"You're glaring."

"I'm not."

"I can hear your teeth grinding."

Harry relaxed his jaw and shifted his book bag to his other shoulder. He continued to stare ahead even after Hermione had approached him. Ron was down the hall, smiling and blushing, as he always was when he was with Michael Corner. Michael was talking while also adjusting Ron's tie so that it went from haphazardly thrown on, to perfectly adjusted. Ron laughed and playfully shoved him. Michael shoved him back gently and tried to kiss his cheek but Ron dodged his effort.

Hermione jabbed Harry in the side with her elbow, and just as he started to turn in her direction to head to Divination, Michael had grabbed Ron roughly by the waist and pulled him close, then firmly kissed him. As other students continued to walk by, unfazed, as this relationship had been in the open for several weeks now, Harry exhaled sharply through his nose; because, as he always did, Michael locked eyes with Harry just before releasing Ron.

Harry just knew that Corner did this to taunt him. Not that anyone he told believed him, of course, but Harry could tell. There was no other real, logical explanation as to why Michael Corner would do this other than to dangle Ron in front of him, reminding Harry repeatedly that he had Ron, now, too.

Harry tried to relax his facial features before his best friend reached him. Ron's relationship with Michael had been the cause of many arguments between them. It had never been Ron's sexuality that was a problem to Harry. However, the fact that Ron had kept that a secret, along with the fact that evidently Michael Corner had been chasing after him, was a bit of a slap in the face to Harry. He would have thought that in their 6th year of going to school together, their 6th year of friendship, he had earned a place in Ron's life as someone he could confide in. But no, Ron had announced his relationship with no one other than the snarky, competitive, moody ex-boyfriend of his own sisters…the Ravenclaw, Michael Corner, to Harry on the same day he told everyone else.

The relationship was one of great fascination for most students at Hogwarts. Not necessarily a bad one, aside from many negative remarks from Slytherin about 'faeries' and 'Nancy boy poofs', but quite a few students, mostly female, were very interested in Ron and Michael's dating. Ron claimed with minute embarrassment that he never really thought about someone's gender when it came to attraction, and Michael made very little comments about his own sexuality, but very openly admitted his feelings and attraction to Ron, especially when Harry was around. There were musings of other same-sex couples arising throughout the castle, however no one came as close to being as open as Ron and Michael Corner.

"What?"

Harry snapped out of his thoughts and was soon facing Ron, who looked mildly anxious, as if he was expecting an argument.

"Nothing," Harry said quickly, trying to smile, Ron stared at him for the briefest of moments before apparently deciding to not get into it, and smiled back at him.

"I'll see you two at dinner!" Hermione said brightly as she hurried off down the hall to Muggle Studies, anxious to escape the tension.

Harry and Ron walked in silence for a few moments before Harry cleared his throat. He felt Ron glance over at him, and a sensation rippled through him that he vaguely realized was guilt. He knew his opinion of Michael Corner was an issue for Ron, but at the same time, he didn't know how to change that. He couldn't help how he felt about the Ravenclaw, and it wasn't like Michael Corner did anything to fix it either.

"Hogsmeade trip this weekend," Ron said, breaking the tense silence. Harry glanced over at him. "I was…well…d'you think maybe…" He stopped speaking and sighed through his nose. "Maybe…maybe you, me, and Mike could get a drink together? I mean Hermione can come, too, obviously. But…I wanted you and Mike to both be there."

Harry stopped walking and stared at him. Ron looked hopeful, but also nervous. Harry noticed a slight, redish-purple hickey on his pale neck, and resisted the urge to turn away.

"Does he want to?" Harry finally asked, trying to limit the bitterness in his tone. Ron shrugged and nodded. "Oh."

"Look…" Ron said quietly, stepping closer to him as a group of giggling 3rd year Hufflepuffs passed by, "I just want you guys to get along. You're both important to me. And I hate feeling like I constantly have to choose between you. It isn't fair."

Harry felt another rush of guilt, along with another feeling he could not identify. "I'm sorry," he said, placing a hand on his friends shoulder, "You're right. I'll go. Corner and I can…make nice, or whatever. I'll do it for you."

Ron smiled, then let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

[][][][][][][]

"I just don't get it," Harry was saying the following night. He was laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"It's not really something you have to get, mate," Seamus replied, he was sitting cross legged in his bed, looking exasperated, "He likes blokes, and he likes girls. How does that change who he is as a person?"

"It's not that!" Harry shot up, and briefly saw spots. "I don't care about that. I mean…why Corner?" He raised his palms in a gesture of frustration.

