This is a pretty short chapter. Short, but eventful. Still not sure I like how the details worked out, but I guess itll do. Remember, brackets instead quotations, people. (Im I the only one that has this problem?)

The Whole Truth

Draco could not breath, could not think, he was almost certain his heart had stopped. Cut in half, as if by a dagger, by the words hed just read. Hed gotten dressed and was about to follow Ron home when he saw the letter on his desk. He had almost left it there until Monday, but figured it must have been urgent to be sent at such a late hour to begin with. Before he was half way finished he wished hed never read it at all.

Draco Malfoy,

I regret writing to you under such distressing circumstances, but there is an urgent matter which must be addressed. It has recently come to my attention that my wife, Hermione Battrone nee Granger, has been carrying on a rather illicit affair. This information was brought to me by one of my house elves, whom I use to monitor my wifes activities. I was content to settle the matter myself, until I learned the other party involved was non other than your wife, Ronald Malfoy. Though I have not had the honor of meeting you in person, I have always had great respect for both you and your family. That being said, I remind you that under the fidelity act, your estate may be held accountable for the shameful and unlawful acts of your wife; with assurances that my own wifes misconduct shall be dealt with. I trust we may be able to resolve this matter discreetly, and maintain a mutual civility.

Respectfully,

Alexi Battrone

Draco didnt want to believe the letter. He would have been convinced, in fact, that it was some kind of vicious lie, had it not been for the photo that accompanied the letter. Draco watched with his own eyes, as Ron and the mudblood bitchs bodies writhed into one another. Saw the sinful pleasure on her face that should have been reserved for him alone. That image more than anything turned Dracos disbelief and heartache into rage. He turned over his desk, and threw hexes blindly across the room, destroying everything in sight. His anger would not be quelled however. He apparated from the spot and returned home.

The house was dark when Draco arrived. Ron was nowhere insight. Draco was thankful for that. He was likely to kill the man, if he saw him at that moment. Draco would not let anger get the best of him. He would remain in control of the situation. He took several deep breaths, calming himself. He closed his eyes, but the vision of Rons naked body, hovering over someone that was not him, swam before him. The overwhelming need to destroy something, or someone, returned. Draco opened his eyes, and headed upstairs.

When he walked into his bedroom, Draco was met with the sight of Ron clad only in satin red pajama bottoms. He turned to Draco and smiled sweetly. It only brought more pain. {How could you, Ron?} He thought to himself. He almost wanted to forget the letter all together, to forgive Ron, and never think of the indiscretion again. But he could not. Rons smile faded at the look on Dracos face. {Draco? Whats wrong?} Draco had no words. He couldnt utter all the things that were in fact wrong. He removed the letter, and the incriminating photo from his pocket and tossed them down on the bed in front of Ron. Ron did not need to read the letter, the picture was enough. The look of horror on his face told the whole story, it was all true. Up until then Draco had been holding on to some hope that the image had been faked somehow, concocted to extort him. It was not uncommon for wealthy and powerful purebloods to try and blackmail each other. He had hoped this was all an elaborate hoax, and that Ron was innocent of it all. But there was no misreading that look, hed been caught.

{How long?} Draco asked, in a low even voice. Ron looked up at him, tears already forming in his eyes. {Draco, I} {How long?} Draco roared, his temper quickly rising. He turned and started out of the room. {Whats it matter anyway.} Ron flew from the bed after him. {Draco, Please!} {When did you start lying to me, Ron? With that story about Harrys grave, when you told me the first time that nothing happened?} Draco stormed down stairs, not really knowing where he was going. Ron hurriede down the stairs after him. {I did lie about Harrys grave. Hermione took me there that day. We were both pretty messed up after.} Draco whirled around, a fire blazing in his eyes that Ron had never seen. {Thats your excuse? Grief sex, was it?} He turned away from Ron again, and headed for the bar. He poured himself a drink, and held it to his lips with a shaky hand. Before he could even take the first sip, hed thrown the glass against the wall.

{Do you have any idea at all what Ive given up for you? Do you?} Ron could not look at him. {Ive had to work twice as hard as any sod in the ministry to regain my familys honor after my fathers failings, and double that because of you.} Draco started pacing the room, neither him nor Ron looking at each other as he spoke. {You know what they think of me? They call me the wife, the slave, the one jumping to your beck and call! They say Ive let you wrap me around your fucking finger. And theyre right!} Draco stopped, breathing heavily. {Ive brushed of every insult though, I didnt care what people thought. The only time I ever came to nearly hexing them is when theyve insulted you.} He turned to Ron, crying. {I loved you, Ron. Ive never fooled myself into believing you loved me, but I never thought youd do this to me.} Ron shook his head, tears falling down his face. {Draco} {Tell me something, Ron. When you were fucking her brains out, like a bitch in heat, was it good?} Ron turned away. {Draco, stop} {No! You tell me if that bitch was fucking worth it!} {Draco, please.} Both were silent for a long time. Ron fell into a chair on the far side of the room, Draco stood opposite him, running the evenings events through his head.

{Fucking whores, the lot you. Thats all Voldemort ever saw you as being good for. To think I was the idiot that saw different.} Dracos insult against himself had been more hurtful to Ron than his insult against him. Ron had never thought of Draco as foolish. He was brilliant, and proud, and noble. {You know the worst part?} Draco continued. {He asked for you, after that night at his 1st annual ball. He asked me for you, and I couldnt refuse him. It was the first time since I was a boy that I begged him for anything.} Ron knew Voldemort sometimes requested his followers wives, he always considered himself fortunate to have never been in Voldemorts sights. But apparently, he was wrong. Draco turned to Ron, tears rolling down his face. {The things I did to protect you.} Ron could only imagine what Draco had done, and the thought revolted him, and filled him with more shame. Ron couldnt speak, couldnt think of anything to say in his defense. For what hed done to Draco there was no defense. Draco turned to the floo, and Ron snapped to attention. {Where are you going?} {To find a new whore!} Draco spat over his shoulder. {Whats it to you?} He threw a fistful of floo powder into the fireplace, and emerald flames roared to life. Ron ran to him and seized his arm. {Draco please! Dont go! Im sorry!} Ron pleaded with him, but Draco was like stone. {Let go of me.} His voice held no emotion at all. It was completely vacant, almost robotic. Ron hugged Draco to him, sobbing all over him. {Draco, please, dont go! Ill make this right! Please.} Draco wormed out of Rons grip, pushing the other man off him. {Get off of me.} His tone was as empty as it had been before. Ron pulled on Dracos arm, trying to make the other man face him. {Draco listen to me.!}

The blow came fast and hard, and knocked Ron to the floor. It was the first time in the decade plus theyd been married, that Draco had ever struck him. Both were motionless and quiet for a moment. Then Ron heard a burst of flame, and shot up from the ground. {Draco!} But it was too late, he was gone.

Draco finding out his wifes cheating on him from the other womans boss, is bad enough. The fact that in Voldemorts world he can be held legally accountable (since wives are little more than property here) just really sucks. Luckily for him, thats not the direction Im going to go with this story. And what did he do to spare Ron from Lord Voldemort, I shudder to think of it.