FicWad

Author's Note: This was my first piece completed of fanfiction after I was inspired to begin writing again. It's told in alternating points of view and as such it's not very good. I hope I've improved in the years since.

Originally written for the "Harry and Ron FQF" over on LiveJournal in 2004. The challenge was "Harry breaks up with someone, Ron picks up the pieces". This story therefore contains mild M/M slash. If you don't like slash...see that button up there at the top that says "Back"? Go ahead and click it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters, ideas and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, yadda, yadda, all hail the Queen of Hogwarts. No money is being made by me, and no trademark or copyright infringement is intended. I own nothing here. Really. Nothing at all.


Harry

Harry walked into the Great Hall that morning with a slight spring to his step. He had left the dormitory early on Valentine's Day morning. Luna had a habit of rising early on the mornings of a Hogsmeade trip so she could finish breakfast and go to the library. He had wanted to meet her and give her his gift before too many people would be in the hall.

As he strode directly to the Ravenclaw table, he reached into the pocket of his robe and fondled the ring box there. The ring was the present he had gotten for Luna: a silver band set with a medium sized opal ‑ an opal that reminded him of her eyes. They had been together since the beginning of this, his seventh year at Hogwarts. He had yet to fulfill the prophecy with Voldemort, but being with her had made that burden easier to bear.

/True, I've had been slightly neglectful of her lately/, Harry thought. He had been spending a lot of time with Ron and Hermione studying for their NEWT's. That along with Quidditch practice, Occlumency lessons and D.A. meetings, his schedule had been rather busy; he had made a special effort at each meeting to spend extra time coaching her and her usual partner Terry Boot.

/That is why I've cleared everything out of the way so I could spend all of Valentine's Day with her in Hogsmeade. This is the day that I tell her how I really feel about her, how much I love her/, Harry thought as he sat down next to Luna. He looked at her smiled; she had stuck her wand behind her ear as she slowly ate her breakfast, a textbook lying open next to her plate.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Luna," Harry said, holding the ring box out to her. She looked at the box with her large, round eyes, then at Harry. "I'm sorry I've not been around much lately, but I'm going to make all that up to you today. Where would you like to go today in Hogsmeade?"

"Actually, Harry," she said slowly, "I'm going to Hogsmeade today with Terry Boot."

Harry's jaw dropped almost to his chest; the chest which was now feeling like a hole was being carved out of it.

"You haven't been around, and Terry has." She continued to stare unblinking at Harry.

"But...but..." Harry sputtered. He couldn't break from her gaze. "I thought you said that you felt we were supposed to be together; that we were somehow destined to be together." He felt the blood drain from his face.

Luna sighed, fingering her butterbeer bottle cap necklace. "Maybe what we had was what I saw in my dream. Maybe what we had was just that: a dream. But whatever we had, we don't have now. So I don't think we should be together anymore; at least not in that way."

Harry could feel his eyes filling with tears as his throat seemed to close up; the vision of Luna began to swim. He felt as though his heart had stopped beating.

"Besides, Harry," she continued, her eyebrows rising. "You, of all people, should know that destiny is not always what it's cracked up to be."


Ron

Freshly showered and shaved, Ron stretched as he reentered the dormitory; he glanced over at Harry's bed. /Empty; he must already be down in the Great Hall with Luna/, he thought. Dressing quickly, he headed down to the Gryffindor common room to wait for his other dorm mates to join him for breakfast. He knew that he would still get some time with Harry at breakfast. Considering how much studying he, Harry and Hermione had been doing lately, Ron didn't think Harry would accompany Luna to the library for her Hogsmeade day study session.

/Unless he convinced her to skip it today, it being Valentine's Day and all/, he thought, wryly. /Harry's been a little upset that his schedule has kept him from seeing as much of Luna as he would have liked and I know he wanted to try and make up for some of that today. If he gave her that boyish, lopsided grin.../Ron quickly stopped that train of thought.

