~San Francisco~
The night had been a bust. There wasn't a single person that had caught Ron's eye that night. He was severely disappointed; he was desperate to fuck that night. He needed to feel his orgasm overtake him and more than anything he needed to see Harry's face in the heat of the moment. He walked to the back of the bar, hoping that whatever Blake needed to talk to him about would be quick, there was still another hour or so left to find someone to fill his bed tonight at the twenty-four hour diner just around the corner.
"Hello Scott, come in"
"What is it you needed to talk to me about?"
"I wanted to know if you would like to run the club for a week?"
"Sure. Why?"
"I'm looking at opening a club overseas and I will be there for a week scouting locations for it"
"Wow, I knew business was good, but not good enough to open a club overseas"
"It's a joint venture actually with a couple of the other club owners here, we all run successful nightclubs here and the market is hot right now in London, so we're going to try and make a go of it."
Ron flinched. "London?"
"Yes, are you alright Scott you look pale?"
"No, I'm fine, I'll run the club for a week, just let me know what I need to do"
"Great, can you come in tomorrow morning so we can discuss what needs to be done?"
"Fine, I'll be here at 10. I-I have to go. Goodnight Blake."
"Goodnight Scott"
Ron felt sick to his stomach. Blake mentioning London made his old life come rushing back on him. The Burrow, Hogwarts, Hermione, his family, Harry, all the people and things he would never see again. He ran to his flat, tears rolling down his face. Merlin, how he longed for his old life, but he could never go back, he was too ashamed of what he had become. He could have been an Auror, or an agent for the Sport and Game department of the Ministry of Magic, instead he had become a common whore, only he was lower, he didn't even get paid for it.
~London~
"I think you made the right decision Harry"
Harry smiled at his best friend. "Thanks Mione, I think I did too, but leaving the Burrow is like losing the last part of Ron that I had to hold on to"
"I know, but you needed to let the last part go Harry. We've been through this, Ron doesn't want to be found. I just hope that one day he realizes what he did was stupid and comes back to us"
"It wasn't stupid Mione, I think I would have done the same thing. I've barely lived in the five years I have been without him, I don't know what I would have done if I thought he was dead. I have to believe that he is alive so that I don't disappear myself"
"Harry we came here to try and start over and while I know that that means discussing the past in order to move on, right now I just want to order a pizza, listen to music, unpack, and maybe have a few laughs with my best friend. Okay?"
Harry grinned. "Okay"
"Good I'll order the pizza and while we're waiting we'll unpack and organize our rooms, then we can concentrate on the living room, kitchen and dining area"
"Yes ma'am"
As Harry walked down the hall to his room a strange feeling overcame him. He was happy. He hadn't been happy in a long time, but it wasn't a complete happiness, not like the happiness he had felt when Ron had been by his side. Still he supposed it was a start, a little happiness, even for just a moment was better than the sadness he had been living with at the Burrow. He loved the Weasleys very much, and while he knew it hurt them to see him go, he knew they understood why he had to do it.
When he got to his room he opened his suitcase and began to unpack his clothes. He was surprised when he came across an old Chudley Cannons shirt that had been thrown in with his clothes. He had purposely not brought anything of Ron's with him, but apparently someone had wanted him to have that. As he unfolded the shirt he noticed a small note tucked in it.
Harry-
I know you didn't take anything of Ron's with you, I saw you packing, I understand why you did it, but I thought the shirt should go with you. Ron said he loved you in that shirt, and that he loved the mornings he woke up next to you wearing his "bloody ugly and tattered" shirt. Please don't be a stranger Harry, you're a part of the family and please don't be angry with me for sneaking this in with your things.
Ginny
A lonely tear rolled down Harry's cheek. He could never be mad at Ginny for what she had done. He loved her as much as he loved Hermione. The shirt still smelled like Ron, a mix of the air on the Qudditch Pitch and chocolate. He folded up the shirt and the note from Ginny and deposited it at the bottom of his drawer. He was glad for the shirt but he needed to put it somewhere where he wouldn't have to look at it everyday or else he would never be able to start over. He thought about Ron nearly every minute of the day as it was, and if he was ever going to break that habit he needed the reminders out of sight. He carefully laid down a picture Hermione had taken of he and Ron next to the shirt, and finished unpacking his clothes; burying the reminders under the belongings he would need to start his new life.
