Disclaimer: These characters and other things Potter are property of JK Rowling and publishers. No money is being made, and no copyright infringement or disrespect is intended.

A/N: I haven't been naming my chapters. Is it helpful for you all if I do? I can start. Thoughts? Preferences?

I wanted to follow Draco, but Lupin escorted me straight back to Gryffindor. He promised to find me in the morning and went back to Dumbledore's office. If it had been anyone but Lupin, I might have gone after he left to find Draco. Ron and Hermione were nowhere in sight. Neville was up in our dorm. He and I played Exploding Snap for awhile before bed.

I didn't see Lupin before I went to breakfast with Ron and Hermione. Hermione didn't ask about Draco, but I gave her a nod when Ron wasn't looking. Lupin didn't find me before classes. A group of us walked to Care of Magical Creatures together. I hoped that Lupin hadn't forgotten his promise. He didn't. He came about fifteen minutes into class and took me aside. We walked off a ways for privacy. I stood waiting for him to start.

"Dumbledore didn't tell me what Draco said, but whatever it was convinced him. Dumbledore is allowing Draco to stay at Grimmauld Place. I agree with him. As I'm sure you understand, keeping this a strict secret is imperative. Besides Hermione, who else knows about this?"

"No one. Well, Neville knows that Draco and I are together, but he doesn't know about our holiday plan."

"Ron doesn't know?"

"I'm not exactly sure how he'll take it."

"You'll have to tell him. He's staying at Headquarters with you. Take Hermione with you to tell him. Only tell Ron. Dumbledore and I will be telling Arthur Weasley. No one else is to know."

"I understand."

When I rejoined the class, Hermione's attention was focused on her assignment. Ron was focused on me. I shook my head at him and mouthed 'Later.' I put off 'later' as long as I could because I hadn't come up with a good lie yet. When are you going to suck it up and tell him the truth? My inner voice was rather annoying. I had been squashing it quite successfully for weeks. /I'll do it when I have to/ Yeah, because telling him the day Draco movies into Grimmauld with us is a great idea. /Shut up/

That evening, Ron hijacked one of Hermione's you-boys-should-study sessions to corner me about Lupin. Hermione looked like she had no intention of helping me out. She wasn't even pretending to be interested. It annoyed me. I'd been counting on her to keep pretending for me. I figured she'd lecture me endlessly but let me tell him in my own time. It seems as though I was wrong. Ron was shooting her strange looks as he waited for me to explain.

"Hermione," he said, "you can't possibly not be curious about Lupin. You're curious about everything. And don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about. I know you saw him this morning." There was a pause. Then the proverbial light bulb went on. "You know, don't you." Ron accused Hermione. "I thought something was going on, but I didn't think the two of you would keep something from me. One of you say something. Tell me."

Hermione looked at me apologetically. "Harry, I can't do this for you."

"Let's go upstairs. Just me and Ron, Hermione."

Ron and I went up to our dorm. We settled onto my bed. The room was empty, but I put up a silencing charm for good measure. I was chewing nervously at my bottom lip. Ron was waiting, uncharacteristically quiet. I took a deep breath.

"I haven't told you this because I'm not sure how well you'll take it. And please, don't get mad at Hermione. I made her promise not to tell, and you know how she is with promises. She knows who I'm dating. And I didn't tell you because it's not a girl…I'm gay."

Complete silence. What does this mean? Say something, Ron. Is this okay? Have I totally messed up our friendship? Are you mad? Disgusted? Okay? This silence is killing me.

"Why wouldn't I take it well? You're my best friend. Have a little faith in me. Do you really think that little of me?"

"No. Definitely not. Muggles don't usually take it very well."

"What does this have to do with Lupin? Oh, Merlin, it's not Lupin, is it?"

"Ugh, no. Lupin was here because my…boyfriend is going to be staying at Grimmauld with us."

"Who is it?"

Here we go. "Draco."

"Malfoy? Are you fucking kidding me? Gay I understand. But Malfoy? He's practically a Death Eater. Harry, this is disgusting. What's wrong with you? And how could you date my sister? Was it a lie or an experiment? What are you getting out of this sick arrangement with Ferret-face anyway? You can't tell me you actually like that slimy git? He's using you. For what? Information? Is that it? You spill Order secrets to him for sex? He doesn't actually like touch you, does he? Ugh. And you called Ginny a whore? How long has this been going on? And you invited him to stay with us? Who are you? Have you lost your mind? What kind of curse are you under? Did he imperious you? Poison you? How did you get Lupin to agree to this? I'll bet Snape did this. I wouldn't put it past him. This is absolutely insane. We're going to fix you. Dumbledore. Now."

"Like hell we are. Fuck you."

