Disclaimer: I don't own it and I never will.
A/N: I would like to thank milki for the wonderful flame. It's the first one I've gotten in a VERY long time and it's keeping my plot bunnies quite warm. geezus kryste. this has got to be the most cliched fic ever. did you just copy sentences from other fics and paste them in your text? and god. you're one of those pseudo-emos who likes simple plan. and please don't write about something you don't understand. it's either that or you're just too unskilled to broach such a topic. i can't believe so many people on ffn just decide to write a cutting fic without even understanding anything. you insensitive ($&$. Now, I have this to say to you. (Anybody who doesn't care should skip down to the story now, because this may take a while… lol… if you want to listen to my rant, however, feel free.) 1) I am not now, nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be emo, pseudo-emo, or anything even remotely related to emo. I'm not the type to bitch and moan about my life and talk about how many times I've tried to kill myself and that BS, and people who do, piss me off. 2) Yeah, I like Simple Plan. I also like Switchfoot, Stone Temple Pilots, Eminem, Shakira, Toby Keith, and LeeAnn Rimes. Do you have a problem with that! And 3) DON'T FUCKING TELL ME THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! YOU DON'T KNOW ME, SO DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! I WRITE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, B, SO SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
On with the story!
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"So, Harry…" Dean said as he walked into the common room, "Did it work?"
Harry grinned. "Oh, yeah… better than I thought it would," he replied, earning confused stares from Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville.
"What worked?" Ginny asked.
"Nothing," Harry said, "You wouldn't understand."
"You could make us understand," Hermione said.
"I'll tell you eventually," Harry assured them, "Once I'm sure."
They sighed. "You know, Harry," Ron said, "We can feel you drifting away from us…"
Harry waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense. Come on, Seamus. We need to talk."
Seamus shook his head. "They're right, Harry. You should tell them."
Harry sighed. "Okay, okay… let's go to the Room of Requirement, then. Seamus, Dean, are you coming?"
Seamus shrugged. "Should we, Dean?"
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Dean laughed, following them out with Seamus.
"So," Harry said, as they sat in random chairs around the room, "I have been keeping things from you."
"Obviously…" Ron said under his breath.
"Well, the truth is… er- I'm gay," Harry said.
"Oh, is that all?" Ginny asked, "I kind of figured."
"Yeah, you're way too moody and emotional to be hetero," Hermione said.
"Are me and Neville the only ones who didn't know about this?" Ron asked.
"Actually, I had noticed when I saw him at Diagon Alley. I just assumed you all knew," Neville said.
"You too? Oh Merlin, I must be as dense as everybody says I am…" Ron said.
"Pretty much," Ginny said.
"Was that all, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"No, not really," he replied, "I kind of- like somebody and we're… together, I guess."
"Really?" Hermione squealed, sounding oddly reminiscent of Lavender Brown, "Who is he?"
"Isn't it Seamus?" Ginny asked.
"No, Seamus is mine," Dean growled, pulling Seamus onto his lap possessively, making the Irishman laugh.
"Well, it's got to be somebody we know…" Hermione said.
"Oh, you definitely know him," Harry said, grimacing, "But you're not going to figure it out."
"We don't need to," Ginny said, "You're going to tell us, aren't you?"
"No… I'm not," Harry said, casting nervous glances in Ron's directions.
Hermione noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Erm… Ron, didn't you have detention with Filch today?"
"What? I don't remember that…" Ron said.
"Really? I could have sworn you got caught playing Exploding Snap in the back of McGonagal's classroom… although, you probably weren't paying attention when she assigned your punishment," Hermione said.
"Shit!" Ron muttered, dashing out of the room.
They looked at him expectantly.
"I guess I won't draw this out any longer…" he said, "It's Draco Malfoy."
"What?" Neville exclaimed, "Why?"
"I don't know… he listens to me and he doesn't try to force me to talk about anything. He's just there… and he understands," Harry said, "He's not a bad guy, really. Just give him a chance."
Hermione and Ginny smiled and nodded their approval. Neville sighed. "I don't like this… but I'll try. If he hurts you, though, I'll have him drawn and quartered."
Harry grinned. "Thanks. You guys are the best."
"Does anybody else know?" Ginny asked.
"No, nobody. So don't say anything, okay? Not even to Remus or your parents," Harry said.
"What about Fred and George? They'll want to hear all about this," Hermione said.
"Yeah, you can owl them, I guess," Harry said.
"You mean- you don't know?" Ginny asked.
"Know what?" Harry said.
"Fred and George are coming to apprentice in Charms and Transfiguration," she said, "They'll be arriving on Monday."
"Are you kidding me?" Seamus exclaimed, "That's the best news ever!"
"We've got our mentors back!" Dean said wistfully.
Hermione sighed. "That's just great."
"So, why aren't you with him right now?" Neville asked.
Harry rolled his eyes. "He told me that I should spend some time with my friends."
Hermione smiled. "I think I like this new Draco."
"He's got a rather large jealous streak," Seamus said, chuckling.
"Yes, he is kind of- possessive," Harry said.
Neville groaned. "I really don't want to hear about this…"
"Hey, Seamus, would you and Dean fancy joining me and Draco's orgy tonight?" Harry asked, smirking.