"Where's Harry?" Neville asked as he entered the common room with the other boys from their dormitory stairs.

"He's probably mooning at Loony over her kippers about now," Dean laughed.

Ron felt his cheeks burn at the boy's joking statement. "Dean, what did I say about using that name?"

"Okay, okay. It just kind of rhymed to me." Dean was still smiling and Seamus was too.

Ron grinned at the thought. It did sound funny. Still, he had to defend his best friend. "Just don't say that in front of Harry, all right?"

The four of them stepped through the portrait hole, Dean and Seamus still chuckling. Even Neville had a twinkle in his eyes as they made their way towards breakfast.


Harry

Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! Get me out of here. Please, God, let me get out of here before anyone sees me like this/, Harry's thoughts raced. He attempted to walk calmly out of the Great Hall but any sense of dignity had fled by the time he burst through the large double doors at nearly a run. /Let me get back to the tower, my dormitory, my bed before I completely break down.

He ran as fast as he could, nearly colliding with a group of Hufflepuff's who were loudly making their way to breakfast. Quickly turning aside so they wouldn't see his face, he leapt towards the marble staircase that led to Gryffindor Tower.

Damn! The staircase is changing! Harry grabbed the railing as the stairs reconfigured themselves. He heard voices coming from the top of the stairway when it stopped. Oh, bugger! That's Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus. I can't let them see me like this! If either Ron or Hermione sees me, they'll want to spend the whole day trying to cheer me up and I really don't want any of that. I don't want to ruin any plans they may have for today.

Harry ran back down the stairs and ducked into an empty classroom and shut the door just seconds before he heard his dorm mates coming down the staircase, their voices and footsteps slightly echoing in the towering hallway. He leaned back against the door trying to catch his breath, which was difficult to do considering it hitched in his chest as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

He looked at the ring box still clutched tightly in his fist. It wasn't an engagement ring or anything like that; they weren't out of school, yet, and she still had another year to go after that. But it wasn't just a friendship ring, either ‑ actually, it was to be a "more than friendship" ring. He had felt that she might have been the one. Every time he was with her, every time he held her hand, every time he kissed her (which they had done quite a lot, without even the assistance of nargle infested mistletoe), his heart felt lighter; that he could face the challenges of life, Voldemort, even school exams with strength and confidence.

That is until this morning/, he thought sourly. /I can't believe she just did that; that she would say those things. And today of all days! Leaning against the door of the dark, empty classroom, Harry now let his tears fall.

Outside in the corridor, he could hear as other Gryffindor students noisily descended the stairs. After he heard what seemed to be the last of them go past, he quickly dashed up the rest of the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. Half-shouting the password to the fat lady ("Kneazle"), the portrait swung wide and he ran through the common room and up the steps to his dormitory.

When he got to his four-poster bed, he grabbed his invisibility cloak out of his trunk and dove onto the mattress. Pulling the hangings around his bed and casting a quick silencing charm, he wrapped himself in the cloak. He crushed his face into his pillows and began sobbing.


Ron

As they descended to the Great Hall, the four boys had to wait for a staircase to reconfigure itself so they could continue. After it had moved into place and they began down again, Ron thought he heard the slam of a door ahead of them. With the noise of all the other Gryffindor students behind them he couldn't be sure. Besides, doors were always opening and closing seemingly on their own in this castle.

As they entered the Great Hall, Ron automatically looked at the Ravenclaw table, expecting to see exactly what Dean had joked about. Luna was there, but not Harry. He glanced over to the Gryffindor table, but Harry wasn't there, either.

That's strange. I know Harry was going to be here early. Did he forget the ring? Had he stopped somewhere along the way? Did Dumbledore want to see him about something? Is Voldemort up to something again? He closed his eyes as a shudder ran down Ron's spine.

As he sat at his house table, these and other thoughts spun out of control in his mind. He glanced up at the head table and saw most of the teachers there, including Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall. They seemed to be chatting amiably so there didn't appear to be any trouble. The Headmaster even glanced over at Ron and gave him a grave nod.

