Title: In Bitter Hands
Author: Ashley (Nov.02)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Ron/Draco
Feedback: I'd love me some of it!
Summary: Justice has finally been carried out. However, it can't always be served.
Spoilers: None...I guess…
Warning: rape, angst, and character death.
Distribution: Ask and you shall receive!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter or HP related. pout
A/N: I hate school!
Thanks: To zysciru!
In Bitter Hands
3
He reappeared in his opulently designed room. Quickly, he went to his bathroom and filled his tub with warm water and lavender salts. He knew he needed to be relaxed and calm once the storm struck. By the curt length of the letter sent to him, Draco knew that his father was brewing. "Perfect," he sneered at his reflection as he stripped off his slept-in clothes and slowly sunk into the soothing bath.
Draco's mind went idly off in search of a blank corner of his mind. This was the day he would break free…if he planned it correctly. Either way, he was getting out of here. Steadily, his father was growing full of rage. It was becoming quite terrifying because one never knew when or if they would cause a row to occur.
Besides, if things didn't go according to plan, he would easily bring up one scrap of knowledge that he knew plagued his father to this day.
He got up and out of the bath, reluctantly. He groomed himself quite efficiently. This man was on a purpose. He didn't have time to waste with trivialities such as looking exactly prefect. It would add to the effect of his secret weapon either way.
Making sure that his wand was easy to access, Draco Malfoy stiffened, descended to the master library, and prepared himself for a tough fight.
"Good to see that someone here finally decided to show." Lucius said oily.
"I had to make sure that I was up to par in your eyes. So, do I?" Draco extended his arms straight out to his side and turned. "Do I look perfect?"
His father's eyes hardened. "Quick with your antics. You had your mother fretful all evening and morning."
"What a shocker." Draco stepped fully into the room. His mother was nowhere to been seen. Of course. She was always smart when it came to confrontations involving his father; she always stayed out of them. Out of sight and mind.
"Don't."
"Fine. Ruin the fun. What do you want to shout at now? Do you want to know where I was? With whom was with I? What was and wasn't I doing? Because if you do, you won't like my answers."
"Oh. You're going to tell truths, I assume. How lovely it will be to hear this. Answer those questions you so astutely assumed I would ask." Lucius sneered.
And so it shall begin.
"Gratefully." Draco plopped down on the mahogany leather loveseat, foot placed on the edge of the cushion and arms spread out on the top of the back of the seat. "First, where was I? At the Burrow. With whom? The Weasleys. Ron Weasley to be exact and some others. What was I doing? Making out whenever I could with Ron, spending the night there…eating breakfast there. Oh yes! Potter was there. He sends his condolences to you over the lost of your Lord." He added the last piece for pure torture.
"How dare you?" Lucius growled icily as he slowly came closer to his son.
"What do you mean? How dare I? What else are you to expect from a coward such as myself? Too bad you can't shut this out as well. A lock can't always-"
Lucius had enough with his son's antics. He violently grabbed his shirt collar and yanked his son up to his feet. "You had better be lying."
Draco laughed in his father's face. "Why would I ever lie to you?"
"So, you're-"
"Gay! Yes! So that should make you feel so much better. I'm not a coward so much as I was extremely lustful at ten. See, I always do right by you."
Lucius let go of his son. "No."
"Yes. I'm a big ol' gay. And my big ol' gay lover is one Ronald Weasley, the son of your natural born enemy." Draco smirked. This was going too well.
"You will stop seeing him."
"Like hell I will."
"You will stop seeing him or-"
"- I'll leave? Great!"
Lucius stepped back and straightened his robes. "You'll be disinherited."
"Not necessarily. Grandfather – you know, the man who basically loathes your guts – gave me a nice little trust that you have no knowledge of until now. Nice vault. I won't need to lift a finger on his money. So you see, dear father of mine, if you had liked it or not, I was going to leave this awful place. You have no further control over me!" Draco hadn't wanted to let the argument end so soon but he wanted out and he wanted to be with Ron completely.
