Thanks to anyone I haven't emailed about feedback...always adored, appreciated. It's been awhile but I'm back. LoL. Trying to finish other fics in other fandoms but I haven't given up on this story, not by a long shot.

Jux

Chapter Sixteen

That night after leaving Dumbledore's office, Harry wasn't to return to his dorm. Instead he spent the night wandering the halls of Hogwarts till he inadvertently ended up on the seventh floor, pacing back and forth until the 'Room of Requirement' revealed itself. Of course it had been a long- time since he'd found himself in need of the rooms services- not since the Umbridge witch had been thrown out of Hogwarts had he even thought of it.

He stood hesitantly in the doorway, peering into the dimly lit room; as usual it appeared to fill his every desire as it beckoned him irresistibly inside. There was a large comfy bed dominating the centre of the room. Candles flickered softly from a small circular table off to one side, the warm scent and the glow from those flames drew him further into the room. He instantly crawled up onto the bed and snuggled into the gorgeously thick blue quilt that lay there. It wasn't long before the room was filled the sound of Harry Potter snoring.
Seamus Finnigan woke to the cold empty space beside him in bed. He'd waited up for Harry, but he had never showed. Eventually he'd drifted off, pain and ecstasy warring in his heart. At first he'd panicked as to why Harry hadn't come back, worrying that he might have been in trouble and at one point he'd almost gone looking for him. He was jerked back by the possibility that his behaviour may have been misconstrued as a tad possessive, him stalking Harry in the corridors, calling out his name. Not to mention that he was bordering on the melodramatic. He was also angry with Harry for abandoning him and intended to tell him off when he returned. In the end he simply gave up and went to breakfast without waiting for Harry to arrive.
The great hall was rather empty; most of the students had already gone home for the Christmas break. Only a handful of students remained from each year, fostering a somewhat relaxed atmosphere as most of the houses had decided to ditch old rivalries and sit together for a change. It always delighted Dumbledore to see the children so willing to forgo the competition between the houses and partake in the Christmas cheer. He was only sorry that that same spirit could not last the whole year round.

Ron ate with his usual gusto; he had been hungry since waking from his potion induced sleep early in the morning. Seamus, who was seated beside him, kept glancing back towards the doors in hopes of seeing Harry. Ron rolled his eyes at the increasingly girlish behaviour of his Irish friend.

"He'll be here Seamus. Give the bloke a chance, you aren't half clingy."

Seamus gave him a look and shoved a slither of toast into his mouth. Ron rolled his eyes again at the pout his friend was now wearing, snorting into his orange juice as the door swung open and a first year Slytherin entered the hall. The hopeful look that passed over Seamus's face was priceless only for it to be dashed on the rocks so to speak, when again it wasn't Harry.

Ron shook his head; damn Seamus had it bad for his best buddy. He couldn't quite understand that type of infatuation. He hadn't in fact ever felt like that for anyone, possibly he'd been close with Hermione but even that had waned when he realised he preferred her as a friend.

Helping himself to a fresh glass of juice Ron scanned the breadth of the table; he hadn't found any familiar blonde head amongst them. He guessed Malfoy senior had already come and collected his son. He was probably at the manor being lavished with an array of expensive gifts, not to mention plates piled high of every exquisite food imaginable. What it must be like to live in luxury, to want for nothing. Then Ron was reminded of his mother's delicious cooking, the warmth of her hugs and the pure goodness of just being home for Christmas with his whole family. Malfoy may have everything his cold heart desired, but he'd wager that the boy had none of the love that he was given unconditionally. Gifts were a poor substitute for a lack of affection and Ron would never exchange his poor but loving parents and siblings for one night in Malfoy's shoes.

Harry finally pushed through the doorway and Ron couldn't help but turn to watch Seamus' reaction. The boy tried desperately not to look so eager but he just couldn't quite wipe the silly grin from his face as Harry neared their table. Ron groaned internally 'Merlin, please let me never be this embarrassingly transparent if I ever fall in love.' Ron slid into the empty seat to his right so that Harry had little choice but to sit between them.

"Morning Ron." He yawned, slumping in a kind of boneless sprawl, elbows barely taking the weight of his head. "Went looking for you, Pomfrey said you'd snuck out. She was annoyed you checked out without her consent."

Ron swallowed his mouthful before answering. "Yeah, well I woke up ravenous; the woman must have pumped my stomach or something. I tell you I was being starved. Besides I'm fine, completely healed." He held up the hand that had been bitten, only a thin silvery scar was visible, a reminder of his tussle with that evil ball of fluff.

