(A/N – So this chapter is about twice the length of my usual chapters. I had a lot I needed to get in…so here it is.
Oh…just in case, here's a little back up on the gay lingo. I'm sure everyone knows this, but... just in case.
Being outed – Someone telling a person or people that you are gay.
Coming out – Obviously, telling a person or people that you are gay.
Being out – You already told a person or people that you are gay.)
Chapter6 – Reactions – Ron's POV
I was just about to take a bite of toast at breakfast when Blaise tapped on my shoulder.
"Can you eat and walk?" he asked.
I nodded, grabbing a napkin and a few pieces of toast and following him out onto the grounds.
"How are you?" I asked as we walked out into the cool, early morning, fall air.
"Starving, actually," he replied. "Didn't eat before I came to get you."
I offered him a piece of toast.
"Thanks," he said, taking one.
We walked in silence for a few minutes, until we were at the opposite side of the lake.
"So…" He said, sounding almost nervous.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Um…well…You know this Halloween ball thing?" he asked. Yeah, he was definitely nervous.
I smiled. "Yeah?"
"Er…are you going?" he asked.
"I don't know…" I replied. "Mione and Harry probably won't pay much attention to me. I'll be sitting there by myself the whole time."
"Uh…You wanna go?" He asked, his voice actually quavering with nervousness.
My face broke out into a grin. "Yeah, sure. That would be great." I could feel my face burning, and I could see that Blaise's was too.
There was an awkward silence before Blaise laughed nervously. I laughed out loud and took a bite of my toast.
We kept going on our way around the lake. "So…are you out to anyone else?" I asked him.
"Just Draco. Haven't really got anyone else to come out to, to be honest. No family…" He responded. "Sorry…that sounded dramatic."
"No…You want to tell me what happened during the summer?" I asked.
He thought for a few moments. "Want to go around the lake once more? This will take a while," he asked.
I nodded and kept walking.
"Well…I guess you probably know that in my family it's kind of a given that we're supposed to become death eaters when we're old enough…" He started.
"So I was really thinking about whether or not I wanted to follow some nut job who was defeated by a one year old. I mean, really. And I decided against it. Well…telling my father this was a big mistake. He didn't…appreciate it very much." He paused.
I didn't say anything. I just waited until he was ready to continue.
"He like…um…beat me. And then he locked me in the dungeons in the manor. All I had was water for two weeks."
I felt like my heart was being torn out.
"And he came in and beat me again almost every day. And um…Then Dumbledore found out and sent people to come and get me. I stayed at Hogwarts in the hospital wing for the last week before school started." There was dead silence when he finished telling his story.
I couldn't help it. His story was so horrible. I grabbed his arm and pulled him close to me, hugging him warmly.
His arms slid around my waist. "Are you ok?" I whispered.
He pulled out of my arms and rolled up his left sleeve, revealing his forearm. In the place where Snape and the other death eaters' dark mark had been, the word 'Traitor' had been cut into his arm. The cut was healed, but the scar was dark and very visible.
"My father did that," he said. "He tied me down and…yeah..."
"Merlin…" I said, stunned.
"Well…I never have to go back there again. Thanks to Dumbledore. He probably saved my life."
I hugged him again. I looked up at his face and saw a single tear trickling down his cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb and he blushed. "Sorry…" he said.
"Don't worry about it," I said quietly, smiling slightly.
"Um, do you mind if we stay out here for a while longer?" he asked. "I don't really feel like going back in there like this," he said, indicating his eyes which were wet and a little red.
"Of course," I said. We wandered over to a large rock right by the lake and sat on it, looking out at the water. The giant squid's tentacles occasionally broke the surface, making large ripples.
He slid closer to me, so we were sitting right against each other. I casually rested my hand on my knee by his arm. He got the hint and took my hand.
I actually had butterflies in my stomach. I could feel my face going red again. Damn having red hair and being prone to blushing. (A/N – I know what that's like.)
He smiled and squeezed my hand lightly. I smiled back.
"Um…can I be honest with you?" Blaise asked, blushing again.
I looked over at him. "Please, do," I said.
