A Love So Belated
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
46,690
Reviews:
358
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
46,690
Reviews:
358
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 39: A Bit Strange
Chapter Number/Total: 39/44
Chapter Title: A Bit Strange
Words: 3077 Words
Harry couldn't help that he was at least a little nervous about the party, but he was nervous in a strange kind of way. Yes, he hoped that his friends would still be his friends, but if they wanted to sever all ties with him without even trying to give Draco a chance, then perhaps he was better off without them, no matter how depressing the thought was.
He waited with Draco for people to arrive, and Hermione was the first. She would have come even earlier to help set things up, according to her, but had been trying to get Ron to come to the party. Harry didn't really even want to think about Ron, though. Whenever he did he got a weird, uncomfortable clenching feeling in his gut. He would absolutely not admit it aloud, but he hated when he was fighting with Ron.
Neville showed soon after Hermione, and then a few other people - Ernie, Padma, Terry, and Hannah, then Lavender came with Parvati, followed by Dean and Seamus. They were all almost too cheerful, and Harry knew it was to hide awkwardness, though Seamus did behave a little strangely, hardly looking at either Harry or Draco except to greet them. It wasn't very far at all into the night, and Harry had been mostly meeting everyone at the door, but conversation so far had been careful. No one had yet mentioned the article, even though every single person knew that was why they were there. Harry was surprised. He had expected yelling or something from at least one of them, but nothing of the sort happened. It was still possible though, and it was only a matter of time now, before talking about the article and Harry and Draco being an item was quite out in the open.
Draco held a glass in one hand and stayed close to Harry. He would occasionally reach to touch him on the arm or back, finding that doing so helped him calm down some when he got nervous. He did greet people and they were polite. He was amused in a kind of perverse way, to see the way those who had attacked him in seventh year seemed to squirm now.
People definitely noticed Draco's little touches. They stared, but then would look away quickly, to avoid being caught.
Harry stood in the kitchen next to Draco, feeling awkward himself. He wondered if having this "party'" was such a great idea after all. All everyone seemed to want to do was stand around and pretend like nothing was out of the ordinary. But soon enough though, the topic of the night came out, and it was Hannah of all people to bring it up.
"So, you're together then?" she asked quietly enough to Harry and Draco, but it caught the attention of every person near them.
Harry nodded. "Yes, we are," he said, feeling his heart quicken slightly.
Draco blushed a bit. The only person he had talked to about his feelings was his mother. He nodded, glancing at Harry. Anyone looking at his face could plainly see how it changed whenever he looked at the other man.
She nodded as well, going quiet for a short moment. "I, um, I read that article that was in the paper."
Harry flushed this time. "Mm."
She nodded again, blushing too.
"Was what it said true?" asked Lavender.
"Well, Rita Skeeter wrote it, so it was quite a bit exaggerated," Harry answered.
Draco managed to blush even deeper and shake his head. "We were kissing," he said.
Harry nodded, and Lavender faltered, like the very idea of them kissing was shocking. "Oh," she said simply.
"Why didn't you tell all of us that night?" asked Dean. He seemed, out of everyone, the most angered. Harry figured it was probably because of Ginny.
"Well," Harry began, "I guess I didn't think it was particularly anyone's business, and I didn't think the news would get a great reaction."
Draco had to control his own reaction to that, or else he would have rolled his eyes. He knew Harry was afraid of his friends' reactions more than anything. He found himself looking again for Seamus, and wondered what he would say.
"Were you with him while you were with Ginny?" Dean asked.
Harry flushed again. "That's pretty personal," he said.
It seemed enough of an answer for Dean, who turned away and began fumbling around getting himself a drink.
Harry sighed quietly.
"Well, it is a bit ... strange," Padma said cautiously.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
Curiosity got the better of his tongue and Draco found himself speaking before thinking. "How so?" he asked.
"Well ...." she said. "It's not like you two were ever even friends in school."
"I thought you hated each other," Parvati added.
"We weren't friends in school," said Harry. "But we did become friends before we started ... dating."
"I never hated Harry," Draco admitted, flushing again.
Several people gave that statement strange looks.
"And besides that ...." said Lavender slowly. "You're both ... men."
"Yeah," said Harry.
