"Damnit! I fall for that every time!" Harry yelled in frustration as Ron's knight crushed one of Harry's pawns. They were playing Wizard's Chess down in the kitchen, taking a break from all the cleaning they had to do over the first few days since they arrived at Sirius' house. Hermione was watching the boys play; Mrs. Weasley was bustling around the kitchen making supper; Mr. Weasley, Sirius, Lupin, and Tonks were sitting at the other end of the table, talking to each other in low voices.
"You need to come up with a better strategy, mate." Ron said, smiling at Harry's broken pile of chess pieces growing bigger and bigger. Harry smiled at Ron's gloating face. He was glad to be back on good terms with him again. Just then, there was a clunk, clunk, clunking sound coming from the top of the stairs; everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up – it was Mad-Eye Moody, coming down the stairs. And he was holding a beautiful blonde owl on his shoulder.
"Thought I'd find you here, Potter!" Moody said, making his way over to Harry and Ron.
"Hello Moody. That's a very pretty owl you've got there," Harry said.
"Yes, she is. But I'm assuming you don't know who she belongs to?" Moody asked, stopping right beside Harry. The owl flew off Moody's shoulder and onto Harry's.
"No, can't say that I have. Why?" Harry asked as he stroked the beautiful bird. Moody reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a small square envelope.
"She was flying outside with this in her beak. It has your name on it," Moody said, handing the letter to Harry. Harry took it, looking over his hand-written name; it looked oddly familiar.
"Who do you think it could be from, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, standing with the others at the table – everyone was watching as Harry ripped open the seal and shook the letter open.
"It's from Draco!" Harry said in excitement. All the adults – minus Sirius – exchanged looks of confusion between them.
"As in Malfoy?" Lupin asked, making sure he heard correctly. Harry just nodded his head as he read the letter. He let out a gasp as his eyes kept moving down the piece of parchment.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked.
"His father found out and beat on him," Harry said, his eyes never leaving the letter.
"Oh my God, is he ok?!" Hermione asked with concern, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Yeah, he says he ran away to his grandmother's house," Harry said, then let out a laugh, "Ha! He was right! That was clever," Harry said more to himself.
"What did he say?" Ron asked with curiosity.
"Draco said that his father was threatening to kill me, to which Draco said, 'if you-know-you can't do it, what makes you think you can?' I just thought that was funny." Harry said, giving another laugh as he put the letter down. Sirius gave a bark of laughter as well.
"He's not wrong there!" Sirius said, smiling. Mr. Weasley looked between Harry and Sirius, and back at Harry again.
"Ok, I'm just a little bit confused. So, are you all friends now with Draco Malfoy? And why is Lucius Malfoy threatening to kill you?" Mr. Weasley asked slowly, as if trying to comprehend what he was even trying to ask. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all exchanged significant looks. Mr. Weasley narrowed his eyes in suspicion at this. "What's going on?"
"You might as well tell them now…they'll find out eventually." Ron said, looking at Harry a little awkwardly. Harry looked over to Sirius, who gave him a small, encouraging nod, smiling. Harry nodded back to him. Lupin looked between the two, very much confused now.
"What's going on? Tell us what?" Lupin asked. Everyone was looking at Harry expectantly, but he kept his gaze focused on his godfather. Truth be told, he knew he was eventually going to come out to the rest of them, but he didn't expect everyone to be altogether at once. He swallowed the lump in his throat; it was either now or never.
"So….yeah…um, I'm – a – I'm gay and Draco and I are…well, we are together, that is to say, we're a couple, so yeah." Harry said awkwardly, still using Sirius as his focus point. Sirius smiled at Harry even more broadly, a sense of pride showing on his face. Harry gave a big smile of thanks before it turned to a nervous one as he directed his gaze to the rest of the adults; they all had looks of astonishment on their faces. Lupin was the first of them to break out of the trance Harry seemed to have put them in.
"Well, as much of a surprise as this is, I'm happy for you, Harry. I really am," Lupin said, giving Harry a huge smile. Harry knew that he was being sincere in his words; Lupin of all people can better understand that we are who we are, and there was no way of changing that. Lupin walked around the table to Harry, where he pulled him into a brief hug. He held Harry at arms' length. "While I don't particularly trust the Malfoys, if you say Draco has changed, than I'm going to trust you on this." Lupin said, stepping back from Harry, who gave him a thankful nod. The rest of the adults slowly started coming out of their trance at Lupin's words. Mr. Weasley spoke next.
