LET'S BREAK SOMETHIN OUT!

Music screamed all around as a mass of bodies writhed and pulsed on the dance floor in time with the beat. Several dozen more writhed off the dance floor, making out at tables, against the wall, against the bar. Drinking and laughing and ogling the beautiful slender boys in brightly colored briefs who were dancing exposed, provocative on small triangular platforms raised above the dance floor. Tips stuffed in their waistband, sidling up to the dancers, lured closer to them, making love to the pole as they swung themselves around fluidly to the beat.

Under the blacklight, the pale blond of one dancer illuminated the dark corner of his platform, a lighthouse for the other dancers, and they were attracted to him like moths to his unrelenting flames. His near naked body was slick from the sweat accumulated from hours of dancing. The other boys had given up and taken a break before trying to urge more bills from the patrons. He continued to dance, moving as seamlessly as a bolt of plush velvet.

Suddenly, he extended his arm and beckoned someone from across the room with one finger. That someone immediately began to push his way through the crowd eagerly. After fighting through the dancers who eagerly waited to slip a bill into this prize's underwear, he climbed up onto the platform. His hair was bleached white, with dyed patches of pink and blue. His generous mouth swooped down and met the pale pink lips of the dancer.

Draco kissed back aggressively.

***

"I feel cold." Ron said. He was perched on the end of a bench looking over the list of graduation ceremonial activities.

"It's August." Steven said regarding him oddly.

"I'm still cold." Ron rubbed his arms and got up off the bench.

"I guess there's a wind." Steven muttered, looking up to see if the trees were blowing. They weren't. It was rather late at night, far past curfew. But since they had passed the Final Test, Mary had relented on the rules. They were basically free, save a piece of parchment.

"Let's hit the wall."

Steven looked at him with concern. He'd been sequestered since Mary caught him with Draco. Even after the Test, Ron hadn't been keen on relaxing with the others, and seemed particularly uninterested in going for a smoke. Steven figured it reminded him of the waify blond. Ron missed him dearly, Steven could tell, but he couldn't read what Ron had on his mind, or what he was planning. Because he was clearly planning something.

They walked silently over to the wall. Anna jerked her head upward in recognition. She raised her hand, flicked out a thumb like a lighter and a flame flickered to life. She waved it around a bit while the boys got out their cigarettes and bent over for a light.

"Miss us?" She blew out the flame.

"No." Ron smirked. He sighed and leaned back.

"You think Cho figured out what's in these fags?" Steven asked merrily. Anna snorted.

"She knew. She doesn't care. Ravenclaws toke up all the time, from what I hear."

"I don't believe that." Ron said.

"It's true. She told me it helps them relax between all that brain busting."

"I'll keep that in mind for Hermione. She could use it."

Anna was silent, then blew out a puff of smoke. "I went to see Silly today."

"How is she?" Steven asked anxiously. Anna shook her head.

"The doctors are angry with her. They say she isn't cooperating."

Ron frowned. "How is she supposed to cooperate?"

"I dunno, but they seem to be angry with her for being depressed. Like it's her fault or something and she should just shape up."

"That sounds familiar. At least she gets visitors."

"We were chaperoned. They threw me out for "upsetting her fragile balance". Fuckwits." Anna studied her cuticles and pushed them back with one finger. "She missed me and Cho. She started to cry because they keep her alone with no one to talk to but doctors. She's scared they're going to give her "treatment," aka wand shocks, again. She wants to kill herself more than ever."

Ron tapped the end of his cigarette. Steven rubbed her shoulder. "When you get out of here, maybe her parents will listen to you."

"Yeah. And maybe you and Draco can ride off merrily into the sunset."

"Fuck you, Anna." Ron replied without passion.

"We tried that already, Ronny." She snipped back before dropping her cigarette and grinding it into the ground with her toe.

***

Draco writhed underneath the strange man's touch. He was licking and sucking all over Draco's neck, and he was enjoying this, but getting tired of people throwing money at them for the make out session. He pulled away, grabbed the man's collar, scooped up his tips and drug him across the dance floor. Phantom fingers caressed his behind and other nethers as they walked by, but Draco figured that if he were going to be with this man, not even knowing his name, he could handle a few unwanted gropes.

Draco stopped by the bar and dropped off his tips with Nelian, who tucked them immediately into a pouch underneath the bar. Draco turned around, grabbing the man's shirt with both hands now and shouting over the deafeningly loud techno, "It's all you baby!!"

The man grinned, the blacklight making his ultrawhite teeth stand out inhumanly on his face, skull-like, as they retreated back into The Dungeon. All around them were couples and threesomes and foursomes, and some just standing by to watch, thrusting and sucking and gyrating to the throb of music from the dance floor, which was somewhat muted down in the lower depths of the club.

Draco started to slither his hands underneath the man's shirt. His blue and pink hair fell over Draco's face as the man leaned down to kiss him tenderly on the lips, not at all what Draco had expected. He gently continued with soft pecks on his lips, licking the bottom lip once, but not penetrating further with his tongue. All the while, his hands were sliding down Draco's briefs, rubbing his narrow hips and teasing his cock with feathery stroking. Draco moaned softly in approval and raised his hands up from the man's nipples to push his head down further. He heard a soft chuckle, or so he thought, it was difficult to tell over the sounds of cumming and going. He fell hard against the wall.

The man got quickly to business, darting his tongue over the head of Draco's cock as he stroked the base almost lovingly. Draco squirmed at the sensation and held onto the man's head harder. Now he was sure the man was laughing because he could feel the vibrations. The man took more of him into his mouth, all the way up to his base, chuckling all the way, then sucked as he pulled back and blew.

"Unnn...." Draco whined. The man's laughter began to shake him harder, but he said nothing, cupping his balls and taking him all the way in again. Somehow as he sucked on him, the man was tightening the muscles in the back of his throat against the tip of his cock. Draco's legs almost buckled at the wave of pleasure, but he was caught by the man's firm hands on his naked buttocks. By now he was panting heavily and waiting eagerly for that great release...

"Ah...ah... ah..."

But the man kept going, up and down, with his hands on his arse, then playing with his balls, then one finger sliding in and out of his arse, until Draco thought he would go mad from the near perfect pleasure shooting up through his body. At long last, he exploded vigorously into the man's mouth. He gulped it down with pleasure and then looked up at him with that wide grin on his face and jizz dripping down his chin. He stood up and nuzzled Draco's forehead, then grabbed his bare arse one more time with gusto. Then he let go and walked away into the darkness.

Draco stood there for awhile watching the man walk away before another man brushed up to him. Draco pushed him away with his palm angrily.

"Get off of me, you slut." He snapped prissily. He pulled up his briefs and stalked out of The Dungeon.

***

By the time Draco staggered back to the house, it was well past four in the morning, and he slipped in through the greenhouse as quietly as he could. Professor Snape and Remus hadn't imposed any sort of curfew on them, but he felt he could at least be quiet while they were sleeping. Or recovering from whatever they had decided to do that night. Their rooms had silencing spells on them, so that he and Harry couldn't make out what they were doing or saying. For which, they were fairly certain, they were grateful.

He tiptoed back towards his room. The magically warmed floors welcomed his shoeless feet, his attempt in keeping the household undisturbed. Remus tended to keep the floors warm so that he could pad around barefoot when he was home. Draco didn't know where he went when he was gone, but it never seemed to bother Professor Snape overly much. No more than he worried about Remus any other time.