"Well ... unless I missed something in over seven years, I didn't know either of you even liked men," she continued.
Harry gave a small shrug. "I like him."
"You missed something," Draco said with a smirk, eyes glancing to Seamus again, but only briefly.
Seamus' eyes twitched a little and he turned to make himself a drink as well.
"So, you've always been ...?" Parvati asked Draco. "I thought you dated Pansy Parkinson."
"Yes, I do," Draco said calmly, but with a smirk. "And yes, I did."
"You do what?" said Parvati.
Draco grinned. "Like men, and women."
Parvati raised her eyebrows, turning to Harry. "And I suppose you do, too?"
He gave another small shrug. "I guess so," he said.
"You don't have a preference?" asked Justin, looking doubtful.
"I suppose right now my preference is for men, since I happen to be dating one, but I've been with girls and I like them, too." He shifted a little, feeling weird discussing his sexuality out in the open in a room full of people, especially when he didn't quite know how to explain it to himself.
"My preference is for Harry," Draco said, smiling again as he looked at the man in question.
Harry smiled back at him and they received strange looks again.
"So Harry likes men, and Draco likes men, and it just so happens that they like each other," said Hermione from where she stood. "I suppose that about sums it up. I really hope no one's considering letting a friendship fall apart because of this."
Harry raised an eyebrow at her.
"It's just weird is all," said Ernie. "I would've never thought that you were ...." He seemed uncomfortable.
"Me either," Harry replied. "But I am."
"There are a great many things you didn't know about me," Draco couldn't help but point out.
"Well, there were a great many things you never bothered to show," said Seamus, speaking up finally. His tone was defensive.
Draco's initial thought was how true that was of Seamus as well, but he held his tongue. He did arch a brow at the man and let it show in his eyes. "It's not always safe to do so, is it?" he asked quietly.
Seamus flushed and glanced away.
Harry was confused with Seamus' behaviour, and based on others' expressions, he wasn't the only one who appeared to feel that way.
"The things I hid, I hid because I would be dead if I hadn't," Draco said with a sigh. "That includes both my affiliations and my ... personal interests."
"You had a right to hide them," said Hermione. She glanced a little stiffly around the room.
"You did," Harry agreed, glancing around as well.
"I hope that this so-called new world we fought for will mean neither I nor others have to," Draco said, eyes flickering again to Seamus, but then focusing on Harry.
Harry nodded, taking Draco's hand and bringing it briefly to his lips. Even that made several people blush.
Draco wanted to pull Harry into his arms then, but if the reactions of the others were any clue, that would probably be too much. He settled for squeezing his hand and smiling at him with a look of affection that would be clear to anyone.
After that, everyone sort of trailed off into other conversations. It was obvious that some people were very uncomfortable with the situation. Ernie was one of them, and Susan seemed a little uncomfortable as well, but everyone else seemed mostly okay. Dean was still mad and Seamus was still acting strangely, but at least they didn't seem sickened or anything.
"I've never felt so awkward with most of these people since second year," Harry said quietly to Draco, standing mostly away from everyone.
Draco sighed and shook his head. He didn't like that he made things harder for Harry. The fact that Harry was willing to do this to be with him was amazing to him.
Harry sighed too, feeling a little agitated. He wanted to kiss Draco and it was frustrating with the other man standing so near. He knew he probably could, but he also knew how uncomfortable it might make everyone. He had half a mind to do it anyway. "I wish I could send everyone out so we could go to bed," he said, his tone suggestive.
Draco smiled and stepped closer, looking into his lover's eyes. "To bed?" he asked, voice low and sexy.
"To bed," Harry repeated, feeling a flip in his stomach. "Doesn't mean we have to sleep."
"You do love to tease me, don't you?" Draco purred, stepping even closer, forgetting the others now.
Harry grinned, but it was more of a smirk. "Well, it's just so easy," he said, voice dropping lower. "And you look hot when I do it."
The blond leaned forward, lips caressing Harry's.
Harry kissed Draco back automatically, one hand coming up to rest along his jaw.
Draco's eyes closed and one hand slid around his lover's waist as he deepened the kiss.
