Author's Notes: Thanks to Assur and MoonyPadfoot Jr. for your reviews of Chapter 4. I think you'll like this chapter!

This chapter isn't betaed but I decided just to post it since I had the time today. If you notice any grammar mistakes or anything, let me know!

Turning Points

One

Janna Hill walked out into the garden where her husband was working. They had been together 8 years, married almost six years of that time. They were close, very close. She knew he loved her, and she loved him. However, in recent years, they had become more like brother and sister than husband and wife. She knew why. She turned her face to the sun and centered herself.

"Lovely day." Corbin's voice carried on the slight breeze.

"Yes, it is." Janna agreed with a smile. She looked at him fondly and moved to kneel down beside him. There was never going to be a good time to have this conversation. She would do it now, before more years flew by. "I think we should end our marriage," she said gently.

"What?" He looked up at her in shocked surprise.

"I love you. You know I love you; I will always love you, as one of my greatest friends. But we are not meant to be married. Not…soul mates. We can not give each other what we want."

"I can!" Corbin protested, immediately understanding what she hadn't said.

"You can pretend. You pretend well. I have not been unhappy with you. But it is not a life for us. You want a man, he will make you happy."

"I don't want a man."

"The heart wants, the body wants. You try to think it away, deny yourself. This is who you are. It is wonderful. You cannot stay married to me."

"Janna, please, I-."

"I know you love me. I thought it could be enough…enough for us both. But we both deserve more. Corbin, my darling, when you are free of the hate for yourself, when you love…truly love with your body and your soul…you will be happy. I see it." Janna gently laid her hand on his knee. "I do see it."

"I'm so sorry." Corbin dropped his head into his hands.

"There is nothing to be sorry about." Janna put her arms around him. "You are a good man. I will always be here for you. I will always love you."

Two

"Hill!" Jack called down the hallway causing Corbin to stop and turn around. Jack's breath caught as he felt the familiar burn of arousal in his groin. Corbin was single now, there was nothing to stop them from getting together…except Corbin's aloofness. Jack swallowed hard, trying to remember why he'd needed to get Corbin's attention. "Shacklebolt's called a meeting."

"Any leads on Black?" Corbin started walking towards him.

"No. Not yet." Jack answered. "Do you think Malfoy is helping him?"

"No." Corbin said, stopping in front of Jack. "They hated each other."

"Could have been an act. Black fooled everyone at school into thinking he wasn't a dark wizard." Jack pointed out as they started towards the meeting room.

"Malfoy would never help him." Corbin said flatly. "He wouldn't."

"Oh." Jack looked curiously at Corbin; he wondered what Corbin knew that he was so sure. "Tessen thinks Lupin is helping Black."

"Mmm. Moody brought him in for questioning an hour ago." Corbin nodded. "Found him staying with a friend."

"Really? He's here?"

"Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?"

"He's a werewolf!" Jack exclaimed. He, along with all the other aurors, had only found out that fact recently when the files about Sirius Black and the Potters' murders had been unsealed.

"And?"

"A dark creature. He…he's dangerous."

"Not in human form. And the full moon was a couple nights ago." Corbin looked over and lifted one jet-black eyebrow. "Don't tell me you don't like werewolves."

"Of course, I don't like werewolves." Jack hissed.

"Ah." Corbin looked away as he continued to walk.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked, with irritation, stopping in the middle of the corridor.

"Nothing." Corbin turned around to face him.

"What? Because I'm gay, I should like werewolves? Because Lupin's gay! So ALL werewolves are GAY? So maybe I'm a WEREWOLF?"

"No! Christ, Jack. You need to get some rest. You get almost as cranky as Malfoy when you're tired." Corbin started to turn away.

"What did you mean?" Jack grabbed at his arm, anger flaring at the completely unjust comparison to Malfoy.

"I just was surprised you're biased. I just…I always thought of you as being accepting of everyone, no matter what." Corbin shrugged. "That's all."

"Oh." Jack felt like he had just gotten a compliment of some sort. He wasn't sure if he should say thank you or not. "Well…I did like Lupin at school. But…I also liked Black and he turned out to be a Death Eater. And I'm not accepting of them."

"All right." Corbin nodded.

"I am accepting," Jack murmured, "Of other things."

"Glad to hear it." Corbin said quietly.

"I am." Jack repeated, looking Corbin straight in the eyes. He realized his hand was still on Corbin's arm and he took a step closer. "Very accepting."

