Draco was sitting with his arms crossed on the couch. He was giving a frigid look he learned from Lucius to Hermione, who was resolutely staring back.
"Harry told me about your situation."
Draco's lips compressed.
"And because this situation involves my two best friends-"
"Yes, yes," he snapped, "You can stop now. What are you going to do?"
Relieved, Harry sat down next to Draco and took off his shirt so that Draco could begin a back rub. Hermione ignored this, turning to a stack of parchment she brought with her.
"I've done some research-"
"Which books?"
Hermione handed Draco the list.
"Comprehensive," Draco reluctantly admitted, "I don't know some of these books."
Hermione gracefully accepted the compliment.
"They are research on animal behaviors."
"I am not an animal!"
"Let her talk," Harry mumbled into a couch pillow. Draco gave a mechanical pinch to Harry's side.
"Shut up, you."
Harry whipped the pillow from under his head and hit Draco with it. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Boys."
Both glared at her.
"All right, now that we are back on the pertinent subject, I think there is a way for Malfoy to ignore Ron and other boys."
"How?"
"First, I have to know how the Veela magic works. You will have to tell me."
Draco shrugged.
"I feel aroused, I discharge a sort of cloud."
Hermione wrote that down on a piece of parchment.
"Can you see the cloud?"
"No."
"Then how do you know it's a cloud?"
"I can sense it."
"Smell?"
"Close enough."
"The cloud is completely under your control?"
"Yes. Usually it is. I don't discharge the magic in my sleep. But it gets harder if I go for long periods of time without discharging it."
"Hmm. I need more information. The books don't say how this works."
"It doesn't work on females, obviously."
"Gender based. Interesting. Is there anything else you can control about the cloud?"
"I can make it so that I can attract certain individuals."
Hermione took this all down.
"What about how you decide which males are desirable or not?"
"Like a girl does, I expect. Looks, personality."
"Money and background not a part of the selection?"
"No. Oddly enough. I like half-bloods and muggle-born now."
Hermione noted the change in his references. No Mudblood. Good.
"Why?"
"It's not important to me at all. I don't know why."
"So this is instinctual and not social. Despite this, you prefer Ron over others, right?"
Draco nodded.
"Why? He is the least likely person, other than Harry, for you to like."
"He smells masculine."
"Explain."
"He smells better than all of the other boys in Hogwarts. It's a strong smell."
"He takes baths regularly, Malfoy."
"Not body odor. It's…" Draco waved his hand in the air. "Different."
"Sounds familiar actually. I have to check some of my other books."
Hermione stood up.
"I'll have to tell you that the prospect of you going after Ron is very disturbing to me. However, given your personality and his personality, I will withhold all further judgment in favor of being amused. Good night."
Draco sneered.
"Harry, you idiot."
Hermione wasn't expecting to help Draco Malfoy. In fact, helping Malfoy was just as unlikely as her meeting a talking chicken. And considering that this was Hogwarts, meeting a talking chicken had better odds of occurring. After Ron's disjointed description of Harry's secret, she was prepared to do some mediating between them. If they got into a fight over whatever Harry was doing, which they would, being boys, then she would be around to put them back to rights, with some sound advice and sober sensibility. And if that didn't work, she'd yell about them being immature and guilt-trip them into submission. Never let it be said that being a girl and friends with two boys wasn't an exercise in patience.
She was not expecting this at all. Harry wasn't a virgin anymore. Which wasn't a very charitable thing to be amazed about, but considering how he was just the shy adoring type and not the jump 'em and hump 'em type of guy, she deserved her ignoble jaw drop. And Ron was taking Draco's Veela characteristics on stride, which as also amazing. Later, he would admit that he always suspected that Malfoy wasn't quite human and this just proved it. When Ron jumped to conclusions, he could win in the Olympics. As it was, he was right this time, and this remarkable event outweighed the fact that Draco was now gay and had Ways of Persuading Heterosexual Males to Cooperate. And the biggest surprise was that Malfoy desired Ron. Apparently Malfoy wasn't too happy about this, which was refreshingly normal, and wanted that to be fixed. This was a true problem, since his desire seemed to be hardwired into his biological processes, but Hermione did love a good problem to solve. And how hard could it be?
Very difficult. Harder than a bloody Rubik's Cube and she finished that when she was seven years old in less than four hours. She eventually figured out that Malfoy's "cloud" was a series of pheromones and that he had the ability to sense pheromones. So she tried to fix his predicament by putting hexes on him that took away his sense of smell. Though it kept him from being distracted by other males when Ron wasn't around, it didn't take away his attraction, making Ron the only male on his mind. He suffered for about a week before he broke down. He was wailing like a distraught Greek chorus. It was a tragic scene.
"I feel like I've got a cold, my head aches and he looks so very good… I'm drooling! How dare you make me do that! Granger, I hate you! Take these spells off! Now!"