~San Francisco~
Running the club was much harder than Ron had ever imagined. He left long after closing and was back early in the morning to ensure that everything needed for the nightly crowd such as liquor and food were all stocked. Ron now dealt with the complaints from the patrons and workers alike, counted the money, made the deposits, and the other millions of tiny details that came with the responsibility of running the place he worked at. He also kept up his bartending duties, and while it was hard work, he enjoyed it. It was fascinating to run a business and with less free time on his hands he wasn't consumed by his thoughts of Harry. Still he wondered if Blake had perhaps passed Hermione, Ginny or anyone he knew on the street. He wondered if Blake had walked down the street that The Leaky Cauldron resided on, or if a purple Knight Bus had whizzed by him on its way to any non-underwater destination.
He envied Blake for getting to be in London, what he wouldn't give to go home and see everyone again, but his shame was too great. What would he tell his family and friends? How would he explain his five-year absence? And more importantly how would they react when he told them what he had been doing to pass the time in those five years? There were times, like this one, when Ron thought that risking it and going back to England were worth it. Still most of the time the shame of everything overtook him and he pushed the thought to the back of his head. He had resigned himself long ago to the fact that he would never go home again, and while he was beginning to regret his decision he couldn't go back on it. His life, however miserable it was, was here in San Francisco now. This was his home, this was his life, he lived here and he would eventually die here.alone.
"Scott?"
"Hey Marcus, what's up?"
"I was just wondering if you could get another bouncer to cover my shift tonight. My husband's birthday is today and I was hoping to do something special. I told Blake about it, but he must have forgotten when he made the schedule up."
"Sure, no problem, I'll have Kyle come in and cover for you. Have fun tonight with your husband."
"Thanks Scott, I really appreciate it. Scott?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot"
"Now don't be offended or anything, but don't you want someone to go home to? Someone more than the random men you go home with every night?"
"I-I."
"Shit, sorry Scott, forget I asked. I don't want to criticize the way you live-"
"It's okay Marcus. I did have someone once. He was my whole life. I met him at school when I was eleven years old. He was my best friend, and later we fell in love. We were blissfully happy together, whenever he kissed me the world and all of its worries faded away, and it was just Harry and I."
"What happened?"
"He was murdered five years ago. My whole world was shattered so I moved here hoping to make a new start and in some ways I did, but Harry is the only man I will ever love. Anyone else would be second best, and I can't bear to settle for that, not after I tasted perfection with him"
"Wow, I'm really sorry Scott.He must have been a really great guy if you loved him that much"
"He was. Listen, have fun with your husband tonight. Enjoy and relish every moment you have with him"
"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow"
"Bye Marcus"
Ron felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He had never told anyone about Harry, but he finally had, and it felt good. It was an odd feeling, it was almost as if life were giving Ron a second chance. First he was given the responsibility of running the bar, a responsibility which left him less time to mope, he hadn't taken anyone home in the few days he had been running the bar, and now after five years someone knew about a small part of Ron Weasley's life. Ron felt slightly happy, and that was an emotion he hadn't felt in five long years.
~London~
Harry and Hermione's new lives were beginning to fall into place. Their apartment was in order, and they had both been given jobs at the Ministry of Magic. Beginning Monday they would fully begin the new lives they had left the Burrow to find. It made them both happy, and they had decided to celebrate by going to dinner and then dancing at a club in the city.
"Wow, this place is great Mione! How did you find it?"
"I read about it on the internet, it's supposed to be one of the premiere London hot spots, although something seems a little off Harry"
"What do you mean?"
"None of the guys in this place have noticed me or the cute dress I bought"
Harry laughed and then spotted something on the wall that made him laugh even harder.
"Harry Potter, just what in the hell is so funny about that?"
"Mione, do you see that flag on the back wall?"
"Yes, why?"
"It's the Rainbow flag Hermione, it is a sign of gay pride that muggles use. This is a gay club, if anyone will be checking you out tonight it's going to be the girls"
"Oh, and here I thought the rainbow design on the website was just a pretty web page decoration"
"Hermione Granger, you are the smartest person I have ever met and you didn't know this?!?! I'm shocked!"
"Oh shut up! We're here now; we might as well dance and throw back a few drinks like we planned. Speaking of drinks, why don't you go to the bar and get us some while I find a table close to the dance floor"
"Alrighty, I'll be right back"
As Harry made his way up to the bar he couldn't help but notice how attractive many of the men in the club were. He felt a little guilty, but surely a little looking wouldn't hurt anyone.
