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The Prophecy of Absconditus	By : AndromedanQueen Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 1570 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Penname: Page of Cups

Email: AndromedanPrincestmaitmail.com

AOL Screen Name: AndromedanQueen

Title: The Prophecy of Absconditus

Pairing: Ron Weasley/Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter/Blaise Zabini

Rating: R

Summary: Wherein Draco is sick, Absconditus is a bedtime story, the Order holds a meeting, and the Mages hold a meeting of their own.
If I were J.K., I�d have money and a British accent. No such things apply.
Chapter Fourteen: Deviation

Rustling sheets pulled Ron away from the large stack of parchments before him and onto the bed by the window. Sleepy eyelids fluttered and opened, Draco staring up at Ron through a thick fringe of platinum blond hair. Ron smiled, allowed the quill to drop from his fingers, and turned about face.

"How do you feel?"

"My head's pounding, I'm covered in sweat, and I'm freezing."

"Not good, then. Shame. I was hoping you'd be up for a little action."

"What are you proposing?"

"I'm not proposing anything. I was talking about this Prophecy thing. What were you thinking of?"

"Er -- nothing. Forget it."

"Right. Do you need me to find Lupin? He�s bringing potions for you."

"The werewolf?"

"One and the same. Why? Want to spend some quality time with him?"

"No, thank you."

"Do you need juice? Food? Help out of the bed?"

"I'm fine where I am, thanks. Even if I did want up, I wouldn't need you to help me."

"I know, but if I don't offer, my mum'll kill me."

Draco pushed the large pile of blankets off his chest and sat up against the headboard. Blankets pooled atop his lap. Flicking the hair out of his eyes, Draco rolled his neck, cracked it, and threaded his fingers through his roots to settle on his scalp.

"If your head is really bothering you --"

"Just a bit. Sat up too fast."

Ron stood from the chair, pushed it in, and walked over to the bed. Pushing the blankets away and smoothing the sheet, Ron sat beside Draco, and snaked his legs into the warmth. At first, Draco remained unmoved; his long, slender fingers lay motionless on the thick green cotton. Without warning, he leaned against Ron, allowing his head to rest against Ron's own. Yawning, Draco turned his face into Ron's shoulder.

"What did you tell Potter?"

"Sorry?"

"I've been dying to ask you and forcing myself not to seem desperate. What did you tell Potter when you told him about us? I'd like to know what he thinks is going on."

"Can't tell you that much. Don't know myself. Harry's thoughts are a mystery. What I told him was that you and I were together then, and that our feelings seem parallel to what he's going thh wih with Blaise. That I don't know what's going on with us, but that there's something there. Told him that we shagged."

"And?"

"That was what he said."

"I see."

"I thought you wanted me to say something."

"I did. I'm glad you did. I just -- Potter's never going to leave me be on this, you know."

"I know, but I can't help you with that."

"How long do you think I can go avoiding him?"

"Not very. He's staying here, too, and we have to meet soon for Prophecy discussion. Are you going to be up to it?"

"Even if I wouldn't, I'd come down anyway, whether your mother likes it or not."

"Fine by me. Get dressed, then. We'll meet you in the drawing room in ten minutes."

"All right. Ron?"

"Yes?"

Draco grabbed Ron by the shoulders and yanked him forward, connecting their lips and smashing their teeth in an awkward rush. Ron blinked, stared at the all too unattractive close-up of Draco's forehead, and then allowed his eyelids to drop. He followed Draco's lead, moving with his mouth, counteracting each play of the lips. When Draco pulled back, Ron felt a cool wave splash at his skin and the flesh of his lips tingled with the lingering kisses.

"Well," Ron said, pulling at his collar. "That was -- er -- nice. Quite unexpected. Really -- er --"

"Stop stumbling over yourself and meet with Potter. You're going to embarrass me and I look terrible in red."

Ron suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and headed for the door on shaky legs. Just avoiding a bureau and a large bruise on his left thigh, Ron walked into the corridor and shut the door behind him.

*

The curious and uneasy look that Blaise gave Draco when the latter entered the drawing room didn't go unnoticed, not by Draco or by anyelseelse in the room. Draco stilled in the doorway, shifted his footing, and tried to glare at Blaise with little success. Watching the exchange, Ron smiled at Draco and then to Harry.

"Blaise," said Harry.