It was a few moments later, when Harry had pressed closer as well, that he noticed the room had grown very, very quiet. He remembered where they were then, but didn't move to break the kiss immediately. Why should he have to? Everyone there knew he and Draco were together, so they didn't have anything to hide. If they didn't want to look, then they didn't have to. He let the kiss break slowly, as it would normally.
Draco felt Harry tense and then relax, remembering then the other friends. When the kiss ended, he smiled at his lover.
Harry smiled back, going as far as to waggle his eyebrows a little before he braved looking around the rest of the room. There were many flushed and embarrassed faces, but everyone seemed to be looking anywhere but at them - probably trying to hide the fact that they had been staring.
"I love you," Draco said, his voice not loud, but clear enough that everyone would hear it.
A few people did turn back to stare then.
"I love you, too," Harry replied, voice clear as well. He gave Draco another small kiss.
Everyone seemed shocked with the admissions. Their eyes grew wide and they continued to stare.
"You love each other?" said Lavender, sounding surprised.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Yes," he said.
Draco nodded, his eyes still on Harry. "Yes, we do," he echoed softly, then glanced up.
"He lives here," Harry added. "Has for a little while now."
"You live together"? Ernie repeated, even though Harry had just said so.
"Yes," he answered anyway.
The blond nodded, turning to look at the others but keeping his arm around Harry's waist.
Harry let out a small, quiet sigh. "I know this is going to take some getting used to," he said. "You don't have to agree with it, or even talk to me anymore if you really don't want to, but I do love him. Really. And he really does love me, so this is something permanent. It's not going away. I know it might be easier to say this than some of you think it will be to actually do, but I don't want to focus on me being with Draco. It's stupid really. I'm not focusing on any of your love lives. It doesn't matter to me. I called everyone over here because I thought I should probably tell you what really happened instead of you all speculating over a load of rubbish in the paper."
He stood and waited for someone to say something, but they all seemed to be looking past him. Confused, Harry turned his head and faltered when his gaze was met with Ron's.
The man was leaning against the door frame, his ears red as he stared at Harry.
Draco flushed too when he saw Weasley. He tensed, not knowing whether he would need to protect Harry or not.
Hermione crossed the room and Ron's face changed a little when he looked at her. She said something to him that Harry couldn't hear and Ron shrugged. She raised an eyebrow at him.
For his part, Harry couldn't think of what to say, so he said the first thing that came to mind. "What're you doing here?"
Ron's eyes hardened when he turned them back on Harry. "Hermione said I could come," he replied in a low voice, though he was easily heard as everyone else was watching.
Draco rubbed his hand in a circle on the small of Harry's back. He didn't know what to say, and, not wanting to make things worse, kept his mouth shut.
Harry glanced at Hermione, but then back to Ron.
Ron huffed a bit. "Merlin," he said loudly. "I'm not going to attack him. Nothing to see."
At least a few people turned, though some still watched.
Harry moved a bit closer to Ron, taking Draco with him. "What do you want then?" he asked in a voice that wouldn't carry.
Ron was silent and staring, still with that hard look for a few seconds. "I don't know," he answered.
Harry frowned at that. "You showed up here and don't even know why?"
Ron huffed again, but didn't give a verbal reply.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"If you don't want me here, I'll go," Ron said. "Fine."
"So you want to be here?" Harry asked.
"Don't be an arsehole, Harry," said Ron.
Harry's eyes widened a bit. "I'm being an arsehole?"
"Harry," Draco said quietly beside him.
Ron let out yet another huff after glancing quickly at Draco. "Look," he said. "I don't understand you, or," he gestured between Harry and Draco, "that. I don't think I can, but I don't want ... I don't want to ... not talk because of it. You're probably mental or something, but you're still you, I guess."
Hermione seemed slightly pleased with that, but pinched Ron's arm where it hung down next to her own.
"Nice," said Harry, but with no bite.
Ron sighed. "I still think you're an arse for what you did to Ginny," he said quietly. "I thought that even before you told me you were with him."
Harry glanced away for a second.
"But," Ron continued, "I guess it doesn't really make a difference who you cheated with. I suppose I'll forgive you for that one."
Harry didn't say anything, so Ron went on.
"And you're a prick, and I'm not afraid to say it to you either," he said to Draco. "No matter what you did seventh year. Thanks for that, but you're still a prick to me."