What's that supposed to mean? Ron thought. Is he trying to tell me something? Almost in answer to his thoughts, Dumbledore turned his head and looked significantly towards the entrance to the Great Hall.

Harry? Ron turned also to the double doors, but it was just Terry Boot coming in. Confused, he turned back to the head table. Dumbledore, however, continued to watch as the seventh-year Ravenclaw walked between the tables.

As Ron looked again, he watched Terry stop next to Luna and place his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, smiled and patted the bench next to her. What Ron saw next sent ice running through his veins.

As the young man bent to sit, he gently kissed Luna behind the ear.

Oh, Merlin! Ron felt his face fall. Why today?

He knew Harry would be devastated. He had gone to great lengths for today to be special: he had snuck into Hogsmeade to buy the ring, stayed up late to make sure he didn't have any homework hanging over his head, delegated D.A. matters to Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Ron knew he had even traded a weeks worth of extra tutoring sessions in Defense Against the Dark Arts with Hermione so she would cover his Head Boy duties this morning for the Hogsmeade trip.

He hesitated as he watched the two Ravenclaw students rise from the table and slowly walk out of the hall hand-in-hand. Dropping the half-eaten piece of toast on his plate, he stood and strode quickly out of the hall. If I were Harry, where would I have gone? he thought, chewing on his bottom lip. His heart ached in the worst way for his best friend. He could be anywhere in this castle.

"Ah-ha", he said out loud, producing stares from a group of Slytherins. The Marauders Map!

"What is it, Weasel? You finally remember where you left your brains?" Draco Malfoy sneered at him, blocking his path.

"Sod off, Ferret," Ron snapped at him, brushing past the pale blond young man.

Dodging around the group of students leaving the dungeons, he began running up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower.


Harry

Having cried the worst of his sorrow out to his pillows, Harry resolved to curl himself into as small a ball as possible to ride out the hiccups he had given himself.

What the hell is wrong with me? he thought, beating his fist into the mattress. Why can't I seem to find someone who will love me the way I love them? Why does it seem that every time I find someone, I royally screw it up?

As another hiccup shook his body, he thought back over the few relationships he had. First had been Cho Chang in his fifth year. That was wrong in several ways: she was looking in Harry for Cedric and their past together. That was also the year Voldemort kept invading his mind.

Then there was the whole Ginny thing. After the failed rescue mission at the Department of Mysteries, Harry had been rather perturbed by her statement of having "given up on him". He began to write to her that summer. At first it was lamentations about losing Sirius. They quickly grew to large missives about how he was sorry about dragging them all to the Ministry, putting them in danger, how he couldn't help having a "saving people thing" if everyone kept expecting him to be this great hero; how he couldn't really be a hero if he kept getting people killed.

She had put a quick stop to those letters. There was still a scorch mark on the desk in his bedroom at Privet Drive from the Howler she sent telling him that he was good, he was a hero and to stop putting himself down or she would invent a new hex worse than the Bat-Bogeys just for him. Hedwig still flinched every time she heard Ginny's voice.

When Harry arrived at the Burrow for his summer visit with the Weasley's, they finally had a chance to sit down and talk. By the time they rode the train to Hogwarts it had become something more. It had started out nice enough: holding hands, eating meals together, stolen snogs in a dark corner of the common room (just out of sight of Ron). However, it had degenerated fairly quickly after Christmas into arguments and shouting at each other from across the room. Then, at the end of his sixth year, when the seemingly annual encounter with Voldemort happened...well, he really didn't want to go there. They broke up soon after that.

Harry recalled that it was about the same time that he and Ginny had begun their relationship that Ron and Hermione had finally gotten together. It was almost as if they had been waiting for Harry to find someone (at least someone better than Cho) before they could finally be comfortable with their own feelings for each other.

Hmpff/, he hiccupped. /It took them long enough. They only danced around each other for almost two years. Sure they cooled it off a bit after Ginny and I broke up but they probably did that so I wouldn't feel left out. But they've been together for a year and a half now. What have I got to show for the last two years? Nothing; no one.

