"Can I interrupt?"
Ron looked up from where he had been talking to Harry when he heard the voice. "No way!" he exclaimed. "I had heard that you were...ill."
Remus smiled. "I was...but something more important brought me back." He looked at Harry, who flushed.
"I'm not *that* important," he muttered.
Remus raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment. Instead, he said, "I've spoken to Albus, Harry, and between the two of us, we've arranged something."
Harry perked up some, "You mean, I can leave here?"
Ron's eyes narrowed. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"Out of the Hospital wing, hopefully. Beyond that...." Harry turned hopeful eyes onto Remus.
"We're going home, Harry."
Draco smiled at Harry. "I'm glad for you, I really am."
"Wait." Ron's brow furrowed as he processed the news. "Harry's *leaving*?"
"If that's what he still wants. Well, Harry?"
"Of course I want to go home, Remus. You know that."
"Harry? You're going away? But...we're just starting to get things back on track. Are you leaving because of me?"
"Oh, honestly, Ron." Draco rolled his eyes. "It's not always all about you."
Ron glared at Draco, but Harry intervened before the truce could be permanently damaged. "I'm not leaving because of you, Ron, or because of anyone," he said. "I need to get away from the memories...I need to find who I am outside of the Boy Who Lived...and I can't do that here, not when every stone reminds me of *something*. Do you understand, Ron?"
"Not really...but then, I've never been in your shoes. I'll trust that you understand it, and leave it at that."
"Thanks, Ron." Harry looked relieved. Looking back up at Remus, he asked, "How is this going to work?"
"Well, Albus said the work isn't going to be a problem. I've taught before, and I should have no problems teaching you now. The only area where I'd have problems is with Potions, and Severus has agreed that, rather than have you be exposed to my bumbling, he'll come out two evenings a week to tutor you." Remus paused for effect. "Of course, I suspect that this has more to do with the fact that he doesn't want Draco here spoiled by my efforts."
Draco blinked. "Are you saying...?" He was unable to finish the thought.
Remus nodded. "Albus wants to make sure that someone is there for Harry. As you've seemed to dedicate yourself to being there-as well as the fact that Albus suspects that you'd not do well without being able to see Harry-it has been decided that Draco will come with us. Besides, Harry seems comfortable with you, Draco."
"Is...that all right with you, Harry? I don't want to do anything that you don't want, and I-"
"Draco." Harry held up a hand. "It's fine. More than fine, actually. Believe me."
Ron wasn't satisfied. "I understand that it might be best for Harry to get out for awhile, and *maybe* I can wrap my head around the concept of Draco going as well. But what about Harry's other friends? Will we ever be able to see him?"
Remus nodded. "Already thought of. Anyone who Harry wants to see can see him on Hogsmeade weekends. Arrangements will be made for transport to my home. Any other questions?"
"Just one." Remus looked at Harry. "When do we go?"
Remus grinned. "Well, Draco has to get what he needs, and someone has to get your stuff-"
"I'll do that," interrupted Ron.
"-and as soon as we have a Portkey made, we can be off."
Harry swallowed. 'Have to face my fear of them sooner or later, I suppose.' "Fine...that sounds fine."
Draco placed a hand on Harry's cheek. "I'll be back soon, love." Uncaring about his audience of Remus and Ron, Draco brushed a light kiss over Harry's lips and ran off to his room.
Remus raised an eyebrow. "I see I may have to rethink the sleeping arrangements," he commented.
Harry blushed bright red. "We're not like that," he said, wishing all the while that he could melt into the floor. "Draco loves me, yes, but it's not something I'm ready for, and he knows that. Nothing will happen."
Remus looked at Harry thoughtfully. "Not something you're ready for...is that sex or love?"
"Remus!" If Harry thought he was red before, he was scarlet now.
Ron raised an eyebrow. "I...have to get your stuff," he said quickly, and dashed away before the conversation could get any *more* embarrassing.
Harry glared at Remus. "Hey, I'm your guardian, now. It's my job to ask these questions."
Harry sniffed primly. "In any case, the answer to your question is both. I never wanted sex without love, and I'm *certainly* not ready for love." He sighed. "I don't know if I ever will be."
"Oh, Harry." Remus smoothed back his bangs. "Of course you will be, one day. Take things as they come." He straightened. "Now, I believe I have a Portkey to arrange."
Harry nodded. "The sooner we get home, the better. I'm sick of this place."
