A/N: Do you know why I'm so fast now? Remember back in the days of Passing Notes Senior, when it would be months between updates? Well, it's because it's summer. And I have no life during the summer. My lack of life means more boylove. Pfft. Who am I kidding? Boylove is life.

Disclaimer: Remember all of my other disclaimers? Yeah? Well the message has not changed.

Chapter Five

Harry opened one eye lazily, still working his tongue in Draco's mouth, but then he caught sight of Ron. Staring. Right. At. Him. Harry shoved Draco off of him roughly and stood, paralyzed, in front of Ron and Hermione, his eyes wide.

Draco quickly regained his composure and got up off the ground that Harry had so unceremoniously tossed him onto. He went and stood a little behind him.

Ron spluttered. Ron gaped. Ron turned red. Ron turned white. Ron swallowed and attempted to gain control over his motor functions.

But he was spared the effort of speaking when Harry headed him off.

"Ron," he started. "I've, er, I've been wanting to tell you something."

Ron seemed to come back into himself and his eyebrows shot up.

"Oh, yeah, Harry? Is that right? You've been wanting to tell me something? You've been wanting to tell me that you've been shoving your tongue down Malfoy's throat? You've been wanting to tell me that you're in love with the foulest git in the school? You've been wanting to tell me that you're a bloody fucking ponce? For Christ's sake, Harry! Ugh! That's just disgusting! Exactly how long was all this shit going on, and when were you planning on telling me?"

There was a short pause, just long enough for the emotions everyone was feeling to strengthen and focus. Ron backed up a little, utterly overwhelmed. Hermione tightened her grip on his arm, desperately hoping for a little cooperation. Harry blushed; this wasn't how Ron was supposed to find out. Draco, however, stepped forward in front of Harry, eyes clouded with rage.

"You listen here, you homophobic little cockroach," he began, moving closer to Ron. "That's exactly what Harry was planning on telling you. And I didn't know what was holding him up, to be honest. But now that I've heard you, I can't blame him."

"Draco," Harry murmured quietly, putting his hand out to placate the boy. This gentle touch did not go unnoticed by Ron, who narrowed his eyes and looked as if he was about to say something harsh. But before he could, Hermione spoke.

"Ron, he was going to let you know," Hermione said.

Ron rounded on her.

"You knew? You knew about this?"

"Yes, Ron. And it's really not a big deal. M- Draco's not all that bad, really. Well, he can't be, if Harry likes him so much."

"Not a big deal. Not a big…" Ron trailed off as his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell over in a dead faint. Hermione tried to catch him, but his weight collapsed onto her and forced her to her knees.

"I think that went well," stated Draco.

"Fuck," muttered Harry.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK

Hermione sipped her butterbeer and sighed. The four of them now sat at a booth in the corner of The Three Broomsticks. Or rather, Hermione and Harry sat, with an invisible space next to Harry that was prone to biting remarks, and a slumped over Ron in the corner next to Hermione. He looked as if he were taking a nice little nap to any passers-by.

"I can't believe you did that to me," said Harry with a scowl.

"Harry, please," the invisible space said. "You were never going to be able to do it by yourself. Now it's all out in the open, see?"

"Oh yes, that went over oh so well! I'm sure Ron will thank us when he wakes up."

"Would you two stop it? That doesn't matter now. It's over. We just have to deal with Ron, post-trauma," Hermione cut in.

"Don't you think he'll be a little better now?" asked Harry nervously.

Hermione bit her lip.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be a little less, er, riotous. But I'm not sure that you two should be here when he wakes up. I'll talk to him for you, okay?"

Harry frowned.

"Don't worry," Hermione said gently. "He'll come around. He was just a little…shocked, that's all."

Harry gave her a small smile.

"Thanks, Hermione. We'll go back up to the school, I guess."

Hermione watched him start to walk away, before he was suddenly wrenched back, as if grabbed by some invisible hand. A few seconds later Hermione felt a hand on her own, which was resting on the table.

A soft voice whispered in her ear;

"You're really not so bad, Granger. For a muggle-born, I mean." A reassuring squeeze of her hand and she felt Draco leave her, before going back to Harry and leading him out.

She smiled a little and took another drink of her butterbeer, resting her eyes on her hot-headed boyfriend. She sighed again.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK

The next day was Sunday, and Harry sat outside by the lake working on his homework. Another of those beautiful autumn days had blossomed, the blueness of the sky almost blinding, the cool breeze gently ruffling his hair and his robes.

Harry looked up from his place under a tree when he glimpsed a certain redhead making his way toward him. Harry watched him warily.

Ron sat down silently and stared out onto the lake for a few moments.

"What're you doing?" he asked.

"Just working on those questions McGonagall set us."

Ron nodded, and another silence settled. The sound of the wind in the trees and the scratching of Harry's quill reigned for about ten minutes.

"Listen, mate," Ron started. He took a deep breath. "I want you to know, erm, that, well, that even though I don't understand your actions, I respect them and will not question your feelings and intentions."

Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm so glad you listen to Hermione."

Ron blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"No, no really," he went on. "I guess it's not so strange…"

"Yes it is," Harry stated.

"Okay, yeah, you're right. It's really weird. How did you— er, how'd this even happen, anyway?" His eyes suddenly widened; Harry could practically see the light bulb over his head. "That note! That note I found in your pocket! You were lying to me way back then!" he said to Harry, a note of accusation in his voice.

"No I wasn't!" Harry replied quickly. "I was telling the truth then, it really was just a joke."

"Well then…"

"I dunno. He sort of started to be…fun."

Ron looked at his friend disbelievingly, and Harry smiled.

"He's really not as bad as we thought all these years, Ron. He's actually really really sweet to me. And he's so funny. Completely clever and witty. Not to mention that he's not at all bad looking." Ron snorted. "Ron, he's…He really does like me. And not in the way that everybody else likes me; because they have to. He likes me."

Harry's cheeks tinged with pink and he stared down at his homework, avoiding Ron's eyes. But Ron was studying his friend with knitted brows.

When it seemed he'd come to a decision, Ron let out a small 'hm'.

"Wow. You're serious."

Harry nodded.

"Well, mate, I can't say I envy you," —he grinned as Harry playfully glared at him— "but I guess you're happy with the ferret, and you haven't been happy in a long time. Not really."

"Awww, Ronniekins!" Harry squealed with a grin. "You love me! Can I have a hug?"

"What a pouffe…" muttered Ron, as he crawled over to Harry and enveloped him in long, gangly limbs.

A/N: All right, a little bit sappy. But uh, sometimes sappy serves a purpose! Or, not a purpose, really, but a…Nevermind. Review! That's an order.