He was pretty sure that they had taken their relationship to the ultimate level upon returning to Hogwarts this year. Soon after he had begun dating Luna, Hermione had suggested that she and Harry, as Head Boy and Girl, should split their night-time patrol duties on alternate nights so that neither one would fall too far behind in their homework assignments and still leave time for other commitments and a social life. By using the Marauders Map to their advantage, they been able to keep the patrols efficient and thorough without a lot of effort. Harry was very amenable to that as they all had several Auror level classes this year, as well as Quidditch, the D.A. and Harry's Occlumency lessons.

One night soon thereafter, while working on a particularly grueling Auror Potions essay, he saw Hermione come through the portrait hole and quickly ascend the girl's dormitory stairs without even noticing Harry. As he watched her sweep through the common room, something seemed out of place. A few minutes later, Ron came in and virtually repeated Hermione's retreat except he looked very disheveled, much more so that usual.

That's when it struck him why something looked so out of place with Hermione ‑ that nothing was out of place on her. Here it was well past midnight, she had just finished patrolling and she looked like it was first thing in the morning. Her clothes looked neat and almost pressed; her hair was pulled up in a neat ponytail, not a strand out of place; there was a slight flush to her cheeks, like she had just gotten out of the shower. Leave it to Hermione to Scourgify and Reparo herself than be caught compromised in any way.

Every few weeks since then, there would be some variation of the performance: either Hermione or Ron would return from patrol alone, followed a few minutes later by the other. Sometimes he or she would notice Harry and chat briefly about the patrol, never quite meeting his eyes, but always making sure they had left the common room before the other arrived.

Well at least some of us are getting some/, he thought, bitterly, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. /The most I ever got was to cop a quick feel of Luna's arse back at Christmas.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the dormitory door being slammed open and someone entering the room. He tried to curl himself up into an even tighter ball under the invisibility cloak and hope whoever it was would go away quickly.

Unfortunately, his body betrayed him and he was racked by another series of hiccups. He knew with the silencing charm he wouldn't be heard; however, the hiccups, starting deep in his diaphragm, were so violent and so closely spaced that the hangings of his bed shook. He cursed himself for not finding a better hiding place.

Then he heard the one of the voices he dreaded to hear.

"Harry."


Ron

He crashed into the dormitory, the door slamming into the wall. The first thing he noticed was Harry's trunk lying open at the foot of his bed. He looked inside; sure enough, the invisibility cloak was missing. About to dig through the contents of the trunk for the map, he noticed that the hangings surrounding Harry's bed were drawn and that they suddenly shook as though someone were jumping on the mattress. There was no sound, however. /Silencing charm/, he thought.

"Harry," he said his voice quiet. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, fighting back his own tears. Still no sound came from the bed, but the hangings shook again.

"Damn it, Harry, enough of this crap." Ron took out his wand. "/Finite Incantatum/," he said with a flick of his wand and was instantly greeted by a very loud, deep-chested hiccup. He reached out and pulled aside the curtains. The bed appeared to be unoccupied.

"Harry, you can't hide. Your bed doesn't sag in the middle like that when you aren't in it. Besides, I've cancelled the silencing charm and I can hear your hiccups."

"Go away, Ron," he heard from somewhere in the middle of the mattress. "I want to be alone." Ron felt his heart twist in his chest as he could hear the tears catching in the back of Harry's throat.

"Nope. Not gonna do that," he said. He felt around the bed until he found an edge of the cloak and pulled it off of Harry. He saw the dried tears on Harry's cheeks, his red-rimmed eyes puffy.

"I said, go away! I want to be left alone!" Harry glared at his best friend with bloodshot eyes. He sat up and tried to yank the cloak back. Ron gripped it tighter and shook his head. "You're going to make me angry," he said through his clenched teeth.

