Spring Fling

Spring Fling

Chapter 1

7 April, Sixth Year

Harry was sitting on his bed staring out the window, very silent and barely moving. He didn't even hear Ron come in, and even less did he know that Ron was standing there for the past ten minutes just watching him, unsure of what to do or say.

"Harry? Harry, are you okay?" Ron's feet fidgeted. "I just heard from Hermione what happened. You didn't come down to dinner so I brought you some sandwiches."

Harry didn't move. He didn't even flinch as Hedwig flew over to the bed and sat next to him, nipping at his fingers.

"I'm sure they're still good even though they've been sitting by the common room fire for a few hours."

No response.

"Harry, please talk to me. Are you okay?"

Ron walked slowly over to the bed, giving the sandwiches to Hedwig (she flew away in disgust), and sat next to Harry. He saw that Harry's face was flushed and his eyes were bloodshot from crying.

Suddenly, Harry leaned into Ron's shoulder and froze.

Ron just sat there paralyzed for a moment. He was never good at expressing emotions--neither was Harry, for that matter. So Ron did what he always did when Ginny came to him with a problem; he awkwardly patted Harry's back.

"It's all right. You were too good for him anyway. Everything will be fine."

Harry wrapped his arms around Ron very tightly--clinging to him for support. Not knowing what else to do, Ron hugged him back. They were each other's best friend--practically brothers.

Ron was thankful that they were alone in the room, as he wasn't sure he could explain that nothing was going on between Harry and him at that moment. This is nothing. It's just Harry.

Every time it seemed that Harry was going to lift his head, he'd fall back on Ron's chest and sniffle for a spell. After an hour, Ron pushed Harry back a little.

"Harry this is mad, you're making yourself crazy. And what for . . . ? That git, Malfoy?"

Harry looked up at Ron and Ron knew he had said something wrong.

"He's Draco, not Malfoy. I hate it when you call him that. And Ron, you just don't understand."

Ron acknowledged to himself that he was being a tad insensitive. Though he still felt awkward, he softly said, "Sorry Harry. Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry wiped his nose on his sleeve and shrugged. Ron translated that into a "no."

"Ok, maybe in the morning after you get some rest." Ron stood up and walked over to his bed.

Harry lazily nodded in approval. They changed for bed in silence.

Soon, Ron and Harry were in bed and the lights were out. Ron was drifting off when he heard, "Ron? You asleep?"

"Hmmmph?"

"Ron?" Harry said a little louder.

"What? I'm trying to sleep."

"Can you come over here?"

Grudgingly, Ron stumbled over in the dark.

"Yes, Harry?"

"I can't sleep."

"Do you want me to get a sleeping draught?"

"No, I was . . . ," Harry faltered. Ron stood there, waiting patiently, until Harry finally spoke again. "Er, would you mind . . . " He trailed off again. Ron was starting to get tired, both from sleep and Harry not letting him sleep. "Would you mind laying next to me until I fall asleep," Harry finally asked.

They had shared a bed before, but at that moment, Ron felt a little weird about the idea. He wasn't entirely sure Harry was thinking clearly or knew what he wanted.

"I guess it's fine Harry," Ron jokingly added, "but no funny business, 'kay?"

"Sure," Harry muttered meekly.

Ron walked around to the other side of the bed. He looked over at Harry, lying on his side with his knees pulled up to his chest. For someone who had faced unspeakable horrors throughout his life, Ron was surprised that Harry couldn't deal with a little breakup. He crawled into bed next to him and pulled the sheets up--they were both clothed, nothing would happen.

Ron closed his eyes. Harry sounded like he was dosing off. Good, now they could get to sleep. He felt Harry slowly turn and wrap his arm around Ron's chest. Ron froze in panic.

Maybe he's just getting comfortable. It's nothing.

Harry sighed, turned, and laid his head on Ron's chest. He nuzzled in and seemed to drift off to sleep.

Oh bloody hell, what does Harry think he's doing?

Ron glanced down and looked at Harry in the moonlight, so peaceful and relaxed. But he couldn't take it anymore. This was weirder than those tentacles he cut up in Potions last week.

"Harry?" shaking him slightly. "Harry? Wake up."

"Huh?"

"Can I ask why you're laying on me like that?"

Harry pulled away from Ron and turned his head away. "Oh, I'm sorry. I used to sleep like this with Draco and I thought it would help me calm down. It's okay[.] I'll go back to the other side of the bed."

Though Ron still felt a little disturbed by what had happened, he couldn't help but empathize. For a sixteen-year-old, Harry lived a very lonely life, Ron thought. This can't be what Harry wants, but it's just sleep--it's nothing. Stop thinking and go to sleep, Ron. "No, no, it's all right. Just go back to sleep," Ron said. Ron instinctively put his right arm around Harry. "I'm sorry I was short with you before."

