Harry woke up that morning to the smell of sausage and eggs. No doubt, the ladies were already awake and making breakfast. Harry opened his eyes and reached over to the side table where his glasses were perched, and thought of Hedwig. That brave little trouper. He wished she was still around. Focusing his eyes to his rounded, black glasses, he looked at the remains of what lie around his bedroom. As much as he wanted to clean up the room a bit, the look and feel of it still had that Sirius feeling. Everyone felt it was only just that Harry had Sirius's room, despite the fact that it was the largest. Harry pulled himself out of bed and headed down the stairs. Sitting at the table were his best pals, Hermione and Ron, who were cuddled up next to each other. He couldn't decide if it was because they were in love or because it was cold that they were so close. In addition to Hermione and Ron were Blaise and Draco, who were having a confrontation quietly over something that was in The Prophet. No doubt it was probably about one of their friends, and whether or not it was worth still being friends about it. Harry smiled, and looked toward the kitchen where Remus was fighting with Tonks about who knows what. The sausage looked like it was beginning to burn. He rushed over and saved the sausage from a severe blackening.
"Maybe you two should focus on cooking?" Harry added without meaning to.
"Well maybe Remy should get his head out of his arse!" Tonks burst out. Remus left the room in a tuff. Tonks looked toward him, her hair turning a deep shade of blue, and then said with sniffles, "Wotcher, Harry…" She gave a half smile to him.
Harry decided changing the subject may be best. "How's Snape doing with Ginny?" He whispered to Tonks, not wanting Ron to hear. The whole concept of Ginny had been the elephant in the room since Ginny had arrived, in a coma. Snape and Remus were taking turns watching her and trying to find a remedy to save her. It was Snape's turn. Most of the Weasley's, despite their saying so, had given up hope. Fleur and Bill had stopped talking over it and were now sleeping in separate rooms. Ron had turned to Hermione for comfort, and George was silent. He hadn't said a word, cracked a joke, anything in a good six months. Charlie had left, left the whole country, and headed back to Egypt, where He who must not be named wasn't residing and put work into the forefront.
"Severus thinks their close, Harry. But I wouldn't be so hopeful myself. Maybe it's time to move on," Tonks finally said. You could tell that she had taken her time to think so as not to hurt Harry. "Perhaps some sausage first?" She offered, holding out the plate of sausage. Harry just shook his head.
—-
Remus walked into the room where Ginny lay. Severus was sitting, perched on the bed, with a bottle of who knows what the Sev had mixed. He sat down next to Severus.
"She's driving me mad, Sev." He finally said after a moment of awkward silence.
"She drives me mad every day. You fight with her often these days." Severus said back, his deep voice making pauses in that unusually dark fashion that just made Remy's heart skip a beat.
—
As Harry walked back up to his room, he saw that it was opened a crack. He rushed into the room. No one ever went into the room but him, and Harry was a bit paranoid these days. Sitting on the bed, surprisingly, was the blonde Draco Malfoy. Not with Blaise either, as he would normally be. The two of them were sticking together to save what was left of their Slytherin clan. Malfoy sat in muggle clothes, a emerald jumper and a pair of khaki trousers. They suited him well.
"What are you in here for, Malfoy?" Harry said, a bit unnerved.
"Can't a guy sit in a room and contemplate life in peace?" Malfoy replied, a bit of snide remark from him, but not a creative one. Malfoy sat rubbing his left arm. It didn't take a genius to figure out he was trying to rub the Dark mark clean off his arm.
"Not in my room, he can't." Harry replied.
"C'mon Potter, give me a moment of peace from Zabini. He's driving me completely batty." Malfoy paused. Harry could see right through him however. This was a lie, a con so that Malfoy would have an excuse to be in here. Harry stood there, a hand on his hip. "You know, you really annoy me." Malfoy said. It was another line that Malfoy was saying, trying to convince either Harry or himself. "I'm really… ugh!" He stood up and punched a wall.