"I'd like a Cosmopolitan and a Lemon Drop please"
"Coming up"
As the bartender made his drinks Harry noticed a very attractive blonde sitting on the barstool next to him. He looked tall and muscular with spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was quite beautiful, and Harry wondered what it would be like to kiss him. Suddenly the blonde looked up. Harry turned away, embarrassed at being caught staring.
"Hello there"
Harry turned around slowly, he could feel his face burning. "Hi"
"Are you enjoying yourself tonight?"
"I, uh, I-My friend and I just arrived"
Harry wanted to run screaming from the bar. He had just embarrassed himself even further.
"You and your boyfriend?"
"No, she's a girl"
"You and your girlfriend then?"
"Uh, no, I mean yes, she's a girl, but she's not my girlfriend. She's my best friend her name is Hermione"
The blonde grinned and Harry felt the blood rush to other parts of his body.
"So do you have a name or should I just call you Hermione's best friend"
"No"
"No you don't have a name?"
"No, don't call me Hermione's best friend. My name is Harry, Harry Potter"
"Nice to meet you Harry Potter, I'm Blake Evans"
Harry smiled and shook the other man's hand. "Nice to meet you as well Blake"
"Listen Harry do you mind if I join you and your friend for a drink or two?"
"No of course not"
"Great, shall we get our drinks and go and find her then?"
As Blake and Harry made their way to the table Hermione had found Harry noticed that a small, knowing smile had appeared on his best friend's face.
"Mione, this is Blake Evans, he asked if he could join us for a drink"
"Nice to meet you Blake, I'm Hermione Granger, Harry's best friend"
"Pleasure to meet you Hermione. You're best friend is quite the conversationalist it only took me fifty questions for him to tell me his name"
Hermione laughed. "That's Harry for you, you have an American accent Blake, where are you from?"
"I'm from San Francisco, I run a club there, but some business partners and I are looking to open a club here in London so I have been scouting locations all week"
"Wow, how did you manage to get away for a whole week?"
"I left the bar in the hands of my bartender. He's an odd fellow, but he's a hard worker and I know I can trust him"
"Why is he odd?" Harry asked.
"Well, he's just a mystery. He seems to have appeared out of nowhere, he never takes a vacation. He doesn't seem to have any family or friends, he'll work any and every holiday, and he request one day off a year"
"That does seem a bit odd, poor fellow" Hermione noticed that she was monopolizing the conversation and decided to make an exit so that Harry could hone his man-meeting skills.
"Harry, I'm afraid I'm not feeling well. I think I drank too much at dinner and I need some air and some sleep. I'm going to head home"
"Alright why don't we get our coats and go then"
"Oh, you don't have to leave Harry. I'll be fine, I know how to get home by myself. Will you walk with me to get my coat?"
"Sure, excuse us Blake"
"No problem, I'll be right here"
Harry and Hermione made their way up to the coat check. Harry knew his best friend well enough to know that she was feeling fine.
"Mione, what in the bloody hell are you doing?"
"Harry, Blake is attractive, and obviously very interested in you. You need this Harry, have fun. Dance, flirt, drink, maybe even kiss a little. I'll be fine, I'll even wear my earplugs to bed in case you decide to entertain him later"
"Hermione Granger! I've only just met him!"
"I didn't mean entertain as in sex, you could invite him over for coffee or something. Bye Harry, see you at home"
"Bye Mione"
Blake was waiting patiently at the table while Harry returned. "Merlin, he's hot" Harry thought to himself.
"Is Hermione going to be okay?"
"She'll be fine"
"Good, would you like to dance Harry Potter?"
Harry grinned. "I'd love to"
Perhaps Hermione was right. He needed this, he pushed aside all feelings of guilt as Blake led him to the dance floor and tried to enjoy himself.
**A Few Hours Later**
Harry was very glad that Hermione had worn earplugs to bed. He and Blake had gone from dancing and flirting to groping and kissing. He still didn't know how they had managed to make it to his room without waking Mione.
Harry gasped as Blake's tongue entered his mouth. He kissed Blake back passionately. Slowly he lifted Blake's shirt over his head, running his hands over his perfect chest. Blake relieved Harry of his shirt as well, licking his earlobe, and running the tip of his tongue over his scar. Harry hissed in pleasure as he and Blake found their way to his bed. Harry moaned as their erections came into contact with each other. Blake kissed Harry again, their tongues dueling, Blake got on top of him and begin rubbing their erections together. The sensations were unbelievable, and soon both pairs of hands made their way to zippers, desperate to feel their erections pressed together without any further barriers.
