Disclaimer: Jo Rowling owns the beloved boys I am about to manipulate to my evil will.

HP/RW with implied HP/GW

As usual I've rearranged events to suit my creative needs. So this takes place during 6th year, but is chronologically unsound. I kind of wish fanfiction . net had a 'scraps' section. Ideas that are /there/ but never quite make it into anything good.

Delirious:

Harry yawned, rather theatrically, from his position on the overstuffed chair by the fire.

"Tired mate?" Ron asked distractedly, not bothering to look up from his essay on Ogg the Oblong for History of Magic.

"A bit." Harry answered. "Think I'll head up to bed early. G'night."

"Night." Ron and Hermione said in unison.

Harry headed toward the boys dormitory, leaving his things on the table. A brief minute passed before Ron broke the silence.

"I'm a bit sleepy too. Think I'll leave this for tomorrow."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she poured over an essay for Professor Vector.

"Good night Ronald." She smirked.

"Night 'mione."

Harry heard Ron ascending the stairs and a minute later the door to the dormitory opened. The door barely had time to close before Harry was upon Ron. Harry crashed his lips to Ron's as Ron wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, bringing him in for a close embrace.

"I figure we have about twenty minutes before the others come to bed." Harry murmured against Ron's lips.

Ron moaned noncommittally and pushed Harry against the bed. Harry began unbuttoning Ron's shirt, eager for skin to skin contact. Ron moaned lightly, tangling his hands in Harry's untidy hair. Harry freed Ron of his shirt and set to work on his pants. Ron kneeled in the space created by Harry's spread legs and began unfastening Harry's pants. Harry clutched at Ron's hips, his breath quickening.

Clothes discarded in a flurry of limbs Harry flipped them so he was on top, kneeling above Ron's lithe form. Harry slowly stretched Ron, feeling his tight walls clench around him. Harry moaned, his eyes closing pleasure.

"I love you." Ron said, his hips arching into Harry's thrusts.

"I love you Ron." Harry's voice was breathy and lust filled.

Satiated and pressed for time the boys dressed quickly and laid in their separate beds. A comfortable silence passed in which Harry opened the Prince's book, and Ron shifted through a Quidditch magazine.

"We can't keep doing this." Ron said, breaking the silence.

"Well we can't use the Room of Requirement every time or we'll get caught." Harry commented.

"I mean us in general." Ron explained.

Harry sat up, staring at Ron. "But we're in love."

Ron sighed, looking away. "I know. But it will kill her if she finds out."

They'd had this conversation enough times for Harry to know what Ron was talking about.

"Ginny's a big girl. She'll get over it. The sooner she knows the better. Hermione handled it just fine." Harry could feel his temper rising as it often did when they argued about this.

"Ginny's been in love with you for about six years mate. She's not just going to get over you. And it's my job to protect her and I'm helping to break her heart."

Harry sighed, getting out of bed and going over to Ron's. Harry sat down and put his arm around Ron. Ron's head was in his hands and he was in sulk mode.

"She's going to be fine." Harry assured him. "The sooner she knows the sooner she can move on."

"But you snogged her. She thinks you like her too." Ron argued.

"I… I didn't think when that happened. I thought I couldn't have you. And I was confused. And she was there. And I know it sounds awful. I don't want to hurt her. But if I'm just honest with her…"

"I can't hurt my sister like this Harry." Ron said holding onto Harry as though he would lose himself without Harry as an anchor.

"It'll be okay Ron." Harry assured him. "She'll be okay."

"I love you." Ron whispered.

"I love you too Ron."

The door opened and Neville walked in, looking exhausted. He looked at the situation, Harry holding Ron and Ron holding onto Harry for dear life and crying. He sat down on Ron's other side.

"What's the matter?" he asked true concern in his tone.

Ron didn't bother to pull away from Harry, Neville had already seen. Harry continued his soothing rubs along Ron's back.

"It's just something we have to work out Neville." Harry didn't feel like explaining any more than that.

Neville nodded understandingly and stood up, "If you want to talk I'm here for you both."

Harry had never been more thankful for Neville's ability to show tact at the right moments. Neville left the dorm room and allowed Ron and Harry a moment to compose themselves. Harry kissed Ron briefly on the lips.

"I'm going to tell Ginny. It's the only way. It will be okay Ron."

Harry left the room and headed back down to the common room. Hermione was still sitting by herself on the fluffy couch where they had left her. A quick survey of the common room hailed little results. Ginny must have gone to bed.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

Harry sat down next to her. "I need to talk to Ginny but she's already gone to bed I guess."

"It's about time you've decided to talk to her." Hermione said not unkindly.