Seamus shrugged. "He's a good looking bloke. And…" the side of his mouth suddenly quivered like he was holding back a laugh. He looked at Dean, who raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, avoiding Harry's eyes, and let out a small sniff-like sound with his nose.

"What?" Harry asked, suddenly confused, "'And' what?"

"Well…" Seamus said slowly, "He's…kind of like you, yeah?"

Dean snorted, and when Harry glared at him he cleared his throat and began to smooth out his blanket unnecessarily, his shoulders quivering. Harry looked back at Seamus, who simply shrugged and continued,

"Dark hair, moody, sarcastic? I'm not surprised at all that Ron is comfortable around him. Only difference is they snog, really." Seamus snapped his fingers and pointed at Harry. "That's why you two hate each other. You're too much alike."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but at that moment the dormitory door opened and Ron walked in, returning from his regular evening homework session with Michael. He looked mildly flustered and pink in the cheeks, as he usually did when his and Michael's library meetings were more about snogging than they were about school work. He then went from looking flustered to looking concerned about the angry expression on Harry's face.

"What's up?" Ron finally asked, slowly dropping his bag next to his bed, all while looking at his friend with a worried wrinkle on his forehead.

"Nothing," Harry replied, slightly thrown off. Something about the way Seamus had been speaking to him made him feel…bad. "Erm…how's Michael?"

Ron frowned in confusion, his brow furrowed. Then his expression quickly softened and he smiled, clearly pleased that Harry was making an effort.

"He's alright. Um, his grandfather is really ill. So," Ron sighed, "But…he's pleased about tomorrow."

"Right," Harry said, suddenly remembering his promise, "Well, I'm sorry about his grandfather. That…that has to be difficult. But, he has you to help him through it, yeah?"

Ron still looked confused, and Harry couldn't blame him.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I…I'm dating Michael Corner."

"But…but he's a bloke. And didn't he date your sister?"

Harry's reaction to Ron's news hadn't been very open-minded at first, but only because the whole thing had seemed to happen out of nowhere. Until a couple weeks later when Ron had admitted that he and Michael Corner had actually been secretly seeing each other for a while and finally decided to come out to the open.

[][][][][][][]

The following day Harry awoke with a cold feeling in his stomach. He very much wanted to stick to his decision of trying to at least be civil with Michael Corner, and to maintain his promise to Ron and get a drink with them, but he was also dreading it. The smug look on Michael's face every time he kissed Ron around him was very vivid in his mind. And the way Michael had acted so superior their 5th Year with the DA.

Seamus saying that he and Michael were so similar also bounced around in his mind, even implying that that was the reason Ron was so comfortable with Corner. Was that actually true?

Harry looked over at Ron, who was sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes sleepily. He blinked a few times and then noticed Harry looking at him. He yawned, then said in a groggy voice,

"Breakfast? Mike will meet us later in the afternoon, he wants to do some things with his friends first."

Harry tried for a half smile, then nodded. Ron stared at him for a few moments, frowning. Then he said hesitantly,

"Thank you for doing this…I know you really don't want to."

Harry let out a small sigh. Then shrugged. "You're my best friend. This is important to you. And you were right, me and Corner shouldn't make you choose between us." He paused, Ron seemed to relax. "Well, let's get dressed and go meet Hermione."

[][][][][][][]

"Relax," Hermione hissed under her breath, sliding into a seat next to Harry later that day.

They had just escaped the pouring rain in Hogsmeade and were taking refuge in the Three Broomsticks. Michael was supposed to meet them soon, and Harry already felt agitated and prickly. Apparently Hermione had picked up on this, as she was giving him a very firm side-eye. He took a deep breath and tried to relax his shoulders.

Ron looked away from staring out the window, his brow furrowed with worry. Harry gave him a smile.

"I'll be nice," he promised, adding a partial laugh to try and lighten the mood.

"I-I mean," Ron said with a slight nervous stutter, "I don't expect you to be friends. Just…civil."

Before Harry could respond, the pub door opened, bringing a huge gust of freezing wind, and…Michael Corner. Ron grinned and stood up as the smug-looking Ravenclaw approached, wet from the rain and pink in the face from the cold. As Ron gave his boyfriend a quick kiss, Harry closed his eyes briefly and took a deep, calming breath.

Show time.

Harry put on a light smile as the couple approached, inwardly seething at the way Michael had his arm around Ron's shoulders and was whispering something to him that made Ron's ears turn red. When they got to the table, Michael Corner actually pulled Ron's chair out for him and Ron sat, all in one fluid motion as though he did this frequently.