Draco stumbled into the wall beside the room he was sharing with Harry.

"Holy words." He muttered. The three Clusterpop on the Beaches he'd drunk that night had gone completely to his head, plus the Seeker on Acid that the burly older fellow had bought for him... and the Ginger-headed Slut that... man? Woman? Someone else had handed him before sticking its fingers in his mouth and licking his ear for a good ten minutes and then walking away. He was going to be miserable in the morning. He opened the door quietly as he could and shut it just as quietly, then started towards his bed.

Draco tripped and fell on his face.

The light flickered on, and Harry looked at him with tilted head and bleary half-closed eyes. He fumbled around for his glasses, but only managed to knock them onto the floor. Draco picked them up and handed them to him. Harry blinked down at him in confusion.

"What time is it?"

"Fourish. I'think." Draco replied. He stretched out on the floor. He had pulled his pants on before leaving the club, but had lost the shirt. Instead he grabbed a book that was lying under the bed and laid his head on it. It was beginning to throb, and all of a sudden everything in the room was in a very, very sharp focus. He couldn't remember the colors in the room being so vivid before.

"Where've you been?" Harry asked with a sigh. Seeing as he was already awake, he laid back down on his stomach and watched Draco squirm on the floor. He was covered in dried sweat, his hair slicked back with it in the greased fashion that Harry was accustomed to seeing, and he had glitter painted around his nipples, with a light trail of it tracing down to his navel and then to his pants.

"Clubs. The Quaffle and... unnn... Glitterfelt and The Topping Room and... Bedknobs and Broomsticks."

"All of them?"

"Yep." Draco stretched languishing. He smiled dopily up at Harry, who raised a brow silently.

"Doesn't that get expensive?"

Draco reached into his pants, unfortunately missing the look of horror on Harry's face as he misread the action, and pulled out a wad of bills. "Not in the long run, 's not."

"Wow!" Harry slid down onto the floor. "Where'd you get all the money?"

"Blokes gave it to me. Dykes too."

"Just gave it to you?"

"For dancin'." Draco yawned. Harry looked over the money and began to count it.

"You must've danced real well."

"Ima slut." Draco muttered. He sat up suddenly and his head spun, he almost heaved but instead fell back on his palms and sat there for a moment looking dazed. "Ima take a shower."

Harry tossed him a shirt. "Take some clothes this time."

"Mm." Draco confirmed, stumbling to the door once again. He stopped and fell against the wall.

"You okay."

"Un."

"You gonna throw up?"

Draco shook his head and then curled up into a ball. Harry sat over on his side of the room stunned. He had no idea what was going on, or how to help him. He figured that Draco had probably drunk too much.

"You want me to get Remus?"

"No."

"Professor Snape?"

"No. Leamme alone, Harry."

Silently Harry crawled back into bed, watching Draco carefully for a little while before he turned out the light.

***

Her pigtails drapped over a faded cornflower blue dress, small wisp of ginger escaping from the braids. Her sad chestnut eyes creased at the edges in concern and blinked slowly as she watched the boy in front of her. Ginny Weasley sat completely silent as she stared back at her brother.

"Hey, Ginny."

"Hey, Ron." Ginny replied softly. She picked up a braid and twirled the tip around her finger nervously. "Mum says you're all better."

"Is that what she told you? That I'm sick?"

Ginny nodded. "She said you came here to get better." She hesitated. "Are you?"

"Sort of. Did she explain anything else to you?"

"No. Not really. She just said... after we met you altogether, you'd be going away for the summer, but you'd be alright by the time we went back to school."

Ron frowned and took Ginny's hand. She was shaking a little bit.

"What did the twins say? Anything? What about Percy?"

"The twins didn't say much, only, they missed having you around to play pranks on, because you're more fun about it than me. Really, I just get them back, is the problem. I missed having you around too. Sometimes I feel like you're the only one who pays any attention to me. Even if I'm the girl, and Mum likes to have those days when it's just us. I like it better when it's just us... I mean, you and me."

Ron's lips curled gently in bemusement. "What about Percy?"

Ginny took her hand back and looked away. She sat silently for a few moments.

"He said he couldn't believe he had a brother like you. That if this place didn't cure you, he'd never acknowledge you as his brother, because you'd ruin his career. Besides... you know that he's stopped talking to Mum and Dad..." She looked at him confused for a moment. "How could you being sick ruin his career?"

"People in the Ministry aren't real understanding. That's why we have to get that document that says I'm cured." Ron raked both hands through his hair, thinking hard of what to say next. "Can I trust you not to say anything about what I'm going to tell you?"

Ginny bit her lower lip. "Yeah."

"I'm not sick. Not really. Not like with the flu or anything. You remember what they said when we were all there together? What they made you hold up?"

"The picture of Krum?"

"Yeah. After the match with his shirt off."

"I like that poster. It reminds me of Harry. He could play Quidditch professional one day."

"He could. But... the reason they sent me here is because, while it's alright for you to have a poster like that, it isn't alright for me to have one." This was hard. Ron hadn't had a good chance to explain all of this to his little sister before he left, though he had a sneaking suspicion she had known about Bill for a long time. He just wanted her to have a chance to think about it by herself, before their parents stepped in and alienated her from both Weasley brothers forever. He knew, no matter what the test said, he couldn't keep up the game indefinitely. Someone would find out. But it would all be so much easier if they had that piece of parchment on file. The Ministry would be less likely to believe any gossip, especially if they had files that stated otherwise...

"It's a cool poster. I don't see why you can't have it if you like it."

"Because I'm a boy, and you're a girl."

"Boys can't like Quidditch players?"

"Boys can't like other boys."

She blinked twice. "Like Harry?"

"No! Why does everyone think I like Harry!" Ron turned around in a huff. He could feel his face turning strawberry colored.

"Oh, well as long as you don't steal my boyfriends, I don't care who you snog."

Ron turned around and saw his sister shyly sticking her tongue out at him. "You're rotten. You knew what I was on about here didn't you?"

"Had an inkling." She shrugged. "I don't care. Bill does it an’ he's happy. I wish Mum could be happy for you guys, too."

"Me too." Ron sighed, resting on his hand and slumping into the table.

"Are you a virgin?" She asked suddenly. Ron jerked up and narrowed his eyes at her. She smiled almost too sweetly.

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

Ginny giggled and hid her face.

"Silly bugger." Ron said, chucking her pointed chin. "At least I have one Weasley on my side."

"You have Bill and Charlie on your side too." Ginny pointed out. "They were real close in school, even if Bill is older. I bet the twins come around too."

"Yeah, after I ream them for sending me here."

"I told them to buy us younger kids a house to get away from Mum and Dad, but they didn't listen."

"Wouldn't that be great? Damn." Ron picked a cigarette out of his pocket and started to stick it in his mouth. Ginny reached over and grabbed it. "Ey! Those are hard to get around here!"

"Smoking is bad for you."

"So is stealing your big brother's fags, so give it here."

"Nooo." Ginny whined, holding it away from him obstinately. Ron got up slowly. Ginny did the same, keeping her eyes on her brother. She darted. Ron followed.

"Give it here, you fag stealing wench!"

Ginny whipped past Steven. Ron nearly ran into him as he flew by.

"Why do I get the feeling he's said that before?" Steven muttered, watching the warring Weasleys run around the campus.

