Disclaimer: The following is a work of fanfiction based on ideas, characters, settings and situations created by JKR; they are used without permission. I do not claim to own any of these elements. This has been written for the sole purpose of entertainment and no profit is made nor infringement intended.

Seventh Year Outing

Lady Shadow

Fanfiction:

Harry Potter

R

HP-SS, RW-DM

action/adventure, romance

Chapter One

"As all current seventh years know, the annual seventh year Outing is fast approaching. This year we have decided to hold two outing instead of four that will be twice as long in an attmpt to strengthen interhouse relationships." Dumbledore announced. There was a general groan coming from opposite sides; whenever Dumbledore said 'strengthening interhouse relationships' or anything remotely connected with those words, it meant that Slythrin and Gryffindor were going to be spending some time together.

"The schedual will be thus: Sunday will start the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw outing. It will last for two weeks, and the Gryffindor/Slythrin Outing will begin the next morning. All seventh years in the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw should begin preparation immediatly according to the list you will be provided with this evening. I ask that you not reveal the list to any of the other houses. Now, in other news..."

"That reaks royally! I was looking forward to the Outing too! Even though we still technically have to do eduacational things, it's supposed to be really fun and relaxing and all. Percy went to China for his Outing! But no...we get to spend ours with a bunch of snakes!" Ron complained. Harry gave him a sympathetic look. Ron had been looking forword to the Outing since the begning of the year, making almost constant speculations on where they would be going and the like. The rest of the seventh years had too for that matter.

"Dumbledore does seem to that to us a lot doesn't he?" Harry commented, slipping his pajamas on.

"Harry? Can I burrow the cloak tonight? I need to go work off some energy before I explode!" Ron said quieter. Not that he really needed to as no one else was in the room yet.

"Of course. I can't come with you-I need to pass that Potions exam tomorrow, so I'll probably be up early studing. Just make sure your back before I wake up, or I'll have to come look for you. And don't get it confinscated." Ron smiled and shook his head slowly. Something had happened to Harry sometime in his sixth year and he was suddenly studying almost all the time-he nearly studied as much as Hermione. Ron had a private thought that he was just trying to impress Hermione, who had grown into a strikingly beautiful young woman with many admirers.

"You're already going to pass the exam, you always do. It's the same way every potions class-Hermione gets top marks-obviously, and you and Malfoy alternatley get second and third." Ron left out that he usually got fourth or fifth-which was not at all bad for a Gryffindor in Severus Snape's classroom. In fact he also left out that he had been doing a lot more studying as well since the end of his fifth year and it was simply confounding. Most people privately thought he and Harry were competing for Hermione's affections. "But that's okay. I knda wanted some time to my self anway." Ron finished. Harry smiled and nodded, crawling into bed just as the rest of their room mates came into the room. Ron mouthed his thanks and continued to rant about their Outing being ruined -the rest of his room mates joining in vehmently.

Ron checked to make sure the room was asleep before slipping Harry's invisibility cloak out and throwing it over his shoulders and head. Moving quietly so as not to attract Mrs. Norris, Ron left the school and turned into the garden. He was there already, highlighted in the moonlight, looking around anxiously. Bitting his lower lip to keep from laughing, Ron stalked the lone figure quietly. Ron stood right in front of him for a minute, just admiring his lover before he abruptly shoved his arms out of the cloak and pulled him close to his body. Before Draco Malfoy could cry out in shock Ron had crushed their lips together.

"Surprise." Ron said cheerfully.

"Fuck you." Draco spat back, but he was smiling too.

"Actually I belive it's the other way around...shall we?" Draco snorted but allowed Ron to pull him to a secluded portion of the garden and lay him down gently. Their lips met again, this time softer as they gently explored each other's mouths as though they hadn't done it a hundred times before.

Harry smiled softly from his perch on the window. Ron thought he was so sly. He watched his friend lead their 'enemy' into a part of the garden that could be seen only from this window. They were laying down now with Draco on his back, kissing. Harry smiled again and turned away from their window, happy that at least one of them was happy. Harry tried to push the bitter thought away, but it already had its claws in his heart. Sighing, he crawled back into bed and shut the curtains.

Ron closed his eyes tightly as he was slowly incompassed in Draco's heat. Both were breathing heavily by the time Ron sat flush between Draco's legs.

"ohgodohgodohgod..." Draco whispered over and over, clutching his knees to his chest with such force he would undoubtably have buises the next day.

