A/N: I do apologize for not having this story up yesterday since it was written for day 9 of the 31 days of Fanfiction Challenge, but it has been a rough few days and the story just wasn't cooperating. I don't have a story for day 10 just yet either, so it may be a little late as well.

Yesterday's theme was an Argument.

Beta love as always is going out to the one and only xxDustNight88! I wouldn't know what to do without her!

Title: The Harsh Reality
Rating: T
Characters: Draco & Ron
Summary: A harmless prank played upon Ron ends up revealing some of the harsh realities of Draco's life.

If you are interested in checking out my other works or keeping up with me in general, I have an author's page on Facebook that you can check out (starrnobella Fanfiction) as well as a group (starrnobella Fanfiction Friends & Fans) that I am very active in on a daily basis. I'm also on tumblr (starrnobella) that you can follow along with me as well.

Hopefully this isn't as bad as I question it to be after a rough day. Let me know what you think!

Love always,

~starr

"What the bloody hell is your problem, ferret face?" Ron shouted, grabbing Draco by the shoulder as the Slytherin stormed past him on his way out of the Potions Dungeon after class. Forcibly, Ron pulled Draco's shoulder to cause him to turn and face him.

Draco smirked when he saw the red hue starting to appear on Ron's face when the pair made eye contact. Shrugging his shoulder out of Ron's grasp, Draco squared up with him and crossed his arms over his chest. "Problem, Weasel?" he replied, cocking his head to the side and exchanging the briefest of glances with Harry and Hermione as they came up behind Ron, both shaking their heads in disgust.

"You know damn well what the problem is," Ron huffed, dropping his back to the floor and began shoving the sleeves of his robes up.

Draco laughed to himself as he watched the show in front of him. Did the Weasel really think that he was intimidating right now? He looked like a joke. It was a simple prank and Ronald just so happened to be the victim. "It was a harmless prank."

"Harmless prank!?" Ron shouted, stepping forward and pushing Draco backwards. "The only reason that prank was harmless was because 'Mione stopped the spell!"

Ron swung at Draco with his right fist, missing slightly and stumbling into the crowd that had gathered around them. Draco laughed and stepped to the opposite side of the hall from Ron and waited for him to gather his wits about him and come at him again.

"Sod off," Draco mumbled, shaking his head. "You're overreacting. Nothing was going to happen to you."

"Sod off?" Ron scoffed, regaining his composure. "You've been out to get me since first year, just admit it!"

"Out to get you?" Draco repeated with a laugh. "Why would I be out to get you? It's not like you have anything that I desire."

"Nothing you desire," Ron said with a smirk. "That, ferret face, would be where you are wrong."

Furrowing his brow, Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright, I'll play along. What exactly do you have that I would be jealous of? I'm honestly curious as to what you think you of all people happen to have that I would want so badly that would make it my goal to ruin your life since first year."

With a smug look on his face, Ron bent down to pick up his bag and slug it back over his shoulder. He crossed his arms over his chest and allowed a deafening silence to come over the room. He took pride in knowing that everyone was waiting with baited breath for the next few words to come out of his mouth.

Taking a deep breath, Ron met Draco's eyes and smiled. "I've got parents who love me and friends that care about my well-being, Malfoy. When was the last time you remember hearing mummy dearest or your father saying that they loved you?"

Ron looked around the room and spotted Hermione and Harry, along with the rest of their fellow Gryffindors watching from the sidelines. He also noticed that none of Draco's posse had bothered to stay behind and watch. "Where are your so called friends? I don't see them. They don't seem to care what happens to you. So there, Malfoy. That's what I have and you so greatly desire. Parents that love me and friends who care about what happens to me."

Draco opened and closed his mouth a few times to respond, but he truly had nothing to say. Standing his ground for a few moments longer, Draco sighed and shoved through crowd toward the dungeons. He didn't have time to deal with this nonsense.

"Wanker," Ron mumbled under his breath as he watched Draco storm away. He began to take a few steps to follow after Draco when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Leave him go," Hermione said sternly. "You proved your point. Rather harshly, but you proved it."

"Yeah," Harry chimed in, placing a soft hand on Ron's shoulder. "We've got Quidditch practice to get to."

With one last look after Draco, Ron shook his head and turned his attention to his friends with a nod before returning to the Gryffindor common room to get ready for practice. All thoughts of the fights thrown to the side, only to allow the frustrations to be taken out on a bludger.