***

Draco laid his pained head on the table. It was far too early in the morning to be alive.

"Rise and shine." Severus snapped tersely as he smacked the edge of the table with a rolled copy of The Daily Prophet. Draco sat up groggily and scrunched his face into an unattractive mask. Remus smiled and looked over at Harry, who was looking rather sleepy too, though he doubted the boy had joined Draco at the clubs all night.

"Mind if I look at that when you're through, Sev?" Remus asked. He pushed the eggs on his plate around a bit.

Severus smacked the top of Draco's head then handed it to Remus. "All finished."

Remus chuckled. "Thank you."

"I don't know why you bother to read that abhorrent nonsense."

"Because it helps me to keep up on exactly what nonsense is being fed to the majority of the Wizarding World." Remus looked over the front page with interest and a faintly forced smile.

"Hm." Severus sipped his own coffee quietly, until Maca trotted into the room, his hands full of mail.

"Letters, Master Severus!"

Severus nodded and took them from the house elf. He shuffled through the mess and handed Draco and Harry each a letter.

"How does McGonagall keep up with them all?" Remus mused as Harry looked over the letter.

"It's a spell. Something on a scroll that keeps track."

"Maybe you should find out."

"Hm." Severus answered. Harry studied the list of books and supplies for the upcoming year.

"Will you be in trouble for me being here?"

"Well, no one at the school really knows where I live when I'm not on campus. It's hardly a secret, but why bother to find out? I'm only here three months of the year."

"That's true." Remus added. He peered over at the bills Severus was studying.

”And mostly when... Someone needs to talk, He would have me come to Him.”

"Can we go to Diagon Alley to get our supplies today?" Harry asked.

"I don't see why not. It'll be good to get out of the house, right Sev?"

"I suppose. I suppose as well that we'll be giving you a bit of a loan this year, won't we, Draco."

Draco blinked to clear his head. "No, I should have enough to cover it."

Severus' lips curled into an evil smirk. "I should say you do, after all those... late nights."

"Oh, Sev, behave."

"I can't." Severus said simply. His faced descended into a displeased sneer, and he handed a letter to Remus.

"Thank you." Remus' voice was a hollow whisper. He slid a finger under edge of the scroll, breaking the seal and unfolded the letter. His eyes skimmed the words silently. A soft crease appeared between his brows, but he said nothing until he had finished his letter, refolded it and placed it back inside its envelope. He leaned his chin on the back of his hand and looked at Severus. "Sirius sends his love."

"I am sure that he does." He took another sip of his coffee. He stood from the table and walked quietly out of the room with the bills in hand. Harry looked over at Draco, who blinked uninterested at his book list, then back at Remus.

"Did Sirius say anything about me?"

Remus fixed his eyes on a point across the table. "He asked if you were feeling better, and if you'd like to join him at his place instead of staying here for the rest of the summer. It would only be for a few more weeks, and he can't go out with you, but I'm sure he would be very glad to have you around."

"Why... Professor Dumbledore told him to go live with you last year... why isn't he here?"

"He... decided he would prefer to stay at his old house. Start cleaning it up as a base of operations, you understand." Remus favored him with an odd smile. Severus reentered the room silently and swooped by the table, picking up empty dishes and plates. He set them on the counter heavily.

"I think that I might be otherwise engaged for today's... activities." He said in a quiet waspish voice. Remus looked over at him with a slightly creased brow, but seemed otherwise unconcerned.

"Oh?"

"I have quite a bit of planning yet to do before school starts. My time isn't unlimited, Remus." He snapped, starting to scrub the dishes very hard. Maca walked in and stood behind him, trying to look at the sink to see if he could help, but after a minute ran out of the room, deeming it safer to stay away.

"I understand." His lips were inching towards a smile. Severus finished the dishes and stormed out of the room.

"Have a lovely day."

"Well, then, perhaps I'll see if Sirius isn't free this afternoon..." Remus announced, his eyes still on the door where Severus had left. He collected the remaining dishes and set them in the sink. Maca poked his head back into the kitchen and then darted over to the dishes before anyone else could get to them. Harry smiled over at the house elf.

"It would be great if we could see Sirius today." Harry said enthusiastically, mostly to himself. Draco looked over at him and frowned.

"Sure."

"He's my godfather!"

Draco shrugged and stood up. "I'm gonna get that shower."

Harry stayed at the table and Draco could hear him start talking to the house elf over the running water. He entered the bathroom closest to his and Harry's. It would take quite a bit of scrubbing to get off all the glitter he had around his nipples.

Slipping into the shower, Draco looked down over his body and imagined glowing trails of light marking all the places that the men at the clubs had touched him. He turned on the water and let the steam rise, fill his pores and relax him. He sighed heavily. If only it were so simple. To just get in the shower and everything he'd done, everything he'd said would just wash away.

He remembered the man with the blue and pink hair. He thought about how he refused to kiss him deeply, how he'd gone down on him without a word. Draco relived the memory, pretending it was Ron who was doing those wonderful things with his tongue, his fingers, making him scream happily.

Draco imagined Ron arching his lean body against his own in the shower. He'd lean down and start to lick on Draco's soft pink nipples, trailing around them with his tongue with maddening softness until Draco would grab his head, forcing a firm kiss on his lips and leaning them onto the wall of the shower. Ron picking up the soap and winding it around his fingers, saying something glib... while making that odd little smile, like...

"Bout time we cleaned up that filthy mouth of yours, Sweetcheeks." Or something.

Ron's fingers slipping gently into his arse, moving in and out in a delicious tease, widening him and making him ready as they both kissed sloppily under the steam. Draco moaning, but not too loudly in case someone was listening, just loud enough to egg Ron on as he slipped his wide cock into him and began to pound him ruthlessly against the wall of the shower. Draco's arms tightening around Ron's shoulders, his mouth uttering happy staccato cries...

"Oh yesyesyes!"

The wonderful feeling of fullness when Ron was inside him. The explosion, followed by Ron leaning, spent against him, grinning with love at the naughty things they were doing in someone else's shower...

"Dammit." Draco looked down to see the white mess that had splattered along the side of the shower. The water raining down on it immediately began to wash most of it away, and he sighed, and continued to wash, trying to keep his thoughts a little less provocative.

He finished up quickly and got out of the shower, toweling off his hair and slipping into a pair of very low cut jeans and a tight, sleeveless salmon top. Since his father had disowned him, Draco doubted anyone would care how he dressed. He fetched his shoes and padded into the living room, where Professor Snape was sitting by himself, looking annoyed as he sifted through several papers. Harry was sitting on a large green chair reading what was left of the Daily Prophet.

"I suggest that you watch yourself." Snape said in a quietly for-your-information tone.

"Me?" Draco asked. Snape looked up.

"Both of you. Potter... is always in trouble. You are in a very dangerous position, considering the level of protection that you have always counted on at school. You no longer have your father's influence to help you, and I wouldn't rely on any of my old friends if I were you."

"Hm. Well, we'll have Remus and Black there, won't we?"

"Yes. But Black will not be with you out on the streets."

"So you two can't get along long enough to buy some school supplies." Harry asked, looking up challengingly from the paper.

"Black," Snape sneered. "Does not approve. Thus I find it easier when I am not present for such occasions."

"Easier for him too. Not just you." Draco put in. Snape turned and looked at him blankly.

"I meant, easier for Remus."

