Round 3 - Slick - Team B - "Winter's Day"
Title: Winter's Day
LJ username: leona_price
Team: Ron
Prompt: Slick
Rating: PG-13
Length: 2,073 words
Warnings/Notes: Pretty much EWE
Summary: Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.
Disclaimer: All sexual activity portrayed in this fic is between two consenting adults who are at least 18 years of age. I do not own any of the characters.
Winter's Day
The rain pattered gently against the window, stirring Ron from a deep sleep. Popping one eye open, he squinted at the clock on the side table and grunted. He had another five minutes.
Ron burrowed deeper under the covers and curled on his side, leaning closer towards the heat coming from his bedmate. Outside, the rain picked up, now splashing loudly against the outside walls of the flat.
Feet freezing, Ron tucked them under a warm calf, resulting in a twitch and muffled yelp.
“I hate you,” mumbled Malfoy, squirming away from Ron, who merely grinned and scooted closer, wrapping his long limbs around Malfoy’s twitchy form.
“And you’re warm,” said Ron. He pulled Malfoy flush against him with a sigh. “It’s raining.”
“I can hear,” said Malfoy dryly. “What time is it?”
Ron snuffled and ducked his head into the crook of Malfoy’s neck. “Quarter ‘til eight.”
Malfoy sighed, stretching like a cat. “We’re gonna be late to work.”
“No work today,” Ron rumbled. “Saturday.”
“It’s Friday,” said Malfoy. “Lemme go.”
Normally, Ron would have protested, but this morning he let him go without a fight.
Malfoy slithered out of bed and hissed when his feet hit the cold wooden floor. “We really need a rug in here,” he muttered, shuffling towards the bathroom.
Ron stretched, puffing out a breath as his joints popped, and with a resigned air, finally got out of bed. He heard the shower start up in the bathroom and hurried into the loo, anxious to get away from the cold. Malfoy was already lathering up his hair when Ron joined him, slipping underneath the hot spray of water and sighing with relief.
“I need to rinse my hair,” Malfoy whined, when Ron hadn’t moved after several minutes.
“Ponce,” said Ron, and shuffled out from underneath the water’s spray. Ron watched admiringly as Malfoy tilted his head back, exposing his throat, and washed the shampoo out of his hair.
“You free for lunch today?” Ron asked as he began soaping his body.
Malfoy paused and tilted his head. “Maybe,” he said, and hopped out of the shower. Ron bit his lip and stepped beneath the hot spray of water.
.::.
“The Leaky at one?” said Malfoy as he wrapped himself in a laughably long scarf.
“Sounds good,” said Ron, surprised. Then, “It’s raining outside.”
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, a technique Ron was sure he practiced in the mirror often. “I know,” he replied, and gestured to the rain pounding down outside.
“It’s raining and it’s freezing,” Ron repeated. “The roads and pavements are slick from ice. You’ve gotta wear better shoes that that.” He pointed to Malfoy’s sleek black loafers.
“They’re fine,” said Malfoy with a roll of his eyes. “The store is twenty minutes away, I think I can handle staying upright.”
Ron crossed his arms and stood, hoping a little height advantage would convince Malfoy not to be an idiot. “Wear the snow boots and then change shoes at the bookstore,” he said reasonably. “Or better yet, just Apparate there.”
Malfoy huffed and shook his head. “Apparate into a Muggle bookstore. Brilliant, Weasley. Should I also brandish my wand about and Conjure up some flowers while we’re at it?”
“Don’t be stupid,” said Ron, feeling heat rise up his neck, and Malfoy sneered at him.
“And you’re prat. I’ll be fine,” snapped Malfoy, yanking the front door open.
“Wait,” Ron blurted, before Malfoy could stalk away. Malfoy paused and gave him an expectant look.
Ron took a few steps and leaned forward, placing a light kiss on the corner of Malfoy’s mouth. “I love you,” he murmured, pulling back.
Lowering his eyes, Malfoy bit his lip and nodded. “See you at one.” With that, he stepped out into the hall and clicked the door shut behind him.
Ron sighed. “Yeah,” he said to the empty room. Outside the rain grew louder.
.::.
Lunch was a subdued affair. The dreary weather kept most people locked up at work or in their homes, so the pub was unusually quiet and nearly half empty.
“Have you given any thought to what I asked last night,” Ron said near the end of their meal, shoving shepherd’s pie into his mouth and avoiding Malfoy’s cold gaze.
Slumped in his seat, Malfoy pushed his food around the plate and shrugged. “Not really.”
