Title: Black and Deep Desires

By: Dr. Kim-chan

Me: I should've said that Chapter 13 was not for the faint of heart, put a warning label on it or something…guess it can't be helped. Well, after that terrible dilemma, Draco's and Ron's bond becomes stronger, yet Draco will actually go through and end his relationship with Blaise. Now I kinda wish this was HBP-compatible, because there's a plot device towards the end of Chapter 28 that'd be damn useful at this point…at least I believe it was Chapter 28. But I've worked my way through tougher spots.

Ron: Like Chapter 10.

Me: Exactly.

Lucius: (still silent)

Me: (whines) And Luci still won't talk to me! Let by-gones be by-gones, dammit! Something good will happen to you, I promise! In fact, these two chapters contain two of the big turn-arounds in the plot which will ultimately lead to…THIS! (holds up a yellowish envelope)

Harry: What's that?

Me: I figured this out way before I even started this fic. It's my secret plans for the Ultra Happy Mid-Point Plot! All I'll say is that it involves Lucius, Ron, hot cocoa and so much fanservice the readers will melt into happy little puddles.

All 4: (tries to figure out how all that adds up…somehow)

Me: This is a major chapter because it explains the title of this entire fic, which, as I said in the original version of this fic before it was taken away, is a quote from the Shakespearean play "Macbeth". Most of this chapter is a dream sequence and…it gets a little dirty.

All 4: (eyebrows raise in curiosity)

Me: I've said too much. Just see for yourself. Rolling Chapter 14! (clicks remote)

(Begin Chap. 14)

…He was in a darkened room, made a bit more visible by the moonlight provided by the quarter moon hanging in the night sky outside. The ghostly light filtering through the arched windows created a muted reflection upon the stone columns and tiled floors. Ron remembered this place; it was the room Harry had found back in first year…the room containing the Mirror of Erised. Only this time, he was alone. He turned to see it, just as it looked like those years ago. The same esoteric writing was inscribed across the top of the mirror: "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on woshi". To this day he hadn't figured out what that meant.

This was an odd dream to be having. Their adventures concerning the Mirror were long past; Dumbledore had hid it from Harry and everyone else. It was a given that too much time spent in front of the Mirror of Erised wasn't good for your health, physically or mentally.

On that night, Harry had pulled him away from his warm bed in the dormitory to show him the Mirror. Harry claimed he saw his parents, but it had been a different story for Ron. Never able to live up to his brothers' expectations, Ron had envisaged himself exceeding them all. Then again, everyone saw something different—not everyone's desires were the same. For that brief moment, however, he was happier than he had ever been.

So why was he dreaming about the Mirror now? Was it a message?

Unsure of himself, Ron finally involved himself in the dream and walked closer to the Mirror of Erised. The moonlight was casting sharp beams through the dusty glass surface. I don't know what the point of this dream is, Ron thought. I already know what I'm gonna see: me being better than all my brothers put together. But I'm past feeling jealous. I know I'm not going to be great, but hey, it's a fact of life—

He was cut off when something began to take form inside the Mirror…but it wasn't of him. Harry, Hermione, his family, the Order. They were all smiling and waving, beckoning him to join them inside the glass. Already knowing he couldn't, Ron walked up and longingly touched solid surface. Nevertheless, they continued to wave and smile.

Now this makes sense. Yes, I want to go home, more than anything.

"Are you sure?"

Ron jumped in fright and twisted around when a mysterious voice interrogated him.

"Who are you?"

"Are you sure you want to return to us? Is that your deepest desire?"

Ron nodded slowly.

"You say 'yes', and I cannot argue against it, but did you know a person can have more than one desire?"

From the shadows in the distance out stepped Hermione, clutching a book in her arms. Ron goggled at her—she was his booming voice of conscience? Ignoring his stare, she gave a confident smile and raised a pointing finger. Looking down to see what she was pointing at, he saw the unfastened button on his shirt.

"It seems Mr. Malfoy has his own desires too. It reminds me of that play we read about in Muggle Studies."

Then she held up her book for Ron to see. Engraved in copper lettering on the cover was the title "Macbeth", with smaller letters underneath it proclaiming: "A Screenplay by William Shakespeare."

"In fifth year we studied a play about power struggles between the nobles of medieval Scotland. It was particularly interesting because it involved witches, and surprisingly, Shakespeare wasn't too far from the truth, although there were some inconsistencies. For instance, Macbeth and a couple of the other main characters were able to directly interact with the witches, but it would've been more accurate if they hadn't. Also, he was describing hags, not witches, but there have been instances of hags attempting to perform the Dark Arts in the past."

"Why are you giving me a history lesson in my dream?" Ron complained. "Even when I'm sleeping and miles away from you!"

Hermione frowned. "Well, this time I'm here to help. To get to the point, there's a quote from the play that you might want to understand. In Act One, Macbeth begins to undertake his plot to assassinate the king in order to fulfill a prophecy declared by the witches—or hags. As he prepares, he says, "Stars, hide your fires. Let not light see my black and deep desires." "

"And…what does that have to do with me?"

