A/N: This is dedicated to nerdyheart15, marie3740, and Zorpox for reading and following my story. All it takes is a single person to like a story to spur on the writer, and lucky me I got three!

Written for HPFC Camp Potter :Paintball (war fics)

This week's prompts:

Mandatory: Write about a loss during either war.

Optional: 1. Dust 2. Broken bone(s) 3. Yearning 4. "Goodnight, sweet friend. You lie but sleeping. Someday we will meet again."- Emilie Autumn, "Goodnight Sweet Ladies" 5. Sunshine

First Time For Everything: Chapter 2:{Enslaved with loss}

Draco paced outside the infirmary while Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall tended to Ron.

"Stop it, Malfoy," Harry yelled from the squatting position he had taken earlier to wait for news of his friend. "Stop pacing, you're driving me up the wall!"

The distraught blonde paid him no mind, continuing to pace chewing on his thumb nail. Harry stood up as Draco turned on his heel to pace back to the other end of the hall.

It's entirely my fault, he thought, it was meant for me!

"Draco," Harry yelled in his face pulling him out of his thoughts. "Draco, stop pacing! He will be ok."

Draco stared, eyes wide and shining. Harry gripped his shoulder.

"We all know you didn't do it to him." Draco finally nodded at his words absently, assenting that he was not to blame.

"You care for him, Draco," Harry asked, choosing his words carefully.

At this Draco stiffened. "He can't know, Potter. He wouldn't… I couldn't live with myself if the entire school knew."

"Because the rest of the school holds you in such high esteem," Harry flinched as his words made the other boy pale as white as a corpse. "I didn't mean… I only meant…"

The doors to the infirmary opened, both boys forgetting the conversation eager for information.

"He will be fine, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy. He suffered several broken bones, a fever, some mild hallucinations and several gashes, but he will survive." Professor McGonagall turned her full attention on Draco, "Mr. Weasley has requested to speak with you, Mr. Malfoy, but I must insist on a brief visit."

Draco nodded with such eagerness that left Harry slightly smiling. It was strange to see Draco, a Malfoy in such an uncollected manner. The Slytherin usually carried an air of authoritativeness and a pride that was completely absent and such a vast contradiction to the person standing in the hospital wing waiting to see the classmate that had been an enemy up until the events of the Astronomy Tower.

"Follow me, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall led Draco towards the opposite end of the ward where Ron was slapping at Madam Pomfrey's hands.

"I don't bloody need to be tucked in!"

"Such foul language in my ward will not be tolerated, Mr. Weasley. Recovering or not, I will give you a week's worth of detention!"

Ron huffed, still fighting with her from tucking him under the sheets up to his chin. Draco's approaching presence made him double take and stopped fighting against being tucked in.

"Let this be a quick visit, understand Mr. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy?"

They both nodded their assent to their professor. She walked away as the nurse erected a curtain around the pair. Ron pulled his arms free of the sheets along with his wand. He cast a silencing charm and looked at Draco expectantly.

"Ron, I-"

Ron shook his head, silencing him. "You didn't do anything, Draco. I picked up your letter, it could have happened to anyone."

Draco dropped onto the foot of the bed, shoulders slouched and his head drooping. This overwhelming feeling of almost losing something when it didn't belong to him, at least not yet, was ridiculous when there was death and a tangible pain out there. They were sheltered here, but everyone would be in danger if he stayed.

His father had been very clear. The letter was a warning, a taste of what awaited him for his betrayal, for joining forces with Potter and the order.

He looked up at Ron and what he found there surprised him. It was something so foreign to him that had he not seen it from his mother he never would have recognized it. It was compassion and understanding from someone he would never have expected it from.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered, tears welling in his eyes. The immense pressure and solitude from the loss of his entire identity since the death of the headmaster was beginning to show; and although he didn't like it and was slightly ashamed, there was no holding back anymore.

Ron sat up and swung his legs over the side, resting his hand on the other man's shoulder. "I'm not sorry one bit." He moved his hand, tilting Draco's face up to look him in the eyes and dropping his hand again. "I've seen how torn up you have been over everything since… since… you know. I don't mind taking some of your pain. You've lost more than I have. You lost your family and a bit of whom you are. I've seen you, really seen you. You're a ghost of a person and that needs to stop."

Draco stared at him, with each word he sat straighter, held his head a little higher, it was as if Ron was the Sun and he a lowly planet, eager and yearning to bask in the vitality of his sunshine.

"What was it that you were brewing in that classroom yesterday, Weasel," he said, lacing his voice with his usual callous viciousness.

Ron smiled, "Glad to have you back, Ferret."

"It smelled of fresh cut grass, pine, and broom polish."

Ron shook his head, "It was nothing."

"Weasel, I… it smelled remarkable." Draco stood, embarrassment flushing his pale cheeks.

Ron bowed his head and mumbled, "It was a love potion."

Draco gaped at him. "Why would you need a love potion?" He cleared his throat and stood. "How long will you be in this blasted place?"

"I'll see you at the order meeting tonight."

Draco nodded, pulling the curtain aside and walking away. He had given away too much already. He couldn't let him know how he made him feel, what he had been thinking about. A relationship between them would never last and he had to stay away for both their sakes.

He had to keep him safe. This was only the beginning of his father's wrath and retaliation. He wouldn't let more pain befall the red head, even if it meant relinquishing what could be.

He couldn't stand to lose Ron, not in anyway.

A/N: So sorry this is a short chapter and not much happened. I'm having some writers block. Let me know what you think:

Should Draco leave the school to confront Voldemort and his father on his own

or

Should Ron stop Draco when he finds out what he's setting out to do for him?