:D

It was the first time ever that Harry was glad to be going to visit the Weasleys, on Dumbledore's orders, of course. He didn't want to be at Hogwarts right now where Theodore was, while the feelings of betrayal played through his heart and mind. In all honesty, though, knowing it was the Dark Mark Theodore had been hiding and not self-harm didn't affect Harry nearly as badly as he expected it too. As he helped around the Weasley kitchen in preparation for dinner, he realized he had always expected this to happen. Theodore would undoubtedly join the Dark Lord's side and with it he would take the Mark. Of course, he wouldn't have wanted Harry to see and had taken to wearing a bandage to cover this up, though had not expected it to have that kind of an impact on Harry.

"It won't happen again. Was a mistake. I'm sorry."

Harry recalled Theo's words and wondered if they were perhaps a hint of Theodore's intentions. Had he turned to the Dark Lord then realized after joining he had made a mistake in doing so? At least, his words made some sense. Considering the Dark Mark could only be applied once, clearly "it wouldn't happen again". Did it upset Theodore that he had taken the Mark? Did he not want to? He'd apologized, but had it been a lie?

Dinner passed. Sirius, who was currently living at the Weasleys since his discharge from St. Mungo's, Lupin, and Tonks were there as well along with Bill, the twins, and Fleur Delacour, who apparently was dating or engaged or something to Bill. It was long after everyone had gone to bed when Harry, having difficulty sleeping, walked down to get a drink and heard voices in the living room. Peeking inside, he noticed Tonks and Sirius chatting.

"I'm sorry, Tonks, but no." Sirius mumbled, cheeks appearing red in the light from the fire.

"The distance between us is far enough." Tonks was red too. "I don't care if we're almost cousins."

"We are cousins."

"Barely!" She moved closer to him. "I...I've never wanted to be with someone like I've wanted to be with you."

"There are too many cousin to cousin marriages on the Black tree." Sirius grumbled.

"Ah, but my mother is no longer on the tree!" Tonks gleefully put in. "So then..."

"No..." Sirius shifted a little away from Tonks, but she moved closer still.

"Please." She mumbled, eyes transfixed on Sirius' face.

"I...this is a joke. You can't mean what you're saying."

Mumbling a spell, Tonks cast with her wand a silvery wisp, which morphed into a dog, almost identical to Sirius' Animagus form. "This isn't a joke."

"Tonks..." Sirius started again, but his mouth was soon covered by Tonks' lips.

Eyebrows almost flying off his face in surprise, Harry turned away from the scene and pressed his back againt the wall only to find that Lupin was standing there staring at him with a small smile on his face. He motioned to the back door (the living room was beginning to fill with suggestive sounds) and Harry quickly followed him out. He gagged the moment the fresh air hit him and started to chuckle despite the feelings warring around in his head.

"I didn't expect that." Harry laughed as they walked together around the edges of the Burrow.

"Oh, well, you weren't around much when they're together." Lupin was smiling. "It was a bit...expected...for the rest of us. To be honest, I'm quite happy for them both. It's something I will never find for myself."

Harry furrowed his brows and looked at the man. "Someone like you? You're one of the nicest people I know. I'm sure you'll get together with someone."

Lupin gave Harry an appreciative smile, but he noticed how the man's eyes grew sadder. "I'm not as optimistic about it as you are, Harry."

Not knowing how to reply to this, Harry chose not to.

"So, word around the house is that you might be seeing some young lady named Luna Lovegood? I believe she was one of those who accompanied you to the Ministry last year."

"We just went to a party together." He started then clarified, "As friends only."

"Nothing wrong with that." Lupin smiled weakly. "And so I take it you're not currently interested in anyone?"

"I am, but he doesn't like me...or doesn't want to date me." Harry shrugged and then mumbled. "Theodore."

"Ah, young Mr. Nott." Lupin didn't seem the least bit upset by this confession. Harry figured Lupin was in general a more accepting person that Sirius, who would have thrown a fit at discovering this. "I don't recall much about him aside from the fact he was brilliant in school and worked hard. I believe he also tended to overtax himself."

"He's a bit of an overachiever, like Granger, but...worse."

"Yes, I imagine so." Lupin nodded. "I also remember him being a bit dark when he stayed at Grimmauld Place last year."

"We share that in common."

"Well, a little, yes." Lupin remained placid. "He was also at the Ministry, right?"

"Yes."

"That's fairly amazing, really." Lupin smiled at Harry. "For him to join up on your side against his father and the other Death Eaters. That shows how much he agrees with you."

Harry, having immediately figured out that Dumbledore had not told the Order how Theodore had originally been working for his father, didn't bother correcting Lupin and the two continued their conversation on to other topics. Finally, they returned home. The next day the Minister (how Scrimgeour had remained in office was well beyond Harry's imagination) and Percy arrived and it appeared as if the Minister wanted to talk to Harry. Harry did talk with him, but as soon as he found out that the Minister wanted to use Harry as an advertising tool to make the Ministry of Magic look better, he reproached him and left.