"What?"

"Let him stare," said Draco. "How often do Malfoys shag Weasleys anyway?"

"To be fair, it was the other way around," said Ron.

"Point well taken. Malfoys let Weasleys shag them even less often."

"I wasn't staring," said Blaise. "But you have to admit, Draco, it is hard to believe."

"Because you shagging Potter is so realistic."

"I can see who the problem is going to be in this arrangement," said Harry. "Perhaps we should just give up now if we aren't willing to work together."

"He's willing," said Ron. "He just doesn't like people staring at him."

"He doesn't like people talking for him, either." Draco crossed the room. Harry and Blaise sat on the opposite side of a square table from Ron. Ripping out the chair next to Ron, Draco sat and folded his fingers together. "I didn't runo yoo your mother. I assume this means I won't get in trouble."

"Don't be so sure. There's a meeting of the Order going on now thanks to that magic surge the other night."

"It wasn't our fault. It never would have happened if you hadn't signed us up to bunk with Mundungus Fletcher."

"Which you will never forgive me for. I know, I know."

"I never said I would never forgive you for it. I've forgiven you, but I'm ready to let you forget just yet."

"The topic of conversation," said Harry, "is Absconditus and this bloody fountain that's causing so much trouble, so if we can stick to that --"

"You were the one who started in on me," said Draco.

"And you're only encouraging it."

"Right. Fine. Good. Absconditus," said Ron. "Let's review the facts. Four people accused of murder and condemned to die. Souls bound by a Keeper and reborn to seek revenge upon those who really did the crime. You-Know-Who."

"Voldemort," said Harry, Draco, and Blaise.

"Right, him. We're still missing a few facts. One, Larrissa Mizar. Two, who ensured that Larrissa and Reynaldo would come back? It wouldn't work one-sided, would it? Unless it was the same Keeper. Three, we need our Keeper. Four --"

"Why are we listing things?"

"Draco, shush, I'm trying to talk. Four --"

"We're listing things because we're missing a few facts. That's what we're listing. Try to keep up," said Blaise. He scribbled across a sheet of parchment sitting before him, never taking his eyes off to look at Draco.

"As I was saying . . ."

"You don't have to be so rude about it."

"If you were paying attention -"

"I'm trying to talk," said Ron.

"Tell your boyfriend that," said Harry. "He started running his mouth in the first place, not that we should be surprised. I knew he was going to be intolerable."

"You see why I didn't want to do this?" said Draco. Ron dropped his head in his hands.

"This is never going to work this way," said Ron. "Does anyone realize what�s going on? We're at Grimmauld Place because Hogwarts is run over by Death Eaters. The Order is having a meeting because those Death Eaters could know about our path between hideouts. This isn't even to mention that we're centuries-old Mages come back from the dead to save our world, and all we can do is fight with each other."

"Merlin, Ron, relax," said Harry.

"You don't have to be so uptight," said Blaise.

"Honestly," said Draco. Ron glared.

"Does anyone have a plan?"

"I say we stall for as long as we can," said Blaise. "I've got nothing. How are we supposed to find this damned fountain?�

"All I've got is Hermione suggesting that we research about the Mages, but how are we supposed to do that when we're hiding out?" said Harry. "Besides, what good is that going to do? I doubt we're going to open up one of Hermione's books and find a map of Absconditus."\

"Even if we did, I doubt we'd find a detailed instruction manual on how to get in."

"You're so set on this, Ron. Don't you have an idea?"

"The article said something about a theory that the fountain is located beneath Hogwarts. And we're supposed to be descendants of the founders. We could start there."

"I have an idea," said Draco. Harry, Blaise, and Ron exchanged looks before turning their attention back to Draco. He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. With his head raised and shoulders squared, the familiar sneer fell onto his lips. "If you're willing to listen to me, that is."

"Draco," said Ron. He tried to ignore Harry who glared at him with his lips puckered, his eyes darkened. "Please don't make me have another fit today."

The sneer faltered and disappeared, but the poise remained.

"I think Granger --" he paused and shuddered, "has the right idea. We need to find out more about our situation -- facts, not speculation."

"Where are we supposed to find facts on this? It�s a legend," said Blaise. "It's a bedtime story. My mother told it to me when I was little."

"Your drunken mother? Did you feel you could relate to poor Lorenzo Merak?"

