Thankyou all my loffly reviewers, I am sorry it took so long to get this
chapter up. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless. Next one up v. soon!
Too Much Of Not Enough ~
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own it. I also own God, and the artist formally known as Prince.
Also, this is a Ron/Draco fic. It will be SLASHY SLASHY SLASHY eventually. Don't like it. Don't read it.
I love constructive critisism, however, flames will be mocked, and mocked, and mocked some more
Chapter 3-
Ron lurched forward, grabbing Hermione by the shoulders "What about Ginny? " spluttered, his head spinning violently with unpleasant thoughts.
"What in god's name are you doing with those boots?" Filch interrupted
Ron ignored him; his full attention was focused on his friends, his eyes pleading with them, imploring. Hermione was out of breath "She.. Something's.happened.your.mum is.here.she"
His heart was beating in his throat now, and the words came out in a rush "What happened?! She can't be hurt?!... She's at Beauxbatons" Ron paled "Was there an explosion there too?!"
Hermione's face changed then, a look of confusion, and something else.perhaps worry? spread across her face. He'd seen that look before, but he couldn't quite place it. "Ron" she said slowly, as though she was talking to a child who'd just stuck a Viktor Krum figurine up his nose "What explosion are you talking about"
She thinks I'm mad. Ron thought. That was it. The look. It was pity.
"What explosion am I talking about?!" he yelled angrily "Are you daft? The two explosions that almost brought down Hogwarts!"
"There were two explosions then.?" Harry said dubiously. His look mirrored Hermione's.
"Yes, there were two." Ron glanced around the room helplessly "Look at this place! I'm not bloody starkers you know, it happened!" he spun around and pointed at Draco "Ask him!"
Everyone's attentions turned to the blond Slytherin, who promptly chuckled and made an exploding gesture with his hands "kaaboom!" he said, slurring his words slightly. What the hell is wrong with him? Ron thought. Draco looked paler than usual and almost sweaty, and his eyes were glazed over. Ron's eyes moved downwards and he realised his trousers were now soaked in blood.
"Oh! Oh shit! He fell on something when the explosion went off" Ron said quickly "We had better get him to Madame Pomfrey..."
"Nonsense Weasel" Draco drawled, moving towards him with a lopsided grin on his face "I'm perfectly fi-"
Hermione yelped as Draco fainted at her feet, his head hitting the cement with a dull thud. Without a word Filch went to him, grabbing the unconscious boy in his arms and hurrying out of the room.
There was an uncomfortable silence as the trio stood nervously in the overlarge room, avoiding each other's gaze.
Hermione finally spoke "Ron.It's not that we don't believe you, we just didn't hear-"
"It doesn't matter" Ron snapped irritably "Where's my mum?"
It didn't take Ron long to get to Dumbledore's office. Hermione and Harry were straggling behind him, but he was full of adrenaline; his stomach churning with thoughts of what had happened to his little sister. Surely she wasn't.had she found out about Lucius? Something happened to her, but what? Would he ever see her again? Visions of death and horrific injury flooded his mind, and he pushed them all away angrily. Perhaps he was going mad after all. Perhaps there were no explosions. Perhaps he was imagining everything and he'd wake up in Mungo's in three years time yelling insanities about Draco's troll boots and the end of the world.
Dumbledore was waiting for him. He looked extremely tired. He always looked so exhausted these days. There were worry lines etched across his face. It occurred to Ron that perhaps something was terribly wrong that the students weren't being told about and he made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.
Dumbledore gestured toward Hermione and Harry, indicating that they stay behind, and escorted Ron shuffling down the small hallway. When he got to the office Molly Weasley attacked him. She scooped him into her arms, hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe, and he squirmed a little in her grasp. His mother was weeping now and she kept saying "Oh Ron.!" as though he'd returned from the dead. Finally he got out of his mother's stronghold, and realised Bill was in the room too. He gave Ron a sad half- smile.
"What's going on?" Ron demanded his voice cracking slightly with nerves. "What's happened to Ginny?"
Molly Weasley began to sob, and Bill put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"She's missing Ron" Bill said, his voice was calm, but his face defied him. He was worried. Really worried. "They've got a whole lot of people looking, but No one's seen her since Wednesday."
Ron shook his head "She can't have just disappeared.where could she go?"
There was silence in the room. Ron knew it was a dumb question, if they knew, she wouldn't be missing. He felt nauseated.
