A Business Affair

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Chapter Twenty-nine: Feelin' Fine


Harry stomped down the street, kicking debris out of his way as he went. He was furious with Ginny. He had come prepared to be berated for leaving her the night before, but he hadn't expected her to be so angry. After all, it was only one night! And how could she expect him to stay after she went off on her own, flirting with everyone in the place?

He was surprised he had never thought of leaving the party early in previous years. Now that he thought about it, it seemed the logical response to her obvious flirtations.

He stared angrily at the ground as he walked along, having no clear idea of where he was headed. He just knew he had to get away from her. He reached the end of the street and looked up, wondering where he was.

Harry had walked to the edge of London where the fields began. To his left was a dead field that, in the summer time, was always filled with tons of yellow flowers. Harry wished it was summer-time then. Maybe by summer all of this would be over, forgotten.

He pulled his jacket tighter around him, wishing he had thought to bring his heavier coat. Unfortunately, he'd been too preoccupied with his anger to think of it when he had stormed out.

He stopped for a moment at the end of the lane then decided to take a right and follow the path to wherever it would lead. As he left the city further and further behind, the amount of snow increased until it was up to his ankles.

He stopped, knowing he had to go somewhere. He couldn't just wander around aimlessly forever. Harry thought for a moment, trying to decide where to go that he could complain about Ginny and not be judged for it. Then it hit him, the only person who would really understand as he did.

In a Pop he was gone. He appeared outside a kind of run-down house in the country. The snow was piled about three feet high on either side of the walkway as Harry came to the front door. He knocked twice and stood back, waiting for an answer.

He heard some stumbling and the sounds of glass breaking on the floor. He eyed the door suspiciously as it was thrown open moments later. Ron stood in the doorway, his hair messy and looking incredibly tired.

"Harry," he mumbled. "Come in."

He stood back and Harry came inside, giving him a strange look. Nothing looked different inside, it was the same semi-messy living room, cluttered with papers from Ron's job.

Harry came in and Ron passed him, going into the kitchen. Harry followed, wondering what was wrong with him. Ron sat down at the table that had an empty potion vile on it along with a cup of hot tea.

"I see you enjoyed yourself last night," Harry commented.

"Yeah, sure," Ron mumbled sarcastically. He sighed and looked up at Harry through his heavily-lidded eyes. "Listen, Harry," he said apprehensively. "I know what you're probably thinking and I just have to say that she makes me happy. She's a great woman and even though they were married, she's not like you think."

"Uh... who?" Harry asked, confused.

Ron gave him a questioning look. "Pansy."

"Oh... what about Pansy?" he asked.

Ron cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows. Harry just gave him a confused look.

"We're engaged," Ron said as though it was obvious.

"Really?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Ron said, still looking at him carefully. "Didn't you hear last night?"

"Last night..." Harry said, thinking of what he had done last night.

"Yeah, I kind of drank too much and announced it to everyone. I can't believe I did that. It was supposed to be a secret, but I guess it's not anymore."

"Oh, right," Harry said slowly.

"Do you seriously not remember?" Ron asked.

"Well, I kind of had too much to drink too," he said.

"Oh," Ron nodded in understanding. "Yeah, that would do it. But you're not mad?"

"Mad?" Harry repeated. His mind flitted to Draco and what he was doing with him that was so secretive. He couldn't really blame Ron for doing the same with Pansy. He would be a bit of a hypocrite to get mad at Ron for something like this. "No, I'm not mad. Pansy's a nice person. She was never a Death Eater. Good for you, Ron."

Ron looked incredibly relieved that Harry approved. He cheered up significantly from that point on. "So what brings you here, Harry?" he asked.

"Ginny," he replied shortly.

Ron gave him a sympathetic look. "What happened this time?"

"Last night, I kind of..." Harry trailed away, trying to figure out what he should tell Ron. "I kind of disappeared without telling anyone. I don't really remember what I did, but I didn't come home until this morning, and she got really mad."