"Wait," Harry frowned a bit. "Does Sirius have a problem with Remus being... well..."

"I have no idea, Potter." Snape raised a hand dismissively. His face was beginning to flush in anger. "I know that he has said some rather unflattering things in regards to his 'friend.' It may be that he could handle Remus' preferences, provided it were with a man of whom he approved. That man would not be, nor would ever be, myself. In any case..." Snape paused, seeming to be calming himself for a moment before he continued. "Black is Remus' friend. I will not ask Remus to choose myself over him. Therefore, it remains simpler to stay away from Black, rather than to try keeping a civil tongue around him. A feat I know myself incapable of."

He turned his head suddenly as though he had heard something. He pressed his lips together and went back to sorting the papers. Remus walked into the room with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Is everyone ready to go?"

Draco and Harry both found themselves looking at Snape, who was pretending to be busy with his work, before they got up to follow Remus. Remus stopped, turned on his heel and swooped back over to Snape, kissing him tenderly on the forehead before quickly turning again and leading them out the door. Draco heard a heavy sigh just as he stepped out the door.

***

Walking down Diagon Alley alongside a werewolf and The Boy Who Lived was a drastically different experience than the usual shopping day for school supplies. Normally, the looks of fear had a ounce of respect thrown in, at least for the sheer galleons it took to purchase his father’s robes. Certainly not the looks of mortal terror that were being thrown in their direction. People parted before them on the street. It was sort of nice, except whenever he looked up at Remus, whose face was frozen in a weak smile that did not match the sadness of his lined eyes.

They dropped by Gringotts first, but moved from place to place quickly. The store owners seemed inclined to watch them for a rather short amount of time before making a hostile approach.

"C’n I help you blokes with something." A potbellied wizard sporting a nearly red bald spot walked up to them nervously. He wiped his forehead with an already damp cloth. A few children in the corner pointed at Harry and started to laugh. Harry scowled.

"We're trying to buy our school supplies." Harry said in an annoyed voice. The wizard looked over Remus' shoulder at the list.

"Oh, well, I can help you find these items. Hold on a mo."

"Interesting way to get service, isn't it boys?" Remus said leaning over to them with a conspiratorial smile. He left them by the window so he could help the owner round up their supplies. Draco smirked, watching the large wizard waddle around the store in an effort to get them out of there quicker. He looked around the shop. He never been in here before. Mostly because it was a used store, and his father had always taken him to places where he could buy his things new. He appreciated that Harry could have bought his supplies new, and they were here mostly to stretch his earnings. Suddenly he saw Crabbe and Goyle walking by with their fathers. He ducked down.

Harry looked at him oddly. "What's wrong with you?"

"Just saw some old friends."

"Just saw some new enemies then. I don't know how you're going to survive in Slytherin without your father's backing."

"Neither do I. I probably won't. Unless I manage to hex the old group until they can no longer stand on the first day."

Harry didn't say anything. He was looking out the window like he was considering calling out to Crabbe and Goyle. But they had already passed, and Draco looked pitifully unhappy there on the floor. "Get up. They're gone."

Draco peeked up at the windowsill, as though he didn't believe Harry's report, then straightened himself and tossed his hair. He looked a bit like a regal prince once again. Only, he was holding his arms loosely, nervously. That overconfident boy who had been following Harry and his friends around since they started school, to cause them no end of trouble...

That pensive boy who had caused a cheerful upturn in Ron's half-a-year bad mood.

Remus walked back up to the boys smiling in earnest. "We got you quite a deal. Next to the bookshop, I suppose. And then," He lowered his head a bit and spoke very quietly. "We can meet with Snuggles at a little place on Knockturn."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise.

"It pays to have friends in low places. Come along now. Walk briskly."

"Remus." Draco began to walk closer to Remus, and Harry eyed him suspiciously as he did so. "We're being followed."

"I know." His slender hand snaked around Harry's back and rested gently on his opposite shoulder. Despite this small action, Harry suddenly felt much safer, and they continued to the bookstore without incident.

As they stepped inside the bookstore, the loud chattering of students ceased immediately. All eyes were on the three odd-looking wizards.

"I know I look fabulous, but really," Draco said waltzing into the shop in front of Harry and Remus. "If you stare any longer, I'm going to have to charge you. A girl has her expenses, you know."

Draco heard Remus chuckling as he ushered Harry out of the limelight.

"What are you doing here?" Pansy Parkinson's plump face screwed up in utter disgust as she stalked up to him.

"Buying books, obviously. Those are the heavy collections of parchment with words that stay".

"I mean, what are you doing here with them." Her face was turning a bit red.

"Where am I supposed to go? Prancing merrily back to daddy's house?"

"You seem perfectly happy prancing around everywhere else!" Pansy shrieked. As she opened her mouth to say something else, someone ran into her from behind.

"Oops. Sorry, Pansy. You were taking up most of the aisle, and I couldn't get around."

Hermione Granger smiled at her widely.

"Well, if it isn't Hermione the Horse-faced Girl." Pansy said bitterly. Draco found himself grinning before he could stop himself. It didn't matter that Granger no longer had the horse-teeth. He’d been the one to come up with the name. "You'd think the filthy little Mudblood would have some decency not to show her face in public, right Draco?"

"Right. And you'd think a filthy little faggot like me would have the decency not to outlive the shame of being outed. See you around Pansy Piginson." Draco desperately wished he could have seen Pansy's face at that last comment, but turning to look would have killed his exit.

Having managed to dodge most of the “Slytherin High Court,” as they were sometimes called, though he didn’t care to remember that he had been the prince not so long ago, and having managed to make a public spectacle of himself that was sure to ruin his father’s day, Draco felt as though his work for the day was fairly over. He walked over to Harry and Remus, ignoring the residual stares.

”How’s our lot this year?” Draco asked. Harry looked back at him blankly.

”Heavy.”

”Wonderful.” Draco rolled his eyes and saw a mane of bushy brown hair coming their way.

”Thank you.” Hermione said seriously. Draco glared her down.

”Just because of what happened just now... doesn’t mean I like you, Granger.”

”I don’t expect you to like me. You don’t even know me. I just said thank you.” She returned pointedly. Her face turned to Harry. “How’s Ron?”

”I dunno.” He sighed and looked a little squirmy, as though he didn’t want to talk about the mess. “The last time I saw him he was in good spirits, and I heard he passed his final test, or whatever...”

”But?”

”But,” Remus interceded gently. “He got into a bit of trouble, and the owner of True Directions decided that it would be best if Ron weren’t allowed contact with his family and friends.”

Hermione looked abashedly down at the small tower of books she was carrying. “Things certainly are extreme in the Wizarding World.”

”So there’s no gay camp in the Muggle World? Where do I sign up to become a squib?” Draco said flippantly. Hermione regarded him carefully.

”I didn’t know you went, too.”

”I’m the reason Ron got solitary confinement.”

”Oh.” Her face was a little fallen. “I thought the Weasleys were just trying to tell Ron they knew, so he wouldn’t have to hide it. I thought...”

”You had a better idea of what was going on than I did.” Harry said.

A weak smile. “I know. Really Harry, you can be so clueless at times. It’s sweet, but really.” She shook her head.

”Oh, Harry!” The children turned their heads to see Mrs. Weasley headed over to their cluster by the books. “Oh.”

Her wide smile had weakened at the sight of Draco.