Harry gasped as Blake rubbed his erection through his jeans. It felt wonderful to have someone touch him again, he hadn't felt this alive since-
Suddenly an image of an old Chudley Cannons shirt and picture flashed through Harry's mind. He gasped and pushed Blake off of him.
"I-I can't" Harry panted
Blake looked at him in shock. "Why Harry? I thought this was what you wanted"
"I thought I did too, but I just can't, I'm sorry, it wouldn't be fair"
"Harry, what just happened? One minute we're about to have sex and the next you're throwing me off of you, please explain, why can't you do this?"
"Because of him"
"Him?"
Harry got up opened the drawer, and handed Blake the picture that resided at the bottom of his drawer.
"Him. The red head in the picture"
Blake gasped in shock when he saw whom Harry was referring to. "Scott."
"Excuse me?"
"Scott, my bartender"
"I'm not following"
"The man in the picture is Scott, my bartender"
Harry felt as though he'd been hit with a stunning curse and slunk to the ground.
"What did you just say?"
"This is Scott Collins, he's my bartender"
"You-you must be mistaken. The man in the picture is Ron Weasley. He's the man I'm in love with. Unfortunately he thinks I'm dead and I haven't seen him for five years."
Realization dawned on Blake. He had always wondered if Scott Collins was really who he claimed to be, and now he knew that his hunch had been right. Scott Collins was a person invented to escape from who he truly was. The haunted look in Scott's eyes finally made sense as well. He thought the man he loved was dead, but he was wrong, he was sitting in front of Blake.
"Harry, listen to me. Scott Collins and Ron Weasley are one in the same, I'm sure of it. He came to me five years ago, I told you and Hermione earlier, it was odd, he just seemed to appear out of nowhere, and he has no family and friends to speak of. I suspected that Scott Collins wasn't his real name, but he was a good guy so I let it go. You've got to believe me, he's alive and well, living in San Francisco."
"You said that your bartender takes one day off a year, what day is it?"
"July 31st"
"Oh God"
"Harry, what's July 31st?"
"It's my birthday, it's also our anniversary. We became an official couple on my sixteenth birthday. I 'died' the day after my eighteenth. Oh Ron-"
Harry buried his head in his hands and began sobbing like a mad man. After five years he had finally found Ron, he had asked his parents to point him in the right direction and they had.
"Blake, please you have to take me back to San Francisco with you. I have to see him"
"I leave on Friday, I'll call the airline in the morning and make arrangements to get you a seat on the flight. You'll need to get a passport as well"
"Right, I'll get it first thing in the morning"
"Harry, I need to warn you, there are things in Ron's life that you may not like. Things he has done in the past five years that you may disapprove of, they're not mine to tell, but if you two love each other as much as I think you do, then you'll get past it. Just remember to keep an open mind. Your 'death' destroyed him, he was lost, utterly lost"
"You're scaring me Blake"
"You're scared? Imagine how Sco-Ron will feel when he sees you. He thinks you're dead"
Harry sighed. His life had been thrown into a tailspin in a few short minutes, just as it had five years ago when he returned and found that Ron had left.
A gentle knock at Harry's door broke him from his thoughts.
"Come in"
"Harry-Oh, I-I'm terribly sorry.I thought I heard crying." Hermione stuttered as she noticed the condition that both Blake and Harry were in. They were obviously in the middle of something rather intimate.
"No, it's alright Mione. There's something I need to tell you. Ron's alive. He's been living in San Francisco using the name Scott Collins. He's Blake's bartender."
"Oh my God, Harry we have to go there!"
"Blake is making arrangements for me to return with him on Friday"
"I'm coming with you"
"Mione, please don't take this the wrong way, but I want to do this by myself. I need to. Ron and I have a lot to work through when I get there, and I need it to be he and I. One on one. I promise that we'll ring you as soon as we meet up, but I have to go alone."
"Alright, I'll honor your wishes, but if you don't ring as soon as you are in the same room with him, I will find you, and you know I have the means by which to do it"
"I promise, I need you to do me another favor as well. Don't tell the Weasleys just yet. I don't know what kind of state Ron is going to be in and I don't want everyone in his face immediately. I will let them know as soon as everything is figured out"
"Deal, is there anything else we need to do?"
