In Continuation Part 5 - Out of the Closet…

… Harry sighed, and crawled out of the hollow. "Every time I get close to him, he runs away," he said to himself, in frustration.

"Maybe you're coming on to him too strongly," said Ron.

Harry didn't shriek, but he made a noise that, with a little imagination and some poetic license, could very well be described as one.

"Ron!" he managed.

"Nuh," said Ron, "I'm Lucius Malfoy."

"Ron!"

"Yes, Harry, it's me," Ron said patiently.

"What…?"

"Really going for the monosyllables now, aren't we," Ron continued, pleasantly. "Now, are you coming to dinner?"

"But…"

"It'll be dark soon."

Harry tossed his bangs out of his eyes. "Aren't you going to… have a reaction?"

"Nope," Ron continued cooly, "I'm still in the shock of you being gay. When my brain sorts it out, no worries, I'll have a few hysterics. Then I'll try to persuade you out of it, because when it's with Malfoy, it's a bad thing."

"But…"

"Come on, let's just leave."

Harry, still dumbfounded, turned and followed Ron up to the school.

* * * * * * * *

In their dormitory, Ron mused, "How… er… close did you get to Malfoy anyway, Harry?"

As promised, the rant had taken place after dinner. Harry has endured Ron's blather, until a gloomy silence had settled. Well, Seamus coming halfway might have had something to do with Ron shutting up abruptly. When Seamus had left for the common room, Ron had restarted on a different vein.

Harry replied, "Not as close as I'd have liked," spitefully, and was pleased to see Ron wince. The distant part of his mind was sorry, but first and foremost he was anxious to know what Draco would have thought, seeing Ron there. Of course they'd seen each other…

Ron said, "Harry, you owe me this."

"Owe you what?"

"I was the one who figured it out first. I woke up one morning, and you had your arm all wrapped around dear Draco."

"You didn't tell me!"

"I thought… you know, I thought it was just a chance thing."

"When was this, Ron?"

Ron wasn't sure.

"But why didn't you tell me?" It came out as a kind of pleading wail.

Ron didn't know.

"Well, then don't bug me! You're not the only one keeping secrets, it seems!"

Ron shut up and lay back on the bed.

After a short silence, Harry muttered, "Sorry, Ron. I shouldn't have said that."

"Said what?"

"You know, all that. About keeping secrets. I mean, if you had told me, I'd probably have taken your head off."

Ron grinned a little. "Yeah. I mean, Malfoy!"

"He's not all that bad, Ron."

"You still haven't told me what he's done to merit a 'not all that bad.'"

"Maybe another time. When Hermione's around. I don't want to have to tell this twice."

"Hermione!"

"Well, why not!"

Ron scowled deeply. "This is unfair, Harry. You don't tell either of us, and when I find out, you insist on telling Hermione too?!"

"Again, I say, why not?"

"Because I found out!"

"Yeah, and you'd tell Hermione at the next chance, even if it meant dragging her away to a secluded place. I might save you the trouble."

"I suppose," Ron admitted.

* * * * * * * *

By the lake.

Harry sat looking out over the waters. "Where to start…" he mused.

"At the beginning," Hermione and Ron chorused in unison.

"Okay…"

He told them his tale, but at the part about him and Draco shouting at Snape, Ron interrupted.

"Harry… he'll have gone to Dumbledore by now."

"Yeah, I'm expecting a summons to the office at any minute now. Hopefully they'll see my point and let me off with, oh, five hundred points from Gryffindor. Guaranteed to make me the most popular boy in the school."

"He may have forgotten some of the… er… profanity," said Hermione, grimacing.

Harry, "Dear God, I hope so. But I think he probably taped it or something. You know, with a microphone. Evidence against the treacherous Potter." He grinned lopsidedly.

"How many times do I have to tell you, electronics don't work around Howgarts?" snapped Hermione, looking exasperated at Harry's idiocy.

"He's got the right idea," protested Ron. "I mean, maybe Snape had an automatically writing quill, or something, that recorded everything that was said in the room."

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said dully. "Always nice to have you back me up."

"Sorry, Harry."

A grey cat, with square markings around its eyes, slipped through the trees and waited beside the three.

"Good evening, Professor!" said Hermione brightly.

"Good evening, Miss Granger," commented Professor McGonagall, having transformed back into human form. "Harry Potter, Professors Dumbledore and Snape would like to have a word with you, if you think you can spare the time."

Harry nodded, unspeaking. He waved miserably to Hermione and Ron as he followed McGonagall back up to the castle.

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This chapter was late because my holiday was long. ;) Sorry.

As always, thanks for the reviews! To answer your questions:

Daria101 -- Yes, I had the time of my life, to use that very clichéd phrase. ;)

Dobby -- Even after your numerous flames, if you're still reading this, then keep reading. He's not really gay, in a sense… I'll stop before I give anything away.

bakakidmilly -- Erm… sorry, no more wacky Draco. Can I offer sarcastic Draco, cynical Draco, confused Draco, and Draco-in-denial?

Katu -- Thanks! Happy reading.

And thank you to… watkin's angel, Juliana Black, SoulSister, whippie, Brittanie, Matura, MiZ PuNk, NFGrl, coriander, Prue Sora Tanya Jasmine, Cami, Ambrosius, Sage Mistress of Magic, Midnight Rain, S. Maldiva, MR, Demeter, Ashleys Angel Delight, LiLGuArDiAnGuRl, Draco Malfoy N Harry Potter, WildRose04, and Luca.