Putting the Pieces Together

Authors note: working towards slash I promise :~)

“Nothing is going on. It is not anything. We are just roommates, that’s all!”
George says for the hundredth or so time.
“come on mate, leave off”
Ron frowns at him.
“It’s just weird, ya’know. I mean, George, he used to teach at Hogwarts! Like when we were there”
Ron gestures wildly with his mug of tea.
“I mean it’s like you’re dating Dumbledore!”
“It is bloody not!”
George flings up his arms.
“and we’re not bloody dating. We’re flatmates that’s all”
Ron glowers at him from over the top of his cup.
“poofer”
“Yeah and you’re one to talk”
George suddenly grins and Ron sighs the tension in the room eases slightly.
“When are you going to move out?”
George asks his voice taking on a gentle, concerned tone. Ron frowns going back on the defensive.
“Hermione needs me”
But she doesn’t, he things, we’re not like we used to be and I’m doing no one any good hanging around here. Luckily George drops the subject, and they move on to Quidditch. When his brother finally leaves Ron sighs and leans against the table. He brings the mugs and piles them in the sink, it’s almost Christmas and he should do his shopping, he thinks. It’s almost evening and he wonders if he should think about making dinner in case Hermione comes home. He’s suddenly angry, she can make her own dinner if she wants it, he thinks, it’s not like he’s anyone’s little wife stuck in the kitchen all day. He grabs his jacket and his wand and heads out. He heads for Diagon Alley and spends some hours pondering over dish sets for his mother. Then trying to decide what would be good to get George finally going with a Quidditch book which is not terribly exciting, but cheep and safe kind of gift. He buy’s another one for Harry and finds himself in front of a wizarding clothes shop trying to make himself go in and find a gift for Ginny.
“Shopping for clothes then? I really can’t blame you, whoever told you, you could ware plaid lied.”
The voice is one he was pretty sure, up until a few months ago, he would never hear again.
“Which is a pity really”
Draco continues on smoothly while Ron opens his mouth and tries to think of something nasty to say.
“this year’s wizarding fashions would look really quite good on you”
Ron closes his mouth and tries to figure out whether Draco Malfoy of all people has just complement him. Draco looks back at him coolly and Ron finally settles on the truth.
“Actually I’m here looking for a Christmas present for Ginny”
He tells Draco who nods slightly
“Well you won’t be making a perches from the outside of the store”
Draco makes a motion towards one of Ron’s arms with a gloved hand.
“Don’t worry Weasley your manliness will not be lessened by a trip to a clothing shop”
Ron is again too busy trying to decide whether he’d just received another complement to stop himself from being guided into the story. When they emerge about an hour later Ron has bought a silk scarf for Ginny and three complete outfits for himself without quite know how Draco’s talked him into it.
“would you like to stop by the Leaky Caldron for a drink?”
Draco asks once they’re outside. Ron opens his mouth then tries to take the situation back into his own hands.
“only if you call me Ron”
Not exactly what he’d had in mind. Draco raises his eyebrows.
“are we on first name terms then?”
Ron feels slightly flustered.
“well how would you like it if I kept on calling you Malfoy all the time?”
Draco nods
“point taken”
They enter the pub and Ron orders beer and Draco orders whiskey. They sit and stare at the table, or at least Ron tries hard not to stare at Draco.
“what’s with the gloves? You were wearing them that other night with George too.”
Draco looks down at his hands
“I don’t like touching thinks most of the time”
He seems suddenly hesitant and shy. Ron’s professional curiosity kicks in.
“Trauma?”
Draco glares at him for moment then closes his eyes and sighs.
“yes it is trauma; have to do with my parents murder among other things that happened during the war. I keep forgetting you’re a Healer now”
“yeah, you and everyone else”
Ron tries to keep the bitterness from his voice and doesn’t quite make it.
He looks at his watch, which is also a tracker for himself and Hermione and sees that Hermione’s hand is pointing at home. He stands,
“I should go”
Draco glances at Ron’s watch
“Granger’s home then?”
Ron nods. Draco’s hand suddenly comes down around his wrist
“Stay. She doesn’t need you immediately.”
