Author's Note - See chapter one for disclaimers, warnings, ratings, etc.

Chapter Ten

Ron went home Friday morning. Driving back through the country, he tried to decide how to let Draco know he wanted him back. He didn't know whether he should call him or just stop by the surf shop. Ron didn't want to embarrass him, but he wanted to show Draco he was serious.

When he got back into town, instead of going straight home, he brashly decided to go to Draco's work. He parked the car in the lot in the back of the store. He sat in his car for a moment while he gathered his courage. He knew he needed to give Draco another chance. For that matter, he knew he had to give himself another chance.

He finally got out and walked around to the front of the store. He pushed the door open and looked around. He saw a man with long brown hair standing behind the register and a few customers, but he didn't see Draco. He wondered if maybe he wasn't working...maybe Draco decided he didn't want to see him anymore...maybe he should go...

"Do you need some help?" asked the man behind the counter.

"Uh, uh...is Draco working today?" stammered Ron.

"Sure. Just a sec." The man yelled out, "Hey, Draco!"

Ron heard Draco call out, "Yeah?"

"Someone here to see you."

Ron was losing his nerve. He didn't want this to be so public. His throat suddenly got dry and he tried to swallow.

He saw Draco pop his head out from an open door in the back of the store. He looked at the man behind the counter and said, "Who?" Then he saw Ron, who shoved his trembling hands in his pockets. Draco blinked, not believing that Ron was standing there waiting for him.

Draco then darted over to Ron, but didn't touch him. "Uh, hi."

"I was wondering if you could meet me at the pier tomorrow morning?" Ron said in a rush of words.

Draco looked shocked and didn't try to hide it. "Uh...sure...yes, okay."

"Thanks." Ron turned quickly and left.

Draco stood there, shocked, until his boss waved his hand in front of his face. "Back to work!"

He shook himself out of his trance and walked to the storage room in the back. He leaned his body against the wall and could feel himself shiver, his stomach lurching, wondering why Ron wanted him to meet at the pier. Ron didn't seem mad, Draco noted. He closed his eyes and leaned his face against the cool wall, hoping Ron wanted him back.

*****

Ron was nervous as he leaned against the rail of the pier. He wasn't paying attention to his jiggling rod, but he certainly wasn't watching the surfers. He downed another beer, stared out towards the islands and tugged his hat over his eyes.

He had gotten to the pier very early, so he had already been there for hours. He looked out to the islands that he and Harry had loved to look at and thought about what he wanted. His head hurt from all the thoughts running around in it, but they just wouldn't stop.

Ron was unsure if he was doing the right thing, letting Draco back into his life, but he just felt he had to. He loved him and he wanted to be with him. He had to take a chance, even if it hurt. He had been hurt so much, that Ron wasn’t sure there could be anything more to get to him. He just knew Draco did love him, and they both deserved some sort of another chance.

*****

Draco got up early, not getting much sleep the night before and took in a couple of waves before he looked towards the pier. He didn't want to seem eager or desperate. He kept his head low, not looking for a guy in a funny blue hat and red straw-looking hair. He veered towards the stairs and began climbing them. He finally looked up at the pier and saw Ron looking away, but standing there, waiting.

Draco walked along the slats of the pier, looking at Ron the entire time. He watched Ron leaning over the rail, clutching his hands together, his hat pulled over his eyes. He reached him and softly placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. Ron looked back at Draco. He pulled his hat off his head and let the wind blow the red hair every which way.

Draco was nervous that Ron had ask him to come to the pier, not to take him back, but to tell him off. He stood there for a moment, not knowing if he should speak first.

Then Ron reached for him and wrapped his arms around him. Draco breathed out in relief.

"Come back to me."

Draco closed his eyes and felt his heart pounded hard in his chest. "I'm so sorry, Ron."

"No, I don't want to talk about it right now. I just...just...want to be with you."

Draco didn't say anything, just clutched Ron, holding him as tight as possible. They stood like that for a long time, before they finally pulled away from each other. They spent the next few hours fishing, not speaking very much, and spending the time together.

Just like all the Saturdays they had spent together, when they were ready, right before lunch, they gathered up their things and walked to Ron's house.

Ron opened the door and let Draco go in first. Draco leaned his surfboard against the wall and Ron brought in the fish and equipment. He left Draco standing in the living room, while he took the fish in the kitchen. Draco wasn't sure if he should sit down and he wasn't sure what he should so next. He wanted to touch Ron again, but was frightened to push him again. He felt like an idiot, just standing there, waiting.

Ron came back into the living room and slightly smiled at him. "Draco, it's okay. Don't be scared. I won't promise not to get upset sometimes, I'll always love Harry. It will never be your fault. None of this is your fault. I do love you, Draco."

"I love you, too," Draco whispered. "May I kiss you?"

"Of course!" Ron mouth slid into his lop-sided grin, as Draco reached for him.

*****

Three months later -

"Draco?" Ron called, as he walked in the new house, carrying a huge box in his arms. "Where do you want this?" Ron tried to look over the box, but had trouble seeing where he was going.