A few days later brought Harry back to Hogwarts and into the dungeons to find Theodore in the Slytherin Common Room, busying himself with homework. From the look of him, he probably hadn't even taken time off to celebrate Christmas. Harry, trying to pretend everything was fine, plopped down beside him and rested his head back on the chair.

"How was Christmas with the Weasels?" Theo asked as he continued to scribble.

"Terrible." Harry muttered. "How was it here?"

"Quiet."

"Sounds better than terrible."

"I guess."

Harry watched the other Slytherins clearing out of the Common Room and it didn't take long for them to be alone.

"Date me."

"No." Theodore sounded exasperated.

"I know your secret, so date me."

There was a long silence as Theodore's quill stopped moving and his breathing became incredibly shallow. He was clearly thinking things through.

"What secret?" He finally asked.

"The one on your arm." Harry answered, eying his friend.

The taller Slytherin jerked as if he'd been smacked by Harry and he gave the other boy a stunned and apprehensive look.

"What on my arm?"

"Don't try that." Harry's eyes betrayed how unamused he was. "Do you really want me to say it outloud?"

Theodore simply stared at him, showing more shock and emotion on his face than Harry had ever seen.

"The Dark Mark." Harry stated in a hiss. "The one on your left arm."

The taller Slytherin stood and looked about to leave, but then his eyes rested on Harry and he started to speak very quickly. "You saw it? You looked? When? How long have you known? Why would you look? What gave you the right? More high and righteous Potter! Going to tell Snape? Or Dumbledore? Going to rat me out? Going to...to..." His anger, which had been rising, was suddenly dropping from his features and his eyes, filled with wonder, widened. "You want to date me? Still? Even after learning what I am and who I serve?"

Harry gave a sure nod. "Yes. I do."

"No." Theodore grabbed at his books, slamming them shut and cramming them into his bag. Several rolls of parchment were heard tearing as he started to pack up his things. "Absolutely not."

"I actually wasn't asking." Harry's tone was still icy. "I told you already: I know your secret, so date me."

Theodore froze as these words hit him and his breathing was so shallow it barely looked like he was.

"You're...blackmailing me?" He whispered at long last.

"Yes." Harry didn't even flinch, didn't even feel a shred of remorse. "You blackmailed me to be friends and now I am blackmailing you to be more. I think this is just."

A small smirk came to Theodore's lips and he threw his quill and ink bottle in his bag before facing Harry. "Fine. Will date you."

"Good." Harry stood up and held out a small wrapped package. "I forgot to give this to you before I left."

Theodore took the package and opened it to find a bottle of invisible ink and a Revealer to accompany it. This made Theodore almost smile. "Thanks."

"Of course." Harry grinned and then produced a notebook. "I got this last minute, so it's not wrapped. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Theodore took it and inspected the leather cover with its engraved details of the Slytherin House Emblem. "Nice."

"Well, it's sort of nice." Harry shrugged. "I had to put the emblem on myself."

"Very well done."

"Yeah." Harry could feel his cheeks reddening. "Anyways..."

"Well," Theodore pulled out a note. "Didn't get you anything because I was...well...okay, I did get you something, but I threw it away. This is a note from Dumbledore for you...asked me to deliver it...and I think I should write you an "I owe you"."

Harry laughed lightly. "Nah. It's all good...of course, you could just kiss me. That would be a great present."

Theodore hesitated and then, to Harry surprise, set aside his gifts. Taking a single step forward put Theodore right up to Harry and Harry was reminded instantly just how tall his friend was. His neck kind of hurt looking up at the other, but his heart was throbbing and his mind was spinning too much to focus on this seemingly miniscule pain. He could feel his friend's heat radiating from his body and smell potion ingredients and parchment coming from his robes. His eyes were on Theodore's and this close he could see the jets of green, like sparks from a wand, mingled in with the azure and cobalt. He felt more than saw Theodore begin to lean forward and Harry found his arms latching onto Theo's robes to steady himself as he realized he wasn't really breathing and the spinning of his mind was caused from lack of oxygen to his brain. He gasped, unintentionally, for breath as Theo's lips drew closer and the taller Slytherin paused, even more uncertain than he had been moments before.

Harry became instantly aware that it would have to be him to close the distance because now Theodore was thinking about it and second-guessing and would definitely come to the conclusino that he shouldn't. He tightened his hold on Theo's robes, willed away the butterflies in his stomach, and...

"Get a room, will you two?"

They were feet away from each other before they even knew who'd spoken.

"Thanks a ton, Malfoy." Harry snarled, glaring at the blond.

"Yeah?" Malfoy walked across the Common Room and up the stairs to the dorm without another word.

Harry turned back to Theodore, but the other was unpacking his books and parchment and settling down to study. The Common Room was filling again with other students and Harry, annoyed with how things had ended, plopped down to start working on homework as well.

:D Heheheheheh