Harry grinned sleepily at his friend, relieved that he was okay. He'd slept well after agonizing over Dudley but he was still unbelievably tired.

"What happened to you anyway? Where have you been all night?" Ron asked through a mouthful of egg.

Harry blinked; he wasn't ready to tell Ron about his conversation with Dumbledore. He'd never told Ron and Hermione that he'd grown closer to Dudley over the summer and wasn't sure they would understand if he had.

"The Room of Requirement. Pretty much stumbled upon it."

Ron laughed. "Wow. It's been awhile since we've all been there. Hey, what happened with Dumbledore?"

"Seamus mentioned I was called to his office?"

"Yeah," indicating the Irishman on his other side. What the hell was Harry doing? He couldn't just pretend he didn't exist.

"Nothing really, more doom and gloom and of course Voldemort."

"Oh him." Ron shrugged, spooning another mouthful of egg in his mouth.

"Yeah him. He has that bloody annoying way of cropping up around the holiday. Just because no one sent him a Christmas card does that give him a reason to get all upset and start killing again? Anyway I can't come home with you; I'm banished to the Gryffindor tower to have Christmas alone."

"Bugger, well that's totally unfair." Ron scowled, dropping his fork back on the plate. He was stuffed.

"Rules are rules," Harry shrugged, exhausted. Ron knew darn well Harry lived to break them and he would do just that if need be.

"Oi, what do you mean..." Ron hesitated. He could in fact, disclose the name now without feeling like he was cursing himself to some bitter fate. Despite this breakthrough, he found it terrifying. "What's Voldemort up to now?"

Harry pushed his glasses back up his nose, eyes straying from his redheaded friend. "Nothing new, more raids, threats, nothing we haven't all been aware of before."

Ron was almost certain his best friend was leaving out something important.

"Harry..." he began to query.

"Don't. Not yet. I'll tell you when I learn more."

Ron reluctantly complied with Harry's wishes; he was far from overjoyed with the part about 'not knowing.' He nodded his okay just the same.

"And what about...?"

Ron's eyes flickered purposely from Harry to Seamus and back again. Harry grimaced, conscious of just what Ron was insinuating.

He knew Seamus was there; he hadn't exactly forgotten about yesterday he'd just put those feelings aside after Dumbledore told him about the Dursley's. Seamus was a pleasant diversion from the demons that were constantly nipping at his heel. Harry just wasn't sure, so soon after Ron's rejection.

Seamus was chatting with some Ravenclaw girl, a sixth year like himself. Harry was instantly jealous that his friend's thoughts were elsewhere, especially as it seemed he was favouring the nymphet with the very peak of his impeccable charm. His fingers rested innocently on the girl's arm which definitely had her undivided attention.

Okay...Harry was sure. How dare she make a play for what was his, he wanted to scratch her eyes out for even trying to claim him.

Seamus was peeved, no he was pissed off. Harry had walked into the hall after spending the night, who knows where and then proceeded to ignore him in the hopes of chatting up Ron. Weasley wasn't interested, was he ever going to get that through his skull? He had every right to ignore Harry in kind. Okay, so it was a little juvenile to be chatting up a girl when it was obvious to everyone that it was all a ruse. Still the jilted potential lover in him was feeling childish right at this moment and it was all he could do to attempt saving face.

Sarah was a darling; she was frantically trying to get him interested in chatting about Quidditch, although it was clear she had no such interest herself in the subject. She must have thought boys liked to talk about sports, little did she know he really wasn't that interested in the game. Not really...unless you counted ogling all those sweaty players a reason to watch Quidditch. Yeah, well that was a given.

Harry almost felt the need to bitch slap someone. Naturally, he resisted. The clincher was when she placed her hand over the top of Seamus'. No one touched what was his and lived to tell the tale.

"Seamus?"

The boy jolted at the sound of his name being hissed in his ear. It wasn't like he had forgotten Harry was there. No, the heat of that body beside him had kept him painfully aware of his presence. It was just Sarah; he wasn't into her- not like that anyway. It was just she'd spun this alluring web over him, a female trap of soft skin, doe eyes and a heady intoxicating perfume and he had been kinda mesmerized by from the moment she had sat down beside him.

He turned his head to look at Harry; he still felt a little dazed and wondered how she'd rendered him immobile. Perhaps it was a love spell because he had never felt this way about any woman before. It was unnerving.

"Yes Harry, what is it?" he murmured, swaying between them.