Ron’s heart stuttered. “Oh.”
They didn’t speak for the rest of lunch. The rain turned to sleet as Ron watched Draco walk away, disappearing into the distance.
.::.
The Ministry was unusually quiet that day, with most everyone’s moods reflecting the nasty weather both outside and in the magical windows throughout the complex. Somber, thought Ron, as he doodled on a spare bit of parchment as the world’s most tedious staff meeting was taking place. Beside him sat Harry, looking equally as pained and fiddling with his wand beneath the large table around which the Auror department sat.
At the front stood Head Auror Robards, who was droning on about something, and boring his entire department to tears. Thank Merlin the man was retiring next year, thought Ron.
“Kill me,” muttered Harry out of the side of his mouth when Robards began waxing poetic about the new memo system that had been implemented earlier that month by the Department of the Inane and Unnecessary.
Ron snorted into his coffee and took a large swig, almost sighing in bliss as the hot, caffeinated liquid hit his system.
After another excruciating thirty minutes, Robards finally ended the meeting, and the Aurors practically scrambled over one another in their haste to escape the room.
“Thank Merlin,” said Ron, as he and Harry ambled over to their desks.
Harry grinned and checked his watch. “At least the day’s nearly over. What are your plans for the weekend?”
Ron chewed on the inside of his cheek, shoving random paperwork into his bag. Around him witches and wizards were packing up, laughing, all eager to get away from work and take refuge from the weather in their warm homes.
“Nothing,” he said at last. “Er, nothing that I know of, anyway.”
Harry shifted from one foot to the other. “Well…if you haven’t any plans, send an owl. I know Ginny would love to see you.”
Ron forcefully shoved a paperweight and a stapler into the bag. “We got in a fight last night.”
“Oh?” said Harry lightly, leaning against his desk. “About…?” Harry waved his hand vaguely in the air, knowing exactly what Ron was referring to.
“He said he’d think about it,” Ron mumbled, feeling all the hurt and bitterness from last night rise up in his chest and settle in a vice-like grip around his heart. “He’s going to say no. Who would want to spend any more time with me than necessary?”
“Ron,” said Harry, sounding both sad and angry. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. And you don’t know what he’ll say,” he added, shuffling forward and placing a hand on Ron’s tense shoulder. Ron shrugged him off and threw his bag across his back.
“I know him,” he said, throat thick. Ron ran a hand through his hair, glancing around the office. Luckily, no one had been around to hear their conversation. “Gotta go,” he mumbled, avoiding Harry’s eyes.
“Ron, wait-”
But Ron strode away before Harry could say another word.
.::.
Icy wind and rain immediately blasted Ron in the face the moment he exited the Ministry, sending a hard shiver down his spine. The streets were nearly entirely void of people, though plenty of autowhatsits lumbered down the streets, splashing innocents with freezing puddle water. Despite the cold and distance to the flat, Ron felt the need to walk and clear his head.
But Ron hadn’t travelled for more than ten minutes before the cold seeped into his body and he began to shake violently. A burst of wind nearly knocked Ron over and he had to grip a light post to stay upright. Cursing, Ron glanced around and, after seeing no one, slipped into an alley. With a discreet flick of his wand and a twist of his body, Ron Disapparated.
He landed in a small by-street near the flat, and began walking as quickly as he could towards the building’s entrance without any thought at all.
Ron saw the black ice a moment before his foot slipped out from under him and he crashed to the ground in spectacular fashion. Pain radiated up and down his right side, where he was tried to break the fall. His knee stung something fierce and his palms were already turning red. With a muttered curse, Ron struggled to his feet, balancing carefully and cradling his right arm, his elbow throbbing, and now shivering worse than ever.
He took a hesitant step forward, than another, moving no further than a few inches at a time. Ice nipped at his eyes and his ears felt like they were on fire. He could see the door to their building, appearing miles away rather than just a few more feet. Gritting his chattering teeth, Ron awkwardly made his way up the slick steps and struggled to jam his keys into the lock. He sighed with relief as the door swung open and he shuffled inside, the warmth of the building surrounding him like a blanket.
If only he didn’t have to climb three flights of stairs, he thought with a sigh.
.::.
With a wheeze, Ron pushed his door open and then stopped dead. Malfoy was passed out on the sofa, his left leg propped up on several pillows, wrapped tightly in bandages. His hair was askew and his mouth hung open just slightly, a sight Ron thought was stupidly endearing. Limping into the room, Ron hung up his coat as quietly as possible and then made his way into the bedroom, where he stripped out of his wet clothes. Once in the loo, he turned on the water to be as hot as he could handle and waited impatiently for it to heat.
