A/N: I hate writing Ron, but somehow he just slipped into this chapter. I just hope you don't hate reading him. My thanks and immeasurable appreciation goes out to everyone that has reviewed especially those that have reviewed more than one chapter. It means so much to me to know that people actually like this fic. I'll answer any questions as well as you can see in the following paragraph. Again, thank you so much for your words. Read, review and enjoy. Love.

Emeralddragon: Jesse is fictional, unfortunately, but he inspired by some real life band members that I've watched perform. As for his ability to compare to Draco, of course he couldn't or else Harry would be with him instead, but he's still a special person and I hope that its clear to everyone he's not supposed to be a bad guy. He still loves Harry, that's all.

The boys managed to sneak back to their houses without detection and the trip to London took its rightful place as a good memory. All four went to sleep comfortable in the knowledge that they might have finally found the person they'd been looking for.

Harry woke up and knew that he had to find Ron. Luckily for him, the boy was still asleep in the bed next to him so the finding part wouldn't be too hard. He wasn't sure what to tell Ron. Should he say that he had decided to be Draco's friend? Should he tell him about the parties that Slytherin had? How much was enough? He didn't want to get into it and he wasn't sure if he should tell Ron that he was dating Draco. Whatever, he decided just to answer what Ron asked if he could.

Blaise woke up and smiled, thinking about Seamus, the boy he thought he just might be able to love. Somewhere in the back of his head, an old conversation echoed reminding him that Harry had been right. He did find someone that would take the time to get to know him.

Seamus woke and (A/N: wondered why he hadn't been given a larger part in the story because now he didn't know what to think) was infused with the happiness that comes from a new relationship that hints of perfection.

Draco didn't wake up for hours after everyone else and when he did it was with the disorientation that comes from having slept too long. He was too fucking confused to think, he just stumbled into the bathroom and was jolted back into reality by the sight of a brand new hickey on his neck.

Ron woke up and tried to decide what he was going to have for breakfast, at least he did that until he realized his supposed best friend had some serious explaining to do.

None to gently, Ron tore open Harry's curtains, glad that the other boys had already left the dorm. Harry smiled at his friend rather nervously.

"I think you'd better tell me what was going on yesterday and why you were gone all night."

"I wasn't gone all night."

"I don't bloody care if you were gone for an hour or fifty seven, you'd better fucking explain what the hell is going on."

"What are you talking about?"

Ok, so Harry might have been stalling a little bit.

Ron let out a hiss of air and when he spoke it was with determined and ill-contained rage.

"Why were you sitting with Draco Fucking Malfoy and that other creep from Slytherin?"

Harry bristled at the phrasing of that question, but chose to reply calmly.

"I was sitting with Draco because we wanted to show McGonagall that we weren't fighting outside, but were actually friends. Blaise chose to sit down because he's friends with both Draco and me. I don't know why you're so upset, Seamus was there as well."

"Seamus isn't my best friend. He hasn't spent five years being attacked by Malfoy. I couldn't give a fuck about what he does. I want to know why you felt the need to sit with Malfoy and not even tell me what was going on."

"What are you, Ron, my bloody mother? I don't have to tell you if I'm going to sit with someone else or if I want to be friends with them."

"You were sitting with death eaters, what about that don't you understand? They are the enemy and you were sitting with them and smiling."

"They aren't the enemy, Ron. Neither Draco nor Blaise are going to join Voldemort. They don't believe in him or his cause. They have chosen not to be their fathers and I think they deserve the chance to be themselves."

Ron stared at Harry, dumbly.

"You believe that?"

"Ron, I know it."

"How do you know this isn't just some intricate plot?"

"I trust them. Ron, do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

Ron was silent.

"You trusted me from the minute we met didn't you? Somehow, you knew you could, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I guess thinking back I did."

"That's why I trust them."

"But you didn't trust them for five years."

"I hadn't met them for five years either."

"Of course you met them."

"No, I didn't meet Draco or Blaise. I met two children that had listened to their fathers for eleven years. I only met Draco and Blaise this year because, honestly, they didn't exist until then."

"You really do trust them, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then maybe it is time I meet Draco and Blaise."

"I think they'd like that Ron."

"Ok, then."

Ron and Harry looked at each other, tentatively for a moment, feeling the almost imperceptible change in their relationship as it turned from one of childhood to one that would last a lifetime. Then, they smiled, simultaneously springing up to give each other a back slapping hug.

That afternoon, Hogwarts was treated to another shocking sight. Not only did Blaise, Seamus and Draco sit down at the newest table, but Harry and Ron entered and took seats there as well. The school watched as everyone at the table, except Harry, tensed. Harry smiled and poured himself some pumpkin juice before looking up to see that the rest of the table was frozen.