"Harry, I, um, well I don't know what to say, really. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you found someone you enjoy being with. I'm just a little concerned that it's with Draco Malfoy." Mr. Weasley said, looking a little flustered. "I mean, you don't think –" he started to say, but Sirius cut him off with a sharp look.
"If Harry says he has changed, than he has. Harry trusts Draco, therefore, I do too." Sirius said sternly, as if his say was good enough. Harry couldn't have been more proud of his godfather.
"It's true, Mr. Weasley. I trust Draco a lot. To be honest, I don't think even he is good enough to be this convincing if this whole thing were a ruse," Harry said. He knew that Mr. Weasley meant well, but understood where he was coming from; the Malfoy's and the Weasleys were known revivals, and although Harry wasn't technically part of the family, he did feel as though he was; it was almost as if one of their own children were breaking some old unspoken rule.
Mr. Weasley nodded. "Well, as long you're sure Harry, than I truly am happy for you." Mr. Weasley gave Harry a smile, although he could tell it was a little forced; Harry couldn't help but wonder if Mr. Weasley was uncomfortable at his being gay, and it not just being Draco.
"I think it's great, Harry!" Tonks said excitedly, jumping up and down. "Really, I do! When my cousin Albert came out to his father, he was thrown out of the house and everything, but he was a really nice guy and so was his boyfriend. No different than a straight couple. But it's so good that you have all these people who accept you, so consider yourself lucky!"
"And my being with Draco doesn't bother you?" Harry asked, smiling at Tonks' enthusiasm.
"Course not! The heart wants what the heart wants, right? Plus, I know if that little ferret were to do anything, you can handle yourself!" Tonks gave Harry a wink. Harry nodded his head at her, grateful of her approval. Moody was the next one to speak.
"Well Potter, I'm not going to lie – you being gay kind of threw me off a bit," Moody said a little awkwardly, his normal eye on the ground while his magical eye was on Harry.
"Well, I didn't actually know I was gay until after Draco kissed me," Harry said, wanting to clarify that. Movement ceased momentarily at the mention of them kissing before commencing once more.
"Right, well, all the same…I don't care that you're gay, and I'm happy for you. But don't be surprised when I say that I don't trust Malfoy. I know you do, but all I'm saying is to keep your eye out for yourself and remember: Constant vigilance." Moody said, both his eyes trained on Harry now. Harry nodded his head; this was how he expected Moody to react. He then turned his head towards Mrs. Weasley, who had kept quiet the entire time. She was staring at the floor, a kind of confused look on her face.
"Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked, nervously. After Sirius, Mrs. Weasley was the one he was the most nervous about; her opinion on this matter meant a great deal to Harry. She lifted her head up and looked at Harry, almost as if she had never seen him before.
"Harry, well…I'm – I'm just a little taken aback by this sudden news. I'm just trying to let it sink in." Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes un-focusing slightly. Harry frowned at this. "Now, don't get me wrong, dear! You know I just want whatever makes you happy! I've just never had to deal with this situation before."
"What's there to deal with, Molly?" Sirius said irritatedly. "Harry likes guys, plain and simple! It's not really a situation; it's what makes him happy."
"Yes, well, I suppose you're right," Molly said with a sigh. She looked back at Harry, hitching – what Harry knew to be – a fake smile on her face. "Harry dear, if you're happy, than I'm happy." Harry just gave her nod, but didn't smile. There was no sincerity in her voice, and it pained him; she did not approve, but there was nothing he could do about it.
"Well, I'm going to write back to Draco. Thanks everyone!" Harry said, smiling briefly before heading up the stairs into the hallway. Ron and Hermione exchanged looks; they could feel the tension between Mrs. Weasley and Harry, and knew he was upset. They bid the others goodnight and headed up the stairs as Fred, George, and Ginny headed down past them and into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley snapped out of her revere as soon as she saw Ginny.
"Ginny! What is the meaning of this?!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, making everyone jump. Ginny, who was halfway down the stairs, stopped dead.
"I didn't do anything," Ginny said confusedly. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Harry! You two were supposed to end up together!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, looking at her daughter in confusion. A very awkward silence rang throughout the kitchen. Ginny started to blush.
"I take it you found out about Harry, then?" Fred said, standing next to Ginny and looking at his mother nervously.
"You think? How could this have happened?!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, still looking straight at Ginny.
"Molly, are you even hearing what you're saying?" Mr. Weasley asked, appalled at his wife's outburst.