"Yeah, pack"
The night had been a bust. There wasn't a single person that had caught Ron's eye that night. He was severely disappointed; he was desperate to fuck that night. He needed to feel his orgasm overtake him and more than anything he needed to see Harry's face in the heat of the moment. He walked to the back of the bar, hoping that whatever Blake needed to talk to him about would be quick, there was still another hour or so left to find someone to fill his bed tonight at the twenty-four hour diner just around the corner.
"Hello Scott, come in"
"What is it you needed to talk to me about?"
"I wanted to know if you would like to run the club for a week?"
"Sure. Why?"
"I'm looking at opening a club overseas and I will be there for a week scouting locations for it"
"Wow, I knew business was good, but not good enough to open a club overseas"
"It's a joint venture actually with a couple of the other club owners here, we all run successful nightclubs here and the market is hot right now in London, so we're going to try and make a go of it."
Ron flinched. "London?"
"Yes, are you alright Scott you look pale?"
"No, I'm fine, I'll run the club for a week, just let me know what I need to do"
"Great, can you come in tomorrow morning so we can discuss what needs to be done?"
"Fine, I'll be here at 10. I-I have to go. Goodnight Blake."
"Goodnight Scott"
Ron felt sick to his stomach. Blake mentioning London made his old life come rushing back on him. The Burrow, Hogwarts, Hermione, his family, Harry, all the people and things he would never see again. He ran to his flat, tears rolling down his face. Merlin, how he longed for his old life, but he could never go back, he was too ashamed of what he had become. He could have been an Auror, or an agent for the Sport and Game department of the Ministry of Magic, instead he had become a common whore, only he was lower, he didn't even get paid for it.
~London~
"I think you made the right decision Harry"
Harry smiled at his best friend. "Thanks Mione, I think I did too, but leaving the Burrow is like losing the last part of Ron that I had to hold on to"
"I know, but you needed to let the last part go Harry. We've been through this, Ron doesn't want to be found. I just hope that one day he realizes what he did was stupid and comes back to us"
"It wasn't stupid Mione, I think I would have done the same thing. I've barely lived in the five years I have been without him, I don't know what I would have done if I thought he was dead. I have to believe that he is alive so that I don't disappear myself"
"Harry we came here to try and start over and while I know that that means discussing the past in order to move on, right now I just want to order a pizza, listen to music, unpack, and maybe have a few laughs with my best friend. Okay?"
Harry grinned. "Okay"
"Good I'll order the pizza and while we're waiting we'll unpack and organize our rooms, then we can concentrate on the living room, kitchen and dining area"
"Yes ma'am"
As Harry walked down the hall to his room a strange feeling overcame him. He was happy. He hadn't been happy in a long time, but it wasn't a complete happiness, not like the happiness he had felt when Ron had been by his side. Still he supposed it was a start, a little happiness, even for just a moment was better than the sadness he had been living with at the Burrow. He loved the Weasleys very much, and while he knew it hurt them to see him go, he knew they understood why he had to do it.
When he got to his room he opened his suitcase and began to unpack his clothes. He was surprised when he came across an old Chudley Cannons shirt that had been thrown in with his clothes. He had purposely not brought anything of Ron's with him, but apparently someone had wanted him to have that. As he unfolded the shirt he noticed a small note tucked in it.
Harry-
I know you didn't take anything of Ron's with you, I saw you packing, I understand why you did it, but I thought the shirt should go with you. Ron said he loved you in that shirt, and that he loved the mornings he woke up next to you wearing his "bloody ugly and tattered" shirt. Please don't be a stranger Harry, you're a part of the family and please don't be angry with me for sneaking this in with your things.
Ginny
A lonely tear rolled down Harry's cheek. He could never be mad at Ginny for what she had done. He loved her as much as he loved Hermione. The shirt still smelled like Ron, a mix of the air on the Qudditch Pitch and chocolate. He folded up the shirt and the note from Ginny and deposited it at the bottom of his drawer. He was glad for the shirt but he needed to put it somewhere where he wouldn't have to look at it everyday or else he would never be able to start over. He thought about Ron nearly every minute of the day as it was, and if he was ever going to break that habit he needed the reminders out of sight. He carefully laid down a picture Hermione had taken of he and Ron next to the shirt, and finished unpacking his clothes; burying the reminders under the belongings he would need to start his new life.
