The Realist and The Romantic.

"Don’t run, Evan." Ron scolded his oldest child.

The crimson haired boy slowed down and groaned. "I’ll never find my friends or a seat, dad if we keep up this pace."

"I realize that son, but you still can’t run." Ron said smirking as his son kept up his grumbling. He looked down at his daughter and smiled. Her hand was sweaty in his and he felt bad that she had required this unfortunate side effect from him, whenever he was nervous or scared his hands were sweaty. "You all right, poppet?"

She nodded and kept her head forward, watching her brother’s movement, he knew that she was afraid to be left behind, that her brother would find his mates and just leave her to fend for herself.

He let go of her hand as she instinctively reached for his belt loop and twirled her index finger inside of it, never letting her daddy go. As he shifted her bags in his hand. Evan started speeding up seeing some of his dorm mates.

"Evan, wait." She screeched lightly.

"I’m right here, Ginny." He said smiling at his little sister. Though he complained sometimes that she was always a bother, he would always take care of her.

Ron nodded lightly at his son’s friends parents. He didn’t really know them that well, tried to get along with them, but it was hard seeing some faces and not the ones he knew. A lot of his mates died in the war, including the two that meant the most. He wondered if Hermione or Harry’s children would be going with his right now. Hermione would’ve married Viktor and Harry would’ve married Ginny. In a way he was relieved that Ginny and Harry died together, because he didn’t know if they could’ve survived without each other.

He handed their bags and trunks off to the porter and knelt beside Ginny and started to tie her trainers. "Daddy, I can do it." She said blushing lightly. An eleven year not knowing to tie her shoes would turn some heads, but Ron didn’t care, she’d always be his baby.

"I know, sweetheart, but let me do it once more, I won’t have any shoes to tie for a whole year." He said smiling up at her.

My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly 
Put away, but every now and then you come 
To mind, cause you were always waiting to be 
Picked to play the game...

Ron stood up and patted her hair, out of the corner of his eye he saw a head of white blond. He felt his heart begin to beat quickly. A mini Draco Malfoy was on his way to the front of the pack. A larger version was following close behind, both of them looking so regal and so arrogant.

A porter was following behind them pushing the young man’s trolley. He looked to be about Ginny’s age. He waited anxiously to be acknowledged, though he didn’t show it.

"Weasley?" said the blond man nodding lightly in Ron’s direction.

"Malfoy." Ron said just as curt.

"I see your child is starting as well." He said looking down at Ginny, whose finger was still hooked into Ron’s belt loop.

Ron nodded and smoothed down her long flowing hair. "Yes, but my son is in his second year." Ron said motioning toward Evan who was talking and laughing with his mates.

"Lucien will be the first Malfoy to step foot into Hogwarts in a long time." Draco said staring down at his son who stood beside him smiling lightly at Ron’s daughter.

They both looked up when the train’s whistle went off, letting them know that it was time to say goodbye to their children. "Daddy, I’m scared." Ginny said looking up at her father and clutching his coat.

Ron knelt down and caressed her cheek. "We’re all afraid our first time out, but you’ve got your brother and you’re a brave girl. Just think of how much fun you’re going to have up there. I won’t be there to make you do your chores." And she smiled. "Get into much mischief as you want, but don’t get caught." He said winking. "Now head up."

She hugged him tightly and whispered so softly. "I love you, daddy."

Ron swallowed with great difficulty not wanting to cry. "I love you too, poppet."

"Come on, Gin." Evan said calling her over. She nodded and then turned to look at Lucien.

"Would you like to find a seat together?" she said timidly.

"May I, father?" he said looking up at his older replica.

But when your name was called, 
You found a place to hide, when 
You knew that I was Always on 
Your Side...

Malfoy nodded. "Have a wonderful year, son." Malfoy said patting his head.

"I will father." And with a hand shake he nodded lightly at Ron and then stepped into stride with Ginny as they went to stand next to her brother as they loaded up into the train.

They stood side by side watching the train depart, waving goodbye to their children. Ron smiled inwardly at Ginny who was sharing a window with Lucien as they waved. Once the train was out of sight, he cleared his throat. "It was good to see you again, Malfoy." Ron said about to walk off.

"Would you like to have a drink with me?"

Ron nodded and followed the blond out to the street. They ended up at a small café ordered some tea and sat there for a moment just staring at the steam rising from their cups.

"Sorry – "

"How – "

They both began and both chuckled. "You first." Ron said sipping his tea.

"I was just going to say, sorry to hear about your wife."

Ron nodded lightly. "Thank you, but it was long ago. I’m just sorry Ginny and Evan never really knew their mother."

"How did she die?"

"Gabrielle died giving birth to Ginny."

