BETWEEN YOU AND ME
The final war is now behind them, which leaves only the future before them. The problem is, now the future is becoming rapidly unstable. With the past creeping in and shocking discoveries leaving everyone on edge, friendships, relationships and faith will be tested and not without scrutiny or angst.
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DISCLAIMER: All characters, settings, and magical occurrences were all conceived and created in the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Nothing except the glorious plot is property of mine. No profits are being made from my writing.
ANOTHER WARNING: This story will contain some SLASH, as it will be the main pairing. If this bothers, offends, or just grosses you out, you can save yourself a lot of pain and heartburn and just click the back button. Otherwise, stick around. I can only hope not to disappoint. This is in the Between You And Me-verse. So brief knowledge of that might help. Other than that, I suppose it could stand alone. Lots of parts. Lots of moods. Moving right along. :)
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Angry
Draco levitated the third large suitcase into the living room to rest with the two preceding it, anxiety racking his body as he cast a glance at the evening Prophet on the coffee table. The headline was about the increase in taxes on all muggle items modified to operate with magic and the outrage it was seeming to cause but one third of the way down, in the left most column, was an article about his lunch that evening. He gave it a full-hearted scowl before lifting his wand to bring the fourth and final bag down the stairs and with the others, picking the filthy paper up and sending it up in flames. It was then the front door opened.
Ron stood there, face emotionless, mail tucked underneath one arm, eyes shooting back and forth between the luggage and the blonde who had charred the cuff of his robes from his hasty and disturbed spell. His throat went dry and there seemed to be something stuffed in it, keeping words from coming out.
"Ron! You're home! Early," Draco squeaked out, inwardly berating himself for the escalated tone of his voice.
"Were you planning on leaving before I got home?" Ron seemed to have finally found words and he lowered his gaze on the blonde who looked back confused.
"Well no. That wouldn't make any sense."
"Oh, so you were truly playing for dramatics then. Maybe get yourself another story in the paper?" Ron questioned, which caused Draco to stare at him quizzically.
"What are you talking about? I just thought it would be a good idea for us to get away for a couple of days," Draco tried, advancing towards the redhead whose eyes never let up.
"Why would we go anywhere after your spectacular excuse for a break up in the Prophet," Ron began fuming, letting the mail drop to the table, the Prophet falling on top.
"Oh. I didn't think you would've seen that yet," Draco began only to be cut off very promptly by a nearly roaring Ron.
"Yes I've seen that. Every wizard in London has seen it. You wouldn't believe the number of sympathetic gazes I received at work before leaving."
"Wait, I don't think you understand."
"I understand perfectly," Ron sneered.
Draco finally lowered his gaze at his lover, almost growling his response. "Are you insinuating I intend on leaving you?"
"Yes…wait, you do don't you?"
Draco leaned across angrily punching Ron square in the arm and letting out a frustrated sound. "You are so incredibly daft sometimes! I'm not leaving you. I left Isabella at your mother's and thought you and I could take a weekend off. I knew you would be upset about the article and I wanted to talk to you about it and then spend the weekend proving it to you." It was Draco's turn to fume as Ron brought himself back down to sane levels, cheeks still tinged pink, holding a blush.
"It looked awfully suspicious walking in the door, you have to admit that."
"Perhaps if you don't trust me at all! I'm getting thoroughly tired of this game because it seems like somehow I always lose."
"What in the bloody hell happened then?" Ron finally thought to question, calming himself to normal, sane levels.
"Harry showed up at my lecture this afternoon and he invited me for lunch. I figure it would be entirely rude and a step in the opposite direction to decline. I didn't realize that it would give us a spot back in front page news," Draco explained, still glaring angrily at the redhead who squirmed a little under his eyes.
"What direction?"
"The direction of everyone being in the same room together without the tension we've all become accustomed to. Harry is your best friend after all. I thought if he and I could be civil after all that would make things easier for you."
"Oh."
