Harry's life seemed to be full of important decisions. As he stood outside his house he wondered, not for the first time, how Ron would react to his relationship with none other than Draco Malfoy.
Occasionally Harry would look back and compare Ron's pre-war behavior with the maturity he had now, just one year later. It had come as a bit of a surprise, Harry thought. About a month after the war, Harry had been sitting in his kitchen, complaining to Ron about how he dreaded the fame he now posessed, how it had come to be too much. He stopped short once he remembered how jealous Ron had been of his fame before, but instead of becoming angry, he simply patted Harry's arm and told him he understood.
That was when Harry's defenses finally broke down, the walls he had tried so hard to put up ever since the war. It was funny how a small act of compassion could do that to a person. Harry discovered this while pouring his heart out to his best friend- confessing everything about the bitterness of the war, the sacrifices, the people he loved and lost, how all Harry wanted was a family, someone to care. He discovered this as his words tumbled over each other, each opening a gateway into yet another unbreached topic, wounds too painful to discuss so soon after they had been inflicted. But they still came, and all the while Ron just sat there holding Harry as he cried.
No, Harry decided, comprehension dawning on him. Ron was a brother to him, the first family he had ever known. Even Harry, with his misguided interpretations of familial love, knew that it would be the worst kind of betrayal for him to choose Draco over Ron- that is, if Ron could not bear the thought of Harry dating a former Death Eater.
It was clear to him now. If it ever came to it, Harry would rather have Ron as his friend. Oh, no, it wasn't like he didn't love Draco. Draco was wonderful, absolutely wonderful, and everything he could ever hope for. If Harry was one to delude himself with the idea of true love, he might even call it that. But he spoke from experience; this was a feeling he had felt once before with Ginny, and again with Cho. Harry would be able to find love again, that he knew. But he could never replace the first friendship he had ever known.
Harry gulped as he pushed open the door to 12 Grimmauld Place, ready at any moment for the onslaught of questions about the article in that morning's Daily Prophet- Boy Who Lived in Love with Former Death Eater.
Draco was there, Harry noticed as he came in, the white-blond hair looking severely out of place. Ron was there, too.
"Harry..." It was inevitable, of course. Harry closed his eyes and steeled himself inwardly for the temper tantrum he was sure would come.
But it never did. The next words out of Ron's mouth were something he never would have expected.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
And Harry opened his eyes, only to find Draco moving towards him, capturing his mouth in a kiss. Immediately, he turned towards Ron, begging silently for forgiveness. What he found was Ron beaming at him and Draco, looking happy for them, happy at Harry's happiness.
It was all he could do not to break down again.
[A/N: In fanfics, Harry always seems so ready to ditch his friends (or at least Ron) in favor of Draco. I never thought Harry would be that kind of guy... so I wrote this. Anyways, thanks for reading. :) ]