The Power of Words

I don't own 'Harry Potter'

Warning: slight underage (kissing)

He hated how all it took was one little thing for everyone to turn against him. Well he supposed that the Tri-Wizard Tournament wasn't exactly 'little', but he would've thought his friends would have stuck by him.

He'd always known Ron was jealous but he'd thought his friend had understood that Harry hated 'fame'. He'd wanted to switch places with Ron ever since he'd first seen his family, but apparently Ron still hadn't caught on.

"Why's Ron such a bastard?"

"I'm pretty sure our parents were married when Ron was born."

Harry started at the amused voice and caught sight of a grinning Bill Weasley. He remembered his words and flushed; he hadn't meant that.

He cleared his throat. "Bill. Sorry, I didn't mean –"

Bill laughed and cut him off by ruffling his hair. He took a seat next to Harry who was now flushing for another reason. Bloody hormones.

"So. What's Ron done this time?"

After a few moments of deliberation – he didn't want to get between family – he explained everything. By the end Bill was frowning heavily and Harry was regretting speaking.

"Listen Harry. Ron was your first friend but you don't deserve this. Ron's always been jealous of others and he should've known you wouldn't do something like this. If you don't want to forgive him you don't have to. You're not alone."

Sitting with Bill, being reassured he would have help, Harry finally felt like he could breath since hearing his name echo around the hall.

"Amazing Harry! I told you you could do it!"

Harry wasn't accustomed to hugs but he was glad he could hide his blush in the man's chest. It was less embarrassing than stuttering in Bill's face like a blushing virgin, even if that might be the case.

He heard the voices of Rita Skeeter and Ron getting closer. He'd blown up at Ron for being a selfish friend last week, and all the lions were now giving him a wide berth.

The less said about Skeeter the better.

Harry tensed at the voices and alerted Bill who was still enthusiastically congratulating him on getting past the dragon.

"Hold tight."

He looked up to see an unrepentant grin before he felt himself leave the ground, and he scrambled to find an anchor as he was slung across Bill's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Before he could ask what was happening he felt a hand slap across his arse and his face lit up with a bright blush.

"Bill!"

The man in question just laughed uproariously and ran out the tent ignoring the shouts of their names. After a while Harry ignored them and laughed too.

Luna was a strange find, but a good find. Apparently she was a neighbour of the Weasleys and Bill had babysat her as a child. The girl had a unique world view and seemingly delighted in stressing out people who preferred logic. (Harry thought it was hilarious.)

Even better was that the blonde girl had no romantic interest in him whatsoever, so she cheerily agreed to go to the Yule Ball with him as friends.

Harry later regretted it with a flaming face as she kept up a running commentary of how attractive Bill was and how good they would look together.

Harry hated her.

(He loved her.)

Rescuing Luna sucked, even if the gillyweed's effects had been kind of cool. Strange, but cool.

Getting to warm up in Bill's arms made him feel better.

Bill was a genius and Harry would never be convinced otherwise. The graveyard had been awful. Going from pride for winning to unrelenting terror was horrendous. All he'd thought about had been Bill, and after he managed to portkey he'd jumped into the man's arms and hadn't left, even after he was nearly killed by not-Moody.

Bill had been amazing and soon enough Amelia Bones had appeared. Apparently you had to be a sneaky negotiator to work with goblins, and Bill had managed to use her to overrule Fudge.

Sirius was getting a trial, he was free from some sort of dark magic – Bill's anger at his scar had been alarming, but Harry had known he was safe – and things were looking up for once. The adults at the Ministry were doing work instead of him, and his mind couldn't quite comprehend how things had ended up like this.

"Hello Harry."

The whisper in his ear made him yelp and spin around. The Burrow's kitchen was quite narrow, and he was uncomfortably aware of his close proximity to the unfairly gorgeous man in front of him. Said man just smirked and prowled forward, leaning his hands on the counter on either side of Harry.

"I'm so going to hell for this."

Before Harry could question the words he had firm lips on his and the feel of long hair tickling his face. The lips pushed harder for a few seconds before he was released.

Harry had nearly been put in Slytherin for a reason, and he knew all about how to get what you wanted.

"At least it'll be hot."

And with that he pulled Bill back down.

A/N: Long time no see :)

Bill/Harry is one of my OTPs and there aren't enough fics of them. I think they're cute together. (And hot lol)

Shoutout to misschief_managed and emalynnstone on AO3 for suggesting this pairing :D

See ya!