Bill cleared his throat."Ron, it's.."He trailed off, clearing his throat again "All her stuff is still at Beauxbatons. Her journal, all her clothes except the ones she was wearing. everything. And.and there were marks on her bed."
"Someone's taken her." Ron completed for him, and Bill nodded. Dumbledore sighed, putting a comforting hand on his Molly's shoulder as she began to cry once again. Ron felt as though he was going to be sick. His hearing became clouded, like he was inside a massive seashell. Dumbledore was speaking, but only empty noises sounded in his ears. Someone had Ginny. Someone who did not intend to have her for very long. He remembered the last time Ginny had been missing; when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, and maybe it was his imagination, but this time it felt worse. Something was very wrong about this scenario. He could feel it like the sweat growing on the back of his neck.
The sound of his mother's weary voice jolted him out of his stupor.
".And your father is over at Beauxbatons doing everything he can. Everyone is doing what he or she can. Lucius Malfoy is over there-"
"What?" Anger replaced Ron's worry for his sister, his voice unable to hide his resentment "What's he doing there?"
"He's the head of the ministry of magic dear" Molly said vaguely, evidently unaware of Ron's glowering ".they're investigating."
"You might as well be aware Ron." Dumbledore said heavily "Someone conjured the dark mark at Beauxbatons the night before Ginny disappeared. It is all being investigated."
Ron felt as though he'd been hit in the chest, the air leaving his lungs in a whoosh. He grabbed a hold of the side of Dumbledore's desk to steady himself. Of all the possible scenarios he had not considered the worst one of all. But then.it couldn't possibly be.surely.it wasn't even conceivable.
"Most assuredly a hoax.a scare tactic from one of the last remaining Death eaters." Dumbledore continued "but all avenues have to be investigated."
Ron nodded vaguely, looking from his mother to his older brother for more of an explanation. But none came.
~*~
The next few days were a blur as Ron went through his routines in a kind of empty trance. Dumbledore had cancelled his detentions, and all his Professors (with the exception of Snape) were being very lenient, but he didn't feel any better for it. There was constant weight in his chest. He felt so damn helpless it had become irritating to him. Surely there was something useful he could be doing? He had begged his mother to let him go over to Beauxbatons and look for her, but everyone seemed to agree that everything possible was being done, and it was better for him to stay and keep his mind on school. Fat bloody chance. All he could think about was Ginny, and his father.. and Lucius Malfoy. He often wondered how he felt about Ginny being missing. Could he possibly care? Was he worried? Ron reprimanded himself for even considering the possibility. He'd only be worried that he'd lose his blackmail clout. After all, it was Lucius Malfoy who had tricked Ginny into taking Tom Riddle's journal her first year. He didn't care if she lived or died. Ron's eyes clouded slightly. He was a stupid scummy bastard. All the Malfoy's were.
There were many pairs of eyes on him as Ron walked into the dining hall for breakfast that morning. It had only taken hours before the news of Ginny's disappearance had spread throughout the school, and had immediately become the hottest point of gossip. Ron had already become accustomed to the hushed tones behind hands whenever he was near. As far as he was concerned there were more important things to worry about than whether or not Pansy Parkinson and her gaggle of friends were talking about him. Harry moved over on the seat as Ron approached, and he plonked himself down at the Gryffindor table, taking a piece of toast and biting into it hungrily.
"Morning" Harry said, and Ron grunted in reply.
"Aren't you going to put anything on that? " Hermione asked, looking up from her copy of The Daily Prophet. Ron shook his head, and smiled at her through toast-covered teeth, in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Harry and Hermione, although almost as worried as he was, had been trying very hard to keep his mind off Ginny by keeping him exceptionally busy. Harry was constantly asking him to go and play Quidditch, or Chess, or Exploding snap, while Hermione had seemed to think the best way for him to keep busy was to pore over extremely large study books in the library.
He was very grateful for both of them.
"So the mails been delivered already?" Ron asked casually
Harry nodded, and a grin spread across his face "Justin Flinch Fletchley got a howler from his mother; something about his Cat Alforth leaving a little 'present' in his Dad's slippers."
Ron chuckled slightly before he spoke again "Nothing for me then?" he asked lightly.
Harry bit down on a rasher of bacon and shook his head, Hermione looked like she was going to cry and buried her head in the newspaper.
"Still no news is good news right?" Neville said, wiping some porridge from the corner of his mouth "At least you know Ginny isn't - OWWW!" Neville yelled as two separate feet connected with his shin.
There was a stifled pause among the three of them.
"Well, I'm full" Ron said quickly "Think I'll go wash up before Divination."