~San Francisco~
Running the club was much harder than Ron had ever imagined. He left long after closing and was back early in the morning to ensure that everything needed for the nightly crowd such as liquor and food were all stocked. Ron now dealt with the complaints from the patrons and workers alike, counted the money, made the deposits, and the other millions of tiny details that came with the responsibility of running the place he worked at. He also kept up his bartending duties, and while it was hard work, he enjoyed it. It was fascinating to run a business and with less free time on his hands he wasn't consumed by his thoughts of Harry. Still he wondered if Blake had perhaps passed Hermione, Ginny or anyone he knew on the street. He wondered if Blake had walked down the street that The Leaky Cauldron resided on, or if a purple Knight Bus had whizzed by him on its way to any non-underwater destination.
He envied Blake for getting to be in London, what he wouldn't give to go home and see everyone again, but his shame was too great. What would he tell his family and friends? How would he explain his five-year absence? And more importantly how would they react when he told them what he had been doing to pass the time in those five years? There were times, like this one, when Ron thought that risking it and going back to England were worth it. Still most of the time the shame of everything overtook him and he pushed the thought to the back of his head. He had resigned himself long ago to the fact that he would never go home again, and while he was beginning to regret his decision he couldn't go back on it. His life, however miserable it was, was here in San Francisco now. This was his home, this was his life, he lived here and he would eventually die here.alone.
"Scott?"
"Hey Marcus, what's up?"
"I was just wondering if you could get another bouncer to cover my shift tonight. My husband's birthday is today and I was hoping to do something special. I told Blake about it, but he must have forgotten when he made the schedule up."
"Sure, no problem, I'll have Kyle come in and cover for you. Have fun tonight with your husband."
"Thanks Scott, I really appreciate it. Scott?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot"
"Now don't be offended or anything, but don't you want someone to go home to? Someone more than the random men you go home with every night?"
"I-I."
"Shit, sorry Scott, forget I asked. I don't want to criticize the way you live-"
"It's okay Marcus. I did have someone once. He was my whole life. I met him at school when I was eleven years old. He was my best friend, and later we fell in love. We were blissfully happy together, whenever he kissed me the world and all of its worries faded away, and it was just Harry and I."
"What happened?"
"He was murdered five years ago. My whole world was shattered so I moved here hoping to make a new start and in some ways I did, but Harry is the only man I will ever love. Anyone else would be second best, and I can't bear to settle for that, not after I tasted perfection with him"
"Wow, I'm really sorry Scott.He must have been a really great guy if you loved him that much"
"He was. Listen, have fun with your husband tonight. Enjoy and relish every moment you have with him"
"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow"
"Bye Marcus"
Ron felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He had never told anyone about Harry, but he finally had, and it felt good. It was an odd feeling, it was almost as if life were giving Ron a second chance. First he was given the responsibility of running the bar, a responsibility which left him less time to mope, he hadn't taken anyone home in the few days he had been running the bar, and now after five years someone knew about a small part of Ron Weasley's life. Ron felt slightly happy, and that was an emotion he hadn't felt in five long years.
~London~
Harry and Hermione's new lives were beginning to fall into place. Their apartment was in order, and they had both been given jobs at the Ministry of Magic. Beginning Monday they would fully begin the new lives they had left the Burrow to find. It made them both happy, and they had decided to celebrate by going to dinner and then dancing at a club in the city.
"Wow, this place is great Mione! How did you find it?"
"I read about it on the internet, it's supposed to be one of the premiere London hot spots, although something seems a little off Harry"
"What do you mean?"
"None of the guys in this place have noticed me or the cute dress I bought"
Harry laughed and then spotted something on the wall that made him laugh even harder.
"Harry Potter, just what in the hell is so funny about that?"
"Mione, do you see that flag on the back wall?"
"Yes, why?"
"It's the Rainbow flag Hermione, it is a sign of gay pride that muggles use. This is a gay club, if anyone will be checking you out tonight it's going to be the girls"
"Oh, and here I thought the rainbow design on the website was just a pretty web page decoration"
"Hermione Granger, you are the smartest person I have ever met and you didn't know this?!?! I'm shocked!"
"Oh shut up! We're here now; we might as well dance and throw back a few drinks like we planned. Speaking of drinks, why don't you go to the bar and get us some while I find a table close to the dance floor"
"Alrighty, I'll be right back"
As Harry made his way up to the bar he couldn't help but notice how attractive many of the men in the club were. He felt a little guilty, but surely a little looking wouldn't hurt anyone.