”Well, I haven’t gotten to see you for most of the summer, Harry. How are you?” Her well-worn fingers raised up to Harry’s face, as if detecting the remains of his bruising.

”Okay, I guess. I miss hanging out with Ron.”

”Well, he’ll be back soon.”

”As good as new.” Draco snipped. Molly looked at him, but said nothing. Remus laid a hand on his shoulder, though he continued to read intently from a large volume in the other hand.

”Ey! If it isn’t that little slut who almost got our brother kicked from True Directions!” George beamed merrily, coming up from behind his mother.

”What have you got to say for yourself, Malfoy?” Fred put in.

”I don’t know that you can actually call me that anymore. I’m sure The Ego King is drafting some document as we speak to keep me from using his precious name. Why don’t you call me “Draco the Incredible Ferret Boy” for all the kinky things I can do in bed?”

”Maybe we can just call you slimeball, for what you are.” Fred retorted. Remus dropped all pretense of reading and stepped a bit closer, standing so that he was almost in between them.

”That, or you could call me homeless. Or you could call me Draco, Formerly Know as Ron’s Lover! Or you could call me what he called me in bed, Sweetcheeks!”

Mrs. Weasley put her hands over her ears at the last bit. “The details of how you violated my Ronny are of no interest to me!”

”What kind of potion exactly did you slip him anyway?” Fred asked.

”Really, it would have to be a pretty powerful draught for Ron to mistake you for a human being.” George added.

”Then again, maybe he thought Draco was a pretty little girl.”

”You never know, the treatment may have been working, but this pussy tricked him with his feminine wiles.”

”Oh for goodness sake!” Ginny exploded from nearly across the store. She stalked over to the group and slugged George on the shoulder. “Would you two just grow up already? Hi Harry. I bet you’re looking forward to Quidditch this year, having had a year off.”

”Er... yeah.”

The twins looked at each other, then back at Draco. Then seemed to decide unanimously that their sister would impede any really good forms of beating, so they went in the other direction to find Lee Johnson, who had been sticking small animals, which became randomly invisible, in the vicinity of the self help section.

”I just want him to be happy.” Molly said softy, but with an edge. Draco knew the others hadn’t heard it. They were chattering between themselves about the upcoming school year. Remus may have, but he was pretending to read again, though subtly scanning the store while he did so.

”He was happy. With me.” Draco responded just as softly. He left Mrs. Weasley to her thoughts and went to pick out his books, while thinking of ways to survive the school year bunking with Crabbe and Goyle.

***

With Hermione and Ginny following them resolutely, Remus led the group down the dank streets of Knockturn Alley. It had taken a bit of convincing for Mrs. Weasley to let Ginny come along, but somehow, Remus had managed, particularly with a few nods and looks between them on which the teens could hardly eavesdrop. A hunchback witch passed them by, turned and followed them for a bit, and then turned back on her way. Draco watched as a few of the mangled folk passed them by, staring shamelessly at their group, which was by and far too clean to be coming down this way. One strikingly beautiful woman with tawny skin and long black hair crouched down and let out a low hiss at Remus. He merely looked at her and smiled. Her face drew into a sneer, and she tarted away, running nimbly on her toes.

A few buildings past Borgin and Burkes, Remus stopped and glided into the doorway as though they had been visiting this place for ages. It wasn’t much to look at from the outside. The windows were boarded up with strong oak planks, and the sign outside had little more on it than a picture of a tankard juxtaposed with a bed. Given Crabbe and Goyle’s reading level, Draco supposed this was a tip of the hat to their lot. Knockturn was mostly frequented by Slytherins.

The door made a loud creak as Remus opened it, and he hurriedly ushered them inside. Despite the shabby exterior, the floors were a gleaming dark hardwood, and all the tables were well kept and clean. A woman behind the bar was wiping off the counter. She looked up at them with a coy smirk. Her hair was blood red, with a wide stripe of white off to the side. Her skin was as white as snow, and her eyes, fixed intensely on Harry, shone like a pair of dazzling amethysts. Harry took a step back.

”I see James spawned.” She smiled eerily, exposing her strange white teeth...

”You’re a vampire!” Harry exclaimed. She rubbed the tip of a sharp fang with her tongue and smirked.

”Bout as smart as James too.”

”Harry, this is a friend of mine.” Remus told him.

”The leech.” She grinned. Remus smiled back.

”The vampire. She owns this place and has provided a nice haven for us for many years.” Remus inclined his head towards the members of their group. “This is Harry Potter, of course. Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Draco Malfoy. Kids, this is-“

”Redcap. Call me Redcap.” She leaned over the counter looking them over with her startlingly bright eyes. “The fireplace on the fifth floor should do just fine. I put some sealing spells up their recently so I doubt anyone will be eavesdropping on you.”

Draco’s brow crinkled in confusion. There were only two levels to this building. He looked over at Harry, who shrugged.

”Yo! Rita. Give Remus the key.”

Draco’s eyes widened seeing the black girl again. A smile tweaked in her round face, and she’d bleached her hair since the last time he’d seen her. The short yellowish braids stuck up from her head in all sorts of directions. She walked up to him and gave him a grand bear hug.

”Wow. Long time no see. Like the shirt.”

”Thanks.”

”You out already, or are you just out for good?” She grinned, showing her white wide-set teeth.

”Out for good. We all saw it coming.”

”More or less. Anna said you wouldn’t make it a week. Did better’an me anywho. Follow me, I’ll take you up to your floor.” Rita turned around and wiped her hands on a long apron that she was wearing. She peeled it off and set it on a hook to the side of the staircase, before moving over to the fireplace and sliding a finger along the sooty side of the frame. The fireplace quickly morphed into a door, to which Rita simply handed over the key to Remus.

”Thank you.” Remus nodded. The others followed him up the stairs quickly. Draco lagged behind a bit, waiting to be the last into the door.

”Look, Rita...” Draco started. Rita clapped her hand on his arm, which was so much smaller than hers that he felt like a frail child in comparison.

”Sokay. I’m happy, I’m free, and I have a job. And a girlfriend who I never would have met if you hadn’t caught us. Last thing I need is a lifetime worth of pity fucks from Mishie.” She tilted her head towards the stairs. “Go on up with your friends. If you ever need a job, I’ll put in a good word with Redcap. Or I could ask my girl cross the street if they need any help. No problem.”

She bobbed her head good-naturedly and gave him a thumbs up.

Nice. Draco thought, heading up the stairs. I’ve permanently pissed off one girl and made a friend out of the other. Who really ought to hate me.

The stairway wasn’t very well lit, but Draco followed the others up the winding path. At the top, Remus sparked some flames in his hand and lead the way through a dark hall. He reached up after a bit and lit a candelabra with the blue flames. Hermione saw what he was doing and followed his example. Soon the hall was dancing with the flickering lights.

”I believe the fireplace is in this one.” Remus said evenly, putting his hand to a brass knocker on a door and knocking firmly. None of the doors had an actual handle. After a moment, they heard footsteps from the room.

”Password.” A deep voice demanded, almost cheerfully.

Remus sighed. “It’s us, Padfoot. Let us in.”

”Nope, sorry. Try again.”

”I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”

”Wrong. The other one.”

”Sirius.” Remus’ voice almost sounded annoyed. Harry was grinning and looking eagerly at the door.

”Can’t get in without the password.”

”We don’t have all day.” He gently warned his friend.

