Warning! Slash - male on male action (only not really, this is PG-13). So be warned.
Disclaimer:JK's and the WB's. 'Nuff said.
Unexpected
Part 11
Harry made his way slowly towards Gryffindor tower, his mind on other things - more specifically on Draco. He made him feel - sort of warm inside. Every thought of him made Harry smile. Blushing slightly, he shook his head. He was going all gushy over him, wasn't he?
Ah, well. Don't mind, he thought, still smiling, thoughts of Draco still running through his head.
"Hello, Harry."
The voice startled Harry, and he looked up in surprise to see Professor Lupin, smiling softly at him and holding a book in his arms.
"Oh, hi Professor."
"Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?" He asked, gesturing at his office which was nearby. Harry thought through his options. Homework or catching up with his father's old friend over a cup of tea. No question.
"Sure," Harry said, and followed his teacher to his office. Settling in the nice, comfy chair on the other side of Lupin's desk, he smiled gratefully when he was offered a mug of tea. "Mmm, perfect," he sighed, then looked up at Lupin.
"How's the last year been, Harry?" There was a look of concern in his eyes as he asked, and Harry wasn't surprised. The year before, he had almost been killed by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. But that seemed so far away now, any danger and disaster far in the distant past.
"It's been pretty good, actually. I mean, all the lessons have been going okay - I think I could get some okay marks, you know. And-" He paused. Should he tell Lupin about Draco? He shouldn't have any qualms about it, really, but he did feel a little uneasy. For that matter, the thought of telling Sirius was just as bad. He glanced up at Lupin, and felt somewhat indignant to see he looked amused.
"If you're wondering whether to tell me about you and Draco Malfoy's relationship, I've been told."
"Who by?" Harry wasn't sure if her wanted to know, but the question came out anyway. Lupin's smile merely grew broader.
"By Severus, actually." Harry sat there, staring at the werewolf, dumbstruck. Snape, of all people, had been talking to Lupin about him and Draco. Snape didn't even like Lupin. "Apparently, Mr. Malfoy had a chat with him. It seems you're very lucky, Harry."
Harry blushed. "But - you don't mind me - y' know, not liking just girls?"
Lupin patted his hand. "No, Harry. In fact - well, at the moment, I'm..." He trailed off, looking as though he didn't know how to word his sentence. "I'm in a relationship with a man at the moment."
"Oh." That was something of a revelation. He'd had no idea Lupin liked men as well as women. For that matter, now he didn't know he liked women at all. Hell, he didn't even know if Sirius liked men at all. Though, Harry would have to admit, his godfather did seem like a bit of a ladies man.
"How do your friends feel about it? I mean, as I recall, the last time I was teaching at Hogwarts, you were sort of - enemies."
"Yeah, we were. Like you and Snape," Harry added, by way of explanation. He frowned at the strange look in Lupin's eyes as he said that. "But - it was an act. His dad's horrible to him, and he's got to act like that, or else..."
"I know very well the lengths Lucius Malfoy will go to," Lupin said, lips in a thin line. "But I wouldn't have thought he'd do anything like that to his own son. Perhaps I should have a talk with Albus?" Raising a questioning eyebrow at Harry, Lupin was waiting for his answer. Should he go and see if there was a way of getting Draco out of the Malfoy house, of getting him out of the beatings and the fear?
"Where would he go then?" He asked in a small voice. More than anything he wanted to say yes, wanted to get his boyfriend out of there and away from his father. But he knew Draco wouldn't appreciate his telling Lupin about it, and he didn't want him to end up with some horrible relations like he had. "Let me talk to Draco first," he said, looking up at Lupin. "See what he thinks about it."
Lupin nodded, and gazed down at his cup.
"Have you seen Sirius lately?" Harry asked, out of a desire to change the subject, as well as a real interest in the whereabouts and wellbeing of his godfather.
Sitting back, Lupin nodded. "I saw him just before I came here. He's well, and told me to make sure I looked after you. He's in a new relationship too," Lupin added with a smile. "Though I'm sure he'll tell you about it when he sees you next."
"Really? He's coming soon?" Harry smiled. Sirius and he could talk about their new boyfriends (or whatever Sirius had) together - maybe he could give Harry a few tips.
"Mmm, I think so. He said he'd be here before Valentine's day, anyway," Lupin said, sipping his tea and glancing at his watch. "If you have any homework to do, Harry, I suggest you go now before it gets too late."
Harry fought the urge to ask 'Do I have to?', as he'd seen his cousin Dudley do countless times when it was bedtime. But he doubted Lupin would give in, as his aunt and uncle had done every time with Dudley. Sighing, he finished his tea, and stood.
"I guess I better go then. Hermione'll only yell at me otherwise." Standing, he walked out of the small office and slowly made his way to the common room, really not wanting to do any work. Ignoring the look from Hermione as he entered the common room, he went upstairs to get his bag from where he had dumped it on returning from the dungeons before dinner. Entering the dorm, he grinned at Ron, sat on his bed.
"Hey, Harry," he said, waving a piece of paper at him.
"What's that?" Harry walked over to the bed and sat on it, looking at the parchment. Fighting the uncomfortable feeling that sitting near the other boy wrought in him, he frowned. "The Marauders Map?"
"Yeah, Fred and George pointed out a few more passages to me that we never noticed before," Ron said, pointing at a few that led to the dungeons. "We could use these to see who's going out with Snape!"
Harry looked up in surprise at Ron. He'd almost forgotten about that, what with the very pleasant evening he'd just shared with Draco. A smile spread over his face. It would be fun - and interesting, to see who'd be mad enough to be going with Snape. "Cool. Have you told Hermione?"
"Nah, she'd been acting weird all evening. That's why I came up here in the first place."
"I'll go get her," Harry said, and ran downstairs. "Hermione?" He asked, elbows on the table she was leaning on.
"Have you done your Transfiguration homework yet, Harry?"
"No, but Ron's found something interesting. Something to do with seeing who Snape's 'guest' was," he added in a low voice.
Hermione's look was very unappreciative. "I told you before, Harry, it's none of your business. And I don't want to be party to your spying," she added, turning back to her work.
Frowning, about to get mad at her, he decided to just go upstairs and plan the whens and the hows with Ron instead.