The Perfect Plan

When their meals arrived, Ron had finally awoken from the much needed rest. It had taken Madam Pomfrey and the Headmaster hours to discover the cause of his illness and then more time to put the events together and get the full story. By the time Fiona had met with Snape and Dumbledore, Ron had spent two days in the Hospital Wing, unable to sleep for long stretches due to the pain and nausea.

After the redhead had awoken, Fiona could see the relief in his eyes. The Headmaster had arrived after supper and given Ron the full explanation at that time. As Dumbledore spoke, Fiona knew that the Gryffindor's gaze was on her, but she could not bring herself to meet his eyes. Instead, she focused on their hands, still intertwined on the edge of the bed.

The old wizard took his leave and again the two students found themselves alone. Ron was the first to speak.

"So this was all supposed to happen to Malfoy?" He spoke softly, the only hint of emotion was his eyes blazing as he spoke his rival's name.

"This was not supposed to happen to anyone."

"But it did. And I have to suffer for it." He sat up and leaned back against the pillows.

"I never meant..."

"Does it really matter?" He interrupted her with a wave of a hand. "I'm too tired to fight about it."

Fiona smirked at his comment. "I was wondering where that infamous Weasley temper was."

He barked out a short laugh. "Don't push it, Austin. I'm just happy that I'm not puking up my insides any longer. I can be angry tomorrow."

They parted on civil terms later that evening with an uneasy truce after making tentative arrangements for the tutoring sessions. Fiona was certain that no matter what Ron said to her now, his anger would be lurking just below the surface, ready to explode at any moment. Ron, on the other hand, was confused by the first civil conversation he had held with anyone from Slytherin. Both were wary of the other, but willing to try to work together until the bond faded.

Ron stared at the ceiling of the room, watching the shadows made from the flickering lights dance around. His mind was too active for sleep, his "situation" constantly running through his head. When he had first heard the words the Headmaster spoke, he had felt a surge of anger, but it had quickly faded. As he had sat there holding Fiona's hand, he had almost felt...delight? Content was probably a better way to describe it.

Ron knew that he should be angry. He knew that the infamous Weasley temper that he had inherited from his mother should be compelling him to yell and scream and possibly even throw small items around the room.

Feeling very uncertain of his actions and feelings, Ron rolled over and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Fiona had made her way back to the Slytherin common room, arriving just before curfew. As soon as she entered, she was met with stares from the sixth and seventh years that were gathered near the fireplace. She moved toward the group and was met halfway by an angry-looking Malfoy.

"Nice of you to join us." Draco snarled at her. "Did you finally remember that we are better company than the Weasel?"

Confused about how they had known whom she had been with, Fiona did not know what to say. "Well..." she began.

"Pansy was in the Hospital Wing earlier for a headache potion. She saw you there," said Draco accusingly.

She could see Pansy out of the corner of her eye. The older girl was curled up in a chair with a very satisfied expression on her face.

"I've been assigned to tutor Weasley in Potions. I had to go to the Hospital Wing to make the arrangements."

Draco thought about this for a moment. "And tutoring involves holding his hand?"

"You know that you can't fight Madam Pomfrey. She ordered me to hold his hand, since apparently his friends couldn't be found." This was at least partially the truth - she had been ordered to hold his hand. There was no way that she was going to tell what really happened. No, the information of her stupidity would not be broadcast from her mouth.

"Do you know how it looked? Did you even stop to think how it reflects on our house? How it reflects on me? To have my girlfriend associating with that pureblood traitor?"

The common room was silent except for a few whispers. All attention was focused on her and Draco. Fiona tilted her head to one side and gazed at the blond in front of her.

"Am I your girlfriend?"

In one swift movement characteristic of his seeker skills, Draco stepped toward her, pulled her close and kissed her.

Ignoring the shriek from Pansy and the astonished gasps of her friends, Fiona relaxed into his arms and allowed him to dominate the kiss. It was hard, fierce, and passionate, a kiss that was performed to claim ownership, not to proclaim undying love. Nonetheless, she knew she was lost.

She broke free of his hold and stared at him for a moment. Then, leaning in toward him, she whispered in his ear before leaving the common room for her dormitory.

"Careful, Draco. Someone might get the idea that you care."

Fiona closed the door gently behind her and leaned back against it. She could not believe what she had just said to Draco. She knew that he did not like simpering girls who agreed with everything that he said, but had she gone over the line? He had just announced to the entire room that she was his girlfriend and she had to go and say something like that to him. This was going to replay in Fiona's mind for hours - not to mention what her friends would say when they came to bed. She moved away from the door, knowing that it was going to be a long night.

Sure enough, not five minutes passed before the door burst open and she heard footsteps entering the room.

"Fiona! Fiona!" The dark green hangings around her bed were yanked open. Dara flung herself down on the bed and began to babble while Jillian and Grace settled on the floor next to them.

"Oh, Fiona! What did you say to Draco? I have never seen that boy speechless, I mean, never, and there he was, standing in the middle of the common room looking stunned and then all of a sudden, he just smiled. Oh, it was the most precious smile, Fiona. I wish you had seen it."

Her best friends knew that when Dara was excited about something, the only time she would stop talking was when someone forced her to. Grace pulled out her wand and uttered a quick silencing charm to stop Dara in her tirade. Fiona sat up and looked at the two on the floor in shock.

"He...he smiled?" All of her worries were banished from her mind in that short instant. He had smiled! A real smile, not a trademark Malfoy smirk. She hadn't crossed the line after all.

After releasing Dara from the silencing spell, the four sixth year girls stayed up far too late discussing the incident and what they thought would happen tomorrow.

The Slytherin seventh year boys' dormitory was silent except for the sound of footsteps moving back and forth across the floor. Draco noticed that his roommates were steering clear of him and assumed that Blaise had warned the others to leave him alone. Vince and Greg had avoided Draco by going to bed, while Theodore had retreated back to the common room to work on his DADA essay. Blaise lay on his bed, watching his friend pace around the room deep in thought.

Draco had been astonished at his reaction to Pansy's announcement that Fiona was in the hospital wing holding the Weasel's hand. It had angered him that Fiona had given their housemates the impression that a Gryffindork was more important than he was. So as soon as she had returned he had lashed out with the anger. Those few minutes in the common room had shown him more than he had ever imagined.

The sixth year had been on target when she had whispered to him. Not the fact that he cared, but that he had allowed his emotions to take over and be exposed to others. That one statement had made it clear that she understood him better than anyone else he knew.

She was the perfect foil for him. While Fiona was pretty, she tended to fade into the background and allowed those she was with to take the spotlight, which Draco craved. She was smart enough to hold intelligent conversations, but accepting enough not to question every step he made. She was the calm to his emotion. She would be the perfect anchor to keep him grounded. And she certainly would keep him on his toes while at the same time assisting him in maintaining his image. After her remark in the common room, he had no doubt of this.

Draco knew that someone like Fiona would be exactly what he needed in the long term. None of Pansy's whining and whimpering. So the next logical step would be to move to cement the relationship. He knew just how to do this. Slytherin House would be getting a shock at breakfast.