"Um…I've kind of…had a thing for you…since fifth year."
My eyes widened. "Really?" I asked.
"Yeah…" he replied, staring at his feet. I smiled. "I think it's the hair," he said. "I have this thing for guys with red hair. It's so fucking sexy…"
I pushed his chin up with my hand and pecked him lightly on the lips. His hand came up and rested on my cheek as he deepened our kiss.
I pulled away and rested my forehead against his. "We should go in. Harry and Mione are suspicious enough of me already; they might come looking for me."
We jumped down from the rock and walked back towards the school, fingertips lightly brushing each others'.
o
When I got back to Gryffindor tower I flopped onto a couch in the common room. It was almost empty.
I couldn't help but remember the feeling of Blaise's lips on mine.
I needed to come out to Harry and Mione. And Gin, too, if I was going to go to the ball with him. And I had to do it soon. I didn't want to do it the day of the ball…It would be too fresh.
I lay there on the couch, building up my courage.
The portrait hole opened and Harry climbed through, followed by Hermione.
"There you are, Ron. We've been looking for you," said Mione.
"You two have perfect timing. Can we go up to the dorm? I need to tell you something."
Harry and Hermione exchanged looks before following me upstairs to the dormitory I share with Harry and the other Gryffindor sixth years.
My heart was pounding with nervousness. I had no idea where either of them stood on the subject.
They both sat down on my bed, and I leaned against the corner post.
"So…um…I've started talking to Blaise for a reason," I started.
"Go on, Ron," Hermione coaxed me.
"Um, well…you probably don't know that…Blaise is…Gay." I exhaled loudly.
"Oh," said Harry. "Well, good for him. But what's this got to do with you…"
"Shhhh," said Hermione. "Let him finish." It was clear to me that Hermione already know what I was going to say. Harry, on the other hand…
"I'm…gay, too," I said.
Hermione was smiling widely.
"Oh!" said Harry. "I get it…cool!" he said.
"You're…ok with it?" I asked hopefully.
"Of course we are!" said Hermione. "How could we not be, you're our best friend. We would never let something like that ruin our friendship."
I sighed with relief.
"So…what about Zabini?" asked Harry.
"Oh, um…He asked me to the ball today. That's where I was a breakfast."
"Nice job, Ron. He's hot," said Hermione.
"Mione!" cried Harry.
"What?" she asked. "Oh…well, he's not as hot as you, Harry." I laughed. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Anyways…" I said. "I just wanted to tell you before the ball, you know…"
"Thanks for trusting us, Ron," said Mione.
"Of course. You're my best friends," I responded.
o
The next morning at breakfast, I asked Ginny to come into the entrance hall with me. We stood just beside the doors to the great hall, leaning casually against the wall. I was nervous, but not quite as nervous as I had been with Harry and Hermione. Telling them had boosted my confidence.
"So, um…I've got something to tell you."
She listened patiently. I figured I'd just get it over with.
"I'm…gay."
She wrinkled her nose. "What?"
"I said I'm gay…" I said.
"Um…You're kidding, right?" she asked, sounding hopeful.
"No, Gin. I'm not kidding."
"Ew. What the fuck?" she backed away from me.
"You stay away from me. It better not be contagious!"
She turned around and ran back into the great hall.
I slumped against the wall in shock. That was definitely not what I was expecting.
Oh, Merlin. Now she might out me too. The last thing I need is for her to tell the whole school. And my parents too…and my brothers.
This was bad. How could she be like that? My family hadn't been raised to hate gays at all! I had no idea where she was coming from.
I sat on the floor in the entrance hall for a few minutes, staring at my feet. I heard someone clearing their throat above me and looked up. It was Blaise.
"What's wrong?" He sounded worried. "I saw both of you leave, and just your sister come back. She didn't look too happy."
My eyes burned as tears threatened to come pouring down.
He sat down on the floor next to me. "Did you tell her?"
I nodded, a single tear escaping my eye. "She ran off. She said 'It better not be contagious.'"
He brushed my tear away, much as I had done for him the day before. "Feel like going for a walk?" he asked quietly.
I nodded and followed him out the entrance hall doors.