Hermione shut the book in a huff. "You're doing the same thing: hiding your desires for fear of what other people—and yourself—might say. Sure, you want us to pay the ransom so you can get away from Malfoy, but there's a part of you that wants to stay, that wants to see where this leads."

"You weren't there two nights ago! You didn't see how he hurt me, how he hurt Draco! I'll never love a madman like that!"

"On the contrary. Mr. Malfoy is only vicious when he believes it necessary. Didn't you see the look on his face that night? He didn't want to hurt you, but he didn't want you to abandon him either, and he felt that it was the only way to show you how desperate he was to keep you there. When you look past the whipping, was there any other occasion when he was mean to you? And let's face it: we always knew he was unkind to his son, and Draco did sort of mouth off. That was just a matter of discipline. Deep inside, you know Mr. Malfoy's a good person. He just has to hide it because of his high status and dignity."

Ron stayed quiet, seething. What kind of crazy dream was this? Hermione was sticking up for Lucius? As much sense as it made, he refused to accept these facts. Sensing his hesitation, she sighed in exasperation and pulled out her wand from her pocket. She walked up to him, put down the book, turned him around by the shoulders and pushed him to within a few feet away from the Mirror.

"Look, I didn't want to have to do this, but if you don't resolve this now, it'll haunt you for the rest of your life. It's time to see your own black and deep desires, Ron, the desires you and Mr. Malfoy share. Petrificus Totalus!"

A dream it was, but the impact of Hermione's spell felt so realistic. Ron was rooted to the ground, his eyes unmoving, his extremities as stiff as a board. He couldn't talk, much less protest about this new development. All he was allowed to see was the Mirror of Erised gleaming ominously in the dim moonlight. Behind him, Hermione gave a 'tsk' of satisfaction and briskly walked back into the shadows, disappearing from Ron's dream realm entirely.

What "black and deep desires"? What's she talking about?

Suddenly he quieted his mind. Another scene was taking shape. It was a carpeted room with a large, plush sofa both big and comfortable enough to use as a bed. An armchair was standing off in the corner. Two large, vaulted windows had curtains drawn over them, but the lighting made it evident that it was night-time in the scene. A fireplace bigger than the one in Lucius's bedroom faced the sofa, nestled between the two arched windows. A plethora of cream-colored candles were set everywhere, giving the room a homely touch. Ron recognized this room. It was the parlor, one of Lucius's favorite rooms and the only one you couldn't merely walk into; it was one of the only rooms downstairs with a door guarding it.

Then he saw who was on the sofa and got an urge to shut his eyes. Nothing real obscene; the only thing that was worth seeing at the moment was Lucius and Ron sharing a kiss on the sofa. They looked deeply involved: Lucius was just about lying on top of Ron, softly rubbing his shoulders, and Ron doing same. After a few minutes, their lips parted, and the frozen Ron saw an unnatural, heady stare in his reflection's eyes. Not wanton, but a look of total bliss. Smirking, Lucius sat up and rearranged the pair so that now Ron was sitting in his lap and facing him. It looked a bit odd because Ron was supporting himself by his knees on either side of Lucius's legs, so he seemed half an inch taller than his own master. What are we up to now, the petrified Ron thought, panic tingling throughout his body.

The kiss commenced, more passionate than before. Eyes closed, Lucius reached out and started unbuttoning Ron's shirt. One by one, the oversized blouse slipped off the redhead's shoulders until he wriggled his arms out and it dropped to the floor. Returning the favor, he unfastened Lucius' cloak and threw it to the side, then started work on the shirt too. Before long, they were both shirtless. If he had the ability to gulp in nervousness, Ron surely would've done it by now.

He gasped—well, he would've if his lips weren't also petrified. Ron's reflection was slowly running his hands up Lucius's body, getting a feel for what was soon to come. Ron hadn't seen Mr. Malfoy smile like that. He never saw himself smile like that. They both looked so happy…a twinge of regret was felt…

"You're not done yet. What you're seeing is only the beginning."

Ron tried to view his surroundings, then muffled complaints after realizing for the fourth time that he was still Petrified. No…it was only her voice. She hadn't come back to the room—and even then, something was beginning to happen in the Mirror which made Ron hope with all his might she wasn't.

Lucius's hands had stopped to rest nonchalantly on Ron's hips, but Ron's hands held them firmly. The smiles had faded, and Lucius stared into Ron's wide blue eyes.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"It's not that. It's just…I'm not sure."

"As I've said before, there's a difference between what we were doing before and what we're doing now. Do you love me now? With all heart and soul?"

Both Rons nodded solemnly (actually, the frozen Ron just agreed on the inside).