After a quick hand test under the water to confirm, Ron all but jumped eagerly under the hot spray, sighing in bliss as the water pounded down his back, soothing away the cold and aches from the fall. He stood there for several minutes, just enjoying the shower, until he heard a snuffling sound come from the door.
He peered around the curtain and raised his eyebrows at Malfoy. “What are you doing up?” he asked. “You should be resting that ankle.”
Malfoy licked his lips, eyes wide. “It’s fine,” he said. “Mild sprain. Took a pain potion. Feel pretty good now. Can I join you?”
“Er, sure,” said Ron, caught off guard. “Are you sure you’re okay…?” Ron trailed off as Malfoy ignored him and began stripping out of his clothes. He seemed fine, at any rate, and only a slight limp indicated there was anything wrong with Malfoy’s ankle.
Ron stepped back and held out his hand, helping Malfoy step into the shower. Malfoy groaned loudly when the water hit him, his head falling forward and his muscles immediately relaxing.
“Merlin,” he breathed, bracing his hands against the tiled wall, his arse teasingly close to Ron’s abdomen. “What a fucking day.”
Ron snorted and reached out, running his open hand down Malfoy’s back. Malfoy hummed, arching into the touch. “Tell me about it,” he murmured. “What happened to your ankle?”
“Did you know that ice is slick?” said Malfoy, giving Ron an arch look over his shoulder. “Very difficult to walk on.”
“Is it, now?” said Ron, cupping Malfoy’s arse. “Strange, that.”
Malfoy hummed once more, turning around and draping his arms across Ron’s shoulders. “Let’s never leave the flat again,” he said against Ron’s lips, and Ron laughed into their kiss.
.::.
They were tangled up in one another that night, the sheets tucked tight around them, siphoning heat off the other, kissing lazily and enjoying the moment. Ron’s right arm was killing him and Malfoy was beginning to whine about his ankle, but it all felt good-everything felt right. Ron bit his lip as Malfoy burrowed deeper under the covers and into Ron’s side.
He glanced at Malfoy, heart racing. He opened his mouth, the question perched on his lips.
“Yes,” Draco whispered into the darkness.
A smile blossomed on Ron’s face and his chest filled with warmth.
Outside the rain began to ease.
Fin
LJ username: leona_price
Team: Ron
Prompt: Slick
Rating: PG-13
Length: 2,073 words
Warnings/Notes: Pretty much EWE
Summary: Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.
Disclaimer: All sexual activity portrayed in this fic is between two consenting adults who are at least 18 years of age. I do not own any of the characters.
Winter's Day
The rain pattered gently against the window, stirring Ron from a deep sleep. Popping one eye open, he squinted at the clock on the side table and grunted. He had another five minutes.
Ron burrowed deeper under the covers and curled on his side, leaning closer towards the heat coming from his bedmate. Outside, the rain picked up, now splashing loudly against the outside walls of the flat.
Feet freezing, Ron tucked them under a warm calf, resulting in a twitch and muffled yelp.
“I hate you,” mumbled Malfoy, squirming away from Ron, who merely grinned and scooted closer, wrapping his long limbs around Malfoy’s twitchy form.
“And you’re warm,” said Ron. He pulled Malfoy flush against him with a sigh. “It’s raining.”
“I can hear,” said Malfoy dryly. “What time is it?”
Ron snuffled and ducked his head into the crook of Malfoy’s neck. “Quarter ‘til eight.”
Malfoy sighed, stretching like a cat. “We’re gonna be late to work.”
“No work today,” Ron rumbled. “Saturday.”
“It’s Friday,” said Malfoy. “Lemme go.”
Normally, Ron would have protested, but this morning he let him go without a fight.
Malfoy slithered out of bed and hissed when his feet hit the cold wooden floor. “We really need a rug in here,” he muttered, shuffling towards the bathroom.
Ron stretched, puffing out a breath as his joints popped, and with a resigned air, finally got out of bed. He heard the shower start up in the bathroom and hurried into the loo, anxious to get away from the cold. Malfoy was already lathering up his hair when Ron joined him, slipping underneath the hot spray of water and sighing with relief.
“I need to rinse my hair,” Malfoy whined, when Ron hadn’t moved after several minutes.
“Ponce,” said Ron, and shuffled out from underneath the water’s spray. Ron watched admiringly as Malfoy tilted his head back, exposing his throat, and washed the shampoo out of his hair.
“You free for lunch today?” Ron asked as he began soaping his body.