"I'd like a Cosmopolitan and a Lemon Drop please"
"Coming up"
As the bartender made his drinks Harry noticed a very attractive blonde sitting on the barstool next to him. He looked tall and muscular with spiky blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was quite beautiful, and Harry wondered what it would be like to kiss him. Suddenly the blonde looked up. Harry turned away, embarrassed at being caught staring.
"Hello there"
Harry turned around slowly, he could feel his face burning. "Hi"
"Are you enjoying yourself tonight?"
"I, uh, I-My friend and I just arrived"
Harry wanted to run screaming from the bar. He had just embarrassed himself even further.
"You and your boyfriend?"
"No, she's a girl"
"You and your girlfriend then?"
"Uh, no, I mean yes, she's a girl, but she's not my girlfriend. She's my best friend her name is Hermione"
The blonde grinned and Harry felt the blood rush to other parts of his body.
"So do you have a name or should I just call you Hermione's best friend"
"No"
"No you don't have a name?"
"No, don't call me Hermione's best friend. My name is Harry, Harry Potter"
"Nice to meet you Harry Potter, I'm Blake Evans"
Harry smiled and shook the other man's hand. "Nice to meet you as well Blake"
"Listen Harry do you mind if I join you and your friend for a drink or two?"
"No of course not"
"Great, shall we get our drinks and go and find her then?"
As Blake and Harry made their way to the table Hermione had found Harry noticed that a small, knowing smile had appeared on his best friend's face.
"Mione, this is Blake Evans, he asked if he could join us for a drink"
"Nice to meet you Blake, I'm Hermione Granger, Harry's best friend"
"Pleasure to meet you Hermione. You're best friend is quite the conversationalist it only took me fifty questions for him to tell me his name"
Hermione laughed. "That's Harry for you, you have an American accent Blake, where are you from?"
"I'm from San Francisco, I run a club there, but some business partners and I are looking to open a club here in London so I have been scouting locations all week"
"Wow, how did you manage to get away for a whole week?"
"I left the bar in the hands of my bartender. He's an odd fellow, but he's a hard worker and I know I can trust him"
"Why is he odd?" Harry asked.
"Well, he's just a mystery. He seems to have appeared out of nowhere, he never takes a vacation. He doesn't seem to have any family or friends, he'll work any and every holiday, and he request one day off a year"
"That does seem a bit odd, poor fellow" Hermione noticed that she was monopolizing the conversation and decided to make an exit so that Harry could hone his man-meeting skills.
"Harry, I'm afraid I'm not feeling well. I think I drank too much at dinner and I need some air and some sleep. I'm going to head home"
"Alright why don't we get our coats and go then"
"Oh, you don't have to leave Harry. I'll be fine, I know how to get home by myself. Will you walk with me to get my coat?"
"Sure, excuse us Blake"
"No problem, I'll be right here"
Harry and Hermione made their way up to the coat check. Harry knew his best friend well enough to know that she was feeling fine.
"Mione, what in the bloody hell are you doing?"
"Harry, Blake is attractive, and obviously very interested in you. You need this Harry, have fun. Dance, flirt, drink, maybe even kiss a little. I'll be fine, I'll even wear my earplugs to bed in case you decide to entertain him later"
"Hermione Granger! I've only just met him!"
"I didn't mean entertain as in sex, you could invite him over for coffee or something. Bye Harry, see you at home"
"Bye Mione"
Blake was waiting patiently at the table while Harry returned. "Merlin, he's hot" Harry thought to himself.
"Is Hermione going to be okay?"
"She'll be fine"
"Good, would you like to dance Harry Potter?"
Harry grinned. "I'd love to"
Perhaps Hermione was right. He needed this, he pushed aside all feelings of guilt as Blake led him to the dance floor and tried to enjoy himself.
**A Few Hours Later**
Harry was very glad that Hermione had worn earplugs to bed. He and Blake had gone from dancing and flirting to groping and kissing. He still didn't know how they had managed to make it to his room without waking Mione.
Harry gasped as Blake's tongue entered his mouth. He kissed Blake back passionately. Slowly he lifted Blake's shirt over his head, running his hands over his perfect chest. Blake relieved Harry of his shirt as well, licking his earlobe, and running the tip of his tongue over his scar. Harry hissed in pleasure as he and Blake found their way to his bed. Harry moaned as their erections came into contact with each other. Blake kissed Harry again, their tongues dueling, Blake got on top of him and begin rubbing their erections together. The sensations were unbelievable, and soon both pairs of hands made their way to zippers, desperate to feel their erections pressed together without any further barriers.
