Author's Note: Sorry for the long absence, people! And thank you for the great reviews for Chap. 13, though I lost count of how many times the word 'evil' had been used to describe me. (Can't argue there! Heh-heh. . .But I really AM sorry! Truly I am. *smiles innocently*)

Anyway, I'm back now and swamped with loads of work in backlog (yes, yes, I deserve this punishment!) but I finally figured out how to continue from where I left off. (Had a bit of writer's block initially. Oddly enough, my vacation did nothing to inspire me.)





Chapter 14: Rude Awakening



"What - the- HELL do you think you're doing, Malfoy!"

Ron started shaking the dazed boy rather violently by his shirtfront.

Draco's eyes widened with fear at the red-faced Ron.

His eyes had a mad look in them and he was gripping Malfoy's shirt so tightly that Draco felt as though the material might rip soon.

He searched his still somewhat-fuddled mind for something to say.

"Erm, good morning?" he managed out in a small voice and raised his eyebrows meekly at Ron; getting a distinctly bad feeling as the larger boy merely growled gutturally in response and narrowed his eyes at him.

Meanwhile, Harry had sat up in bed and was trying to get over the embarrassment of being caught snuggling up in bed with his worst enemy by his best friend and at the same time desperately trying to come up with the words that would explain the scene and somehow fix everything.

None came.

Throughout all this, Harry was vaguely aware of the other boys stirring in their beds.

He knew that they'd all be awake soon and he suddenly felt that his morning could only get worse.

"Ron. . ." Harry started carefully and held up his hands in a placating gesture, "Now, just try to calm down and I'll ex-"

"First - things - first." Ron stated resolutely, not taking his steely eyes off Draco's white face.

He tightened his vice-like grip on the smaller boy and started to half- lift, half-drag him across the length of the room and towards the dorm door.

Draco let out a small yelp as he tried vainly to struggle out of Ron's grasp.

"Ron!" Harry practically sprung out from bed and leapt towards them. But his feet were tangled up in the sheets and instead he stumbled and fell to the floor on his knees.

"Wait!" he cried out as he impatiently tried to undo himself, but the two boys were already out the door.

Harry could make out the thump-thump-thump sound of feet being dragged down the stairs and more yelps of protests from Draco, and winced visibly to himself.

Finally he freed his feet and dashed out of the dorm as fast as he possibly could.

He bounded down the staircase two steps at a time.

By the time Harry had reached the last step to the Common Room, Ron was already starting to open the painting door with one hand.

His other arm was gripped over Draco's chest, pinning the boy's arms in his front, rendering him helpless.

Draco managed to throw a final desperate glance at Harry right before Ron hurled him viciously out into the corridor.

The back of his head slammed painfully against the wall and he fell down in a collapsed heap; breathless from his ordeal.

In front of him, the painting slammed shut with a resounding bang.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

"Ron! Have you lost it?" Harry cried out in anguish and rushed towards the door to check if Draco was all right.

"Me?!? Have *I* lost it?" Ron pointed to himself and looked incredulously at Harry. "Harry, I hate to tell you this but Malfoy's got you under some sort of sick spell or something."

"NO, RON! It's . . .well-" he stopped and thought for a few seconds. "I guess in a way, you're right. I mean-"

"I knew it. Now, don't worry, whatever he did, he's going to pay for it." He placed each hand on Harry's shoulders before continuing, "We'll go straight to McGonogall first. Then, we go to Dumbledore."

*And who knows, that git might even get expelled for this.* he added with some glee to himself and nodded reassuringly at Harry who was shaking his head emphatically now.

"No, no! You don't understand, you don't know!" he pushed Ron's hands off him and tried to move around him towards the painting again.

But Ron stood stubbornly in his way and refused to budge.

"Harry?" He peered into his friend's face, and furrowed his brows.

*He's com-plete-ly delusional.* Ron thought to himself ominously.

"I'm going to take care of you, don't worry. I won't let that bastard near you until we get this fixed."

Harry's eyes widened at this in horror.

"No, Ron! Get out of my way!" and he tried to push Ron aside, quite unsuccessfully.

"Harry." Ron took in a deep breath, "You'll thank me for this later."

And with that he swiftly ducked and lifted an angry and extremely bewildered Harry up over his shoulder.

+++++++++++++++++++

Draco groaned and rubbed the back of his head. His head was still spinning from the sudden turn of events.

One minute he was waking up in Harry's bed and snuggling up with him, and the next he was being manhandled by Weasley and thrown out of the Gryffindor Common Room like some lowly house-elf.

His head hurt but his pride was wounded more.

He cradled his head and started to limp slowly towards the safety and protection of the Slytherin Common Room.

*Damn that Weasley.*