"Ron," said Hermione warningly.
Harry clenched his jaw.
Draco frowned, eyes narrowed as he listened to Weasley. He held Harry a little tighter.
"Is that your way of coming to make up?" Harry said. "Calling him a prick?"
"I'm just saying," said Ron. "I didn't come here to be all happy and joyful around him."
"Yeah, well, he's going to be around me all the time," said Harry, "so I guess this is just shot then."
Ron looked angry for a moment, but then closed his eyes. "I don't want to have a row," he said after a moment. "Maybe I shouldn't have said it like that. I just meant to say that ... I still want to be mates, but I don't - you know already, so I don't need to say it again."
"So, you want to be mates, but you needed to make sure I know you still don't like Draco," said Harry flatly.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine, yeah, if that's the answer you want."
Harry rolled his eyes again too.
"He doesn't have to like me," Draco said quietly. "I don't like him either. But for you Harry, I will try."
Ron narrowed his eyes at that. "Yeah, because you love him, right?"
Hermione glared at him.
"Yes, I do," Draco said calmly.
Ron stared at Draco with narrowed eyes for a little longer, but then snorted humourlessly as he looked away. "Anyway," he said quietly, looking at the ceiling rather than at Harry, "you want to stop fighting - or whatever the hell - now?"
Harry arched an eyebrow. "Simple as that?"
"It can be," said Ron, finally looking at Harry again.
Harry continued to frown. He figured it wouldn't be as simple as that, but he nodded.
Hermione shook her head at both of them, sighing quietly.
Draco had his doubts as well, but didn't give voice to them. He had never liked Ron Weasley, and didn't expect that to change. But he had meant what he'd said. For Harry's sake, he would do his best to get along with his lover's friends.
Were they supposed to shake hands now or something? Harry sighed. What was there to do but simply see what would happen?
In an awkward, slow sort of way, Harry and Ron turned away from each other, even though under normal circumstances they would have been mostly together the entire time at a party.
Draco kept his face as neutral as he could. It was a start. It was certainly better than Ron and Harry's last "conversation." He turned his attention to trying to be a good host, even attempting small talk. Neville helped out when he started a discussion on Quidditch. Maybe things wouldn't turn out so badly after all.
Chapter Title: A Bit Strange
Words: 3077 Words
Harry couldn't help that he was at least a little nervous about the party, but he was nervous in a strange kind of way. Yes, he hoped that his friends would still be his friends, but if they wanted to sever all ties with him without even trying to give Draco a chance, then perhaps he was better off without them, no matter how depressing the thought was.
He waited with Draco for people to arrive, and Hermione was the first. She would have come even earlier to help set things up, according to her, but had been trying to get Ron to come to the party. Harry didn't really even want to think about Ron, though. Whenever he did he got a weird, uncomfortable clenching feeling in his gut. He would absolutely not admit it aloud, but he hated when he was fighting with Ron.
Neville showed soon after Hermione, and then a few other people - Ernie, Padma, Terry, and Hannah, then Lavender came with Parvati, followed by Dean and Seamus. They were all almost too cheerful, and Harry knew it was to hide awkwardness, though Seamus did behave a little strangely, hardly looking at either Harry or Draco except to greet them. It wasn't very far at all into the night, and Harry had been mostly meeting everyone at the door, but conversation so far had been careful. No one had yet mentioned the article, even though every single person knew that was why they were there. Harry was surprised. He had expected yelling or something from at least one of them, but nothing of the sort happened. It was still possible though, and it was only a matter of time now, before talking about the article and Harry and Draco being an item was quite out in the open.
Draco held a glass in one hand and stayed close to Harry. He would occasionally reach to touch him on the arm or back, finding that doing so helped him calm down some when he got nervous. He did greet people and they were polite. He was amused in a kind of perverse way, to see the way those who had attacked him in seventh year seemed to squirm now.
People definitely noticed Draco's little touches. They stared, but then would look away quickly, to avoid being caught.
Harry stood in the kitchen next to Draco, feeling awkward himself. He wondered if having this "party'" was such a great idea after all. All everyone seemed to want to do was stand around and pretend like nothing was out of the ordinary. But soon enough though, the topic of the night came out, and it was Hannah of all people to bring it up.