Harry gasped as Blake rubbed his erection through his jeans. It felt wonderful to have someone touch him again, he hadn't felt this alive since-
Suddenly an image of an old Chudley Cannons shirt and picture flashed through Harry's mind. He gasped and pushed Blake off of him.
"I-I can't" Harry panted
Blake looked at him in shock. "Why Harry? I thought this was what you wanted"
"I thought I did too, but I just can't, I'm sorry, it wouldn't be fair"
"Harry, what just happened? One minute we're about to have sex and the next you're throwing me off of you, please explain, why can't you do this?"
"Because of him"
"Him?"
Harry got up opened the drawer, and handed Blake the picture that resided at the bottom of his drawer.
"Him. The red head in the picture"
Blake gasped in shock when he saw whom Harry was referring to. "Scott."
"Excuse me?"
"Scott, my bartender"
"I'm not following"
"The man in the picture is Scott, my bartender"
Harry felt as though he'd been hit with a stunning curse and slunk to the ground.
"What did you just say?"
"This is Scott Collins, he's my bartender"
"You-you must be mistaken. The man in the picture is Ron Weasley. He's the man I'm in love with. Unfortunately he thinks I'm dead and I haven't seen him for five years."
Realization dawned on Blake. He had always wondered if Scott Collins was really who he claimed to be, and now he knew that his hunch had been right. Scott Collins was a person invented to escape from who he truly was. The haunted look in Scott's eyes finally made sense as well. He thought the man he loved was dead, but he was wrong, he was sitting in front of Blake.
"Harry, listen to me. Scott Collins and Ron Weasley are one in the same, I'm sure of it. He came to me five years ago, I told you and Hermione earlier, it was odd, he just seemed to appear out of nowhere, and he has no family and friends to speak of. I suspected that Scott Collins wasn't his real name, but he was a good guy so I let it go. You've got to believe me, he's alive and well, living in San Francisco."
"You said that your bartender takes one day off a year, what day is it?"
"July 31st"
"Oh God"
"Harry, what's July 31st?"
"It's my birthday, it's also our anniversary. We became an official couple on my sixteenth birthday. I 'died' the day after my eighteenth. Oh Ron-"
Harry buried his head in his hands and began sobbing like a mad man. After five years he had finally found Ron, he had asked his parents to point him in the right direction and they had.
"Blake, please you have to take me back to San Francisco with you. I have to see him"
"I leave on Friday, I'll call the airline in the morning and make arrangements to get you a seat on the flight. You'll need to get a passport as well"
"Right, I'll get it first thing in the morning"
"Harry, I need to warn you, there are things in Ron's life that you may not like. Things he has done in the past five years that you may disapprove of, they're not mine to tell, but if you two love each other as much as I think you do, then you'll get past it. Just remember to keep an open mind. Your 'death' destroyed him, he was lost, utterly lost"
"You're scaring me Blake"
"You're scared? Imagine how Sco-Ron will feel when he sees you. He thinks you're dead"
Harry sighed. His life had been thrown into a tailspin in a few short minutes, just as it had five years ago when he returned and found that Ron had left.
A gentle knock at Harry's door broke him from his thoughts.
"Come in"
"Harry-Oh, I-I'm terribly sorry.I thought I heard crying." Hermione stuttered as she noticed the condition that both Blake and Harry were in. They were obviously in the middle of something rather intimate.
"No, it's alright Mione. There's something I need to tell you. Ron's alive. He's been living in San Francisco using the name Scott Collins. He's Blake's bartender."
"Oh my God, Harry we have to go there!"
"Blake is making arrangements for me to return with him on Friday"
"I'm coming with you"
"Mione, please don't take this the wrong way, but I want to do this by myself. I need to. Ron and I have a lot to work through when I get there, and I need it to be he and I. One on one. I promise that we'll ring you as soon as we meet up, but I have to go alone."
"Alright, I'll honor your wishes, but if you don't ring as soon as you are in the same room with him, I will find you, and you know I have the means by which to do it"
"I promise, I need you to do me another favor as well. Don't tell the Weasleys just yet. I don't know what kind of state Ron is going to be in and I don't want everyone in his face immediately. I will let them know as soon as everything is figured out"
"Deal, is there anything else we need to do?"
"Yeah, pack"