Ron bites his lip and then sit. Draco’s watching him closely.
“She’s not alright is she?”
Ron head snaps up.
“I don’t know why I’m talking to you about this or anything. I don’t even like you.”
Silence falls, Ron let’s his head fall into his hands
“I’m sorry, I’m a bastard that was a really rotten thing to say. It’s just. . . she’s just. . .”
Draco waits, and Ron scrubs his hand across his face. What the hell he thinks, Draco’s been descent so far, for some reason and it’s not like Ron has friends lined up around the block ready to have a drink and listen to him.
“after the war nothing was the same”
He takes a drink of his beer, wishing it was something stronger.
“She was just quiet at first, then only got more so. All of us, after a few years, we all pulled through, but she just moved into herself. Stays out all night most nights, won’t talk to me or anyone anymore. Breaks things for no reason, drinks too much. Oh don’t get me wrong she’s as smart as she’s ever been. Most powerful witch on the planet they say, or close to it. Spends all her time locked up in a library or ministry department somewhere studying. But you look into her eyes and there’s nothing there.”
He stops and looks at the table
“Sometimes I worry she’s going straight around the bend. Most people think she already has, but I can’t ‘cause she’s my best friend. ”
“You say friend not lover”
Draco’s voice cuts in. Ron shakes his head,
“No I don’t fancy girls like that”
Then remembers who he’s talking to and turns red. Draco gives him a rather amused look, and Ron splutter for a moment then gives up.
“anyway I should be getting back to her. Merlin knows what she could be doing to the apartment.”
Something changes in Draco’s face, like a cloud comes then just as suddenly goes. He straightens he’s shoulders and sits back.
“maybe you should be going”
Ron sighs then finishes his beer and gets up gathering his bags.
“umm. . . thanks for the drink”
He feels slightly awkward not to mention standing he now realizes how very much smaller Draco is from him. He reaches out his hand comes just short of touching Draco’s shoulder and pulls back.
“how about we do it again some time”
Draco looks up at him.
“besides I just told you all about my life. It’d only be fair for you to tell me something about yours”
Draco nods
“another night then”
Ron nods back, then hurries out into the cold.
Back in his own apartment, Draco curses himself roundly for being an idiot. First for being interested in Ron Weasley of all people, and secondly for actually caring. Caring about people who aren’t him is something Draco is not used to, and doesn’t usually tolerate in himself. Draco had never been a very touchy feely kind of person and since the war though his sex drive had gone down to almost nothing. When he did have sexual encounters, he preferred to keep them strictly impersonal one night stands, always had, it became his personality better. What he should be doing he tells himself firmly, filling his muggle cappuccino machine, is to figure out some way to get Ron into bed or forget him.
That had actually been the plan, but when Ron had started talking about Granger something had changed. Ron cared, really cared, he always had and the war seemed to only have heightened that. Now he struggled to take care of one emotionally damaged war victim and Draco really didn’t want to be his second, partly because his pride wouldn’t allow it. Mostly though he admitted to himself it was because he didn’t want Ron to ever sound so tired and beaten while talking about him, like he had about Granger that afternoon. Draco started the cappuccino maker with a little more forces then necessary and cursed himself again. Dumbly sappy did not become him at all and he really wished he could stop it now, if possible.
Draco sighed and leaned against the counter. He desperately wanted to talk to someone about this, but he really didn’t have that many choices. Actually George was the only one who sprang to mind and Draco thought caustically what would he say? Well you see George, I was planning on shagging, then leaving, your little brother but my feelings seem to have gotten in the way? He thought not. There was Remus, Draco rolled his eyes, because werewolf ex-Auroras were normally so friendly towards sons of Death Eaters. Which was ridiculous Draco corrected himself, he was his own man, the Malfoy line now began and ended with him and he wasn’t going to have anything to do with the shit his father had always believed in. Still he doubted the remaining Order of the Phoenix members would see it his way.
He picked up his cup and walked into the living room were a charmed view of the latest stock exchange floated in mid air. He only glanced at it before walking over to his desk to go over his notes and account books. There really wasn’t anything pressing, but work was still work. He fidgeted with his quill as his mind wandered, maybe he would make pasta for dinner, yes that would be nice. He sighed, then he’d figure out what to do about Ron Weasley.