"Eh, I've seen it," he shrugged, gently pulling the cloak out of Harry's hands and dropping it into the trunk. "Besides, you should be angry."

"Yeah," said Harry, his voice rising. "Can't a guy wallow in his own misery in peace?"

"No, I won't let you. You should be angry, but not at me," Ron said, his own voice getting tight. He could feel his cheeks begin to flush, his own anger building. "You should be angry at her. She had no right to do this to you; today of all days. If she had wanted to break it off, she should have said something to you days ago; so you wouldn't have to go through this today, especially after all the preparations you've made."

He paused, letting go of some of his anger. "As far as I'm concerned, she doesn't deserve you." Some of us feel you deserve better/, he thought, /a more loyal companion.

"But..." Harry began. Ron could see his eyes filling with tears again. "I can't be mad at her. It's my fault. I've been neglecting her and how do I go and try to make it up to her? I neglect her even more thinking I could make it all up to her in one day! Smooth move, Potter!" He wiped his eyes furiously.

Sighing, Ron sat down next to Harry on the bed. Merlin! he thought. Why does he do this to himself? I just want to wrap him in my arms, to shield him from the hurt, to drive away the demons.

He put out a hesitant hand and rested it on Harry's shoulder. "It's okay, Harry. I understand. You did what you thought you had to do to make it right. If she couldn't see that for what it is, then too bad for her." He squeezed and lightly shook his shoulder for emphasis. "You are the best, kindest, most considerate fellow a person could ask for." That I could ask for. He could feel the tears welling at the corners of his own eyes.

"But why doesn't anybody want me then?" Harry said, his hands twisting in his lap. "Sure, half the school wants to be with the famous Harry Potter, the Boy‑Who‑Lived. Why doesn't anybody want plain, old, just‑the‑way‑I‑am Harry? I mean, you know what my love life has been like. First was the whole Cho fiasco. And you remember the unmitigated disaster that was my relationship with Ginny and how that ended up." Harry closed his eyes and shuddered.

/Yes, I remember that well. As well as the entire rest of the Gryffindor Tower and most of the school/, Ron thought. Harry and Ginny's arguments were legendary, now; even surpassing his and Hermione's. And he definitely remembered how it ended.

~~ Flashback ~~

At the end of the previous year, Voldemort and his Death Eaters had begun attacking the families of the Muggleborn students. When the four of them had learned of an imminent attack on the Grangers, they stubbornly refused to stay behind. When Dumbledore finally relented and they were gathering what equipment they would need in the common room, Harry was adamant about Ginny staying behind.

"You're not going!" Harry had yelled. "I can't fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters if I'm worried about what's happening to you. I'm not going to risk you getting killed out there!"

"Then don't worry about me! I can take care of myself!" Ginny raged back at him. "Hermione's my friend, too!"

Harry's shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry," he said, sadly. Ginny smirked, the look of victory clearly in her eyes. Until Harry waved his wand at her.

"Petrificus Totalus." Ginny's body went completely rigid and fell to the floor. He bent over her, gently kissed her lips and said "Forgive me."

When they had returned and were laid up in the hospital wing recovering from the injuries they had sustained, Ginny had burst into the ward and run up to Harry and hugged him tightly.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," he said through gritted teeth, wincing at the pain in his broken ribs. When she pulled back, he sheepishly asked, "Do you forgive me?"

She stood up and grinned at him. "Of course I do, Harry." Suddenly, her wand was in her hand and it spewed orange sparks and smoke. "YOU STUBBORN JACKASS!" And she stormed out of the room. Sure enough, she had indeed invented a special hex just for Harry and when the smoke cleared he was sprouting a pair of long, furry yet elegant, donkey ears.

Harry stayed in the hospital wing an extra week until the hex wore off and afterwards, he and Ginny refused to be in the same room at the same time. Mealtimes were especially awkward. Ron and Hermione spent most of the summer holiday trying to get the two of them to talk to each other, to work something out.

