Don't Leave Me

Harry just sat there with his eyes glued to the spot Draco had just occupied not moments ago. How in God’s name am I going to get rid of Ron? Getting rid sounds a little harsh. How am I going to get him out of the house? He asked himself. He just kept staring at the open space in front of him lost in thought.

Elise took Draco’s seat and sat down in Harry’s line of sight, but he didn’t seem to notice her. It seemed as if he was looking straight through her. She raised a hand and waved in front of him. Nothing happened, he didn’t so much as blink. Oh great what else can happen today? First he thinks I’m weird now he’s gone catatonic on me! Good lord! She complained in her head. Then it came to her. Elise took her wand out of her pocket and hit Harry over the head with it several times.

"Oww! Hey what was that for?" He asked rubbing the side of his head. "There’s going to be a bump there, ya know!" Harry continued rubbing the side of his head and looked over at the odd witch. She was wearing a smile the size of the entire country of Japan. Harry laughed.

"What? Hey you’re not supposed to be laughing!" She said with mock hurt in her voice. Harry just looked at her an laughed some more. Why in the world is he laughing? I didn’t say anything funny, did I? She asked herself as Harry’s laughter died down to a chuckle.

He stared at her for a couple seconds. "I just remembered what you said about liking Seamus earlier. You two would positively drive people insane if you ever got together." Harry said standing and pushing his chair under the table.

"Did I hurt you when I hit you with my wand?" She asked standing with him. OK from catatonic to completely insane. Maybe I hit him a little too hard and knocked something loose. She rationalized to herself. Harry turned to her.

"No, it was just a fleeting thought. Hey, can you help me?"" He asked looking at her. She slowly went around the room blowing out the torches with a wind charm. She finished and led them out the door locking it behind them.

"Help you with what?" She asked ushering him up the stairs. He looked back at her wondering why she was in such a big hurry to get him out of the dungeons, but he quickly forgot about that as the reached the top of the stairs and the entrance hall to the building.

"I can’t tell you now. I’ll owl you OK?" Harry asked her watching Ron approach them from the side. Ron, I’m so sorry I’m going to have to do this. You know I don’t want to. Harry thought turning around to face him. Elise looked at him and then headed off in the direction of the department of muggle candies. Small department. I bet she’s going to pilfer some M&M's. Harry thought as Ron came up to him.

"Hey, Har. I thought you had the day off?" Ron asked hugging him. "Why in God’s name were you talking to that chatterbox? She can talk your ear off in about 10 seconds." He said pointing in the direction Elise had gone.

Harry looked at him for a minute. Well, at least he knows who she is. He thought. "She has a thing for red heads, too. We share common interest." Harry said teasingly. Ron gave him a dark look and then smiled up at him. Harry just laughed. "Well, I should be getting home and you should probably be getting back to work before you get into trouble." He told Ron squeezing his hand and walking towards the front doors.

"Ok, I’ll see you when I get home." Ron called turning around and walking back towards his department as Harry disapperated home. Maybe he doesn’t know that Draco is here. Maybe he won’t ever know. Ron thought hopefully as he walked through the door to The Department of Charms and Curses.

Harry sat at the desk in his flat hoping an owl would come from Draco telling him when he would arrive. What will happen if Ron finds out that Draco is coming to visit me. I can only hope to God that he doesn’t. I really don’t want this for him, but he would be better off without me. Besides Hermione always loved him, anyway. She’ll be glad to have him. Not that no one else would want him. That Elise person said he was sexy. Oh what am I going to do with this mess. Harry was so confused. He couldn’t think of a clear plan to have Draco visit and get rid of Ron at the same time. Not without him being suspicious.

He glanced down at the desk and picked up a quill and a piece of parchment. "I’ll just owl Elise and ask her to help me. She doesn’t seem to have anything else to do." Harry said aloud and began to scribble a letter.


Dear Elise Maxwell,

      As you know I asked for your help earlier today. I was wondering if I could call upon your services. Draco has said he was to visit me soon and I am to get Ron away from my house at this time so we can be alone. This much you already know. Can you aide in the process of getting him away. I mean is it possible to get him into work or something. The owls are on strike so if you just popped up in our living room again. I am sure it would not seem odd. Figure out some reason for him to be called in and I will owl you when Draco sends word of when his arrival will be. Thank you.
            
Harry Potter

Harry finished the letter and called Hedwig to the window. She perched on his arm and let him tie the letter to her leg. "Take this to Elise Maxwell." He told her. She gave him a confused look and nipped him on the finger affectionately taking off into the early evening sky. Harry watched after her until after she was nothing but a tiny speck against a red sun. It would be night soon so Harry took himself to the kitchen to begin dinner.