"Oh," Ron said, nodding in understanding. "So you got in another fight?"

"Kind of, she accused me of being a bad husband for leaving her, though, I don't see the problem. She can Apparate. It shouldn't be that big of a deal if I leave. She can take care of herself."

"Yeah, but you know how she gets," Ron said with the knowledge of a brother. "She blows anything out of proportion."

"Yeah, she did that too; I just wish she would trust me. It's not like I've done anything," 'to her knowledge,' he added silently.

"Well, she's always kind of been like this. She wants everything her way. She's kind of controlling."

"I should have known that," Harry muttered, thinking of Mrs. Weasley though she wasn't half as bad as Ginny.

Ron simply shrugged in agreement at his statement. Personally, Ron wasn't sure why Harry had married Ginny in the first place. Yes, he loved his sister, but the relationship had never been quite right, especially lately. Ron wasn't quite sure of the reason why they had started fighting all of a sudden those few months ago. He thought it must have something to do with Ginny cheating on him, but Harry didn't know about that, right?

Ron knew the marriage was going down-hill. Even with his poor reasoning skills and distracted nature, he could see the direction it had taken. He just wanted his best-friend to be happy, and he was obviously not happy with Ginny. He wouldn't blame him if they decided to get a divorce, in fact, he might support it. He didn't like watching them together, always snipping at each other and picking fights. It might be best for both if they just split up.

Secretly, Ron had always thought that Harry harbored secret feelings for his own sex. He wouldn't dare mention this to Harry because he would, no doubt, freak out. But after Harry's fiasco with Cho fifth year and break-up with Ginny before the war, Ron had been sure he would come back with a boyfriend on his arm, but he didn't. Instead, he came back and married Ginny.

Ron thought that maybe they had married too young. After all, Harry had only been 21 at the time and Ginny 20. Ron was glad he had waited until he was 23 to even think about marriage. He was positive that Pansy was the one for him.

They had started their secret relationship just a year after her marriage with Draco. At first, Ron had been terrified that he would find out and kill him, but Pansy assured that he was safe. They had kept the relationship a secret all throughout the three year marriage. When Pansy had told Ron about her divorce, he had been ecstatic. Finally, they could have a real relationship.

Soon after, Ron had proposed. Pansy accepted without hesitation, glad that he had finally done it. Ron didn't care much about Malfoy anymore. Pansy had managed to convince him that he wasn't such a horrible guy and Ron nearly believed her. Besides the fact that he had been a Death Eater, Draco was very smart and had covertly helped Harry's side, though he hadn't known.

"Well, Harry," Ron said at length. "I wish I could help."

"It's okay," he sighed. "I've got it under control."

"Really?" Ron asked, intrigued. Harry looked up at him sharply as though he hadn't realized what he had just said.

"Uh... yeah. I can handle it," he said quickly, hoping Ron wouldn't push the issue. He stood up from the table, preparing to leave. "Congratulations on Pansy, Ron," he said with a small smile.

Ron got up and followed him to the door. They said good bye and Ron closed it after him, thinking to himself. He wondered what Harry had meant when he said he had it under control. Ron just shrugged, figuring if it was important Harry would tell him eventually. Ron was just happy that Harry wasn't upset about Pansy.

He smiled to himself as he walked back to the kitchen and sat down once more. He took a sip of his tea and sighed contentedly. Ah, yes, things were going well indeed.

***

"Now what is it that you needed to tell me?" Blaise asked, sounding bored. Pansy just smirked and motioned for him to sit next to her on the couch.

He perched himself carefully next to her, wondering what was up. It couldn't be good given the smile she was wearing, half-satisfied and half-devious.

"Did you enjoy the party last night?" she asked casually.

"Cut the crap, Pansy," he replied tiredly.

She merely raised an elegant eyebrow. "Pardon me?"

"Just tell me why I'm here. What happened last night?"

"Last night," Pansy said thoughtfully. "Last night your best-friend did something probably not to his best advantage."

"Stop skirting the issue," Blaise said, "tell me what happened."

"Fine," she said, clearly displeased at not being allowed to drag it out. "Last night our little Draco and his little Potter went a step further than they intended to."

"A step further?" Blaise repeated slowly. Pansy didn't say anything, waiting for him to comprehend.

Blaise furrowed his eyebrows as her words sank in. He gasped as it hit him and he looked up at Pansy, who had a smug look on her face.

"They didn't!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, they did," she affirmed. "And Draco tells me you saw it coming."

Blaise looked up at Pansy and could tell this was the real reason she had wanted to tell him. He paused for a moment, wondering what he should tell her. In the end he decided the truth would be best. She might be able to help.

"I warned him not to," he said darkly. "You do know what will happen if they start sleeping together?"

"Of course, I know," she responded, laughing slightly. "Draco's kind of predictable that way."

"Unfortunately, I think Potter is as well. He's a Gryffindor, trusting, loyal. If they start this, they're in for it big time. I just hope Draco knows exactly what he's doing."

"So do I. However, I can see them getting in way over their heads."

"This wasn't even supposed to happen!" Blaise exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "This was only supposed to be simple manipulation for old time’s sake!"

"Draco still thinks it is," Pansy commented off-handedly.

"He may say that but I know he doesn't believe it," Blaise said seriously. "If he's gotten this far something else must be invested in it."

"He'd never admit that," Pansy said.

"No," Blaise sighed, rubbing his face in his hands, "but I can see it."

"How far do you want to let this go?"

"What?" he asked, lifting his head up from his hands and giving her a questioning look.

"Should we intervene?"

"And do what exactly?"

"Well, telling someone would be a start," she said, as though it was obvious.

"And who are we supposed to tell?!" Blaise exclaimed. "Hermione? She would kill us. The Weaselette? Then Draco, and she, would kill us, not to mention Potter. So tell me, Pansy, who do you recommend telling?"

Pansy gave him a dark look and rolled her eyes. "I don't know," she said scathingly. "It was just a suggestion."

"Well, I don't really think there's anything we can do," Blaise said, sighing.

"Nothing at all?" Pansy asked skeptically.

"Not unless you want to die an early death."

Pansy scowled as she looked at Blaise. He just shrugged at her and didn't say anything more. "So you're going to let Draco dig his own grave?"

"What else is there to do?" he asked. "He wouldn't accept help if we offered. He's too stubborn for that. Besides, I think he secretly enjoys this. I'm just worried of what will happen if they make this sleeping together a regular thing."

"Oh, I think we know what will happen. We just have to keep quiet for now until it comes to a culmination which must be soon."

"Yeah," Blaise scoffed.

"Alright, then you know what you have to do."

"And what's that?"

"Well one, don't tell Hermione."

Blaise scoffed and gave her a look that clearly said, "You think I'm that stupid?"

Pansy ignored the look and went on. "And two, you have to listen to Draco when he wants to talk, or rather, rant."

"What do you think I've been doing for the past twelve years?"

"You know what he's like then," she said simply.

"Yes," Blaise sighed resignedly.

"Alright, so you can handle that?"

"Of course I can," he said scathingly, glaring at her.

She just rolled her eyes. "Fine, well, go home," she said, indicating the fireplace.

He pushed himself off the couch and made his way over to the grate. Just before he stepped into the green flames that sprung up with a handful of the powder, he turned to Pansy.

"This ought to be interesting," he said before stepping into the fireplace and disappearing in a whoosh of green flames.

Pansy leaned back into the couch and sighed to herself. "Yes, it ought to indeed."


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A/N: Ah, I have some bad news. Next week I won't be around to post the next chapter on Monday :( I'll be outta town with no computer. So... please review and I'll try to get it up as soon as possible next week!