Finally, when Harry came to visit at the Burrow, Ron's mother locked the two of them in the attic. They spent two hours staring at anything except each other and dodging the ghoul, but eventually they talked. They forgave each other, but decided to part company. They came out of the attic better friends than ever before.

However, every now and then, whenever Harry had any kind of public argument Malfoy would still bray "Ee‑haww".

~~ End Flashback ~~

Ron couldn't help but grin. /No, I don't think any of us want to go through any of that ever again/, he thought.

"And with Luna, I thought I had finally found the right one," Harry continued. "I tried to treat her right, let her be her own person. I didn't try and change her or make her to be anyone but herself, let her do what ever she wanted. I didn't try to push our relationship any faster than she wanted it. And still, I screwed it all up!"

With those words, the life seemed to go out of Harry as he collapsed in on himself, exhausted.

Ron gazed down and felt the pang of his best friend's misery in his own heart. He gathered Harry in his arms and gave him a fierce hug. "It's all right, Harry," he crooned, trying to pour all his feelings into the words. "There are people here who care for you and...and love you." He bit his lower lip. "We'll get through this," he whispered.

"Thank you," Harry sighed as he pulled back from the hug. Ron felt a slight smile crease the corner of his lips as he reached over to lightly stroke Harry's hair. "I just wish I could find someone who's the right one for me, just like you and Hermione are for each other."

Ron stiffened, the smile leaving his face. That wasn't something he particularly wanted to hear. "Actually, Harry," he began. "Things aren't as perfect as one would think."

Harry stared at Ron, his green eyes questioning. "What do you mean? I thought everything was going great for you two."

"Well," Ron began. "It's going alright." Actually, things weren't alright. They had only gotten together because Harry and Ginny had started their relationship. It was an act of desperation for the both of them; of wanting to not be alone, to have someone that could return some of the affection they felt while both wanting someone else.

When Harry and Ginny had their blow up, they had put their relationship to the side; prodding and probing them to see what they were going to do. When the two parted ways as friends, they had both breathed a sigh of relief. However, when Harry had begun dating Luna, they fell back to each other again like a bad habit ‑ out of desperation and frustration. It was that desperation and frustration that led them to their first sexual encounter together.

~~ Flashback ~~

After a horrible Friday in their Auror Potions class where Snape had assigned a three-foot parchment due the following Monday and had taken ten house points for each Gryffindor groan, after watching Harry and Luna play footsie in the library all evening while working on said assignment, and after Hermione went off on patrol and Harry walked Luna back to Ravenclaw, Ron headed down to the kitchens to grab a snack. He had stayed there longer than he would have liked and it was well after midnight that he headed back to his dormitory when Hermione caught him.

It quickly devolved into a large row. He pointed out that as he was still a prefect it didn't matter that he was out and about after hours and she insisted that she couldn't ignore the fact that it wasn't his assigned night to patrol and he shouldn't be wandering the corridors in the middle of the night. So he did the only thing he could think of to get her to shut up: he kissed her. Only it was unlike any other kiss they had shared in the past; their anger fueled by their frustrations quickly set their passions aflame.

They soon had backed into an empty classroom and divested themselves of the minimal amount of clothing necessary. It being the first time for both of them, they were gentle at the beginning. Soon, though, their thrusting became desperate as they pushed each other closer to the edge. They both rose to a quick but satisfying climax, shouting each other's name. However, Ron felt he knew who's name she really would have liked to cry out and he was pretty sure she knew who he secretly called deep in his heart, his real desire.

The next morning they talked about what happened and both agreed it shouldn't have and that it shouldn't happen again. That promise didn't last though. A few weeks later, after a similarly frustrating day, they repeated the performance; this time it was Hermione who initiated it. And again a few couple of weeks after that. Eventually, it became routine: after a few days or a few weeks of pent up frustrations, one would seek out the other and temporarily sate their needs. And while it was physically satisfying, it was emotionally draining: each still desiring someone else, each using the other as a substitute.