"Why don't you just keep your mouth shut and do the world a favor?"

"And while he's at it, maybe you could both swallow your pride or your tongues, whichever comes first," said Ron. Draco's shoulders slumped just enough for Ron to notice and his hand dropped under the table, finding Ron's fingers and curling into them.

"Blaise had a fair question," said Harry. "Where are we supposed to research?"

"There are several sources I can think of, and they're all in close perimeter to each other, but we have to get out of here to do it." Draco hesitated, looking around the table. "There's one historian who knows everything there is to know about wizard legend --"

"We can't talk to anyone who isn't trusted by the Order," said Harry.

"He's trusted by the Order," said Ron. "You're talking about my grandfather, right?" Draco nodded. "I think you've got something there. He taught Pureblood Ancestry and Mythology years ago, before the class was discontinued, and then reinstated. Most of what he can tell us is fact. It comes from documents passed down through the family since the Malfoy-Weasley split."

"I know," said Draco. "Some of the surviving documents are still in the Manor. Some of them have been passed down to Malfoy City. All from the time the Malfoy name was first instituted. Seems like a good starting point to me."

"My grandfather and your Manor. That might work."

"Either way, it's something," said Harry. Ron met his eye, a grin tugging at his lips. Harry gave a half-shrug, returning the grin. "How do we get away without anyone noticing we're gone? I know most of the Order members will disapprove, and I doubt we can get Rebekah to cover for us."

"I agree," said Draco. "This has to be sly and independent. No one but the four of us can know. That includes Granger."

"Are you mad?" said Ron.

"What makes you think we're going to run out and tell Hermione?" said Harry. "We don't tell her everything, you know."

"In fact, we usually don't tell her anything."

"And we know better than you just how stupid it would be to tell her."

"I can hear her blathering now. 'Ron, you can't be serious. You know how dangerous that is? I'll tell your mother if you go.' �

"She has to consult a book, too. Don't forget that."

"Remind me why she's your friend again," said Draco.

"We like her," said Harry.

"Yeah, and she wouldn't leave us alone first year," said Ron. "After you lock a troll in a lavatory with someone, you have to become their friend."

"What?" said Draco.

"Nothing."

A soft knock interrupted and the door creaked open, Lupin's head popping into the spa

"You four getting along all right?"

"Perfectly," said Harry, his eyes flickering to Draco. The shape of Lupin's lips twisted into a half-grin, holding back laughter. Draco arched an eyebrow and glanced to Ron.

"I wanted to let you know that the meeting�s over and ask you to come with me for a moment. We have business to discuss."

"We'll be with you in a moment," said Harry. Lupin nodded, told them to meet him in the meeting room, and shut the door.

"That doesn't sound good," said Blaise.

"Business is never good."

"So what do you propose?" said Draco.

"That we go hear what they have to say. At the very least. We have to act as normal as possible while planning our escape."

"It has to be soon. We have little time to waste, and the longer we put this off, the harder it's going to be."

"And the longer we wait to meet Lupin, the stranger it's going to look," said Ron, standing. He shoved in his chair and headed for the door. "Is anyone with me?"

Blaise, Harry, and Draco exchanged glances. Frowning, the three stood and joined Ron, leaving the drawing room in direction of the meeting room. As this was where Order business was conducted, anyone not involved was rarely invited in. Harry looked doubtful.

Kingsley, Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, and other members of the order sat around a table. Professor Leiss stood off to the side with Professor Marcositi. Even, Ron noticed with a sinking heart, Mundungus Fletcher was present. With a quick glance to Draco, Ron sat in one of the four unoccupied chairs.

"Your father went to speak with the other students," said Mrs. Weasley. "I'd just as well had you hear this with them, but Professor Leiss requested differently."

"I wanted you to be free to ask questions," said Leiss. Mrs. Weasley sniffed, and either Leiss didn't notice or didn't care. "Not everyone knows about this Mage business and I suggest we keep it that way."

"So do I," said Lupin. A murmur of agreements passed through the room.

"But we don't have to tell them everything!"

"They aren't children anymore, Molly," said Moody. "They need to hear what's going on."

"We're depending on them," said Leiss. "All of them. This isn't just about Harry anymore. All four boys are involved. They have a right to know."

"And we want to know," said Ron. "What's up?"

"Well . . ."

