The Kiss

The Kiss

Harry and Draco went home with the Weasleys that night to celebrate the fall of Voldemort after Draco had instructed the house elves to clean up the manor before he returned.

When Harry and Draco walked into the Weasley's house, hand in hand, Ginny hadn't given it a second glance until after she had run to Harry and hugged him tightly.

Harry did not return the sentiment.

Ginny pulled away from Harry curiously. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Harry's a pouf," Ron said from the other side of the room.

"A...what?" Ginny asked, slowly. She looked at Harry with her big brown eyes and Draco swore he saw both pain and fury in them. "You're gay?"

Harry stood silent and still, not answering Ginny's question. Ginny bit her bottom lip as tears filled her eyes. "Why?" she asked thickly. "Why didn't you tell me this before I fell I love with you?"

"You loved me before you met me, Gin," Harry said softly. "And I didn't know what I was until very recently," he said locking his eyes with Draco's. "Very recently."

Ginny turned in the direction of Harry's gaze and saw Draco leaning against the counter. "My God," she said softly, turning back to Harry. "That's why he was with you, isn't it?" she asked. "Because you two have been together all along!"

"No," Harry said firmly. "That is not why Draco has been traveling with us. We told you why he was with us. Draco and I have only been together for about three hours."

Ginny looked as though she didn't believe him. "You're a liar," she said simply. "You're a goddamned liar."

"No he's not," Hermione said from her seat at the kitchen table. "Draco's been attracted to Harry since before Bill and Fleur got married, but he didn't act on that until today."

Last night, Draco silently corrected her.

"How would you know?" Ginny demanded harshly.

"Because I know Harry," Hermione said. "And I know that there is no way he would even consider a lover or anything remotely similar to that while there is a known evil that attacks the ones he loves repeatedly. That's why he broke up with you, remember?" she asked. "He didn't want you hurt. It's the same principal here, except that there was never a relationship to end. Just one building up Merlin-knows-how-much sexual tension."

Mrs. Weasley stepped in then, before anyone wound up more hurt than Ginny was at the moment (who wouldn't be after what she'd just learned), announcing that the war was over and that it was a time of celebrating, not fighting.

"Here, here," Draco said once Mrs. Weasley had finished her little speech. Ginny glared at him, sending the message that if she weren't underage or under the supervision of her mother, he would have found himself on the receiving end of her Bat-Boogey hex. Having been on the receiving end of said hex in the past, Draco shut up.

Ginny did not stay for the party.

Neither did anyone else for that matter. No one was in the mood for celebration. They were all too weary, tired, shocked, or otherwise to be able to bring themselves up to par. Harry and Draco were among the first to retire. They stayed in the twins' room that night, with the intent of returning to Malfoy Manor the next day.

"You know how you asked me about Ginny last night?" Harry asked, sitting down on one of the beds and shamelessly watching Draco as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Yes," Draco answered, sitting down on the other bed.

"There was more than what I said," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, thinking it had been pretty clear the night before. "What more?"

"Ever since you've been around, and I'm talking the entire time we've known each other, I've always been attracted to you. That's why I always cared so much about what you were doing and why. And the reason I didn't stay with Hermione and Ron every time we split up...I had to know for sure, what I was feeling. Now I do."

Draco smiled slightly. "You know, I think it's the same for me," he said.

Harry smiled and moved the three feet to the bed Draco was on. "I love you," he said softly, bringing his hand up to tuck a stray hair behind Draco's ear.

"I love you too," Draco said, leaning in to kiss Harry.

"Whoa!" someone said as he opened the door. Harry and Draco quickly separated and looked in the direction of the sound only to find Fred and George standing there.

Both Harry and Draco were frozen with shock.

"What's going on?" one of the twins--Draco was sure which--asked.

This question seemed to snap the two lovers from their shock. "It's not what it looks like!" Harry said quickly. "I mean, it is, but it isn't."

"Aren't you supposed to be dating our sister?" the other twin--again, Draco didn't know the difference--asked.

Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "She didn't tell you we broke up?" he asked. "Because that was ages ago."

"She said that you had put things on hold until after the war," the first twin said.

"I did," Harry said slowly. "But things changed," he said. "I don't like girls."

"We noticed," both twins said. Draco shook his head slightly.

"Maybe we should just go to the manor," Draco said, finding it clear that the twins were very put off by what they had interrupted. "People need more than five hours to get used to news like this."

"More than five hours?" one of them asked. "We're going to need more than five months. Don't forget, we've known Harry for seven years now. The sudden news that he's gay is a bit of a shocker."

"How do you think I felt?" Harry asked. "I've known me my whole life and I didn't have a clue."

Harry turned to Draco. "But I'm glad I know," he said softly. He sighed heavily. "Maybe we should go," he said.

"No, you don't have to," one of the twins said. "Really. We're not staying."

"But if you're going to do anything," the other one said, "make sure you do something about the sheets before you leave. Burn them or something. We do stay here on occasion, and I don't want to find some surprise when I climb into my bed."

"Yeah, you really don't have to leave." The twin who spoke pointed to a box. "We're here for those," he said. "We'll be gone in five minutes."

"Or less," the other one said. Draco was starting to get very confused as to which twin was which. Why in the name of Merlin did they have to be identical to the very last freckle? And how in the bloody hell did everyone tell them apart?

The two went to their boxes and got what they had come for.

"Ta ta," they said as they walked out of the room, each with two boxes weighing him down.

Granger appeared at the open door seconds later. "Harry?" she asked. "I think you really need to talk to Ginny."

"Why?" Harry asked. "What's wrong?"

Granger looked down at the floor before meeting Harry's eyes. "She's threatening to kill herself."