”Then give me the password and I’ll let you in. How do I know it’s you?”

”Mm. Well, it’s my voice.”

”Sorry. It could be some Death Eater mimicking you.”

”Well, have it your way Padfoot. But you get to explain to Harry what this means.” He paused, ignoring Harry’s increasingly pointed stare then said firmly. “I am a rimmer.”

There was a bark-like laugh on the other end and the door opened wide. Draco stepped back in alarm, seeing Sirius Black standing there. He had been, of course, aware that they were going to meet the man, but after everything he had heard about him... Draco shook his head hard. It was likely that most of the things he had heard were untrue, coming from his father. He followed the others inside.

”Ask Ron what that means.” He told Harry softly. The boy was looking with great expectation at Black and waiting for everyone to settle down. “It’ll be a lot more fun.”

Harry gave him a blank look.

”You saw him squirm on family day. Sex ed teacher at Hogwarts, my arse.”

Harry nodded and looked back over to Sirius, who had made himself comfortable on the couch and patted the seat beside him in invitation. Harry all but ran over to him. The room itself looked very well kept and comfortable. The tavern downstairs had been dark and less inviting, but that was probably a means of deterring well off Purebloods.

”How’s your summer been?” Sirius asked. Harry looked at his feet uncomfortably.

”Alright.”

”Anything weird? Scar related or otherwise?”

Harry hesitated.

”I daresay having to eat a casserole that I created, or should say, attempted to create, the first night at our house would constitute, at the very least, as weird.” Remus put in. He was standing a bit off to the side and perusing the bookcase with moderate interest.

Hermione giggled.

”It wasn’t all that bad.” Harry said generously, with a grin that told everyone in the room that it had been indeed rather horrible.

”At least I didn’t set the kitchen on fire.”

Harry laughed. Sirius however, was glowering. “Anything else of interest going on at “our house,” Moony?”

”Not that I can think off. We got another guest.” Remus motioned with his head to Draco. Black narrowed his eyes at him and looked intently for a moment trying to think where he’d seen that assemblage of paleness before. “The mandrakes are doing better this year, but I think I killed all the mint.”

”I’m glad to see you’ve taken an interest in Herbology.”

”Not really. We’ve just had a hectic summer. I’m sure things are the same on your end.”

Draco noticed their deliberate neglect to mention Professor Snape’s name at all. Sirius wrinkled his nose in disgust.

”It’s been revolting on my end, but I can hardly say I’m surprised.” He looked back at Harry. “How would you like to spend the rest of the summer with me? We’ve set up a nice... well, it’s appalling but I’m sure it’s better than some places.”

”I’d...! Er...” Harry looked torn.

Really, Draco thought. I don’t know how he manages to get through life allowing everyone to see how he feels all the time.

”If you’d like to stay with Sirius, Harry, I understand. Ron won’t be along until the end of the week, but you two can catch up before school starts. I hear that’s where the Weasleys have relocated for a bit.”

Draco definitely caught that little nuance. Through the calmness of his voice and gentle expression, he was very upset with Black. His eyes darted back to Harry to see if the boy could tell at all.

He couldn’t. He smiled adoringly up at Black and nodded. “I’d love to come stay with you guys. I bet Ron’s dying for some time off before school, too.”

”Where the hell is that kid anyway? I haven’t seen him at all, and Molly hasn’t said a thing.”

”Do you know what True Directions is?” Harry asked. Sirius started and looked over at Remus, who shrugged indifferently.

”Yeah. I didn’t think that he would... well, I only met him face to face for a few minutes.”

Harry frowned. “I knew him for four years. I just hope he’s still himself after going through that awful place.”

”He seemed pretty tough. I’m sure he can take whatever they have to offer.”

”Mary is one thing, his family is another.” Draco interjected. Black focused his dark eyes on him again. Seeing what happened to someone who had been a prisoner of Azkaban was fast distilling a desire to never go there in Draco. “People who you love that won’t accept who you are do a lot more damage than some crazy old bint in a hot pink robe.”

”And who are you? Other than one of Mooney’s houseguests?”

Draco held out a hand for him to shake, which he didn’t. “Draco Malfoy. Ron’s ex-boyfriend.”

”Malfoy!” Black stood up, and Draco’s eyes widened because that man was huge compared to him.

”Padfoot, please be calm.”

”My godson is staying with a Malfoy and Snape! Dammit, Mooney! How could you let this happen?”

”He needed a place to stay, and we weren’t going to turn him away. He isn’t going to do anything in the house. He would be expelled, and even worse, Sev would throw a fit.”

”Worse for him, or worse for you?” Sirius growled.

”You know, Sirius, I care for Harry just as much as you do.” Remus replied quietly. The volume level in the room dropped considerably in response to his soft voice. “I do wish you would remember than when you question my actions.”

”Sometimes I wonder.” Sirius set a firm hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Come on. I’ll take you to my house, and we can pick up your things later.”

”No.”

Sirius was halfway to the fireplace with him already. He stopped and stared down at Harry. “No?”

”What is wrong with you two? You’re friends aren’t you?” Harry demanded.

”He kept you in the house with that... man. How can you be okay with that? How can you be okay with Malfoy? He’s a Slytherin, and I know you’ve got the sense not to like him!”

”I don’t like him. I don’t have to. It’s not my decision to make.” Harry screwed his face up in a look of set belligerence that Draco had only seen in reaction to Professor Snape.

”Harry, let’s just go.”

”Until you two reach some sort of in between, I’m not going anywhere.” Harry crossed his arms. A slight smile crept onto Remus’ face.

”Quite like James, sometimes, isn’t he?”

Sirius looked back up, abashed and a little sheepish. ”Hell. I’m half expecting him to lock us in here until we kiss and make up.”

”Well, I’d help him, so you’d better do it.” Hermione said with a bit of spunk. Ginny grabbed Draco and Hermione on either side of her and grinned back at him.

”You’re outnumbered.”

Sirius looked back at Harry. “Do you want to stay with Mooney and Snape?”

”I would like to spend some time with you... but... I can’t. Not like this.”

”Siri,” Remus began, stepping a little closer. He held his fingers at his waist a little nervously. “I’m sorry that you don’t trust me-“

”I trust you. It’s Snape I don’t trust.” Sirius corrected.

”You obviously don’t trust my judgment if I’m telling you Severus won’t hurt him, and yet you believe that I’m wrong.” Remus replied.

”Well, how am I supposed to trust you knowing that queer is fucking your brains out every night? Who knows what kind of disgusting things he does to you or would do to Harry?”

Remus released his hands and set his mouth firmly. “Severus has never harmed Harry. He yells, and he fusses over his grades and how he pays attention in class. And I know that he probably takes far more points from Gryffindor than he should. But he wouldn’t hurt him. Not unless Harry outright attacked him. And Harry would never do that. Except in that one case,” Remus smiled over at Harry. “And Severus understands that now, too. You have nothing to worry about. He hasn’t hurt Harry at all during the time he’s spent at our house.”

Sirius sighed and sat back down on the couch, messing his hair with one hand to his forehead.

”And he hasn’t hurt me over the past two years, either.”

”That doesn’t mean he isn’t getting around to it.”

”Wolves are very capable of taking care of themselves.” Remus padded over and sat next to Sirius. He set a hand on his back lightly and began to rub. Without looking, Sirius plunged into Remus’ arms, hugging him so tightly that the other man looked genuinely shocked at first. His face soon gave was to a wide crinkling smile as he hugged his friend back.