~~ End Flashback ~~

Not that Harry needs to know that we've been shagging each others brains out. Especially if it's for no real reason, Ron thought. //Well, there was a reason, but it was the wrong one. But where was his Gryffindor courage? It's time I told Harry the truth.

"Actually, Harry," he began, "I was thinking we should call it off. We...just aren't good for each other."

Harry's brows furrowed into a frown. "But...but I thought you loved each other."

"Oh, we love each other, that's true," he said. "But we both want...we're each...in love with somebody else more."

Harry's frown deepened. "What? Who could Hermione...who could you love more than her?"

/Well, here goes/, Ron thought.

"Do you remember the Second Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament? Do you remember what you'd sorely miss? Did you ever wonder who I'd miss?" He leaned forward, looking deep into Harry's eyes. A grin spread across his face. "Don't you get it, Harry? I love you." And with that, he captured Harry's mouth with a fierce kiss.


Harry

Harry suddenly found himself being kissed rather soundly by his best friend. At first he was so shocked he didn't react.

Ron is kissing me. He's kissing me. Why is he kissing me? Oh, that's right, he just said he loved me. But I thought he liked girls, not guys? Of course he likes girls; he's been dating Hermione. So why is he kissing me? Wait a minute. I like girls. I don't like guys.

As he felt Ron's tongue brush against his lips, he unconsciously parted them and closed his eyes. His head spun, buzzing like a bee circling a flower. Or do I? Is that why am I kissing him back?

Harry had just realized that his own tongue was dueling Ron's for supremacy as they both fully explored each other's mouth. Bloody hell, he's a good kisser. With that thought he let out an involuntary moan. He felt Ron smile against his lips.

He brought a hand up to cup Ron's cheek. He felt how soft that cheek was. There was one place along his jawline that was rough where he must have missed shaving. He lightly ran a finger over that spot which brought a moan from Ron. That sent a shiver down Harry's spine.

He reached his hand around to the back of Ron's neck and pulled him harder to his lips, deepening the kiss, both now moaning deep in their throats.

After a few minutes, they had to break for air. Harry gasped for breath as he opened his eyes, only to see Ron looking back at him. His eyes were darkened but his brows were arched in an almost fearful expression; as if he expected Harry to shove him away.

In answer to the unspoken question, Harry leaned forward again and briefly kissed his friend again. Yes, I still like girls, but I like this, too. This is so... He felt flushed, warm all over.

Pulling back again, he saw the fear on Ron's face replaced by a look of concern. "Are you all right, Harry?"

He tried to think for a moment. Everything was still swirling in his head. "I...I...it's a little confusing. I like...but you...and..." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I think so. It was good; it felt right. It's going to take a little while to sort it all out, but it's exhausting. It's..."

Ron placed a finger on Harry's lips. "Shhh. Don't try and force your brain to completely wrap itself around this. You've had a bad start to the day." He wrapped Harry in his arms hugged him gently. "Sleep on it. I won't let anything happen to you now. Relax and we can talk about it some more when you wake up."

As they lay back on the bed, Harry settled into the comforting embrace of his friend and closed his eyes. Yes, I could definitely get used to this. I would sorely miss this. Who better to love you than your best friend? His emotion racked body began to relax and he felt himself begin to drift away.

A sudden thought roused him slightly. "What about Hermione?" he asked, not opening his eyes.

He heard Ron's voice gently say, "Hush. Rest now. Talk later."

So he relaxed again surrounded by Ron's arms and felt sleep overtake him.


Hermione

Hermione ran into the Great Hall at breakneck speed. She had gotten so involved in revising her Runes assignment that she had lost all track of time and as a result had almost missed breakfast. She stood at the entrance, scanning the hall; she couldn't see either Harry or Ron.

"Helping Weasley look for his brains, Granger?" Draco Malfoy accosted her, sneering as he, Crabbe and Goyle brushed past her leaving the hall.

What's that git on about? she thought as she made her way to her usual spot at the Gryffindor table. As she sat down, she keenly felt the empty seats on either side. They usually wait for me no matter how late I am. Maybe they had headed back to the dorms to get ready for the trip to Hogsmeade.