He had just pulled the TV dinners out of the microwave when he heard Ron pop into the living room. "Why does everyone apperate into the living room? Why not the kitchen or outside the front door instead?" Harry asked carrying the two meals into the living room. When he walked in Ron was standing there looking frustrated and annoyed.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked sitting down on the couch with his food in his lap. Ron looked at him with a weary smile and sat down next to him grabbing his own tray of food.

"Did you have to make muggle food again?" Ron asked playfully. He poked around at his food and finally picked up a piece of what looked like chicken and popped it in his mouth. "Well, anyway, did you have to tell that girl I was your boyfriend?" He asked a second question before Harry could answer the first.

"Why do you ask?" Harry countered, answering a question with a question. He knew that got on Ron’s nerves. Might as well flirt with him while I can. He won’t be mine after Draco comes back. God knows he’ll go to Hermione.

"She pestered me all day about it. She wouldn’t go away. I had work to do!" Ron said picking at his food again. He never understood why Harry insisted on having a muggle microwave and eating muggle TV dinners once a week. Ron thought he was right mad in doing that, but neither of them were that great at cooking anyway.

Harry smiled and started laughing as he picked up his and Ron’s try of food carrying it back to kitchen and throwing them away. Ron followed. "I’m sorry I make you eat this stuff, but I like it." He told Ron who was now digging in the candy stash. "Hey you should let you food settle before you ea-" Harry was cut off by Ron kissing him.

"I’d rather have you for dessert." Ron whispered in Harry’s ear, but Harry pushed him away lightly and backed up.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" He asked as Harry walked away into the other room. He followed. Harry looked up at Ron when he came into the room.

"No, you didn’t say anything wrong. I just don’t want to. Not right now. I think I’ll go to sleep. You coming?" He asked noticing Ron’s skeptical look, but walking towards their bedroom anyway.

"Yeah, sure." Ron said following him. As they entered the bedroom Harry stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed and under the covers. Ron followed his lead and climbed in after him. He spooned himself up against Harry and wrapped his arms around him and they both fell asleep.

The next morning Harry awoke to a slight tapping on the window. It was Hedwig. He was about to quietly get out of bed when he noticed that Ron was gone. He must’ve already left for work. He always goes in so early. What is his problem? Probably trying to show up his brothers. Harry thought smiling. So he got up out of bed, threw on his robes, and went to open the window for the owl.

He let her in and untied the letter from her leg. It was from Elise. It was written in a sparkly purplish ink. "She must’ve used a muggle pen." Harry said out loud as he brought Hedwig into the kitchen and fed her some ham from the refrigerator. He let her out the kitchen window and sat down to read the note.

Harry,
      
      OK. I’ll be glad to find something for Ronniekins to do. I know that Hermione Granger is back from her vacation in Romania visiting Norbert. How do I know about that you ask? Well, she told. She works at Hogwarts now. She just got transferred and I was over there for a visit. So we got to talking, well I did most of the talking, but were friends now. She’s started teaching Arithmancy and she subs for McGonagall every once and a while when the mean old hag is sick. Anyway, just owl me with the day and time and I’ll come and wisk Ronniekins away to visit Hermione. ok? tootles!

                                          Elise Maxwell :o)

Harry looked over the note one more time and threw it in the fireplace. He pulled out his wand and muttered incendio and the fireplace lit with flames. They licked at the paper turning them to ash. Harry walked away, a little happier now that he know how, but he didn’t know when.

He decided he didn’t need to dwell on it and went to the kitchen for breakfast. He pulled out some toast and bacon from his wand, conjuring them onto a plate and grabbing the pitcher of tea out of the fridge. He poured himself a glass and took his food to the window seat.

Harry sat there looking out into the dawn as the sun rose into the sky. He munched on his toast and bacon as he watched the world outside his window. Being an Auror you don’t get much to do in a time of peace. I wish I had something to do. Maybe I can go down to the Quidditch field and play with some of the kids. He thought getting up he carried his dishes into the kitchen, used a cleaning spell on them and put them away.

He rushed to the hall closet to fetch his broomstick, the Dragon 3. Harry gave it a wary look and felt a pang of happiness and guilt when he thought of the broom’s name. Draco, my dragon, but Ron. Harry growled out loud. Don’t think about Ron. He will be fine. Go play Quidditch. Lose some stress. He told himself walking out the door and disapperating to the local Quidditch field.