Student

Harry and Ron weren't speaking anymore. Hermione, in fact, wasn't speaking to either of them. She was, understandably, scared. Fred and George were avoiding both Harry and their brother. They would always throw them odd glances before disappearing through the swirling masses in the great hall. Draco was obviously not looking to spread this humiliating story, so there were no Slytherins flaunting badges proclaiming his supposed gay tendencies. This was all that Harry had to be thankful for these days.

****

Draco was humiliated. He couldn't believe that the love of his life had been Potter! Harry Potter. The boy who stood for everything that he and his family hated and who had destroyed everything they loved. And here he was, making out with him in a broom cupboard. "Talk about irony," Draco muttered to himself.

The more he pondered, the more he asked himself if he gave a damn weather or not Potter was a boy.

****

Ron had taken to sulking around with a constant feeling of nausea; one he knew could only be brought on by pure guilt. He could feel people's eyes on him more acutely than ever. He never talked know, instead he spent his time staring into space. He had begun to leave at the last minute for classes so that he could have the pleasure of walking alone through the hallways with their foreboding walls of stone. Something about their impassive coldness comforted him. And yet, when he got to class, all of those eyes would turn and watch his progress to the front of the room as he made his apologies to the professor and turned to go to his seat. It was always in the very back, next to the wall. The students now knew to leave it open for him so that it was always there, waiting.

Ron's love for Harry had not waned. It had, in fact, increased. And yet, there was always that nagging thought. Loving Harry made him gay. Being gay was something that he had always viewed with the utmost disgust. And now, he was what he so detested. He wondered if he couldn't be shaken from it. However...that would take one girl; the one that he could never have. He watched her, sitting in the back, her hair tied back in a ponytail. He had loved her for so long and knew that it would never be possible. Oh, God! Why didn't this stop? He hated it, having love for a boy. Sometimes he thought about killing himself.

And yet, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

****

Draco stormed through the hallway, his eyes glinting. He made a path for himself through some straggling students. Draco's mind was racing. He had made his mind up about Harry. He had decided that he loved him. Enough to not to care about his gender. However, his inner Malfoy would not allow him to be gay. And besides, it was just one boy. He was a Malfoy, and he wanted something. If something was stopping him, he would just have to find a way around it. He was looking for a spell that would turn Harry into a girl, preferably quick and easy that would happen without him making too much of a fuss. And this was just what he intended to do.

****

Harry was alone in the common room. Even the sulking Ron had gone to bed. He had tried to make himself get up and go, but for some reason he couldn't pull himself away from the fire. Something was keeping him there. Then, the door to the common room slammed shut. Hermione stormed in. She looked like she was crying.

Harry stood up. Hermione saw him and hurried on. "Hermione!" he called to her. "Stop. Please." Hermione stopped dead in her tracks.

"What?" came a cold voice.

"I just....just feel like I need to explain to you..."

Hermione reeled around, her eyes bloodshot. "Oh, really?! What the bloody hell is there to explain? You were in a broom cupboard making out with.....with....Draco Malfoy of all people! Not only that, but you were dressed as a girl! Please, Harry. Unless you have something important to say to me, leave me alone." She was hurting inside. She loved him so much, and now...he was gay? It was too much. She turned to leave when Harry spoke.

"I love you," he said. That was it. Nothing long, nothing eloquent. Just short, simple, to the point. That was so like Harry. Hermione turned around slowly. "I thought that it would be a laugh to lead Draco on," he began, taking a step towards her. "I...I thought that if I dressed...as a girl...that I could get him to fall in love with me. I thought it would be a lark. So, I had to bring it somewhere and bring it to an end." He took a deep breath. Through out all this he had been moving closer to her. She stood frozen. "In the hallway, he was beginning to get weird on me. So..." he gulped. "I kissed him. Just to make him shut up." Hermione continued to stare as he moved ever closer. "He took me....to the broom cupboard. I figured that I'd give a peck or two and then bash him over the head with a pail. But then....Ron came...and...well, you know the rest." He was close to her now. "But I realized," he whispered. "That I loved you." And with that, he took her in his strong arms and kissed her.