He walked up to Lucius. "Out of my way."
The two silently stared into the others eyes, watching for any sign of weakness in the non-verbalized challenge. The intensity was great and powerful. Lucius may be an old professional at this but Draco had nothing to lose in this battle. He was leaving nonetheless.
Lucius stepped aside.
Draco nodded curtly his goodbye and walked out and up to his rooms. He had to pack.
Bounding up the steps two-by-two, he quickly entered his room, throwing a triple-strong locking charm behind him.
"So, you're finally going to leave this horrible place."
"Mother. How clever of you to know to show here."
His mother sat on his lounge near his bay window. Her poise perfect, stiff-backed and demure. Blonde hairs pinned up in a flawlessly executed bun. She arched her sculpted eyebrow. "He let you off quite easily?"
"I told him that I was basically leaving." Draco sat down on his bed while he flicked his wand a few times. Clothes began to instantaneously flood out of his chest of drawers and trunk, folding into neat stacks.
"How did you manage that?" Her voice calm and eerily soothing.
"I told him that I was gay."
"Good to see you finally accepted that part of yourself."
"What do you mean?" He was genuinely intrigued by her admission to knowing her son's dirty little secret.
"Though I am not a doting mother, I know my son. I've always had an inkling that you were different. I felt that there was something queer going on with you."
"How right you were. Queer and all."
Narcissa gracefully rose from her seat, waltzed over to her son, and sat next to him.
Subconsciously, Draco leaned away. What was she doing? She never once paid him special attention. She made sure to stay seen and never heard. So stuffy and uptight and grand. That's all she could ever be. Nothing more – yet here she was, trying to make an effort.
"So…what do you want?"
"Who is this boy? Tell me everything about him. I want to know about the young man whose taking you away from me."
Rolling his eyes, Draco got up. He took quick inventory of all of his things. Clothing placed in trunks charmed to a larger capacity. He went into his bathroom, sorting through and rearranging items. Once he was through with his check, he dragged himself to his main room. He didn't know how to explain it but this was just what he wanted. He had no one to talk to through all this and now, here was his savior…his distant mother.
Leaning against a marble pillar, he started the much-needed conversation. "Ron Weasley. I think I love him."
"You think or you know?"
"I know." He slid to the base of the column. "How did that happen?"
"It just does. So tell me everything that can be told."
"Where should I begin? It started in the early part of this school year. I was heading towards class when I saw Weasley, late, trying to creep into Potions. I got this wicked idea to torture him more since that's what I was supposed to do. I knew that he had a minor meltdown when some kid touched him. I came on to him…he beat me within an inch of my death."
"Why weren't we notified?" Narcissa leaned forward, showing her interest without a physical reaction of jumping up. She fought that urge.
"Because there was more at hand than just me. Also, why would Dumbledore invite an active Death Eater into his school?"
"True. Continue."
"Later that evening…three days later, I awoke and was informed that I was to entertain Weasley. To wrap it all up, I found he was raped. Found out he was a cutter. Took care of him the best I knew how and became enthralled by him. Though, I always had a secret admiration for him."
"Oh dear. Raped? Who would do such a thing?"
"His brother. Percy."
Narcissa covered her mouth in shock. "No. The Weasleys are family oriented people. A child of theirs would never-"
"Percy was different from them. He turned his back on Ron and his family. When the mother died, that bastard snapped. He raped him multiple times. Ron was so destroyed over it. He was on the verge of emaciation. He didn't eat because he was molested during supper. His loyalty to his family was used against him. He was threatened with the thought of his family dying over little unknown him. He had no value of himself. I pitied him and was angry with him. This fantasy I had of him was crushed. He was nothing like the passionate Weasley I envisioned. I guess that's when he became Ron to me. Valentine's Day I took him out to the Infirmary. They had him in an isolated room there. We shared a kiss." He sighed dreamily as he remembered that day. "Things were so slow. Still are – by my standards – but it's different. He needs time. I get that. But I'm very good at what I do. I think if he'll just let me…"
"Go ahead. You can talk to me. That's my gift to you. You're leaving and I've never had a conversation with you. Go ahead."