"Oh, Blaise, Draco, I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Ronald Weasley, better known as Ron. Ron, this is Blaise," Harry indicated Blaise with a nod of his head," and this is Draco."

Ron held out his hand to the boys, one at the time.

"It's nice to meet you, Draco and you, Blaise."

"Hey, Ron, I'm Seamus."

Ron rolled his eyes and ignored the hand the Irish boy was holding out.

"No, you're stupid."

Everyone laughed and the tension was broken.

Ron watched the four other boys as he ate. He watched how they interacted with each other and it slowly became clear that there was more than just friendship lurking at the table. Blaise and Seamus sat next to each other, close enough to brush arms every time they lifted a fork and every time they brushed arms, a small smile would sneak onto one of the boys' faces. Knowing that Seamus was gay, he wasn't really that surprised.

Draco sat next to Seamus and across from Harry. He blushed every time he met eyes with the Gryffindor and Ron could tell something was up. He watched his best friend and the new light shining in Harry's eyes clued him into the situation. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he could tell that Harry and Draco were attracted to each other. He just didn't know if they knew it.

In the midst of his analysis, he looked up to find that he had been left at the table with Draco.

"So, Draco, what's going on with you and Harry?"

Draco was startled. The last thing he expected was Ron to ask him that. He was actually speechless.

"Never mind, don't answer that. I'd rather ask Harry. Let me just say this, Harry told me that he was your friend and I couldn't understand it until he explained to me that we'd never known the real Draco or Blaise. You're lucky that he understood that because I never would, but I'm willing to give this friendship thing a chance because I trust him."

Draco started to speak.

"No, don't interrupt me. I hate having to talk about these kinds of things, but I need to explain this to you. I can tell that something is going on between the two of you and while I may not trust you, yet, I'll give you a chance and I won't upset Harry by freaking out about it. I just want you to know that one thing Harry said is the reason I'm willing to try."

"What did he say?"

"He said he trusted you. He trusted you from the moment he met you, not Lucius Malfoy's son, but you, Draco, and he reminded me that we became friends because of that same foundationless trust."

Draco was dumbfounded and embarrassed to feel a few tears coming to his eyes.

Ron stood up and started to walk out, but turned around to say one last thing.

"If you give him any reason to lose that trust in you, if you hurt him in any way, I swear you will regret it for the rest of your life, not just because of what I'll do to you, or what his other friends will do, but because of what you will have lost."

Ron left the hall briskly, leaving Draco to absorb everything he'd just heard.

"Ron! Why didn't you tell me that you ate lunch with Draco Malfoy? I can't believe that I heard it from Parvati."

"I had lunch with Draco while you chose to stay in the library. It's not my fault that you weren't there."

Ron snapped back.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Why don't you tell me, Hermione? You usually know everything."

Hermione reeled back as if Ron's word had slapped her across the face.

"I don't know everything and I certainly don't know why you're acting like this."

"Then I'll tell you. For the last few weeks, I've spent most of my time alone or with Hagrid. My best friend is friends with Draco Malfoy and you prefer to spend your time in the library as opposed to with me. I don't know why you think I'm supposed to run and tell you everything when you don't have the time to even talk to me. At least, Harry makes an effort, even if it does take him forever, but you don't even realize something's wrong. Oh, wait, how could you? YOU'RE NEVER THERE!"

Ron left Hermione in the common room and stomped up the stairs to his dormitory where he threw himself on the bed and yanked the curtains shut.

Some time later, he heard the door open and soft footsteps approaching his bed. His curtains were drawn back gingerly and Hermione poker her head in. When Ron didn't respond, she relaxed, glad that he wasn't still shouting, and crawled onto the bed with him. She pulled on his arm and laid down, along his side, her head on his chest and on had resting on his stomach. Ron was shocked, but didn't move, waiting to see what was going to happen.

They stayed like that for minutes, hours, maybe even days before Hermione spoke.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been a good friend for the last few weeks."

"I'm sorry that I snapped at you for no real reason."

"It's ok. I'm kind of used to fighting with you."

Ron chuckled and silence fell again as the two friends lay on the bed.

"Hey, Mione, why haven't we done this before?"

"What?"

"You know this…," Ron gestured vaguely.

"Oh."

"What are you saying, Ron?"

Ron lifted his head up to look into Hermione's eyes.

"I like you and I want us to be more than friends, I want us to be together."

Hermione sighed happily and snuggled closer to Ron.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Good, because I feel the same way."

Ron turned slightly on his side and pressed a soft kiss on Hermione's lips. He held her close and slowly, they both fell asleep.