I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with, probably to her horror were she ever to set eyes on this. But what matters is that you who are reading this, whoever you are, that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. So, enjoy!!

Chapter 51 The Party

The first person to arrive was Lupin, greeting Harry with a hug and giving Draco as hesitant smile, followed by Hagrid, who commented that it was a shame the house was so small, because he would have brought Gwap along if he could have.

Harry shuddered at the very thought, smiling when Draco kissed him on the cheek, leaning into his one arm embrace a little more, whispering in his ear softly.

"I love you…"

"I love you to, Harry. So, what did you and Dudley talk about?"

"Oh, nothing important really. Paths, Voldemort, and the fact that we're both gay.

Turns out that I have more in common with my 'perfect cousin' then my aunt and uncle think. What did you and the girls talk about?"

The emotions that flashed across Draco's face surprised him.

Pain. Sadness. Anger. Hurt. Joy.

"Not- Later. It's too much right now. I just want to forget about it for a while and relax."

"Of course," Harry said, squeezing his hand comfortingly. "If that's what you need."

He squeezed back gently. "It is."

Hermione, Ron and Ginny arrived next, closely followed by Blaise Zambini, Crabbe and Goyle, Pansy and Luna, then Fred Weasley.

"George will be along later, Harry. Last minute emergency at the joke-shop."

"Oh?" he asked in concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course. One of our employees tried to steal some things from our store-room.

Well, he will be chastised and most likely fired, unless he can get back on George's good side somehow. I don't really care either way. Is that your cousin over there?"

"Yes."

"What is he doing here?"

"Please don't do anything cruel, Fred. He's had a rough day. We all have. We had to save him from Voldemort earlier."

"Really?" Fred pretended to gasp teasingly. "Do tell."

"I'd rather not talk about it tonight if you don't mind. And please don't tell anyone else. I don't want to get yelled at or lectured."

Fred flashed him a smile, but his eyes were understanding and more serious then normal.

"You have my silence, Harry. I won't play any pranks on your cousin either."

Harry nodded, moving to turn on some music, starting to dance with Draco slowly into the rhythm of the music. All the other couples started to dance as well, leaving Fred, Dudley, Lupin and Hagrid to watch on the edge of the makeshift dance floor.

Fred was surprised when Dudley snuck out of the room looking troubled by something.

He glanced around, and, seeing that Lupin was speaking to Hagrid, slipped out behind Harry's cousin silently.

* * * * *

Fred watched Dudley slump down onto the steps that led upstairs, closing his eyes and putting his head in his hands.

"What's the matter?" he asked scornfully. "Can't stand to see your cousin happy? Or maybe it's who he's found happiness with?"

Dudley's head snapped up quickly, anger and sadness in his expression as their eyes met.

He stood up, leaning against the stair railing and looking him directly in the face.

"I don't appreciate what you imply, Fred Weasley, so I'll make myself clear. I want Harry to be happy. I love him. If anyone in this world deserves happiness, then it's him.

He's magic. And that has nothing to do with the fact that he's a wizard.

As for his choice of love, it would be very judgmental, horrifying and shameful for me to object to Draco's presence in his life and heart when I am gay as well."

"After everything that you've put him through, how can you possibly say that you love him?"

"Just because it took a long time for me to realize it doesen't make it any less true. Although, as much as I hate to admit it, it does say something about the state of my intelligence up until last summer."

Fred actually smiled at that, his eye turning darker as he noticed interest in Dudley's gaze now that he wasn't yelling at him. Dudley blinked, moving to try and go around him and back into the other room, jumping when Fred touched his arm to stop him.

"If it's not Harry that has you upset, then what does?"

Dudley sighed, pulling away from his touch and sitting back down on the steps reluctantly. But he wanted to go back to the party even less.

"I should think that would be obvious."

"Humor me," Fred suggested, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall.

"I am happy for Harry, honestly. But… I'm also envious. Of all of them in there. I want to be happy to…"

"Don't' you have a muggle boyfriend somewhere?"

"No. It's not exactly easy to find someone who's interested in you when you don't want how you are to get back to your parents."

"Well," Fred said, sitting down next to him and slinging an arm over his shoulder.

"Maybe I can fix that?"

Dudley looked over at him in surprise, but he smiled hesitantly.

"But Harry said that he didn't have any single gay friends."

"He doesen't know. My family doesen't know, except George of course. I don't hide anything from my twin."

"But… Why would you want me? I'm just a muggle. And we couldn't exactly have a real relationship for another whole year when I can leave my parents house."

"Unlike some people in my world, I don't really mind muggles. And I don't really mind waiting, though I could probably steal you away sometimes for a few hours at a time without your parents noticing. Something tells me you'd be worth the wait, but let's just enjoy tonight and figure out the rest later, okay?"

Dudley blinked, his eyes shining with emotion as he looked down at the floor.

"Thank you…"

"Your welcome. Now, how about we go back in there and surprise them all by dancing?"

He nodded, placing his hand in Fred's outstretched-palm trustingly.

"Okay…"