Secrets Are Better Left Secret

In the corner of Gryffindor common room sat two boys. Scratching of quills filled the air, and occasionally a tired yawn could be heard.

"I think I'll go to bed," one of the boys, dark-haired and scar-headed, said and rose up, yawning widely. "Will you wake me up at 7 o'clock tomorrow?"

"Sure, Harry," the other boy answered, his eyes not leaving the long essay he was scribbling. "G'night."

"G'night, mate," Harry replied and gathered his things before walking across the red carpet of the Common Room and finally disappearing in the Boys' Dormitory.

Ron focused on his homework for a few moments until he too, started to feel drowsiness creeping into him. 'I might as well finish it tomorrow. I won't get anything reasonable done if I'm this exhausted,' he reckoned and started to pack his books away when his eyes caught something that wasn't his own. "Of course Harry had to forget something so that I would have to clear it up for him..." he grumbled, moving his hand on the table to pick up the small, shabby book his friend had left behind. He was already stuffing it in his bag, when he noticed the title written upon it:

Diary year six

This book is the property of Harry Potter and is not to be read by anyone else.

So KEEP OUT!

This really caught Ron's attention. All the tiredness that he had been feeling a second ago vanished and he could help but stare at the tiny book. He had never known that Harry kept a diary. A mad fascination took over him. His fingers trailed the cover of the book, playing with the thought of somehow accidentally dropping it open, but his faithfulness toward his friend took the lead. He placed the diary on the table and sat down to think.

'I could never betray Harry's trust.

A tiny peek wouldn't hurt.

Don't be stupid, he would find out.

He wouldn't if you were quiet about it.

I'm not interested in Harry's personal thoughts.

What if he wrote something about you in there?

He's got the right to do that.

What would he keep secret from his best friend?'

Ron couldn't help himself anymore. He was Harry's best friend, wasn't he? So didn't that give him the right to see what Harry would write in a diary? And what would Harry not tell him!? It's not like he would encounter any real secrets in there! He scanned the Common Room for others who had happened to leave their homework for the darkest of hours, but couldn't find any. Then he took a deep breath and grabbed the diary. 'Just do it, man. He'll never find out. It'll be a just a tiny little peek...'

He turned to a random page and could see a familiar hand-writing covering it.

'October 16

I went on one of my midnight strolls again last night. They're almost becoming a habit. I don't know why, but I like the castle at night. It's so peaceful, and you can almost hear someone answer when you entrust the shadows with your thoughts and problems. And of course it's a good way of trying to come across him.

I was lucky. I sat in the Astronomy Tower, just thinking and watching the stars. It was pretty cold when I took off the Invisibility Cloak, but I didn't care, I wanted to be seen in case he came there. And he did, just like the one night earlier in the autumn. The night I got to feel the softness of his lips, the night that wouldn't leave my mind. He sat next to me, just like the time before.

Neither of us spoke for a long time, as if we had secretly agreed not to. Finally, he asked me the question I had waited for. "It's not a lie, then, is it? You really do love me?" I smiled at his uncertainty and replied: "I do love you and will love you forever if you just accept my love. Now I must ask you, do you love me?" I could see wonder and amazement in his eyes when he answered. "Yes, I do, Harry. I...I've loved you for a long time..." He might have said more, but I didn't let him. I leaned forward and kissed him long and desperately. God, Draco has the most amazing lips.'

Ron scanned forward. Anxiety and disgust were growing inside him and his hands trembled as he read another entry.

'November 2

Draco and I have been meeting nearly every night, but I still miss him so much that it feels like my heart could brake. We try to steal glances from each other when nobody is looking, but our lessening fights are already attracting too much attention, so we can do that rarely. I wish more than anything that we could be together like a normal couple, but we both know that it is impossible, he is a son of a Death Eater and I the hope of all good wizards...'

He turned to a new page.

'I could feel his hot breath on my neck, when his lips did incredible things...'

And another.

'Were thinking of trying to spend a night together in spite of the chance of us getting caught. I've got it all planned, we can use the Room of Requirement, we'll lock the door and I'll make up some lie for Ron and Hermione...'

And another.

'I'm starting to feel like we're ready to take a new step in our relationship...'

Ron felt like he would throw up.

He glanced up, making sure he hadn't been caught, and quickly slipped the diary into his bag.

Oh, God.

Oh, bloody, fucking God.

He got up and started dizzily walking across the room. He could hear himself laughing hollowly, although he didn't find anything funny in the situation. A single thought rose up in his head:

Some secrets were just better left secret.