He exited before Hermione could protest.
__
The showers were empty when Ron got there; everyone showered before breakfast usually, so he knew he'd be alone, and he was glad. He was beginning to tire of the sad looks he was being given. He appreciated that they cared, but most of the time it did nothing more than make him feel worse. He liked being alone. It was almost calming.
Trelawney wouldn't care that he was late, she'd most likely make it out to be some cosmic force telling her that he was going to die in a couple of days. He undressed quickly and stepped under the needling hot water, putting his head under the spray and making his hair flatten to the sides of his head. Beads of water ran along the length of his nose and face, his eyes dully stinging.
Finally, and quite reluctantly Ron turned off the water and grabbed his towel. He was drying his face when he heard a noise, and stuck his head out of the cubicle to see Draco Malfoy walking into the bathrooms. If you could call it walking, he had been hobbling around since the incident at detention where he'd gotten a sharp something or other lodged in his backside. Ron's nose wrinkled in disgust and he wrapped the towel quickly around his waist and hurriedly got out of the stall, grabbing his cloak and wrapping it around his torso as a kind of shield.
"What are you doing in the Gryffindor bathrooms?" Ron demanded, consciously aware he'd left his chudley cannons briefs on the floor and praying that Malfoy wouldn't see them.
Draco looked up at him, his face contorting into its trademark sneer "Well it wasn't for the view Weasley" he said, "I needed to talk to you, and I thought, where would a big stupid Weasley go to sulk? .and sure enough, here you are"
"I'm not sulking!" Ron said indignantly "I was just washing."
Draco nodded "Good thing too, although I don't suppose it will help your face at all"
"Sod off" Ron replied ".I need to get dressed so I can go to class"
Draco sat down on the side of the bench, wincing very slightly "We have to talk about that... thing that happened the other day...the explosions..." He paused "No one will believe me when I say it happened. They all think I fell over because you beat me up."
Ron grinned suddenly "Not doing wonders for your reputation is it Malfoy?"
"Oh, Shut up you retarded garden gnome" Draco said, annoyed "You heard the explosions too. Something should be done about it. I mean, this is a bloody wizard school isn't it?"
Ron shook his head "Dumbledore said it was most likely the new room being temperamental. They do strange things all the time you know Rooms vanish.rooms rebuild.. rooms also go ...bang apparently."
"After what's happened with your sister you actually believe that?" Draco said
Ron turned on him, his face stony "Don't talk to me about Ginny"
Draco smirked and made a dismissive gesture with his hand "I don't see why you're so upset. There are so many Weasleys in your family, I'd hardly think it would matter if one of them carked it in the aid of the Dark Lord- "
Ron was over at Draco in a instant, holding him tightly by the cuff of his shirt, his eyes flashing with rage "What do you know about my sister? Where have they taken her?"
"Get off me Weasel" Draco growled, but Ron paid no attention, tightening his grip.
"What do you know Malfoy?!" he said, his voice agitated "Tell me, or I swear I'll kill you right here!"
"Nothing! I don't know." Draco stuttered, starting to feel panicked "I didn't mean.I don't know what's happened Weasley!! It's what everyone is saying! I was just trying to piss you off for fuckssake!"
Ron looked at him searchingly, his dark eyes scanning the pale boys face. Finally he let go of him, roughly shoving him off the bench.
"Get out" Ron said finally, grabbing his robes that had fallen to the floor in his outburst, and turning away from Draco.
Draco didn't move.
"Are you deaf as well as evil?" Ron snapped, facing him "I said get out!"
"I have some things to say," Draco said calmly, returning Ron's vicious gaze.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Firstly Weasley." Draco interrupted "I think you are in serious need of anger management counselling"
Ron looked defiant "That's swell advice coming from he who is the spawn of Satan, but if you are going to keep talking would you turn around so I can dress myself and avoid dying of pneumonia?"
Draco moved awkwardly on the bench till he was facing the wall and continued to talk as if nothing had happened "Secondly.I think we need to address the issue of random explosions at Hogwarts seriously."
Ron pulled up his trousers "Look Malfoy" he snarled "I'm not going to waste my time on this just because your pride has been dented, there are more important things for me to worry about-"
Draco waved his hand in the air "Yes, yes, I know. The case of the missing Weasley. How tragic."
Ron didn't reply, trying to concentrate on doing up his tie and resisting the urge to beat Malfoy's blasé head in.
"You really care about her don't you?" Draco asked scornfully, turning to face Ron ".this whole thing, with her being missing, it's driving you mad."
