A Throne of Blood and Stars

Chapter Fifteen

The Slytherin steps back and swallows whatever insult he's about to throw. "I do not suppose you plan on telling anyone."

Ron gives him a look.

"Very well," Draco breathes. "If I come back, you owe me."

He takes a step to start pacing when Ron stops him by the arm and pulls him in, hugging him to his chest. Draco is awestruck. "When," Ron whispers. "When you come back."

Draco watches as he moves away and stands still, Ron never shifting from the pure trust and appreciation he has in his eyes. Draco nods, and he paces.

The first time he thinks of Hermione's less than perfect marks.

The second time he thinks about her bushy squirrel hair and big smile.

And the third time he thinks of her as, dare he say it, a friend.

Nothing happens when he stops and he turns to look at Ron in confusion.

"What?" They both say, puzzled.

Ron steps forward, and Draco narrows his eyes towards the ceiling when he starts to hear a whistle. "Do you hear that?"

The Gryffindor stops in his tracks, looks at Draco, then up. "Hear what?"

"It sounds like...a kettle."

When Ron takes another step further, there's a gust of wind that blows past Draco and his eyes widen. He holds out his hands.

"Do not take another step."

"What's wrong," Ron whispers, halfway into taking a full step. "What is it?"

Draco feels a fizzle of energy run up his spine. "The tandem is shifting," he mumbles, looking around. "We just triggered whatever is malfunctioning in the core of the room."

"What happens if we move?"

"I really do not want to find out," Draco turns to tell him. He sees Ron's position and frowns. "I do hope you can stand like that long enough for me to figure out how to disarm it."

"Uh," Ron chuckles nervously. "I'm not sure how long I can stay like this, but I won't move if I can help it."

Draco huffs, blows his fringe off his forehead. "Of course. Of all the people I could have gotten stuck with in a faulty magical room it had to be you."

"Hey," Ron breathes, he goes leaning to one side and then jerks straight again. "I thought we were friends."

"You do not endanger the lives of your friends," Draco rolls his eyes. "Seems you and your gang of sacrificial neanderthals never understood that."

"We weren't that bad. It's called loyalty."

"That is not..."

"We had trust," Ron interrupts him loudly, and Draco quiets, stares into Ron's eyes with mirrored intensity. "We have trust between each other. That means that no matter how difficult things got or what type of situation we were in, we always had each other. There isn't a damned thing I wouldn't do for those two because I know that they will always have my back no matter what."