Well, I did see Luna in the library earlier, she remembered. Luna had sat at a table near the back of the library and took out a large scroll of parchment. She also remembered Terry Boot joining her a moment later with an armload of books but then became so engrossed in her own work that she had forgotten about them.

So, obviously Harry hadn't convinced her to skiv off studying for some illicit snogging. Although I don't know how she can resist him if he looked at her with those deep, emerald eyes. She shuddered. /Why those two tempt fate by sneaking into Filtch's beloved trophy room is beyond me/, she thought as she bit into her toast.

Glancing at her watch, she gulped down a glass of pumpkin juice, deciding that they must have gone back to the dorm to finish getting ready for the trip to Hogsmeade. Harry's spent so much time getting ready for today. I hope it's worth the effort he put into it.

Pocketing a couple of biscuits and jamming another piece of toast into her mouth, she grabbed her book bag and dashed to the Entrance Hall. The duties of the Head Boy or Girl included helping the caretaker, Mr. Filtch organize the students for the day in Hogsmeade; checking the lists, reminding them of the rules and curfew, loading the students into the carriages. Harry had bargained with her to take the duties today so he could have all of Valentine's Day with Luna.

I could definitely use the extra tutoring in Defense. I've been having so much trouble lately casting my Patronus charm. Giving each group of students heading towards the village the same set of instructions had become rote; she barely noticed who was leaving. Maybe with Harry there I could find a happy thought or two?

Happy thoughts; that's exactly what was missing. She had been thinking the last couple of weeks of sitting down with Ron in Hogsmeade today and having THE talk, of breaking it off. She loved Ron and all, and they were good friends; but they were only using each other and that wasn't good for either of them. Don't get me wrong/, she said to herself, /the sex is good; even better than good sometimes. It's just that what we're doing to each other emotionally isn't right. We both want someone else. And if Harry ever found out...

About an hour later, most of the students had departed and she waited for Filtch to excuse her. It was then that she heard Luna's voice come from behind her. /Honestly, it's about time/, she said to herself, turning towards the stairs. That's when she saw them.

Luna came down the staircase that led from the Ravenclaw dormitory holding hands with Terry Boot. He whispered something to her and she paused at the doors leading out of the castle, giggling. Then she stretched up and kissed him on the cheek before they turned and walked out of the castle hand-in-hand.

Oh. My. God. Her breath came out in short gasps. Did she break it off with Harry? She must have done so just this morning. Harry still had all his plans set up last night before going to bed so it must have been this morning. How could she? Why today? Wouldn't she have known Harry would have big plans for today?

Hermione quickly looked around and found the caretaker. "Mr. Filtch, sir?" she called. "May I be excused now, sir?"

"What?" Mr. Filtch said, looking around. Casting his rheumy gaze on her, he replied, "Yes. Go, girl. Be off with you." He turned and shuffled off.

Grabbing her things and running full tilt up the marble staircase, Hermione could feel her anger rising. How dare she do that to Harry today? That bitch! She thought of Harry. He's going to be absolutely wretched. He's going to try and blame himself for this. What should I do?

As she raced through the Gryffindor common room, she dropped her bag on one of the plush chairs. Pounding up the stairs to the seventh-year boys dormitory, she thought, I'll just go to him and be there for him. I'll hold him if he needs to be held. I'll tell him that's he's loved. Maybe I'll tell him...

She stopped just at the doorway. Reaching out, she pushed open the door and looked inside. There on Harry's bed were the two of them: Harry curled up asleep, Ron's arms wrapped around him. She could hear Harry's soft snores.

Ron looked up at her. He winked and put a finger to his lips.

Hermione stood there, her hands on her hips and a frown creasing her face. She felt her cheeks burn. "Ron..." she whispered.

Grinning, Ron stuck his tongue out at her and whispered, "I got here first."

~~ The End ~~