"I know it's hard for you to understand" Ron spat angrily "If I had a family as hateful as yours I wouldn't care about them either!"
Draco's mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. Ron felt a pang of guilt in his stomach when he realised that Malfoy actually looked hurt. Ron turned abruptly on his heel and stormed out of the bathrooms, slamming the door behind him. God, Malfoy was an idiot, he thought crossly, he was total arse, and still managed to make him feel bad about- Ron's train of thought was interrupted as he saw an object he had seen only once in his lifetime. His jaw dropped. He clenched and unclenched his hands nervously. And then he turned and ran, terrified, back into the bathrooms he had just exited.
Draco no longer looked hurt, and his usual twisted sneer was plastered across his face as Ron came flying into the room "What on earth is wrong with you Weasley? Someone put a spider in your robes or something?"
Ron shook his head, out of breath "Da.Da.Da.."
"What the fuck is a Dadada?"
There was a scream from outside and Draco looked up, looking startled.
"The Dark Mark" Ron said finally, trying to compose himself "Someone has conjured the Dark Mark."
There were more and more noises from outside. Another yelp. People running. Draco looked at Ron questioningly "Inside of Hogwarts? That's not possible."
Ron shrugged helplessly and followed Draco out the door and down into the hallway where a crowd had gathered. A low uneasy murmur the only noticeable sound, as they all stared worriedly at the large transparent green skull with the snake protruding from its mouth, hovering ominously above the entrance to the Slytherin quarters.
__
"How was divination? Hermione said as Ron and Harry met her in the library "What horrific deaths will you be undergoing this week?"
Ron smiled "Gee Herm, if I didn't know better I'd think you thought Trelawney's a fraud or something"
"She is appalling" Harry said crossly, throwing his books on the table "She said.She said."
"She said I'd lose someone in my family" Ron finished for him, shrugging it off lightly "She's astute that one".
Hermione mumbled something that sounded like "witch" under her breath. Harry and her both looked so angry for him he wanted to laugh and hug them at the same time.
Ron sat down next to them and patted Hermione's hand gently "S'ok, I was ready for it, with something as easy as that, how could she resist? At least she laid off Harry for once".
There was silence for a moment until Hermione evidently could hold it in no longer "Oh Ron!" she cried, bursting into tears and throwing her arms him, hugging him tightly "I'm so scared for Ginny.I.I.I am so upset for you...It's all just awful!" she could say no more, bursting into another cacophony of sobs.
"Its Ok Herm" Ron replied, touched by her outburst. He hugged her back awkwardly, causing a table of Ravenclaws nearby to titter. "It'll be okay." Ron continued, wondering how much he believed what he was saying.
Harry grinned slightly and spoke up "I suppose this would be a bad time to bring up what you told me in class Ron.?"
Hermione sat up straight and wiped at her face "If you are talking about someone conjuring the dark mark I already know."
"Wow, news travels fast" Ron said, amazed.
"Professor Dumbledore told me" Hermione continued, composing herself "Harry and I have to meet with him later today".
"Ah" Ron said, feeling slightly flustered "Right, Head boy and girl and all that."
"It's probably nothing to worry about Ron" Hermione said, retaining a slightly superior tone "Some half-witted Slytherin thinking it would be a funny joke".
Ron twirled his quill distractedly "Ever notice when someone says it's probably a prank it never is?"
Harry looked thoughtful, and he looked at Ron seriously "You said Malfoy was there, maybe he conjured it to scare everyone."
"Perhaps" Ron replied slowly "But, he didn't really seem like someone who'd just conjured the dark mark."
"He seemed different?" Hermione said abruptly "Maybe Lucius has him under an imperius spell. Or someone is using polyjuice potion to be him"
"How did Malfoy seem?" Harry asked.
"Er, Smug. Smarmy Annoying and evil" Ron replied, shaking his head "The usual. I said he didn't seem like someone who'd just conjured the Dark Mark, I didn't say he seemed any different"
"So then he could have conjured it?" Hermione asked
"Yeah, I suppose"
Harry and Hermione looked as though this settled everything
"I bet he did it just to prove he could" Harry said irritably "Typical Malfoy"
Ron had been meaning to tell them about the Dark Mark being conjured the night before Ginny's disappearance, but somewhere between being annoyed about his friends determination to pin it on Malfoy, and then promptly being even more annoyed by the fact that he cared at all, he forgot.
That's why he felt so bad the next morning at breakfast when Dumbledore announced that a first year Slytherin girl called Alison Collins had gone missing overnight.
