Now and Forever

Chapter 1 aka the only on

"Harry, my boy, are you quite alright?" The alarmed voice of the headmaster came drifting into his mind.

Damn. Quickly, he closed the mental link with his lover, blinking so his eyes would return to there normal color.

"I'm fine, headmaster, why do you ask?" Harry tried to put just the right amount of confusion in his voice.

Dumbledore frowned. "My boy, your eyes were just red now."

Double damn.

On his right side, Ron looked up from his dinner. They were at Order Headquarters, Grimmauld place no. 12. It was Easter break, and Harry had hoped to be able to slip away to Riddle mansion a few times, but everyone was keeping such a close eye on him!

He sighed. A little over a year more until he could take his NEWTs, and then he'd be safe.

"What? That's not possible, why would they be?" Harry said. 

Hermione coughed into a bite of roast, and he eyed her.

He looked at every face around the table. Sirius and Remus, trying to be sneaky about the hand holding going on under the table. Hermione, who he was reasonably sure suspected something.  Ron appeared to be inhaling his mashed potatoes. Tonks was glaring sullenly at Remus. Still not over her crush, then. Speaking about crushes, the cow-eyes Ginny was making at him were really putting him off his dinner.

Fred and George were discussing something in hushed tones, an evil glint in their eyes. Severus was glowering at his vegetables while Molly fussed over the inadequate amount of food on his plate.

Harry gulped slightly. There was no way he'd be able to hide for another year.

"I have a rescue team stationed outside the door. Go ahead and... inform them, but leave the link open, will you?" His lover's voice penetrated his thoughts.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Harry said with a mental eye-roll, but he couldn't hide his relief.

"Professor, could we have this conversation another time? You see, there's something I have to tell you all."

Everyone looked up.

"But of course, my boy. What is it you wish to tell us?"

Harry gulped.

"Well, you may have noticed I've been a bit, um, moody this past week." Ignoring Ron's muttered 'no kidding', Harry went on. "And, uh, the reason for that is that I've been seeing someone for awhile now, and I'm a bit disappointed that I'm unable to see them over the holidays."

Hermione buries her head in her hands.

"But Harry, why didn't you just tell us?" Remus asked. "Even under these circumstances, I'm sure we could have arranged something."

Harry wondered just how much he knew.

"I'm sure any girlfriend of yours would be more then welcome to visit, Harry dear." Molly said.

Hermione chocked on here food. She definitely knew more then she was letting on.

"It's not my sister, is it?!" Ron demanded. Harry tried not to turn too green. 

"Uh, no, it's not Ginny, Ron." He awkwardly said.

"I'd think I know if it was me, wouldn't I?" Ginny snapped at Ron, who looked down, cowed.

"Is this going to take much longer? Bellatrix is getting antsy."

Harry paled.

"What the fuck is Bellabitch doing there?! You know she's insane, she'll probably light the house on fire or something!"