"Yes oh and now you can have the brilliant task of unpacking all of our things while I floo over to your mothers and get the baby," Draco instructed, fuming as he started for the fireplace.
"Wait. What about the weekend off?"
"You can't honestly think I would want to spend the weekend with you now? After all of your wonderful implications," Draco sneered angrily back at him, arms crossed defensively across his chest. Even in such a stance, Ron knew that he was the one who would be defending himself.
"You just have to understand how it looked. This article and then coming home to a bunch of suitcases. What was I supposed to think?"
"That I'm not an utter git and that I wouldn't just do something like that to you after everything we've been through thus far. All I'm asking is that you trust me just a little bit and you can't even do that. I'm tired of this same argument, Ron," The blonde seemed to have come down from his anger ever so slightly which gave Ron just a little hope on the matter.
"I know. And I don't mean to be this way its just that whenever Harry's involved it puts me on edge. I'm just afraid of losing this," Ron took this as the perfect moment to approach the blonde who seemed to have softened considerably from his prickly stance.
"It is exhausting being within two kilometers of you, do you realize this?"
"I know. And I'm sorry. I do trust you. A lot of bad things have happened and I guess I'm just waiting for the next shoe to drop all of the time," Ron offered as an explanation, standing squarely in front of the blonde, who still wasn't meeting his eyes.
"Well its very off-putting when someone is planning a weekend getaway, I'll have you know," Draco had let some tension seep from his body as he looked up at the apologetic redhead. He tried a scowl but knew it didn't have much effect.
"We could still go. You've already packed everything and I'm assuming you've made plans. There's no reason we shouldn't go," Ron reasoned, trying his hand at changing Draco's mind.
"Weasley, you're not as good at manipulation as I so do not try. And we will still go. Only now, it'll be you making things up to me," Draco smirked, stepping around Ron to retrieve his bags. The redhead stood there a moment with a smile on his lips. He could handle that punishment.
//…//
The article just had not sat well with Hermione, if she were to be completely honest. She hadn't said so to Ginny in so many words, but the worried expression that tainted her face was enough. Especially when she'd rolled around to stand and told Ginny she was going to stop over and see Harry. The youngest Weasley, sat fixed with a curious look as the overly pregnant Hermione disappeared from the Burrow through the fireplace.
"Oh Hermione left? I was going to send her home with some food. I know she hasn't been doing much cooking and Merlin knows Severus wouldn't step foot in the kitchen," Molly exclaimed, hip leaning against an arm chair, eyes meeting her youngest and her grandchild.
"She was going to see Harry. I think there is trouble afoot," Ginny commented, standing with a sleeping Isabella and settling her down into her playpen with great care. It was difficult enough getting the child asleep once, let alone waking her up before trying for round two.
"Whatever for?" The eldest Weasley questioned, being handed the evening Prophet. Ginny lifted the page upwards as she saw her mother latching on to the main headline. As she read, her lips shifted into an 'o' before turning her attention back to her daughter. "I hope your brother hasn't seen this."
"I'm willing to bet he has. Which makes me oh so sad walls can't talk in their flat this evening."
She was rewarded with a glare from her mother to which Ginny smiled sweetly. "Well why would Hermione rush off to see Harry then?"
"I think she has a feeling he's up to something, is all. And he very easily could be. Its not bloody fair either. My brother gets the exciting love life while I'm stuck fending off the morons in the Department of Magical Artifacts," Ginny sulked, crossing her arms.
"Don't pout dear, its not very becoming of you. I certainly hope Hermione is wrong. That would be the last thing your brother needs right now." The last thing we all need right now was added silently in her head as she cast another glance at the paper.
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A/N: Ok I hope you believe me when I say that I definitely meant to have this out sooner. Wow. But anywho, I'm doing this quickly because I wanna write some more. Thanks for the reviews, they make me smile and I hope this section clears some things up a little better. Whew. Fast typing and I feel like I'm rushing. Read. Enjoy. Review. It would be lovely. :)