Disclaimer: All characters and passing locations belong to J.K. Rowling and her publishers. And maybe Warner Brothers, but i am not familiar with the fine print of those lisencing agreements, more's the pity.
Summary: Harry and Draco have come out, and Hermione reflects.
One Week Ago
By: RealHermione
Harry and Draco, brave as they are, announced their relationship last week. I bet they would call them selves 'lovers'. In retrospect, it explained a lot of things:
Like the flush that has stained Harry's cheeks for the past couple months. Harry's continued absence from the hospital wing. Draco's bitten thumbnail, which has just begun to grow back. The mystery of one person going flying, yet two shadows appearing over the Quidditch field, making patterns far too complex to mean nothing.
The random French Harry mumbles in potions. His late mornings spent behind the safety of his bed hangings, waiting to be the last person in the dormitory. The one card that Harry read on Valentine's Day, instead of throwing it in the bin with the others.
Harry's new affinity for thick, creamy parchment, that he will sometimes run his fingers over, forgoing taking notes. The anonymous chocolates he gets by school owl every Monday, as if to make up for the weekend being reclaimed by time's never-ending cycle. The burning anticipation in Harry's eyes when he says he is going for a walk. The same eyes that are half-closed when he returns.
The tears a month ago that he explained away as allergies, ones he has never had before. Harry not minding when Ron and I are off together, sometimes encouraging it for all he is worth, which is so much more than he knows, and I know Draco suspects.
It also explains why, when Harry met Voldemort a week and two days ago, he laughed like he has never done, and proceeded to win.
/\/\
I am happy for them, certainly I am, but, big as my brain is, I am irritated that I did not figure it out on my own. Figure it out before they got up and met toe-to-toe in the center of the celebration feast, bringing silence. They had looked at each other for a couple of seconds, faces unreadable, and proceeded to wrap their arm around each other and kiss. I think it is the purest thing I have ever seen in my eighteen years.
It gives me a small bit of shame to say that I was only the second person to give them a standing ovation. Ron was first, and how very proud of him I am. Dumbledore was third, and everyone after that. Everyone.