"We're leaving, aren't we?"

"How did you . . ."

"I can read it in your eyes."

"Your instincts are getting sharp," said Leiss.

"He freaks me out when he does that," said Harry.

"You aren't the only one," said Draco.

"We've decided that it may not be safe here," said Tonks. "They're sure to know you were on your way to London, and too many people know about this place."

"But it may not have even been us," said Draco, looking to Mundungus. "There's no proof."

"But they have a good idea. This was the perfect place until we lost Sirius," said Kingsley. "That's all they need. It's too close to London for you to be heading anywhere else."

"And they don't need to get in," said Lupin. "All they need to do is hang around the area. Even if we forbid you to leave . . ."

"Well, that's what we were trying to avoid in the first place," said Tonks. "We don't want you backed into a corner."

"And they have our Secret Keeper. It isn't good sense."

"Where are we going?" said Ron.

"We're taking a back road to Hideout A. From there, some of you will go to Hideout B, but we can't send you directly there because we don't have a safe road mapped out yet."

"I bet we're going to Hideout B," said Ron. Draco smirked, taking Ron's hand under the table.

"Do you really think it's not safe here?" said Harry.

"We can't be sure," said Kingsley. "The relocation is only a precautionary. Nothing to get worried about."

"Right. Of course not," said Blaise.

"I see where you're going," said Draco, "and I don't mean to be the annoying, cynical one, but won't that seem strange? We aren't the smallest group of people, not to mention half of us are high profile. Won't that attract more attention than we can afford?"

"I understand where you're coming from," said Tonks. "We had some of the same misgivings, but this back road is rarely traveled and not well known. Some of you will be flying with Remus and Alastor. The important thing is to get this place emptied out before too many of them show up. Once it's guarded, we have little chance."

"Don't we always?" said Harry. Ron sighed.

*

"We just got here and we're already packing," said Draco.

The mattress sunk beneath Ron's weight as he dropped next to Draco. Snaking an arm around Draco's waist, Ron pulled their bodies closer and buried his nose into the crook of Draco's neck.

"I love you," said Ron.

Running his fingers over the exposed flesh on the small of Ron's back, Draco trailed onto the worn material of a Chudley Cannons T-shirt. Following Ron's spine, Draco spread his palm against the back of Ron's neck and twined his fingers around bright, ginger hairs.

"No one's ever said that to me before."

"That they love you?"

Draco nodded.

"What about your parents."

"Are you serious?"

Unmoved, Draco stared. Ron licked his lips and swallowed.

"Right, then."

"What's it feel like?"

"To love you?"

"Yes. I don't think I know how to love."

"Don't say stupid things you don't mean. You always were melodramatic. I should have known it was you in first year. Only Bade Mizar would strut like he was God despite running around with his tail between his legs the day before."

"I've never strutted, and I don't run with my tail between my legs either."

"Have it your way."

"You don't believe me."

"Course not."

". . . Do you really love me?"

Ron blinked, lifting his forehead from its place on Draco's shoulder and pulling away from Draco's fingers wrapped in his hair. He paused, licked his lips, and kissed the dip just below Draco's ear.

"I really love you."

Draco's eyes shut as he shifted.

"I love you, too."

"But you don't know how to love."

"I forgot. Until you."

"You're a cheese ball."

"And you aren't?"

"Not at your caliber,� said Ron. Draco smacked Ron across the arm, and pressed his forehead against Ron�s shoulder. �But then again, Malfoy's always do everything at the highest caliber. They never settle for anything less than the best."

"Until scar-headed Potheads get their fathers landed in Azkaban and most of the family fortune is lost. We're lucky we got to keep the manor, and that's only because my mother played abused wife and made me the abused child. She's treated me with little more than tolerance and nonchalance since as long as I can remember."

"You deserve better."

"No I don't. But I've got more than I deserve and I'm not complaining."

"You always complain. What are you talking about?"

"We need to pack."

"Pack? I never unpacked."

Draco glanced around the room.

"Neither did I. I've been sick."

"You sound better."

"I think it was the potion."

"At least you aren't sneezing anymore."

"But I could have thrown my germs at the Death Eaters."

"Because that would have been effective."

"You two ready?" Harry stuck his head in the doorway. "Rebekah wants to get moving."

"We'll be down in ten minutes."

"Sure."