Harry ignored this comment and stared sullenly at the fire. It was little moments like these that he wished more than anything that he still had Sirius, or his mum and dad. He supposed he could always talk to Dumbledore but he wasn't sure they had reached that level of conversation yet.

He was just thinking of heading back up to the room so he could pretend to try and sleep when Ginny came bouncing down the stairs. His heart rate quickened, sure telling her the truth was easy… in theory. Seeing her smiling face made this task seem more impossible than getting past a Hungarian Horntail.

"Ginny," he stood up and rushed to her. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure Harry." She smiled brightly.

There was no privacy in the common room so he convinced her to go out the portrait into a small alcove not too far from the door.

"Ginny, I have to tell you something. I don't know how to say this except to just be honest. You're amazing. And I love you. But I'm not in love with you. It's just I love someone else. It's not your fault!" God, why was he still talking?

Ginny didn't look exceptionally angry or hurt. She just seemed to be waiting for something; waiting for the worse news.

"Who is it?" she asked after a pregnant pause.

Harry had been dreading this moment. He knew she'd want to know, it was only natural. But he'd have to admit three things in one word. He'd admit to Ginny that her brother was gay; he'd admit he himself was gay, and he'd admit that Ginny's own brother was seeing her boyfriend. But he knew he had to tell her the truth. The whole world would find out eventually.

"Ron." He said this with the strength of someone who wasn't crushing another's heart.

To his bewilderment Ginny smiled, and then started laughing. It was a hysterical infectious laughter that had Harry's lips quirking a smile despite having no idea why she was laughing and why he felt the need to laugh as well.

"Oh Harry!" she hugged him, almost crushing him with her strength. "Harry! I am so glad. I love you but, you can't help that you love Ron. I'm just so happy. It's not something about me at all! I'm so happy for you both! Really! I wish you had told me sooner Harry!"

He was smiling now too, feeling good that Ginny was so understanding.

"You're okay with it?" he asked, just to be sure.

"I love you Harry. I can move on though if there's no chance of us. I'll be okay Harry." She hugged him again.

"You're amazing you are."

She continued smiling at him.

Unsure of what to do, now that the bomb had been dropped so to speak, Harry held his hand out to Ginny. She took it and they walked back to the common room. The parted ways at the girl's staircase and Harry took a moment to smile at Hermione before running up to his own dormitory.

Ron was still on his bed, only he was accompanied by the other three roommates. They were all talking about nothing as they tended to do on long nights. Harry wanted to run to Ron, to embrace him regardless of who was in the room, but he knew the public revealing of their relationship needed to be talked about.

Ron caught Harry's eye when he came back in and Harry smiled widely, trying to convey that everything was fine.

"What are we talking about?" Harry asked, sitting on Ron's bed.

"Apparently Lavender Brown is going to ask Ron out after Quidditch Saturday." Dean said, smirking.

"I don't know how to let her down." Ron said.

"Why would you want to?" Dean asked. Everyone looked at him, "What? She's attractive." He shrugged.

"Well, she is kind of daft." Seamus said.

"She's not so bad." Neville tried to reason.

"So how are you going to let her down?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. Maybe tell her I'm already seeing someone?" Ron tried to say this casually but his ears reddened in his tell-tale sign of embarrassment.

"But then she'd want to know who." Seamus reasoned. "And since you're not you'd have to lie."

"I guess you could say Hermione. She'd play along probably." Harry added his voice sounded harsher than he meant it.

"But I am seeing someone. So I wouldn't have to lie." Ron said conversationally.

Harry looked at him in shock. Was Ron going to come out? Right now? Harry didn't mind, and he tried to convey this with his eyes, but it was shocking since Ron had been the big one on secrets this whole time.

"Who?" Seamus and Dean demanded at once.

Neville looked slyly between Ron and Harry and a small smile spread to his lips.

"Well," Ron swallowed hard. He knew Dean was fairly open minded, but just last year Seamus had proven that he doesn't always think for himself and Ron was a bit nervous.

"It's okay Ron." Harry mumbled, trying to communicate that he didn't have to say it. Not right now.

"Harry." Ron said, his voice raised.

"Harry?" Dean asked.

"You're seeing Harry?" Seamus double checked.

Neville just looked worried.

"Yup." Ron's voice was strong and Harry appreciated his bravery.

"Didn't see that one coming." Dean admitted.

"Me either." Seamus agreed.

"Well, that'll keep Lav off your back." Dean smirked.

Ron breathed a sigh of relief. "Yea, I guess it will."

They were laughing and smiling, the relief coming off Harry and Ron was infectious and the boys all spent time wondering who Lavender would ask out once Ron was off the market. They talked idly about Quidditch and classes. Nothing had changed. They all went to bed as the hours crept into morning. Harry slept peacefully for the first time in months.