"Lucien wasn’t so lucky. Pansy is still alive and making both of us miserable." Draco said smirking. "Thankfully we got married the Muggle way and we’re divorced, she gets to spend all my money and I get Lucien."

Ron chuckled lightly. "I was very surprised to learn that you actually married Parkinson, when you said that you never would."

"Well, we all do things we say we aren’t don’t we." He said with a wistful voice.

Well everything was easy then, 
So sweet and innocent, but my 
Demons and my angels reappeared...

Ron bowed his head lightly. "Don’t."

"Don’t what?" Draco said angrily. "Don’t bring up the past, don’t bring up the fact that you lied."

"I should’ve known better." Ron said grabbing his coat and throwing a few notes on the table. "You’ll never change."

Ron was up and started to walk away as Draco snatched up the pounds and threw some of his own down, he chased after him. "Take this – you’ll probably need it, seeing as by the looks of your clothes your still living as a peasant."

"You arrogant piece of shit." Ron said clutching the money and grabbing Draco’s arm before he could pass. "Do you think you can still talk to people like they’re lower than you, Malfoy – those days are over."

"Unhand me before I hex you into oblivion." Draco hissed.

Ron pulled him into an alley and pushed him against the wall, running his fingers through his red locks and sighing heavily. "What’s your problem, all that shit is in the past – it’s been fifteen years, Malfoy – let it go."

Leaving only traces of the man, you 
Thought I’d be, too afraid to hear the 
Words I’ll always fear, leaving you 
With only questions all these years...

"How can I let go? When I have to know why?"

Ron shook his head. "We were too young, we were both mourning, I had lost Hermione and Harry, you lost your parents – most of my family, with the exception with Bill, Percy and my parents. We both needed time."

Draco looked down, his face lightly flushed. "I didn’t need time, Ron." He said in a mere whisper and Ron felt his heart beat quicken, never has his name sounded so beautiful. "I just needed you."

~*~

 

Fifteen years earlier...

But is there someplace far away, 
Someplace where all is clear, easy 
To start over with the ones you hold 
So dear, or are you left to wonder...

The fire was dancing behind the grate. His room was always so cold. Thankfully the house elves always kept the firing burning. He glanced out into the grounds. A blanket of snow was covering it. It looked so beautiful, so pure. "Ron?" came a sleepy voice.

Ron padded his way over to Draco’s huge four poster. He’ll never get over the fact that the Slytherins once they were in seventh year, got their own rooms, must be nice to be in one of the wealthiest houses.

Ron got back into bed and scooted in behind him pulling the smaller boy close. Draco turned and buried his nose into the crook of Ron’s neck. "Cold." He whispered.

"Want me to get another blanket." Ron said pulling him closer.

Draco shook his head lightly. "Cold because you’re not here."

Ron smiled and kissed his shoulder. "You’re such a romantic."

Draco scoffed. "Like you’re not romantic carrying my tie in your pocket all the time because it smells like me."

Ron blushed and pulled back to look down at him. "How did you know about that?"

"Last night when you were getting the lube out of your pocket because you insisted on buggering me in the middle of the Slytherin corridor it dropped out."

Ron smiled and kissed him. "You put it back right?"

Draco grinned. "After I ran it through various nooks of my person." He said smirking.

Ron growled and pinned him to the bed looking down at him as Draco arched up trying to nip at Ron. "I think we need to run it through a few more places." He said smirking.

After a couple of hours of Ron making Draco beg and plead and various orifices were throughly wiped clean with Draco’s tie which was now stuck back neatly into Ron’s pocket. Ron was saying goodbye to his lover.

Draco stood by his door as Ron was still half in, was kissing him softly. Nuzzling their noses together. "I love you." Ron said kissing the spot bellow his ear.

"Don’t ever forget it, weasel." Draco said smiling lightly. "Come back to me."

Ron nodded. He was going with Harry this summer, going to find those blasted Horcruxes. Today would be the last night they’d be together for a while.

"I will."

"Promise me." Draco said clutching his hand.

Ron leaned in closer and kissed him again. "I can’t promise that."

"Why not." Draco said keeping their foreheads together.

"I could die out there with Harry."

"You’re not allowed to die on me." Draco said holding his face. "Promise me."

"Draco."

"Please."

Ron sighed and nodded. "Promise."

"I love you, Ron."

Ron smirked and kissed him again. "You’re such a romantic."

With one last kiss, Draco watched Ron disappear down the hall and prayed for his safe return.

All alone, eternally, this isn’t how it’s 
Really meant to be, no it isn’t how it’s 
Really meant to be...

~*~

"You lied to me." Draco said still leaning against the wall.

"I told you I couldn’t make a promise."