Malfoy paused and tilted his head. “Maybe,” he said, and hopped out of the shower. Ron bit his lip and stepped beneath the hot spray of water.
.::.
“The Leaky at one?” said Malfoy as he wrapped himself in a laughably long scarf.
“Sounds good,” said Ron, surprised. Then, “It’s raining outside.”
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, a technique Ron was sure he practiced in the mirror often. “I know,” he replied, and gestured to the rain pounding down outside.
“It’s raining and it’s freezing,” Ron repeated. “The roads and pavements are slick from ice. You’ve gotta wear better shoes that that.” He pointed to Malfoy’s sleek black loafers.
“They’re fine,” said Malfoy with a roll of his eyes. “The store is twenty minutes away, I think I can handle staying upright.”
Ron crossed his arms and stood, hoping a little height advantage would convince Malfoy not to be an idiot. “Wear the snow boots and then change shoes at the bookstore,” he said reasonably. “Or better yet, just Apparate there.”
Malfoy huffed and shook his head. “Apparate into a Muggle bookstore. Brilliant, Weasley. Should I also brandish my wand about and Conjure up some flowers while we’re at it?”
“Don’t be stupid,” said Ron, feeling heat rise up his neck, and Malfoy sneered at him.
“And you’re prat. I’ll be fine,” snapped Malfoy, yanking the front door open.
“Wait,” Ron blurted, before Malfoy could stalk away. Malfoy paused and gave him an expectant look.
Ron took a few steps and leaned forward, placing a light kiss on the corner of Malfoy’s mouth. “I love you,” he murmured, pulling back.
Lowering his eyes, Malfoy bit his lip and nodded. “See you at one.” With that, he stepped out into the hall and clicked the door shut behind him.
Ron sighed. “Yeah,” he said to the empty room. Outside the rain grew louder.
.::.
Lunch was a subdued affair. The dreary weather kept most people locked up at work or in their homes, so the pub was unusually quiet and nearly half empty.
“Have you given any thought to what I asked last night,” Ron said near the end of their meal, shoving shepherd’s pie into his mouth and avoiding Malfoy’s cold gaze.
Slumped in his seat, Malfoy pushed his food around the plate and shrugged. “Not really.”
Ron’s heart stuttered. “Oh.”
They didn’t speak for the rest of lunch. The rain turned to sleet as Ron watched Draco walk away, disappearing into the distance.
.::.
The Ministry was unusually quiet that day, with most everyone’s moods reflecting the nasty weather both outside and in the magical windows throughout the complex. Somber, thought Ron, as he doodled on a spare bit of parchment as the world’s most tedious staff meeting was taking place. Beside him sat Harry, looking equally as pained and fiddling with his wand beneath the large table around which the Auror department sat.
At the front stood Head Auror Robards, who was droning on about something, and boring his entire department to tears. Thank Merlin the man was retiring next year, thought Ron.
“Kill me,” muttered Harry out of the side of his mouth when Robards began waxing poetic about the new memo system that had been implemented earlier that month by the Department of the Inane and Unnecessary.
Ron snorted into his coffee and took a large swig, almost sighing in bliss as the hot, caffeinated liquid hit his system.
After another excruciating thirty minutes, Robards finally ended the meeting, and the Aurors practically scrambled over one another in their haste to escape the room.
“Thank Merlin,” said Ron, as he and Harry ambled over to their desks.
Harry grinned and checked his watch. “At least the day’s nearly over. What are your plans for the weekend?”
Ron chewed on the inside of his cheek, shoving random paperwork into his bag. Around him witches and wizards were packing up, laughing, all eager to get away from work and take refuge from the weather in their warm homes.
“Nothing,” he said at last. “Er, nothing that I know of, anyway.”
Harry shifted from one foot to the other. “Well…if you haven’t any plans, send an owl. I know Ginny would love to see you.”
Ron forcefully shoved a paperweight and a stapler into the bag. “We got in a fight last night.”
“Oh?” said Harry lightly, leaning against his desk. “About…?” Harry waved his hand vaguely in the air, knowing exactly what Ron was referring to.
“He said he’d think about it,” Ron mumbled, feeling all the hurt and bitterness from last night rise up in his chest and settle in a vice-like grip around his heart. “He’s going to say no. Who would want to spend any more time with me than necessary?”
“Ron,” said Harry, sounding both sad and angry. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. And you don’t know what he’ll say,” he added, shuffling forward and placing a hand on Ron’s tense shoulder. Ron shrugged him off and threw his bag across his back.
