𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: To Lie

Harry must have checked six times before the students arrived. He'd unlock the door, soothe Malfoy and then lock the door after him. And then he'd rattle the doorhandle, just to make sure it was locked. And then he'd check to see if he still had the key around his neck.

"How many times have you done that, mate?" Ron asked when he caught Harry leaving Malfoy's room at about four in the afternoon.

"Too many times now. I just want him to be alright when the others get here, you know?" Harry tucked the key under his shirt and started to walk to the common room with Ron. "So this ought to be interesting. They'll freak out when they see him here."

"They'll freak out worse when they know what you two have been up to."

Harry pushed Ron into the wall. "We haven't been 'up to' anything."

"I saw you dancing with him!" Ron snickered. "You were slow dancing and…"

"I danced with him once. You danced with Hermione more times than I can remember." The redhead blushed and Harry pounced. "So what's going on between you two? Are you getting any closer?"

"It was just a dance…"

"Or four. You know, you might have a proper chance with her if you stopped watching Malfoy and me."

Ron scowled at him before his face softened. "Since when did we become such girls? All we seem to talk about is your boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?"

Harry turned to glare at Ron for saying it just as they entered the common room. Both Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the lumpy couches and had apparently been in the middle of a conversation.

"So you really are dating Malfoy?" Ginny asked, glowering at him. "After all that crap you gave to me, you really are dating him?" She stood and stormed over to Harry, poking him in the chest. "You're a hypocritical bastard, you know that? And Malfoy? Malfoy, of all people? Why would you be interested in him after everything he's done? You…"

Harry's mouth went dry all of a sudden. It hit him that yes, he'd left Ginny because it wasn't safe for her to be with him and now he was, what? Falling for Malfoy? Suddenly, he started to feel stupid and unhappy with himself.

"…and now you're blanking out when I'm trying to talk to you!"

Ron stepped up. "Well, you're not really talking to him, Gin," he said sternly. "You're yelling at him."

"I can't believe you're supportive of this. It's Malfoy. He's our natural enemy and…"

"And if he makes Harry happy, that's good enough for me. If you loved Harry the way you're constantly going on about, you'd be supportive, too."

"So you don't love me, then?" Ginny snapped, now turning so all of her anger was on Ron. "If you loved me, you'd want me to be happy, right?"

Ron glared at her. "I believe in Harry's choices…"

"He broke my heart!"

"He had the best intentions. He's keeping you safe this way, Ginny, and you know that. The people who get close to him tend to die or get hurt pretty badly, if you haven't noticed-no offence." The last bit was aimed at Harry, who'd stopped listening a long time ago. All he could think about was how he'd be endangering Malfoy as well, just like he had for Ginny. Ron hit his arm to get his attention. "Hey. It's different with Malfoy."

"Ron…"

"No. It's different with Malfoy. Malfoy's not about to drop out of school for you. He's been neck-deep in this since he was born and that wasn't your fault. It's his parent's fault. You're not putting him in any danger. He was there to begin with. Ginny, however, can be safe."