. Lovely.
"I'm so sorry, that's probably the last place you want to be." She gnawed on her lip,
upset that she hadn't considered this before.
Reginald reached out and awkwardly patted her hand. "It's ok. Anything's better than
that cell." He smiled slightly. "Besides, you don't know how happy it makes me just
knowing that I'll be around people again. Just sitting here taking to you has been the
happiest time I have known in many, many years. This time his smile was broader and
there was a suspicious glistening in his eyes. Hermione felt tears pricking her own eyes
and resisted the urge to give Reginald a hug.
Ron thought he was just about ready to die from cold as he slipped and stumbled his way
through the swamp, following Draco. Being saved from the kraken was great and all but
now he almost wished he was back in that stupid cave. At least it was sort of warm in
there. He couldn't help himself. "Are we almost there yet," he whined.
Draco looked back at Ron, looking almost annoyed but then he saw that Ron was shaking
almost uncontrollably and his look softened. "I forgot how cold the water is to you.
Maybe we can stop somewhere and try to warm up."
Ron snarled at the mention of the fact the Draco wasn't feeling the cold and glared as
Draco turned and continued on. He was grateful that they would be stopping but he
thought he knew what Draco's idea of warming up would entail. Ron then proceeded to
reflect on the strange swings his mood seemed to take. Back on the hill warming up by
extreme proximity seemed like a great idea but it somehow seemed less appealing now.
Maybe it was because he had been looking at the moonlit version of Draco's skinny,
muddy butt lead the way through the swamp for the past hour and the view was starting
to get old. Of course, there was always the argument that this entire thought process was
meaningless when taken together with the fact of Ron's inexplicable pliability under
Draco's touch. He was bound to change his mind as soon as they found a place to stop
and started "warming up." Ron sighed and continued slogging.
Soon enough they found a patch of grassy earth high enough out of the water so as to be
relatively dry. Ron practically flew out of the water and onto the grass where he knelt
and started shivering in earnest. There was a bush growing right beside the tiny island
that blocked the wind but still, he was COLD. Draco knelt behind Ron and wrapped his
arms around him. He felt as warm as if he were sitting in a cozy room and Ron wished
he knew a spell to turn him into a blanket, or even just that stupid spell that Snape had
used to clothe Draco and Harry that time in the common room. "How come you're so
warm?" Having warmed up a little Ron was realizing how cold he actually was and his
teeth were chattering violently.
"It's a spell I made when I started hanging out in the swamp with Madrid. I'd do it for
you but it was really complicated and took me about a week to prepare, once I'd learned
it." Draco was now rubbing his hands along Ron's arms and legs and Ron felt like he
was literally unthawing.
"Who's Madrid?" he chattered, trying to mold his body as closely into Draco's as
possible.
"My water dragon. I forgot I didn't really tell you about him." Draco paused and began
placing small kisses along Ron's shoulder and neck. "I think we can do better at
warming you up, don't you?"
Ron really couldn't think of any objections to Draco's plan, especially considering that
his body was responding to Draco's touch by participating more actively in generating
heat. A small flame was flaring in his core and spreading outward. So, turning himself
around in Draco's embrace, Ron wrapped arms and legs about his body and bent his lips
hungrily to Draco's. Suddenly, the grassy earth seemed terribly inviting and he lay back,
pulling Draco to lie on top of him. Yes, this was proving to be a rather effective method
of warming up. The roving flames of Draco's hands moved over his flesh and Ron lost
himself in the sensation and warmth.
Ginny and Harry paused outside the stair leading up to Dumbledore's office. "I don't see
what good this will do anyone." Harry's natural reluctance to ask adults for help was
once again coming to the fore.
"Harry," Ginny was losing her patience, "they've been gone way too long. We don't
know what Lucius Malfoy is capable of. We've got to tell someone."
Just then they heard voices coming down the stairs. Years of being Harry Potter took
over and Harry grabbed Ginny's arm and pulled her around a corner, where they stopped
to listen. "Mr. Malfoy, I am not trying to be vague when I say that your son, Draco, is
not at Hogwarts right now. But I assure, as soon as he shows up I will inform you
immediately by owl. I don't like the thought of students going missing any more than
you like the thought of not knowing where your son is. Let us just hope that it is a
foolish prank and that he will be back to continue school." Lucius' reply was brief and
low, so they couldn't catch it but soon they heard a lone set of footsteps echoing down
the hall.
Ginny started around the corner but Harry pulled her back. "We have to go tell
Dumbledore that they might be in danger."