"Shh...it's okay..." Ron found himself whispering into his lover's ear. Draco was panting so heavily that his chest was arching off the ground. Ron buried his face in Draco's shoulder and bit lightly. Draco immediately slid his legs over Ron's broad shoulders and wrapped his arms firmly around his lover's neck.

"Okay...okay move...now!" he snapped when Ron hesitated. Laughing slightly, Ron pulled out gently and pushed back in with the same care and love. Draco clutched his shoulder-length red hair and arched his back invitingly while Ron thrust in again, this time slightly harder.

"Harder..." Draco whispered breathlessly. Ron complied eagerly and as always seemed to happen, within two minutes he was thrusting into his lover so hard that they both moved foreword with each thrust. Supporting himself on one forearm, Ron wrapped his calloused hand around Draco's straining memember.

"Come for me, Draco..." He whispered urgently. Draco grasped either side of Ron's head and pulled him into a passionate kiss, moaning into the safety of his mouth as he came over Ron's hand and in between their bodies. Three hard thrusts later and Ron was still as he too reached a peak and spilled his essence in Draco's body. Both boys sank into the ground, Ron moving only enough to pull out of his lover.

"You're amazing, my dragon..." Ron whispered breathlessly, settling his head on Draco's shoulder. Draco brought one hand up to stroke his lover's hair gently.

"I bet you say that to all your boys," Draco whispered against Ron's head. Ron snorted softly.

"Of course I do," he answered sleepily, curling tighter around Draco as he shivered. His blond-haired lover laughed slightly and forced them both to sit up.

"We should get dressed and get back in before someone wakes up and wonders where we are." Ron moaned and pulled him back down.

"So eager to leave me are you, you dirty Slytherin bastard?" Draco pouted.

"Damn, caught red handed! And I was going to steal your clothes on the way too." Ron chuckled softly and the remained on the cool ground for several minutes, both half dozing. Surprisingly, Ron was the first to rouse himself and insist they get up.

"Harry said he's going to get up early to study, and you know what 'early' means to Harry. If I'm not back before he gets up, he said he'd come and look for me."

"Taking curfew hours from Potter now, are you?" Ron just shook his head and pulled Draco into his chest for a moment, relishing the moment of warmth between them; he was not able to just hold his lover very often, just for the sake of holding him.

"Hurry along, you. You wouldn't want to get in trouble with mummy Potter now would you?" Ron cuffed him lightly across the head, then kissed Draco gently when the boy turned his best pout on him.

"Good night," he whispered.

"Correction, Mr. Weasley. Good morning." Their eyes wide in shock and horror, Ron and Draco both turned slowly to face Severus Snape.

(())

It's far too early in the morning for anyone to actually be about quite yet-all the night owls have crawled back into bed and the early risers have not yet risen, and yet here I am, faced with the shadowy sillutes of two young students. The taller of the two has his back to me, and so the shorter, whom he is holding, is hiden. Glaring, I step out of the arc and move toward them, entirely intent on shattering this tender little moment I have stummbled across. I hear a soft 'good night' and realize that it's Weasley; I should have guessed, that shoulder-length red hair insn't exactly common, now is it? It is with great glee that I answer him before Ms. Granger-who I assume is the poor young unfortunate hidding in his arms-can manage to do so.

"Correction, Mr. Weasley," I say, loud enough and commanding enough that they can hear me and know who it is, but not so loud that I am shouting. Weasley's back suddenly goes ridged and the pale, delicate hands resting on his shoulders tighten almost painfully. "Good morning," I finish with as much pleasent poision as I can manage. They turn to face me slowly, their eyes wide with fear-no absolute horror.

I am more shocked to see Mr. Malfoy than they are to see me.

The air between us is tangible as Weasley steps forward and a little to left, half shielding Draco's body with his own. I am so shocked that I say nothing. I imagine my face has fallen back into its instinctive glower, and I also imagine that it's nearly enough to stop their hearts. I look between them for a minute and I can sympathize with them; not so long ago, I was in this same place, in this same position. My heart stirs with something I have never felt for a student. Pity. I remember my own such expierence, and drawing myself up to my full height, I react the same way Minerva McGonagall had reacted those few years ago-had it nearly been two decades?

As though talking to myself, I say, "I thought I had seen a few students out here...never matter, I shall catch them in the halls, I'm sure," And all the while, my eyes are locked with Weasley's. It takes him a moment to understand, then he quickly picks up Potter's cloak, grabs Mr. Malfoy's hand and runs past me. I wait a few minutes, starring at the hedgery as though it were a beautiful piece of vibrant art that requires deep study. "I'm going soft," I whisper to myself as I turn and walk leasuirely back to the castle.