Draco and Ron concentrated as they levitated the cabinet into the sack at their feet. It slowly sank and both young men let out a sigh of relief when it finally disappeared into the void.
"Fuck, that sucked," Draco breathed as he slunk into a nearby chair.
"At least, getting it out will be easier," Ron consoled him.
"Thank Salazar. Can you imagine us dancing around for thirty fucking minutes, just to get that bastard back out again," he groused.
"We can't risk being seen together tomorrow," the ginger said.
Draco nodded in agreement. "Shit, this is it then. Next time I see you…"
"Is when I hand over Ginny," Ron said then paused. "You'll take care of her?"
"Like she was my own sister," the other man swore. "She'll be under the protection of the Malfoys and the Dark Lord himself. She'll be treated like a princess."
"She won't act like one though," Ron warned. "She'll fight, and she will try to escape."
"I have no doubt," the blond said with a smirk. "You seem to forget that I've actually met her before."
The ginger winced. "Yeah, mate, sorry about that. Her bat boogey hex is wicked."
Draco laughed. "It was totally worth it. The look on Lovegood's face before she hit me was priceless. Fancy one more game before we go?" he asked.
Ron smiled. "Of course, mate," he said. Draco grabbed the sack and stowed it in his book bag.
"Lead the way," The blond replied as they headed towards the board to play one last game.
*D*D*D*D*D*D*D*D*D*
Ron was restless as he sat in the common room with his sister and friends. Harry had been gone for a while now, and all he could do now was wait for Draco's signal. The wait was excruciating.
To his chagrin, Lavender chose that moment to flounce down the stairs and deposit herself into his lap. Hermione looked horrified, and he gave her an apologetic shrug. It's not like he could dump the little bint in front of everyone.
Thankfully his ring finally started to heat up. Draco was in place. "Lav, could you grab my charms book from my bag," he asked.
She leaned down and rummaged through the satchel. "It's not in here," she said.
"It isn't?" he frowned. "I must have left it on the desk," he said motioning to a study desk next to a window. "Mind getting it for me?"
Lavender eagerly slid off his lap to get the requested item. A moment later she screamed. In true Gryffindor fashion most of the students in the room were instantly on their feet, racing to see what had frightened her. A few new exclamations of fear and outrage joined hers as they looked out the tower window.
Ron shoved a couple third years out of the way to see the Dark Mark hovering over the astronomy tower. "Harry," Hermione whispered urgently to him.
"It's a bloody ambush," Ron responded and quickly jumped into action. "Prefects!" he called out. "Get the first through fourth years to their dorms. Fifth years, I want you to guard the portrait hole. Sixth, Seventh years, I need some of you to go to Ravenclaw tower to warn them." A handful of students volunteered. "I need some more to go to the dungeons," he started.
"The Slithyrns already know," yelled a seventh year.
"Well, the Hufflepuffs sure as fuck don't," Ron shot back, staring the kid down. They quickly averted their gaze and joined the group going to the dungeons.
"Everyone else is with me," he ordered.
While some of the students went to don their shoes before leaving, Ron took Neville and Hermione aside. "I need one of you to go with each of the other teams. We need to rouse the DA, and Harry has the master coin. I also need you to alert any staff you find, and one of you needs to tell McGonagall so she can get the Order here," he said.
"I'll go see McGonagall." Hermione volunteered. "Then I can meet up with the dungeon team. That way I'll know whether or not I need to find Professor Snape."
The ginger rolled his eyes but agreed. "I guess that leaves me with Ravenclaw," Neville said.
That settled nicely, Ron found Lavender. "Lav, I want you to go with the dungeon group." When she started to shake her head, he quickly added,
"If death eaters are in the castle, it's going to be the safest place. They aren't likely to start trouble anywhere near their own kids."
"But, I want to go with you," she started.
"No, listen, love. I'm going to be running straight towards danger, and I can't do that if I'm worried about you. I need you safe. Please, Lav," he pleaded.
She had tears in her eyes as she nodded her head in agreement. Ron leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss before turning back to his team. "Oi, McLaggen," he called out as he saw the older boy about to depart with the Ravenclaw group. "I need you with me."
McLaggen frowned. "Why?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, despite the fact that you're a cunt, I know you're good with your wand, and I'm going to need that. Now, if you're too scared, you're more than welcome to stay in the dorms with the firsties," he replied. After a few of the students started laughing, McLaggen joined Ron's group with a scowl.
*R*R*R*R*R*R*R*R*R*
Draco paced nervously in an empty classroom near the stairs to the astronomy tower. He'd already cast the Dark Mark, and signaled Ron. They were now approaching the most precarious part of their plan. A lot needed to be done in a short amount of time, and a lot could go wrong. At the moment, everything hinged on Ron's part of the plan, and all he could do was wait.