He immediately retreated to the sanctuary of his bed to snort up the aromas from Ron's T-shirt. Harry was gaining a measure of tact because after that failure, he didn't say anything. Apparently, unless she also took away his sight and hearing, Draco was going to have no peace with Ron around. And even then, Draco's Male Imagination wasn't going to leave him alone either. Which was the big puzzle because Ron was nothing special. Well, sure, she did have a bit of a crush on him, but she was quickly cured of that after their spat about the Yule Ball. He was possessive, irrational and juvenile. Not very attractive traits when looking for a partner, though tolerable in a friend.
Later, Harry suggested that maybe the problem shouldn't be solved. Hermione was horrified. Let their friend be stalked by Malfoy? It was scary enough that he possessed Ron's T-shirt to do who knows what lewd acts with in the privacy of his bed. Harry blinked, blushed, but resolutely kept a straight face. Being Hero of the Wizarding World taught you how to perfect the Resolute Face. It was useful, dealing with Draco on withdrawl and an anxious Hermione.
"Look at it this way. He's not a prejudiced bigot anymore, isn't he?"
"That's because he's daydreaming about jumping their bones. When he isn't fantasizing about Ron."
"Er. Yeah. But he's not such a big nuisance anymore. He's a better person."
"He's a menace. If he had his way, he'd be having sex all willy-nilly."
Harry sighed.
"Hermione, most boys want to have sex willy-nilly. Draco just mentions it more often to you because you like guys too, and somehow you can relate. I think."
"Bad form, if you ask me. And why Ron? Why does everything have to happen to us?"
"You never complained before."
"Yes. But that was because we had important things to worry about. This is all so… depraved."
"I'd take this over Voldemort any day, actually."
Hermione grudgingly nodded.
"I don't think this is too bad, considering that Draco does only want Ron. If we don't find a cure, and I don't think we can, then we should wait so that Draco can stop liking Ron on his own."
"Are you sure?"
"Why not? I don't like Cho Chang that much anymore. You haven't seen Viktor in a while and you did say that it just didn't work out between you two. And well… It's not like he's in love, right?"
"What about Ron? This means that you are allowing Draco to pursue him. What if he finds out?"
"Then he can reject him for himself, can't he? On the other hand…" Harry shrugged. "Ron might cooperate."
"Harry, he's not gay."
"I don't know. Draco's vague enough now, anything can happen."
"Harry, I hope you do know how ridiculous you just sounded."
Draco was silent as he massaged Harry. Harry opened his eyes.
"You're scheming."
"Has Ron's opinion changed of me?"
Huh. He's actually thinking over this. Must rethink his intentions then.
"Not much. You'll always be 'that ferrety git' to him."
"Then it's a waste of my time isn't it?"
"Has your opinion changed of him?"
"The more I just listen, overhear your inane conversation with him, the more I feel…"
"Yeah?"
"Completely out of his circle."
"You are. You always rubbed it in our faces how much better you are, how much richer, how much-"
"Shut up."
"Sorry."
"He is a Chudley Cannons fan, for reasons I cannot imagine. How can I relate to one who supports losers?"
"You said that I was on the wrong side, Draco. Which side are you on now?"
"It's different. I would be… a thing… to the Deatheaters. Father would see me as nothing as a tool. A way to get closer to the Dark Lord. And Mother? It is only because of her diluted blood that she would be in no danger and because she is the most Slytherin girl out of all her Year. She would not be harmed, she would not allow herself to be cornered. But me? My powers aren't human. Didn't you read anything Granger gave you?"
"Veela are neutral beings, Draco."
"But it is too easy to see how I would be used. What man can think or fight if I force feed my pheromones," he stumbled slightly over this new Muggle word, "on them?"
"You don't care about your potential victims, Draco, don't try to tell me that. You are just running."
"I look out for myself. It's Slytherin."
"Then why look out for yourself with a bunch of losers?"
Draco shook his head.
"I think you have some hope," Harry announced.
Draco laughed.
"Hope? Hope is a Gryffindor trait."
"That's right. It is. And Ron is very proud of being a Gryffindor."
Draco's hands stilled.
"What are you doing?"
"I am making you realize that all that Slytherin cunning you talk about, the Hat sings about, is all useless unless there's something behind it. You've figured out how to keep yourself away and alive for now. Isn't there something more important for you to be studying, planning?"
"Ron."
"If he's really that important, then I don't see why you can't find a way."
"Tell me why he's obsessed about the Cannons."
"No. You tell me why you think he's obsessed with the Cannons. I'll tell you if you're right."
"You difficult bastard."
"You need the exercise. And isn't it more fun this way?"
"How do you know so much about Slytherin?"
"You get Ron willingly and maybe I'll tell you."
Maybe I'll tell you, Draco snorted. Since when did Harry ever have any inside information that he really wanted? Since Ron became the center of his dreams, that's when. Draco sighed. Weeks of closely watching Ron made him come to the conclusion that Ron was attractive physically on his own merits. It wasn't how his face was put together, though luckily enough, he wasn't lopsided or blighted with something ghastly like an unibrow. No, it was the expressions on his face. That endearing smile, that fierce scowl, the way his eyebrows quirked when he was confused. Those were what made Ron handsome. Previously, it was precisely Ron's expressiveness that made him such a joy to torment. Now, it made him the first person Draco thought about in the morning and the last in the night.