Too Much Of Not Enough ~
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own it. I also own God, and the artist formally known as Prince.
Also, this is a Ron/Draco fic. It will be SLASHY SLASHY SLASHY eventually. Don't like it. Don't read it.
I love constructive critisism, however, flames will be mocked, and mocked, and mocked some more
Chapter 3-
Ron lurched forward, grabbing Hermione by the shoulders "What about Ginny? " spluttered, his head spinning violently with unpleasant thoughts.
"What in god's name are you doing with those boots?" Filch interrupted
Ron ignored him; his full attention was focused on his friends, his eyes pleading with them, imploring. Hermione was out of breath "She.. Something's.happened.your.mum is.here.she"
His heart was beating in his throat now, and the words came out in a rush "What happened?! She can't be hurt?!... She's at Beauxbatons" Ron paled "Was there an explosion there too?!"
Hermione's face changed then, a look of confusion, and something else.perhaps worry? spread across her face. He'd seen that look before, but he couldn't quite place it. "Ron" she said slowly, as though she was talking to a child who'd just stuck a Viktor Krum figurine up his nose "What explosion are you talking about"
She thinks I'm mad. Ron thought. That was it. The look. It was pity.
"What explosion am I talking about?!" he yelled angrily "Are you daft? The two explosions that almost brought down Hogwarts!"
"There were two explosions then.?" Harry said dubiously. His look mirrored Hermione's.
"Yes, there were two." Ron glanced around the room helplessly "Look at this place! I'm not bloody starkers you know, it happened!" he spun around and pointed at Draco "Ask him!"
Everyone's attentions turned to the blond Slytherin, who promptly chuckled and made an exploding gesture with his hands "kaaboom!" he said, slurring his words slightly. What the hell is wrong with him? Ron thought. Draco looked paler than usual and almost sweaty, and his eyes were glazed over. Ron's eyes moved downwards and he realised his trousers were now soaked in blood.
"Oh! Oh shit! He fell on something when the explosion went off" Ron said quickly "We had better get him to Madame Pomfrey..."
"Nonsense Weasel" Draco drawled, moving towards him with a lopsided grin on his face "I'm perfectly fi-"
Hermione yelped as Draco fainted at her feet, his head hitting the cement with a dull thud. Without a word Filch went to him, grabbing the unconscious boy in his arms and hurrying out of the room.
There was an uncomfortable silence as the trio stood nervously in the overlarge room, avoiding each other's gaze.
Hermione finally spoke "Ron.It's not that we don't believe you, we just didn't hear-"
"It doesn't matter" Ron snapped irritably "Where's my mum?"
It didn't take Ron long to get to Dumbledore's office. Hermione and Harry were straggling behind him, but he was full of adrenaline; his stomach churning with thoughts of what had happened to his little sister. Surely she wasn't.had she found out about Lucius? Something happened to her, but what? Would he ever see her again? Visions of death and horrific injury flooded his mind, and he pushed them all away angrily. Perhaps he was going mad after all. Perhaps there were no explosions. Perhaps he was imagining everything and he'd wake up in Mungo's in three years time yelling insanities about Draco's troll boots and the end of the world.
Dumbledore was waiting for him. He looked extremely tired. He always looked so exhausted these days. There were worry lines etched across his face. It occurred to Ron that perhaps something was terribly wrong that the students weren't being told about and he made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.
Dumbledore gestured toward Hermione and Harry, indicating that they stay behind, and escorted Ron shuffling down the small hallway. When he got to the office Molly Weasley attacked him. She scooped him into her arms, hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe, and he squirmed a little in her grasp. His mother was weeping now and she kept saying "Oh Ron.!" as though he'd returned from the dead. Finally he got out of his mother's stronghold, and realised Bill was in the room too. He gave Ron a sad half- smile.
"What's going on?" Ron demanded his voice cracking slightly with nerves. "What's happened to Ginny?"
Molly Weasley began to sob, and Bill put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"She's missing Ron" Bill said, his voice was calm, but his face defied him. He was worried. Really worried. "They've got a whole lot of people looking, but No one's seen her since Wednesday."
Ron shook his head "She can't have just disappeared.where could she go?"
There was silence in the room. Ron knew it was a dumb question, if they knew, she wouldn't be missing. He felt nauseated.
Bill cleared his throat."Ron, it's.."He trailed off, clearing his throat again "All her stuff is still at Beauxbatons. Her journal, all her clothes except the ones she was wearing. everything. And.and there were marks on her bed."