*R*R*R*R*R*R*R*R*R*
Ron raced through the halls flanked by Ginny, McLaggen and Seamus. He'd managed to divert the rest of his team by having them escort wayward students back to their dorms safely. He was getting concerned for Seamus though. They were approaching the tower, and he still hadn't managed to shed him. Ron actually liked the bloke and really didn't want to have to kill him.
He looked back, and Seamus gave him an eager grin, excited for the upcoming battle. Fuck! Ron thought. If he didn't think of something soon, the guy was about to be the battle's first victim.
Just then, he saw movement from a tapestry and stopped. He pulled it back to find two fourth years snogging. The boy ran instantly, leaving the girl behind crying. Merlin, he couldn't have planned this better himself.
He looked to Ginny who scowled and said, "Don't you dare ask me to leave."
"I'll do it," McLaggen offered.
"Like hell you will," Ron responded, then turned to his friend. "Seamus, mate, could you please take her to her dorm," he pleaded before lowering his voice. "I don't trust McLaggen to get her back unmolested. You know how he is. Please, mate."
Seamus gave him an incredulous look. "But you trust him to watch your back?" he asked.
The ginger shrugged. "Not necessarily, but I know I'd feel a lot better knowing that you were making sure the kid gets back safe."
The other boy nodded and motioned to the girl to follow. "I'm coming right back," he promised.
"I'd be mad if you didn't," Ron called back with a grin, pleased that his problem had been solved.
*D*D*D*D*D*D*D*D*D*
They rounded the last corner before the stairs to the tower. Ron had managed to lag behind the other two. After taking a second to ensure that no one else was about, he yelled, "They're behind us!" Ginny didn't even have time to look back before she was stupefied.
"What the hell, Weasley?" McLaggen yelled.
The ginger just rolled his eyes and cast an incarcerous.
Draco casually walked out of a nearby classroom.
"About time you got here," he said with a smile.
"Hey!" Ron laughed as he went to check on his sister. "You didn't have to wrangle a tower full of Gryffindors to get here."
"Very true," the blond conceded.
"Will someone tell me what the fuck ishappening?" the bound man shouted.
"Did you put up the wards?" the ginger asked.
"Of course, and a pretty strong notice-me-not as well. We should have a few minutes of privacy," Draco replied.
"Is this some sick prank or something?" McLaggen asked.
"And Ginny?" Ron asked.
"Mother is waiting on the other side to take her," Draco answered. "She'll be treated as family. Mother will have her settled before she has time to wake."
"Will someone fucking answer me!" the other Gryffindor screamed.
Ron sighed, "Well, let's get on with it."
The blond nodded and returned to the classroom to fetch the bag. The ginger went to where McLaggen lay and propped him to sit upright against the wall. Ron crouched down to look the man in his eyes. "You know, McLaggen, you could have had a really good life. You aren't terribly smart, but your family is rich and well placed. You could have easily gotten some bullshit job and coasted. Probably would of married a pretty little witch with big tits. Spat out a couple of brats. Retired early and just lazed about for the rest of your days. It could have been nice," he said with another sigh. "But you just couldn't keep your hands to yourself. Plenty of cunts around here throwing themselves at you, and you just had to touch mine."
"That's what this is all about, Weasley?" the other man laughed. "Payback for touching Granger? She isn't yours," he taunted. "And I can't believe you went to a fucking Slytherin to pull this off. Your brothers would be so disappointed."
Ron found himself rather unaffected by the mocking considering that the man would be dead shortly by his hands. In fact, he found it rather amusing. Especially when he got angrier and angrier the less Ron reacted.
"Dammit, Weasley! Let me go or I'll make sure Dumbledore expels you, Malfoy and Granger by morning!" he threatened.
The ginger called out to Draco who had returned to the hall. "Oi, Malfoy! McLaggen says he'll have Dumbledore expel us by morning if we don't let him go. What do you think?"
The blond shrugged, "Oh, I don't know about that. I expect Dumbledore to be dead within the hour," he replied, then added casually. "You too for that matter," he said to McLaggen.
"True," Ron commented.
McLaggen's eyes went wide. "You're joking," he said hopefully. "Just taking a piss." He looked to the other two and saw no evidence of jest. "Help!" he screamed. "Please, someone help me!"
"I guess he wasn't paying attention when I said that no one could hear us," Draco commented.
"Yeah, he never listens. Kinda the reason he's here," the ginger said with a laugh. He got up to help Draco, leaving the other man to scream. Together they levitated the cabinet from the bag and turned it to face the stairs to the tower.
"I'll grab McLaggen, if you get Ginny," Ron said when they were done. They didn't have much time left. He silenced the other Gryffindor and grabbed him by his collar, dragging him to the stairs. The blond followed with the unconscious girl cradled in his arms.
Ron swept the hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Gin. Try to be good," he whispered. He pulled out the Marauder's Map from his back pocket. "Snape is on his way," he said as he studied it. "We still have a few minutes, but Harry and Dumbledore still should get here before him".
Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Now, we wait," he said, looking up the stairs. The other two followed his gaze straining their ears for the sounds of either apparition or footsteps.