"Weasley."
"What do you want?"
"Harry's a good Seeker. Bloody awful chess player. Don't you agree?"
Ron mumbled something rude under his breath. Draco bit back his retort and continued to be polite.
"But he did say that you are capable, at least. He even says that you are good. But then, he's so bad, anybody except Crabbe and Goyle could be termed good."
"Do you have anything you really want to say? Because if you don't I'll be going to Hogsmeade."
"I want to prove Harry wrong. You aren't a good chess player."
"What?"
"I said that you can't be that good of a chess player."
"You're wrong."
"Not about this."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yes."
Ron snorted.
"Fine then. One game and I'll wipe the floor with you. In the massage room."
"Good."
Later in bed, Draco cooed in satisfaction as he sniffed at Ron's T-shirt. Ron was smart. Admittedly, selectively smart, but smart nonetheless. Which was a very good thing, because it meant that he could have some involved conversation with him. And Ron concentrating, planning, playing to win, was just nearly the sexiest thing he could do with Draco watching. And he would never have seen this side of Ron if Harry hadn't stuck his interfering Gryffindor nose in. And that smile of triumph was spine tingling in intensity and beauty. This was very, very good. Chess with Ron. Coo, strip chess with Ron… Coooooo.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is Malfoy paying attention to me?"
"He's always bothered the three of us especially."
"But… It's different this time."
Harry nodded.
"He's a git, Harry, don't you forget it, and now he's asking me things-"
"What things?"
"Playing chess with him."
"Oh. Is he bad?"
"He's the best opponent I've had in a while."
"So what's the problem?"
"He's Draco Malfoy!"
"Oh. So that's it. Well, tell him that it's been fun, but no thanks."
"I can't do that."
"Why?… Okay, yell insults and punch him in the face, and then he should stop trying to play chess with you."
"Harry!"
Harry's mouth twitched until it looked like it was trying to climb up the side of his face.
"You aren't being serious!"
"Yes, I am. You are right, you can't just say thanks but no thanks, it's not your style, so you would go and punch him in the face-"
"Harry, if you don't stop that right now…"
Harry gurgled. It was supposed to be a giggle or a chuckle but couldn't make up its mind.
"What's so bad about playing chess with Draco?"
"He's the enemy!"
"Of who?"
"Us!"
"Ron, you're overreacting again. Take deep breaths. Maybe I can transfigure this parchment into a paper bag."
"Huh? What for?"
Harry's mouth was twitching again.
"Harry!"
"Ron, look. He's just trying to make up for being such a gormless jerk. So you get to humiliate him by winning over and over again. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Yeah… Thanks."
Harry waited until Ron left before breaking down completely. He laughed until he was ashamed of himself. Wow. No wonder Dumbledore was always so cheerful. Knowing stuff and being unhelpfully helpful was so much fun!
So Ron was gradually being inured to Draco's presence. And once he thought about it, Malfoy was being more pleasant to him. Maybe Harry was right after all. And he was a good chess player. And then, Draco began to confide in him. He was distinctly uncomfortable about it.
"Why should you be?"
"You can't seriously trust me."
"Oh? It's because I'm Slytherin, isn't it? But Ron," Draco smiled. "Who would ask you anything about me?"
So Ron got to know some of the twists and turns that graced Draco's mind. Again, disturbing, because Draco spent a lot of time brooding about himself and the world of Hogwarts and all this he dumped on Ron's lap. He knew he was petty and selfish and those weren't qualities that would win Ron over. So he confessed and hoped that if Ron could understand just a little that these were things that he was not proud of. Not now.
Ron didn't want to think that he and Draco had any understanding. Because Draco was mean, Draco was bad, and Draco was not a decent person. But then Draco would sometimes go around the massage room in his Veela form and then it was like dealing with Buckbeak, even Hagrid. They were special and different and lived by different rules. And by this association, Ron could find a way to tolerate Draco. Because Draco looked proper for the role of inhuman. That beak and those claws matched what meanness was. So it was manifest and Ron could understand. Or at least think that all that meanness came from needing to cut with words because Draco could not rend and slash with his claws and beak when he was just a plain boy.
He watched Draco clicking his beak, passing his claws through the air with a calculating stare. His wings shivered and Draco would look out the window and Ron could see a hunger to go and drop through the sky. He seemed capable of it. There was that arrogant surety there; Ron only encountered before with Buckbeak. He could survive in the wild, could live in the Forbidden Forest, because he was strong and of Veela blood. And sometimes after Draco told Ron some other things that came to his mind, the longing would show that he wanted to leave. He wanted to be something other than Casualty to Slytherin Society. But then Draco would swivel his head away from the window and return to his human form and begin another game of chess. Ron wondered what it was that kept Draco from flying away.
TBC