**********
Ron looked up from where he had been talking to Harry when he heard the voice. "No way!" he exclaimed. "I had heard that you were...ill."
Remus smiled. "I was...but something more important brought me back." He looked at Harry, who flushed.
"I'm not *that* important," he muttered.
Remus raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment. Instead, he said, "I've spoken to Albus, Harry, and between the two of us, we've arranged something."
Harry perked up some, "You mean, I can leave here?"
Ron's eyes narrowed. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"Out of the Hospital wing, hopefully. Beyond that...." Harry turned hopeful eyes onto Remus.
"We're going home, Harry."
Draco smiled at Harry. "I'm glad for you, I really am."
"Wait." Ron's brow furrowed as he processed the news. "Harry's *leaving*?"
"If that's what he still wants. Well, Harry?"
"Of course I want to go home, Remus. You know that."
"Harry? You're going away? But...we're just starting to get things back on track. Are you leaving because of me?"
"Oh, honestly, Ron." Draco rolled his eyes. "It's not always all about you."
Ron glared at Draco, but Harry intervened before the truce could be permanently damaged. "I'm not leaving because of you, Ron, or because of anyone," he said. "I need to get away from the memories...I need to find who I am outside of the Boy Who Lived...and I can't do that here, not when every stone reminds me of *something*. Do you understand, Ron?"
"Not really...but then, I've never been in your shoes. I'll trust that you understand it, and leave it at that."
"Thanks, Ron." Harry looked relieved. Looking back up at Remus, he asked, "How is this going to work?"
"Well, Albus said the work isn't going to be a problem. I've taught before, and I should have no problems teaching you now. The only area where I'd have problems is with Potions, and Severus has agreed that, rather than have you be exposed to my bumbling, he'll come out two evenings a week to tutor you." Remus paused for effect. "Of course, I suspect that this has more to do with the fact that he doesn't want Draco here spoiled by my efforts."
Draco blinked. "Are you saying...?" He was unable to finish the thought.
Remus nodded. "Albus wants to make sure that someone is there for Harry. As you've seemed to dedicate yourself to being there-as well as the fact that Albus suspects that you'd not do well without being able to see Harry-it has been decided that Draco will come with us. Besides, Harry seems comfortable with you, Draco."
"Is...that all right with you, Harry? I don't want to do anything that you don't want, and I-"
"Draco." Harry held up a hand. "It's fine. More than fine, actually. Believe me."
Ron wasn't satisfied. "I understand that it might be best for Harry to get out for awhile, and *maybe* I can wrap my head around the concept of Draco going as well. But what about Harry's other friends? Will we ever be able to see him?"
Remus nodded. "Already thought of. Anyone who Harry wants to see can see him on Hogsmeade weekends. Arrangements will be made for transport to my home. Any other questions?"
"Just one." Remus looked at Harry. "When do we go?"
Remus grinned. "Well, Draco has to get what he needs, and someone has to get your stuff-"
"I'll do that," interrupted Ron.
"-and as soon as we have a Portkey made, we can be off."
Harry swallowed. 'Have to face my fear of them sooner or later, I suppose.' "Fine...that sounds fine."
Draco placed a hand on Harry's cheek. "I'll be back soon, love." Uncaring about his audience of Remus and Ron, Draco brushed a light kiss over Harry's lips and ran off to his room.
Remus raised an eyebrow. "I see I may have to rethink the sleeping arrangements," he commented.
Harry blushed bright red. "We're not like that," he said, wishing all the while that he could melt into the floor. "Draco loves me, yes, but it's not something I'm ready for, and he knows that. Nothing will happen."
Remus looked at Harry thoughtfully. "Not something you're ready for...is that sex or love?"
"Remus!" If Harry thought he was red before, he was scarlet now.
Ron raised an eyebrow. "I...have to get your stuff," he said quickly, and dashed away before the conversation could get any *more* embarrassing.
Harry glared at Remus. "Hey, I'm your guardian, now. It's my job to ask these questions."
Harry sniffed primly. "In any case, the answer to your question is both. I never wanted sex without love, and I'm *certainly* not ready for love." He sighed. "I don't know if I ever will be."
"Oh, Harry." Remus smoothed back his bangs. "Of course you will be, one day. Take things as they come." He straightened. "Now, I believe I have a Portkey to arrange."
Harry nodded. "The sooner we get home, the better. I'm sick of this place."
**********