I stormed out, absolutely livid. I knew I shouldn't have told him. Traitor. What kind of best friend is he? I rushed down the stairs. I ignored Hermione as I sprinted out the portrait hole. She'd figure it out. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out it went poorly. I didn't know where I was going, but it was going to be away from Gryffindor. Away from Ron. I ran through the corridors. I didn't want to stop. Breathless, I ducked into the nearest room and collapsed on the floor panting. I was close to our classroom, but I couldn't bring myself to get off the floor let alone walk.

No. Why did Hermione do this? Why did she give me up? /She didn't do this to me/ Really? I wouldn't have told him if she hadn't let on. She promised me. /It's not her fault. I was asking her to lie for me. That's not really fair/ What she did to me wasn't fair. /I should really be mad at Ron, not her/ I am mad at Ron. I'm furious. What kind of best friend acts like that? Especially one who says that I'm not giving him enough credit. /Hah. I gave him too much credit/ And I'm not a whore. Draco wouldn't use me like that. He's not using me like that. This isn't sick. It's not disgusting. Is it? Am I wrong? Is everyone else wrong? Is it disgusting to want him? To touch him? To suck him? To want his hands on me? His mouth? /NO. It's not sick. It's perfect/ Ron is Wrong. He doesn't know anything. Draco's wonderful. I like him. I want him. I need him. I'm not going back. I'm staying here. I'm not sharing a room with Ron. I'm not talking to him. First friend I've ever had and he acts like This. He can rot for all I care.

During my mental tirade, I was sprawled out on the floor trying to hold back tears. My eyes were closed, but tears were leaking out and rolling down into my ears. I heard the door close. How did Ron find me? Hermione better not have helped him.

"Take your pathetic arse back to Gryffindor and fuck off. I'm not poisoned. I'm not imperioused. I'm not any of the other things you said. It's not like that. I'm not like that."

"Harry? It's me."

"Draco?" I opened my eyes. He was kneeling next to me in the dark. I couldn't see much more than his outline in the moonlight. He sat me up and hugged me.

"You told Ron, didn't you?"

"He called me a sick, disgusting whore. He thinks I'm giving you information about our Side in exchange for sex."

"I'd never use you."

"I know you wouldn't, Draco. I just don't understand how he can think that about me. Wait. How did you know I was in here?"

"I followed the little whining noise you make when you try not to cry."

"If it's like this now, how are we going to make it through everyone finding out?"

"Together. I'll take you to an empty classroom, like this one. Then I'll kiss it better. Like this."

He kissed my lips. I leaned into him. He wiped the tears from my cheek, and I circled my arms around his neck. I darted my tongue out to prod at his lips. He gave a little groan as I pushed into his mouth. When his tongue tangled with mine I felt whole. Nothing mattered but us. Ron didn't matter. Lucius didn't matter. Voldemort didn't matter. Draco was the only thing that I cared about. I pulled him close, pressing us chest to chest. I moved to whisper in his ear.

"You make me happy. He can't take that away."

"Tell me nothing," he whispered back. "Tell me nothing, but let me touch you anyway." He slid his hands up my shirt and sucked at my neck.

"Yes," I groaned. "No. The Map."

He sat up. "What map?"

"The Marauders' Map. As soon as he thinks of it, if he's actually smart enough to think of it, Ron'll look at it. He'll see us together and probably come to kill you. Or at least maim."

"What map? How is a map going to tell him where we are?"

"The Marauders' Map shows where everyone is in the castle. That's how I sneak around without getting caught. It's in my dorm. We can't do this here."

"Is everything on that map?"

"Yes. All the dorms. Classrooms. Everything." Then it occurred to me. "But not the Room of Requirement. It's the only place not on it."

"Can we make it?"

"It's worth getting caught."

Hand-in-hand we snuck through the corridors. We had a close call with Filch, but otherwise made it safely. Once inside the Room, I backed Draco up to the door and attached myself to his neck. I pushed a thigh between his legs, somehow needing reassurance that he did want this. Several kisses later I found myself holding him up as he wrapped his legs around my waist. It was hard to stand as he squirmed.

"Bed. Now," he demanded. Bed?

"What bed?"

"Behind you."

Staggering a bit under his weight, I turned around to find a bed no more than a few footsteps away. I stumbled ungracefully and practically fell on him as we toppled onto it. He tugged impatiently at my clothes. I hesitated. The lights flared then dimmed. I don't even remember stripping down after that. The next thing I knew we were tangled together. He stopped kissing me and looked at me hesitantly. I grabbed his hand, giving him a questioning look.

"There's something I wanted to ask you when we got a proper bed," he said blushing. "Will you…"

"What?"

"…fuck me?" he whispered. Well, I wasn't expecting that. I cupped his cheek with my hand and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm not ready," I told him. "I'm sorry. I want to. I will want to. I just…not yet."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being honest with me. I'd take that over sex any day."

TBC. Sorry about the Ron-bashing. I adore Ron. As I always say, the plot must never suffer. So, we just have to accept the oddities along the way. I have fluffy Ron-stories if you're angry at me. *sheepish grin*