"I'm a highly…"Should he tell him mother that before Ron he was a sexual deviant? "..sexual person."
She smiled slightly. "I'm not offend. Or at least I won't show how uncomfortable this may become."
"Good. I'm very good at pleasing. I think if he would just let me show him how much I care for him and how attracted I am to him, no matter what…he may feel better. I make people feel better about themselves."
"How noble." Joked the matriarch of the house. "So, have you told him?"
"That I want be intimate with him? Yes. But I also tell him that I can wait. I tell him that I'll bottom, something I've never done."
"Well. Have you told him of your admiration for him?"
"Just before leaving. He told me he loved me last night. And I didn't really say it back but I made it clear that I felt that same. He told me again this morning and I just said it was admiration. But after hearing that there was no ruling on the trial and complications, I felt as if he needed the substantial reassurance."
"What trial?"
"Ron finally told us who harmed him. And with the persistence of myself and the family, he pressed charges against him. He didn't want to. He'd have to re-live it all. He took it well…I hope. I just want out of here. He needs me more than anyone in this household does. I want to be with him. If I live on my own, he can come and go as he pleases. We can work on our relationship…strengthen it."
"You talk of such hope. He's changed you. And for the better."
"I'd do anything for him. I love him."
"I see that. I wish you two the best of luck. I hope nothing but great things come from you two." She stood and held out her arms. Draco went to her and embraced here, though awkwardly.
When they pulled away, his mother rolled up her sleeves.
"I'm not doing much here. Like I ever do. What can I help you with?"
Draco stared at his mother. This significant emotion she showed him shook him deeply. Perhaps he should tell his mother why he knew just how to handle Ron…
"Where are some good places I could stay? I want a flat somewhere. No big houses. I'd be doing nothing or spending time with Ron. Nothing much more than that."
"I'm not sure. I only know of some good estates and other massive properties." She furrowed her brows in concentration. "I can look."
"Thank you."
"No. Thank you. You showed me that your father hasn't gotten to you completely. I'm proud that you want to step out and be your own man with the man you care for. Treasure this time and hope he never changes." She left.
How eerie. She suggested that Lucius was a different person. "Impossible." Draco laughed bitterly and went back to packing.
Nov.02: I love that kid!
Ron: Nov's significant other was over.
Draco: And now she's acting more annoying than ever!
Nov.02: I'm happy! Bite me!
Draco: Fine bites Nov's shoulder
Nov.02: OW! I DISLIKE YOU!
Draco: ?????
Nov.02: I'm happy. He was here and made me happy! You can't make me unhappy. I cannot hate anyone! Especially a Harry Potter character such as yourself. I now understand the transformation that a relationship can bring on. Tough as it is…I understand you now, Draco.
Draco&Ron: Weird…
Draco: Now, I won't have any fun with her. Guess, I'll say thank you…what a bore!
Thank you so much to mintapotterWhat makes you think we'll be happy? Nov is out author. She hates happy…except for today that is.
Thanks to Burnt ReflectionsDon't worry over me…I can handle Father.
Thank you ever so UniquePiksi Lay off the sugar.
Thank you darkarcBut why should I not come out to Father? I see no wrong in it. I love my Weasel. Don't you dare mock me!
Nov.02: Calm down, Draco. Cool out. Everything is wonderful.
Ron: Isn't it?
Nov.02: Yes…yes it is.
Ron: Thanks Desiree K TroyIt did start out in the future but that didn't go far. Let's hope this does.
And thnx to FREAK014Don't pass out. Passing it is not kosher.
Nov. 02: Passing out is so uncool. Have a great night!
Hugs&Kisses