"Someone's taken her." Ron completed for him, and Bill nodded. Dumbledore sighed, putting a comforting hand on his Molly's shoulder as she began to cry once again. Ron felt as though he was going to be sick. His hearing became clouded, like he was inside a massive seashell. Dumbledore was speaking, but only empty noises sounded in his ears. Someone had Ginny. Someone who did not intend to have her for very long. He remembered the last time Ginny had been missing; when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, and maybe it was his imagination, but this time it felt worse. Something was very wrong about this scenario. He could feel it like the sweat growing on the back of his neck.
The sound of his mother's weary voice jolted him out of his stupor.
".And your father is over at Beauxbatons doing everything he can. Everyone is doing what he or she can. Lucius Malfoy is over there-"
"What?" Anger replaced Ron's worry for his sister, his voice unable to hide his resentment "What's he doing there?"
"He's the head of the ministry of magic dear" Molly said vaguely, evidently unaware of Ron's glowering ".they're investigating."
"You might as well be aware Ron." Dumbledore said heavily "Someone conjured the dark mark at Beauxbatons the night before Ginny disappeared. It is all being investigated."
Ron felt as though he'd been hit in the chest, the air leaving his lungs in a whoosh. He grabbed a hold of the side of Dumbledore's desk to steady himself. Of all the possible scenarios he had not considered the worst one of all. But then.it couldn't possibly be.surely.it wasn't even conceivable.
"Most assuredly a hoax.a scare tactic from one of the last remaining Death eaters." Dumbledore continued "but all avenues have to be investigated."
Ron nodded vaguely, looking from his mother to his older brother for more of an explanation. But none came.
~*~
The next few days were a blur as Ron went through his routines in a kind of empty trance. Dumbledore had cancelled his detentions, and all his Professors (with the exception of Snape) were being very lenient, but he didn't feel any better for it. There was constant weight in his chest. He felt so damn helpless it had become irritating to him. Surely there was something useful he could be doing? He had begged his mother to let him go over to Beauxbatons and look for her, but everyone seemed to agree that everything possible was being done, and it was better for him to stay and keep his mind on school. Fat bloody chance. All he could think about was Ginny, and his father.. and Lucius Malfoy. He often wondered how he felt about Ginny being missing. Could he possibly care? Was he worried? Ron reprimanded himself for even considering the possibility. He'd only be worried that he'd lose his blackmail clout. After all, it was Lucius Malfoy who had tricked Ginny into taking Tom Riddle's journal her first year. He didn't care if she lived or died. Ron's eyes clouded slightly. He was a stupid scummy bastard. All the Malfoy's were.
There were many pairs of eyes on him as Ron walked into the dining hall for breakfast that morning. It had only taken hours before the news of Ginny's disappearance had spread throughout the school, and had immediately become the hottest point of gossip. Ron had already become accustomed to the hushed tones behind hands whenever he was near. As far as he was concerned there were more important things to worry about than whether or not Pansy Parkinson and her gaggle of friends were talking about him. Harry moved over on the seat as Ron approached, and he plonked himself down at the Gryffindor table, taking a piece of toast and biting into it hungrily.
"Morning" Harry said, and Ron grunted in reply.
"Aren't you going to put anything on that? " Hermione asked, looking up from her copy of The Daily Prophet. Ron shook his head, and smiled at her through toast-covered teeth, in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Harry and Hermione, although almost as worried as he was, had been trying very hard to keep his mind off Ginny by keeping him exceptionally busy. Harry was constantly asking him to go and play Quidditch, or Chess, or Exploding snap, while Hermione had seemed to think the best way for him to keep busy was to pore over extremely large study books in the library.
He was very grateful for both of them.
"So the mails been delivered already?" Ron asked casually
Harry nodded, and a grin spread across his face "Justin Flinch Fletchley got a howler from his mother; something about his Cat Alforth leaving a little 'present' in his Dad's slippers."
Ron chuckled slightly before he spoke again "Nothing for me then?" he asked lightly.
Harry bit down on a rasher of bacon and shook his head, Hermione looked like she was going to cry and buried her head in the newspaper.
"Still no news is good news right?" Neville said, wiping some porridge from the corner of his mouth "At least you know Ginny isn't - OWWW!" Neville yelled as two separate feet connected with his shin.
There was a stifled pause among the three of them.
"Well, I'm full" Ron said quickly "Think I'll go wash up before Divination."
He exited before Hermione could protest.
