Revelations of Love - Moment by Moment Book #3 (Harry Potter, Drarry)

Professional About the Wizard

When he walked back into the bunk room, Harry found a scene which struck him as a larger-scale version of morning in the dorm back in Gryffindor Tower. However, he sat on that thought very hard as associations about that place came to him that he didn't want, and so it was that he walked up to his bunk with a frown on his face. Remus was tying his shoes while balancing against the bedside cabinet, but he stopped as soon as he laid eyes on his friend.

"Anything the matter, Harry?" he asked immediately.

The young man deliberately cleared his face of the leftover thought, and dragged back the good night to bring a smile to his features.

"No, everything is fine," he returned, and bent to draw back the curtains from around his bunk.

"Couldn't sleep, and went for a wander."

"Then why was a House Elf digging in your trunk an hour ago?" Remus asked, this time in a much lower voice.

Harry turned to his comrade; he'd thought about lying, he'd just attempted a half-truth, but it wasn't going to work, he was too happy about the night, and so he decided to be honest.

"Spent the night in the medibay," he answered, also quietly and obtusely, in case anyone was listening in, but he knew Remus understood the meaning behind his statement as his eyebrows hit his hairline. "Nev got my clothes sent across," he finished.

The werewolf just looked at his companion, dumbfounded by the open grin which Harry sent him; he liked anarchy.

~*~

Harry put down his spoon and looked across at Remus. They hadn't spoken much since sitting down in the mess in their own little corner, but the younger man knew that the elder had something to say.

"Out with it, Remus," he challenged good-naturedly, and caught the other off guard.

Lupin blinked at him, surprised by the direct approach and clearly uncertain about what was bothering him.

"I've got enough to handle with Ron being all awkward and silent," Harry met the matter head-on, "don't do it to me as well. We've been friends too long for you to bite your tongue now."

His companion stared at Harry a while longer, his lips drawn into a thin, pensive line, but eventually he began in a concerned whisper, "Don't you think you're going about this Draco business like Incendius in a paper factory?"

Harry smiled and sat back from his meal, contemplating his reply.

"I suppose I am being rather direct," he agreed, which earned him a look of _understatement of the century_. Blithely, he continued, "I just don't want to play games."

"Just be careful," Remus would not let up. "It could be dangerous, at the very least problematic, for _both_ of you, for others to know about your attachment to Draco, after all, he's a wanted man in these circles."

Harry did take note then as the seriousness of the warning made it home. He straightened and answered, "I'll be discrete, Remus, I promise."

That seemed to satisfy the Order Chief's concerns, but there was something else in his face as he relaxed, and he sighed, shaking his head in disbelief as he asked, "Where did all this throwing yourself into a relationship come from? You were always so, so-."

"Hopeless at them?" the young man grinned, and slowly Remus nodded, a wry smile also gracing his features. "Never could fathom out what to say and when to say it. Nearest I came to a real relationship was Mysty Dawn."

"The pop singer, oh yes, I met her on one of my first trips out, didn't I?" Lupin nodded as his memory caught up.

"Six months that lasted, and sometimes I think it was only that long because it was mainly long distance," Harry carried on. "Considering it was originally arranged just for publicity by the Ministry and her agent, I think we did rather well to even get along."