Harry shut the door behind him. His footsteps echoed and reverberated up the corridor and through the walls. Ron got to his feet and tried to pull Draco with him, leaving Draco in an unceremonious pile of black robes and blond hair on the floor.

The Order decided to close off Hideout C last night, effective immediately. Everyone was allowed one last night's sleep in order to rejuvenate for today's Big Move. Ron, Draco, Blaise, and Harry were going on foot rather than air as Blaise wasn't a big fan of flying, and it was more likely that they'd be caught by air than land.

Draco grabbed his bag from the floor anllowllowed Ron out of the room. They headed down to the drawing room where they found their travel group waiting. Most of the students Draco and Ron did not recognize, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws from younger years. Ginny and Hermione were with them, and Draco noted this to Ron.

They set off in groups of three, meeting outside London to continue. The Mages were separated for that time, and only when the group rejoined did Ron slide to the back of the group. Dropping his pace, Draco fell back to join him. One by one, they fell behind, and soon all but Harry were trailing several yards behind the group. Harry was busy entertaining Hermione's probing questions. Ron wished he would have left the troll in the lavatory with her first year.

"How do we ditch Granger?" said Draco.

"What is the plan, anyway?" said Ron.

"We're trying to go to your Manors, right?" said Blaise.

"Right."

"And the Weasley Manor is in Saxon Falls, right?"

"Right."

"And we're passing through Saxon Falls sometime after dinner, right?"

"Where are we going with this?"

"We're slipping away," said Draco. "Very Slytherin plan of yours, Zabini."

"I'm there for a reason, Malfoy. Harry helped, though."

"Of course. Because you can't do anything without your Gryffindor boyfriend."

"You have a Gryffindor boyfriend."

"Ron doesn't count. We're in love."

"I love Harry."

"Really?" said Ron. Blaise rolled his eyes. "Does he yell at you all the time for things that aren't your fault, too?"

"Not yet."

"Wait. About once a month he goes into these wild mood swings --"

"Like PMS," said Draco, snickering. Ron elbowed him in the ribs. "Can we get back to the original question? You know, our problem? One bushy-haired Mudblood?"

"Don't call Hermione a Mudblood," said Ron. "I'd hate to have to tell you I love you and kick your nuts into your chest all in the same day."

"Weasley, getting faster on the upt It It must be me. My saliva is improving your knowledge."

"Yes, Malfoy, that's it. When we snog, you pass some of your brain cells onto me, and I get a little smarter."

"I'd use this conversation as a springboard to snog more often," said Blaise. "But that's just me."

"Not a bad idea," said Ron.

"If I wasn't so involved with needing to get rid of Granger -- which no one else seems to care about -- I'd take you up on that offer."

"Look, we'll diter aer after we eat," said Blaise. "We'll just tell her we have some important Mage business to discuss and that she won't be able to help us. She'll be so angry that we dare question her intelligence that she won't even look at us until we get to Hideout A, and by then we'll be long gone."

"Fair enough," said Draco.

They trekked for much of the day. Dinner wasn't much more than a typical Hideout B meal, as Ron soon discovered, and he reminded himself of the nice, warm food that would greet him at his grandparents'. His stomach quieted long enough to offend Hermione, and he dragged Harry back to Blaise and Draco.

"Did Blaise tell you the plan?" said Draco.

"Of course he did. I knew before you did."

"Sorry, Potter, I forgot you're buggering his arse."

"Actually, he's buggering my arse. I was the girl in our relationship."

"Bad mental image," said Ron. "Don't ever put that there again."

"I've already been tortured enough thinking about you and him. It's payback time."

"No graphic buggering images at all," said Blaise. "I have a headache, I ate mulch for dinner, and it looks like it's going to rain. If it rains . . ."

"We'll have the cover of rain on our side when we slip away?" said Draco.

"That, too, but I was going to say that we're going to get sick and soaked by the time we get to Weasley Manor. It�s on the farthest outskirts."

"I'm already sick," said Draco. "Let's get going."

Dusk settled less than an hour ago when they fell back, and under the cover of night slipped off in the opposite direction. Serving as a guide, Ron led the way to Weasley Manor.

Update next Tuesday. Until then, leave a review. Tell your friends. Do a little dance. Read a book. Fly a kite. Do something constructive. Have a nice day.
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The Prophecy of Absconditus