__
The showers were empty when Ron got there; everyone showered before breakfast usually, so he knew he'd be alone, and he was glad. He was beginning to tire of the sad looks he was being given. He appreciated that they cared, but most of the time it did nothing more than make him feel worse. He liked being alone. It was almost calming.
Trelawney wouldn't care that he was late, she'd most likely make it out to be some cosmic force telling her that he was going to die in a couple of days. He undressed quickly and stepped under the needling hot water, putting his head under the spray and making his hair flatten to the sides of his head. Beads of water ran along the length of his nose and face, his eyes dully stinging.
Finally, and quite reluctantly Ron turned off the water and grabbed his towel. He was drying his face when he heard a noise, and stuck his head out of the cubicle to see Draco Malfoy walking into the bathrooms. If you could call it walking, he had been hobbling around since the incident at detention where he'd gotten a sharp something or other lodged in his backside. Ron's nose wrinkled in disgust and he wrapped the towel quickly around his waist and hurriedly got out of the stall, grabbing his cloak and wrapping it around his torso as a kind of shield.
"What are you doing in the Gryffindor bathrooms?" Ron demanded, consciously aware he'd left his chudley cannons briefs on the floor and praying that Malfoy wouldn't see them.
Draco looked up at him, his face contorting into its trademark sneer "Well it wasn't for the view Weasley" he said, "I needed to talk to you, and I thought, where would a big stupid Weasley go to sulk? .and sure enough, here you are"
"I'm not sulking!" Ron said indignantly "I was just washing."
Draco nodded "Good thing too, although I don't suppose it will help your face at all"
"Sod off" Ron replied ".I need to get dressed so I can go to class"
Draco sat down on the side of the bench, wincing very slightly "We have to talk about that... thing that happened the other day...the explosions..." He paused "No one will believe me when I say it happened. They all think I fell over because you beat me up."
Ron grinned suddenly "Not doing wonders for your reputation is it Malfoy?"
"Oh, Shut up you retarded garden gnome" Draco said, annoyed "You heard the explosions too. Something should be done about it. I mean, this is a bloody wizard school isn't it?"
Ron shook his head "Dumbledore said it was most likely the new room being temperamental. They do strange things all the time you know Rooms vanish.rooms rebuild.. rooms also go ...bang apparently."
"After what's happened with your sister you actually believe that?" Draco said
Ron turned on him, his face stony "Don't talk to me about Ginny"
Draco smirked and made a dismissive gesture with his hand "I don't see why you're so upset. There are so many Weasleys in your family, I'd hardly think it would matter if one of them carked it in the aid of the Dark Lord- "
Ron was over at Draco in a instant, holding him tightly by the cuff of his shirt, his eyes flashing with rage "What do you know about my sister? Where have they taken her?"
"Get off me Weasel" Draco growled, but Ron paid no attention, tightening his grip.
"What do you know Malfoy?!" he said, his voice agitated "Tell me, or I swear I'll kill you right here!"
"Nothing! I don't know." Draco stuttered, starting to feel panicked "I didn't mean.I don't know what's happened Weasley!! It's what everyone is saying! I was just trying to piss you off for fuckssake!"
Ron looked at him searchingly, his dark eyes scanning the pale boys face. Finally he let go of him, roughly shoving him off the bench.
"Get out" Ron said finally, grabbing his robes that had fallen to the floor in his outburst, and turning away from Draco.
Draco didn't move.
"Are you deaf as well as evil?" Ron snapped, facing him "I said get out!"
"I have some things to say," Draco said calmly, returning Ron's vicious gaze.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Firstly Weasley." Draco interrupted "I think you are in serious need of anger management counselling"
Ron looked defiant "That's swell advice coming from he who is the spawn of Satan, but if you are going to keep talking would you turn around so I can dress myself and avoid dying of pneumonia?"
Draco moved awkwardly on the bench till he was facing the wall and continued to talk as if nothing had happened "Secondly.I think we need to address the issue of random explosions at Hogwarts seriously."
Ron pulled up his trousers "Look Malfoy" he snarled "I'm not going to waste my time on this just because your pride has been dented, there are more important things for me to worry about-"
Draco waved his hand in the air "Yes, yes, I know. The case of the missing Weasley. How tragic."
Ron didn't reply, trying to concentrate on doing up his tie and resisting the urge to beat Malfoy's blasé head in.
"You really care about her don't you?" Draco asked scornfully, turning to face Ron ".this whole thing, with her being missing, it's driving you mad."
