Ron and Draco skipped their classes and spent most of the day in Ron's room, half hiding out from the world, and half just wanting to be alone together. Harry covered for them. It wasn't until that night that the problems started.
"Where is Draco?! He's been gone all day, missed all his classes, and hasn't even been in his room!!" A voice bellowed from outside the Gryffindor common room. Crabe and Goyle had decided to search for their friend after his day of fun, hiding out with Ron.
"Look Goyle, calm down." Harry with Hermione close behind him, blocked the doorway from them, trying to keep them from seeing Ron and Draco who chose this exact moment to enter the common room. Unfortunately, as tall and mature as Harry had gotten over the last seven years, he would never be big enough to cover an entire doorway. They spotted him quickly, pushing Harry to the side and knocking Hermione over.
"Draco! What are you doing down here? WEASLEY, didn't we warn you about all this?!" Crabe and Goyle leered menacingly over them. Crabe grabbed hold of Ron's shirt collar and had pulled him into the air. "Would you like to explain what is going on Weasley?"
"We we I meehh" Ron sputtered looking to Draco for help.
"Stop stop it you two!" Draco stood up suddenly. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!" Draco screamed, starling even himself. Crabe dropped Ron who landed oddly on his foot and twisted his ankle slightly as he crumpled to the ground. "I can explain everything to you both, I've been meaning to in fact."
"Oh, have you?" Crabe and Goyle replied simultaneously in extremely sarcastic tones.
"Yes, I have look we all need to sit down, and calm down, and talk this all out."
Crabe and Goyle's faces twisted in confusion at this statement, but they conceded and sat themselves on the Gryffindor couches. Hermione and Harry had made their way over by this point and sat down on a nearby chair facing them.
Draco extended a hand to Ron who still sat on the floor, clearly still frightened and looking quite helpless. Draco sat with Ron, Hermione and Harry on the couch.
"Ok Crabe and Goyle, I'm going to be frank about all of this, so listen to me closely because I won't be re-explaining anything to you later." They nodded. "Ron and I are friends now in fact, we are more than friends. We are dating because I am well, I'm gay, alright? I don't want to hear any nonsense from you both about it, and you're not to make fun of me or tell other people, you got it?"
Crabe and Goyle looked at either like they didn't know what to say, or that they didn't understand, but Draco continued on.
"I get along with Harry and Hermione now too, now we don't all have to be friends, but I want everyone, and I mean EVERYONE to be civil to one another. That means no more beating up or talking down to the Gryffindors no matter what, you've got that too?" They nodded again. "Oh, and the most important thing. You are to be kind to Ron, and show him courtesy from now on, you will not be mean to him or threaten him anymore or you will suffer serious consequences. Did you both get all that?"
"Draco, I don't understand all this. When did you figure out you were gay?" Crabe questioned, in a surprisingly calm and down to earth tone.
"I'm not really sure when I realized it all, it just happened, and now I'm going to deal with it. You two are my best friends, and I don't want to have to shut you out if you are going to treat me like crap because of this but I am willing to risk telling you because I appreciate your friendship."
Ron made a small huffing noise but Hermione nudged him gently hinting that he shouldn't try and anger everyone, especially since it seemed like Crabe and Goyle were actually responding well to all this.
"Alright Draco, we will abide to what you've said, but only if you come back with us to our common room now before we are found in here." Goyle bargained. "We are your best friends and we will still come first, so we need to head back now."
Draco sighed, not wanting to leave Ron, but relieved at how well things went with Crabe and Goyle so far.
"Ok guys, lets go back then. Ron I will see you tomorrow, have a goodnight guys." Draco hugged Ron and waved goodbye to Harry and Hermione as he exited the Gryffindor portrait.
"Well, that went better than I thought it would have." Hermione said positively.
"You're tellin' me!" Ron wiped the sweat off his brow, slouching down into an oversized chair. "Man, I thought for sure they would tear me apart limb from limb! I thought it was the end of the world! Crabe got hold of my shirt and I thought 'please don't let my funeral cost too much for my parents.'"
Harry and Hermione chuckled at Ron's exaggerated acting out of the situation. "Common' Ron, maybe we should head to bed too, it IS getting late," Harry said.
Ron stood up from the couch and immediately fell back into it with a painful growl. "My ankle! Damn it! Maybe Draco should have told Crabe to 'set me down gently' instead of pratically throwing me down. GRAH!! It hurts!"
"Oh Ron, you are such a baby." Hermione smiled at him. "We'll
help you up to bed, in the morning if it still hurts we can bring you to Madam
Pomfrey to have it looked at." Hermione and Harry each put an arm around
Ron helping him up to his room for the night. Ron was much more tired than he
originally imagined, he didn't even bother to change into his pajamas before
getting into bed. In fact he had nearly fallen asleep by the time his head hit
the pillow, he didn't even notice Hermione crawling into Harry's bed for the
night after slipping into one of his tee shirts.
* * * * * *
Well that was a bit of a long and sad wait for a new chapter! I'm sorry about all that, my poor readers were reduced to begging!!
Akemi-sama: thanks, Ii like happyness too :)
Awkwardness: that wasnt too bad of a reaction right? this is just the initial
reaction tho.. bwhaha
Elf Princess Bloom: thankies for the review, you are my favorite!!
anon: thanks, I try!!
Mistress Joy: yay, I'm glad you like my writing.
mira zandar: I guess theyre working on coming out now, hehe!
some1: hope you liked this chap :)
cara: ahh no not the begging!! anything but begging!! it makes me feel so guilty
for being slow at getting chapters out...but there will be more to come soon
I promise.