Keep Your Enemies Closer

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Chapter
1, Graduation

    
"Congratulations graduating Hogwarts students! May your future be as
bright and wonderful as your dreams can make it. Please feel free to indulge in
the refreshments provided and mingle amongst yourselves."

    
The crowd in the Great Hall was small and many still had bandages in various places
on theodieodies. The fight with Lord Voldemort had finally ended with Harry
Potter killing the Dark Lord and had almost killed himself in the process. Even
with all this hardship most of the students at the graduation were happy and
smiling. Standing, pale and drawn, between his friends Ron and Hermione, it was
hard for a person who hadn't seen him since his first year at Hogwarts to
recognize him. Harry had changed considerably over the last year. 

    
"Freedom! No more bloody tests, schoolwork, or gits like Snape to hound us
for the rest of our lives," Ron yelled. He bounced around his two friends
with glee as they made their way tos ths the refreshment table amongst many
well-wishers and people stopping one of the three for hugs. Ron wrapped his arm
warmly around Hermione and both Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes at each
other but grinned at their excited friend.

    
"Don't be stupid Ron. We still have to come back next year," Hermione
interjected. "We are professors now you know, and Dumbledore will expect
us to be responsible."

    
Snorting at Hermione's comment, Harry shook his head and grabbed for a cup of
the punch that was pouring as if from the air into a bowl. Glancing at his
friend, Harry couldn't help but marvel at how Ron had changed so much over the
course of the war and the last two years. Gone was the geeky, and pimply faced
boy that had always been wearing hand-me-down robes. His red hair was long,
down to mid-back, and curling down his shoulders. His body was muscular and filled
out from playing a beater in Quiddiand and he had grown to over six foot tall.

    
"Shut up Hermione! You're ruining the mood!" Ron playfully snapped.
Hermione sniffed primly at Ron and tossed a lock of her hair over her shoulder
before reaching for a glass of punch as well.

    
"You should still be a little less goofy Ron," Hermione retorted.

    
Harry shook his head at his friends and was about to speak to try to break up
the fight he saw brewing when Draco came from a group of Slytherin students. He
stood next to Ron. When Harry frowned at him Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed
Ron's arm.

    
"Don't start sniveling Potter, I'm only going to borrow the weasel."
Smirking at

Hermione
when she let out an outraged gasp, Draco tugged at Ron almost pleadingly.
"I'll bring him back in one piece for you Granger. I don't want you
punching me in the gob again."

    
Leaving the two other Gryffindors sputtering and gaping after them, Draco
dragged the frowning Ron, or tried to anyway, out into the hallway from the
Great Hall. When the red head started to protest and turn away Draco did something
so out of character for the harsh Slytherin that he left Ron speechless.

    
"Please Ron just, listen to me okay?" After a few moments of silence
Ron finally spoke up, looking down at the pale form of Draco in front of him.
Whom had been the object of many a late night fantasy since fourth year Ron
didn't really know what to make of how Draco was acting.

    
"Well speak, Malfoy. You do remember how. Don't you?" Draco let out a
ruffled sigh, not moving his hand from Ron's bicep, which flexed under his
fingers notably.

    
"I'm getting at it, Weasly. Just shut your gob for a moment."

    
"If all you wanted me to follow you out here for was to insult me I'm
going back inside and having a good time."

    
Draco sighed and frowned, tightening his slender hand around Ron's bicep.
Taking a deep breath, still frowning, Draco seemed to mentally brace himself
for an attack before stepping closer towards Ron, who was now much taller then
Draco was, and lifted his face to the red head. Watching Ron's eyes widen Draco
let his breath whisper against Ron's lips.

    
"I can't seem to say it Weasel..so..Ó Standing on tip-toe with his hands
sliding down to press against Ron's chest, Draco sealed his lips over the
stunned red head's own. At first, Ron was a statue and panicked thoughts
started to run through Draco's head. Starting to pull away, Draco sighed when
Ron moved and wrapped his heavily muscled arms around DracoÕs slender frame and
drew him towards his broad chest, kissing him deeper. Both became so engrossed
in the kiss that they didn't hear two people come up behind him until a loud
voice ran out in the hallway.

    
"What the bloody fucking hell is going on here? Get your mitts off of my
brother Malfoy!" Before Draco or Ron could react to the angry voices of
Fred and George Weasly another, much colder voice joined in.

    
"Step away from my son Mr. Weasly and explain yourself, or you may find
that you never again touch anyone."

    
Stepping away from Draco and putting himself between the smaller boy and his
brothers, Ron was relived to feel Draco slide his slender hand to rest at the
base of his back as Draco turned to face his father. Standing there all three
men looked livid and confused at the unlikely duo.

    
"Fred, George, leave him alone and bugger off. I'll talk to you about this
later alright?"

    
"But Ron..." the twins protested.

    
"No! Go away."

   
     Fine, bloody pillock. We will talk later." With
livid looks and threatening motions towards the younger Malfoy, the Twins swept
into the Great Hall in search of Harry and Hermione intent on filling in every
detail to the two, and most likely, adding in a few that didn't exist.

    
"Father, don't hex Ron. This doesn't concern you at all. It's my choice
and you need to stay out of it."

    
Lucius gaped at his son for a moment, composed himself quickly, and settled his
cold mask into place. He studied his son and Ron closely. Taking in the
affection in Ron's eyes and they way the slender figure of his son pressed
almost possessively into the tall red heads side, they looks like a couple whom
had been in love for years. Letting out a frustrated sigh and scowling, Lucius
simply nodded and turned with a swirl of his cape and entered the Great Hall.

    
"Well," Ron started uneasily, "that could have been worse."
Ron looked down at Draco by his side and chuckled before his eyes turned
serious again. Pulling Draco around to face him again Ron kept his large hands
wrapped around the slender Slytherin's arms. Feeling slightly...bothered...but
still wanting to get inside the blonde's head, Ron whispered in his ear softly.

    
"I think you need to tell me what you are thinking, Malfoy." The warm
breath tickled Malfoy's ear, but the seriousness of the command nearly shook
the sensation away. Draco scowled but nodded and tugged, or once again tried
to, Ron towards an empty classroom.