Harry narrowed his eyes at his prey; Sarah shrank back at the murderous gleam, her eyes wide with shock. Without taking his eyes off her, Harry placed both hands on either side of Seamus' head and coaxed his startled face closer to his own.

Seamus swallowed with difficulty at the unexpected proximity, but let himself be guided by those warm hands. What was Harry doing?

"Just thought I'd steal a good morning kiss," he whispered sensuously across those tempting lips, brushing his own teasingly across Seamus' mouth.

Ron watched in amazement as Harry continued to openly kiss Seamus in front of the school, which included the entire Hogwarts faculty. A collective silence fell over the room as everyone turned to watch the two make out over the breakfast table.

Harry grinned into the kiss, aware of the many eyes fixed upon the two of them. If anything, he made more of a show by deepening the kiss and practically climbing into Seamus' lap. This had the unfortunate result of making the boy groan as Harry's hard body pressed into his in all the right places.

Seamus jerked his head back, turning beet red as he buried his face in Harry's hair in a pathetic attempt at vanishing.

Harry wound his arms tighter around Seamus' back; he smirked as he held onto his man, his eyes piercing into Sarah's.

'Mine' he mouthed at her.
Ron and Ginny got off the train at platform nine and three quarters. Charlie was waiting for them; Ron instantly noticed the tension in his brother's hug. It was so good to see him he let it go for now, knowing that he'd have plenty of time to grill him on what was wrong later.

Ginny had squealed upon seeing Charlie, dropping her bags she'd run to be engulfed in one of his bear hugs. There were definitely advantages to being the only girl in the Weasley clan and one of them was ditching her belongings so that Ron ended up lugging them to the car. Huffing with the strain of all that extra weight, he was relieved when Charlie came to his rescue and took possession of her luggage.

Bags safely in the boot, Ron collapsed in the back seat letting Ginny monopolize the conversation. She was in the middle of some long complicated expose on the latest Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Mr Fellagray, when Ron noticed Charlie looking at him with concern through the rear vision mirror.

Ron frowned at his brothers behaviour, Charlie's eyes quickly returned to the road at being caught staring. 'Blast! He'd hoped to avoid telling Ron the truth; honestly it was unfair letting him walk in there without any knowledge at all, without at least being prepared. Of course he'd promised his Dad he wouldn't interfere; it wasn't his story to tell.

Charlie eased the old car into the driveway outside the burrow. Without a backwards glance at his youngest brother, he pushed open the driver's side door, letting it clunk shut behind him. Ignoring the puzzled expression he saw on Ron's face out of the corner of his eye, he proceeded to haul the luggage out from the boot. Part of him thought that it was best they just get this over with, while a larger part wanted to pile his two youngest siblings back in the car, turn around and take them straight back to Hogwarts.

But he couldn't, they had a right to know.

Ginny was drinking in the vision of the cottage; covered in a cloak of untouched snow, quite breathtaking in its exquisite whiteness. She was home and with thankful sigh, she bounded on ahead, Ginny couldn't wait to be back in her room, hugs from mum and dad and amazing tales from her brothers for they all led such thrilling lives. Ginny couldn't wait till she graduated.

Charlie almost called out for her to stop, but then thought better of it. If anyone needed him at this moment it would be Ron, he had the most to lose, and he only wished he had the words to control what was going to happen next.

A hand landed on Charlie's shoulder, he couldn't help but turn towards his brother, waiting for the question.

"What's going on?" Ron demanded, he was well in truly sick of the looks, he needed some answers.

Just then a scream came from inside the house and they both turned immediately towards the cottage. Charlie swallowed hard. "Here we go." He whispered to himself.

Ron was at the door before he'd even registered his brother's departure.

"Ron, wait for me?" he hollered, dropping the bags in his need to get to his brothers side.

Ron wasn't listening as he threw the door open, it slammed against the wall behind and rattled the dishes in the cupboard nearby.

His whole family was gathered around the kitchen table, all seated apart from Ginny who was standing gaping at their visitor.

Him.

He appeared scared, perhaps because he was surrounded by the Weasley clan and his sister was glaring daggers at him, but as soon as his eyes connected with Ron's, his back straightened, the old patented Malfoy sneer fell firmly in place and he ducked under the comforting arm of Mrs. Weasley to face him.

Ron growled, pulled back his arm and punched the blonde in the nose.

Malfoy lost his balance and fell backwards on his arse just as Charlie came through the open doorway.

"Damn... that went well I see?"

..................................................................................................................................................................................................