"No, didn't you hear? Lucius doesn't know where they are. They'll probably be back
soon."
"No, Harry. He said he didn't know where Draco was. What if he's got Ron or
Hermione? We can't risk it."
"If he's got Ron or Hermione why would he associate himself with missing students by
saying that Draco's missing." Harry looked righteous while Ginny continued to look
dubious. "Come on," Harry began pulling Ginny off down the hall. "They'll be back
soon, you'll see." Then, in the distance, they heard a loud shriek that Ginny vaguely
identified as Blaise Zabini.
"So we thought that you could probably hide out in Draco's closet until we found a better
place." Hermione had just finished describing some of the events leading up to
Reginald's rescue. She had glossed over a lot, saying only that she didn't know what had
gone on while Ron was at Malfoy Manor. Ron or Draco could go into that if it ever came
up.
At the mention of the closet idea a strange look clouded over Reginald's now quite
handsome features and Hermione felt like an insensitive bitch. The man had been locked
in a dungeon cell for 25 years and they were proposing to keep him in a closet. Lovely.
"I'm so sorry, that's probably the last place you want to be." She gnawed on her lip,
upset that she hadn't considered this before.
Reginald reached out and awkwardly patted her hand. "It's ok. Anything's better than
that cell." He smiled slightly. "Besides, you don't know how happy it makes me just
knowing that I'll be around people again. Just sitting here taking to you has been the
happiest time I have known in many, many years. This time his smile was broader and
there was a suspicious glistening in his eyes. Hermione felt tears pricking her own eyes
and resisted the urge to give Reginald a hug.
Ron thought he was just about ready to die from cold as he slipped and stumbled his way
through the swamp, following Draco. Being saved from the kraken was great and all but
now he almost wished he was back in that stupid cave. At least it was sort of warm in
there. He couldn't help himself. "Are we almost there yet," he whined.
Draco looked back at Ron, looking almost annoyed but then he saw that Ron was shaking
almost uncontrollably and his look softened. "I forgot how cold the water is to you.
Maybe we can stop somewhere and try to warm up."
Ron snarled at the mention of the fact the Draco wasn't feeling the cold and glared as
Draco turned and continued on. He was grateful that they would be stopping but he
thought he knew what Draco's idea of warming up would entail. Ron then proceeded to
reflect on the strange swings his mood seemed to take. Back on the hill warming up by
extreme proximity seemed like a great idea but it somehow seemed less appealing now.
Maybe it was because he had been looking at the moonlit version of Draco's skinny,
muddy butt lead the way through the swamp for the past hour and the view was starting
to get old. Of course, there was always the argument that this entire thought process was
meaningless when taken together with the fact of Ron's inexplicable pliability under
Draco's touch. He was bound to change his mind as soon as they found a place to stop
and started "warming up." Ron sighed and continued slogging.
Soon enough they found a patch of grassy earth high enough out of the water so as to be
relatively dry. Ron practically flew out of the water and onto the grass where he knelt
and started shivering in earnest. There was a bush growing right beside the tiny island
that blocked the wind but still, he was COLD. Draco knelt behind Ron and wrapped his
arms around him. He felt as warm as if he were sitting in a cozy room and Ron wished
he knew a spell to turn him into a blanket, or even just that stupid spell that Snape had
used to clothe Draco and Harry that time in the common room. "How come you're so
warm?" Having warmed up a little Ron was realizing how cold he actually was and his
teeth were chattering violently.
"It's a spell I made when I started hanging out in the swamp with Madrid. I'd do it for
you but it was really complicated and took me about a week to prepare, once I'd learned
it." Draco was now rubbing his hands along Ron's arms and legs and Ron felt like he
was literally unthawing.
"Who's Madrid?" he chattered, trying to mold his body as closely into Draco's as
possible.
"My water dragon. I forgot I didn't really tell you about him." Draco paused and began
placing small kisses along Ron's shoulder and neck. "I think we can do better at
warming you up, don't you?"
Ron really couldn't think of any objections to Draco's plan, especially considering that
his body was responding to Draco's touch by participating more actively in generating
heat. A small flame was flaring in his core and spreading outward. So, turning himself
around in Draco's embrace, Ron wrapped arms and legs about his body and bent his lips
hungrily to Draco's. Suddenly, the grassy earth seemed terribly inviting and he lay back,
pulling Draco to lie on top of him. Yes, this was proving to be a rather effective method
of warming up. The roving flames of Draco's hands moved over his flesh and Ron lost
himself in the sensation and warmth.