"I know it's hard for you to understand" Ron spat angrily "If I had a family as hateful as yours I wouldn't care about them either!"
Draco's mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. Ron felt a pang of guilt in his stomach when he realised that Malfoy actually looked hurt. Ron turned abruptly on his heel and stormed out of the bathrooms, slamming the door behind him. God, Malfoy was an idiot, he thought crossly, he was total arse, and still managed to make him feel bad about- Ron's train of thought was interrupted as he saw an object he had seen only once in his lifetime. His jaw dropped. He clenched and unclenched his hands nervously. And then he turned and ran, terrified, back into the bathrooms he had just exited.
Draco no longer looked hurt, and his usual twisted sneer was plastered across his face as Ron came flying into the room "What on earth is wrong with you Weasley? Someone put a spider in your robes or something?"
Ron shook his head, out of breath "Da.Da.Da.."
"What the fuck is a Dadada?"
There was a scream from outside and Draco looked up, looking startled.
"The Dark Mark" Ron said finally, trying to compose himself "Someone has conjured the Dark Mark."
There were more and more noises from outside. Another yelp. People running. Draco looked at Ron questioningly "Inside of Hogwarts? That's not possible."
Ron shrugged helplessly and followed Draco out the door and down into the hallway where a crowd had gathered. A low uneasy murmur the only noticeable sound, as they all stared worriedly at the large transparent green skull with the snake protruding from its mouth, hovering ominously above the entrance to the Slytherin quarters.
__
"How was divination? Hermione said as Ron and Harry met her in the library "What horrific deaths will you be undergoing this week?"
Ron smiled "Gee Herm, if I didn't know better I'd think you thought Trelawney's a fraud or something"
"She is appalling" Harry said crossly, throwing his books on the table "She said.She said."
"She said I'd lose someone in my family" Ron finished for him, shrugging it off lightly "She's astute that one".
Hermione mumbled something that sounded like "witch" under her breath. Harry and her both looked so angry for him he wanted to laugh and hug them at the same time.
Ron sat down next to them and patted Hermione's hand gently "S'ok, I was ready for it, with something as easy as that, how could she resist? At least she laid off Harry for once".
There was silence for a moment until Hermione evidently could hold it in no longer "Oh Ron!" she cried, bursting into tears and throwing her arms him, hugging him tightly "I'm so scared for Ginny.I.I.I am so upset for you...It's all just awful!" she could say no more, bursting into another cacophony of sobs.
"Its Ok Herm" Ron replied, touched by her outburst. He hugged her back awkwardly, causing a table of Ravenclaws nearby to titter. "It'll be okay." Ron continued, wondering how much he believed what he was saying.
Harry grinned slightly and spoke up "I suppose this would be a bad time to bring up what you told me in class Ron.?"
Hermione sat up straight and wiped at her face "If you are talking about someone conjuring the dark mark I already know."
"Wow, news travels fast" Ron said, amazed.
"Professor Dumbledore told me" Hermione continued, composing herself "Harry and I have to meet with him later today".
"Ah" Ron said, feeling slightly flustered "Right, Head boy and girl and all that."
"It's probably nothing to worry about Ron" Hermione said, retaining a slightly superior tone "Some half-witted Slytherin thinking it would be a funny joke".
Ron twirled his quill distractedly "Ever notice when someone says it's probably a prank it never is?"
Harry looked thoughtful, and he looked at Ron seriously "You said Malfoy was there, maybe he conjured it to scare everyone."
"Perhaps" Ron replied slowly "But, he didn't really seem like someone who'd just conjured the dark mark."
"He seemed different?" Hermione said abruptly "Maybe Lucius has him under an imperius spell. Or someone is using polyjuice potion to be him"
"How did Malfoy seem?" Harry asked.
"Er, Smug. Smarmy Annoying and evil" Ron replied, shaking his head "The usual. I said he didn't seem like someone who'd just conjured the Dark Mark, I didn't say he seemed any different"
"So then he could have conjured it?" Hermione asked
"Yeah, I suppose"
Harry and Hermione looked as though this settled everything
"I bet he did it just to prove he could" Harry said irritably "Typical Malfoy"
Ron had been meaning to tell them about the Dark Mark being conjured the night before Ginny's disappearance, but somewhere between being annoyed about his friends determination to pin it on Malfoy, and then promptly being even more annoyed by the fact that he cared at all, he forgot.
That's why he felt so bad the next morning at breakfast when Dumbledore announced that a first year Slytherin girl called Alison Collins had gone missing overnight.