Hermione Granger kneels among a sea of broken glass, not really seeing it.
She knows they’ll die. She knows every time she sends them out some or even most won’t be coming back. When they tell her the Death Eaters have some of the younger members of the Order in a burned-out basement torturing them, she doesn’t let them mount a rescue party. It’s too risky, it might be a trap, at least that’s what she tells them. When they bring back the bodies she only blames herself. She makes the hard decisions because Ron can’t and Harry won’t, but she can. Hermione Granger can send people she’s known since she was eleven to their deaths. When she counts the bodies and makes new plans she holds herself together, she’ll cry, she promises herself, after the war, when everyone is safe. Inside she grows more and more numb. When the end comes she hears the cries go out that Voldemort is dead and yet she can’t move. She just stands there frozen, staring at the bodies and the rubble and the blue, blue sky until Ron finally comes and carries her bodily off the battle field.
Arms are holding her, rocking her back and forth, hands patting her hair.
“It’s alright Hermione, it’s alright. I’m here, I’m here”
Ron. Always Ron.
“I’m sorry”
She grips his arms her voice cracking
“I’m so sorry Ron, so sorry for everything. Everything I’ve done”
He just kneels in the glass and rocks her and she leans against him and wills herself to cry but no tears come.

Ron needs to do something, talk to someone about Hermione. It’s getting out of hand, and he’s reaching the point where he can’t deal with it any longer. He should go to Harry. Harry’s been Hermione’s friend for as long as he has, and maybe Harry will be able to talk to her. Harry is head of Auroras for the new ministry and married already, he lives a quiet normal life and Ron’s been loathed to go to him with this earlier because Harry so desperately wants to believe that everything is alright, that his friends are as happy and settled as he is. The time has come through, Ron thinks, Harry’s had long enough to get over the war, and live in his happy little bubble now he’s got to face the truth about Hermione and all the rest. Hell Ron might just come out to him, along with everything else. These thoughts are buzzing their way through his head when he actually plows down some one outside of the Leaky Caldron. The other wizard goes down on the icy ground with a small sound and Ron jerks back to reality.
“I’m really sorry”
Draco looks up at him with a slightly peevish expression.
“I should hope so, you nearly killed me”
“I didn’t”
Ron hold out his hand without thinking easily hoists Draco up by the arm.
“you always exaggerate, you can’t really be that fragile.”
Draco sniffs and dusts himself off.
“I hope at least your planning on buying me drink after plowing me over”
Ron shrugs
“sure.”
They move into the Leaky Caldron and Ron buy’s himself a beer and a whiskey for Draco before he moves to a table in the back.
“what were you thinking of?”
Draco asks
“When you nearly killed me, I mean”
Ron roles his eyes.
“Merlin’s sake Draco your always such a baby, I was thinking about Hermione actually”
“If I was still the same person I was at school I would try to kill you for that”
Draco remarks mildly
“and what has Granger done this time?”
“she hasn’t done anything per say”
Ron sigh
“it’s just. . . she doesn’t get better, and I was hoping maybe Harry could talk to her”
Draco frowns
“Potter doesn’t know?”
“not all of it”
Seeing Draco’s raised eyebrows he sighs again.
“I was trying to protect Harry. He wants a normal life and after everything I thought he deserved it. I also thought she’d get better, just given time”
Draco’s reaches across the table and pats Ron lightly on the arm with a gloved hand. Ron smiles tiredly at him
“When did you become a descent person? Or maybe I’m the one who’s finally lost it”
Draco sips his drink.
“I assure you, your perfectly sane and I am by no stretch of the imagination a descent person.”
“yeah well you’ve been pretty descent to me”
Draco smiles at him thinly
“I’ve had ulterior motives”
Ron feels himself flush, and tells himself to get his mind out of the gutter. Then again it’s not his fault Draco’s a good-looking man and the last time he shagged anyone feels like it hasn’t been since the war. Draco’s been watching him an unreadable expression on his face. Finally he sighs, drawing his hand across his face. Ron thinks he looks very tired and older then he should.