“I know him,” he said, throat thick. Ron ran a hand through his hair, glancing around the office. Luckily, no one had been around to hear their conversation. “Gotta go,” he mumbled, avoiding Harry’s eyes.
“Ron, wait-”
But Ron strode away before Harry could say another word.
.::.
Icy wind and rain immediately blasted Ron in the face the moment he exited the Ministry, sending a hard shiver down his spine. The streets were nearly entirely void of people, though plenty of autowhatsits lumbered down the streets, splashing innocents with freezing puddle water. Despite the cold and distance to the flat, Ron felt the need to walk and clear his head.
But Ron hadn’t travelled for more than ten minutes before the cold seeped into his body and he began to shake violently. A burst of wind nearly knocked Ron over and he had to grip a light post to stay upright. Cursing, Ron glanced around and, after seeing no one, slipped into an alley. With a discreet flick of his wand and a twist of his body, Ron Disapparated.
He landed in a small by-street near the flat, and began walking as quickly as he could towards the building’s entrance without any thought at all.
Ron saw the black ice a moment before his foot slipped out from under him and he crashed to the ground in spectacular fashion. Pain radiated up and down his right side, where he was tried to break the fall. His knee stung something fierce and his palms were already turning red. With a muttered curse, Ron struggled to his feet, balancing carefully and cradling his right arm, his elbow throbbing, and now shivering worse than ever.
He took a hesitant step forward, than another, moving no further than a few inches at a time. Ice nipped at his eyes and his ears felt like they were on fire. He could see the door to their building, appearing miles away rather than just a few more feet. Gritting his chattering teeth, Ron awkwardly made his way up the slick steps and struggled to jam his keys into the lock. He sighed with relief as the door swung open and he shuffled inside, the warmth of the building surrounding him like a blanket.
If only he didn’t have to climb three flights of stairs, he thought with a sigh.
.::.
With a wheeze, Ron pushed his door open and then stopped dead. Malfoy was passed out on the sofa, his left leg propped up on several pillows, wrapped tightly in bandages. His hair was askew and his mouth hung open just slightly, a sight Ron thought was stupidly endearing. Limping into the room, Ron hung up his coat as quietly as possible and then made his way into the bedroom, where he stripped out of his wet clothes. Once in the loo, he turned on the water to be as hot as he could handle and waited impatiently for it to heat.
After a quick hand test under the water to confirm, Ron all but jumped eagerly under the hot spray, sighing in bliss as the water pounded down his back, soothing away the cold and aches from the fall. He stood there for several minutes, just enjoying the shower, until he heard a snuffling sound come from the door.
He peered around the curtain and raised his eyebrows at Malfoy. “What are you doing up?” he asked. “You should be resting that ankle.”
Malfoy licked his lips, eyes wide. “It’s fine,” he said. “Mild sprain. Took a pain potion. Feel pretty good now. Can I join you?”
“Er, sure,” said Ron, caught off guard. “Are you sure you’re okay…?” Ron trailed off as Malfoy ignored him and began stripping out of his clothes. He seemed fine, at any rate, and only a slight limp indicated there was anything wrong with Malfoy’s ankle.
Ron stepped back and held out his hand, helping Malfoy step into the shower. Malfoy groaned loudly when the water hit him, his head falling forward and his muscles immediately relaxing.
“Merlin,” he breathed, bracing his hands against the tiled wall, his arse teasingly close to Ron’s abdomen. “What a fucking day.”
Ron snorted and reached out, running his open hand down Malfoy’s back. Malfoy hummed, arching into the touch. “Tell me about it,” he murmured. “What happened to your ankle?”
“Did you know that ice is slick?” said Malfoy, giving Ron an arch look over his shoulder. “Very difficult to walk on.”
“Is it, now?” said Ron, cupping Malfoy’s arse. “Strange, that.”
Malfoy hummed once more, turning around and draping his arms across Ron’s shoulders. “Let’s never leave the flat again,” he said against Ron’s lips, and Ron laughed into their kiss.
.::.
They were tangled up in one another that night, the sheets tucked tight around them, siphoning heat off the other, kissing lazily and enjoying the moment. Ron’s right arm was killing him and Malfoy was beginning to whine about his ankle, but it all felt good-everything felt right. Ron bit his lip as Malfoy burrowed deeper under the covers and into Ron’s side.
He glanced at Malfoy, heart racing. He opened his mouth, the question perched on his lips.
“Yes,” Draco whispered into the darkness.
A smile blossomed on Ron’s face and his chest filled with warmth.
Outside the rain began to ease.
Fin