"Do you remember what I said? If you put your heart and soul into the process, it'd be a more wonderful experience. This is no longer meaningless, a mere duty. I don't want to rule over you anymore—all I want is to protect you. But you must be willing to trust me. Let me protect you, Ron…"

"…I will," the Ron in the mirror said as the frozen Ron outside thought it. In the mirror, Ron took a slow breath as he released the older man's hands, trusting them to do the right thing. If unfastening his pants and pulling them down to his knees was the right thing to do, then he followed through within minutes. Ron broke the kiss again and tried to mimic his new lover, but it was a bit more difficult to do because he was sitting down. Lucius obliged and pulled them into a new position to make the task easier.

All this time, the Ron outside watched, fascinated, as the two were free to merge with each other in the mutual goal of intimacy. A hot blush crept upon his cheeks—did he just…? Did Lucius just—? Was that possible? Abruptly, the spell upon him was lifted, and he was finally free to move about. But he didn't take advantage of this. The images of longing and lust in the Mirror of Erised petrified him now. Was what Hermione said true? Was this what he really wanted?

Was this his—and Lucius Malfoy's—black and deep desires?

…"Weasley…Weasley! Damn it, Weasley, wake up!"

"Mmm…"

"Fine, have it your way."

"…AAAAHHH!"

Ron shot up from both his bed and his dream, drenched in cold water. Shivering, he turned to see Draco standing by him, a single drop of water hanging from the end of his wand, catching the morning light.

It was two days later since the lashing incident. The healing potion Lucius used on Ron—who used it on Draco—worked wonders. Physically, it seemed that nothing had happened to begin with. Unfortunately, there were the psychological consequences to consider, especially for Draco. These two days happened to be times when Blaise received more time for himself. Whatever the project going on in Mr. Zabini's workstation was, it was nearing completion. But Draco stuck fast to his vow; never again could they be together again.

Ron didn't understand this. It was obvious Blaise was crazy about Draco and vice versa, yet Draco was willing to let what happened stand in the way. Was it trauma? Sheer insanity? In any case, Blaise was left to ponder why his boyfriend (ex-boyfriend now) was all of a sudden acting cold towards him. On the other hand, Draco became more cantankerous than usual, once or twice picking on Ron for even the smallest accident. Apparently, today was one of those days.

A small smile on his pallid face, the younger Malfoy followed up his personal wake-up call with a drying spell.

"Deep sleeper…and a mumbler. Mirrors, desires, Macbeth?" He shrugged. "Anyway, Father received an owl last night but he felt it more appropriate to tell you in the morning. The Order's agreed to the ransom. They're paying up this Thursday. The meeting place is the Leaky Cauldron."

So only three more days left, Ron thought sadly.

His sadness must've shown on his face, because Draco added, "Of course, if you want to stay, we'd be happy to tell Potter. We can't let him waste his Galleons rescuing you."

"No, I want to go. It's…it's your dad I'm worried about."

Draco stared at him in astonishment. "How'd you know Father's been moping around in his bedroom ever since he got the letter?"

"I didn't," replied Ron, equally surprised. "I was just thinking; is there another reason Mr. Malfoy wants me around? You think he ever feels lonely?"

"Lonely? Ha. If you haven't already noticed, he's glad Mother's gone."

"Not miss her. He just wants someone to talk to again. You said he's been moping in his bedroom since the note came. I don't know why, but he'll probably miss me when I'm gone. I kinda understand. At the Burrow, there's lots of things going on, and when Harry comes by it's even better. But your father's in this big house by himself. It's boring here."

"He has me and Mr. Zabini."

"You two don't even talk—after the other night I can see why. And Mr. Zabini's a colleague and nothing more. I mean, he doesn't have any real friends or a…"

His sentence trailed off; he had almost used the term 'lover' and he didn't want to. That would've only garnered suspicion.

"Anyway, I don't care about his little tough act," Ron abruptly declared with a little too much energy, desperately trying to veer away from his own verbal pothole. "You just can't live the rest of your life alone. Even You-Know-Who needs people, granted the lot of them are brainless followers…I'm gonna go talk to him."

"I don't see what good that'll do. Even if you do cheer him up, we'll be returning to Hogwarts in about three weeks. I thought you said you wouldn't let yourself get involved with my father. He's a 'conniving Death Eater', isn't he?" asked Draco, purposely patronizing his nemesis.

"Death Eater or not, I don't like seeing people alone."

"What if you get roped into another one of his mind games?"

"That's a risk I'll have to take. I'm not so easy to fool."

"Sure fooled me," muttered Draco under his breath, getting whacked with a pillow a second later. Before he could protest, however, Ron had already left the room.

(End Chap. 14)

Me: Yes, short chapter, I know. As you've noticed, the chapter's title is a broken-off sentence. The rest of the sentence will be another chapter's title…the one in which I deploy my secret plan! Heheh…

Lucius: You'll be happy to know you're also off the Silent Treatment.

Me: I knew it. Not even the infamous Lucius Malfoy can resist getting some action. Let's see…there's not much to say about Chapter 15. It's a little boring if you mind heart-to-heart conversations, but I still wouldn't skip it if I were you. Where would you skip to? I won't have Sixteen up by then. Nyah-nyah!

Harry: Stop teasing the readers, or they'll stop reading your fic altogether.

Me: Right. Sorry…