Disclaimer: Characters belong to Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl series, and J. K. Rowling, author of Harry Potter series. The characters are used for entertainment purposes and no profit is gained from the writing of this fic.

Pairings: Draco Malfoy/Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy/OC, eventual Draco Malfoy/Artemis Fowl, mention of Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger (possible Ron Weasley/Draco Malfoy/Artemis Fowl?)

A/N: This was originally started way back in 2007. I'm hoping to continue the story but cannot promise quick updates beyond the parts already written. I also am in need of a title if one can be offered.

Chapter Four:

It has been three weeks since Draco was expelled, and Ron felt every second of their separation. Everyone, even Hermione herself, believed she was his girlfriend, but it wasn't true. He'd known he was gay as long as he could recall, but Draco was the first one to know, the first to accept it.

Ron looks up from his potions homework to glance at Harry. When he'd learned of Draco, Ron thought he'd gladly rip the blond limb from limb. He'd even tried to curse Draco a few times. Luckily, he never succeeded.

"What?" Harry asks, noticing Ron looking at him.

"It's nothing," Ron answers quietly, going back to work. Harry doesn't believe it is nothing because he noticed the sadness in his best mate's eyes, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Hey, Ron," Hermione cries happily, entering the Common's through the portrait hole. "Hey, Harry." Getting inside, she attacks Ron, wrapping her arms tight around him.

"Hi, 'Mione," Ron and Harry reply. Ron is cringing at the contact, but says nothing about it. He needs everyone to keep believing Hermione is his girlfriend; if he doesn't, he couldn't survive the next two years at Hogwarts.

Hermione finally untangles herself from the red headed male and sits down, pulling out her own potions. As she begins, she says to Ron, "Oh, Snape said he needed to see you in his office. Something about your abundant grades of failure. You might want to leave before curfew.

Ron sighs, but quickly packs up his back. He waves at his friends before exiting the Gryffindor Common Room. He goes through the halls, avoiding trick stairs along the way until he reaches Professor Snape's dungeon office. He knocks on the door and immediately gets a curt order to enter.

"Professor?" Ron carefully asks as he closes the door.

"Weasley," Snape says from his seat behind the desk, "have you had any news from Malfoy?"

Snape was they only one to have known of Draco and Ron's affair, and he had no qualms with it, surprisingly enough, in Ron's eyes. He is also the only person who knows the whole story of Draco's expulsion.

"No, sir. I don't know where he is or anything. And if I tried to owl him, my parents, Hermione, harry, everyone would know. So I'd be in trouble."

"This is really a less than appreciated situation," Snape says kindly. "If I tell you where Malfoy is, what would you do?"

"Go to him and apologize for being an arse. I…I might even run away to be with him." Ron looks at Snape pleadingly, "I love him so much, Professor, and I'd do anything, even die, if I could be with him again."

"No need to talk of death," Snape says quickly. "But it will be difficult to see Draco again. His father devised what he felt would be the worst punishment."

"Where is he?" Ron pleads.

"He is going to a muggle school in Ireland, St. Bartleby's School for Young Gentlemen. Lucius, per Dumbledore's suggestion, figured putting him among muggles would better his personality. I think they might be right. I got a letter from him the other day, and he seem to be happy." Snape pulls a small envelope from his robe pocket and holds it out to Ron. "He asked me to give you this. I've no idea what it says."

"Thank you," Ron says quietly, taking the envelope and holding it to his chest. Even knowing Draco touched this lightens his heart.

"You should return to your dorm; it is almost curfew. Good night, Mr. Weasley."

Ron nods and rises, leaving the dungeons with the letter from Draco in his pocket. When he reaches the commons, no one is in there. Knowing this is more privacy than he'd get anywhere else, Ron takes a seat before the dying fire to read his letter:

My Dearest Ronald,

I've asked Professor Snape to give this to you if you still want it. I know you claim Granger never will be a real girlfriend to you, I still worry you will realize we were never more than an experiment or something. What I'm writing about, though, is not Granger or lies or games. I've made friends, real friends, here at this muggle school, but no one fills the hole you left. I wish I could see you again, but I don't know if I can. I love you and hope you never forget that.

Love,

Draco

Ron rereads the short note a couple times, trying to understand. It is almost like he just kind of rambled. Could he no longer figure out what to say to Ron? Something about the whole note seemed off. Unable to handle not understanding, Ron feels tears begin to leak from his eyes. 'I have to see him again,' Ron thinks to himself. 'If I don't, I'm going to lose my mind. I need him, so bad.'

Ron gets to his feet at last, set to leave the school. He goes up to his dorm and begins to pack a bag. None of the fifth years in the room stir as Ron stealthily exits and goes down to the Great Hall. He carefully keeps watch for Filch or Mrs. Norris. When he reaches the doors of the school, he looks around quickly before steeping out onto the grounds. He quickly races until he is off the school grounds. The next minute, the Knight Bus appears.

"Where to?" Stan, the driver, asks as Ron climbs on.

"Uhm, St. Bartelby's in Ireland."

"Why you'd wanna go to a muggle school?" he is asked, but Ron doesn't answer as he is led to a bed. He is left alone with a shrug and Ron lies down to sleep until he reaches his lover.