“hey, you ok?”
Draco smiles wanly at him.
“I haven’t been sleeping lately, dreaming of the war”
He takes out a piece of parchment from his cape and points his wand at it.
“Here. My address. Contact me if you need to talk or anything happens”
Ron smiles and mumbles something before reaching for it. Draco hand catches his wrist.
“I mean it Ron, don’t do this on your own.”
Ron looks up and meets Draco’s eyes searching for the trick, for the hidden malice but only eyes exhaustion and something almost like caring.
“I will”
He tells Draco and is startled to realize he means it.

“She’s gone!”
Ron’s a mess, hair sticking up everywhere, clothes looking like he’s slept in them, except for the fact that the shadows under his eyes say he hasn’t slept in a long time.
Draco stands on the narrow stairs leading up to Ron’s apartment not sure what to say. Truthfully he never really expected Ron to contact him, but the message he had received by owl, after getting back from dinner with a client, had sounded frantic.
“I’ve just had two patients die on me, and then I come home and fine this!”
Ron flings out his arms banging a knuckle against the hallway wall, making Draco wince.
“clothes, books, gone!. . .no sign on the tracker. She’s just up and left.”
“Well she is an adult”
Draco points out as gently as possible
“no”
Ron corrects him, his voice almost a yell
“she’s a bloody loony!”
“Ron”
Draco grabs the hysterical red head by the arm and drags him into his own apartment closing the door before they wake the neighbors.
“sit”
Ron sinks down onto a chair in his surprisingly tidy kitchen.
“Alright,”
Draco crosses his arms across his chest
“Who have you contacted so far?”
“Who haven’t I contacted, more like”
Ron lets out a soft snort.
“Harry and Ginny, George, my Mum and Dad, Percy, Remus, and everyone I know at the ministry, plus some of my colleagues at work”
“Well it’s good we haven’t over reacted yet”
Ron throws him a look and Draco sighs and holds up his hands.
“Alright, alright I’m taking this seriously. How many have gotten back to you?”
“Harry, Ginny, George and Remus are out looking”
Ron run’s his fingers through his hair.
“They told me to stay here, incase she comes back”
Or you have a stroke, Draco thinks to himself, but doesn’t say out loud. Instead he nods.
“That seems sensible. Why don’t I make us some tea?”
Ron drops his head and mutters something. Draco chooses to interpret this as agreement, and lights a burner with his wand while searching around for Ron’s tea kettle finally he finds and fills it setting it on the flame. He terns back were Ron’s been watching him.
“hey, thanks for coming.”
Ron looks down at the floor and scrubs and hand across his face,
“I really shouldn’t have bothered you this late at night and all, just the last few days have been a blood nightmare”
“I told you to contact me if you needed”
Draco reminds him
“and you did say something earlier about loosing some patients”
Ron nods
“Yeah, it happens. I mean I do work mostly in the hospice wing so they all die eventually, but one of them was only seven and she. . . she was a great kid. . .reminded my of Ginny”
Ron bites his lip, his face slightly gray with tiredness and strain. Impulsively Draco moves until he’s kneeling in front of Ron.
“you are the best person I know”
He tells him simply, touching Ron’s clenched fists with one of his own, gloved hands. Ron’s hands suddenly move, coming up to cup Draco’s face. Draco gasps slightly at the sudden physical contact but doesn’t flinch away when Ron kisses him. Ron kisses him fiercely and deeply, with teeth and tongue until Draco stops being able to breathe, but still he doesn’t pull away. Just let’s Ron continue until Ron breaks the kiss and sits back. Draco feels Ron shaking and looks up studying Ron’s face trying to figure out what Ron’s feeling, what’s going on here. Draco normally has no trouble reading Ron and now he sees and feels pain, exhaustion, and need coming off Ron in waves. Draco also suddenly realizes that this is not what he wants. He wants Ron yes, but not when Ron’s so far gone he only half knows what he’s doing, not at first. He curses himself one last time and makes to stand up when Ron’s hand clamps around his wrist.