"So, you're together then?" she asked quietly enough to Harry and Draco, but it caught the attention of every person near them.
Harry nodded. "Yes, we are," he said, feeling his heart quicken slightly.
Draco blushed a bit. The only person he had talked to about his feelings was his mother. He nodded, glancing at Harry. Anyone looking at his face could plainly see how it changed whenever he looked at the other man.
She nodded as well, going quiet for a short moment. "I, um, I read that article that was in the paper."
Harry flushed this time. "Mm."
She nodded again, blushing too.
"Was what it said true?" asked Lavender.
"Well, Rita Skeeter wrote it, so it was quite a bit exaggerated," Harry answered.
Draco managed to blush even deeper and shake his head. "We were kissing," he said.
Harry nodded, and Lavender faltered, like the very idea of them kissing was shocking. "Oh," she said simply.
"Why didn't you tell all of us that night?" asked Dean. He seemed, out of everyone, the most angered. Harry figured it was probably because of Ginny.
"Well," Harry began, "I guess I didn't think it was particularly anyone's business, and I didn't think the news would get a great reaction."
Draco had to control his own reaction to that, or else he would have rolled his eyes. He knew Harry was afraid of his friends' reactions more than anything. He found himself looking again for Seamus, and wondered what he would say.
"Were you with him while you were with Ginny?" Dean asked.
Harry flushed again. "That's pretty personal," he said.
It seemed enough of an answer for Dean, who turned away and began fumbling around getting himself a drink.
Harry sighed quietly.
"Well, it is a bit ... strange," Padma said cautiously.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
Curiosity got the better of his tongue and Draco found himself speaking before thinking. "How so?" he asked.
"Well ...." she said. "It's not like you two were ever even friends in school."
"I thought you hated each other," Parvati added.
"We weren't friends in school," said Harry. "But we did become friends before we started ... dating."
"I never hated Harry," Draco admitted, flushing again.
Several people gave that statement strange looks.
"And besides that ...." said Lavender slowly. "You're both ... men."
"Yeah," said Harry.
"Well ... unless I missed something in over seven years, I didn't know either of you even liked men," she continued.
Harry gave a small shrug. "I like him."
"You missed something," Draco said with a smirk, eyes glancing to Seamus again, but only briefly.
Seamus' eyes twitched a little and he turned to make himself a drink as well.
"So, you've always been ...?" Parvati asked Draco. "I thought you dated Pansy Parkinson."
"Yes, I do," Draco said calmly, but with a smirk. "And yes, I did."
"You do what?" said Parvati.
Draco grinned. "Like men, and women."
Parvati raised her eyebrows, turning to Harry. "And I suppose you do, too?"
He gave another small shrug. "I guess so," he said.
"You don't have a preference?" asked Justin, looking doubtful.
"I suppose right now my preference is for men, since I happen to be dating one, but I've been with girls and I like them, too." He shifted a little, feeling weird discussing his sexuality out in the open in a room full of people, especially when he didn't quite know how to explain it to himself.
"My preference is for Harry," Draco said, smiling again as he looked at the man in question.
Harry smiled back at him and they received strange looks again.
"So Harry likes men, and Draco likes men, and it just so happens that they like each other," said Hermione from where she stood. "I suppose that about sums it up. I really hope no one's considering letting a friendship fall apart because of this."
Harry raised an eyebrow at her.
"It's just weird is all," said Ernie. "I would've never thought that you were ...." He seemed uncomfortable.
"Me either," Harry replied. "But I am."
"There are a great many things you didn't know about me," Draco couldn't help but point out.
"Well, there were a great many things you never bothered to show," said Seamus, speaking up finally. His tone was defensive.
Draco's initial thought was how true that was of Seamus as well, but he held his tongue. He did arch a brow at the man and let it show in his eyes. "It's not always safe to do so, is it?" he asked quietly.
Seamus flushed and glanced away.
Harry was confused with Seamus' behaviour, and based on others' expressions, he wasn't the only one who appeared to feel that way.
"The things I hid, I hid because I would be dead if I hadn't," Draco said with a sigh. "That includes both my affiliations and my ... personal interests."
"You had a right to hide them," said Hermione. She glanced a little stiffly around the room.
"You did," Harry agreed, glancing around as well.