"S'okay." Harry snuggled in even tighter and drifted off to sleep.

The sunlight peaked in through a crack in the canopy of Harry's bed and hit Ron right in the face. He heard mumbling voices.

"Seamus, breakfast time, let's go."

"I'm coming Neville. You check on the others?"

"Ron's bed is empty. So's Dean's. And you remember what I saw the last time I peaked in on Harry," Neville said with a giggle.

Shit, they're awake. They must have gone to bed after we fell asleep; I didn't even think about it. Ron did not want to have to explain this to anyone, especially his roommates. If I don't say anything they'll just go away. I'll figure out what I was doing later.

"I'll go get Lavender and meet you downstairs, Neville," Ron heard Seamus say. There were footsteps and the door opened and closed.

That was close.

He tried to get up but realized that Harry was sound asleep (and drooling) on his chest. Neither of them seemed to have moved all night. Ron looked down at Harry and felt sorry for him. But as sorry he felt, this was just plain weird. Ron had slept with Hermione like this, but that ended last year after they broke up. Sleeping with Harry felt good though, not in that way, but still it was nice to feel close with someone again--even if it was Harry.

Ron lay there for an hour, lost in thought, while Harry slept. As Harry woke, he turned his head and looked straight up into Ron's eyes.

"Sorry about the drool, Ron."

"Because that's what's wrong with this picture, eh?"

They laughed it off. Harry was a little better that morning, but Ron could tell he was still devastated from whatever it was that happened with Malfoy. Ron knew, though, that Harry would come around and tell him eventually. He always did, after all.

* * *

A week passed. It seemed that Harry's greatest need wasn't so much for Ron as for an extra pillow. Ron wound up sleeping in Harry's bed, with Harry cuddling him (and drooling on him), every night that week.

Ron lay in bed early that Sunday morning thinking about it all.

Why am I doing this? I said I'd be there for him no matter what, and I am. I always am. Faithful Ron. [D]ependable Ron. That's me. But this is too much. I can't take it anymore. Night after night of holding him like that. It's creepy--does he dream about being in Malfoy's arms when he's with me? Fucking sick, him sleeping with Malfoy. It was bad enough that Harry spent all of his time the past six months with that arsehole, now he's acting like not having Draco was some big loss. Good riddance.

Ron was shocked he was being so insensitive to Harry. Okay stop. I'm Harry's friend. This is about him, not the arsehole.

As usual, Harry woke up and slid over to the other side of the bed. And, as usual, he walked over to the window and stared out of it, sighing.

For fuck's sake, he's still thinking about ferret boy.

"Harry, you can't do this forever. This is getting weird. No, actually, we passed 'weird' six nights ago when I let this continue. I can't do this every night."

"Shut up, Ron. I just need your support now and I thought I could count on it, but I guess I can't."

"No, it's not that. I'm worried and you won't tell me or anyone else what's going on." Ron crawled over and sat on the edge of the bed near Harry

"Can't you leave me alone? You just don't understand."

"No, you don't understand that there are people who really care about you here. But you go running off with that arsehole Malfoy for six months and I'm just supposed to sit by and smile. And, if you recall, I did--faithfully, even though I knew it was a bad idea."

"Well, no one asked you to put up with me. You could have just ignored me and left me alone," Harry whined back.

I put up with that because I'm your friend and I'll always be there for you.

"Harry, I tolerated it even though I knew you were always too good for him and now look, you're all fucked up from whatever he did to you." Ron had his usual temper and pushed the issue further. "I bet he cheated on you, then left you. Is that it?" He added matter-of-factly.

"Fuck you!" Harry turned, almost in tears, and looked as if he were about to slap Ron. Instead, he ran out of the room.

"Shit, I was right." Ron lay back on the bed. A minute later, he changed his mind. He got up and ran after Harry. He didn't need to follow too closely. He knew where to go.

Ron slammed the owlery door open and saw Harry sitting in the corner with his head in his hands. "Harry, I'm sorry. I went too far, but I'm right aren't I?"

Harry didn't move. He didn't have to. Ron knew.

Ron bent down and gave Harry a hug. Harry leaned on his shoulder, then looked up.

"Yeah, you're right." Harry paused and started speaking, the words eagerly flowing from his mouth. "I caught him last Saturday in the Astronomy Tower with Dean. They were doing it on the armchair--our bloody armchair. I showed up thirty minutes before he was supposed to meet me there and I found them. He didn't even know I was there because I was in the Invisibility Cloak. But I saw and heard everything. I couldn't believe Draco, and better yet Dean, would do that to me."

Harry paused and looked away from Ron.

Do I say something?