There was a breathless pause as blue eyes met brown.

"Jack, I-"

"Hill! Bartleby! The meeting's starting!" Shacklebolt's voice startled Corbin into taking a step back and Jack's hand dropped to his side as Corbin walked quickly towards the meeting room. He didn't look at Jack once during the briefing.

Three

"So how's it going with that healer?" Stevens leaned against the sofa. They'd just come back to his flat after celebrating Corbin's 30th birthday with Clara and Janna. Even though he and Janna were divorced, Corbin was still close to her.

"Fine."

"And?" Stevens prodded. "It's been almost six months."

"The original diagnosis was that I'm in denial about being gay, I hate myself because I'm a freak, and I have trust issues." Corbin recited, stretching his legs out in front on him as he sat on the floor.

"Merlin, I've told you that. I thought this guy was supposed to be good. What else?"

"We're going to work through it. He says it'll take time. Apparently, I've made some progress. Now I only violently dislike myself." Corbin's mouth twisted in a sarcastic smile. He glanced over at Stevens who was opening the bottle of fire whiskey. "I told him about you. He says you've been giving me good advice."

Stevens beamed proudly. "And?" He took a swig from the bottle.

"He says I should try to do more magic, instead of trying to do everything like a muggle."

"Makes life easier – it's fun sometimes to do things the muggle way, but when you have magic, why not use it? It's what you are."

"I know." Corbin reached for the bottle and took a drink. "He says I should keep a journal, concentrate on positive stuff everyday. And he gave me a book to read."

"Oh?" Stevens asked with interest.

"Yeah, it's interesting. Says you have to trust yourself before you trust someone else. And you have to like yourself before someone else can like you. There are all sorts of exercises to do in it."

"Ah. Well, that should help." Stevens nodded the Ravenclaw faith in books clear in his voice. "So…how long d'you think until you'll have the balls to go on a date with Bartleby?"

"Sod off."

"A year, then?" Stevens nudged Corbin's leg with his foot.

"Something like that." Corbin muttered, taking another drink.

"You should set a goal…Like before your next birthday."

Four

"Thanks for coming, and for the book." Jack said with a warm smile. He felt happy the way only seven snapdragons (a drink with fire whiskey and ginger ale) could make a person.

"You're welcome." Corbin said, grinning back. "Happy Birthday, old man."

"You'll be thirty one in just a few months, too, you know."

A woman moved to pass Jack and he took a step closer to Corbin to allow her room. When he looked back at Corbin, the other man was staring at him. Jack realized he'd put his hand on Corbin's hip for balance. Corbin's head tilted, his gaze dropped to Jack's mouth. Self-consciously, Jack licked his lower lip and watched with growing excitement as Corbin's pupils dilated in reaction. Slowly, Jack leaned closer, until his lips were mere centimeters from Corbin's mouth. He could feel Corbin's quickened breath coming in soft puffs across his face. He could feel the other man's lean body against his, the heat of it driving any coherent thought away. Years of adolescent and adult fantasies were about to be realized. This was shaping up to be the absolutely best birthday ever.

"G' Night." Corbin suddenly moved to the left, quickly exiting the pub.

"Fuck!" Jack breathed as he fell against the wall.

"You can't be that drunk that you're holding up the wall." Liam said, sliding up to Jack a moment later.

"No." Jack leaned his forehead against the wall, one fist hitting the wall in frustration.

"Where's Hill?"

"He left." Jack said with a sigh, as he turned to face his best friend. "And I was this close!"

"To what? Or do I not want to know."

"To kissing him. He wanted me, I could feel it."

"Guess that's one positive thing about liking other men - you have hard physical evidence if they like you." Liam hiccupped. "Course you can tell with women too, just need to get your hand in their knickers."

"And then he just left. He's just so..."

"Not into dating you." Liam finished helpfully, handing Jack another drink.

"How long have I liked him?" Jack took the glass automatically.

"A loooong time." Liam's drink sloshed as he waved his hands wildly.

"Since I met him." Jack sighed then scrubbed a hand over his face. "This is a historic moment, Liam."

"What? Now?" Liam asked, looking around him. Jack swallowed his drink in a few gulps.

"Yes. I no longer have a crush on Corbin Hill."

"Good man." Liam clapped Jack on the back. "We'll find you someone, don't worry. There's a tarty looking chap over there for starters."