Then, to Harry's surprise, Michael extended his hand toward him. Harry blinked, and for the briefest of moments he considered shaking his hand sitting down. But, even though Harry still despised the Ravenclaw, he couldn't bring himself to be that disrespectful, so he stood and shook the Ravenclaws hand firmly.

"Good to see you," Michael said, sitting directly across from Harry. Then he gave Ron a small smile before grabbing his chair, and sliding him close. As Ron laughed lightly, Michael placed a possessive hand around his shoulders.

Then…he smirked. Directly at Harry.

Harry could have cursed him right there in the pub. He looked over at Hermione, who seemed to have noticed nothing. She must have felt him staring because soon she gave him a very stern look, nearly reminiscent of Professor McGonagall. Harry sighed inwardly, and plastered on a fake smile.

"Good game against Slytherin yesterday," he said, leaning back in his chair, trying to feign a tone of one who was impressed, "It was close. I never really noticed how well of a chaser you are."

Keep your enemies close, he thought to himself. Maybe he could kill with kindness.

"Thanks," Michael said without missing a beat, "I've always wanted to be a seeker, but I definitely couldn't beat someone as good as you."

Git, Harry thought bitterly. Ron seemed to pick up on their game, and though he kept his neutral smile, his fingers were anxiously tapping the tabletop.

"Um, Ron," Hermione said quickly, her voice high pitched with worry, "Want to help me get us all drinks? They're packed and the line seems pretty long."

Ron nodded and stood, seeming eager to escape, but Michael grabbed his hand.

"Could you get some ginger on mine, love?" He asked with a smile, his kind tone made Harry's blood boil.

"I remember," Ron said with a laugh, squeezing his boyfriends hand before walking away with Hermione.

As soon as Ron and Hermione were out of earshot, Michael folded his arms on the table and lost his smile. He stared Harry directly in the eye, then said in a firm voice,

"Let's cut the rubbish. What exactly is your problem with me, Potter?"

Harry barked a laugh, then cleared his throat when Ron and Hermione looked back at the table. "My problem?" He repeated in a harsh whisper, "My problem? You are the one always glaring at me after snogging my best friend!" he slammed a closed fist on the table, but the front door had opened at the same time and a group of Slytherins walked in, so it went unnoticed.

"Only because you were always glaring at me." Michael deadpanned, though he then looked vaguely confused.

Harry paused, his brow furrowed. He tried to think back to the beginning of Ron and Michael's relationship. Had he been the one glowering first? He then realized…he couldn't remember.

"Is it because you were jealous of me dating Ginny, too?" Michael asked, throwing Harry for a loop, "Or because of the stuff I asked at the first DA meeting?"

"No!" Harry said quickly. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes under his glasses, stalling. Because truth be told, he really didn't know what his problem was. "I just…I'm just…Ron's my best friend." He racked his brain for something to explain his behavior. "I feel…protective." Michael looked surprised. "We've been through a lot together. I've seen him hurt in a lot of ways."

The Ravenclaw sighed, and glanced over his shoulder. Ron and Hermione were now at the bar, waiting on their drinks. He looked back at Harry.

"Look," he said quietly, almost pleadingly, "I…I really like Ron, okay? I do. I can promise you that." He hesitated, not seeming to want to say more, and finally closed his mouth, glancing over his shoulder again to look in Ron and Hermione's direction, then spoke again, "I care about him just as much as you. And, if anyone in this relationship gets hurt, I'm going to try and make sure it's me."

This last statement surprised Harry. Michael Corner always seemed so stiff and moody. Yet here he was being…vulnerable.

"You really like him?" Harry asked in a demanding tone. Michael nodded, his cheeks turning pink. "Just…" Harry felt caught off guard. He really wasn't sure what his issue with Michael was, aside from his smug personality and possessiveness. But seeing this side of him was a bit eye opening. "Alright. We can make this work." Harry finally said, seeing Ron and Hermione returning to the table.

Michael nodded and, to Harry's surprise, extended his hand toward him once more. Harry took it, noticing Michael's hands were slightly sweaty, and they shook firmly.

"What's that about?" Ron asked, setting a mug in front of Michael, with the bit of ginger in it, as Hermione set a regular one in front of Harry.

"Nothing, love," Michael said, "Just working things out, yeah?" He eyed Harry carefully.

"Right," Harry confirmed, happy to see Ron give him a grateful smile.

"Good," Ron said, his relief apparent, and leaned once again into Michael after he had swung an arm around his shoulders.

Hermione nudged Harry gently and he looked over, she gave him a wide, proud smile. Harry smiled back. He was glad they had talked, but deep down he still felt something was off with Michael, and was determined to figure it out. Hopefully, he could do it without Ron getting hurt in the process.