Modern No-Magic AU Drarry

Chapter Twenty-five

Practically running into the cafe, Remus scanned the room. His wide eyes found the Order member in the corner and then Luna at the front counter. "Where's Harry?" he asked breathlessly.

The door to the back room opened and Harry poked his head out. "Remus!" he smiled.

Demanding answers with his wide eyes, Remus extended his gloved palms. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"What?" Harry laughed awkwardly, closing the door behind him. He waved to Luna who he had previously warned that he would be going out with Remus briefly. "No, no, no, nothing's- everything's okay." Standing next to Remus, his head only just reached above his shoulders. "I just wanted... to, um... talk."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "You wanted to talk?" He repeated slowly, sceptically.

"...Yes."

Looking as though he had more to say, Remus took one glance around the room before nodding and turning to face the door. "Alright, then. Let's talk."

The wet, snowy street was really not the ideal place to talk. Luckily it wasn't snowing, there was only the discoloured sludge on the ground.

Remus took in a deep breath, his hands crossed as they both walked. "So you texted me in the middle of a shift saying 'i need your help, don't tell Sirius,' just because you wanted to talk?"

Okay. So maybe Harry didn't think that through.

"You texted me that you needed help when you are literally being targeted by a murderer, and you expect me not to freak out?" Raising his eyebrows, Remus looked at Harry who immediately felt bad.

"I'm really sorry, Remus," he said. "It's- like, I'm not in danger or anything. It's just..." he sighed. "I didn't want Sirius to come because he'd..." Harry tried to choose his words carefully in front of the one man insane enough to spend his entire life with the chaotic mess that is Sirius Orion Black. "...Freak out."

Keeping whatever he was thinking - which is usually a lot - to himself, Remus just nodded. "Okay. What did you want to talk about?"

Harry did not think this through. He did not even fathom that he would get this far in the conversation. Fighting to keep his face neutral, he stared at the cracked pavement. "If a... person - who is, um, not a girl - were to, I don't know..."

Remus was pretty sure he knew where this was going, but he knew how important it was that Harry did this himself. Unfortunately, however, Remus now owed Sirius £15 and had to fold the washing for three months.

Harry adjusted his glasses. "If he- they- were to give me a piece of paper with a, um, rainbow on it..." he trailed off desperately but, to his relief, Remus nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, is this something that is characteristic of this person?"

As they both stepped over a fallen branch, Harry said "No." in between his laughter.

"Then, it is likely that this mysterious person may be queer, and wants you to know it, as well as possibly even having feelings for you but has trouble expressing it." Remus said.

Harry nodded, trying to pretend he wasn't freaking out more than he was when he found out the man who killed his parents was coming for him. "Okay. Yep. Okay. Um... Okay."

Giving him the side-eye, Remus put his hands in his pockets. "Is there any specific reason you're wondering about it?"

"Uh... Um." Harry's face was steadily turning scarlet and his fingers felt numb from the cold that he regretted suggesting they walk through. "N...no." 

"Alright, Harry." Blowing air out of his mouth, Remus looked around. "Should we head back?"

"Yep. Good idea," Harry agreed quickly. On the quick walk back, Remus checked in with Harry, asking him about how things were with the Dursleys, if he was feeling safe, if he was feeling good in general. Though 'good' wasn't really the right adjective to accurately describe how he was feeling, Harry just wanted to please Remus and not make him concerned.

Outside the cafe, Remus quickly hugged Harry. "I'll see you later. You better be replying to my texts, young man." During the last sentence, his toned turned severe.

"I promise I will. Bye!" His face scrunched up, Harry regrettably didn't stop talking. "Not like, bi, but... bye! Goodbye!"

Turning away again, Remus did his very best to not sigh loudly. This boy was a disaster, and somehow he felt accountable.

---

Elbows up on the table, Draco covered his face and had to use all his energy to not make any weird noises betraying his mortification. What has he done? Why did he do that? But more importantly... did Harry see the piece of paper? Obviously he did, it was right there... but did he understand? And even if he did, what now? How much did he just change things for them?

"My parents dragged me here. When does the party start?"

Startled, Draco jumped as Pansy slid into a chair next to him. He hurriedly looked around the long table to make sure she didn't draw anyone else's attention. "Shut up," he hissed. "You're not meant to make any noise."

"Yes, yes, sulking evilly, I get it." Pansy slid her hand through her hair with a smile before rolling her eyes. "My dad's funeral was more fun than this. Don't tell me you do this every day."

"You're sick."

"Thanks. 

Her skirts ruffling around her, Bellatrix stood up with concerningly wide eyes, her heavy mascara looking as though they weighed down her eyelids. "Master is getting impatient," she said in her whiny voice, glaring at Lucius.

"Draco," Bellatrix continued, approaching Draco shifted uncomfortably as she stood behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. "How close are you to achieving your goal?"

He gulped and shook his head slightly, searching for words. "I... soon. Soon, Aunt Bella."