"Hey, Malfoy, that's my wall. Go punch your own, arse!" He grabbed Malfoy by the sleeve of his jumper and tried to push him out of the room. Instead, Malfoy turned and kissed Harry on the lips. Surprised, Harry pulled back and stared at Malfoy. Did Malfoy really just kiss him?
Draco covered his mouth with his hand and looked just as surprised as Harry did. Uncovering it, he pulled his sleeve out from Harry's grasp. "I… er…" he backed out of the room.
—-
That night, Remus was pulling the covers over himself when Dora walked into the room. She was wearing somewhat seductive lingerie. She looked like she was trying, a little too hard. Remus really wanted to want her, but when he thought to do something, all he could think of was Sirius, and then Severus. Not Dora.
"Dora, I can't do this anymore." He finally said. He looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Do what, Rem?" She said, arms out, palms up. She didn't even know what she was doing wrong.
"This, Dora!" He stood up, arms up. "This. Here. Now. Us. I can't do this! I've tried. I tried to let you help me through Sirius's death. I tried to move on from Sirius and I. Yeah, Dora, Sirius and I." He was only responding to her facial response. "I can't love you, Dora. Believe me, I've tried. And all I've done is started to hate you and then, hate myself. I can't do this to you. Let you live a lie. I'm sorry." He just got up and walked out of the room, leaving her there, speechless. He was going to run up to Sev's room and sob and ask him what to do, but he knew that that was stupid idea. Severus wasn't in love with him. Sometimes Severus didn't even like him that much. He started up the stairs and stopped halfway, collapsing on the stairs. He sat on the stairs for hours, head in his hands, sobbing.
—-
Upstairs, Ron and Hermione's night started off as usual, snogging and such. But it was now in tears, mostly Ron's. All Hermione had said, was something about Ginny's status, which she had gotten from Severus.
"Ron, you can't go on with life without accepting the casualties. Ginny is doing well; you need to see her. In case she starts to not do as well."
"Why? Why bother? It's been two years, 'Mione, TWO!" Ron was bellowing at Hermione, not caring. At least he was finally talking, though. George had still yet to utter a word. "She's as good as Percy or Fred… or Mum… oh mum." Molly had died shortly after the Dark Lord's takeover, as she was a blood traitor. They had yet to have contact with Mr. Weasley, and they assumed the worst.
"Ron, she's still alive. If she weren't in such a good place, Severus and Remus wouldn't be trying so hard." Hermione said.
"Oh, Severus and Remus told you. Didn't know you three became such good friends." Ron was now just coming up with ridiculous excuses to be upset with Hermione. Hermione was now crying as well. She held herself in her arms, and let her curly hair fall in front of her face.
"Ron, you don't mean that." She was as quiet as a mouse. Tears trail down her face.
"I mean every word of what I say, Hermione. Now go off, be with your stupid new friends, and leave me the hell alone!" Hermione ran to Ron. He shoved her off. "Gerroff me, 'Mione!" He bellowed. Hermione fell to the floor. She skittered back and then up and ran out of the room, sobbing. She ended up in Ginny's room, where she knew Ron wouldn't be. She was sobbing so hard that she hardly recognized Severus in the room, at Ginny's bedside.
"Oh, sorry, Professor." She sounded to formal, even for herself. A lot of the people in the house had stopped calling Snape and Lupin professors. Even some had started to call Remus, Moony.
"It's no problem, Ms. Granger." He said. "I'll just leave you and the young Weasley to have a moment."
—-
Harry pulled his glasses off that night and set them on his side table. He kept rubbing his lips with his first and second finger, softly, thinking about Draco's lips. Sure he was gay, at least he thought he was. He was into blokes, but he was also into the ladies as well. That's why he was with Ginny. But Ginny wasn't waking up. Everyone thought that. Why would she wake up after two years?
In all of the thoughts running through his head about Draco, he almost fell asleep through the fighting going on in the house, a first for him in months.