Harry seemed to have to force his words out as he continued, "Draco was saying things to Dean that he had only ever said to me about how he felt and what Dean meant to him."

Harry put his head back in his hands and tried not to look at Ron.

"Er, I'm sorry Harry," Ron replied, unsure what he could say to make things better.

But Harry continued, "Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I threw off the cloak. I screamed at Draco. He screamed back. I screamed at Dean. He screamed back. The whole time, Dean didn't even get out of Draco's lap. I ran out of there, and as I was going out the door, I told Draco that we were over."

Ron was boiling with anger. He stood up. "Ok, let's go get him--both of them, even. They have to pay for this."

"No, don't! That won't help anything. It's not worth it."

"That's good, Harry."

Ron's thoughts filled the silence. That slimy git, Malfoy. I can understand this from him. But Dean? He said he's been screwing around with someone in another house, but I didn't suspect this. His face was now as red as his hair.

"And I'm sorry about the bed thing. It was nice to have someone there. I didn't mean to make you feel weird," Harry mumbled.

Ron started to calm down. Okay, so I kind of liked being close like that with someone again, even if it was Harry.

"It's okay." They both laughed. It was the first time Ron had seen Harry smile in a week. "Now, let's get to the Hall for some breakfast."

"Morning Hermione."

"Good morning, Ron. What happened to you, Harry? You've got your colour back," Hermione commented cheerfully.

Ron grabbed a plate of sausages and started eating.

"I'll get over this . . . eventually," Harry said while looking at his empty plate.

"As you should," Hermione chimed. "You're far too good for him. Besides, you've got your Prefect duties to tend to. Thankfully, Professor McGonagall was understanding and let you have the week off of our rounds."

"You know, I'm sure walking around this building at night looking for wayward first-years is the last thing on his mind." Ron joked back at her.

"Yes, well, it will get his mind off things, Ron."

"You know I am sitting here, right?"

"Sorry, Harry." Hermione and Ron exchanged sheepish glances.

They ate their meals, engaging in the usual banter: homework, next week's Quidditch game, new flings, or, rather, lack thereof. The pleasantries didn't last long, though.

"What are you looking at, Harry? Oh geez, stop looking at him. It'll just upset you."

"He's right," Hermione chimed in.

"I know, but I like it when he does his hair like that." Harry sighed like Lavender Brown in second-year Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ron rolled his eyes.

They finished up their meals and walked out of the Hall. Malfoy and some Slytherins were hanging around outside the door, talking about something Ron could hardly make out.

"Is that a new Remembrall?" Ron faintly heard. It sounded like Dean's voice.

For fuck's sake! Not now--not after what Harry went through this morning. But it was too late.

Ron saw Malfoy make eye contact with Harry. Harry's face suddenly turned red. Then, Ron noticed Malfoy shoot Harry an evil smirk when Harry saw Dean standing next to Malfoy

"That's it! I can't take it anymore. Look at that smug arsehole, smirking at you with that - that scarlet man." Ron, having lost all sense of control, half-shouted at Harry and Hermione.

Ron was fuming, but managed to see Hermione try to hide her giggling with her hand.

"S'not funny Hermione. To think we've shared a room with Dean all this time and then he does this to you, Harry." Ron started walking over to Draco.

"Ron, don't." Hermione pleaded. "He's not worth it."

But it was too late. Ron was three feet from Malfoy.

"What the fuck are you doing? Prancing around with your new toy? Didn't you do enough to Harry already?" Ron was face to face with Malfoy and wouldn't even acknowledge Dean's existence.

"Sod off, Weasel." With that, Malfoy shoved Ron out of his way and went back to talking with Dean and the others.

Later, Ron would realize that his wand would have done more damage. At that moment, though, his instincts took over. He swung at Malfoy's face and, with one punch, knocked him on the floor. Hermione ran over and grabbed Ron's arm.

"No, Hermione. I've been waiting to do this for a long time. He deserves it after what he did!" Ron shouted at her. By now Malfoy had collected himself and was pulling his wand out of his pocket. Ron quickly did the same.

"What are you doing Weasley?" a new voice shouted.

Ron stopped in mid-swish when he heard Snape.

"Mr Weasley, that's 15 points from Gryffindor and detention for striking another student."

Ron was getting angrier every second. "But he provoked me. He was--"

"Silence! I won't hear any of it or it's another five points. Mr Malfoy, come, let's take you to the hospital wing to make sure you're not injured."

Malfoy rose from the floor and dusted himself off. He still had his eyes locked with Ron's. Ron was determined not to break contact first.

"That's enough of that. Now everyone move along," Snape barked at the assembling crowd.

Malfoy quirked his eyebrows suggestively at Ron and brushed past him.

"What was that about?" Hermione interjected.

"Who cares," Ron replied. They walked off to the Gryffindor common room.