Draco dashed from the extra bedroom and said, "What is it? Oh, my school stuff? Bring it in here." He held onto Ron's arm, guiding him down the hall.

Ron put the box down on the floor with a grunt. He looked around the room at the boxes and extra furniture. They were going to have to sort it out at some point, but he shrugged and followed Draco into the living room.

The new house had a combination of each man's furniture and lifestyle. Draco's huge entertainment center was on one wall, and Ron's couch was on the other. The kitchen was larger and the house had two bedrooms, one of which they decided to keep as an office, for Draco to use for school and Ron to play on the computer or relax when he wanted. Draco's surfboard leaned against a wall in the living room and Ron's fishing gear had its place in a corner of the garage.

Ron had all his family pictures including Harry's arranged in the extra bedroom on a shelf above Draco's desk, so when Ron was playing on the computer all he had to do was look up and see Harry smiling at him. Ron would always smile back.

Draco flopped on the couch and said, "Does Jeffrey mind all the boxes in the garage?"

"Nah, he's cool. I told him we'd get them out by the end of next week."

Ron rented his and Harry's house to a fellow officer. He couldn't bear to sell it, but also knew he didn't want to share it with Draco. It would always be his and Harry's. The new tenant was a rookie officer, who was a bachelor, so the small house by the beach was perfect for him. Jeffrey hadn't minded fixing up the place, including the broken screen door.

Their new house was a bit inland. In-between Draco's school and the police department, it was easy to get to everything. Ron and Draco did miss being able to walk to the beach, but they would just throw everything in the back of Draco's van and head off when they felt like it.

The first time Ron's family met Draco, they were apprehensive, but eventually took to him, realizing Draco just wanted to make Ron happy and would do anything for that to happen. Ginny was probably that one Draco had the most to prove and he sensed it right away. After a while, though, even Ginny came to like Draco, in spite of herself.

Ron sat down in the living room next to Draco and leaned into him. Draco wrapped his arms around Ron and kissed him on the lips.

“We have more boxes to bring in, “ said Ron, sadly.

Draco gave Ron one more squeeze before he let go and got up. Ron sat for a moment, watching Draco walk out the door.

They had decided to move in together when it became obvious that Draco was wasting money on an apartment he was never in. Draco asked Ron with great hesitation, but Ron welcomed it, as long as they moved to new place. True, Draco had been spending time in Harry and Ron's house, but Ron didn't want to make things permanent in Harry's house. He thought maybe he was being ridiculous, but decided he wasn't, it was just how he felt and he couldn't help it.

Ron had stopped struggling about many things. His guilt, his unwillingness to love again, and many parts of his personality that was just who he was. The events that had happened to him had shaped him and were a part of him, as well the part of his heart that would always belong to Harry.

*****

Three months after that -

They lay in bed, being very lazy, knowing Draco had to get up for work. Draco touched Ron softly on his cheek, not believing that they were so happy. He touched Ron a lot to make sure he was there. Draco would get nervous from time to time, wondering if Ron really did love him, if he really did understand. Ron would never bring up the past, although Draco knew he must think of Harry.

Draco never said anything when Ron put the picture of Harry on the shelf when they first moved in. He felt that was the least he could give to Ron. To let him remember Harry. Not to say it didn't bother Draco for many reasons, he felt it wasn't his right to take that away.

"You have to get up," said Ron, as he curled his arm around Draco's neck.

"How am I supposed to, with you all over me?" Draco smiled, of course not minding that Ron was wrapped around him.

"Dunno. Guess your gonna have to figure it out..." Ron leaned over and kissed him.

Draco groaned and mumbled, "Ron, I'm going to be late..."

Ron muttered back, "As usual..."

Draco pulled himself up on top of Ron and ran his fingers through his hair. Now that it was winter, Ron wasn't in the sun as much and his hair, much to Draco's delight, had gotten softer.

Draco pulled Ron's hair to expose his neck and placed little kisses against his throat. Ron moaned at the tiny touches and begged Draco to continue.

Ron moved his legs until he could feel Draco's hardness against his thigh. Draco pressed himself into Ron and groaned. He moved his body between Ron's legs and reached down to pull them up for access.

When he entered Ron, Draco felt so much love. It just wasn’t just the physical feeling of having Ron surrounding him; Draco’s heart hurt from the happiness that he had found someone who wanted him. Wanted him for who he was, in spite of who he was and loved him anyway.

Ron watched Draco's face as he showed the ecstasy of the act of sex. Ron loved making him look like that and would be willing to do it for the rest of their lives.

Sometimes, though, Ron would close his eyes and think of Harry. He knew it really wasn’t fair, but he had too. Draco would be willing to see him into old age, while Harry had seen Ron through childhood, friendship and first true love.

Ron opened his eyes and saw a shock of long blonde hair. It didn’t upset him this time. He felt Draco inside him and Ron exploded as Draco hit his most sensitive spot over and over again. Ron reached for Draco’s neck and pulled him close, wanting to feel his body, sweaty and passionate, lying heavily on top of him.

Then they came together. The nerves on their bodies screaming with feeling, until Draco and Ron lie panting together, wrapped together, and kissed, saying ‘I love you’.