"I hope that this so-called new world we fought for will mean neither I nor others have to," Draco said, eyes flickering again to Seamus, but then focusing on Harry.
Harry nodded, taking Draco's hand and bringing it briefly to his lips. Even that made several people blush.
Draco wanted to pull Harry into his arms then, but if the reactions of the others were any clue, that would probably be too much. He settled for squeezing his hand and smiling at him with a look of affection that would be clear to anyone.
After that, everyone sort of trailed off into other conversations. It was obvious that some people were very uncomfortable with the situation. Ernie was one of them, and Susan seemed a little uncomfortable as well, but everyone else seemed mostly okay. Dean was still mad and Seamus was still acting strangely, but at least they didn't seem sickened or anything.
"I've never felt so awkward with most of these people since second year," Harry said quietly to Draco, standing mostly away from everyone.
Draco sighed and shook his head. He didn't like that he made things harder for Harry. The fact that Harry was willing to do this to be with him was amazing to him.
Harry sighed too, feeling a little agitated. He wanted to kiss Draco and it was frustrating with the other man standing so near. He knew he probably could, but he also knew how uncomfortable it might make everyone. He had half a mind to do it anyway. "I wish I could send everyone out so we could go to bed," he said, his tone suggestive.
Draco smiled and stepped closer, looking into his lover's eyes. "To bed?" he asked, voice low and sexy.
"To bed," Harry repeated, feeling a flip in his stomach. "Doesn't mean we have to sleep."
"You do love to tease me, don't you?" Draco purred, stepping even closer, forgetting the others now.
Harry grinned, but it was more of a smirk. "Well, it's just so easy," he said, voice dropping lower. "And you look hot when I do it."
The blond leaned forward, lips caressing Harry's.
Harry kissed Draco back automatically, one hand coming up to rest along his jaw.
Draco's eyes closed and one hand slid around his lover's waist as he deepened the kiss.
It was a few moments later, when Harry had pressed closer as well, that he noticed the room had grown very, very quiet. He remembered where they were then, but didn't move to break the kiss immediately. Why should he have to? Everyone there knew he and Draco were together, so they didn't have anything to hide. If they didn't want to look, then they didn't have to. He let the kiss break slowly, as it would normally.
Draco felt Harry tense and then relax, remembering then the other friends. When the kiss ended, he smiled at his lover.
Harry smiled back, going as far as to waggle his eyebrows a little before he braved looking around the rest of the room. There were many flushed and embarrassed faces, but everyone seemed to be looking anywhere but at them - probably trying to hide the fact that they had been staring.
"I love you," Draco said, his voice not loud, but clear enough that everyone would hear it.
A few people did turn back to stare then.
"I love you, too," Harry replied, voice clear as well. He gave Draco another small kiss.
Everyone seemed shocked with the admissions. Their eyes grew wide and they continued to stare.
"You love each other?" said Lavender, sounding surprised.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Yes," he said.
Draco nodded, his eyes still on Harry. "Yes, we do," he echoed softly, then glanced up.
"He lives here," Harry added. "Has for a little while now."
"You live together"? Ernie repeated, even though Harry had just said so.
"Yes," he answered anyway.
The blond nodded, turning to look at the others but keeping his arm around Harry's waist.
Harry let out a small, quiet sigh. "I know this is going to take some getting used to," he said. "You don't have to agree with it, or even talk to me anymore if you really don't want to, but I do love him. Really. And he really does love me, so this is something permanent. It's not going away. I know it might be easier to say this than some of you think it will be to actually do, but I don't want to focus on me being with Draco. It's stupid really. I'm not focusing on any of your love lives. It doesn't matter to me. I called everyone over here because I thought I should probably tell you what really happened instead of you all speculating over a load of rubbish in the paper."
He stood and waited for someone to say something, but they all seemed to be looking past him. Confused, Harry turned his head and faltered when his gaze was met with Ron's.
The man was leaning against the door frame, his ears red as he stared at Harry.
Draco flushed too when he saw Weasley. He tensed, not knowing whether he would need to protect Harry or not.
Hermione crossed the room and Ron's face changed a little when he looked at her. She said something to him that Harry couldn't hear and Ron shrugged. She raised an eyebrow at him.
