Disclaimer: All characters are the property of J K Rowling whom I greatly admire.

My first effort – feedback greatly appreciated.

Draco Malfoy never told anyone what happened that night in the Astronomy Tower. In the weeks that followed he announced to his surprised cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, that he was giving Weasley and Granger 'a wide berth'. The wimp and the filthy mudblood just weren't worth bothering with anymore, he told them.

But when Malfoy had first seen Ron that night, naked, limp and distressed, he could not have been more pleased.

"Well, well, well, Weasley," he sneered. "You really are pathetic, aren't you?"

Ron span round in horror. This was the worst thing that could have happened. He opened his mouth but no words came out. Malfoy, delighted with Ron's predicament, proceeded into the room.

"You know," he said, "when Pansy Parkinson told me she had overheard you and Longbottom whispering something about a sex ritual I could hardly believe it."

"Get out," Ron finally managed, his hands forming into fists.

"Just try it," snapped Malfoy, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Ron's chest. "No wand?" he added, feigning curiosity. "A real wand, I mean."

Ron's wand was in the pocket of his jeans neatly folded in the corner of the room. The Tibetan ritual did not require a wand. Slowly, Malfoy advanced towards Ron who, involuntarily, backed away.

"Now, where was I?" continued Malfoy. "Ah, yes. I could hardly believe what Pansy told me. Weasley's not up to something like that, I told her. Mind you, I was right wasn't I?"

He looked down at Ron's genitals. Ron, keeping his eyes on Malfoy's wand, tightened his fists. If only he could make a grab for it, he thought.

Malfoy was now standing at the foot of the altar. Hermione was shaking her head slowly from side to side but appeared unable to move. Carelessly, Malfoy ran a forefinger up the inside of her left leg.

"It's tempting," he said, as he stroked Hermione's pubic hair, "but I really don't want a filthy mudblood hanging off the end of my dick."

Ron saw his chance. He lunged forward and in one movement his left hand grasped the wand while the other covered Malfoy's mouth to prevent him from uttering any curses. The force propelled Malfoy backwards away from the altar but with his free hand he managed to punch Ron in the stomach. Ron winced with the pain but was able to wrest the wand out of Malfoy's grip. Instinctively, he threw the wand to the far end of the room. This, he thought, is going to be a fair fight.

Without his wand Malfoy did not relish facing Ron in this mood. He felt, however, that he had to make at least one attempt to retrieve his wand before he left. In desperation he lifted one of the candleholders and thrust the lighted candle into Ron's face. Ron stepped back giving Malfoy the opportunity to swing the candleholder like a club. Ron, however, grabbed the candleholder with both hands. For a while they circled each other. Then Malfoy found the strength to push Ron back straight into the black veil at the head of the altar. Ron found himself on the floor struggling to free himself from the veil which had collapsed on top of him. Through the veil he could hear Malfoy's gasped exclamations.

"Potter! Potter's body! Why?"

So Pansy Parkinson hadn't overheard the whole conversation, thought Ron. He heard Malfoy's footsteps scurry to the far end of the room and when he finally emerged from the veil he saw Malfoy pointing his wand straight at him.

"I don't know what you think you're up to, Weasley," shouted Malfoy, "but I'm going to stop you."

Ron struggled to his feet. He knew a forbidden curse was coming next but he was too late.

"Cruciatus!" shouted Malfoy.

A stream of red light shot from the end of Malfoy's wand, hitting Ron in the stomach and covering his whole body. Ron screamed and fell to the floor, the worst pain he had ever experienced coursing through every part of him. He held himself tightly but found no relief from the agony that seemed to go on forever. Finally, the pain began to subside. Slowly, he relaxed his muscles and looked up. Malfoy was advancing towards him.

"You know," said Malfoy, his face contorted with hate, "I was there when Potter died. I saw the Dark Lord kill him and I cheered. Oh, how I cheered."

He raised his wand and pointed it again at Ron's stomach.

No, thought Ron, feeling sick. Please, no more. But he was determined not to say it out loud. He would not beg.

"Ready?" asked Malfoy.

Ron closed his eyes.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

It was Neville Longbottom's voice! Ron opened his eyes and saw Neville, in his night clothes, standing in the doorway pointing his wand directly in front of him. Then he saw Malfoy completely petrified like a statue.

"I just had a feeling something was wrong," explained Neville, coming into the room. "I just had to come and find out."

"You should have given him the Cruciatus curse," said Ron, getting to his feet.

"I can't do forbidden curses," said Neville. "You have to really enjoy them for them to work. What should we do with Malfoy?"

"Just leave him and get out of here," said Ron, his voice turning nasty. "I've got a ritual to perform and I've had enough interruptions for one night."

"Yes, of course," said Neville, hastily. "I'll get out. I'll leave you to it."

Neville considered wishing him good luck but decided against it. He hurried from the room.

Ron now set about the ritual with a renewed urgency. He no longer had any doubts about his own abilities but many other worries flooded into his mind. The veil had been pulled down, one of the candleholders had been disturbed, Hermione's body had been touched by a third party and the incense had nearly burnt out. Ron did not doubt his own abilities anymore.

He just wasn't sure if the ritual would still work.

But he had to try. He climbed on top of the altar and entered Hermione. Keeping himself as still as possible he began to chant. As he chanted he inwardly called out to Harry's soul. He chanted, called, chanted and called and, inhaling the incense fumes, started to experience the same drowsiness that had overtaken Hermione. Then he felt it. Unmistakable. The life force was building up. Ron continued to chant and call and, in time, he saw a stream of white light travel from his and Hermione's joint bodies towards the body of Harry Potter. But it isn't strong enough, thought Ron. It doesn't feel strong enough.