Neville promptly covered his ears, whimpering loudly.
"Well, sure, where at?" Seamus replied.
Hermione and Ginny listened intently.
"I'll tell you in a bit," Harry said.
"Aw, that's not fair!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Could you at least take some pictures for us?" Hermione asked.
"Ginny! Hermione!" Neville said, aghast.
"I'm sorry, but that's just too mouthwatering to pass up," Hermione explained unabashedly.
He shook his head, muttering about teenage girls and hormones.
"You know, Harry," Ginny said, "We're going into Hogsmeade tomorrow."
"Yeah, so?" Harry said.
"Well, the school will be almost empty. I just think that you and Draco should take advantage of that," she said, "Spend the day together or something. Plan a romantic lunch for two on top of the Astronomy Tower, maybe."
"Why would Harry do something girly like that?" Neville asked, wrinkling his nose.
"Because silly things are what relationships are all about," Ginny said.
"Yes, but- those kinds of things are so feminine," Neville said.
"And it's obvious that Harry is the feminine of the two," Dean said, "Just like Seamus."
Ginny giggled.
"No way!" Neville said, "Malfoy's so prim and prissy… he's got to be the girl!"
Harry blushed. "Actually they're right. Draco's much more… dominant."
Neville's eyes widened. "What? You mean you- you guys already… you didn't! Did you?"
"No, not yet," Harry said, grinning, "So wipe that look off of your face."
Hermione chuckled.
"Not yet? So, you're planning to- oh my- gross!" Neville exclaimed.
"Seamus and I do it all the time," Dean said, "And his bed is right next to yours…"
"Oh, stop it, please!" Neville said, "I'm never going to be able to sleep again!"
"I'm going to sleep like a baby, tonight," Hermione said, "What about you, Gin?"
"I'm thinking about a sleepover in the boys' dorms," she said.
Seamus and Dean laughed.
"So you want to go for a walk, Harry?" Seamus asked.
"Um… sure," Harry said, "Why, though?"
"I just want to talk to you…" he said.
Dean raised an eyebrow as Seamus stood. "What're you going to talk about?"
"Oh, just some things…" Seamus said, "Nothing to be worried about."
Dean sighed, rolling his eyes.
Harry followed Seamus out. "We'll see you guys at dinner," Seamus said.
"What did you want to talk about?" Harry asked.
"Well… I kind of have a problem," Seamus replied, his trademark grin falling from his face.
"Really? What is it?" Harry said.
"Er… see, Dean's got his heart set on being an auror," Seamus said.
"How is that a problem?" Harry asked.
"I'd like to be an auror, too. That way, I could stay with him," Seamus replied, "But… the way I'm going, I'll never get the right NEWT scores."
"And…?"
"Well, do you think- maybe we could do the DA again? As… as a study group of sorts? That's what we could call it anyway," Seamus said, "And we could do Potions, too, this time."
Harry chuckled. "Yeah, that actually sounds like a damn good idea."
"Good. So… is he a good kisser?" Seamus asked.
"Bloody amazing!" Harry said, grinning, "I haven't done a lot of kissing, but- you have no idea what it was like!"
"Kind of like you never want to kiss anybody else ever again?" Seamus asked.
Harry nodded. "Exactly."
"That's how it is with Dean," he said, "He's absolutely perfect… I don't know how I got so lucky with him. You know, Harry… I'm actually rather frightened. I don't want to do anything to mess this up."
"Seamus…" Harry said. He'd never seen the boy in such a vulnerable state.
He gave him a weak smile. "It may seem silly, but I make myself be happy all the time. I won't let myself get angry or serious or sad… because I'm afraid of doing something that'll drive him away from me. And I couldn't take that."
"Dean wouldn't leave you for something like that. In fact, he may even love you more," Harry said.
"How do you know that?" Seamus asked in desperation.
Harry sighed. "Because, that's how it works. He can't really love you if he doesn't even know you- all of you."
"I guess you're right," Seamus said, "Thanks, Harry."
"No problem," Harry replied grinning.
Seamus wiped at his eyes, sniffling slightly. "I don't know why I'm crying…"
Harry pulled Seamus into a comforting embrace, stroking his back. "It's okay… I do."
"I love him so much, Harry," Seamus whispered into Harry's shoulder, "I couldn't stand it if he stopped loving me."
"Anybody would be crazy not to love you, Seamus," Harry said.
"Oh look! Potter's got himself a boyfriend," Pansy Parkinson sneered, "I bet you'll make the perfect bitch, Finnegan."
Harry scowled at her. "Don't you have some puppies to torture, hag?" he spat.
"As a matter of fact," Draco stepped forward and his icy gaze fixed on Harry, "We so have something better to be doing."
Harry's eyes widened when he saw the intense anger burning in Draco's eyes. He released Seamus quickly, realizing what Draco must've thought. They walked away and Seamus turned to Harry.
"Wow… he looked mad as hell," he said.
"Yeah," Harry said, "Anyway, dinner is in another hour, so do you want to go to the library and start planning the DA meetings?"
"Sounds good to me," Seamus said, following Harry up the stairs.
XXXhdXXX
There! Number Five is DONE! Yay! Until SIX… au revoir!