”You idiot.” Sirius complained, muffled a bit by Remus’ shoulder.

”I know. I’m hopeless.”

Sirius sighed. “Is that enough? Do you want to see me actually kiss him, or can we go?”

”Er... that’s okay, you don’t have to kiss him.”

Remus leaned over and pecked Sirius on the forehead anyway. “Go on. I’ll come over with his things later today.”

As Sirius stood he ruffled Remus’ hair with one hand, looking down on him a bit worriedly.

”I’m fine. Go.”

”What am I supposed to do without James here to look after you?”

”Mm. I suppose you’ll have to learn that I’m not twelve anymore.”

Sirius motioned for Harry to go in front of him. Harry stepped up, and Sirius took out some Floo powder. Remus stood and headed for the door. The others followed quietly and as they exited, Draco could hear Harry asking, a little mischievously: “What’s a rimmer?”

***

Downstairs, Redcap gave them all a round of drinks and chatted amiably with Remus for a few minutes on the new pending legislation in the Ministry.

”Can I owl you, if I need you, Rita?” Draco asked.

Rita shrugged, wiping a table down. There had been a few rather large blokes in there before, drinking sloppily and making a mess. “Sure, I guess. I don’t get much mail.”

”Good.”

”Why? Your dad going to beat you up and you need a bodyguard?”

”I could probably use a bodyguard, but you wouldn’t be much help once I went back to school.”

”Aren’t there any girls in Slytherin who would help you look out for yourself?” Hermione asked, looking over at the two of them. She had been listening in on Remus and Redcap’s conversation.

”Yeah, and I just pissed off their leader this morning right good.”

”I don’t know how much help she’d be anyway...”

”Why don’t you help?” Rita asked. Hermione considered it.

”For one thing, I’m in a different house. It would be difficult to look out for him when I’m never around. I’m going to be a prefect this year, though, and I could do a few things. But also, I’m a Muggleborn. And if I help him, things will probably get worse.”

”I’m not.” Ginny said, playing with the cherries in her drink. “I could help.”

”I’d rather not see you creamed by the High Court.” Draco replied waving his hand.

”Do they still have that?” Remus asked with interest. Redcap had wandered off to talk to some other guests drinking in the corner.

”Ever since I’ve been there. They made me Ego King second year.”

Remus chuckled. “Back in our day they didn’t have the titles, but Sev told me that they did have the court. I wonder how far back it goes.”

”I wonder where they got those titles. They aren’t at all flattering.”

”Severus came up with them. Or some of them. The Ego King is in direct reference to your father.”

”Oh. I thought he was being ironic whenever he called my dad “Your Highness.”“

”He was.” Remus smiled.

”So who will be the er... “king” now?” Hermione asked.

”Who knows? Pansy will probably pick someone. Not Crabbe or Goyle, for sure, but one of the close followers.” Draco sipped his butterbeer moodily.

”Remus?” Ginny asked suddenly. “Does Sirius even recognize that you’re gay?”

Remus raised a brow and thought about it for a moment. “I suppose he doesn’t.”

”He doesn’t seem to. He seems to just blame Snape for it.”

”I’m not the most forthright person about how I feel. If he didn’t realize I was gay for during the time we were in school, it’s because I’m not vocal about myself when I’m uncomfortable.”

”He should have known.” Hermione insisted.

”He isn’t a seer. If I don’t tell him, and if I don’t look the part of what he thinks it means to be homosexual, then it’s on me that he didn’t know.” He rubbed his glass pensively. “I’m just going to have to try harder with him now.”

”Potter’s a really good friend to you.” Draco said.

”His father was too, behind all the blustering.” Remus remembered fondly. “Ron’s lucky to be his friend. And, I’d say, Harry feels the same way about him, or he wouldn’t feel the need to stand up and speak. He’s not very vocal either, unless he’s angry.”

Remus’ sipped the last of his drink down and stood up. “We’d better go. Your mum is going to be frantic, Ginny. Are your parents waiting for you somewhere, Hermione?”

”I’m staying at Sirius’ house since yesterday. I’ll be going back with Ginny.”

”Oh. Alright. Then lets go.” He gave a nod over to Redcap, who waved back and resumed her conversation.

***

The boys loo was less crowded than Ron had imagined when Mary had originally told them about what would be entailed in their graduation ceremonies. He had pictured them all primping and fighting for the mirror in that small blue-clad bathroom. Of course, that had been at the beginning of the summer, and there had been two more roommates then.

Ron, Steven, and Eli stood in front of the mirror, brushing down their hair and straightening the various parts to their powder blue tuxedos. Ron curled his lips back at his reflection.

”This pongs.” Ron complained. He tightened the little red bow tie angrily. “I look like a bleeding clown.”

Eli shrugged. Steven tried once again to get his bowl-shaped hair to behave itself. He sighed and ran the comb under some water and slicked it through again.

”Why do you got to be unattractive to be straight?”

”Cause only the wiminfolk are concerned with their appearance. Didn’t you know that?” Ron grumbled. Being one of a flock of redheads didn’t leave much room for individuality. He never much liked his hair. He despised his nose. It was too long, he thought, and made his face look harsh. Not to mention the spatter of freckles across it.

”Alrighty. Time to go get hitched. Or fake hitched, more like.” Steven said, pretending he was tipping his hat to his reflection.

”You know, if I were a girl, I wouldn’t go out with me in this.” Eli informed them. “Rob likes me without any clothes at all.”

”Too. Much. Information.” Ron clipped, pushing him out the door. He couldn’t wait for this ordeal to be over. He couldn’t wait for the summer to be over. Then he’d be back at Hogwarts, safe, for a little while, from his Best Interests and his Responsibilities to uphold his family’s reputation. Funny, as he never really liked school much before. Not the classes anyway. But he could deal with having to sit through Potions and Divination and the like, just so long as he didn’t have to take another lecture on Aversion Therapy or Gender Confusion.

The boys walked together over to the “reception” area. Anna, Cho, and Michelle were standing off to the right, coiffed and pampered in frilly pink wedding gowns.

”That symbolizing anything?” Steven asked, a playful note in his voice.

”Like what?” Ron asked. Steven shrugged.

”White’s for purity. Guess this wedding’s a bit late for that, eh?”

”Oh, shut up.” Ron scanned the crowd for his family. The twins waved at them as they took their positions on the left, waiting for the ceremony to start. They each had cameras and waved them happily, snapping pictures. Oh, I’ll get you two, just you wait.

He had received a prefects’ badge in the mail the other day. He fully intended to cream them with detentions, not that they wouldn’t deserve them anyway...

Ginny pulled down one eyelid and stuck out her tongue in a playful face. She proceeded to slip something down the back of George’s shirt and turned to face the front with an almost angelic expression on her face. Hermione peeked back at Ron, sitting beside Ginny but turned around quickly and said something to the girl that made her laugh. His mother and father tried to catch his eye. Ron turned his head and looked at the other side. Cho’s parents were looking ecstatic, though Cho seemed to have her chin affixed to her chest. Anna’s mother stared into space. She didn’t seem to know where she was.

”This is depressing.” He said to Steven. Steven nodded, then lifted his head toward the stage. Miss Mary Cummings had taken the stage. “Here we go.”

***

The hard part had been getting a car.

