1. Thrown Together
-Ron-
It was the beginning of sixth year and Ron was back at Hogwarts. He'd had a good trip on the Hogwarts Express with Harry and Hermione. Well, mostly. But over the summer Harry and Hermione had started going out and sometimes Ron felt a little left out when they were too mushy with each other.
Right now, Ron was at a prefect's meeting, so at least here he didn't have to see Harry and Hermione pawing at each other. No, but he did have to see Hermione doodling little hearts on her notebook while she waited for the meeting to be over. She wasn't even paying attention, which was definitely not her usual behaviour.
Love, he thought disgustedly. Who needs it.
Philip Kent, the new head boy, was droning on about how this was going to be the best year ever. "All prefects will patrol in pairs. I'll read off the schedule."
Blah, blah, blah, Ron thought. He wondered when Quidditch practices would start.
"...Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings -- Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy."
"WHAT?" Ron yelled. He turned beet red when everybody stared at him.
Philip just glared at Ron for disturbing the meeting and went back to reading his list. Ron muttered "Like hell" under his breath. Hermione shot him a warning look.
Ron scowled. He always had bad luck but this was the worst! To get paired up with that Slytherin snake. He'd rather scrub toilets with Dobby.
Ron glanced over at Draco, who was looking just as disgusted as Ron felt. Ron sighed. This was going to be a long year.
-Draco-
Draco had been shocked when he'd heard his name read out with Ron's at the meeting. Surely nobody expected him to patrol with a *Gryffindor*, especially not with Ron Weasley.
Draco hadn't thought anything could make this year worse but all of a sudden he had this to deal with. Not to mention having to patrol on Saturday nights, when all the rest of the 6th years would be going out to Hogsmeade on dates.
He felt like smashing something but he didn't want to get into any trouble with Filch. Draco walked back to the dorms and went into the common room. Crabbe and Goyle were there playing checkers but Draco didn't go over to them. In fact, he was avoiding everybody.
Draco had a painful secret and he was afraid someone would find out. So he just went up and went to sleep.
The next day, in Potions class, he dropped some frog's tongue into Neville Longbottom's cauldron and made the whole potion boil over. It made Draco feel a little better to hear Snape yelling at Neville.
The Gryffindors all glared at Draco, but he knew they wouldn't do anything about it.
At dinner, Crabbe and Goyle sat down next to him. "Why are you avoiding us," Crabbe said. Goyle grunted in agreement.
"Because you're a couple of slimy gits," Draco said.
But this didn't get rid of them because that was how he always talked to them. Draco gave up and just ate his dinner.
Afterwards, he had to go and do his prefect patrol. With Weasley. Draco sighed. Then he went to the hall where they were supposed to meet. The redhead was there already, with a scowl on his freckled face.
"What did I do to deserve this," Ron moaned.
"Hey, I'm not thrilled either, Weasel," Draco said. "Babysitting a Gryffindor isn't my idea of a good time."
Ron turned bright red. "Shut up, Ferret."
Draco laughed. It was so easy to make Ron mad. Maybe this would be fun after all.
-Ron-
It was the beginning of sixth year and Ron was back at Hogwarts. He'd had a good trip on the Hogwarts Express with Harry and Hermione. Well, mostly. But over the summer Harry and Hermione had started going out and sometimes Ron felt a little left out when they were too mushy with each other.
Right now, Ron was at a prefect's meeting, so at least here he didn't have to see Harry and Hermione pawing at each other. No, but he did have to see Hermione doodling little hearts on her notebook while she waited for the meeting to be over. She wasn't even paying attention, which was definitely not her usual behaviour.
Love, he thought disgustedly. Who needs it.
Philip Kent, the new head boy, was droning on about how this was going to be the best year ever. "All prefects will patrol in pairs. I'll read off the schedule."
Blah, blah, blah, Ron thought. He wondered when Quidditch practices would start.
"...Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings -- Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy."
"WHAT?" Ron yelled. He turned beet red when everybody stared at him.
Philip just glared at Ron for disturbing the meeting and went back to reading his list. Ron muttered "Like hell" under his breath. Hermione shot him a warning look.
Ron scowled. He always had bad luck but this was the worst! To get paired up with that Slytherin snake. He'd rather scrub toilets with Dobby.
Ron glanced over at Draco, who was looking just as disgusted as Ron felt. Ron sighed. This was going to be a long year.
-Draco-
Draco had been shocked when he'd heard his name read out with Ron's at the meeting. Surely nobody expected him to patrol with a *Gryffindor*, especially not with Ron Weasley.
Draco hadn't thought anything could make this year worse but all of a sudden he had this to deal with. Not to mention having to patrol on Saturday nights, when all the rest of the 6th years would be going out to Hogsmeade on dates.
He felt like smashing something but he didn't want to get into any trouble with Filch. Draco walked back to the dorms and went into the common room. Crabbe and Goyle were there playing checkers but Draco didn't go over to them. In fact, he was avoiding everybody.
Draco had a painful secret and he was afraid someone would find out. So he just went up and went to sleep.
The next day, in Potions class, he dropped some frog's tongue into Neville Longbottom's cauldron and made the whole potion boil over. It made Draco feel a little better to hear Snape yelling at Neville.
The Gryffindors all glared at Draco, but he knew they wouldn't do anything about it.
At dinner, Crabbe and Goyle sat down next to him. "Why are you avoiding us," Crabbe said. Goyle grunted in agreement.
"Because you're a couple of slimy gits," Draco said.
But this didn't get rid of them because that was how he always talked to them. Draco gave up and just ate his dinner.
Afterwards, he had to go and do his prefect patrol. With Weasley. Draco sighed. Then he went to the hall where they were supposed to meet. The redhead was there already, with a scowl on his freckled face.
"What did I do to deserve this," Ron moaned.
"Hey, I'm not thrilled either, Weasel," Draco said. "Babysitting a Gryffindor isn't my idea of a good time."
Ron turned bright red. "Shut up, Ferret."
Draco laughed. It was so easy to make Ron mad. Maybe this would be fun after all.