Thank you - Drarry

Chapter 14

"WHO?" Ron's voice was loud and he stood up from his bed abruptly. The sudden movement caused Harry to move back in his bed, an instinct he'd never been able to work away after living with the Dursleys for years. Ron paced back and forth in between their two beds a few times before sitting back down with force.

"He's bad news that guy... "Harry wanted to defend Draco, but had barely been able to open his mouth to speak before Ron held up a hand to stop him. Ron ran a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched. "I know that you always want to see the good in people Harry. And I didn't say anything about you sitting with him in class because I understood that you might feel a bit suffocated around me and Hermione now that we're a couple. But in the end, he's still a death eater. He's a Slytherin and he's been an ass to you for seven years. And at the end of the day you can't trust him."

Anger and mistrust were written all over Ron's face, and Harry had to admit that he had a point. But at the same time, he really didn't know what he was talking about. Draco had been horrible to them both for years, yes. But he had changed. He wasn't the same guy who used to bully them back in fifth year.

As Harry heard what Ron had to say about Draco, he started to feel extremely frustrated.

"You don't know him-"

"And what? You think you do?!"

"Yes! I do!" Anger started to well up in Harry now. Ron's hatred for Draco made him absolutely ignore to the fact that the Slytherin had changed. And it left him blind to the obvious truth about why he had become a death eater in the first place. Fear, not hate, had caused Draco to take the mark.

"I've talked to him for months. Months! And not once has he said anything nasty to me or anyone else. He's apologized about how he's acted in the past and he has proven himself to me on more than one occasion." Harry took a deep breath to try to force his voice down and he felt the same tingle of calm that he had felt in the library. Without thinking about it he found himself twisting the ring around his finger absentmindedly.

"You are so naïve Harry" Ron's voice was low, but Harry could clearly hear the anger and frustration in it. Momentarily his eyes drifted down to Ron's chest, as if he expected to see the locket hanging there, forcing the anger on his friend. The lack of a bump under his shirt seemed to mock him. Even from the grave, Voldemort was messing with his head, and he hated it. Tiredness washed over him and he closed his eyes, his head hung low. He was tired of all of this. Of the hate and distrust. And he was tired of hiding. Ever since he had entered the wizarding world, he had felt like he's had no choice but to fit into this mold. Always hiding the parts of his that he didn't think would fit in to the image that he had been given. He's had to be this perfect savior, and he was tired of it. He wanted to be himself and he wanted to stop being afraid of what others would think of him. He might be naïve, but he'd rather be naïve than afraid to trust people. For the first eleven years of his life he had held everyone on an arm's length and he never wanted to go back to that again.

Harry opened his eyes again and studied his best friend. His red hair lay messily over his forehead and freckles covered almost every part of his nose and cheeks. He had a small crease between his eyebrows and his blue eyes flashed with anger. No, anger might not be right Harry thought as he studied him some more. He saw frustration, and worry, but not anger. This caused Harry to be faced with just how much Ron had grown since fourth year, when for a few months, the only thing Harry saw in Ron's eyes were anger. Suddenly Harry's heart felt a little lighter.

This was the guy that had been with Harry since day one. He still remembered how Ron had offered to share his sandwich that first day on the Hogwarts Express, even though it was all he had. That was Ron. He offered everything and expected nothing in return. He had stood by Harry through thick and thin. Sure, they've had their fights, but in the end, they have always come back to each other. He trusted Ron with his life. Both literally and figurately.

So, after taking a deep breath for strength, de decided to tell him the truth.

"I think I might love him."

The silence was deafening and the anger was gone from Ron's face in a millisecond, leaving a look of shock in its wake. For a second Harry regretted his words. The feeling of love had creeped up on him over the course of the term. He hadn't even put it into words until the last few days and he wasn't even sure if he really did love Draco. How could he know? He had never been in love. The only thing he had to compare to was Ginny, and he had liked her a lot. But love felt like too big of a word to use.

The question of "can you really be in love if the other person doesn't love you back?" popped into his head. He hadn't even been brave enough to ask Draco how he felt. On top of that, not only twenty minutes ago he had sat in the library contemplating on whether or not Draco even like him as a friend. But the words were out and there was nothing he could do to take them back. All he could do was wait for Ron's response.

Several minutes went by before his friend spoke. He was deep in though and he would occasionally look up at Harry as if searching his face for something before looking back down on his hands. Just as the silence was about to drive Harry absolutely insane Ron spoke. His eyes still fixated on his hands in his lap.

"Are you sure?" His voice held no anger, which made the lump in Harry's throat loosen up a bit.

"No" A nervous laugh left Harrys lips before he could stop it. "Not at all" At that Ron looked up and took in the small, nervous smile on Harrys lips.

"No?" He spoke slowly. "That's a bit brave ay? Declaring you love him even though you're not even sure yourself? I mean, I didn't even know you were into blokes" He could see Ron trying to fight a grin but failed at the last comment. As a big smile filled his best friends face Harry couldn't help but copy it.

"I am a Gryffindor after all" This caused Ron to laugh out loud. "Idiot" was all he said before laying down on his bed, legs still dangling over the edge. Harry stood up from his bed and made his way over to Ron's before laying down next to him.

"So, you're bi?"

"It appears so."

"And out of all the guys, Malfoy is the only who caught your interest?"

Harry turned his head and gave Ron a grin.

"It appears so."

"Smartass" Ron laughed and reached over and playfully hit Harry on the shoulder before laying back down on his back.

The two best friends lay there, side to side for quite a while, smiles on their faces. Neither boy feeling the need to say anything, both too occupied with their own thoughts. Harry felt like he was floating on clouds. Ron had accepted him. Ron still loved him. He didn't know why he had doubted, but he hadn't been able to fight the fear that had snuck in.

Eventually they heard the rest of the boys coming up the stairs. They all barged into the room, loudly discussing something that Neville's gran had told him over the holiday. In the loudness of the argument Ron turned his head to Harry and spoke only loud enough for the two of them to hear.

"Just promise you'll be careful, alright"

Harry smiled at his best friend and nodded. Just as he sat up to head back to his own bed, Ron sat up with him, a mischievous gleam in his eyes which instantly made Harry think of Fred and George.

"And promise me I get to be there when you tell Hermione that you like guys"

Harry simply laughed and shook his head before playfully pushing Ron back into his bed and walking over to his own.

That night, despite his worry about his talk with Draco tomorrow, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.