Draco sat perched in the front seat of a white 1967 Ford Mustang with a plush red interior. The wind whipped through his pale hair, tousling it beautifully around his heart shaped face.

”Are we almost there?” He called over to Rita in the driver’s seat. She shrugged.

”Almost or thereabouts! I have no idea!”

”Do you even know where we’re going?” Harry Potter asked skeptically out of the backseat.

”Hush up, brat. This is a shortcut.”

”Flying cars go much faster.” Harry stated. Draco nodded. He looked a bit nervously down at his outfit. The leather jacket he was wearing over made him feel a little more secure, but he still wasn’t sure if this was the way to go.

”Think this will work?” Harry called.

”Probably not!” Draco shook his head and rubbed his legs. They were awfully bare. But he figured he should be used to that by now... “But I’ve got to try.”

Harry nodded from the backseat and hoped his godfather wouldn’t go too mental over his temporary escape from the House of Hell. As Hermione and Ginny referred to it.

***

”Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, to witness the progression of these young souls from a state of degenerative weakness to their new lives as heterosexuals. No longer will they be prey to a life of successive one night stands-“

”Yeah, with guys. I’m hoping he gets plenty of play from the girls though...” Fred said a bit too loudly. His mother elbowed him hard.

”No longer will they be susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases-“

”Because this ceremony will make him SuperRon!” George put in.

”No longer....” She paused emphatically. “Will your children need be afraid of fitting in with the rest of normal society. Your children will finally join us as the straight, the moral, and most importantly, the PURE.”

”Er...” Fred bit his lip. “Mum?”

”Hush, Fred, I know.”

”But, Mum-“

”Quiet, George.”

Mary stood proudly on stage, a burning tower of fuchsia before the gathered group of family and friends. “Our successes here prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that one does not have to live out a miserable homosexual lifestyle, but one chooses to. That those who still practice such debauchery are guilty of not only their sins, but of deliberately wallowing in those sins! They choose to be sexual addicts. They choose to live a life that will result in ridicule and exclusion. And so!” She rose both of her hands triumphantly. “Be proud of your children, the surviving few, who were strong enough to overcome the weakness and brainwashing that society has thrust upon them. Graduates, step forward!”

Eli walked over to the center of the aisle that ran between the two small groups of parents. Michelle walked over and took his arm. They began solemnly walking down the aisle.

”Eli Woods and Michelle Kaiou.”

Steven waited a moment hesitantly, but seeing that Cho had already started out followed quickly and almost bumped into her. Ron grinned as Mary glared at them.

”Steven Silver and Cho Chang.”

Ron sighed. This was it. Homo no more. He stepped into the middle of the aisle and offered Anna his elbow.

”Ron Weasley and Anna Mo-“

A hideously loud squeal of tires pealed through the air as a white car made a sharp turn at the edge of the reception, flinging dirt all over the guests, and Ron and Anna.

”Ron! Get in!” Harry yelled from the backseat of the car. Ron paled. Harry was leaning over the side of the car motioning madly for him to get in, just like he had done several years earlier, when he and the twins had decided to “save” Harry from his family. He shook his head hard. Draco jumped out of the front seat and began to unzip his jacket.

He was wearing a revealing silver and green cheerleading outfit.

”It’s about the energy. Cheers are supposed to be simple and make people feel good!”

It was one pieced and sleeveless, with a large sliver bow shimmering on his back. The skirt, silver also, fluttered in the wind, flipping up once so Draco had to hold it down lest the entire congregation see his silky black panties. Draco danced forward a step and Harry tossed him a pair of pom poms, colored in white, silver and green. The summer of hard labor had left his legs thin and strong, his delicate arms raised above his head and he began to yell, wiggling those seductive little hips...

”Cheers make girls do stupid cartwheels. Orgasms make people feel good!”

”One two three four! You’re the one that I adore!
Two four six eight! Come on Ron! You aren’t straight!” He twirled the poms around and jumped about so his pert little arse was facing him. Ron’s jaw dropped. “Seven eight nine ten! Come with me back to heaven!”

”Five six seven eight!” He jumped back around, did a split, then held his arm up. His pale eyes connected with Ron’s beggingly. “Stay with me... cause this is fate.”

Ron stared incredulously back at Draco face. Scared and vulnerable, he could see Paul rushing for him as he did his little cheer, but he stood his ground and waited for Ron to give him an answer. Ron was frozen. He couldn’t speak or move, no matter how he wanted to.

Suddenly, Anna grabbed his face and gave him a big wet kiss on the forehead. “Sorry to break up the ceremonies. I’m outta here.”

She ran for the car and with a flying leap over the side landed next to Harry, knocking his glasses askew. Steven was bolting from the front of the group as well and once he reached the car he beckoned for Ron to come with them. But his eyes were still locked on Draco’s face, which waited for him to make the decision that would change his entire life...

”I can’t... I can’t do this...” He said softly. Draco crumbled before him. He hit the ground knock-kneed and tears started to peal down his face. Ron ran over to him and encircled Draco’s shaking shoulders with his arms. He whispered. “No, no. Don’t cry!” He steadied Draco in his arms and looked back on his family.

”I’m sorry.” He yelled. “Goodbye.”

With that he darted with Draco into the mustang and settled the boy into his lap. Somehow he was still crying as Rita skidded the car away. She flipped on the radio.

What do they know when they say I'm too young
As I get older and until my life is done
I'll be the one who had love that was true
They all had nothing, and I have you

”That was awesome, Sweetcheeks!” Anna laughed. She seemed invigorated by the wind in her hair and grinned widely.

”Why are you still crying?” Ron demanded. Draco grabbed his long nose with his index finger and thumb.

We'll be together forever in love
Together forever in love
Together forever in love

”Because I can’t stop, Gingersnap! You scared the fuck out of me just now, so deal with it!”

”Okay, okay. No need to get cunty.” Ron wiggled his face as Draco let go of his nose and cuddled his head into Ron’s shoulder. He looked back at the disappearing ceremonies, his disappearing family, and slid his fingers through Draco’s silky blond hair. He missed touching it more than he’d thought.

I'll be your reason for starting your day
You'll be my true love in every way
I'll always need you, I promise that now
Through good and bad as long as this life will allow
We'll be together forever in love
Together forever-

Anna reached into the front seat and began flipping around the channels. “Please spare me the sentimental vagina crooning.”

”I like Go Sailor.” Rita protested. Anna snorted.

”You would, you lesbo.”

”Who are you calling a lesbo, dyke?”

Steven looked across Anna back at Harry’s flushed face. “Hullo then.”

”I’m starting to feel a bit out of place. I think I’m the only straight person in this car.”

”I’m pretty sure of it, actually.” Steven replied merrily.

”See? This is how we feel, all the time.” Anna complained. Draco smacked her hand.

”Leave it there.”

”Whatever.”

You better think , think
Think about what you’re tryin to do to me
Yeah think, think - think
Let your mind go let yourself be free
Oh freedom! Freedom!
Let’s have some freedom! Freedom!
Oh freedom
Yeah freedom!

”You little Slytherin bitch!” Ron snapped. “If you don’t move that hand right now, I’m going to spank you so hard you can’t get up!”

Harry turned purple. Draco narrowed his eyes in challenge.

”You wouldn’t dare.”

”Try me.” Ron glared back. They locked gazes for a moment, then Draco swooped in and claimed his lips aggressively.