Entwined lives

The next few days saw the Burrow hold an unofficial stubborness contest between Remus and Avril. He tried to apologise and she continued to pretend he wasn't there. On the third day of silence some questions popped up between Harry and Draco at bedtime.

Draco crept along the corridor to Harry's room, raised his fist and knocked. Harry came to the door topless and Draco nearly knocked him off of his feet as he pounced on him. Draco pressed kisses along Harry's collarbone, a particularly sensitive spot on Harry's body. He kissed repeatedly and waited to hear Harry's moan of pleasure, feel him rip at him the way he had before. But that never came. Draco straightened and looked at Harry.

"Is something wrong?" Draco asked.

"What are we?" Harry quizzed calmly. Draco felt a little shocked by the question.

"I don't know, friends, lovers, a fuck every now and again. Does it matter?" Draco said, moving to return to his previous position but Harry stopped him. Draco was confused.

"I told you that I didn't know how I felt about you. I do now. But I won't be with you as a friend and do this. I won't be a fuck buddy. I don't just want to be a lover you return to every now and then. It matters to me to know what we are. I want something more Draco. I want you to want to be my boyfriend. I don't know what you want but if you want to have a repeat performance of the night we shared just after Avril turned up then you better decide if you want me or not. I'm in no rush so take your time deciding Drey, but remember that you're not the only man on the planet. Leave me too long and you won't get the chance to give me your answer." All through this little speech of Harry's he had been slowly backing Draco out of the door and backwards to his on room. He stopped at the open door, leaned in and kissed Draco deeply. The longer he kissed and the more his tongue explored Draco's mouth the harder Draco got. Harry pulled away and returned to his own room., shutting the door behind him.

Draco retreated to his own room and lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to figure out if he was ready to really let anyone in again.

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Same time different room

Ron sat bolt upright in bed as soon as his door opened. Avril walked tentatively round the door. "Can I talk to you?" She whispered.

"Sure. Are you ok?" He asked, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Yeah, just couuldn't sleep and I'm curious." She said as she crossed the room, closing the door behind her, and seated herself on the bed opposite him.

"Curious? About what?"

"When I talked about Harry's friend, the one who died trying to protect him, you looked sad. Like you were missing someone very special to you. What was she to you?"

Ron sucked in a deep breath and leant forward. He slowly let one of her long pigtails she wore her hair in to go to bed pass along his fingers. "She was going to be my wife. Her name was Hermione."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault she was so headstrong. She was told to deal with deatheaters, not Voldemort. She was told not to leave her position, no matter what."

"You must have loved her very much. She's the only woman you had slept with before me isn't she?"

"Yes. It was perfect. We had dinner, and then we danced infront of the fireplace. And then she led me to the bedroom. I asked her to marry me just as the sun was coming up. She was so happy. I'll never forget that smile. Me and her had danced around each other since we were 11. We hated each other to begin with. But as the years went on....." He trailed off. He took a deep breath and continued. "That was the night before the final battle. I'm sort of glad I didn't watch her die."

"I'm sorry about how I was the morning after. Let's just say that I have a checkered past when it comes to men."

"Do tell."

"I can't, if Drey found out he would never understand and he would never talk to me again." She said suddenly scared.

"I won't tell him.You can trust me. I trust you. Whatever it is I promise that I won't judge. It's in the past."

"Promise it will never leave this room?"

"I promise." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. "Please?" He asked.

She sighed. "When I met Draco I was already seeing someone. I had been since I was twelve. He was older and married. He was my first time."

"That's not that bad."

"It was Lucious Malfoy." Ron sat there in shocked silence for a few moments. She got up off of the bed and headed for the door. "I'm sorry I woke you. I'll just go back to bed now."

He leaped out of bed and pulled her to him. "I don't care if her was your first. I don't care if he was the Pope. I want you to be with me now. I know you have issues with men but seeing as how I've already seen you naked it may be a bit easier this time." He joked. She smiled. "Stay with me tonight? Sleep here. We don't have to do anything." She nodded and he led her to the bed. They lay there together, her in his arms, and Ron knew that the armour plating on her heart had just opened enough to let him in.

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Three days later.

Avril walked into the kitchen and walked straight back out again when she saw Remus in there. "Wait!" He called after her. For reasons unknown to her, she turned around ths time.

"What?" She said.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you in the kitchen a few days ago. I was out of line. I should have let you tell me when you were ready. I forced the subject and you and I made you feel bad and for that I am so very sorry. Maybe we could start again?"

"Apology accepted, hand of friendship not accepted. You're going to have to work a lot harder than that to win back my trust." She patted him on the head and walked away up the stairs. Remus felt like a great weight had been lifted.

The feeling that he had somehow betrayed Sirius lifted.