Then it was over. The incense, that Ron had so carefully measured out, extinguished itself. Ron felt the life force subside and he saw the white light disappear. He climbed off the altar as Hermione started to rouse. Looking across to Harry's body his fears were confirmed. There was no sign of any movement or life.

The ritual had failed.

Hermione sat up, rubbed her eyes and began to button up her robe. Ron was too distracted to worry about his nakedness. Hermione was still not fully conscious but the distress on Ron's face was clearly visible.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she lowered herself off the altar.

For the second time that night Ron found himself apologising miserably to Hermione.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I just couldn't get it to work. Too much went wrong."

At that point Dumbledore, followed by Neville Longbottom, entered the room. While Dumbledore surveyed the scene it was Neville who spoke.

"I'm sorry, Ron," he said, "I just thought professor Dumbledore should know. You don't mind, do you?"

Ron shook his head.

"It doesn't matter," he said.

"Well," said Dumbledore, " a bit of luck having Malfoy here."

"Luck?" gasped Ron.

Dumbledore spoke as if he knew exactly what had occurred that night in the Astronomy Tower.

"Certainly," he said. "Draco Malfoy witnessed Harry's death and was opposed to the life force being summoned. But the presence of an enemy, very rare at these rituals, actually has the effect of amplifying the life force not diminishing it. His presence made up for the late start of the ritual."

"But the ritual failed," said Ron in exasperation.

"Did it?" asked Dumbledore, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Ron and Hermione both turned to look at Harry. At first they could see nothing. Then they noticed a slight, barely perceptible rise and fall of Harry's chest. As they continued to look they saw it again.

Harry Potter was breathing!

"He's in a deep sleep," explained Dumbledore, walking over to where Harry lay, "but he'll awake in a few days. After all, he's been beyond the Veil and it's a long journey back. But he'll be back, just as he was before."

Ron felt palpable waves of relief wash over him. Only now did he realise that he was still completely naked. Hastily, he bent down and pulled his robe on. He could feel tears welling in his eyes.

"I think," said Dumbledore, pretending not to notice Ron's tears, "that it's time to have a word with our friend, Malfoy. Ron, would you be good enough to relieve him of his wand."

Ron removed Malfoy's wand and Dumbledore performed the reversing spell. Malfoy, finally able to speak, spat his words out at Ron.

"Bastard, Weasley! Bastard! What have you done?"

"Look at me, Malfoy," said Dumbledore.

Malfoy glared at Dumbledore.

"Now, Malfoy," said Dumbledore, "you might have been frozen but you've been fully conscious. You've seen and heard everything that's happened in this room. Correct?"

Malfoy nodded.

"So, how do you think Voldemort will react when he realises that you played an important part in bringing Harry Potter back to life?"

Malfoy blanched, his arrogance visibly draining from him.

"But he won't find out," he stammered. "You'll never get close enough to tell him."

"Oh, come now," said Dumbledore, "you know as well as I that he can see into the minds of all his followers. You'll never be able to keep it from him. What do you think he'll do?"

Malfoy stared straight ahead. Eventually, in a quiet voice, he said, "He'll kill me, of course."

"In a particularly slow and painful way I should imagine," said Dumbledore. "But I can help you. I can put a charm on you that can shield your memory of tonight from even Voldemort himself."

"Why would you do that?" scowled Malfoy.

"Simple," said Dumbledore. "Information. You supply The Order of the Phoenix with any information you can about the Death Eaters, their movements, whereabouts and plans and the charm stays in place. If I suspect that you're lying or trying to trick us then I remove the charm and leave you to the mercy of Voldemort. Agreed?"

Malfoy was silent for a long time. Then he nodded his agreement.

"Very well," said Dumbledore. "You can go now. Ron, give him his wand back."

Malfoy took his wand from Ron's outstretched hand and left the room without looking at anyone.

"Right," said Dumbledore, looking down at Harry, "I'll have Madame Pomfrey transfer Harry to the hospital wing and I think that, shortly, I'll be making an announcement to the school to the effect that Harry Potter has been exonerated of all the charges against him and will be rejoining his fellow pupils."

"Professor," said Hermione, "I have a question."

"Yes," smiled Dumbledore, "I rather thought that you might."

"That night, in your office, you said that Voldemort needed us as witnesses to Harry's death. Why?"

"Because Voldemort knew about the Tibetan ritual and knew that you two could bring him back to life. You see, the ancient magic that prevents Voldemort from killing Harry is still in force. But Voldemort thought of a way round it. If you and Ron had failed to bring Harry back then the fault would have been yours and not his."

Three days later Ron and Hermione were sat at the foot of Harry's bed when he opened his eyes for the first time. At first they didn't notice that Harry was awake. For a while Harry stared at the ceiling then he pulled himself up and reached for his glasses on the bedside table.

"Harry!" gasped Hermione. Barely able to speak she covered her trembling chin with a hand. Ron took hold of her other hand. It seemed the right thing to do.

"Hey, Harry," he said, quietly. "Alright?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "I had a weird dream. I was with Mum, Dad and Sirius and I had never been so happy. But, Ron, I heard you calling me."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other.

"It's a long story," said Hermione, gently. "We'll tell you about it soon. Just try to rest for now."

THE END.

APPENDIX: ALTERNATIVE ENDINGS THAT THE AUTHOR CONSIDERED

Malfoy does the deed with Hermione and inadvertently brings Harry back to life.

Ron wins the fight with Malfoy and feeling angered and empowered is able to compete the ritual.

Finding himself totally naked in front of Malfoy awakens Ron's latent homosexuality causing Malfoy to flee in horror but, nevertheless, enabling Ron to complete the ritual.

Dumbledore arrives and teaches Ron the 'Stiffius Erectus' spell, the wizarding equivalent to Viagra.