That evening, Ron still wasn't talking to Harry. When Harry had mentioned that he'd been invited to spend Christmas at Malfoy Manor, Ron had glared at him and left the dinner table. Now they were all sitting in the Gryffindor common room. Ron was facing away from Harry, pointedly not looking at him. Hermione was sitting between the two boys, working on her homework.

Finally she looked up in irritation. "So Harry," she began, awkwardly breaking the silence. "Are you going to spend Christmas with – Draco?"

She had been very careful to remember to refer to Draco by his first name ever since Harry outburst the previous night. "I'm not sure," Harry admitted.

"Don't you want to go?" Hermione asked him.

"Well… yeah…"

"Then why aren't you sure?"

"Because…" Harry sighed. "I don't know. It's just… I don't know. I'm going up to bed."

In his room, Harry got changed and crawled into his bed. Should I go or not? He wanted to go, but he was also afraid that Ron would never forgive him if he did. Especially after what Draco had told him earlier.

Why couldn't this just be simple? It should be. He'd been invited to stay with his boyfriend for Christmas. He didn't have any other plans. Why did Ron have to make this such a big deal? Why couldn't he just have a simple, easy life? His parents were dead, the man who murdered them was after him, and now not only was he dating the boy who had tormented him for two years, but his best friend's family loathed his boyfriend's family (and vice versa).

With Sirius Black after him, didn't he have enough to deal with already? Why did he have to deal with this too? It wasn't fair. Why did he have to choose between his best friend and his boyfriend? Why did all of this have to be such a big deal?

Why, why, why?

Would Dumbledore even let him go visit Draco with Sirius Black on the loose and all?

Harry closed his eyes, resolving to ask Dumbledore tomorrow. No point in worrying about whether or not he was going if Dumbledore decided he couldn't go anyway.



Harry found Dumbledore in his office the after classes the next day.

"And what can I do for you, Harry?" the old wizard asked as he entered the office.

"Err… actually, I was wondering what you would think about me going – somewhere – over Christmas break," Harry told him nervously. He wasn't sure whether he wanted Dumbledore to say it was okay or not. If he said he couldn't go, then Harry wouldn't have to decide. But Harry really did want to go.

"Mr. Malfoy has asked you to visit him, I see," Dumbledore said. "Please, sit down."

Harry blinked at him in surprise. "How did you know?"

"I am not completely blind to goings on in the lives of the students here at Hogwarts. Come now, Harry. Please have a seat."

Harry obeyed. "So… do you think it would be safe for me to go. I mean with Sirius Black on the loose and all–"

"Actually, I think that Malfoy Manor would be a wonderful place for you to spend your vacation. It is, if anything, safer for you now than Hogwarts. Especially as Sirius wouldn't know that you were there."

"And you're not afraid that it might be… a trap or something? The Malfoys were Voldemort's supporters, after all…"

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Not at all. They may have been Death Eaters, but unlike Sirius Black, they understand that Voldemort is gone and that removing you will do nothing to help him. And they love their son very much – perhaps too much, even. They would never do anything to hurt him unless it was absolutely necessary and I think that harming you would hurt him more than they can even begin to comprehend. No, you will be safe there."

Harry smiled. "Thank you."

"Lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered.

Harry shook his head. "No thank you. I have to go. Good-bye Professor Dumbledore."

Harry left Dumbledore sucking thoughtfully on a lemon drop.

A/N: Kashiaga and Orange: Thanks... as I mentioned in Over the Rainbow, I'll try to keep updating at least every other day from now on...