Disclaimer: I own my cat. Kinda

Rating: Indecisive

A/N: This chapter is shorter than usual but I really wanted to get this out of the way so we could get on to the slashy goodness.
Chapter 8

Harry wove his way through the common room towards the little table Hermione and Seamus had sequestered away from the clumps of Gryffindors scattered around. He smiled slightly as he noticed that there was at least five feet of space around them where people refused to wander into.

'It would seem that they are taking Hermione's threat of a barrier spell seriously.' He came to the edge of the clear spot and tested with his hand to see if there was an invisible wall there. Harry's palm met nothing but air.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?"

"Harry I thought Seamus and I went over this. We cannot afford any interruptions or we might have to start counting the votes all over again. As it is we are going to be up all night tallying up the scores." Hermione's voice had the patented Leave Me Alone tone that only girls seemed to learn. Harry sighed as he made his way to the couch.

Some third years scooted over without breaking their conversation. They were of course talking about who they voted for and speculating why Seamus and Hermoine were taking this so seriously.

"It is just a race right? There is nothing too humiliating about being last in a race between friends." Harry felt bad for eavesdropping. It was not like he could help it since the couch was so small. The girls kept stealing glances towards him and giggling until he could not stay there for another second.

"I am going for a walk." He announced to the room in general and left the room followed by a chorus of 'Goodbye Harry's'. He jogged down the corridor before realizing that it would be after curfew soon and that he had left his invisibility cloak in his room. 'I guess I will just have to sneak around the old fashioned way.' Harry went randomly through the school ending up in the owlrey.

A large white fast moving blur shrieked and barely pulled out of a dive aimed for Harry's chest. "Hello Hedwig." The owl nuzzled against the side of Harry's head and waited patiently for a letter.

"Sorry girl, just visiting this time." Hedwig hooted and clambered onto the nearest perch. Harry walked to one of the large windows and looked out at the moon drenched schoolyard.

'It looks so perfect.' He sighed turning back to the relative darkness of the Owlrey. He slid down the wall until he was seated comfortably under the window. Hoots and the sounds of feathers being ruffled calmed his mind.

"Harry? Are you in here?"

"Yeah Ron. Hermione threatened you out too?" Harry watched as Ron came closer in the direction of his voice. Harry could barely see the grin on his best friend's face.

"Here you go. I smuggled these in." Ron handed Harry a bottle of butterbeer before settling himself down on the floor next to Harry. "Well we have to have a reason for drinking these. What shall it be Harry?" Ron's voice was amiable like always.

"How about we drink to finding out secrets?" Ron looked at Harry confusion in his unusually somber eyes.

"Is there something I need to know?" Harry could not bring himself to look into the bright honest blue. He bit his lip and nodded.

"Out with it then. There isn't anything that could make me hate you."

"I think I'm gay." Harry's voice cracked slightly as he admitted this. Ron looked shocked for a moment.

"You don't like me...like like me...right?" Harry shook his head and Ron looked relieved.

"That would have been awkward. Is there someone you fancy?" Again Harry nodded finding it hard to speak.

"Who?" There was a long pause and for awhile Ron thought Harry had not heard him right when he heard one single soft spoken word.

"Malfoy."

Ron took a huge drink out of his butterbeer trying to convince himself that he had heard Harry wrong. "The ferret?" Harry shot a sidelong glance at Ron. "I guess if he is the bloke you are fantasizing about I can't call him that anymore."

"You aren't mad?"

"It isn't your fault Harry. Things happen. Besides as long as he doesn't hurt you I can live with it. But if he does hurt you I am going to kill him. I guess this means you won't mind all that much if you lose the race." Harry set down his butterbeer and enveloped the redhead in a bear hug.

"Thank you for being understanding."

"You just might want to keep me sedated for awhile Harry." Harry laughed and soon Ron joined in. The boys finished their drinks and fumbled their way back to the Gryffindor common room. As they were about to go through the painting Harry stopped.

"Go on without me." Ron looked at Harry with an eyebrow raised. "I forgot something in the Owlrey." Harry stated as way of explanation.

Ron nodded and let the portrait close behind him leaving Harry alone in the dark corridor. Resolutely Harry turned on his heel and walked to his destination.

A/N: Aren't I so evil making you wait until another chapter to find out who the scantily clad person in Draco's room is? Don't get too confident on who you think it is. You might be in for a bigger shock than you think.