*****

Harry felt his entire body tense at Hermione's words. "She's what?" he asked.

"You really need to talk to her," she said. "Now."

Harry glanced at Draco who looked at him with the same expression reflected on his face. Harry distractedly remembered a time when Draco's face had been as a hard as stone. He had been fascinated with the change.

But now was not the time to think about Draco. Now was the time to save Ginny.

Harry quickly rose from the bed and followed Hermione up to Ginny's room.

She looked up as they entered. Her eyes widened with shock and rage and she threw the book she was holding at Harry. "Get out," she ordered.

Harry shook his head. "No," he said.

"Get out," Ginny said again, louder and stronger than before.

Harry took a step further into the room. "No," he said again.

Ginny seemed to chose a different route. "Why did you bring him up here?" she demanded, turning to Hermione.

"Because you two need to talk," she said. "Before you do something stupid."

"Get out!" she nearly yelled as Harry took another step closer. He was nearly to her. She repeated her order with every step Harry took.

When Harry did finally reach her, she went to slap him, but Harry caught her wrist before she made contact. She tried again with her other hand and Harry stopped that attempt as well. With both of her hands useless to her, she tried to struggle against Harry. "Let me go!" she cried, fighting him. She bit down on his hand until she drew blood and still Harry did not let go.

"Listen to me," he pleaded, tears burning his eyes. His tears were not as a result of his injury, rather as a result of the pain Ginny was causing in them both.

Her eyes welled up with tears. She let out a sob and her resistance ceased. Harry let go of her wrists and wrapped his arms around her sobbing form. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. "Merlin, I am so sorry."

"Why?" she sobbed into his shoulder as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Harry was silent, not knowing what to say. It wasn't as though he'd chosen to be gay on purpose (the fact was that he didn't choose anything), it just...it just happened. He never once did it to hurt anyone; in fact, he gave in to his desires to stop hurting.

"Why?" she asked again.

"Why what?" Harry finally asked.

She pulled away from him and wiped her tears on the hem of her nightshirt. "Why did you do this to me?" she asked as more tears fell.

"I didn't," Harry said shaking his head slightly. "I didn't do this on purpose, Gin, it just happened. For months I didn't know what was going on. I missed you, but at the same time I found myself unexplainably attracted to Draco. The feeling just kept getting stronger and stronger until I finally figured out why I was so attracted to him. I didn't choose this, I didn't do it on purpose, and I sure as hell didn't do it to hurt you, Gin. I swear, it just happened.

"And it is no reason to threaten to kill yourself over," Harry said, locking his eyes with Ginny's. "Understand?" he asked. "There are millions of other wizards out there--most of them better than me. You'll find someone, Gin. I swear you will. It just won't be me."

"Do you love him?" she asked. For a second Harry didn't understand.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I heard Mum say that Draco went to you and told you he loved you," she said. "Do you love him?"

Harry sighed, unsure of what to say. Yes, he loved Draco and he'd even said as much to the blonde in question.

"You do, don't you?" she asked softly.

Harry gave her a weak smile and nodded. "Yeah, Gin," he said. "I do."

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"What for?" Harry asked, reaching out and brushing a flaming red lock of hair away from her face. "I'm the asshole. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

She shook her head. "No you're not," she said. "You broke up with me, remember?" she asked. "It was over and I was clinging. I was selfish. Mum always told me I was selfish and that it would one day catch up with me...."

Harry shook his head. "Tell your mum she doesn't know what selfish is," he said. "You're not selfish."

She sighed heavily. "Draco's probably waiting for you," she said. "You should go back to him."

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I've got Hermione here to make sure I don't do anything stupid," she said.

Harry nodded. "If you need me, you know where to find me," he said. She nodded and he stood. "Night," he said to both Ginny and Hermione.

Hermione looked up from her book. "Night," she said.

"Night," Ginny said as Harry walked out of the room.

"Is she okay?" Draco asked as Harry shut the door behind him. Harry sighed and leaned against the wood. "She will be," he said. "She cried a lot."

Draco sighed. "I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever be liked by anyone you know."

"Don't be ridiculous," Harry said. "Hermione likes you."

"Wow," Draco said slowly. "A whole one in what, fifty?"

Harry chuckled. "Mrs. Weasley likes you," he said. "As do Bill and Mr. Weasley. You're growing on Ron, so there's hope there. And I'm sure Ginny will come around once she gets to know you."

Draco chuckled. "Right," he said. "She's going to become my best friend! Especially after I stole you away from her."

"If it wasn't you, it probably would have been someone else," he said reasonably. "Sooner or later I was bound to figure out what was wrong with me. I'm just glad it happened before I got married or something."

Draco chuckled. "God I'm glad I was never straight," he muttered.

"Really?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded. "I've never liked girls," he confessed. "My father always tried to 'fix' me, obviously that didn't work."

"What about Pansy Parkinson?" Harry asked walking over to him. "Didn't you two date?"

Draco shook his head. "No," he answered simply. "She wanted to--she's been in love with me for Merlin-knows-how-long, but I've never once returned the sentiment. I took her to the Yule Ball to get her to leave me alone for the rest of the year--and my father demanded that I do it. I was going to marry her, but I would have never touched her. Don't ever get rich, Harry," he said. "Money makes people do shit they wouldn't normally do."

Harry chuckled. "But if I'm with you, aren't I already rich?"

Draco chuckled and lay back on the bed. "Okay, so you don't actually have anything to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" Harry asked. "I can think of one thing."

Draco looked up at Harry confused. "What's that?" he asked.

Harry chuckled and leaned closer to Draco. "Desire," he whispered in the other man's ear.

Draco smiled and they kissed.