Hey there!! Long time no update huh?! I'm so sorry. I appreciate everyone's patience as I get my life back in order. Talk to you guys soon and leave feedback as always!! I love responding to you guys!!
"Wait, I need you to back up and tell me what happened one more time. Just tell me once more."
"Ginny! Stop laughing this instant. You are really insufferable! Here I am trying to explain to you the hell and turmoil I'm going through right now, and you are laughing. Honestly, I'm thinking I would make out better being friends with a wild dragon than you."
Harry swatted her arm as she continued to cackle. It had been two days since the Charlie incident and he had to tell someone. Since only two people knew he was gay in person, and one of them was part of the problem, that left Ginny.
"Okay! I'm sorry! I don't mean to laugh at you really. I just don't understand how everything always seems to happen to you. You have the worst luck. Did you like kissing my brother?" Ginny asked trying not to smirk too hard.
"Fuck my actual whole life! Why are you like this woman?" Harry sat down next to his face in his hands. He started talking into his hands and Ginny yanked at them.
"I can't even hear what you are saying! And what do you mean why am I like this? A good friend who is always there for you even when you are having a meltdown for nothing. It was just a kiss Harry. You have to be the one to determine if it meant something to you and if it did what you are going to do about it. Avoiding my brothers phone calls and texts won't make it any better. It's Thursday night. You literally will see him in three days at Mums and you know damn well you can't avoid there. Mum will have your actual head if you don't come for dinner." Ginny leaned her head against his shoulder. "Honestly Harry, it's not that big of a deal. I promise. I know you like talking to Cobra, but he's not your boyfriend. Also, it was one kiss. It's not like you snogged Charlie for hours on the couch. You didn't even know he was going to kiss you. You did nothing wrong."
Harry groaned looking at her again. "He really caught me off guard. I'm so awful at reading people Ginny. I don't know what to say to your brother. The kissing was fine, better than i thought it would be. But I just don't know that I could ever look at him like that. Charlie has always been like family to me."
"So then be honest with him. Call him, before Sunday and tell him. I'm sure he will understand. As for Cobra, I think being honest is the best case and here's my reasoning… while he is not your boyfriend, you two did decide to talk just to each other. If and when you two decide to meet and hang out and he finds out you hid it, it will seem like it's so much more than it really was. Tell him exactly what you told me. It caught you off guard, it was one kiss that you don't want a repeat of and that you are awful about reading others." Ginny sipped the glass of wine she had poured herself while listening to Harrys problem.
"Sometimes I wonder how it is that you became so wise. For a girl whose life answers is to get drunk or fight grown men for her issues that was really good advice." Harry laughed snagging the bottle of wine and pouring himself a glass
"What can I say, I'm classy and sassy at the same time." Ginny looked around realizing how quiet it really was in Harrys house. "Where is Teddy? I thought Andy only took him on Tuesdays?"
Harry looked at Ginny with a weird smile, "When I tell you, you won't believe me. He is hanging out with Malfoy."
Ginny paused mid sip eyeing Harry carefully. Did he know? "Like Draco Malfoy?"
"Yes as in Draco Malfoy. Andy fire called me this morning about it. Told me that Malfoy is trying to get to know some of his family and he would really like to get to know Teddy but didn't think I would agree to it if just he had owled me. He's not wrong. I would have probably told him right where to shove himself… but Andy swears that over the last two years Malfoy's really made some changes in his life. I trust her. So she picked him up and I gave her the note with my address so Malfoy can drop him off later." Harry shrugged. "I don't want to let my prejudices against Malfoy to ruin Teddys chances of being loved by all his family."
Ginny sat back in her seat sipping her wine watching her best friend. "So you are telling me that your son is spending time with your favorite Slytherin wet dream and he is coming here… to return him? Why are you dressed like a bloody bum then?! Harry James Potter! Get your arse upstairs, get showered and give that man something to look at when he brings Teddy back!"
Harry glared at her, "Are you mental? I just got done having my first gay dating type crisis and you are setting me up for another? First off, I don't want Malfoy to come in here and have something to look at you slag. Second off I am talking to someone and I already have to explain to him that I lip locked the man I told him was nothing to worry about. Third off, even if my some small chance I wanted to show off, you know damn well Malfoy isn't checking me out. Now stop pestering me about my relaxing clothes and finish your wine before I send you home and don't let you see me text to Cobra or your brother."
Ginny tsked at him, "Fine, but I think you are wrong about Malfoy for the record. I think you two would find that you have a mutual appreciation for each others bodies. Moving on! Who are you texting first then?"
Harry grumbled snatching his phone off the high top counter they were sitting at. "Definitely Charlie. I don't want to keep leading him on." Harry flipped open his mobile and frowned when he saw he had missed several calls and texts from said man.
Charlie: Hey Harry! I had a lot of fun tonight. Sorry it had to end so quickly but it was a good night none the less. I'm sure you and Teddy are already in bed so shoot me a message in the morning. Good night!
Charlie:Good morning! I know you have to work today but maybe you want to snag a bite to eat with me? You and Teddy? I have no solid plans so just let me know!
Charlie:So I'm getting the impression you may be ignoring me at this point. I tried calling and left you a voicemail. Did I do something wrong? Call or text me back Harry
Charlie: Hey, please text me back. I talked to Ron and I known you are alive and okay but I really think we should talk about what happened Tuesday.
Harry sighed feeling a bit like a jerk. He hadn't meant to leave Charlie hanging like that. Everything had happened so fast and processing it proved harder than he thought.
Harry: Let me start off and say… Sorry I have been a dick. You did nothing wrong Charlie. I don't want to say kissing you was a mistake, because that sounds like I regret it. But it should have never happened and it was a lot for me to process. I'm not quite as comfortable or as experienced as you are so it really caught me off guard. I like you Charlie but not in that way. Maybe if I wasn't talking to someone I would feel different. I'm just not ready to move things so quickly and I'm still figuring myself out. I'm sorry I ignored you yesterday and today. I just need a little time. I promise to message you again before Sunday.
Harry handed his phone to Ginny to read and she nodded, "fair enough I think. You should have thrown in there that you like tall blonde dominant types and he probably would understand." Ginny handed his phone back which he snatched.
"Just for that you can finish your wine and get out. You are impossible really." Harry made a face at her as she downed her glass.
"I have to go anyways. I'm getting together with Luna at the Leaky for a late dinner and a few drinks." Ginny kissed his cheek and placed her glass in the sink. "Don't have too much fun with out me, text me after Lover boy responds and after the sex god himself leaves. Seriously take my advice, go change and flirt a bit. Good practice for when you actually meet Cobra." She winked playfully and grabbed her bag heading for the floo. "Love you!" She yelled before he heard his fire roar.
Harry finished his glass of wine and decided to have a second, moving himself to the sitting room so he could text Cobra. They hadn't stopped texting at all, but Harry had been very vague about how dinner went on Tuesday.
Harry: Hey you! How was your day? What are you doing right now?
Cobra: I'm hanging out with my baby cousin actually. We just stopped for a water and juice break. My day was boring at best until a few hours ago when I got this trouble maker. How was your day?
Harry: I worked and I'm kid free for a little bit. Small world, he's hanging out with his cousin today. I actually wanted to tell you something, but I don't want you to get mad.
Cobra: I can't promise I won't get mad or upset, but I can promise to hear you out and then decide if I'm upset. Are you secretly a girl or something? Or worse… Secretly Harry Potter… that would really burst my bubble.
Harry: Wait, why would that burst your bubble? Not into celebrities or something?
Now Harrys heart was hammering. This couldn't be any good. Just his luck, he would meet someone on the dating ap that wouldn't like Harry Potter.
Cobra: I'm starting to think you don't know how to joke around. I was only joking. If you were Harry Potter…I know for certain you wouldn't have been on a dating ap looking for men. Besides, trust me when I tell you. I wouldn't be his type even if he was gay. Trust me on that one. Between you and me, he's probably celebrity crush. I think every gay man saw that issue of Witch weekly and the way those jeans cupped his arse… This is getting off track. What did you have to tell me.
Harry: Oh, I guess that makes sense. I wanted to talk to you about that dinner I had Tuesday night. I wasn't 100% straight forward with you. My friends brother kissed me, I may have kissed back for a few seconds but I told him that shouldn't have happened and that we are just friends. I just didn't want to hide it from you.
Cobra: You may have kissed him back?
Harry: Okay, I DID kiss him back. But he caught me completely off guard and I was pretty tipsy.
Cobra: But you pushed him away and told him you were just friends?
Harry: Not exactly… my son got home and startled us. But I would have stopped it even if he hadn't gotten home.
Cobra: Would you? It sounds like to me you might have kept going.
Harry: Don't do that. I'm telling you because I don't want any secrets between us like that. I know we're not dating but it doesn't seem like a good way to start of a relationship by hiding something like that.
Cobra: And how would you feel if when I went to drop my cousin off and kissed the man he stays with?
Harry: I would probably be more hurt than you are because you did it intentionally. I didn't kiss him to hurt you. I had never even kissed a man before that moment. I honestly pictured my first kiss was going to be with you.
Cobra: Fine, I won't stay mad. But you owe me something nice when I finally see you in person.
Harry: Deal, whatever you want. How about instead we talk about how your celebrity crush is Harry Potter?
Cobra: Careful telling me I can have whatever I want. I've always gotten everything I've asked for or wanted. And how about we never talk about that again. I have to go anyways. The wild child is getting restless. I'll text you tonight when I finally get home.
Harry laughed setting his mobile down, that had gone better than he expected. He knew Cobra was still a little pissed but he had high hopes the man would calm down soon enough. He finished his second glass of wine and decided on using the alone time to take advantage of a child free shower. He had plenty of time before Malfoy returned with Teddy.
———
Harry padded down the stairs bare foot, and in dark grey joggers toweling off his hair. He had taken a few dirty pictures to send to Cobra to find later and make up for his screw up.
As Harry rounded the corner the floo roared to life and out stepped Teddy with his green dragon clutched in his little fist and the other wrapped up in Malfoy's long black cloak. It appeared that Teddy had fallen asleep and Malfoy was doing his best not to wake him.
"Potter, he hasn't been sleeping long. Where do you want me to set him?" Malfoy asked giving him a strange look in his half undressed appearance.
"Couch is fine. I can carry him upstairs after you head out." Harry pointed to a large love seat that Teddy loved to nap on.
"Don't be ridiculous Potter. I already have him in my arms. Just lead the way and I will get out of your hair."
Harry stood dumb founded for a few moments before nodding and agreeing to let him follow. He felt Malfoy's eyes burning into his back as they headed to the second floor. How had he pissed the man off already?
He led him into Teddys bedroom and moved aside as he watched Malfoy tuck him in and place a kiss on his forehead, thinking he had been unseen. Malfoy stood up straight turning to look at Harry once more.
"Forget to finish getting dressed or have you finally decided to burn most of that hideous wardrobe?" Malfoy asked following him back down the stairs.
"Not that it's any of your business Malfoy, but this is my house and I can walk around naked if I bloody well please." Harry said as they reached the fire place back in the sitting room.
"Well try not to scar the child with something like that Potter. The poor child has enough trauma to last I think."
"Does my partial nudity offend you Malfoy? Or is it because you wish whatever bloke is taking up space in your bed looked half as good as I do?" Harry countered.
"Worried about who is currently taking up space in my bed sheets? I didn't know you cared." Malfoy winked at him. "Thank you for letting me take him. If it's okay, can I owl you in a few days and set up another day to see him? My work only keeps me busy on the weekends really so I'm even free during the day while you're working."
Harry was surprised how quickly the banter had turned and now Malfoy was looking a bit nervous. Was he afraid Harry would tell him no?
"Uh sure, I don't see why that would be an issue. You know Malfoy, you should really get a mobile. They are so much easier than owls."
"I have a mobile Potter, but that's reserved for my boyfriend to send me pictures of his cock. So unless you want to pay that toll, you will just have to wait for an owl." With that Malfoy was gone leaving Harry stunned and reeling.