"We loved each other, Ron – and I’m a Malfoy – Malfoy’s don’t love, but I loved you, but you were too much of a fucking coward to love me enough to want to be with me."

Well they say that love is in the air, 
But never is it clear, how to pull it close 
And make it stay...

"Don’t call me that." Ron growled out. "Just because I didn’t want to go riding off into the fucking sunset like two fucking shirt lifting queens doesn’t mean that I was a coward."

Draco scoffed. "You act like that’s bad."

"Listen, Malfoy. We were too young, we both didn’t know what we wanted, all we knew about love was fucking, you and I never spent any quality time together, other than the post-coital cuddle."

"That’s because you were ashamed of us."

"Still such a fucking romantic." Ron said shaking his head.

"And you’re still a fucking coward."

"No. I’m a fucking realist." Ron said practically yelling.

Butterflies are free to fly, and so 
They fly away and I’m left to carry 
On and wonder why, even through it all, 
I’m Always On Your Side...

"All I saw was death. Nothing but death and I couldn’t go to another fucking funeral. I didn’t want to see my mother constantly crying over her children, her only daughter being killed, practically flayed because she wanted to jump into the way of some curse Lestrange sent to Harry. I wanted to give my mum something, you knew I was seeing Gabrielle, we weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but I had to. I couldn’t leave my mum with nothing, Bill, Percy and I were all she had."

"That doesn’t make sense."

"It does, because we gave her grandchildren, they made her happy, they give her something to wake up to. And I couldn’t have that with you."

"You promised." Draco said softly.

But is there someplace far away, someplace 
Where all is clear, easy to start over with the 
Ones you hold so dear or are we left to wonder...

"I can only tell you that I’m sorry. But, I won’t regret what I did, I have a beautiful family and had a wonderful loving wife."

"You didn’t love her."

"I did, in my own way."

"Like you loved me?"

"I could never love anyone like I love you." Ron said moving closer.

"When you never came back and I read that you married Gabrielle, I – I finally gave into Pansy and married her."

Ron pulled him in close as Draco buried his head against Ron’s chest. "You hate her."

Draco chuckled. "Still do. But, she did give me something that I’ll be eternally be grateful for."

"Lucien?"

"Mmm – he’s the best thing I have ever done. He’s smart, charming, and kind, but he has one flaw."

"What’s that." Ron said hugging him tighter.

All alone, eternally, but is this how it’s 
Really meant to be, no is it how it’s really 
Meant to be...

"He loves the Cannons."

Ron laughed out loud. "I knew I'd like him when I first saw him."

"Like you liked me?" Draco said looking up at him.

Ron snorted. "You were a right bastard when I first met you, but later I finally realized something about you." Ron said leaning in and letting his lips touch Draco’s lightly.

"What?" Draco said breathlessly.

"You have a great arse." Ron said before kissing him and squeezing said arse.

Draco moaned lightly as Ron deepened the kiss.

Well if they say that love is in the air, 
Never is it clear, wow to pull it close 
And make it stay...

They pulled apart after awhile and stood forehead to forehead. "Cold." Draco said softly.

"I’m here now." Ron said rubbing his back.

"Been so cold without you, I can wear three jumpers at one time and I still freeze."

"Never again."

"Promise?"

Ron nodded and kissed him. "Yes, and this time it’s for real."

If butterflies are free to fly, 
Why do they fly away, leaving 
Me to carry on and wonder why, 
Was it you that kept me wondering 
Through this life...

Draco sighed heavily and pulled Ron closer burying himself into Ron’s coat as Ron wrapped it around them. "What are you doing?"

Draco was making small noises as he began digging into Ron’s pocket. Then made a triumphant sound. "I knew it." He said backing up and holding his old Slytherin tie. "You love me."

Ron blushed lightly. "I do and always will." And Draco smiled as Ron leaned in and kissed him. Ron pulled back and smirked. "Though, it’s lost your scent, let’s go back to my place and get it all 'Draco' smelling again."

Draco grinned. "Weasley, do you think after all this time that I’m just going to go back to your place and just plop down onto my back and wait for you to mount me?"

"Pretty much, though if you like you could do the mounting." Ron said arching a brow.

Draco growled lightly. "Let’s go."

Ron held Draco to him so he could side along Apparate with him. "Ron?"

"Hmm."

"I love you too."

Ron smiled and kissed him. "You’re such a romantic."

"So are you."

He was. Though only with Draco. He had paid his dues, it was finally to start a new chapter, time to finally be happy with the only love he had ever known...with a small pop they disappeared into thin air...and into a new life.

When you know that I was 
Always on Your Side...

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"Always on Your Side": by Sheryl Crow & Sting.