Title: Crystal
Rating: PG-13/R
Genre: Romance/Angst/Humor
Summary: AU; "He's as… fragile as crystal…" To wear matching rings is believed to be the ultimate expression of love… complete detail inside
Pairing(s): Harry/Tom R.
Warnings: AU Yaoi, slash, Boy/Boy
Disclaimer: Don't own fandom. Concept behind story doesn't belong to me either. Story itself does. So does Moorinto… and various cameo characters. So don't sue me or have me erased because I'm not going to lose my very first-ever paycheck to people who don't know how to read a disclaimer.

Summary: The ultimate expression of love… In the small town of Moorinto, it is believed the ultimate expression of love is to wear a matching ring with the one you love. It could also be the deepest sign of friendship, depending on which finger you wear it on. When the semi-loner Harry Potter suddenly finds his matching ring with the person he least expects, it's an up and down coaster ride to discovering if this person could be his worst enemy… or his greatest love.

XXX

AN: Hello! I'm back, and with an update no less. I have the story finished now, so updates will be whenever I can type them up and get them to the beta, so hang tight.

Only a few more to go, people. Just stay with me for a bit 'cause it's about to get rocky. By the end of next chapter you'll be fingering your weapons, and by the end of the very long (for this story anyway) chapter fourteen, you'll be hunting me down. But don't worry! This will end happily! …even though it won't feel that way. :cough:

Anyway. Enjoy. AND PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE BOTTOM!

(Phai-chan! Love ya baby::kisses:)

XXX

Harry walked home slowly, paying little attention to his path. In truth, he was still dazed. The skin under his fingers tingled in remembrance of the mocking kiss Tom Riddle had left upon it.

He was mocking me…. I mean, he wouldn't… he wouldn't, would he? He wasn't completely sure what he was trying to convince himself of, but he knew he wasn't doing too good a job convincing himself of it. Why is it even affecting me? It's not like I'm in love with him or anything.

That thought made him stop in his tracks. He stared at the ring without really seeing it, his thoughts turning inwards. I'm not… am I? I can't be….

"No, he murmured out loud, shaking his head to rid himself of his thoughts. "I'm not." He felt his stomach cramp and he continued to walk home, wanting to get there as soon as possible. "Remus is off tonight. He'll tell me I'm not, he always knows the answer." With this knowledge reassuring him, he sped up and rounded the corner to his street… and nearly plowed down a girl heading in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry," he said, reaching out a hand to steady her. She looked up at him in surprise.

"It's all right," she said. "No harm done. Oh, hey," her eyes widened a bit, "you're Nadia's big brother, right? Harry?" He nodded, peering closer at her. He sort of recognized her as one of his little sister's friends.

"Yeah, you're… Susan. Right?" She smiled at him and nodded.

"Yes, that's right. I just came from your house. Nadia's really excited about something. She's been smiling all day. She won't say what she's so happy about, but I think it has something to do with that hottie Tom Riddle." She giggled. "Wouldn't that be something? If Nadi was dating Tom Riddle, she'd be the most popular girl in our whole school." She looked down at her watch and gasped. "Oh, man, I'm late!" She looked up at him and adjusted her backpack. "Do you know if they're an item?" Harry shook his head slowly.

"No, I…. I wouldn't know." She smiled and shrugged.

"She's so tightlipped about it, it must be true. Well, I've got to go. See you around, Harry." She took off into a run down the street, leaving Harry frozen where he stood.

Tom and… Nadi? No, it couldn't be…. She has to be mistaken…. She wouldn't ….

"What's if it's really from her? Saying it's "from a friend" is one of the oldest tricks in the book."

The air felt hot and his breathing hitched. He rushed the rest of the way home, nearly breaking his key in his haste to get inside.

"Harry!" Nadi leaned over the partition to smile at him, the spatula in her hand dripping rice onto the counter. "Welcome home! Did you have a good day?" She looked closely at him, taking in his wide eyes and sweaty, windswept hair, and frowned. "Are you okay? You're not getting sick, are you?"

"No, I'm fine," he said, kicking himself for thinking something so stupid. Of course Nadi wasn't dating Riddle. She was too young for him.

Reassured, he flung his backpack onto the couch and stepped into the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Remus looked up from the stove as he passed and smiled at him. He put the lid back on the pot and ruffled his hair as he leaned past him for the milk.

"Hey kiddo. We're having your favorite tonight. Nadi was so determined we called the pizza place and told them not to deliver tonight."

Harry looked at his sister in surprise. Remus had every other Friday night off from the hospital, and Sirius usually closed up early so they could all spend the night around a couple of pizzas and cheesy horror films. The exact change for their usual order was put into a jar on the night before, and at seven thirty exactly the deliverer would show up with their order without needing to even be called after two years solid of the same routine. The last time they canceled was because everyone had gotten sick with the flu and wouldn't be able to stomach their greasy favorites. That was over a year ago.

Nadi beamed at him and stirred the rice with her spatula. "That's right! Garlic fettuccini over brown rice. After all, it's the least I could do."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked her in confusion, sitting down at the bar.

"Riddle!" Harry choked on his water and stared at her with wide eyes. "You must have talked to him for me. It was such a nice surprise."

"What? What are you talking about?" She laughed.

"The gift, remember? The one I asked you to deliver to him for my friend and he literally threw it back in your face? He skipped his lunch hour to come all the way to my school and apologize to her."

"Apologize to her? What about me?" he demanded, suddenly angry. "That arrogant jerk! After all I had to do to get it to him…!" Nadi looked at him in shock.

"Harry… please, calm down." He clenched his teeth and loosened his grip on the bottle. "What's gotten into you lately?"

"Sorry," he muttered. "It's…. Nothing, it doesn't matter." He sipped his water. "So how'd it go? He dating her now, or what?" She stared at him and suddenly started to giggle. He blinked at her in perplexion. She tried to speak but couldn't, grabbing her sides instead as she laughed harder. "What…."

"Harry," Remus looked at him in amusement, "it sounds to me like you're jealous." Harry gaped at him.

"What? No, I…."

"You are!" Nadi gasped out, trying to regain her breath. Remus shrugged apologetically.

"Sorry, Harry, but it really does seem that way. You got far too upset over such a little thing to be distant to the situation."

"Don't worry, Harry you've still got a chance." Nadi grinned at him. "He turned her down politely, as usual. He just felt bad about what happened, that he might have indirectly hurt her feelings really bad. You know, if I'd known that your feelings would have gotten hurt during the whole thing, I wouldn't have asked you to deliver it."

"My feelings? What feelings? I'm not in love with Tom Riddle." Nadi and Remus exchanged amused looks.

"She never said that you were, Harry," Remus said gently. "But don't you think you're protesting a little too hard against it?"

"I…." Nadi giggled.

"Don't deny it, Harry," she said loudly, flinging her arms out extravagantly. "Shout your love to the world." Harry stared at her in ever increasing horror.

"I'm…. I'm not…." I'm not in love with him. I'm not. "I don't…."

"You do. Sorry Harry." Remus gave him a sympathetic look and began to dish out the pasta.

I'm…. I'm in love with him….

Harry dropped his head to the counter and groaned.

"Damnit."

-

Okay. I would really, really, really like it if you checked out my website and went to my New Years Resolution Challenge page located in the Library (link in bio). My new year's resolution is to write one hundred one-shots in a year… and I'll need your help. I'm accepting any and all kinds of challenges for any and all of the fandoms listed on that page (which also gives out more information about the challenge). So far I have five, three of which are my own :sweatdrop: so I need 95 more to complete my goal.

Please help me::lip tremble: