What (other than cancer) might cause a painless, v. hard, fixed mass in the tonsil area w/ firm, swollen ac node, hearing decrement, & clr mucus?

See your doctor: It looks like you're trying to fit a lot of info into a short question and i suspect there's more to tell as well. In general infection & cancer are high on the list of things that cause lymph node enlargement. There are others, but based on what you've written i'd recommend seeing your doctor for a complete history and evaluation.

Cancer: Painless mass of tonsil with swollen node = cancer until proven otherwise. The other issues are unrelated and take a back seat to the tonsil mass. Get this evaluated asap by your local ent.