DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter
Even I hate writing Harry and Draco apart. I'll try my best not to leave you guys in suspense for very long. Buuuut sometimes it's fun ;)
-- --
It was several hours past dark when the immense castle of Hogwarts came into sight. Its majestic towers sitting proudly on the hill glowed faintly by the sporadic yellowed windows. A feeling of serenity washed over Harry as he flew ever closer to what had been his favorite place in the world for so many years. He could feel the overload of magic pulse through him. It lifted his spirits significantly. In the fortress before him, he had witnessed and overcome the extraordinary and the impossible. Now, that same courage caused him to lift his chin and press forward faster in confidence.
When he finally reached the castle, he couldn't help but fly around it, taking in every little detail he missed so much. The grounds, the stone archways, the stained glass windows, everything.
The sight of Hagrid's hut reminded him of what he came here to do. Angling his broom in that direction, Harry flew towards the small illuminated residence of his favorite guardian at Hogwarts. The steady stream of smoke rising from the chimney reminded him of the night Hagrid hatched the baby dragon Norbert by himself. The memory almost made Harry smile.
He pulled the broom up along side the front steps of the hut and jumped off, landing just before the door. He pounded on the door three times. With luck, Hagrid would know exactly where Ron was in the Forbidden Forest. Or, if Ron's parents had found him, where they took him.
And Ginny, too… he suddenly thought. He bit his lip and ran his fingers through his wind swept hair. Things may become a bit more difficult than he had planned. When the door finally creaked open, Harry did a double take and almost laughed. Ron stood in the doorway with a mixed look of surprise and annoyance.
"Harry…didn't expect to see you here."
Despite all that had happened, Harry felt the sudden urge to jump up and hug Ron. He was elated that he could get straight to the point of talking with Ron instead of having to search for him for who knows how long. It also meant getting to Draco sooner.
"I didn't exactly expect to see you here either! Could I…?" Harry motioned to the door with his hand. Ron shrugged and walked away, leaving the door open. Harry took this as an invitation, so he stepped through and closed the door behind him. He took a moment to take in the inside of the hut. Nothing had changed. Then he blinked as he realized something quite large was missing.
"Ron, where's Hagrid?"
Ron flopped down on one of the couches next to a giant tan and black Newfoundland who immediately got up from its spot on the end to lay its huge head on Ron's lap. Harry looked at him curiously.
"And what happened to Fang?"
"Fang's dead" Ron stated, voice void of emotion. "Been dead a year now. This is Chester. A much better guard dog, in my opinion. Not a bloody coward like Fang."
Harry took a seat in one of the oversized and very worn armchairs.
"And Hagrid?"
Ron took a hand and laid it casually on top of Chester's head. The immense dog looked up at him as a larger than life tongue rolled out of his mouth. Ron's gaze never left the canine.
"Hagrid's been up visiting his Giant relatives for a few days. Told him I'd take care of things while he was gone. Figured I'd finally get some time alone after Mum 'n' Dad left with Ginny."
Harry winced at his accusing voice. It wasn't going to sway him, though.
"Ron, I need your help."
A scowl crossed Ron's face as he started running his hand over the big black patch on Chester's forehead. "Of course you do. What else could possibly make you come all this way? Not to see if I was ok or anything, that's for damn sure."
Harry glared at him. He'd had just about enough of Ron's attitude. "Don't start with me, Ron. I need your help because Draco's in trouble. The Ministry took him."
Ron's hand froze behind Chester's ear. He eyes widened as he continued to hold his stare down at the dog.
"Bloody hell" he muttered as much to himself as to Harry. "They weren't supposed to take him yet…I didn't think they would."
Harry leaned forward to try to make eye contact with Ron. "Well, they did. And now I don't know where they have him or what they're going to do or how to save him! Please, Ron, you have to help me!"
Ron lifted his gaze to stare back at his fellow wizard. Even though their eyes were locked, Ron's mind was elsewhere, quickly thinking through possible situations. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he focused back on the person in front of him.
"Give me one good reason" he gritted through his teeth. Harry's eyes bulged.
"You sodding git! I came here for your help because I thought you would be man enough to put aside whatever the hell is wrong between us to save a friend!"
Ron's face started to go red with anger. "Malfoy may be your boyfriend, Harry, but he is not my fucking friend."
Harry loudly interrupted what sounded like the beginning of a long tirade. "Then help me save someone who's going to be given the worst conceivable punishment for a crime he didn't commit!"
Hoards of anger and frustration passed through them as they stared at the other, unblinking, for several moments. Then Ron's jaw set and he turned away, eyes searching the floor for some unknown truth. Harry watched as he saw what he knew was an intense internal battle being fought in Ron's mind. He knew he was torn between his unbelievable stubbornness and wanting Harry to forgive him. Harry watched silently and patiently while the battle was fought. His body was tense in anticipation. If Ron refused to help him, he had almost no chance of getting Draco back. Finally, after several minutes Ron closed his eyes and drew a long breath through his nose.
"He's probably in the dungeon, in the basement of the Ministry. You can't get there using the elevators. There's a different way only specific members of the Ministry know to, you know, keep things safe."
Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "Specific members such as yourself?"
Ron nodded slowly and Harry grinned. "Alright then! Let's go!" He made to stand up but stopped short when Ron looked at him seriously.
"I'm not going –"
Harry gasped sharply and jumped to his feet. "RON!"
Ron glared fiercely at him and stood up. "Would you shut up and let me finish?"
Harry snapped his mouth closed and waited in confusion for him to go on.
"I'm not going except under one condition."
Harry stared at him to continue but Ron averted his eyes to the floor, shuffling one foot and jamming his hands in his pockets. A faint tint of pink crept through his cheeks before ever so quietly mumbling his condition. If Harry hadn't been listening intently, he might have missed it.
"Forgive me?"
Harry's face lit up and broke into a wide grin as relief washed over him, grabbing Ron in a tight hug. He kissed Ron on the cheek, not caring when his face turned scarlet at the sudden show of affection. Ron smiled sheepishly up at him.
"I'll take that as a 'yes'?"
Harry laughed and punched him in the arm. "I've been waiting almost a year for you to ask me that, you stubborn bastard!"
Ron laughed along with him. "Yeah, well…" his voice trailed off, deciding not to bring up the past. Harry understood though, and put his arm around his best friend's shoulder.
"Well, mate, we're about to face some really intense shit" Harry's voice quieted, making his next point very clear. "But I'm glad you're here again."
Ron let out a stressed sigh. "Yeah. So am I. Now let's go save your Slytherin boyfriend."
Overflowing with hope and confidence, Harry ran outside the hut to grab his broom. Ron followed soon after, his own Nimbus 2009 in hand. As they mounted side by side, Ron looked over at the back of Harry's broomstick.
"What's in the bag?" he asked. Harry glanced behind him at the light brown satchel tied tightly to his broom.
"Sometimes it's easier for one person to sneak into the Ministry rather than two" he hinted.
Ron furrowed his eyebrows in confusion until comprehension broke out over his face, his mouth widening in a grin stretching from ear to ear.
"Wicked, you brought the Invisibility Cloak!"
"Never leave home without it" Harry winked. Ron just shook his head and chuckled.
They both launched into the air, swiftly leaving everything of their past behind them. Harry couldn't help but feel this was a sign of things to come. Whatever happened, he had Ron by his side again, and nothing was going to stand in their way.
Not even the entire wizarding government.
-- --