“please” Ron’s eyes are begging
“Please Draco. I need this”
Draco reaches out and touches Ron’s face letting his fingers stroke across Ron’s cheek.
“No Ron, you don’t.”
Ron slumps suddenly all the energy going out of him. Draco thinks he’s going to pass out right there and then. Draco moves trying to hoist him up off the chair.
“come on lets get you to bed.”
Ron drapes himself over Draco
“only if you come too”
Ron half staggers to the left and Draco takes it to mean that is the way to Ron’s bedroom. He mutters a spell to extinguish the burner as they go by. The room just left of the kitchen is in fact Ron’s bedroom, with a double bed and attached bathroom. Ron flops onto the bed like a dead fish and Draco wrestles all of him onto the bed, and gets Ron’s boots and belt off. Ron finally gets one arm around Draco and pulls him down onto the bed with him. Draco stiffens but Ron is asleep almost immediately. Draco finally takes off his own shoes, cape, gloves, and everything else down to his pants and shirt. Finally he just curls up next to Ron and sleeps.
A noise in the other room wakes Draco and for a moment he can’t figure out were he is. Sometime during the night he must have moved so now he and Ron are spooned together, Draco’s face resting in the curve of Ron’s neck. He inhales in Ron’s sent and considers curling up and going back to sleep. Someone or possibly more then one person moves around in the kitchen again. Ron sleeps on, unmoving, snoring very slightly and Draco swears softly and gets up. Maybe Hermione’s come back in one piece, he thinks, while he grabs his wand and pads into the kitchen.
In the kitchen Harry, Ginny, George and Remus Lupin, all tern to stare at him as he enters. If a pin had been dropped in the room Draco’s sure they all would have been able to hear it echo. He becomes instantly aware of the fact that he is barefoot and only partly dressed, with his shirt mussed and half open. To his credit, Remus is the first to recover.
“Ron’s sleeping then?”
Draco nods and resists the temptation to smooth his hair.
“we couldn’t find Hermione, but we’ll keep trying.”
Remus walks over to the stove and takes the kettle off the burner and makes four cups of tea before getting out another cup and making it five. Draco tries to pretend that George, Harry and Ginny aren’t still staring at him.
“George, milk please”
Remus cuts into the silence calmly.
“Err. Right.”
George goes and collects the milk. A small tapping announces an owl at the window and Harry jerks himself away from staring at Draco to open the window and take the parchment from the owl. He reads it and his face lights up, the relief written plain.
“it’s from Neville at Hogwarts. She’s safe”
“Hermione?”
Ginny comes around to read over her husband’s shoulder, while everyone else looks at him expectantly.
“Neville says Hermione turned up late last night, and she’s fine. But she’s refusing to come back here”
Harry reads.
“Neville says it’s a long story, but at least she’s safe”
Everyone nods relieved agreement.
“who’s safe? Is Hermione back?”
Ron stands sleepily in the doorway behind Draco. Remus smiles at him.
“yes Hermione’s fine, she’s with Neville.”
Ron visibly slumps with relief
“Oh thank Merlin!”
“yes and we should all probably be going”
Remus takes out his watch.
“I’m sure most of us have work”
“Later Ron, you and I should go over there and have a talk with her”
Harry pipes in and Ron nods. Harry and Ginny look at each other then apparate and Remus seizes George by the arm and they apparate as well.
“Hey”
Ron touches Draco softly on the shoulder
“Sorry about last night. I was being an idiot. We’re Ok, right?”
He’s cut off when Draco terns seizes him by the shoulders and kisses him hard.
“Ok, I’m taking that as a yes”
Ron says breathlessly a few seconds later.
“You’re an idiot Ron” Draco tells him
“or I’m an idiot, or at least someone here is being incredibly idiotic, and can we please go back to bed before you start worrying about Granger again, because let me tell you I am so heartily sick of your life being all about her, when you two aren’t evening in a relationship.”
“Who should my life be about then?”
Ron asks as Draco backs him into the bedroom. Draco smiles in a particularly self-satisfied way.
“Me”
“And you’re any better?”
Draco stills.
“I’m going to try”
and for the first time he means it.