Chapter 6

These Days

Making all these waves and I wonder where the days went.
I sit and think of you, I hope the feeling's mutual.
I'm seeing all you gave and,
It somehow don't seem even close to what I'd do.
To break in two seems natural.

These days are great, there's work to do.
Would you like to work with me, I'd love to work you.
These days are great and so are you.
I think it's something positive, and negative too.

Playing all these games and, I wonder who's to blame it.
I sit and think it's you, I'm sure the feelings mutual.
We're growing cold. Its getting old.
We should have known it's over.
We'll be a real team, I told you.

It was past dusk that early March evening when the rain finally drove Ron off the pitch. He, as Quidditch Captain, had sent the rest of the Gryffindors in as the sun had set. But he had charmed a few quaffles to hurtle towards him as he guarded the hoops.

As he strode along the quiet corridors, Ron balanced his broom across his shoulders, broadened by all those long days on the pitch, and ran a hand through his wet hair. Whistling 'Weasley is our King' underhis breath, Rod had nearly strode straight into Blaise Zabini before he stopped.

The two boys stood and appraied one another.

"Weasley, rare to see many Gryffindorks in these tunnels," Zabini drawled, resting his hand against the polished butt of his broom.

"These tunnels don't belong to Slytherins, Zabini, and I'm just coming back from practise," Ron countered, flicking his bangs away from his eyes and off his forehead.

"And how are those practises going? I know it was a great blow to the team when you lost your beloved captain, Johnson, last year..."

"You wish, Zabini. The team's in great shape - don't you worry your pretty little head about it."

Blaise quirked an eyebrow. "You think my head's pretty do you?"

The gauntlet was thrown. Hogwarts' population was small enough that there was no such thing as secrets - and that included sexual orientation. Ron was very much aware that Blaise had been dating other men exclusively for the last year, had even been one of the men Justin had dallied with during their last separation. Blaise was handsome, built and also very aware of Ron's own leanings. He was perfect. Except he was a Slytherin.

Of course Ron thought Blaise was pretty, but he wasn't about to let him know it.

Ron reached out a hand to run through Blaise's tousled dark curls. "That's for me to know, Zabini - and you to find out."

And Ron continued on his way. And so the game between the two young men began.

Over the next week or so, the two young men often seemed to find themselves alone or encountering one another. Banter would ensue, a flirtatious gesture made and then they would separate again. The tension built between the two. At dinner, Ron could feel the pressure of Blaise's gaze prickling between his shoulder blades and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to to have Blaise licking and kissing him, following the trail of his spine....

It was those kind of thoughts that kept Ron up at nights.

The game came to a head, the two players having to finally make a move across the board, one evening in mid-March. Spring had finally seemed to settle upon the Scottish landscape around them, so Ron had decided to continue flying once he had taken the charms off the quaffles. He was flying above the pitch, letting the wind ruffle his hairand relaxing when he spotted a figure picking up altitude and flying towards him. It didn't take long to realize it was Blaise.

When the Slytherin was about equal to him, he turned to face the dark haired man. "Zabini," he acknowledged with the crooked smile that had never failed him to get him what, or who, he wanted.

The Slytherin raised an elegant eyebrow in response, "Weasley. A little late for you to be still flying, isn't it?"

Ron shrugged. "Not much later than usual. Why? Were you waiting for me?"

That raised a spark in Blaise's eye. "A Zabini waits for no one, we go after what we want."

Ron nudged his broom close to Blaise's, so that his knee brushed against the side of the Beater's thigh. "Then what are you waiting for?"

His gaze caught Blaise's speculative one. Ron smiled crookedly and ever so slowly leaned forward, towards the dark haired man, who had started to lean towards him. There was just time for a brief brush of lips against one another's when Ron suddenly jerked his broom away, his look teasing.

"You'll have to keep up with me, Zabini." was all he said before he shot off.

"Like you doubt I could, Weasel, " Blaise scoffed and took after the Gryffindor, who was streaking away towards the hoops. A chase ensued around the pitch, moving upwards and downwards. Both boys were best friends with Seekers, had picked up a few tricks over the years. Ron attempted a Wronski Feint, trying to pull up just before he hit the ground but overcompensating and pitching himself onto the ground, rolling with the momentum. Blaise lost his smile and pointed his broom towards the pitch - once he pulled up a few feet from the ground he hopped down and strode towards the motionless figure.

He kneeled down, "Weasley. Weasley," he repeated, shaking the defined shoulder and leaning down further. "Ron."

Eyelids fluttered open and a snarky grin crossed Ron's face, "I knew you could keep up with me." It was all he said before he pulled Blaise's face to his own to capture his lips in a searing kiss. Blaise groaned and his hands moved from where they had been shaking Ron's shoulders to run down his arm, caressing the muscles there. He settled his weight onto Ron's chest as the two boys battled for dominance within the kiss. Blaise pulled away to nibble and bite at Ron's neck, licking at his Adam's apple to make the other man moan and clutch at Blaise's curls. Ron pulled at Blaise and sucked at his earlobe, causing the Slytherin to whimper.

When they broke apart much later, the moon now higher in the sky, Blaise listened to Ron's heartbeat as he traced invisibly patterns upon his chest.

"We fly well together," was Ron's quiet comment.

"We'll have to fly again," Blaise replied. "We're a good team."

"In more ways than one" was Ron's groaned comment, nearly swallowed up by another kiss.

The next time the kiss was stopped by the visible puffs of both's breaths. "It's getting a little chilly," Blaise commented.

Ron snorted. "You're not the one on the cold ground."

Blaise grinned wickedly, dropping a kiss on Ron's chin. "It's not my fault I'm the dominant one."

"Dominant? I'll show you dom..." Ron rolled over, pulling Blaise under him and began to suck at his pulse point, making Blaise fist the damp grass. He had a feeling playing these games with Ron would be a lot of fun. He wasn't sure if it would ever get old. It would be difficult, but no one was blind to the way Ron's sister and Malfoy had been dancing around one another. Maybe Blaise could have this, this thing that would be his and real. Maybe. He let his thoughts slide away as Ron's lips moved up his neck to capture his own again, and Blaise barely felt the chill.