"What do you mean how could this happen?!" Sirius asked angrily, throwing Mrs. Weasley the dirtiest look he could muster. "You were just telling Harry you were happy for him!"
"I told him what he wanted to hear!" Mrs. Weasley yelled, briefly looking at Sirius before turning and addressing Ginny. "I thought you liked Harry? I thought this was going to be the year you two were going to get together!" Mrs. Weasley said, desperation in her voice.
"Yeah, well Malfoy beat me to it," Ginny said bitterly. But then a thought struck her. "But yes, I do like Harry. And, ok, I did, at one point, think there was a chance that he might ask me out. But I mean, come on mum. You didn't see how happy Harry looks when he's with Malfoy. Yes, I'm pretty upset that we won't ever be together, but am I going to stay unhappy for the rest of my life over this? No, that'd be stupid. And I like seeing Harry happy, especially since there's not much going on in his life right now to give him a reason to be. And now he has Malfoy. So that's that." Ginny said, her heart racing, chest heaving slightly with emotion.
Fred and George beamed at their little sister, at how mature she was being about this. Mr. Weasley and Sirius were also beaming at her with pride, while the rest of the adults stood there awkwardly awaiting Mrs. Weasley's reaction. She sighed.
"I suppose you're right. As long as you're taking this fine. But I still can't say I'm too happy –" Mrs. Weasley started.
"Oh for crying out loud, Molly! What is there to be unhappy about?! Are you uncomfortable with the fact that Harry – my godson – is gay? Or the fact that he is with someone you seem to have a grudge on for the acts of his father?" Sirius yelled furiously.
"Of course I'm not uncomfortable with Harry being gay! And yes, I'll admit, I'm very unhappy that it is with Draco Malfoy of all people! I would just think, given how this boy has treated my children and Harry, I might add, you would think he would have chosen someone like Ginny who has always been there for him, who has spent so much time with him, and has even showed that she cares for him as more than a friend! So, yes Sirius, I am just a tad frustrated that Harry decided to be gay with this Malfoy boy than date my own daughter!" Molly said, her chest rising and falling with emotion.
"Decided? Molly, you don't just decide to be gay!" Tonks said, starting to get frustrated as well. "It just sort of happens, and you need to accept that. Ginny does!" Tonks said, pointing at Ginny, who started to blush deeper.
"Molly, dear," Arthur said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "look, you've had a long, hard day – I get that. But you don't honestly believe that Harry was actually choosing between Malfoy and Ginny, do you?"
"Well, I suppose not," Mrs. Weasley said, however, she sounded unsure of herself. She sighed. "I'm sorry, but like I told Harry, the idea is very new to me."
"I agree, it's new to most of us. But as Ginny said, Harry isn't given too many happy opportunities, and if this is what makes him happy…" Mr. Weasley trailed off, shrugging his shoulders. Mrs. Weasley just shrugged her shoulders too and sighed. She still wasn't happy about the situation, but she knew that there really wasn't much she could do about it. "Come on, I think it's time for bed for all of us," Mr. Weasley said, looking at Ginny and the twins. They nodded and headed back up the stairs. When the door was shut, they stood on the landing, looking at each other in surprise.
"Ok, let's agree to not tell Harry about what just went on in there." Fred said, looking at the other two.
"I cannot believe mum would say something like that!" George said in an angry whisper. "I mean really, it's not like Harry's all of a sudden a different person! Who cares if he's gay? Ginny certainly doesn't!"
"That was really cool what you said back there, sis," Fred said, giving Ginny a hug. "At least now mum knows where you stand."
Ginny only nodded in response. They continued to head up the stairs to their rooms, Ginny thinking all the while. Before, she didn't want to talk or even look at Harry because of how hurt she had felt. But she now realized that Harry didn't do anything. There was no reason for her to be angry at Harry for being happy. Because what she had told her mother was true; Harry did look really happy with Malfoy, walking around the school grounds, holding hands. She sighed. No one had done anything wrong but her – she was selfish in her actions, and she knew she needed to talk to Harry. After all, Ron already did. She decided first thing in the morning, she was going to make things right.
Author's Note: Ok, this was a really if-y chapter for me to write. I know there is a whole controversy going on about whether being gay is an option or not, but whatever you may think it is, please be respectful with your reviews. If you're against what I wrote about, that's fine, we are allowed to our opinions. But please don't post why you think I'm wrong or even why you think I am right. I don't want a debate; I just want to know what you think of the story. Thank you!