For his part, Harry couldn't think of what to say, so he said the first thing that came to mind. "What're you doing here?"
Ron's eyes hardened when he turned them back on Harry. "Hermione said I could come," he replied in a low voice, though he was easily heard as everyone else was watching.
Draco rubbed his hand in a circle on the small of Harry's back. He didn't know what to say, and, not wanting to make things worse, kept his mouth shut.
Harry glanced at Hermione, but then back to Ron.
Ron huffed a bit. "Merlin," he said loudly. "I'm not going to attack him. Nothing to see."
At least a few people turned, though some still watched.
Harry moved a bit closer to Ron, taking Draco with him. "What do you want then?" he asked in a voice that wouldn't carry.
Ron was silent and staring, still with that hard look for a few seconds. "I don't know," he answered.
Harry frowned at that. "You showed up here and don't even know why?"
Ron huffed again, but didn't give a verbal reply.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"If you don't want me here, I'll go," Ron said. "Fine."
"So you want to be here?" Harry asked.
"Don't be an arsehole, Harry," said Ron.
Harry's eyes widened a bit. "I'm being an arsehole?"
"Harry," Draco said quietly beside him.
Ron let out yet another huff after glancing quickly at Draco. "Look," he said. "I don't understand you, or," he gestured between Harry and Draco, "that. I don't think I can, but I don't want ... I don't want to ... not talk because of it. You're probably mental or something, but you're still you, I guess."
Hermione seemed slightly pleased with that, but pinched Ron's arm where it hung down next to her own.
"Nice," said Harry, but with no bite.
Ron sighed. "I still think you're an arse for what you did to Ginny," he said quietly. "I thought that even before you told me you were with him."
Harry glanced away for a second.
"But," Ron continued, "I guess it doesn't really make a difference who you cheated with. I suppose I'll forgive you for that one."
Harry didn't say anything, so Ron went on.
"And you're a prick, and I'm not afraid to say it to you either," he said to Draco. "No matter what you did seventh year. Thanks for that, but you're still a prick to me."
"Ron," said Hermione warningly.
Harry clenched his jaw.
Draco frowned, eyes narrowed as he listened to Weasley. He held Harry a little tighter.
"Is that your way of coming to make up?" Harry said. "Calling him a prick?"
"I'm just saying," said Ron. "I didn't come here to be all happy and joyful around him."
"Yeah, well, he's going to be around me all the time," said Harry, "so I guess this is just shot then."
Ron looked angry for a moment, but then closed his eyes. "I don't want to have a row," he said after a moment. "Maybe I shouldn't have said it like that. I just meant to say that ... I still want to be mates, but I don't - you know already, so I don't need to say it again."
"So, you want to be mates, but you needed to make sure I know you still don't like Draco," said Harry flatly.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine, yeah, if that's the answer you want."
Harry rolled his eyes again too.
"He doesn't have to like me," Draco said quietly. "I don't like him either. But for you Harry, I will try."
Ron narrowed his eyes at that. "Yeah, because you love him, right?"
Hermione glared at him.
"Yes, I do," Draco said calmly.
Ron stared at Draco with narrowed eyes for a little longer, but then snorted humourlessly as he looked away. "Anyway," he said quietly, looking at the ceiling rather than at Harry, "you want to stop fighting - or whatever the hell - now?"
Harry arched an eyebrow. "Simple as that?"
"It can be," said Ron, finally looking at Harry again.
Harry continued to frown. He figured it wouldn't be as simple as that, but he nodded.
Hermione shook her head at both of them, sighing quietly.
Draco had his doubts as well, but didn't give voice to them. He had never liked Ron Weasley, and didn't expect that to change. But he had meant what he'd said. For Harry's sake, he would do his best to get along with his lover's friends.
Were they supposed to shake hands now or something? Harry sighed. What was there to do but simply see what would happen?
In an awkward, slow sort of way, Harry and Ron turned away from each other, even though under normal circumstances they would have been mostly together the entire time at a party.
Draco kept his face as neutral as he could. It was a start. It was certainly better than Ron and Harry's last "conversation." He turned his attention to trying to be a good host, even attempting small talk. Neville helped out when he started a discussion on Quidditch. Maybe things wouldn't turn out so badly after all.